Discipleship in Action

 if anyone would be first, he exists last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35)

The essence of discipleship is receiving the child of God and serving him. What is the purpose of serving the child? It is the work of ministry as Paul says and why Jesus gives gifts unto men, so to build them up, so they are no longer children, but grow into mature adulthood, the measure of that stature being the fullness of the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:9-14).

if anyone would be first, he exists last of all and servant of all and taking a child he put him in the midst of them, whom ever receives one of these children of mine in my name receives me and whoever receives me receives not me but the the one who sent me (Mark 9:35-37)

In the kingdom of God if you want to be great you must become like Jesus who emptied himself, though existing as God, he did not use such authority to lord over and exercise authority over people but became a servant of all, even to the point of death. His life exists an example of serving all. He took twelve men, and discipled them over the span of three years.

you know the leaders of the nations accordingly rule over them and the great accordingly exercise authority over them. Existing not so among you, rather who if wanting to be great among you exists your servant, and who if willing to be first among you must exists your servant, just as the son of man came no to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28)

These are the greatest among the kingdom of God, those who give up their life to serve, not to be served, just like Jesus did. The very meaning of minister means servant. I don't think we can even call it servant leadership. God gives gifts for the purpose of serving the body so that it grows and is being conformed to the image of Jesus. He gives some the gift of evangelism, some the gift of teaching, and he gives other gifts. One plants and God grows. One waters and God grows. "The one who plants and the one who waters exists one and the same" it is God's field, his building, he is the one who causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)

I tell you truth, what you do to the least of these my brothers you do to me (Matthew 25:40) 

Discipleship in action, " whom ever receives one of these children of mine in my name receives me...." (Mark 9:37). "If anyone would be first, he exists last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35). The word receive δέχομαι (dechomai) means to take hold of, receive, accept. It has a different tone than the Greek word λαμβάνω (lambanó, "to take, receive) as it stresses a high level of self-involvement. A minister is a servant of all, the least among all. Children are the least, and to those that receive them receives Jesus. 

Discipleship in action receives children (spiritual), taking in hand, teaching them all that Jesus taught and Jesus receives them and will be with them until the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20)