Works of mercy (i.e., compassionate ministry) are an essential component of discipleship development if one takes seriously the example of Jesus in training His disciples. But in the contemporary church, it is a “missing link” for a reason: it isn’t as efficient or as comfortable as the mere sermon or Bible study. Still, if training disciples for culturally-impactful ministry is a goal, then character development through Kingdom-building outreach is a necessary feature for spiritual formation group practices. In the Methodist movement of John Wesley, to name just one example, works of mercy were a non-negotiable dynamic of the disciple-making process and proved essential, according to the founder, for progress in the ordo salutis. Any discipleship program that neglects the critical element of compassionate ministry impedes believers’ imitation of Christ and their Kingdom impact is contributing to positive cultural change. This paper will demonstrate the powerful advantage compassionate ministry adds to the discipleship program of the local church.