So far we’ve painted a pretty rosy picture of things: God wants a relationship with us, the Bible is a trustworthy source for learning about that relationship, and every human has intrinsic value as an image-bearer of God. So what’s the problem? Why do so many people feel far from God, and why is the world so broken? 

The biblical answer to this question uses a word that seems out–of-date and almost non-existent these days. That word is “sin,” and in this lesson we’ll tell you all about it. 

Defining  Sin

Sin is going your own way, trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth. The first series of the Bible illustrates this definition in the story of Adam and Eve, the first two humans. God created them and placed them in the Garden of Eden, generously giving them all of the trees to eat from – except the tree in the very middle of the garden. The tree “of the knowledge of good and evil” was off-limits. That’s where we pick up the story:

Genesis 3:1-6 (NLT) The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

God gave Adam and Eve freedom in the garden, and there was plenty to choose from. But look at how the serpent twisted God’s words, trying to make him look stingy and controlling. And notice that the serpent ended with a bald-faced lie – and so the woman was convinced. Eve turned her back on the Creator and instead trusted the creature. 

At the end of the day, Adam and Eve were trusting their own opinions and feelings over God’s truth. They acted on their “truth” and went their own way, and sin entered the world. And the same basic story has been repeated throughout history ever since. 

Broken In Every Way

Sin is a practical problem, not just a theological one. Sin brings brokenness in every way, keeping us from experiencing the fullness of life that God wants for us. This doesn’t mean we’re all as bad as we possibly could be. But the infection runs deep in all of us, and there’s no getting around its devastating effects.

Think of our sin nature like a glass of lemonade: one drop of poison is enough to contaminate the whole batch. Sin is that poison, and it infects everything it touches: our thinking, our relationships, our physical health, our finances, and everything else.

Because of sin, we cannot keep the Greatest Commandments. Instead of loving God and others, we put ourselves first. This fundamental disordering of our lives has a domino effect, causing brokenness in every way: spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. Pauls spelled out what happens in his letter to Galatia: 

Galatians 5:19-21 (NLT) When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Far from a comprehensive list, Paul offers here a sampling of the fallout from sin. Notice the breadth of vices, from sexual immorality to simple envy. When it comes to sin, there’s something for everyone. This verse in Romans make it clear:

Romans 1:30 (NLT) They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

Every generation seems to invent new ways of sinning. Much of what our parents considered to be “sin” is perfectly acceptable in today’s society. Where will the line be drawn for our children’s generation? 

Born Into Sin

So when, exactly, does this sin problem start for us? And does it affect everyone? The biblical teaching is clear: since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have all been born into sin. Every one of us has a sinful nature at birth, no exceptions. 

Romans 3:10-12 (NLT) As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”

Romans 3:23 (NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Think about two-year-olds. To one degree or another, they’re all born with a bent toward selfishness – and they never fully grow out of it! We all have a natural bias toward narcissism. We’re all born into sin. That’s why Jesus said this:

John 3:3 (NLT) Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

The problem of sin affects all of us from birth. The solution is to start over, to be “born again” to a new life in Christ. This language is meaningful. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Your first birth doomed you to a life of sin. Your re-birth can undo the damage.” 

Jesus isn’t suggesting that you can change your sinful nature. He’s not asking you to stop sinning and start trying to be a better person. He’s saying that something has to happen to you, something beyond your control. That’s how birth works. You don’t earn it; somebody else does all of the work to make it happen. 

Being “born again” works the same way, and Jesus did the work to make it possible for us. That’s the topic of our next lesson.

Every problem needs a solution, and when it comes to our sin problem, the solution is Jesus. We are not saved by keeping a bunch of rules or by learning a list of doctrines. We’re saved by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we trust Jesus for salvation, we can be “born again” (John 3:3)

Jesus is the most written about, fought over, and misunderstood person in history. But who was he, really? What does the Bible say? Peter’s sermon in Acts 10 – the first sermon preached specifically to non-Jews – shows us five teachings of the early church on who Jesus was and what he did to save us. 

