Dear Discipleship-First Friends,
In many churches today, discipleship is a favorite topic of conversation. We preach about it, attend conferences on it, write books about it, and build entire ministry strategies around it. “Make disciples” is on our walls, in our mission statements, and woven into our language.
But there’s a growing danger we need to confront honestly:
We can become people who talk about disciple making far more than we actually make disciples.
And if we’re not careful, we can mistake conversation for obedience.
The Subtle Drift
Jesus did not say, “Talk about disciples.” He said, “Make disciples.” (Matthew 28:19)
That command is simple, clear, and demanding. It requires action, intentionality, and relationship. Yet over time, it’s surprisingly easy for churches and leaders to drift into a culture where disciple making is discussed more than it is practiced.
This drift is subtle.
It often begins with good intentions:
- A sermon series on disciple making
- A leadership gathering focused on disciple making
- A new curriculum or strategy rollout
None of these are wrong. In fact, they can be very helpful. But they can also create a dangerous illusion: the feeling that because we are talking about disciple making, we are actually doing it.
We are not.
Talking about disciple making is not the same as making disciples.
When Language Replaces Life
One of the clearest warning signs is when disciple making becomes primarily a language rather than a lifestyle.
We start using the right words:
- “Intentional relationships”
- “Life-on-life discipleship”
- “Spiritual multiplication”
- “Disciple making culture”
But underneath the language, very little is actually happening.
Few people can point to someone they are personally discipling.
Few leaders are investing deeply in a small number of people.
Few churches can identify clear, reproducible pathways of disciple making.
Instead, we have:
- More information than transformation
- More gatherings than growth
- More strategy than spiritual reproduction
We’ve become fluent in the vocabulary of disciple making without living out the practice of it.
The Illusion of Progress
Another danger is the illusion of progress.
When disciple making is frequently discussed, it creates a sense that movement is happening. Leaders feel like they’re addressing the issue. Churches feel like they’re prioritizing the Great Commission.
But the real question is not:
“Are we talking about disciple making?”
The real question is:
“Are we actually making disciples who make disciples?”
That’s measurable. That’s visible. That’s undeniable.
If people in your church are not:
- Following Jesus more closely
- Being transformed in character
- Learning to obey His teachings
- And helping others do the same
Then no amount of conversation can substitute for the lack of actual disciple making.
Jesus didn’t call us to create awareness about disciple making. He called us to make disciples and help them to also obey his command to make disciples.
Why This Happens
Why do we fall into this trap so easily?
There are a few common reasons.
- As Church Leaders We are Very, Very Busy.
We must first be what we want others to be… and we are all busy people who must MAKE TIME TO MAKE disciples. If we are transparent, many of us are so busy that we put off personally setting the example and practicing relational disciple making in group ourselves.
- Talking is Safer than Doing.
Real disciple making requires vulnerability, time, and relational investment. It’s messy. It involves people’s real lives, struggles, and sins. Talking about disciple making, on the other hand, is clean and controlled.
- Systems are Easier than Relationships.
We often prefer scalable programs over slow, relational investment. But Jesus chose people, not programs. He invested deeply in a few, not broadly in the crowds.
- We Equate Teaching with Making Disciples.
Teaching is essential—but it is not the same as disciple-making. You can teach people who never obey. Jesus defined discipleship as teaching people to obey everything He commanded (Matthew 28:20).
- We Lack Clear Pathways.
Many churches want to make disciples but don’t know how to do it in a simple, reproducible way. So instead of practicing it, they keep discussing it.
The Cost of Inaction
The danger of talking without doing is not just theoretical—it has real consequences.
- Stagnant Believers.
People remain spiritually immature because they are not being personally invested in and challenged to grow.
- Leadership Bottlenecks.
Without multiplication, everything depends on a few leaders. The church cannot expand its impact because it is not reproducing disciple makers.
- Mission Drift.
Over time, the church subtly shifts away from the Great Commission and Christ-formation. It may still say the right things, but it no longer does the core work Jesus commanded.
- False Confidence.
Perhaps most dangerous of all, we can feel faithful without actually being faithful. We can believe we are aligned with Jesus’ mission when we are not.
What Real Disciple Making Looks Like
So, what does it look like to move from talking to doing?
It’s not complicated—but it is intentional.
Real disciple making includes:
- Modeling Disciple Making: It is making sure that we are practitioners
- Relational investment: Spending consistent time with a few people
- Modeling: Letting others see how you follow Jesus in real life
- Teaching for Obedience: Not just information, but application
- Accountability: Helping people to actually follow through
- Multiplication: Training others to disciple others
It’s slow. It’s personal. And it works.
Jesus didn’t gather large crowds and call that success. He poured His life into twelve—and especially into three—and changed the world through them.
A Needed Shift
If we are serious about following Jesus, we must make a shift:
From talking → to doing
From ideas → to action
From programs → to people
From addition → to multiplication
This doesn’t mean we stop teaching or strategizing. It means those things serve the real goal: making disciples who make disciples.
A Simple Diagnostic
Here’s a simple way to evaluate where you are:
Ask yourself:
- Who am I personally discipling right now?
- Are the people I’m investing in learning to disciple others?
- How am I helping all of our leaders to set the example?
If you can’t answer those questions clearly, then you may be talking about disciple making more than practicing it.
Moving Forward
The solution is not more conversation. It’s obedience.
Start small:
- Identify one or two people
- Meet with them regularly
- Open Scripture together
- Help them apply it
- Pray with them
- Challenge them to do the same with someone else
You don’t need a perfect system. You need a willingness to obey Jesus.
Final Thought
The imperative to disciple people to salvation and then into Christ-likeness has not changed.
Jesus is still calling us to make disciples.
The real question is not whether we believe in the mission. Most of us do.
The question is whether we are actually doing it.
Let’s not settle for talking about what Jesus commanded.
Let’s make sure we actually obey Him.
For King Jesus,
Bobby Harrington, Point Leader
Discipleship.org