What Does It Mean To Make Disciples?

Written By David Rhoades

And Jesus came up and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18-20).

In these verses, commonly known as the Great Commission, Jesus instructs his followers as to their primary activity on earth: disciple-making. But what does it mean to make disciples?

Examining these verses carefully gives us some important principles to keep in mind:

  • Disciple-making is the task of all believers.

  • Disciple-making is a process that begins with evangelism.

  • Disciple-making is a process that continues with spiritual growth.

  • Disciple-making is a process that results in more disciple-making.

A definition of disciple-making:

Disciple-making is the process of bringing people from unbelief to becoming devoted followers of Jesus who reproduce this process with others.

To learn more about how you can become a better disciple-maker, click the "Free Resources" tab at the top of this page and download the "Faith Trainer Workbook."

David Rhoades

Dr. David H. Rhoades is a believer in Jesus Christ who is passionate about disciple-making. A gifted author and speaker, he is the Senior Pastor at Broadview Church in Lubbock, Texas. He is producing a growing number of biblically-based resources that can help Christians lead the people in their circles of influence to become fully devoted followers of Christ. David was called to the gospel ministry in 1987, and he has been a pastor since 1995. After finishing his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies at The Criswell College, he earned his Master of Divinity degree at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received the 1995 C.C. Randall Award for Evangelism. In 2005 he graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree in Missions and Evangelism, writing a ground-breaking doctoral project designed to help churches engage their multiethnic communities in ministry. Since 1995, he has served as a pastor to churches in Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. David enjoys cooking, reading books, cheering on the Texas Longhorns, and spending time with his beautiful wife Amy and their kids: Timothy, Jonathan, and Mindi.

https://davidrhoades.org
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