Lord of All

The first teaching about Jesus starts with his identity. Was he just a prophet or priest, or was he something more? Peter answers:

Acts 10:36 (NLT) There is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 

Peter calls Jesus “Lord,” a reference to his divinity. Jesus is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity (John 1:1-4). Jesus himself taught this (John 8:58), and his followers believed it. Scripture affirms that Jesus is fully God, creator and sustainer of all things.   

Colossians 1:15,19-20 (NLT) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself.

But why does this matter? Why is it important to believe that Jesus is fully God instead of just a good man? The answer is that Jesus could not offer us “peace with God” if he were merely human. Jesus is God, and his divinity qualifies him to be our savior.

But let’s not miss the last part of Acts 10:36. Jesus is Lord of “all,” not just Lord of the Israelites. God’s desire from the beginning was that all people would come to know him. That’s why Peter was preaching this sermon in the first place. God had sent him to the house of a Gentile, and this was the inauguration of a new kind of movement. Christianity would be a faith for both Jews and Gentiles, because Jesus is Lord of all. 

Perfectly Good

The next teaching fills us in on Christ’s activity while he was here on the earth. What kind of a person was he? How did he live?

Acts 10:38 (NLT) Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.

Jesus was a miracle worker unlike anything the world had ever seen. He cast out demons (Luke 4:40-41) and healed lepers (Luke 5:12-13). He miraculously fed thousands (Matthew 14:13-21), walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33), and even raised a dead guy to life (John 11:38-44).

On top of his miracles, Jesus “went around doing good.” This affirms what we learned about God earlier in this series. God is for you, not against you. He’s a good God, and Jesus proved it by his actions while he walked this earth.

But most important of all was what Jesus didn’t do: he never sinned. Jesus was perfect and sinless from start to finish. During his lifetime Jesus proved his power over sin and its consequences. Read his story for yourself and here’s what you’ll find: Jesus was fully God and fully man, living a sinless life and perfectly modeling the love of God. 

Again, why is this important? Consider this: if Jesus had been a sinner like the rest of us, then he would have had  to die for his own sins. But since he was sinless, he could go to the cross on our behalf. The sin-debt that he paid could be credited to our account, because Jesus didn’t owe on the debt. 

Crucified and Risen

So far we’ve learned that Jesus is fully God and perfectly sinless. That sets us up for the core teaching of the early church on the person and work of Jesus: he died and rose again. The power of faith in Jesus hinges on these two simple, historical facts. 

Acts 10:39-40 (NLT) They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. 

Jesus was about thirty three years old when the Jews put him on trial and the Romans nailed him to the cross (Luke 23:44-46, 24:1-6). From the outside looking in, this was an epic tragedy. But it was God’s plan all along, even though nobody saw it coming (Isaiah 53:8-10).

And here’s the most important part: Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose from the grave after three days, proving once and for all his power over sin and death. This is central to the Christian faith, because a dead savior would be no savior at all: 

1 Corinthians 15:14 (NLT) And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

But how do we know that the resurrection isn’t just a myth? The simplest proof was the response of his closest followers. Though they abandoned Jesus in fear before the crucifixion, they sold out their lives to his message just three days later. Almost all of  Jesus’ first disciples died for their faith, because they firmly believed that Jesus was raised to life.

Judge of All

The fourth point of Peter’s sermon might come as a surprise to modern listeners. Up until now it has all been good news. But Peter adds a stern warning:

Acts 10:42 (NLT) Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 

The Bible teaches that someday Jesus will judge you for every good and bad thing you’ve ever done. And here’s the bad news: left to yourself, there’s no hope of passing the test at the end of eternity. You were born into sin, remember? The thought of a judgment day should get every person’s attention (Hebrews 10:31). That’s why Peter included it in his sermon.

God is not only loving; he is also fair. And so we can’t blame God for not flippantly dismissing our sins (Romans 2:9,16). God did not cancel his wrath against us – he spent it on his Son. At the cross, the justice of God collides with the love of God in the person of Jesus.

Forgiver of Sins

Thank God that Peter doesn’t end his sermon at judgment! Here’s the final truth he teaches us about Jesus: 

Acts 10:43 (NLT) Everyone who believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. 

This is the new birth that Jesus offers to sinners. The good news of the Bible is that we can be forgiven – but not through a lifetime of good works. Peace with God comes only through faith in a person: Jesus Christ. This is offered to anyone who believes.

