Building a Discipling Culture

Building a Discipling Culture outlines a framework for Christian discipleship based on Mike Breen's experience leading churches in the UK and US. The book presents a methodology centered around "LifeShapes" - geometric shapes that represent biblical principles for spiritual growth and leadership development. The text breaks down eight core shapes and their corresponding spiritual concepts, providing practical tools for implementation in ministry contexts. Each shape connects to specific biblical passages and includes exercises for both individual growth and group discipleship. Breen documents the origins and evolution of this discipleship system through his work with St Thomas' Church in Sheffield and subsequent ministry endeavors. The methodology has spread to churches worldwide through his 3DM organization. The book represents a systematic approach to reproducing disciples within Christian communities, challenging traditional church models while remaining grounded in biblical principles. Its core message emphasizes the need for intentional, relationship-based discipleship structures in contemporary church settings.

Readers value the practical discipleship tools and frameworks presented, particularly the "LifeShapes" geometric illustrations that make complex concepts memorable. Many cite the "huddle" model as helpful for implementing discipleship in their churches. Positive reviews highlight: - Clear, actionable steps for discipleship - Balance of theory and application - Biblical foundation for concepts - Reproducible methods Common criticisms: - Writing style feels repetitive and poorly edited - Too focused on selling related materials/training - Some find the geometric shapes gimmicky - Questions about whether the model works in all church contexts Ratings: Amazon: 4.6/5 (466 reviews) Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,089 ratings) "The concepts changed how I approach discipleship" - Amazon reviewer "Too much marketing speak and could have been shorter" - Goodreads review "Great tools but the writing needs work" - Goodreads review

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Discipleship That Fits by Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom The book outlines five contexts for discipleship relationships and explains how each setting serves different aspects of spiritual formation.

The Great Omission by Dallas Willard The text explores the gap between Jesus' command to make disciples and current church practices while offering concrete steps for rediscovering discipleship.

🔹 The book's core framework, "LifeShapes," uses simple geometric shapes like circles, triangles, and squares to make discipleship principles memorable and easily teachable. 🔹 Mike Breen developed these discipleship methods while leading St Thomas' Church in Sheffield, England, which grew from a congregation of 400 to 2,000+ under his leadership. 🔹 The "3DM" movement, which grew from the principles in this book, has influenced thousands of churches across multiple continents and denominational backgrounds. 🔹 The discipleship model presented draws inspiration from Celtic Christianity's emphasis on "huddles" - small groups focused on spiritual formation and leadership development. 🔹 Before writing this book, Breen spent years studying Jesus' discipleship methods and discovered that Jesus typically taught in groups of around 12 people, which influenced the book's recommended group size for discipleship.