Making Disciples: It’s a Process, Not an Event

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NLT)

I’ve been really proud of my kids over the years for inviting other kids to church on a regular basis. They’ve had friends, kids from school, and their teammates accompany us to church on a number of occasions. In doing so many of them have been saved (i.e. they asked Jesus into their heart and professed him as Lord and Savior). However, their job is not done once their friends are saved. Jesus didn’t call us just to win people to the Lord but to also disciple them. It’s a journey that starts at salvation, but then progresses forward as they grow in their walk with God.

We continue to bring them with us to church and get them plugged into a small group. We get them a Bible if they don’t have one. Every once in a while we initiate casual conversations about God and Jesus, and we check in on them and to see if they have any questions, concerns, or struggles that they’ve been wrestling with in this new way of life. Modeling our relationship with God and talking about it in everyday, teachable moments is part of an ongoing process. Then we teach them to invite others too and continue this process themselves, but STILL continue to walk alongside them to helping them to grow and learn.

It’s like two sides of a coin—evangelism and discipleship. We need both to accomplish Jesus’ mandate and commission to us. Evangelism is important, but it’s not the end. Furthermore, discipleship can’t begin without evangelism first. Someone has to be “won over” before becoming a follower.

It’s not just a numbers game

This idea that “salvation is not the end—discipleship is also needed” is something that has been burning in me for quite some time now. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many churches (and individuals) just place the emphasis on salvation only, almost like it’s a numbers game. This often makes me question the hearts and the genuineness of those trying to win souls for Christ.

In fact it was something that was bothering me so much over a year ago that I made an entry in my quiet time journal one day. I knew I had some irritation and raw emotions associated with it because of what I was witnessing at the time, so I decided to just sit on it for a while and not write about it for fear of writing out of emotions only. Over a year later, I still feel pretty strongly about the same thing so maybe God is tugging on my heart to say something about it.

A raw and candid entry from my journal…

July 23, 2018

“People say they want to introduce people to Jesus but then they get them in the door and then dump them like an ex-girlfriend. They seem to care about getting them in initially but not about taking care of them once they’re there and not teaching them further or walking lovingly beside them as they venture into this new life. They’re seemingly left on their own to fend for themselves.

Supposedly once saved they become part of a family, but are they really being treated like family? What about discipleship and walking alongside them? They were outsiders. Now they’re on the inside, but they’re STILL outsiders, which might be even worse. Now they really don’t fit in anywhere. At least before there was a resemblance to being a part of something.

Maybe that’s one reason why so many of the younger generations are leaving the church. These younger generations are especially adept at sniffing out counterfeit Christianity. Maybe they can see what’s happening and want no part of it. Possibly they’ve been on the receiving end of feeling like an outsider. Maybe they were lured in only to be pushed out. Can you blame them for leaving? The world would seem a lot more appealing than this kind of fake love.

No one wants to be made to feel like leftovers or yesterday’s trash. Nobody likes feeling like the “red-headed stepchild”. Nobody wants to feel like they need to fight to fit in in church. It stinks to feel like you’re old news, like others only care about the new and shiny and now you’re just a discarded old garment that’s not in style anymore. It’s cool to be trendy until you’re not the trend anymore.

What are we offering to people if this is what they’re seeing, if this is the kind of behavior they see in the church? What makes us think that it’s okay to invite them in and then leave them on their own to fend for themselves as we revert back to our comfortable cliques?

Christians, we need to do better! That’s not real love! That’s not Jesus! It’s religion. It’s what irritated Jesus so much with the religious leaders of his day. They had all the pious look from the outside, but inside they were dirty and empty. So many Christians are a different kind of Pharisee now.”

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.” Matthew 23:25-26 (NLT)

It starts at salvation but doesn’t end there

It’s very tempting for us to place the emphasis on salvation but then forget the mandate to make disciples. Our job is not over after we’ve invited them to church. Our job is not over after they’ve received salvation. We need to continue to walk with people even after their salvation. They are going to need to be taught. Discipleship is a process, not an event.

The original Greek words used in the Bible for “disciple” are “Matheteuo” or “Mathetes” which as a noun means a learner, pupil, or disciple and as a verb means to disciple, enroll as a scholar, instruct or teach.

David Guzik in his commentary on the mandate “Make disciples of all the nations” in Matthew 28:19 says,

“The command is to make disciples, not merely converts or supporters of a cause. The idea behind the word disciples is of scholars, learners, or students. Make disciples reminds us that disciples are made. Disciples are not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity.”^[1]

Take Some Practical Steps to Make Disciples…More Than Mere Evangelism:

• First, don’t just focus on “saving” people. Disciple them!

• Secondly, take evaluation.

Do you put more emphasis on winning the lost than taking continued care of them and other believers?

Are you “discipling”, not only emphasizing new people but growing current ones?

Do you walk alongside other believers in their daily life—genuinely loving them and caring for them and helping them to grow?

Do you discard the “new” when they’re not new anymore to look for more “new and shiny”?

Or do you gravitate to your comfortable same group of people? Would others say you are “clique-y” in church, alienating others (especially new believers) you could be helping grow?

• Next, be genuine. People can easily recognize counterfeits.

• Then, remember to balance both—winning new souls and discipling and loving on current ones. Both can be ditches we fall in. OR…maybe you’re doing neither?? In which case you need to revisit Jesus words to you in Matthew 28:19.

• Finally, if YOU are the outsider…Know this is NOT how God intended. Know God sees you. You are not invisible. You ARE loved by Him, and you fit in with God.

Later, we’ll discuss more about the “how to’s” of making disciples. Today I just really wanted to focus on the importance of this process and that it is just that…an ongoing process.

Is making disciples an ongoing process for you? Have you been on the receiving end of being left to fend for yourself? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are rude, disrespectful, sarcastic, offensive, or off-topic.  By posting on this site you agree to my Comment Policy.

P.S.  If you liked this post, you might enjoy receiving new posts delivered right to your inbox each week!  Sign up here. 

If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

1. Guzik, David. “The Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Matthew Chapter 28.” Enduring Word, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-28/. ↑