Jesus is Lord of all, perfectly good, crucified and risen, judge of all, and forgiver of sins. This is what Peter preached that day to the Gentile household of Cornelius, and it remains the basic message for seekers of God today.

So we have a choice to make. Will we trust that the price Jesus paid on the cross is enough to cover our sin debt? Will we believe that Jesus is Savior and Lord? That’s what we call “saving faith”, and we’ll show you how to get it in the next lesson.

So far we’ve learned about humanity’s problem (sin) and God’s solution (Jesus). But here’s the thing: the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead does not save you from your sins. It’s your personal response to Jesus that opens the door to salvation and makes you “born again.” The Bible calls it “saving faith,” and in this lesson we’ll tell you all about it. 

God’s Love

Saving faith starts with God. What was his motivation for sending Jesus to the cross? Why did he make such a costly sacrifice? The Apostle John gives the answer:

1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

Out of love, God sent Jesus into the world to solve our sin problem. Many religions depict a deity who is full of wrath toward the human race. Other faiths describe a god who requires strict obedience to a list of rules. These ideas generate a picture of a transactional god, a cosmic deity doing business with people who struggle to keep up their end of the bargain.

But the God of the Bible is different. He’s a relational God, proactively reaching out to the human race in spite of their failure to bring anything good to the table. And this God didn’t send Jesus into the world with reluctance or out of obligation; he did it willingly – out of love.

Our Attitude

So God’s heart is the first thing you need to know about saving faith. The second thing has to do with your heart. Saving faith requires more than just the right information about Jesus. It also requires the right attitude toward God, which the Bible calls “repentance.”

When the apostle Peter preached his first sermon after Christ’s death and resurrection, he invited people to respond to the message of salvation. Their response perfectly models the heart attitude necessary for saving faith: 

Acts 2:37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Read the full sermon for yourself (Acts 2:14-36) and you’ll see that Peter covers Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection – putting it all in the context of the story of Israel. Then he closes his sermon by pointing out that Israel rejected Jesus and nailed him to the cross. The message should have offended the Jewish listeners. 

But that’s not what happened. Instead, the message “pierced their hearts” and the listeners humbly submitted themselves to God. They didn’t claim to know more than Peter, but instead wanted to know what they had to do in order to be saved. Peter’s response was simple: 

Acts 2:38 Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God….

Repentance is the attitude that says, “I’ve changed my mind and I’m ready to go God’s way now.” It’s an act of the will, a relinquishing of control. It happened to the listeners in Acts 2, and it resulted in their humble response to Peter’s message. And it still happens to people today when they’re ready to respond to Jesus in faith. 

The Confession

When God begins a saving work in your heart, it’s important to express it in words. The Bible calls this “confession.” To confess literally means to “say the same thing.” When we confess our faith, we are repeating what God has already said. We are agreeing with Him that we’re sinners and that Jesus can save us. Here’s how Paul explained it:

Romans 10:9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Believe and declare. That’s how we activate saving faith in Jesus. Have you ever done this? Are you ready to do it now? If so, pray a “sinner’s prayer” like this: 

“Jesus, I recognize I’m a sinner. I know that you died on the cross and rose from the dead so that I could have life. I’m turning from my sin now, and I’m turning to you in faith. I trust in you alone to forgive my sin and give me new life. Thank you for this free gift. Amen.”

There’s nothing magical about these particular words. What matters is that you have the right information (about sin and Jesus) and that you respond to it with the right attitude (repentance). That’s the essence of confession. Once you’ve done it, the Bible says you’re saved: forgiven of your sins and given a new life in Christ. 

Saved by Grace

Some people find this hard to believe. Does the Bible actually teach such a simple pathway to salvation? Is there really nothing more that God requires of me?  It sounds too good to be true! But the Bible makes it clear: 

Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

It’s human nature to want to earn our keep. We love the sense of accomplishment that comes from an honest day’s work. In the physical realm this is a good thing and the Bible even commands it (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). But the spiritual realm works differently. In God’s economy, we cannot work for our salvation. God alone can save us, and he alone gets all the credit. 

