Discipleship Tracking

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered,
but God has been making it grow.”
-1 Corinthians 3:6 –| Select to Learn More |

THE BENEFIT TO YOUR CHURCH

NextSteps provides the discipleship architecture your church has badly needed so that intentional discipleship of every member of your church, regardless of church size, is now finally possible.

John Ortberg bio picture

“Yet there is only one thing I can think of more foolish than trying to gauge spiritual growth. And that is: Not trying to gauge it. For that which matters to us is that which we try to keep track of.”

– John Ortberg, Pg. 3 of Follow Me –

View this Page’s Table of Contents

The Disciple-Making Infrastructure Your Church Needs!

InfoGraphic depicting the three vital portions of the NextSteps Discipleship Tracker.

ASSESS FORMATION + ASSESS FELT-NEEDS > EQUIPPING

Screenshot of the NextSteps Formation Assessment structure by AssessME.org.

PART 1: Formation Assessment

The Formation Assessment consists of three movements:

  1. A DISCOVER PHASE
  2. A DEVELOP PHASE
  3. A DEPLOY PHASE

Each of these three phases have three related theological and systematic sub-movement. This creates a nine-part process for purposes of both ASSESSMENT (i.e., Maturity), but also for targeted EQUIPPING. The assessment expresses one’s present state of spiritual maturity, while the Equipping Center targets training for the disciple to help him/her mature into the next phase.

The Formation Assessment represents a semi-linear spiritual process, where in reality people may repeat some of the earlier phases as the challenges of life impact their spiritual growth. In particular, the DEVELOP movement is one that a Christian deals with for the entirety of their life.

NextSteps Default Maturation Question Pool

PLEASE NOTE: The NextSteps default question pool and labels are fully editable, so your church’s version of NextSteps may properly represent your church’s discipleship culture and language. However, be very aware that the questions ought to be structured in such a fashion as to cause people to question of themselves how true each statement is within their lives. When people score low for any series of questions, the assessment will then generate their report and present to them your church’s recommendations for classes, small groups, books, videos, etc. that are perfectly suited for their current phase of spiritual formation.

For each statement that follows, disciples will select from the following options:

  1. AGREE
  2. SOMEWHAT AGREE
  3. SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
  4. DISAGREE

Select the button below to view the default Formation question pool….

