Discipleship
Discipleship is the lifelong process of following Jesus and helping others follow him. Here is what Jesus said a disciple is, what discipleship looks like in practice, and how to disciple someone else.
3 min read · October 20, 2026 · By Daniel Ziedins
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:35
Discipleship is the lifelong process of following Jesus: learning from him, becoming like him, and obeying what he said. It also means walking with someone else as they learn to follow him.
A disciple is a learner and follower. In Jesus' day, a disciple did not just attend lectures; they lived alongside their teacher, watched how he lived, and tried to do what he did. Jesus called his first disciples with two words: "Follow me."
Jesus described discipleship in a few unforgettable sentences.
It means following him at a cost:
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)
It means holding to his teaching:
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." (John 8:31)
And it is marked by love:
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)
Following, obeying, loving. That is a disciple.
When Jesus sent his followers out, the main command was not "make converts" but "make disciples":
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Evangelism is how a disciple's journey begins. Discipleship is the rest of the journey. What is the Great Commission? explains how the two fit together.
Discipleship is not a class you finish. It is a way of life, usually built on simple rhythms:
Paul wrote:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Discipling someone means letting them see how you follow Jesus, and helping them do the same. It usually looks like meeting regularly, reading the Bible together, praying together, and asking, "What will you obey this week?"
You do not need to be an expert. You need to be one step ahead and willing to go together. How to disciple someone gives a step-by-step guide, and how to read John with someone is a good place to start.
The goal of discipleship is not just a mature Christian. It is a disciple who makes disciples. Paul described four generations in one verse:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
That is how the gospel spread from a handful of followers to the whole world, and it is how it still spreads.
The hardest part is often the first few weeks. Someone says yes to Jesus, and no one walks with them afterward. The answer is simple and unglamorous: write their name down, follow up within 48 hours, and keep meeting. The first seven days with a new believer shows how to start.
Is discipleship only for new Christians? No. Every follower of Jesus is a disciple for life, always learning.
How long does it take to disciple someone? There is no fixed timeline. Many people meet weekly for months or years, and the relationship naturally changes as the other person begins discipling others.
Do I need a curriculum? It can help, but it is not required. The Bible, prayer, honest conversation and regular time together are the core.
Kingdom Base has a free discipleship pathway that keeps each person's next step in front of you, so nobody you are walking with is forgotten.
Discipleship is the lifelong process of following Jesus, learning from him and obeying him, and of walking with someone else as they learn to follow him. Jesus' main command in Matthew 28:19-20 is to make disciples.
That a disciple denies themselves, takes up their cross daily and follows him (Luke 9:23), holds to his teaching (John 8:31), and is known by love for others (John 13:35).
Meet regularly, read a short Bible passage together, pray together, and ask what each of you will obey that week. You only need to be one step ahead and willing to go together.
Nobody forgotten. Kingdom Base is a free command center for the Great Commission — log the people you meet, follow up faithfully, and make disciples. Start free.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.