Jesus did all of the work to save us. The Bible teaches that we are “dead in our sin” – and dead people can’t do anything! That’s why the Bible uses the word “grace”. It literally means “gift”. A gift is freely given, and you can’t work for it. If you try to pay for it, it’s no longer a gift. 

Here’s the point: No level of personal performance can earn God’s approval. We are saved 100% by grace the moment we trust Jesus for salvation.

Everyone Who Believes

So there’s one final question you might have about saving faith: Could it really be true for you? This brings us to one final verse: 

Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Some people are so burdened by their sin or doubts that they feel out of God’s reach. Some may ask, “How could Jesus possibly want a relationship with someone like me? What if I’ve committed the unforgivable sin?” Others question, “I’m not sure my faith is strong enough. I still have questions about the Bible.”

So here’s the good news: the pathway to salvation is simpler than you think. Jesus did the heavy lifting; you just believe. The blood of Jesus is far more powerful than the skeletons in your closet; just believe (Romans 8:1). The message of the cross can overcome your doubts; just believe (1 Corinthians 1:18-21). Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation are made “right with God” in an instant, not in a lifetime of good works. This is what the Bible says about “saving faith” – the most important defining moment of your life. 

Saving faith is an end and a beginning. It’s the end of your old life, and it’s the beginning of a new way to live. That’s what we’ll cover in the next few lessons.

So far we have investigated the first two aspects of a “full circle” Christian: trusting Jesus for salvation and honoring God in our thoughts and actions. Visit any Christian church in the world and you’ll find these basic teachings in one form or another. That’s the good news.

But here’s the bad news: that’s as far as it goes for most Christians. If someone attends church, prays “the prayer,” and starts giving financially, all is well! The mission has been accomplished in that person’s life, and he or she can carry on with confidence that they are mature in Christ.

But they are not. Jesus has something more in mind for his true disciples, and the New Testament is full of proof. The follower that Jesus envisioned goes “full circle” to include a third leg of the journey, and that’s what these final three topics are about. Here’s the picture:

Let’s make this personal right from the start: Jesus wants YOU to make disciples. It’s not something reserved for the pastors, and it was never intended to be just for the extroverted Christians who love to talk about Jesus. It’s for everyone in the church. Jesus wants disciple-making to be the norm, not the exception. That means YOU should start making disciples. And here are three reasons why: 

The Commission

We make disciples because Jesus said so. In one of his last speeches to his disciples, Jesus made his expectation plain: 

Matthew 28:18-19 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations….”

Jesus wasn’t making a suggestion and he didn’t ask their opinion. He had just spent three years discipling his disciples, and now it was their turn. After his death and resurrection, Jesus was returning to the Father. His task on earth was complete. Now his followers would have to step up and finish the job.

Imagine your dad telling you to take out the garbage. He makes it crystal clear, and yet you willfully disobey. How do you think he would respond? How would YOU respond? 

Jesus commanded us to make disciples, emphasizing its importance by making it one of the last things he said on this earth! Helping people pursue God is a matter of obedience to the Great Commission. This should be reason enough to start doing it. 

The Strategy

Jesus envisioned a church where pastors equip and people do the ministry. His strategy was articulated best by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

Here’s what the average church looks like today: the pastor preps a sermon and the people invite their friends to come and listen. Sunday after Sunday they run the same play: the preacher ministers and the people spectate. For many churches it seems to work, especially if the worship team can put on a great concert! 

But the Apostle Paul prescribed a different strategy. In a biblical-functioning church, the pastors equip the people to do the work of the ministry. This way everybody wins: the pastors don’t get worn out and the people end up actually maturing in their faith. They have moved from consuming a product to producing disciples, and the whole church ends up “healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16). 

The Need

The final reason to make disciples is an appeal to the heart of every genuine follower of Jesus. Look around – people are confused and helpless, and the problem is getting worse every day. We make disciples because people need help on a personal level. Sermons are great, but sermons aren’t enough. Jesus himself made this point after gathering huge crowds to witness his miracles and listen to his teaching.

Matthew 9:36-38 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Jesus’ heart broke for the crowd because they needed more help than what he could personally give them. How? Wasn’t he the Great Shepherd? Didn’t they just hear his powerful teaching? 

