Discipleship is an important biblical concept in Christianity. The Lord Jesus told His followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Making disciples involves telling others the gospel and helping them become followers of Christ who will share the good news with more people. Hence, evangelism is vital, but we also need to make an intentional effort to disciple new believers. Only then can we see new believers multiply.
Sadly, many Christians in the global West are lacking solid discipleship. Lots of people assume that going to church is sufficient for discipling new believers in the faith. However, this essential step of growing in a relationship in Christ must be intentional.
Instead of hoping people will somehow grow without any planned interaction or resources, Christians need to take the initiative in discipling new believers. This article will provide multiple ways to do this without resorting to the assumption that “going to church” is enough for discipleship.
1. Meet Regularly
People who have recently placed faith in Christ might not know any other believers or have a church family. By offering to meet with the new believer regularly, we can establish a strong relationship with them.
Instead of saying, “I’ll see you at church,” we can set up a time to meet with the disciple during the week, even multiple times if possible. For example, the meeting could take place at lunch or over a morning coffee run. The important thing is to meet regularly with the disciple.
When meeting with new believers, we need to remember that discipleship is not one-sided. We are not the lecturer at the podium nor are we the wise sage who has all the answers.
Instead, we are fellow learners and pilgrims with our spiritually young disciples, walking with them in the Christian life. Interacting with others and living our faith with them will also help us learn and spur us on to greater spiritual growth.
2. Study the Bible
Jesus mentions two parts of the discipleship process: baptism and teaching. Baptism is a public statement of faith, identifying with Christ’s death and resurrection, which is typically done at church (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12).
However, biblical teaching can be done anywhere as part of discipling. As Christ said, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:20, NLT). If we are followers of Christ, our job is to help new believers learn to follow Jesus.
People who have recently placed their trust in Jesus for salvation are like spiritual infants. They need the spiritual milk of Scripture to grow (1 Peter 2:2). Thus, when discipling others, we need to establish a time when we can do a Bible study with them, modeling a faithful approach to Scripture.
The Bible is not just another book, it is the inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). We should exemplify respect and reverence when handling Scripture since it is the only living Word that can change lives (Hebrews 4:12).
During the discipleship process, we can help new believers learn to interpret passages plainly without forcing preconceived ideas on the Bible.
Since Scripture is essential to growth in Christ, establishing a consistent practice of reading the Bible is vital for new believers.
By encouraging the disciple to start reading the gospels and meet with them to discuss their thoughts and questions, we can begin to show the importance of daily Scripture reading.
Also, since we are teaching others the vital discipline of Scripture intake, we need to personally practice regular study of God’s Word and talk to disciples about how the Lord is teaching us.
3. Live Your Faith
Another practical step in assisting a new believer in their walk with Christ is to show how faith is lived out in daily life. Although Jesus does not expect us to be perfect before we begin discipling others, He does want us to be constantly growing and learning.
If we are not passionate about Christ or serious about obeying His Word, we cannot expect to teach our disciples to be either.
Since we are investing in the spiritual life of another, we need to take time to cultivate our walk with God. By nourishing ourselves through prayer, Bible reading, and personal time away with the Lord, we are better prepared to help others in their recently established faith.
At times, living out our faith is challenging. Christians often go against the cultural norms and expectations of society. Our choices and way of life may seem odd to others because “we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
However, by choosing to trust God even when situations are uncomfortable or difficult, we can model the Christian life to believers who have a fledgling faith.
4. Invite Them to Serve with You
In living out our faith before others, we can invite other disciples to join us as we serve. Do not wait until they are well-established in a church before allowing them to minister to others.
Usually, new Christians are enthusiastic about their faith and desire to serve the Lord. We can help them carry out this important aspect of the Christian faith by encouraging them to serve where we are currently helping others.
For instance, a Christian may volunteer at a pregnancy center, homeless shelter, inner-city ministry, or food bank. They can invite their disciple to join them in ministering to the needs of those who are struggling or hurting.
Even if a believer does not see their service to the Lord as important or “visible” in comparison to the job of a pastor or missionary, they can still impact the faith of another disciple. Any act done in Christ’s name is valuable (Matthew 25:40).
Since every follower of Christ is a “priest” in the spiritual sense, then we all have the ability to minister to others through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:5).
5. Provide Spiritually Nourishing Resources
While the Bible is the believer’s main source of spiritual nourishment, we can benefit from many other resources as well. Numerous discipleship resources are available today due to technology and accessibility to Christian literature, music, and videos through public and church libraries.
Even if someone is experiencing financial hardship, they can still access resources through a computer at a library or through their phone.
Since individuals learn in different ways, we should suggest various resources that appeal to different learning styles. For instance, a visual learner would enjoy sermon videos while an auditory learner may prefer a theology podcast.
We cannot assume that the person we are discipling has the same learning style as we do, which is why suggesting a variety of resources is helpful.
Missionary biographies, discipleship podcasts, sermon video series, apologetic websites, worship music, and devotional books are all sources that appeal to various forms of learning.
If we do suggest a book, video, or another source of information, we should always ensure it is a theologically correct source. Examples of questionable content include books that teach antitrinitarian views or promote the prosperity gospel.
A sermon that stresses legalism should also be avoided, whether on a podcast or video. Overall, if you have never read, watched, or listened to the resource, do not suggest it to a new believer.
6. Encourage Evangelism
Finally, we need to encourage new Christians to evangelize to others. As was mentioned earlier in this article, new believers are excited about their faith in Christ.
Using this energy to motivate them to tell their friends and family the gospel is a great step in the discipleship process. By sharing the good news of Jesus, they will take part in the mission of making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
Disciples do not have to be extensively trained in theology or evangelism methods to tell the gospel to others.
Even if someone was saved today, they could present their testimony to a friend, neighbor, or family member. Like the blind man in the Bible, the recently saved individual can tell others the powerful news that “I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:24).
Oftentimes, the new Christian’s eagerness about sharing the gospel will inspire other believers who have known Christ for a longer time.
Not only will the disciple experience spiritual growth by partaking in evangelism, but the disciple will also grow in their walk with Christ. We have a lot to learn from spiritually young believers whose lights shine brightly for Jesus.
Why Does This Matter?
Although new Christians do need to be connected to a local, Bible-believing, Jesus-exalting church, discipleship is more than regular church attendance.
All Christians are called to take part in making disciples of all nations, which involves building a close relationship with new disciples and teaching them to observe Jesus’ commands in the Bible.
By taking practical steps, like the ones offered in this article, any believer can participate in the process of discipleship.
For further reading:
What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Christ?
6 Steps to Create a Disciple-Making Culture
What Did Jesus Mean to 'Go and Make Disciples’?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/witsarut sakorn
Sophia Bricker is a freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on biblical and theological topics. In addition to contributing articles about biblical questions as a contract writer, she has also written for Unlocked devotional. She holds a BA in Ministry, a MA in Ministry, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing to develop her writing craft. As someone who is passionate about the Bible and faith in Jesus, her mission is to help others learn about Christ and glorify Him in her writing. When she isn’t busy studying or writing, Sophia enjoys spending time with family, reading, drawing, and gardening.
