What’s the Difference Between Being Discipled and Becoming a Discipler?

“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.” – Matthew 28:19, NIV

Followers of Jesus are called to make disciples, not followers. There is a key difference here that I want to highlight in part two of our series, “Stronger Me, Stronger Church.”

What Did the Original Disciples Do?

First, let’s examine what Jesus’s disciples actually did. In Jewish culture, it was customary for men of different trades to take on apprentices. These apprentices would study under their master and learn to do the same work the master did.

Similarly, Rabbis (or teachers of the Law) would take on students who would follow them closely and learn from them.

The whole concept of biblical discipleship is joining someone and doing life with them, learning through observation, teaching and application.

When Jesus called the twelve, they left behind their lives and for three years did life with Jesus. They ate with Him, walked with Him, and learned to do everything He did. They learned by listening to Christ’s teachings. They also learned by practicing what Christ preached.

Eventually, they were sent out on their own assignments and were told to do what Jesus had taught them. They left on their quests, and healed the sick, casting out demons and establishing the kingdom of God wherever they went, just as Jesus had.

“Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.” Mark 6:7

“They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” – Mark 6:12-13

The Key Difference Between the Followers and Disciples

While Jesus had many followers, He had few disciples. Crowds of thousands followed Him, but as soon as things got too challenging they left and went their own way.

This happened when Jesus shared an offensive sermon on eating his flesh and drinking his blood. As soon as the crowds heard this message (which was wild, given the cultural, Jewish background) they dispersed and Jesus’s following shrunk back to twelve.

“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” – John 6:66-68, NIV

This also happened when Jesus challenged some followers to leave behind their lives of ease, routine and comfort. When the invitation was made, all kinds of excuses were made so as not to follow Him.

“…Then he and his disciples went to another village. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” – Luke 9:55-62, NIV

Disciples Follow Despite the Timing

To the majority of Jesus’s followers, the timing simply was never right to go and truly pursue Him. We never hear from these followers again. The crowds came and went, but the people we actually remember are the disciples who left it all, even when it was most inconvenient, and decided to do life with Jesus.

Followers will chase after Jesus only for so long as it is convenient. Disciples will actively do everything they can to do life with Jesus and be with Him. Followers will focus on consuming. Disciples will share what they’ve been given and produce fruit.

Everyone is Called to be a Discipler

We remember the disciples because they took the Great Commission to heart and actually went and fulfilled it. They didn’t simply keep what Jesus had given them and spend their lives surviving on the morsels of yesterday’s bread. They continually sought the face of God, and shared what they had learned with others.

Making disciples is one of the marks of a true disciple.

The Power of Disciples

What would our local churches be like if each one of us took the responsibility to disciple others seriously? A disciple is an apprentice. Therefore, being a discipler looks like finding an apprentice willing to learn and do life with us and Jesus.

Most people are scared of being disciplers. After all, not all of us are pastors dedicated to full-time ministry. But think about it, neither were all the believers in Acts. Some sold purple like Lydia, some made tents like Aquila and Priscilla, others sewed like Dorcas. These were real people with busy lives and economic needs. And yet, they become important figures who made other disciples.

Lydia hosted the first church in Europe in her home. Aquila and Priscilla became teachers of the world alongside Paul. And Dorcas blessed others through her sewing. These disciples became disciplers. Why? Because they decided that no matter how inconvenient life was, they would still prioritize doing life with Jesus and with other Jesus-loving people. This is the world-changing power of discipleship.

The Urgency for Disciplers

There are churches full of followers and few disciples. Why? While there are many reasons for this, I believe that one of the main ones is the fact that a single pastor cannot viably disciple every member in his congregation.

It takes time and intentionality to do life with someone and teach them how to live like Christ has called us to live. And each person has a limited capacity. Some have capacity to fruitfully disciple twelve people, while others only have capacity for two. Each number is just as significant. And yet, it takes all of us to fulfill the Great Commission.

Making disciples isn’t the sole responsibility of our pastors or leaders. Yes, they’ve been called to equip the saints and I strongly believe in honoring and supporting them. But we must also rise up and not just be followers but strong disciples who are taking Christ’s words to heart and becoming disciplers.

The Call to Become a Discipler

Take honest stock of your Christian life by answering the following questions:

• Are you focused on your own spiritual survival?
• Do you spend your Christian life consuming?
• Are you taking good care of your spiritual life while also contributing to your local community?
• Are you producing fruit?
• Are you a follower?
• Are you a disciple?

By answering these questions, you may get a good idea of where you’re at as a believer. If you’re mostly on the consumer side of the scale, what can you do to begin contributing to your local church and community? If you are already discipling, how is your capacity doing? Can you take on more? Or should you step back and steward yourself better?

Christ called us all to go and make disciples. My prayer is that through this article you were challenged. May God spark creative ideas in your heart today, and may you be nudged towards being a healthy believer and becoming a fruitful discipler.

See you next week, where we will speak about learning to receive feedback and extending forgiveness.

Anna

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Photo by Dario Brönnimann on Unsplash