In a world filled with shallow commitments and fleeting beliefs, Jesus still calls, “Follow Me.” Discipleship is not just a religious label—it’s a radical reorientation of life around the person of Christ. And He doesn’t just invite us to follow; He commands us to help others follow too. This is the heart of Christianity: to become a disciple and to make disciples. Today, we return to the very mission Jesus left for us—not a program, not a platform, but a way of life that multiplies.

1. What Is Discipleship?

Discipleship is the lifelong, Spirit-empowered process of becoming more like Jesus—not just in what we believe, but in who we are and how we live. It is not confined to a church program or Bible study curriculum. It is a daily journey of surrender, in which our values, decisions, and desires are shaped by a growing relationship with Christ.

To be a disciple is to live as an apprentice to Jesus—to walk in His ways, adopt His mindset, reflect His love, and obey His commands in every sphere of life. Discipleship involves both inner transformation and outward expression. It is how we learn to love God fully, love others selflessly, and live purposefully.

Matthew 4:19 – “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

This verse reveals three essential dimensions of discipleship:

1. “Follow Me” – Relationship with Jesus
   Discipleship starts with intimacy. Jesus doesn’t say, “Follow a rule,” but “Follow Me.” It’s a call to leave behind self-centered living and walk closely with Him in every area of life. Discipleship is relational before it is instructional.
2. “I will make you” – Transformation by Jesus
   We do not change ourselves; Jesus forms us. The phrase “I will make you” implies an ongoing process of sanctification—He reshapes our identity, heals our brokenness, and empowers us to live by the Spirit. Discipleship is not behavior modification but heart renovation.
3. “Fishers of men” – Mission for Jesus
   Discipleship always leads to mission. A true disciple doesn’t only grow personally but also becomes a channel of God’s grace and truth to others. The inward transformation leads to outward multiplication.

Romans 8:29 – “To be conformed to the image of His Son…”

This verse speaks to God’s eternal purpose for His people. He saves us not merely to go to heaven, but to become like Jesus. The word “conformed” (Greek: symmorphos) means to be shaped into the same form—like clay molded into the likeness of Christ.

This conforming work affects:

• Our thoughts – learning to think with the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)
• Our character – embodying the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23)
• Our choices – living with wisdom and purpose (Eph. 5:15–17)
• Our witness – reflecting Christ to the world (Matt. 5:14–16)

Key Dimensions of Discipleship:

Dimension	Description	Example
Head	Learning God’s truth (doctrine and wisdom)	Studying Scripture, renewing the mind (Romans 12:2)
Heart	Loving God and others with sincerity	Cultivating a heart that worships and forgives
Hands	Living out faith in action	Serving, giving, leading with humility
Habits	Forming spiritual disciplines	Prayer, fasting, Scripture meditation, Sabbath rest

Practical Implications of Discipleship

1. Discipleship Happens in Everyday Life

Discipleship is not something we only “do” at church or during Bible study. It is how we live out our faith in the real world—in our homes, offices, schools, and even in traffic.

• When we work with integrity, diligence, and excellence, we reflect Christ (Colossians 3:23).
• When we love sacrificially, even when it’s inconvenient, we embody the heart of Jesus (John 13:34–35).
• When we serve with humility, we echo the example of Christ washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:14–15).
• When we forgive instead of holding grudges, we participate in the Gospel we preach (Ephesians 4:32).
• When we respond to suffering and pressure with faith and patience, we reveal where our hope truly lies (James 1:2–4).

“The Christian life is not a playground, it’s a battleground. And true discipleship shows up in the trenches of daily living.” — Warren Wiersbe

2. Discipleship Is Nurtured Through Spiritual Disciplines

The heart of discipleship is intimacy with Christ, and intimacy grows through consistent, intentional spiritual practices—not to earn God’s favor, but to align our hearts with His.

• Prayer deepens our communion with God and makes our hearts sensitive to His voice (Philippians 4:6–7).
• Scripture renews our mind and anchors us in truth (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
• Worship lifts our eyes to God’s greatness and reorients our hearts to His presence (Psalm 95:6–7).
• Community offers mutual encouragement, accountability, and growth (Hebrews 10:24–25).

“Show me a person committed to the spiritual disciplines, and I’ll show you a person being formed into the likeness of Christ.” — Richard Foster

3. Discipleship Cannot Be Separated from Obedience

True discipleship is not just about knowing Jesus’ words—it’s about obeying them. Jesus equated love with obedience in John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

• Obedience is the evidence of faith (James 2:17).
• It often goes against our natural inclinations, which is why it proves our allegiance to Christ.
• In every season, God shapes us through steps of obedience—both small and sacrificial.