Select to View Default Question Pool
1A – DISCOVER/CONSIDERATION:
  1. I am spiritual
  2. I believe that I am a created being.
  3. God has a divine plan for this world that has influenced human history and will impact my present and future.
  4. I believe that God created me for a specific purpose.
  5. God created me so that I may have a relationship with my Creator.
1B – DISCOVER/EXPLORATION:
  1. Evolution cannot explain why the universe exists; only the existence of a Creator-God can account for space, matter, and my presence as a self-aware and moral being.
  2. I believe there is one God.
  3. I agree that sin is the primary cause for the relational separation that exists between God and humans.
  4. I believe, or am coming to believe, that Jesus provides the only true means of getting right with God.
  5. I affirm that the Bible is the only trustworthy written source for understanding God’s nature, purpose in creating humanity, and perfect will for our lives.
1C – DISCOVER/DECISION:
  1. I agree with God that I am a sinner and the penalty for my sin is death; I can never do enough good to earn God’s favor nor justify myself in God’s sight.
  2. I believe that Jesus is God in human form; though sinless, he died on the cross for payment of my sin; he bodily arose three days later and appeared to many witnesses; he then ascended to heaven but promised to one-day return to consummate his Kingdom.
  3. I accept that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as full provision for the forgiveness of my sin.
  4. I have been baptized in obedience to Jesus’ command, as a public expression of my faith in him.
  5. I am confident that when I die, I will go to heaven because of what Jesus has done for me.
2A – DEVELOP/CONTRITION:
  1. I read my Bible, pray, and seek biblical guidance from godly people to help me live in a manner that more-and-more reflects Jesus in my life.
  2. I have positive relationships with other Christians who support my growing faith in Christ and lovingly challenge me when I make poor life-choices.
  3. When I confess my sin to the Lord, He cleanses me, and I am fully forgiven.
  4. Although I know that I am forgiven in Christ, I still struggle with sin; I affirm that God’s forgiveness is not a license for me to continue sinning.
  5. The word “repent” means to “change direction”…I can list specific areas in my life where the Holy Spirit has influenced me to change direction in the way that I live.
2B – DEVELOP/SANCTIFICATION:
  1. I know that my faith in Christ is real because the influence of my old sinful nature continues to decrease, and Christ’s new nature in me continues to increase.
  2. The Holy Spirit continually points out areas in my life that he desires to address.
  3. I have been called by God to be holy, not that I can be perfect, but rather that my life is devoted to the Lord and to his mission in this world.
  4. I feel free from guilt, which liberates me to worship Jesus passionately and intimately.
  5. I realize that in my own strength, I cannot change my nature; yet I am changing for the better, by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.
2C – DEVELOP/TRANSFORMATION:
  1. I no longer live my life for myself, I belong to God; therefore, I seek God’s direction in my daily decisions.
  2. I am constantly changing for the better because of the Holy Spirit’s work to “clean-up my life”; these ongoing “improvements” serve as a testimony to others, as well as to myself, that I am a child of God.
  3. All that I am and possess belongs to Jesus; I acknowledge his Lordship in my life by investing into Christ’s Kingdom with the first fruits of my time, money, and abilities.
  4. I consistently “love my neighbor” in real and tangible ways, such as comforting those who are hurt and providing for those in need.
  5. Those who know me best affirm that I increasingly live out the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
3A – DEPLOY/PARTICIPATION:
  1. I am in relationship with the God daily and I am growing in knowledge of His will for my life as I study the Bible, pray, and serve him through personal ministry.
  2. I have identified the spiritual gifts God has given me for ministry, and I am actively seeking to use my gifts for his service.
  3. I have identified my God-given personality, and I understand how my personality influences how I should use the spiritual gifts he is developing within my life.
  4. I understand the way that God has designed me to influence and support others I serve within the Body of Christ.
  5. I recognize that God has guided the development of my interests and passions into practical skills; I now seek to use my skills for his Kingdom service.
3B – DEPLOY/PREPARTATION:
  1. My life and personal ministry service reflects that I am Biblically literate and practice a life based upon sound Biblical doctrine.
  2. I am re-aligning my life priorities to support the “Great Commission” (i.e., Make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey Christ’s commands).
  3. I can list specific ways in which Christian leaders have equipped and/or tested me to ensure that I am qualified to serve Christ according to his gifts and calling.
  4. I have practiced and developed my spiritual gifts by serving in support-roles within ministry areas appropriate to my gifts and call.
  5. Leaders within Christ’s Church affirm that 1) I know and use God’s Word appropriately; 2) My faith honors Christ; 3) My God-given gifts have been refined.
3C – DEPLOY/IMPLEMENTATION:
  1. I know God’s calling for my life and can clearly describe it in a personal life-mission statement.
  2. Leaders within Christ’s Church have affirmed my call to ministry, and have unleashed me (e.g., ordained me, sent me out) to serve with their blessing.
  3. God has provided me with ministry partners who complement my gifts, temperament, and ministry style so that I can fulfill my ministry calling effectively.
  4. I am risking the things of this world (e.g., perceived stability, relationships, personal belongings) to pursue Christ’s ministry call upon my life.
  5. I faithfully multiply all that God has given into my care to be used for his service and know that when I die God will say to me, “Well done good and faithful servant”.

PART II: The Felt-Need Assessment

Every day, we have strong feelings about our emotional and spiritual needs. These are called ‘Felt-Needs,’ and they can change quickly because of important events that impact our lives.

POSITIVE FELT-NEEDS: For example, a positive Felt-Need, like wanting to serve the Lord, usually helps us grow spiritually. Clearly these positive motivations to grow spiritually is the work of the Holy Spirit leading us to greater faith, trust, and Biblical knowledge in our Lord Jesus Christ.

NEGATIVE FELT-NEEDS: On the other hand, negative Felt-Needs, such as going through a divorce, can slow down our spiritual growth if we don’t handle them well. More correctly stated: Negative Felt-Needs are the spiritual warfare that Satan tempts us with to try to impede our spiritual growth.

Man in stress, experiencing negative felt needs, praying intensely to God for help.

How We Assess Felt-Needs

We ask disciples to rank the four parts of the Shema (also known as The Greatest Commandment) from their biggest spiritual need to their smallest. We all want our disciples to love the Lord with all their heart, all the time. However, this is hard to do because we are imperfect people who need the Holy Spirit’s help and support from other disciples to eventually mature in all four areas of The Greatest Commandment.

As a result of this ranking process, the program generates 24 Felt-Need reports. 12 reports are considered positive motivators for spiritual growth, while the remaining 12 reports are considered negative motivators that could hinder spiritual growth. The pastoral care goal ought to be to help support people as they spiritually wrestle with their negative spiritual motivators.

A graphic displaying how the NextSteps Felt-Need assessment works by asking the user to prioritize each statement within the Bible's Greatest Commandment.

The 24 Felt-Need Reports

Felt Needs Analysis bar graph report representation by AssessME.org.

Review the Default Felt-Need Report Summaries

The NextSteps assessment results in 24 Felt-Need reports: 12-motivational reports (i.e., POSITIVE) and 12-demotivational reports (i.e., NEGATIVE), summarized with bullet points below…

Below is a button that will display the administrative interface that enables editing of the Felt Need reports so they may better represent your distinct church culture….

