How to Make Disciples ‘As You Go’

For the average believer, the process of discipleship can seem like an impossible task. What I mean is this: discipleship seems like an impossible task because we’ve made it overly structured and programmatic. We come to think that unless we have a scheduled small group or an established one-on-one time,  we aren’t really doing ‘discipleship’. I’m not saying that these things aren’t a part of making disciples, but what I am saying is that for many Christians, discipleship has been relegated to those structures. 

I want to encourage you, the average believer, by reminding you that making disciples is a lifestyle, not a program. That should come as a relief! It means that making disciples in obedience to the Great Commission does not depend on your ability to run a structured small group or have the best teaching curriculum. Your life is the means that God desires to use—will use—to make disciples that know Him, love Him, and obey Him. I want to leave you thinking about two concepts of lifestyle discipleship that will hopefully encourage you to make disciples more effectively.

A Mindset of Stewardship

First, cultivate the mindset that everything in your life belongs to God and His mission of bringing lost sinners back to Himself. Unless you understand this reality, being intentional about making disciples with every aspect of your life will not come to fruition. The Biblical reality is this: nothing really belongs to us. Scripture says this: 

• Deuteronomy 10:14 – “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.”
• 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20 – “…You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 
• Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;” 

These verses are laying out the biblical truth that our possessions and our lives do not belong to ourselves, but to God. This is the mindset we must constantly cultivate in order to effectively make disciples. Your energy, intelligence, giftings, experiences, property, and time must be submitted to the Lord to use as He wills to make disciples. Every aspect of your life is God’s, therefore, your entire life and everything, and everyone in it, is a matter of stewardship. This is the number one reality we must be committed to before we will truly begin to make disciples.

A Mindset of Surrender

Second, embrace the reality that God desires to use YOU to make disciples. This is the most-freeing truth the believer can understand in order to make disciples. I mean this: God wants to use you, your time, talents, and treasures to mature other believers and bring the lost in your life to Himself. 

This is the encouraging part: You don’t have to be someone else! You don’t have to be Billy Graham, John Piper, or the Apostle Paul to be used exactly the way God wants to. So, with this freeing reality set in your mind, use every aspect of your life to make disciples the way you are gifted to. If you like sports, use sports. If you like books, use books. Whatever is in your life, use it to make disciples. 

Submitted Stewards

In summary, we must live a life that is completely submitted to God as faithful stewards of our time, talents, and treasures. It is this type of disciple-making mindset that recognizes the great privilege we have of God using us and our unique personalities to bring others to Himself. I pray that you will begin to see that God desires to use you and your life to make disciples by His power for His glory!