Walking as Jesus Walked: Discipleship for Today's Christian

When Jesus called His first disciples along the shores of Galilee with the simple invitation to "Follow me" (Matt 4:19), He wasn't just recruiting helpers. He was establishing a pattern for spiritual formation that would transcend time and culture. His approach was revolutionary then, and it remains just as powerful today.

Reflecting on the discipleship crisis in many of our churches, I'm convinced we've overengineered what Jesus made beautifully straightforward. We've created programs where Jesus created relationships. We've constructed curricula where Jesus shared life. And sometimes, we've substituted information for transformation.

So, how do we get back to basics? How can we—as parents, pastors, small group leaders, or simply as friends—disciple others the way Jesus did? Let me share what I believe are the essential elements of Jesus-style discipleship for today.

Begin With Relationship

Jesus didn't start with a syllabus. He began with an invitation to shared experience: "Come and you will see" (John 1:39). For three years, the disciples didn't just hear Jesus teach—they lived with him. They shared meals, walked dusty roads, faced storms, and navigated crowds together. This proximity wasn't incidental to their development; it was central.

I've found that the most significant spiritual growth happens when we make space for life-on-life connections. When I was a young Christian, my mentor Dave didn't just hand me books, though we certainly discussed many. Instead, he invited me to join him as he visited the elderly, prepared sermons, and even as he navigated conflicts in his own life. His vulnerability created a context for my growth.

In our efficiency-obsessed culture, relationship-based discipleship feels inefficient. It is. But the investment yields dividends that no program can duplicate. Start by simply sharing life—invite someone to join you for everyday activities where conversations can unfold naturally.

Teach With Purpose and Clarity

While Jesus' method was relational, it was never aimless. He had clear objectives for his disciples' development. Whether addressing large crowds or privately explaining parables to the Twelve, Jesus taught with remarkable clarity and purpose. His teaching met people where they were, but never left them there.

When Jesus explained the kingdom of God, He used tangible metaphors—seeds, weddings, fishing nets—connecting profound truths to everyday experience (Matt 13:1-52). When resetting their understanding of leadership, He didn't just lecture; he wrapped a towel around His waist and washed their feet (John 13:1-17).

Today's disciple-makers must likewise combine clarity with creativity. We should know what foundational truths we hope to impart, but present them in ways that connect to real life. Deep theological concepts become transformative when illustrated through stories, demonstrated through actions, and applied to daily decisions.

Model What You Teach

Perhaps nothing distinguished Jesus' approach more than his consistent embodiment of his own teaching. "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15). his life was the primary text from which his disciples learned.

This modeling continues to be essential but challenging. It requires transparency about our own spiritual journeys—both victories and struggles. When I teach about prayer, those I'm discipling should see me praying. When I speak about generosity, they should witness it in my choices. When I encourage reconciliation, they should observe me pursuing it in my relationships.

Modern discipleship fails when we present a polished, perfect image rather than an authentic journey. The people we disciple don't need our perfection—they need our process, including our faithful responses when we fall short.

Provide Practical Experience

Jesus didn't keep His disciples in perpetual student mode. He involved them in ministry, sent them out to practice what they'd learned, and debriefed with them afterward (Luke 9:1-10). This experiential learning cycle was crucial to their development.

I've seen this principle validate itself repeatedly. Knowledge that remains theoretical rarely transforms. But knowledge put into practice—whether stumblingly at first—becomes internalized wisdom. When discipling others, create opportunities for:

• Serving alongside you, then serving independently

• Observing you share your faith, then sharing their own

• Watching you navigate conflict biblically, then practicing those same principles

• Seeing you study Scripture, then leading a study themselves

The progression from observation to participation to leadership builds confidence and competence in equal measure.

Empower Through the Spirit

As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples, he promised them the Holy Spirit—the ultimate discipler—who would guide them into all truth (John 16:13). This empowerment transformed formerly fearful followers into bold witnesses.

Modern discipleship must maintain this Spirit-centered focus. We aren't merely transferring information or even skills—we're helping others recognize and respond to the Spirit's work in their lives. Teaching others to hear God's voice through Scripture, prayer, and community creates self-feeding disciples who don't remain perpetually dependent on us.

Release Them to Disciple Others

Jesus' final command made multiplication the expected outcome: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). The disciples weren't meant to be the end recipients of his investment but conduits of it to others.

Healthy discipleship includes this expectation from the beginning. As Paul told Timothy, "The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Tim 2:2). This four-generation view of discipleship—Paul to Timothy to reliable people to others—reveals God's design for exponential impact.

Jesus' discipleship model wasn't revolutionary because it was complex, but because it was transformatively simple. It centered on relationship, featured clear teaching, showcased authentic modeling, included practical experience, relied on spiritual empowerment, and aimed at multiplication.

As we seek to make disciples in our complex, distracted world, the way forward may be to look backward—to walk as Jesus walked and to invite others to journey alongside us. In doing so, we'll find his ancient method remains the most effective way to nurture lasting faith.