In the final moments before His ascension, Jesus gave His followers what we now call the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). This command remains our primary mission today, yet many Christians struggle with how to make disciples effectively.
The key to successful discipleship can be found in three essential qualities: it must be relational, intentional, and reproducible.
Discipleship Must Be Relational
Jesus didn’t merely teach from a distance; He lived with His disciples, sharing meals, conversations, and life’s challenges. “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14). Notice the priority—first, they were to be with Him, then to be sent out.
The Apostle Paul understood this principle well when he wrote to the Thessalonians: “We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8). Discipleship happens in the context of authentic relationships where trust, vulnerability, and genuine care exist.
Consider the relationship between Paul and Timothy. Paul refers to Timothy as “my true child in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2), demonstrating the deep familial bond they shared. Their relationship wasn’t merely academic or professional—it was personal and loving. In today’s disconnected world, effective discipleship requires moving beyond surface-level interactions to building genuine connections where life experiences, struggles, and victories are shared openly.
Discipleship Must Be Intentional
While relationships provide the context for discipleship, mere friendship isn’t enough. Jesus was strategic and purposeful in how He developed His disciples. He deliberately taught them (Matthew 5-7), modelled ministry (John 13:12-15), gave them opportunities to practice (Luke 10:1-17), and evaluated their experiences (Mark 6:30).
Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” This sharpening doesn’t happen accidentally but requires deliberate effort. Paul instructed Timothy: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). This verse highlights the planned, intentional nature of discipleship.
Consider Barnabas, who intentionally sought out Saul after his conversion, vouched for him before the apostles, and later specifically travelled to Tarsus to bring him to Antioch for ministry (Acts 9:27, 11:25-26). His intentional investment in Saul (later Paul) was crucial to the early church’s growth. Successful discipleship today requires clear goals, regular meetings, accountability, and progressive spiritual challenges that help disciples grow in Christlikeness.
Discipleship Must Be Reproducible
The ultimate goal of discipleship isn’t just to produce mature believers but to develop disciple-makers. Jesus didn’t just train the twelve for their own growth—He prepared them to continue His work after He was gone. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The early church exemplified this reproductive quality. In Acts 2:41, 47, we see how the initial group of believers multiplied rapidly as new disciples became disciple-makers themselves. This multiplication principle is also evident in Jesus’ parable of the sowing of seeds, where good soil produces “a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8).
Philip’s discipleship of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) shows how a relatively brief but impactful discipling relationship can equip someone to take the gospel to new regions. Effective discipleship teaches not just content but also the process of disciple-making itself, equipping others with simple, transferable methods and principles they can use to disciple others.
When we examine Jesus’ method of making disciples, we see a clear pattern that was relational in nature, intentional in approach, and reproducible in design. As we embrace these three qualities in our disciple-making, we’ll fulfil the Great Commission more effectively, seeing not just individual growth but exponential kingdom impact as disciples make disciples who make disciples.
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
