Making Disciples, Not Just Converts

I watched the young Romanian soldier set his cigarette on the ground as his hands shook in disbelief. He listened to my gospel presentation and kept muttering, “I’ve never heard this before.” When I saw his eyes light up, I knew it was a special moment—telling him about Jesus. But my responsibility did not end when my new friend found faith. Jesus instructs us to go further—to mold converts into disciples.

Matthew points us to this kind of discipleship. It includes baptizing and teaching new followers of Jesus. Disciples become students of Jesus. They identify with Him, and practice the things He taught. As a result, eager learners begin to see Jesus clearly and follow him fully.

It takes planning and hard work to teach people to obey everything Jesus has commanded. It’s not a one-and-done task—it requires patience, planning, and presence. Jesus tells us the most important commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. He also commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. These are powerful teachings to introduce to a new believer. New followers of Jesus need mentors.

Discipling someone requires wisdom. It’s easy to slip into shaping others in our own image rather than helping them become more like Christ. I felt that tension with the Romanian soldier. My focus wasn’t to pass on my cultural expressions of faith, but to help him follow Jesus.

When people discover and follow Him, they begin making decisions shaped by Scripture. These choices—about life, family, and work—are rooted in truth and can transform a life.

A Christ-focused approach creates life-long disciples. And when we disciple this way, we do it for the glory of God and the good of the world.

Application questions:

• Who around me might need help in growing as a disciple of Jesus? How can I come alongside?
• How can I prepare myself to make disciples and teach them everything Jesus has commanded?

Prayer:

"Lord Jesus, open my eyes to those around me. Empower me with your Spirit to both carry your gospel to the world and build disciples among those who follow you."

Dave Dishman
Colorado, USA
International Missions Director Faculty Commons

Conclusion

In the middle of Proverbs 22, there is a powerful verse. It is almost as if Solomon called a time out to remind the reader why he gives these life lessons. It says, “I am teaching you today — yes, you — so you will trust in the Lord” (NLT). That is it. God uses life lessons to build our trust.Our prayer is that these 30 days spent learning about Win—Build—Send from 30 different Cru staff members is a reminder to do that—to increase your trust in Him.

Next Steps

Cru has many different plans in the Bible App. Many come from our ministry divisions like Athletes in Action, Family Life, Jesus Film, MYLC, NBS2Go and others. A good starting place is the Cru Partner Page .

Take Action

We would also invite you to say hello and take action at an even deeper level by introducing yourself to us. Come say hello on the special page we have prepared for you!