PART III: The Equipping Center

The EQUIPPING CENTER, built into the NextSteps program, gives your church the ability to perfectly match recommended equipping programs to each person’s present spiritual formation needs. Check out the interface below…

Our Disciple Equipping Center offers eleven different types of media and programs for discipleship. These are divided into two main groups:

EQUIPPING CATEGORY #1: Independent Study

Independent Discipleship Categories:

  1. Articles
  2. Audio Teachings
  3. Videos
  4. Independent Bible Study
  5. Independent Book Study

We want to challenge church leaders to use these self-help categories only as supportive resources, not as your primary equipping strategy. Individuals work on these categories at their own pace, and when finished, mark them as “completed”. This helps your church staff track each person’s progress.

EQUIPPING CATEGORY #2: Interpersonal Ministry Relationships*

And the preferred Community-Based Discipleship Categories:

  1. Classes
  2. Courses
  3. Groups
  4. Mentor
  5. Program

*CONSIDER: Discipleship happens best in the context of authentic inter-personal ministry relationships.

These categories are designed to help structure and manage your church’s interpersonal discipleship programming. You can create almost any type of class, program, or small group curriculum. Once your staff sets up the discipleship options, individuals can sign up for these offerings after completing their assessments. The program sends an automatic email to the facilitators with the registrant’s name and contact details so the facilitator may initiate the relational ministry process. See the sample “What’s Next” report below for examples of inter-personal disciple-making equipping strategies…

Support for “Sign Up” and “Mark as Complete”

NOTE SIGN-UP BUTTON: Interpersonal discipleship strategies such as small groups and classes as presented above, enable your people to join by simply selecting the “Sign Up” button. This data is recorded within their personal database for record keeping.

NOTE MARK AS COMPLETE BUTTON: Once sessions have been completed, your people may select the “Mark as Complete” button to record their completion within their discipleship account. This data is recorded within their personal database for record keeping.

Retake the NextSteps Assessment to Track Progress

PART IV: Retake NextSteps to Track Discipleship Progress Over Time

NextSteps is designed to be retaken over and over again so it can track everything that is happening regarding your people’s spiritual development. By default, the system auto-invites each disciple to retake their assessments one year from the date of registration. Church leadership may adjust this to either 6 months, 12 months or 18 months. However, there is a better way to use our auto-invite system….

Retake Assessment Interface

A BETTER WAY…

However, there is a better way! Please refer to the screenshot to the left. You may reconfigure NextSteps to invite your congregation globally to retake their assessments just a few weeks before your scheduled Fall Kick-Off of programming. In so doing, your leadership receives the most up to date discipleship data while your people are matched with the Fall programming that is perfectly suited for each person’s phase of spiritual development.

Leadership will also be aware of how many people will participate in each equipping offering, so they may better plan staffing and other programming support.

GRADUATION, STAGNATION, OR DECLINE?

The screenshot to the left is configured to invite congregation members to retake their assessments twice a year as this sample church functions on a two-semester basis. But your people need not wait to receive an invite to retake their assessments. Each person is free to log into their account at any time they feel there has been a significant shift in their spiritual formation and retake their assessments. NextSteps will track each person’s progress as GRADUATION, STAGNATION, or DECLINE.

Tracking a Disciple’s Progress Over Time

NextSteps not only tracks people’s progress over time regarding their maturation development and Felt Needs, but NextSteps also generates Progress Reports when people advance or regress from one discipleship phase to another. In the sample below, this individual sadly regressed in their early spiritual development…

NextSteps Formation Progress Report screenshot depicting people's graduation, stagnation, or decline spiritually over time.

NextSteps Overview Videos:

The NextSteps Discipleship Tracking Software

Planning Center Online Logo.

VIEW: Optional API Integration

Workflow Benefits in ChMs Programs Like Planning Center

Also, when you connect with church management software like Planning Center, you can use their workflow tools to automate the sending of specific Maturity and/or Felt-Need reports to the appropriate discipleship or pastoral care ministry departments.

Each discipleship strategy category contains a “Mark as Complete” button which your people will select when they have completed your recommended discipleship strategy. In this way, your ministry leadership will be able to track your people’s progress.

NextSteps Discipleship Tracking Overview Details

TRAINING BOOK: ACTIVE DISCIPLESHIP

OUR DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING RESOURCE FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Welcome to “Active Discipleship,” a guide tailored for church leaders seeking to rejuvenate the timeless practice of discipleship within their local congregations. This comprehensive resource offers theological insights, philosophical foundations, practical systems, and innovative solutions to breathe new life into the art of Active Discipleship. Drawing from fourteen years of extensive market research and alpha-model testing across churches of various sizes and theological traditions, this book also introduces a groundbreaking customizable disciple-making software platform known as NextSteps.

Active Discipleship book by David A Posthuma.

Additional Resources

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