QUICK NOTE: If this post sparks your interest, I encourage you to check out the Discipleship Accelerator.

Rethinking Discipleship: Who Is It Really For?

When you think about creating a discipleship pathway or spiritual formation path, who do you imagine participating?

• Christians?
• Your congregation?
• A portion of your congregation?

For most churches, discipleship is about growing the faith of those who already follow Jesus in your church. And that makes sense. But what if our definition is too narrow? What if we’re unintentionally missing half of what Jesus commanded?

Let’s redefine discipleship in a way that aligns more closely with the Great Commission—one that expands beyond insiders and engages a world that desperately needs Jesus.

Two Reasons We Should Redefine Discipleship

1. Discipleship Begins Before People Place Their Faith in Jesus

Jesus already defined discipleship in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Go and Make Disciples—Not Just Grow Them

The Great Commission isn’t just about deepening the faith of existing believers. It starts with evangelism and then progresses to edification.

If we define discipleship only as spiritual growth for insiders, we miss the first half of Jesus’ command. A church that only disciples its congregation is operating with half a strategy.

✅ If your discipleship process focuses only on your current congregation, you’re missing half of the command.

2. Discipleship Is a Process, Not a Program

Ask most churches about discipleship, and they’ll describe a program—or list a buffet of options to help people grow in faith.

And almost always, these programs are designed for insiders—people who are already in the church.

That’s a huge problem.

If discipleship is a journey of renewal, then churches should be focused on creating steps that inspire and equip people to move forward.

What makes a discipleship pathway effective?

✅ Easy, incremental steps.
✅ A process that meets people where they are.
✅ A clear path—not a menu of disconnected programs.

The problem isn’t just that most churches design discipleship for insiders. It’s that they see discipleship as a program rather than a process.

Two Key Shifts for a More Effective Discipleship Model:

1️⃣ Discipleship is an ongoing process, not a destination. Even if someone could “arrive,” their calling would still be to disciple others. It never stops.

2️⃣ Discipleship must start before someone becomes a believer. If we take the Great Commission seriously, we must have steps for people far from God.

Building a More Holistic Discipleship Pathway

Most churches believe discipleship is central to their mission. But few define it as broadly as Jesus did.

If we back up the process to include those far from God, we create a holistic, biblical discipleship model.

Yes, it’s challenging.

If we struggle to engage church people in discipleship, how much harder is it to inspire non-believers to start a faith journey?

It feels overwhelming, but having a plan makes it manageable.

The First Question Churches Should Ask

Most churches start with this question:

❌ “What’s our discipleship process?”

But that’s not the first question we should be asking. Instead, start here:

✅ “How are we inviting and engaging those far from God in our church?”

If we start with our process, we might start too far down the path.

A Quick Exercise:

Take a moment and list everything your church is currently doing to reach the non-churched in your community.

Is it working?

Most churches don’t know.

Too often, we measure baptisms or group participation—but those don’t tell the full story.

Consdier this graphic. Our “SEEKER” friends from -3 to 0 need steps that align with their curiosity, offering steps forward. The same is true for “STUDENTS”, “SHAPERS”,  and “STEWARDS.” Most churches design programs for people +3 – +10. We can (and must) do better.

NOTE: You can read more about these categories here.

Hope Isn’t a Strategy

As my late friend Tony Morgan used to say: “Hope isn’t a strategy.”

We can’t hope our way to better discipleship. Without a plan, all we get is:

❌ Unclear pathways
❌ Siloed ministries
❌ Disengaged congregants

These issues keep discipleship stuck. Churches can’t force people to take steps, but we can create environments that inspire and equip people to move forward.

The more strategic and intentional we are, the better we can help people along their faith journey.

What’s Your Next Step?

What can you do today to improve your church’s discipleship pathway?

🚀 Start by expanding your definition of discipleship.
🚀 Create intentional steps for those far from God.
🚀 Evaluate your outreach efforts in light of steps—what’s working and what’s not?

If you’re ready to take discipleship to the next level, check out the Discipleship Accelerator for resources to help your church build an intentional, effective discipleship process.

Call to Action

Don’t let discipleship stop at the church doors. Start reaching people where they are.

✅ Take inventory of your current discipleship process.
✅ Evaluate whether your church is engaging the non-churched.
✅ Create a step-by-step pathway that includes both evangelism and edification.

🔗 Need help creating a discipleship model that works? Check out the Discipleship Accelerator.

Quotes for Inspiration

🗣️ “Go and make disciples.” — Jesus, Matthew 28:19
🗣️ “Hope isn’t a strategy.” — Tony Morgan
🗣️ “Discipleship is a journey, not a destination.”

One More Thing…

At Church Accelerator, we help churches grow by helping churches grow people. We work with churches of every size and denomination to improve discipleship pathways, preaching and communication, church engagement, and pastoral leadership.

📌 Work with us and get:
✅ Unlimited access to courses, frameworks, and resources
✅ Custom AI tools (Devotion Writer, Sermon Outline Creator, Sermon Evaluator, and more)
✅ Personalized consulting to break through barriers

💡 Partnerships start at $49/month—giving you access to over $5,000 in resources.

Don’t wait. Become a partner today.

Leading WITH You,
Dr. Gavin Adams