Discipleship? Why?

Jesus leaves His followers with one directive. Someone’s last words carry weight—especially Jesus’ words.

Jesus tells us to “make disciples all over the world, teaching them to obey everything He commanded.”  He is standing with His earthly followers just before He ascends into heaven, and he looks them in the eye and says, “Make disciples.”

He didn’t need to give these followers an explanation of what a disciple was. He had spent three years demonstrating what disciplemaking looked like. The long walk alongside someone that forms their life and character into a certain style. 

Jesus had a brand. His brand looked like submission to the Father, compassion for the marginalized, eyes to see the image-bearing spirit inside of those around Him, vision for what obedience to God could do in someone’s life, and an attunement to the Holy Spirit that directed His day-to-day movements in real and practical ways. 

What does this look like today, on a Monday in 2025? How is being a disciplemaker working out in your own life?

Is making individual disciples ourselves outdated and something that the organized church does these days? When I discuss this topic with people, it often surprises them that this is something approachable and something that is actually expected of all of us to be involved in. There seems to be an assumption that our paid church staff are the ones doing the heavy lifting and we just invite people into that space.

Surely it is good to do the inviting, we each are in unique people groups and can touch the lives of unique people. But sitting through a Sunday service, or a series of 100 Sunday services, will only take you so far. It’s good but not sufficient to create disciples who make other disciples.

Are there metrics for success? How can we determine if we are making disciples?

I’m often reflecting on how I spend my time and energy related to Jesus' directive to make disciples. Someone challenged me several years ago to write down the names of those people that I had helped form as a disciple of Jesus. Then, next to their name, write the name of someone that they went on to disciple. And so on. And so forth.

This exercise was designed to help me determine if I was indeed making disciples who were making other disciples. 

This was Jesus’ ‘plan A’, and it doesn’t seem like He had a ‘plan B’. He entrusted His message and ministry to those disciples standing in front of Him. He commissioned them and sent them out. They went on to make disciples who made other disciples- and here I sit today. I am a product of this chain of discipleship. So are you.

As you reflect on your journey with Jesus to date, how have you been challenged to be a disciple yourself? Who has had a part in that? Has there been a clear call to be aligned with Jesus on the daily? And has this call included being a disciplemaker yourself?

I’m hoping to spend some time fleshing this out together. It’s been on my mind and heart this Fall. I’ve been in so many conversations revolving around what this process looks like, how it is best accomplished, and what kind of commitment is required. Ponder these questions, and I’ll pick up these thoughts in my next post.  

Jesus’ last words involved making disciples. We need to focus on what that looks like for each of us.

I’d love to chat in person- feel free to reach out!

I also publish Bible Studies on You Version/ The Holy Bible app- it’s a great platform to use for yourself or for you and another person to work through a study together- check it out!

https://www.bible.com/organizations/c0b7d98d-5855-4f15-b28a-ff0a0e1f1a9b