“There is no such thing as partial obedience; delayed obedience is disobedience.” — Charles Stanley

4. Discipleship Is Relational

We were never meant to follow Jesus alone. Discipleship thrives in community, where others walk with us, speak truth in love, and model Christlike living.

“You teach what you know, but you reproduce who you are.” — Howard Hendricks

• Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17)—we grow through encouragement and correction.
• Paul discipled Timothy not just by teaching, but by sharing life (2 Timothy 3:10–11).
• Jesus didn’t train the Twelve through lectures but by life-on-life investment.

“Discipleship is always personal. It’s never a class or a program—it’s a life shared.” — Francis Chan

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Discipleship is not just about learning more, but about becoming more like Christ. It happens in the hidden, ordinary moments of life and is sustained through consistent spiritual practices, faithful obedience, and life-giving relationships. In this journey, we are shaped not only for heaven—but for faithful witness on earth.

2. What Is Disciple Making?

Disciple making is the intentional, relational, and reproducible process of helping others follow Jesus, grow in faith, and become disciple makers themselves. It’s more than a one-time decision or a transfer of knowledge—it’s a commitment to walk alongside someone as they are transformed by Christ and trained to lead others to Him.

At its core, disciple making involves:

• Initiating a relationship with someone where spiritual growth is the goal.
• Investing time, truth, and presence into their life.
• Instructing in the ways of Jesus—teaching, modeling, and correcting.
• Inspiring them to go and do the same for someone else.

“Making disciples is not a ministry of addition—it’s a movement of multiplication.” — Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism

The Great Commission: Matthew 28:19–20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”

Jesus’ final words before ascending are not a suggestion—they are a commission, a divine mandate to the Church. The Greek verb for “make disciples” (mathēteusate) is the main command in the sentence, meaning all other actions (going, baptizing, teaching) are means to that end.

This teaches us:

• Disciple making is not optional—it is central to the mission of every believer.
• It’s holistic—not just about conversion, but also formation and obedience.
• It’s cross-cultural—we are called to all nations, all peoples, all places.

“The Great Commission is not just to make converts, but to make disciples—fully formed followers of Jesus who obey Him.” — David Platt

A Vision for Multiplication : 2 Timothy 2:2 – “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.”

This verse outlines a four-generation model of disciple making:

• Paul disciples Timothy
• Timothy invests in faithful men
• Those men are equipped to disciple others

This shows us that:

• Disciple making is generational—your faith should bear fruit beyond your lifetime.
• It is about multiplication, not just addition.
• It requires intentionality in choosing faithful people who will pass it on.

“If you make disciples, you always get the church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples.” — Mike Breen

Disciple Making vs Evangelism:

• Evangelism brings people to Christ.
• Disciple making helps them grow in Christ and equips them to help others.

Key Characteristics of Disciple Making:

Intentional: Disciple making doesn’t happen by accident. It is a deliberate and prayerful pursuit. Jesus didn’t randomly stumble upon His disciples—He spent the night in prayer before choosing them (Luke 6:12–13), then personally called them and committed Himself to walk with them.

To be intentional means:

• Praying about who to invest in.
• Planning time to meet, speak truth, and follow up.
• Pursuing people persistently, even when it’s inconvenient.

In our busy world, intentionality communicates value—it says, “You matter enough for me to invest in your growth.”

“Jesus knew that the most effective way to reach the world was not through crowds, but through a few who would multiply.” — Robert Coleman

Relational: Disciple making is not a classroom activity—it’s a life-on-life journey. Jesus did not run a class—He shared life. Jesus shared meals, traveled, laughed, and wept with His disciples. He knew their personalities, addressed their fears, and celebrated their growth. Disciple making involves walking with people through real life, not just giving information.

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Relationships foster:

• Trust – which opens the heart to correction and truth.
• Accessibility – you are available beyond scheduled meetings.
• Vulnerability – growth happens in authenticity, not performance.

True disciple making involves being present in someone’s story, walking with them through joys, wounds, doubts, and victories.

“More is caught than taught.” — Howard Hendricks
People remember how you lived and loved, not just what you taught.

Transformational: True disciple making leads to change. It’s not about making people smarter; it’s about helping them become more like Christ in their heart, character, and behavior (Galatians 4:19). The goal of disciple making is not accumulating knowledge, but cultivating Christlike character. Real discipleship leads to a change in:

• Affections – what we love
• Attitudes – how we respond
• Actions – how we live

It is the Spirit-empowered process of formation into Christ’s image (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Galatians 4:19: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…”

This reveals that disciple making is not a quick fix. It requires patience, love, and perseverance as people grow.

