The basics
What Is Discipleship? How To Follow Jesus — And Help Others Follow Him
What discipleship means, how Jesus made disciples, what following Him involves day to day, and a simple, practical way to disciple a new believer — so a decision becomes a lifelong walk with Jesus.
·3 min read·Jesus Festival Movement
Jesus didn't tell His followers to make converts. He told them to make disciples. That one word changes everything about how we think of the Christian life — and about what happens after someone says yes to Jesus.
“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.”
What the word means
In the New Testament, a disciple (mathētēs) is a learner — closer to an apprentice than a student. An apprentice doesn't just collect information. They spend time with their master, watch how they work, and learn by doing. Discipleship is following Jesus day by day, and helping others do the same.
Notice the last phrase of the commission: teaching them to observe. Not just to know, but to obey. Discipleship is measured by changed lives, not by how much we can explain.
How Jesus made disciples
“And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.”
Two movements, in that order: with Him, then sent. Jesus invited people into His life — meals, journeys, hard conversations — before He sent them out to do what they'd seen Him do. He spent His public ministry pouring Himself into a small group, and they turned the world upside down.
What following Jesus involves
Abiding in Jesus
A real relationship with Him, not just religious activity (John 15:5).
His Word
Reading Scripture regularly, and letting it shape what you believe and do.
Prayer
Talking with God honestly, every day.
Obedience
Doing what Jesus says — in small things as much as big ones.
Church family
Following Jesus alongside others who encourage, correct and carry one another.
Mission
Sharing the good news and loving people, wherever He has placed you.
Disciples who make disciples
“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.”
Count the generations in that verse: Paul, Timothy, faithful people, others. Discipleship is designed to multiply. Every disciple is meant, in time, to help someone else follow Jesus. That is how a single event becomes a movement.
How to disciple a new believer
You don't need a curriculum to start. A simple rhythm, kept faithfully, goes a long way:
- 1Meet regularly. Weekly if you can, even for half an hour.
- 2Read the Bible together. Start with the Gospel of John, a chapter at a time.
- 3Ask three questions. What does this show us about God? What does it show us about people? What will we obey this week?
- 4Pray together — for each other, and for people you both know who don't follow Jesus yet.
- 5Help them into a church family. Go with them the first few times.
- 6Talk about baptism as a step of obedience. See what baptism is.
- 7Invite them to share their story with someone else. New believers are often the most natural evangelists.
The first days matter most — read the first 48 hours with a new believer for what to do right away.
Common mistakes
- Information without obedience — knowing more but changing nothing
- A programme without a relationship
- Doing it alone, instead of within a church family
- Waiting until you feel qualified before helping anyone
- Forgetting mission — discipleship that never looks outward
Discipleship and evangelism belong together: one is the doorway, the other is the house. If you haven't read it yet, start with what evangelism is.
Questions people ask
What is discipleship?
Discipleship is following Jesus day by day and helping others do the same: learning His teaching, obeying it, praying, and growing in a church family. The word disciple means a learner or apprentice — someone who learns by being with their teacher and doing what they do.
What is the difference between evangelism and discipleship?
Evangelism is sharing the Gospel and inviting people to put their trust in Jesus. Discipleship is helping them follow Him afterwards. The Great Commission includes both: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded.
How do you disciple a new believer?
Meet regularly — weekly if you can. Read a book of the Bible together, starting with the Gospel of John; pray together; ask what they are learning and what they will obey this week; help them into a church family; and invite them to share their own story with someone else.
Do you need to be a mature Christian to disciple someone?
You need to be following Jesus, not to have it all figured out. Many people are discipled best by someone just a few steps ahead of them. Be honest about what you don't know, stay close to Scripture, and connect them to a church where others can help too.