Somebody from another church approached me one Sunday and asked how we do things in our movement Victory. He was trying to observe how discipleship happens in church.

Some people have asked what materials we used, observed the lighting in our services, and thought that was causing the growth, and some are thinking that we were somewhat “lucky” to be growing at a certain pace.

But what makes discipleship work in the church?

First, we have to break the mindset that discipleship is a program. It is not a program nor a committee that tries to think of ways to equip Christians to make a difference. Discipleship is, first and foremost, a relationship. 

Discipleship is a call to follow Jesus.

A disciple is a God follower. He loves Jesus. He is passionate about knowing God. He reads the word and prays. He cannot live a life wholly apart from Christ.

Discipleship is a call to fellowship with fellow believers.

We cannot live alone. We need others around us to push us to Christ-likeness. We need a community who would help us in our walk with Jesus. The Christian journey is too dangerous for us to walk alone. We need the church community to fight the good fight of faith.

Discipleship is a call to fish for people.

A disciple lives the gospel and shares the gospel. A disciple cannot contain the gospel to themselves. He needs to share it. He needs to give it away. Freely we receive, freely we give.

In Victory – we talk about our 4 E’s of discipleship – engage culture, establish people in biblical foundations, equip the believers to minister, and empower them to make disciples.

We pound this all the time. All the time. All the time. Did I say all the time?

Pastor Steve calls it “the same old boring stroke.”

Discipleship should be the culture. Christians must make disciples. It is how we multiply the church. It is how we get to raise a new generation of leaders. Discipleship never stops. It is the lifeline of the church. It is the Great Commission given to us as Christians.