How did Jesus lead people? This matters because without leadership there is no discipleship - without discipleship there is no church. Discipleship is indispensable. Yet discipleship is often the battlefield upon which religious/culture does war against itself and its purpose. In the ministry of Jesus, we find deep-seated principles that illustrate how Jesus created disciples. These principles speak to every issue of Christian leadership and church culture. Jesus did not create rule sets. Jesus did not offer discipleship manuals. His leadership was astonishing to those who witnessed it. Yes, he did miracles - but no one was quoted saying Jesus did miracles unlike anyone.

What the people said was that no one spoke like him. Jesus sounded unlike any religious leader the people had ever heard. Jesus did not try to organize them, rule them, or control them. He taught enigmatically, in parables and aphorisms- yet he always challenged the listener with the unspeakable mystery of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ leadership style celebrated influence rather than control, choice rather than manipulation. Jesus’ teaching leaves the listener with the impression that he mistrusted rules, systems, and formulas. Jesus would offer a parable, a truth, a concept, then leave the listener to wrestle with it, to make application, to organize himself or herself in response to that insight.

The issue of control versus influence lies at the heart of ministry. Yet control versus influence can become a culture war between church liberals and church conservatives. Sincere people disagree. Yet isn’t it interesting that the One who actually had power forsook it, and humbled himself to influence and invitation? This book seeks to show how Jesus used levels of discipleship to orient people toward the Kingdom of Heaven. And how we can use levels of discipleship to create an influence culture in our own Christian efforts.