Discipleship stages can help us see where we are and where others are so we can encourage growing from one stage to the next. We used the stages advocated by Jim Putman in his article The 5 Stages Of Growth Of A Disciple, and listed below is his description of each stage.
Baby
In this stage, “people have accepted Christ, but haven’t moved much past that point. They can be new believers, or they might be stagnant, long-time Christians. Life is generally all about them and their needs.”
Child
In this stage, “people are growing in their relationship with God and are also beginning to grow in their relationship with other Christians. They are applying God’s Word in their life and allowing others to walk beside them in their journey following Christ. However, it’s still mostly about them – their needs, comfort, etc.”
Young Adult
In this stage, “people are making a big shift from being self-centered to more others centered. They’re beginning to understand their role as a giver, rather than a taker – ministering to others, putting others first – being doers of the Word.”
Parent
In this stage, “the Parent has a solid understanding of God’s Word and a deep, abiding relationship with the Father. They are living out God’s Word in their lives daily. They are others-centered and God-dependent. They can reproduce mature disciples of Christ by inviting others to follow them as they follow Christ.”