Discipleship 101: The Basics

The call to discipleship begins at resurrection, because a person cannot really walk in discipleship without first being brought into the family of Christ through Jesus. Resurrection is the starting point on the continuum, but relationships are where that new life starts getting lived out. The relationship with Jesus is personal, but it is not meant to stay private. Growth in Christ is meant to turn outward, helping other people serve him as well.

Matthew 28 puts the weight of this clearly on the words of Jesus. Jesus does not merely suggest disciple making, and he does not leave it as something to do “if you feel like it” or “if you have the time.” Jesus commands it. Evangelism proclaims the good news and helps bring people to conversion, but discipleship is the ongoing process of growing the converted. Evangelism speaks of Jesus, but discipleship gets “in the mud” and helps someone else learn to love and follow Jesus in attitude and action.

The urgency around discipleship is real. Fewer than 5% of churches have a reproducing disciple-making culture, and only a small number of Christians actually know the Great Commission and what it means. The lack of discipleship shows up in declining churches, closing churches, and thin biblical worldview. The issue is not that discipleship sounds complicated. The issue is that Jesus commanded something many church cultures know about but do not actually practice.

Discipleship matters because it forms believers in truth, sacrifice, suffering, learning, love, and maturity. Paul’s charge to entrust reliable teaching to others shows that truth is not only for personal growth, but for passing on. Jesus’ call to deny self and take up the cross daily shows that discipleship requires sacrifice, and the call to bear the cross shows that it teaches people how to suffer well. John’s words about continuing in the truth, loving one another, and bearing much fruit show that discipleship should produce freedom, love, and visible maturity.

Disciple making stands on five basic foundations. Jesus is the source, because all authority belongs to him, not money, title, influence, or church position. Disciple making requires action, risk, and movement toward “all nations,” including uncomfortable spaces. Disciple making does not see gender, ethnicity, age, or income, because it is all about helping people see Jesus. Preparation matters, because teaching others to obey requires Scripture, discipline, and readiness. Faith increases as discipleship is lived out, because what is practiced before others can become the very thing God uses to show them, “Jesus is real.”

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Discipleship begins at resurrection The discipleship journey starts with belonging to Christ, not with religious activity or church language. Resurrection brings a person into the family of God, and only then can the growing, learning, following life really begin. Personal faith is the doorway, but a living relationship with Jesus is meant to keep moving toward deeper obedience and fruitful relationships. [32:25]
• 2. Jesus commands disciple making The Great Commission is not presented as optional work for especially outgoing Christians. Jesus gives it as a charge rooted in his authority over heaven and earth. Disciple making therefore rests on obedience to Christ, not personality, convenience, available time, or church programming. [35:07]
• 3. Discipleship gets in the mud Evangelism proclaims the gospel, but discipleship stays close enough to help another person grow. The picture is not just speaking words from a distance, but reaching down and pulling someone up. Mature faith becomes willing to be involved, inconvenienced, and present in the hard places where growth actually happens. [36:45]
• 4. The cross teaches suffering well Discipleship does not remove suffering, but it teaches believers how to carry it with faithfulness. The story of the dying pastor shows that a disciple may be called not only to show others how to live, but also how to die. Such suffering becomes a witness when Christ’s way is visible even at the edge of life. [49:23]
• 5. Faith grows when practiced before others Disciple making increases faith because obedience is not just explained, it is lived out in front of someone else. The child at Dave and Buster’s learned prayer by watching it practiced, then saw God answer in a way that made her say, “Jesus is real.” Discipleship matters because ordinary moments can become holy evidence that following Jesus is not pretend. [70:00]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:05] - Introduction and Ministry Background
• [30:02] - Opening Prayer
• [30:51] - Discipleship One on One
• [31:45] - From Resurrection to Relationships
• [34:14] - The Great Commission Command
• [36:07] - Evangelism and Discipleship
• [39:34] - Why Discipleship Matters
• [40:21] - The State of Discipleship
• [45:38] - Benefits of Discipleship
• [47:11] - Sacrifice and Suffering Well
• [52:37] - Bearing Fruit as True Disciples
• [56:45] - Jesus as the Source
• [58:14] - Disciple Making Requires Action
• [64:47] - Discipleship Increases Faith

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'” [34:20]

Luke 9:23
“And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'” [47:19]

2 Timothy 2:2
“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” [46:15]

John 13:34-35
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'”

John 15:8
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” [52:39]

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 28:18-20, what actions does Jesus tell his followers to take, and what does he say they are to teach? [35:07]
2. What distinction is made between evangelism and discipleship, and how is discipleship described as more than just speaking words? [36:45]
3. According to 2 Timothy 2:2, what pattern of passing on truth is described from one believer to another? [46:15]
4. In John 15:8, what does bearing much fruit show about a person, and what kinds of fruit are named as evidence of growth? [52:39]

Interpretation questions

1. If discipleship begins after a person has been brought into the family of Christ, why does that matter for how someone understands spiritual growth and helping others grow? [32:25]
2. Jesus gives the Great Commission as a command, not a suggestion. What does that reveal about the place disciple making should have in the normal Christian life? [35:07]
3. Luke 9:23 says a disciple must deny self and take up the cross daily. What does that suggest about the cost of following Jesus in ordinary life, not just in dramatic moments? [47:19]
4. John 13:34-35 says love is one of the ways people recognize true disciples. Why might love be such a central mark of discipleship, especially when relationships are hard? [51:55]

Application questions

1. Resurrection is the beginning of discipleship. Is there confidence that life with Christ has truly begun, or has there been a drift into religious habit without a living relationship with Jesus? [32:25]
2. Discipleship is meant to move from a personal relationship with Jesus into relationships with others. Who is one person right now that could be encouraged, prayed for, or walked with more intentionally in faith? [33:40]
3. Discipleship gets “in the mud.” What would it look like this month to move beyond talking about Jesus and actually helping someone follow him in a practical, close-up way? [36:45]
4. Jesus calls his people to deny themselves and take up the cross daily. Where is self-denial hardest right now—time, comfort, reputation, money, forgiveness, or something else? [47:19]
5. Disciple making often requires stepping into uncomfortable spaces. What settings, kinds of people, or situations tend to be avoided, and what might faithfulness look like in one of those places? [01:00:10]
6. Teaching others to obey Jesus requires preparation. What simple step would help most right now: reading Scripture more consistently, memorizing a passage, praying with someone, or being more ready to speak about Christ? [01:04:17]
7. Faith grows when obedience is practiced in front of others. When has someone seen prayer, trust, or love lived out in a way that helped make Jesus more real to them—and how could that kind of witness be offered to someone else this week? [01:10:00]