The fact is, sermons were never intended to be the end-all be-all for a healthy church. A preacher speaks truth to a crowd, and while it’s an important element in the church body, it doesn’t produce mature disciples by itself. People need to process truth in the context of a caring, personal relationship. God wants every follower to have a shepherd to help them along the way. (Matthew 4:19) 

At the end of Matthew 9 Jesus told his disciples to pray for more workers. Then in the next lesson their prayer was answered – when Jesus sent them out to make disciples! Today, YOU are the answer to that prayer. Are you willing to go?

Mature Enough

Maybe you’re willing but you don’t feel qualified to make disciples. So many Christians believe that they are not mature enough to help someone else pursue God. They ask, “What if they ask a question I can’t answer? What if I say the wrong thing?”  These questions linger in the minds of many would-be disciplers, keeping Christians on the sidelines and in the shadows. And that’s just how Satan wants it. 

Jesus wants something different. He wants regular people making disciples, and that’s why he chose fishermen and tax collectors to be his first followers. Those guys weren’t ready for such a big assignment, but Jesus sent them out anyway. They matured as they made disciples, not before. 

This is what Paul explains in his letter to the Ephesians: 

Ephesians 4:14 (NLT) Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Go back and read the entire section to get context for what Paul is teaching here. He’s saying that we’ll grow up, we’ll develop spiritual discernment, and we’ll build a defense against falsehood after we start making disciples. When we go out and “speak the truth in love,” we’ll begin to really understand it. 

Disciple-making comes first and maturity comes second, not the other way around. 

So what are you waiting for? Jesus told you to make disciples. It’s part of his strategy for a healthy church. People need your help at a personal level. And until you start doing it, you’ll never be fully mature as a Christian.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). But how do you do it? Where do you start? PursueGOD offers a simple approach, modeled after Jesus’ own ministry. He discipled his followers through everyday conversations, helping them discover truth by asking questions and providing answers. 

PursueGOD disciple-making works the same way. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple. The process works in three simple steps: 

Step 1: Engage

First, engage the person you’d like to disciple. Ask yourself, “What kinds of conversations does that person want to have? Is there a topic they’d like to talk about?” Disciple-making starts with putting yourself in the shoes of someone else. Where do they need help? How can you add value to their life?

Many Christians make the mistake of getting too spiritual too quickly. We know that the deepest need in everyone’s life is Jesus – and we’re chomping at the bit to talk about it! But not everyone is ready for a spiritual conversation. These things take time, as Paul points out:

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT) But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

That’s why the first step is to engage. Ask the person where they would like to start, and simply offer to sit down for a conversation. Meet regularly to cover topics together as you build a relationship. If it helps, send them a link to one of these category listings, and invite them to choose where to start:

• Life topics (emotions, relationships, etc.)
• Family topics (marriage, parenting, etc.)
• Faith topics (investigating faith, Bible study, etc.)
• Topics for students
• Topics for women
• Topics for men

Step 2: Establish 

Second, establish the person in the Christian faith. When the time is right, be sure to go over the basics of Christianity with the person you’re discipling. Talk about God’s heart for people. Cover the topics of sin and salvation and sanctification. Get specific about what it means to be a true disciple. We’ve put all of these important topics into a 12-part series called The Pursuit. 

So how do you know if the time is right to move from engaging (Step 1) to establishing (Step 2)? Pray about it! As you meet to talk about topics of interest to them, eventually you’ll start talking about spiritual things. Expect God to show up in your conversations over time, especially if you’re praying for him to reveal himself. Jesus said it himself when he sent out his closest disciples:

Matthew 10:19-20 (NLT) … don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

This is where spiritual discernment comes in, along with a dose of boldness. As you’re covering miscellaneous topics, lay the groundwork for the foundational topics. Don’t be afraid to say, “I think it’s time we go through The Pursuit together. That’s the series that will establish you in the most important relationship of your life.” 

What if they’re already a Christian? Do it anyway! It’s always helpful to go over the basics of the faith, and it will ensure that you get to the final step in the process. The Pursuit introduces the idea of a “full circle” follower of Jesus, someone who makes a commitment  to three basic things in life: 

It’s the last part of that image that leads to the final step in the disciple-making process.

