What Is Discipleship? And How To Disciple Someone

Jesus didn't tell His followers to make converts, fill buildings or grow audiences. He told them to make disciples. It's the core of His final instructions — and one of the most misunderstood words in the church.

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.

Matthew 28:19–20

What a disciple is

A disciple is a learner and follower — an apprentice. In Jesus' day, a disciple didn't just attend a rabbi's lectures; he lived with him, watched him, and tried to become like him. To be Jesus' disciple is to follow Him so closely that you increasingly think, love and live the way He does.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23

Notice the word daily. Discipleship isn't a class you complete. It's a way of life: saying no to self-rule, and yes to Jesus, every day.

Discipleship has two sides

• Being a disciple: following Jesus yourself — Scripture, prayer, obedience, community, carrying your cross.
• Making disciples: helping someone else follow Jesus. Every disciple is meant to become a disciple-maker. That's how the faith spread from twelve men to the whole world.

How Jesus made disciples

Jesus had crowds, but He invested most deeply in twelve — and especially three. Look at His method:

• Presence: He appointed the twelve “so that they might be with him” before He sent them out (Mark 3:14). Discipleship is caught as much as taught.
• Teaching: He explained Scripture and the kingdom, often privately after teaching the crowds (Mark 4:34).
• Modelling: They watched Him pray, heal, forgive and serve — then He let them try (Luke 9:1–6).
• Correction and grace: He rebuked them, restored them, and never gave up on them — even Peter after his denial (John 21).
• Sending: The goal was always that they would go and do the same.

The multiplication principle

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.

2 Timothy 2:2

There are four generations in that one verse: Paul → Timothy → faithful men → others. Discipleship is designed to multiply. Paul could even say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1) — not because he was perfect, but because he was following Jesus out in the open where others could learn from it.

You don't need to be an expert to disciple someone. You need to be one step ahead, following Jesus where they can see it.

How to disciple someone — a simple start

1. Pray for one to three people. A newer believer, a younger Christian, a friend who wants to grow. Ask God who.
2. Invite them. “Would you want to meet every week for a couple of months, read the Bible together and help each other follow Jesus?”
3. Read a book of the Bible together. The Gospel of John or Mark is a great start. Use three questions: what does it say, what does it mean, what will we do? (See How To Study The Bible, or walk through The First 30 Days together.)
4. Pray together. Out loud, simply. Many believers have never been shown how.
5. Practise, don't just discuss. Share your faith together, serve together, fast together. Discipleship is learned by doing.
6. Be honest about your own life. Confess your struggles. Let them see grace in action.
7. Send them. Ask early: “Who could you do this with?” The aim is that they disciple someone too.

Where to find people to disciple

Usually they're already around you — in your home, your workplace, your gym, your church. The New Testament word for that circle is oikos: your household and relationships (read more about your oikos). And if someone has just come to faith, they need a disciple-maker most of all — see How To Lead Someone To Christ for the first 30 days.