Having A Heart To Disciple

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission)

There are many who follow Jesus, but discipleship calls us into a deeper walk of submission, growth, and responsibility. Discipleship is not about perfection, but about learning to walk closely with Christ and helping others do the same. Without discipleship, faith remains shallow, and the Church won’t fully walk in the fullness of what Jesus intended through the Great Commission.

1. God’s Purpose for His People

Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—He is the King of glory. 

Psalm 24:10

God reveals Himself as strong and victorious, yet He also leads His people with patience and purpose. Discipleship is how believers grow into spiritual maturity, learning to stand firm in faith, truth, and love. When discipleship is valued, the Church becomes equipped and confident in carrying God’s message to the world.

2. Growing in Readiness and Maturity

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

1 John 3:2

God is continually shaping us into who He has called us to be. As His children, we grow as we keep our eyes on Him and remain faithful to His purpose. We are careful not to reduce Christianity to our own ideas, but to embrace the life Jesus modeled for us. As we go into the highways and byways, fulfilling the Great Commission, we will discover how deeply people long for truth, love, and the hope found only in Christ.

3. The Harvest of Discipleship

Discipleship is how the Kingdom grows. What God places in a leader is meant to be multiplied in others. When a pastor disciples, new leaders are raised. When believers are discipled, the church is strengthened. Growth doesn’t happen by accident; it happens when we intentionally invest what God has entrusted to us into the lives of others. Jesus modeled this with the twelve, showing us that lasting fruit comes through relationship, teaching, and example. The question is simple: are we faithfully pouring into others what God has poured into us?

4. The Foundation of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Discipleship is a process of care, growth, and intentional love. Just as children are nurtured and guided over time, disciples are made through patience, God’s love through us, his Word being imparted, and leading by example. We invest our time, energy, and resources not out of obligation, but out of love for God and for the people He has entrusted to us. Discipleship flows from a heart that desires others to grow into who God called them to be. When love leads the process, discipleship becomes life-giving and effective.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Discipleship is not about pressure or perfection—it is about love in action. When we allow God’s love to shape our hearts, we naturally invest in others and help them grow in faith.

This is how the Kingdom expands and how the Great Commission is fulfilled: through faithful, loving relationships that point people to Jesus.