TLDR
Biblical discipleship is not about following a man—it’s about being taught by God Himself. It’s the process of walking in intimacy, renewing your mind, and being transformed into the image of Jesus. Learn what true Christian discipleship looks like and why it matters.
Biblical Discipleship Is the Priority of the Christian Life
Whenever you share your testimony of what God did in you, you’re creating the atmosphere for Him to do it again. People ask me how many times I can share my story, and I reply, “As many times until it reproduces in every person who hears it.”
What is discipleship? It’s the priority of the Christian life. The Bible doesn’t say, “Go into all the world and make converts”—it says, “… make disciples …” (Matthew 28:19, NKJV). See, once you’re saved, you’ve entered into discipleship. You are now a son or daughter of God, meant to be taught and fathered by Him directly.
You’re not somebody’s disciple—you’re God’s disciple. For a season, people may help guide you into that identity, but it should never create co-dependence on them. If a person becomes your source, Jesus no longer is. That’s dangerous. Jesus must remain Lord and King—your Source, your Teacher, your Shepherd. The Holy Spirit is inside of you and “… He will teach you all things …” (John 14:26, NKJV).
Discipleship Is Rooted in Sonship
Jesus said something wild in John 16:7 (NKJV)—“… It is to your advantage that I go away …” Why? Because if He didn’t go, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t come. The physical presence of Jesus alongside the disciples would now be replaced by the Spirit of God inside them. That’s what true Christian discipleship is about: union with God.
What does discipleship mean according to the Bible? It’s a Spirit-led transformation that teaches you who the Father is. The disciples didn’t even know the Father until Jesus revealed Him. He said in John 14:9 (NKJV), “… He who has seen Me has seen the Father …” And now, as followers of Jesus, the same must be true for us. If people see us, they should see the Father. But how will they if we’re not discipled by Him?
Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans …” (John 14:18, NKJV). But many believers live with an orphan spirit—powerful yet insecure, gifted but unaware of their true identity. That’s why identity must come before gifting. Otherwise, we risk building ministries while lacking intimacy and character. And that’s a destructive path. In order to understand and walk in our God-given identity as sons and daughters, we must continually renew our minds. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) says, “… be transformed by the renewing of your mind …” This is the essential piece to biblical discipleship.
Discipleship Begins With Intimacy
I wasn’t just a little lost before Jesus—I was really, really lost. But self-righteousness is just as dangerous as addiction. If you think you only needed a “little” saving, you might not pursue intimacy. Even people who grew up in church can get stuck trying to “unlearn” religious ideas. But Christian discipleship isn’t about unlearning—it’s about renewing. Your mind was built for renewal, not removal.
The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV), “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” That’s why intimacy is everything. The Word isn’t for your brain—it’s for your heart. You can memorize the Bible and still miss God. The Pharisees did just that.
This is why every believer must prioritize the secret place. Relationship with God is the only way His Word moves from ink on a page to fire in your bones.
What Are the Characteristics of a Disciple of Jesus?
What are the characteristics of a disciple of Jesus? They’re marked by intimacy, identity, obedience, and transformation. James 1:22 warns us not to be hearers only but doers of the Word.
A disciple walks in repentance—not just a change of mind, but a change rooted in truth. Repentance is not merely replacing one “good idea” with another—it’s aligning your mind with Heaven. Psalm 119:89 says God’s Word is forever settled in Heaven, and that God has magnified His Word above His name (Psalm 138:2). That means we must honor the Word as sacred, infallible, and worthy of full submission.
Discipleship Is the Difficult Road
Jesus said, “… narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life …” (Matthew 7:14, NKJV). The Christian life is not an easy or perfect one—in fact, you can expect there to be trouble and trials because you choose to follow Jesus. But you can rest assured, knowing Jesus has already overcome everything on your behalf. In John 16:33 (NKJV), Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
You have peace in Jesus. You have rest in Him because rest comes from righteousness, and rest is the fruit of identity. When your conscience is clean, God can write on a blank canvas. But when your mind is filled with anxiety, shame, and striving, there’s no room for Him to move.
Hebrews 4:11 (NKJV) calls us to “… be diligent to enter that rest …” This is what is biblical discipleship—it’s walking in the peace of knowing you’re fully loved, fully forgiven, and fully accepted. It’s walking in purity not because of rules, but because of relationship. Why would you want anything else when your identity is rooted in the love of God?
How Is Discipleship Different From Evangelism?
A lot of people confuse the two. How is discipleship different from evangelism? Evangelism brings people into the Kingdom—discipleship teaches people how to live in it. You can’t disciple someone into salvation, and you can’t just evangelize and walk away. It’s both.
I’ve seen people win souls and still fall apart behind closed doors because they lacked identity. That’s why discipleship is so critical—it teaches you how to live in holiness, not just operate in gifting.
How Can Churches Promote Effective Discipleship?
How can churches promote effective discipleship? By modeling relationship with God, not religion. By creating cultures of transformation, not just information. By focusing on equipping believers to live like sons and daughters—not orphans who perform for approval.
This means prioritizing intimacy, teaching mind renewal, and making room for the Word of God to do what only it can do. Second Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Discipleship isn’t about being a better performer—it’s about being completely possessed by the love of God.
Discipleship Is a Daily Walk
When you’re born again, you become a soldier and a worker. You’re called to rightly divide the Word and wage war with truth (2 Timothy 2:3, 4). That means strongholds of lies must be demolished. James 1:21 (NKJV) calls us to “… receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” That word “soul” refers to your mind, will, and emotions. Discipleship transforms all of it.
It’s not enough to hear truth—you’ve got to own it. Let it strip away the old strongholds and establish God’s stronghold in your life. That’s what Romans 12:1 means when it says to present your body as a “living sacrifice.” You’re all in—head to toe.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They’re spiritual and powerful for pulling down every lie that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (2 Corinthians 10:4) But if we don’t walk in intimacy, even the Word can be twisted. That’s why Jesus—who is the Word—fought satan with Scripture—not argument—when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4).
So, what is discipleship? It’s about intimacy. It’s about love. It’s about letting God’s Word come alive in your heart until it renews your mind, transforms your life, and reflects Jesus to the world.
Don’t just dabble. Go all in.
-Todd White