Breaking Down Discipleship
Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV):
"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Jesus' Command to Us
Jesus' command to us couldn’t be clearer: we are to GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded us.
I don’t know about you, but the idea of discipleship has taken many different forms throughout my life. And although I am so thankful for each one of those experiences—whether it was meeting my youth pastor, having accountability in college, or going through a discipleship school where I dove deep into Scripture—each season was crucial. Each season helped me better understand who God is and who He has made me to be. I truly believe in the power of discipleship!
My heart for us as a church is that we take a step forward in understanding how we, as parents, grandparents, college students, young professionals, and even the youngest among us, can first become disciples of Jesus, so that we can then make disciples of Jesus.
We’ve defined discipleship as being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and doing what He does.
And often, we get excited about being with Him, we long to be more like Him, but we’re not quite sure how to do what He did.
And that’s fair. I mean, Jesus was Jesus—God in the form of a man. He did miracles, He spoke with the authority of heaven—but the promise for us in the middle of all of this is:
John 14:12-14 (NIV):
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
Wow! Jesus says that not only will we do what He did, but we will do even greater things.
What Does This Look Like?
So, what does that practically look like for us as disciples? Let’s break it down into four things that every follower of Jesus should be doing:
Hearing God
Talking to God
Hearing God for Others
Sharing God with Others
This is the core of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus—and what it means for us to make disciples of Jesus.
1. Hearing God
We simply ask, God, what do you want me to know today? We need to make space in our lives to hear God. God desires to speak to us, to guide us, and to reveal His plans for us. Pause, quiet the noise around us and actively listen for His voice.
2. Talking to God
We talk to Him about everything—the good, the hard… He is our friend who sticks closer than a brother. When we talk to God, we invite Him into every aspect of our lives, from our hopes to our struggles. And as we grow in this relationship, we learn to speak with Him regularly, not just in times of crisis, but in the everyday moments of life.
3. Hearing God for Others
Hearing God for others means being attentive to what God might be saying to those around us. And we say, God, would you include me in what you are doing today? Learning to listen for God's voice on behalf of others so we can be a vessel of His message, love, and encouragement in their lives.
4. Sharing God with Others
Discipleship always moves outward and is about sharing the message and hope of Jesus. Who can you share with?
Living Out Our Calling
If we fill our days—whether we're working, parenting, or studying—with these practices, and invite others to do the same, we will see transformation in our communities. We won’t change the world because of anything we’re doing, but because we’re entering into what God is already doing.
May we all step into the call to make disciples, knowing that God is with us every step of the way.
Let’s go and make disciples, church.