If you’re someone who’s taken your faith in Jesus seriously, there’s a good chance you’ve already been discipled by somebody. But often, that raises a basic question: what does that even mean? What is discipleship?
A disciple, in the simplest sense, is a learner—a student. It’s someone who sits at the feet of a teacher, listens, absorbs, asks questions, and tries to follow what that teacher says and does. When Jesus called His disciples, that’s exactly what they did. They followed Him everywhere, listened to His parables, scratched their heads when they didn’t understand, and asked Him to explain what He meant. They weren’t just fans or admirers—they were followers who made Jesus their teacher.
That same pattern continues today. When someone disciples us, especially as followers of Jesus, they’re not teaching their own wisdom—they’re passing on the teaching of the Master Himself. Real Christian discipleship isn’t about clever insights or modern self-help advice; it’s about transmitting the words, life, and truth of Jesus. We step into a long line of believers stretching back two thousand years, all trying to understand and live out what Jesus taught His first disciples.
And here’s something easy to forget: Jesus never called us to simply preach the gospel. He called us to make disciples. Those are not the same thing. Preaching the gospel is a vital first step, but making disciples requires relationship, commitment, time, and patience. It’s not a single proclamation—it’s a process. Discipleship can’t happen in a flash; it grows from intentional, consistent teaching and mutual accountability.
When we decide to disciple others—or to be discipled ourselves—it means making a deliberate choice. It’s about committing to sit under the instruction of Jesus through His Word, then helping others do the same. It’s about choosing what and who we allow to shape our hearts and minds. When we decide to disciple others—or to be discipled ourselves—it means making a deliberate choice. Share on X
And truthfully, we’re already doing this kind of thing in nearly every area of life. Most of us are disciples of something. We can talk endlessly about our favorite sports teams, recalling stats and player histories as if we’ve been studying them for years. Or maybe it’s a TV series—we know the plot backward and forward, recognize every actor, and can discuss theories about what happens next. Why? Because we’ve allowed ourselves to be taught by that content. We’ve devoted ourselves to it.
The question is—why do we treat those things as worthy of our attention while sometimes neglecting the one relationship that matters most? If we’re Jesus followers first and foremost, shouldn’t we dedicate at least that same energy to truly knowing Him?
This isn’t a guilt trip—it’s just an honest reflection. I’m as guilty as anyone else. I get caught up in distractions. I spend time learning about things that ultimately don’t carry eternal weight. But discipleship demands that we ask ourselves what voices we’re letting train us, what influences we’re allowing to shape the way we think, live, and love.
Every day presents a choice. We decide who gets to teach us. We decide whether we’ll prioritize learning the ways of the world or the words of the Savior.
If we want to influence others for Christ, it begins by allowing ourselves to be influenced—daily—by Him. Discipleship starts on our knees, with open Bibles and willing hearts. Only when we take seriously our own responsibility to learn from Jesus can we effectively teach others to do the same.
So, who’s discipling you? And who are you discipling?
Those two questions frame the heartbeat of Christian living. Because followers of Jesus aren’t meant to be fans in the stands—they’re meant to be learners in motion, sitting at the Master’s feet and then walking in His steps. That’s what discipleship really is.
For more information about how to flourish based on secular research and the ancient wisdom of the bible, please read The Truth in True Crime; What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life. This book teaches readers 15 rues for life, recognized in murder investigations. It also makes a case for the reliability of the Bible from Biblical anthropology. The book is accompanied by a sixteen-session Truth in True Crime Video Series (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