Step 3: Empower 

Third, empower the person to become a disciple-maker. The final three lessons in The Pursuit are training topics, explaining the picture and process of discipleship. This means that once you’ve finished The Pursuit, you’re ready to empower the person you’re discipling to get in the game and start making disciples, too.

But they’ll probably need your help. Most people are intimidated by the thought of becoming a mentor and discipling someone. So you’ll have to convince them that they’re qualified, just like Jesus had to do with his disciples. And you’ll probably also have to help them get connected to someone else who needs a mentor. This is where the local church can come in. Ask a pastor where there’s a need, and then help make the handoff.

Engage, establish, and empower. The whole process is designed to make disciple-making a thing again. It’s the kind of generational discipleship that Paul described to Timothy: 

2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples. PursueGOD makes it easy. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). But how do you do it? Where do you start? PursueGOD offers a simple approach, modeled after Jesus’ own ministry. He discipled his followers through everyday conversations, helping them discover truth by asking questions and providing answers. 

PursueGOD disciple-making works the same way. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple. The process works in three simple steps: 

Step 1: Engage

First, engage the person you’d like to disciple. Ask yourself, “What kinds of conversations does that person want to have? Is there a topic they’d like to talk about?” Disciple-making starts with putting yourself in the shoes of someone else. Where do they need help? How can you add value to their life?

Many Christians make the mistake of getting too spiritual too quickly. We know that the deepest need in everyone’s life is Jesus – and we’re chomping at the bit to talk about it! But not everyone is ready for a spiritual conversation. These things take time, as Paul points out:

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT) But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

That’s why the first step is to engage. Ask the person where they would like to start, and simply offer to sit down for a conversation. Meet regularly to cover topics together as you build a relationship. If it helps, send them a link to one of these category listings, and invite them to choose where to start:

• Life topics (emotions, relationships, etc.)
• Family topics (marriage, parenting, etc.)
• Faith topics (investigating faith, Bible study, etc.)
• Topics for students
• Topics for women
• Topics for men

Step 2: Establish 

Second, establish the person in the Christian faith. When the time is right, be sure to go over the basics of Christianity with the person you’re discipling. Talk about God’s heart for people. Cover the topics of sin and salvation and sanctification. Get specific about what it means to be a true disciple. We’ve put all of these important topics into a 12-part series called The Pursuit. 

So how do you know if the time is right to move from engaging (Step 1) to establishing (Step 2)? Pray about it! As you meet to talk about topics of interest to them, eventually you’ll start talking about spiritual things. Expect God to show up in your conversations over time, especially if you’re praying for him to reveal himself. Jesus said it himself when he sent out his closest disciples:

Matthew 10:19-20 (NLT) … don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

This is where spiritual discernment comes in, along with a dose of boldness. As you’re covering miscellaneous topics, lay the groundwork for the foundational topics. Don’t be afraid to say, “I think it’s time we go through The Pursuit together. That’s the series that will establish you in the most important relationship of your life.” 

What if they’re already a Christian? Do it anyway! It’s always helpful to go over the basics of the faith, and it will ensure that you get to the final step in the process. The Pursuit introduces the idea of a “full circle” follower of Jesus, someone who makes a commitment  to three basic things in life: 

It’s the last part of that image that leads to the final step in the disciple-making process.

Step 3: Empower 

Third, empower the person to become a disciple-maker. The final three lessons in The Pursuit are training topics, explaining the picture and process of discipleship. This means that once you’ve finished The Pursuit, you’re ready to empower the person you’re discipling to get in the game and start making disciples, too.

But they’ll probably need your help. Most people are intimidated by the thought of becoming a mentor and discipling someone. So you’ll have to convince them that they’re qualified, just like Jesus had to do with his disciples. And you’ll probably also have to help them get connected to someone else who needs a mentor. This is where the local church can come in. Ask a pastor where there’s a need, and then help make the handoff.

Engage, establish, and empower. The whole process is designed to make disciple-making a thing again. It’s the kind of generational discipleship that Paul described to Timothy: 

2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT) You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

If you’re a Christian, Jesus wants you to make disciples. PursueGOD makes it easy. If you can have a conversation, you can make a disciple.