“The acid test of discipleship is not how much we know, but how much we’ve become like Jesus.” — Dallas Willard

Multiplication: If the person you’re discipling cannot go on to disciple someone else, the process is incomplete. Disciple making must empower people to teach and lead others (Ephesians 4:11–12). The end goal of disciple making is multiplication. If the person you’re discipling is not equipped to disciple someone else, the mission is incomplete. Jesus’ method involved training trainers.

A reproducible disciple:

• Can teach others what they’ve learned.
• Lives in a way that is worth imitating (1 Cor. 11:1).
• Understands both content and character.

Ephesians 4:11–12 “[Christ] gave… pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

Equipping means we are raising leaders, not just feeding followers.

“Every disciple should eventually become a disciple maker.” — Francis Chan

2 Timothy 2:2 provides the blueprint: “And what you have heard from me… entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

That’s four generations—Paul → Timothy → Faithful men → Others. That’s spiritual multiplication in motion.

Characteristic	What It Means	Why It Matters
Intentional	Prayerfully pursuing and planning spiritual investment	Growth doesn’t happen by chance
Relational	Walking through life together in love and truth	People change through connection
Transformational	Leading others to become like Christ in character	Discipleship must bear spiritual fruit
Multiplication	Equipping others to disciple others	God’s Kingdom grows through multiplication

Disciple making is the mission of the Church—but it starts with individuals willing to walk closely with Christ and intentionally invest in others.

Practical Example:

Maria, a young woman in her mid-20s, came to church regularly but struggled with insecurity and a sense of spiritual stagnation. She believed in Jesus but wasn’t sure how to grow deeper in her faith or what it meant to be a disciple.

Intentional: One Sunday, Sarah, a mature believer and small group leader, noticed Maria sitting alone after service. She approached her, prayed with her, and invited her to coffee later that week. Over time, Sarah made a conscious decision to invest in Maria’s growth. They began meeting weekly—not just for Bible study, but to talk about life, decisions, struggles, and dreams. Sarah kept notes, prayed intentionally for Maria, and created a growth plan tailored to her spiritual needs. Disciple making started with a prayerful, planned relationship.

Relational: Their meetings were not formal classes. Sarah invited Maria into her life—into her home, to serve together in ministry, and even to family dinners. Maria saw how Sarah parented, handled stress, and resolved conflict. She observed real Christianity in action, not just heard about it. Truth became tangible through life shared.

Transformational : As the months went on, Maria began to change. Her confidence grew—not in herself, but in Christ. She learned how to hear God’s voice through Scripture. She forgave past wounds. Her prayer life deepened. She began serving in the worship team, and others began to notice the change in her. “I used to feel like I wasn’t enough,” Maria said, “but now I know Jesus is more than enough in me.” Transformation happened—not just knowledge, but character and calling emerged.

Multiplication: After a year of growth, Sarah gently challenged Maria: “Who is one person you can now walk with, just as I’ve walked with you?”
Maria was hesitant, but she said yes. She began meeting with Jessie, a college student who had recently come to Christ. Now, Maria shares what she’s learned—not perfectly, but intentionally, relationally, and from her own journey. Discipleship multiplied. From learner to leader. From receiver to reproducer.

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The link between the DISCIPLESHIP and DISCIPLE MAKING: You can’t truly make disciples unless you are one.

As Bill Hull says, “Discipleship is not one of the things the church does—it is what the church is.”

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IFGF Semarang as a disciple making church

Context	Discipleship	Disciple Making

1. Discipleship Journey (at IFGF Semarang)

Teaching truth, building identity, and spiritual growth

Calling members to live it out and help others grow

2. Small Groups (iCare)

Grow together in the Word, prayer, and life application

Equip members to lead future groups and care for others

3. One-on-One

Accountability and spiritual maturity

Training someone to disciple others

4. Masterclasses

Deepen biblical understanding and spiritual habits

Empower participants to teach, lead, and mentor

“You teach what you know, but you reproduce what you are.” — Howard Hendricks

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Closing:

Discipleship begins with surrender, continues with obedience, and results in transformation. But it cannot stop with us. If we truly follow Jesus, we will lead others to do the same. Disciple making is not for the spiritually elite—it’s the call for every believer. You don’t have to be perfect—just willing, faithful, and intentional. Because when one disciple makes another, the ripple reaches generations. Let’s not just attend church—let’s build the Church by making disciples who make disciples.