The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18–20. The main phrase of the Great Commission is “make disciples.” We tell unbelievers the good news and then help those who believe in Christ to grow in their faith.
Some churches prioritize evangelism, while others prioritize discipleship. These are like two wings on an airplane. Lifeway Research says biblical disciplemaking involves the whole process of winning the lost, building the believer, equipping the worker, and sending out proven multipliers.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV), “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” There are four generations of discipleship in this verse: (1) Paul’s own generation, (2) Timothy’s generation, (3) the people Timothy will teach, and (4) the ones they will teach and disciple.
Today, there are vast resources on the Internet for spiritual growth, including ministries committed to discipleship and disciple-making. Here is a list of resources on discipleship:
- Master Plan of Evangelism, a classic book on discipleship.
- Cru has the “10 Basic Steps toward Christian Maturity,” which is designed to provide the new believer with a sure foundation of their faith. Cru also has “Transferable Concepts” in print and on video that teaches the principles of the Christian life.
- Since 1933, the Navigators (Navigators.org) have helped people worldwide know Jesus through what is called Life-to-Life Discipleship. It includes a Digital-Discipleship Journey that includes emailing a person on a weekly basis and topics to help you grow spiritually. These and other great resources can be found on their website at www.Navigators.org/resources.
- Bible Study Fellowship (bsfinternational.org) offers free, in-depth Bible studies for men and women to uncover the truths of God’s Word together.
Churches should focus on building disciples who are followers and learners of Jesus. Pastor Marc Fournier of Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, Washington, says, “All that we do at our church is about building disciples who will bring Jesus to our world and who then build other disciples. Our discipleship pathway includes helping folks get ‘planted’ in Truth or God’s Word. Mature disciples seek to make other disciples as well as serve in our church community.”
Canyon Hills Community Church in Bothell, Washington, has as their motto “to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.” They have a School of Discipleship where they offer courses on topics such as How to Study the Bible, Know What You Believe, Theology, the Life of Christ, and more.
Real-Life Ministries is a church led by Pastor Jim Putman that started with a few people and now has several thousand each week based on a focus on discipleship. Putman’s book Real-Life Discipleship focuses on true, effective discipleship for churches. DiscipleShift: Five Shifts to Help Your Church Make Disciples Who Make Disciples written by Putman and Bobby Harrington is another great resource.
Discipleship.org breaks down these three key parts to what it means to be a disciple:
- “Following” Jesus (head)
- “Being changed” by Jesus through the Holy Spirit (heart)
- “Fishers of men” being committed to the mission of Christ (hands)
JesusOnline Discipleship
JesusOnline Ministries (JOM) helps website visitors and JO Discipleship App users become faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ. This is an online ministry that helps believers develop a more comprehensive understanding of who Jesus is, what He has done, and what His purpose is for their lives so they can follow Him more wholeheartedly. This online discipleship is not meant to replace or compete against discipleship that takes place in a local church.
Their Strategy
After presenting the gospel, JOM invites visitors to download the free JO App, the primary platform for discipleship. It allows users to communicate directly with the JO App online ministers. Over 500,000 people to date have downloaded this free JO App.
Their Resources
Those who come to Christ can access on the JO App:
- The Adventure of Living with Jesus
- New Life in Christ
- R.E.C.A.P. Bible Study Method
- Time with God section with devotionals and a Bible study series
- Building Blocks for Maturity with key topics of discipleship
- Share Jesus with articles on evangelism and evangelistic tools
- Facts for Faith with apologetic articles to deepen their faith in Christ
Below are two of the thousands of comments on JOM’s online discipleship materials. These comments are from the continent of Africa in particular.
“The discipleship booklet has transformed my life and my understanding about what it is to live for Christ and trust His Word. The Adventure of Living with Jesus discipleship booklet is a real treasure for me!” —Pastor Assah, Togo
“My name is Pastor Stanley Fachi in Malawi. The JO App has helped me be grounded in the Word of God. I preach to thousands of people every Sunday and also teach about 600 pastors in Malawi and Mozambique. I have printed everything on the JO App, and I have started already making some tracts and sharing them with people. Thanks again for all you’ve done to encourage and equip me.” —Pastor Stanley Fachi, Malawi
Discipleship Is God’s Strategy
Jesus told His disciples to teach all that He taught to their disciples. In a few short years, they had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Discipleship starts with evangelism, and we should never forget that, but we should always pursue making disciples who will in turn make disciples. To reach the world for Christ, we need to share the gospel to as many people as possible and disciple those who come to Christ. This was the model Jesus commanded in the Great Commission.
Ed Stetzer is an author, speaker, pastor, church planter, Christian missiologist, and Billy Graham’s Distinguished Chair of Church Mission and Evangelism at Wheaton College. He summed up the relationship of evangelism and discipleship: “Our evangelism has to be focused on making disciples who become disciple-makers, and our discipleship has to be mission-driven, leading those discipled to share Christ.”
True discipleship leads to evangelism, and true evangelism leads to discipleship, which is the Lord’s way of reaching the world for His glory.