Discipleship
Being trained in following Jesus — learning to think, pray, and live as a Christian, usually with the help of someone further along.
What they actually mean
“"Apprenticeship in being a Christian."”
Heard in the wild
“Discipleship happens in relationships, not programs.”
“I was discipled by an older guy in college, and now I'm discipling two students.”
The Lighter Side
Apprenticeship for Christians. Often involves a workbook, a weekly coffee, and someone asking "how's your heart?" with alarming sincerity.
The longer version
What it means
A disciple is a learner or apprentice — the word Jesus' first followers were called. Discipleship is the process of becoming one: learning the Bible, learning to pray, learning to obey, and learning to live like Jesus, usually alongside someone who's been doing it longer. In practice it looks like a weekly meeting with a mentor, a small group working through a study, or a structured program, and it involves both teaching and the harder work of being known and held accountable.
The idea is that becoming a Christian is a beginning, not a finish line, and that the Christian life is learned the way any craft is: from someone who knows it, over time, with practice.
Why people say it
Because Jesus' final instruction was "make disciples," not "make converts." Christians who emphasize discipleship are reacting against a version of church that gets people saved and then leaves them alone. Discipleship is the answer to "now what?" For many, the person who discipled them is one of the most important people in their life.
How to respond
If someone offers to disciple you, they're offering to meet regularly, teach you, and take an interest in your growth — a serious and generous offer. You can accept, decline, or ask what it would involve. If someone tells you they're "in a discipleship group," they're in a small group with a growth-and-accountability focus. If a Christian says they've been "poorly discipled," they mean nobody taught them, and they're a little sad about it.
If you hear it in different churches
Universal in concept; the word is most used by evangelicals, especially in campus ministry and church-planting circles. Catholics would speak of formation, catechesis, and spiritual direction; Orthodox of a spiritual father or mother; Anglicans and Lutherans of formation and confirmation. All describe the same thing: a Christian being shaped by others over time.
Where does “Discipleship” come from?
Mathetes, disciple, is the ordinary New Testament word for a follower of Jesus, and the Great Commission commands making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Jesus' own method — three years with twelve men — is the model. The modern discipleship movement grew from Dawson Trotman's Navigators (1933), whose one-to-one "follow-up" of new believers became a template for campus ministries, and from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship (1937), which insisted that "cheap grace" without obedience isn't the real thing. From the 1970s on, "discipleship" became the standard evangelical word for Christian growth.
Good to know
"Disciple" is also a verb in evangelical English — "he discipled me" — which sounds odd to outsiders. A "discipleship group" is a small group focused on growth and accountability. Discipleship is deliberately distinguished from conversion: getting saved is the start, being discipled is the long haul.
You might also hear
Mentor
Ministry & LeadershipAn older or more experienced Christian who guides someone in their faith — meeting regularly, teaching, and taking an interest in their growth.
“"The person who's further along and helps you get there."”
Accountability Partner
Youth Group & CampA friend you regularly and honestly tell about your struggles, temptations, and goals, who encourages you and asks hard questions — so you're not fighting alone.
“"A friend who has permission to ask how you're really doing — and expects a real answer."”
Small Group
Church Life & ServicesA regular gathering of roughly 6–15 people from a church who meet, often in someone's home, to talk about the Bible, pray for each other, and build friendships.
“"A weekly hangout with a few church friends to talk about faith and life."”
The Great Commission
Bible & TheologyJesus' final instruction to His followers — to go to all nations, make disciples, baptize, and teach — and the reason Christians do missions and evangelism.
“"Jesus' parting orders: go tell everyone, everywhere."”
Common questions
What's the difference between discipleship and just going to church?+
Church is the gathering; discipleship is the training. You can attend for years without being discipled — which is exactly the problem the word is meant to address.
Who disciples people?+
Usually a more experienced Christian — a mentor, a small group leader, a pastor, an older friend. It doesn't require credentials.
What happens in discipleship?+
Regular meetings, Bible study, prayer, honest conversation about life, and accountability. Formats range from a coffee once a week to structured multi-year programs.
Further reading
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.