Bible-reading. Prayer. Worship. Evangelism. Serving. Giving. Fasting. All of these “spiritual disciplines” are explained and encouraged in most books on the subject. And rightly so! Each one of them is listed in the books that I am currently using to prepare a life group study on practicing the disciplines. But as I went through the lists, I noticed that something was missing: disciple making.

Disciple making is the intentional process of helping other people follow Jesus through relationships. It has not traditionally been regarded as a spiritual discipline, but I think it should. Spiritual disciplines act as scaffolding in the construction of a believer’s relationship with God. They are the habits and patterns of life that all believers should practice in obedience to God’s commands, including His command to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20).

I believe disciple making deserves formal recognition as an essential spiritual discipline right alongside prayer, Bible-intake, giving, fasting praying, etc. Here’s why:

1. Disciple making is obedience to Jesus.

At its core, disciple making is an act of obedience. Jesus’s command to make disciples is not a suggestion but a directive. In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” Engaging in disciple making not only demonstrates our willingness to align our lives with Christ’s instructions but is a way of actually loving Him.

2. Disciple making cultivates spiritual growth.

Making disciples is not merely about teaching others; it’s a dynamic process that fosters mutual growth. As we help others follow Jesus, we deepen our relationship with Him as well. Part of this is because you must “walk the walk” before you can model that walk to others (more on accountability below).

In its simplest form, disciple making promotes biblical fellowship, which always edifies both parties. Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Both mentor and mentee, group leader and members, are sharpened by each other. One of my favorite aspects of leading the discipleship ministry at our church is hearing from the leaders how much they are growing!

3. Disciple making strengthens and grows the church.

When believers actively engage in disciple making, they contribute to a culture of spiritual growth and multiplication. In a healthy church, disciple making should be one of the primary vehicles of church growth (spiritually and numerically). Our goal should not simply be for everyone in the church to be in a discipleship group, but for the members of current discipleship groups to learn how share their faith, lead people to Christ, bring people in the church, join a discipleship group, and then start own group! Thus, the church grows through multiplication.

4. Disciple making provides spiritual accountability.

Good disciple making must include accountability. “Did you meet the goals you set last week?” is one of the first questions in each lesson of our church’s discipleship manual. Members of groups hold each other accountable to applying the things they have learned. Once again, the benefits go both ways. As the leader of the group, you’re naturally going to be inclined to do the things you’re teaching. But for the members of a group, they’ll be far more inclined to do the things discussed if they know they have to come back and share with the group.

5. Disciple making reflects God’s heart for relationship.

God’s relationship with His people is rooted in love and community, an extension of the love and community the Father, Son, and Spirit enjoy as the Trinity. By making disciples, we mirror God’s desire for meaningful connection with His people. We also mirror Jesus’ example in making disciples by cultivating a relationship with His disciples. The beauty of disciple making is that it must be done in relationships. This is one of the reasons that I define disciple making as “helping people follow Jesus through relationships.” God’s heart is for relationship, and we reflect that heart when we engage in the deep relationships that disciple making requires.

6. Disciple making embodies sacrificial love.

Effective disciple making often requires personal sacrifice. It demands time, energy, and a willingness to invest in others. Such sacrificial love reflects Christ’s sacrifice for us. Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 capture this sentiment, “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” Through disciple making, we embody Christ’s love and share our lives with others. As one of my pastors used to say, we become “Jesus with skin on.”

In sum, disciple making is an essential spiritual discipline that transforms both the disciple maker and the disciple. It should be right up there on the list with prayer, Bible intake, fasting, giving, etc. In fact, disciple making should be the primary avenue where we teach and learn all of the other disciplines! Thus, every believer should commit to making disciple making a central discipline in their walk with Jesus.

*Header image from wearemakingdisciples.com