As Jesus was ascending into heaven he gave his last command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20).  Jesus ushered in a new covenant which requires his followers to make disciples. It can be difficult to make disciples if you don’t know what that looks like or how to tell when your task is complete. If Jesus expects us to make disciples, we had better know what he meant by the order.

At Heights, we are bringing a new emphasis to the discipleship process and working to define what this process looks like. When defining what a disciple is, the definition must come from Scripture and it must be simple. One of the best outlines of discipleship comes from one of the most quotable verses in Scripture. Matthew 4:19 states “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  This verse shows three aspects of discipleship (as described so well by Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington in their book “Discipleshift”).

1. Follow Me. 

Jesus is giving an invitation. To be a disciple, one must accept that invitation and one must acknowledge Jesus as Lord and leader. Following him is recognizing who he is while submitting to his leadership and his teaching. Jesus taught this same principle in John 12:26. According to Jesus, a disciple is someone who knows him and follows him. Jesus taught us that those who love him will obey him as well (John 14:23-24). This means that disregarding the Great Commission is an attribute of a “convert,” not a disciple. One who acknowledges Jesus as Lord but does not obey his teaching is self-centered, not Christ-centered.  The first step in being a disciple is cognitively accepting the Lordship and authority of Jesus.

2. I will Make You.

Jesus is promising transformation. Once we acknowledge his authority, he commits to transform us. All disciples of Jesus have been transformed by him. A person does not transform themselves before discipleship. Transformation is a part of discipleship. This is why we cannot expect unbelievers to behave in ways that glorify God. We live in a secular society, so we should expect to see secular morality. Romans 8:29 and 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 both describe the transformation process and it’s beautiful. Jesus transforms how his disciples see the world. He transforms how they see the lost and he transforms what they value. The apostle Paul is a perfect example of this. Discipleship is not just the acquisition of biblical information; instead, it is the complete transformation of one’s identity by the Spirit of God.

3. Fishers of Men.

The final part of discipleship refers to action. Our acceptance of Jesus begins in our head, extends to our heart, and is demonstrated with our hands. A disciple of Jesus takes up the mission given by him. This is why Peter stood up and preached at Pentecost. It’s why Peter and John refused to remain quiet and it’s why Paul wasn’t intimidated by persecution. Their hearts had been transformed. They viewed people in a new way and they prioritized Christ’s mission. Because of their transformation, their actions centered around glorifying God by making disciples of Jesus Christ. They were fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ in their head, heart, and hands. When a person’s heart is transformed they begin to care about the things God cares about. Their heart is broken for the things that break his. Disciples of Jesus care deeply for the lost. 2 Corinthians 5:15-20 describes this well. We are saved not for our glory or purpose, but for his. Our mission isn’t to gather biblical facts or morality score cards, it’s to join God’s mission for his purpose and his glory.

Wrap Up.

Matthew 4:19 isn’t the only verse that describes discipleship and we could write a series of books on the topic, not just one blog post. The point is that discipleship is more than an intellectual acceptance of Jesus’ leadership. It’s more than a heart transformation or good works. The authentic disciple of Jesus Christ combines all of these. The disciple believes, loves, and obeys Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The true disciple completely relies on Jesus for everything. When we allow other issues to take the place of discipleship, we become ineffective for our Lord. The moment a program becomes the focus of our faith or moral behavior becomes the end goal, we have lost sight of what Christ last commanded us: make disciples.