"...go and make disciples...” Matthew 28:19
We often equate discipleship with the process by which people grow in their faith and walk as Jesus followers. This is an important element of discipleship but there is a first step that is also part of discipleship.
The Great Commission in Matthew 28 says to "go and make disciples." A key element of discipleship is to recruit new disciples. We often refer to this activity as evangelism. For many decades evangelistic events have been the primary way churches have used to help people become disciples of Jesus. Unfortunately, what new disciples need next is often neglected.
New disciples will grow in their faith by listening to sermons, participating in worship services, attending small groups, having conversations with other Jesus followers, reading the Bible and praying. All these activities are good and necessary but, if we are not careful, we can draw the new disciple into the fellowship of Jesus followers and never equip them to be disciple-makers.
Intentional discipleship includes all the elements necessary to grow as a Jesus follower but also includes the aspect of equipping the new disciple to be a disciple-maker.
Effective discipleship study groups build in a component that consistently reminds participants that while they are being discipled, they are also being equipped to go and make new disciples and to disciple them to be disciple-makers.
