What does it take to make disciples of Jesus Christ? A large congregation? A dedicated ministry staff? An established small-group program? You may be surprised to learn none of these things are needed to make disciples.
Perhaps the better question is: Who has God already placed in our lives, and how are we helping one another become more like Jesus?
What It Looks Like In the Local Church
At The Harvest Methodist Church in Missouri City, Texas, discipleship takes shape through relationships, small groups, and service.
For Trish Garcia-Monet, a member of The Harvest's Leadership Board and an active small-group leader, discipleship is an ongoing journey of surrender and spiritual growth.
“I feel like the surrendering part for me can't just happen one time,” Trish shared.
Following Jesus is a daily commitment to surrender, growth, and transformation, a journey we were never intended to make alone.
Trish and her husband co-lead Gathered Around the Word, a Wednesday evening small group in their home. Participants share food and fellowship, study Scripture, pray together, and support one another throughout the week. For Trish, leading the group helps deepen her own faith while creating space for others to grow.
Trish describes discipleship as “sustaining and supporting other folks who are on this faith journey.”
DJ Frewin, The Harvest's Director of Discipleship and Connection, has watched Trish grow from an engaged member into a small-group leader who is willing to share her testimony beyond the congregation.
Her story illustrates an important truth: Disciple-making is not reserved for pastors or ordained clergy. It is the calling of every follower of Jesus.
The Harvest averages more than 300 people in Sunday worship and has 12 small groups and an active Emmaus community. Yet DJ distinguishes between offering activities and cultivating spiritual growth.
“Programs can create opportunities for discipleship, but programs alone cannot produce a culture of discipleship,” he explains.
An Intentional Discipleship Pathway
At The Harvest, the church’s strategy of Reach, Connect, Grow, and Send helps people take the next step in their walk with Christ, rather than simply shuffling them from one ministry activity to another. DJ describes an intentional effort to connect Sunday worship with small groups, where relationships deepen and faith is nurtured, and then to encourage people to discover their gifts, serve others, and share their faith. The Harvest is continuing to strengthen those connections, recognizing that discipleship is not measured simply by how many people participate, but by how people are growing and living out their faith.
Wesleyan Discipleship Models
Our Wesleyan tradition of class meetings and bands reminds us that discipleship has always been about more than gathering for worship. These gatherings have long provided spaces where believers study Scripture, pray, encourage one another, practice accountability, and grow together in faith. Laity have always been essential to this work, and they continue to play a vital role in helping others grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
At the heart of this Wesleyan understanding is the conviction that following Jesus is not a one-time decision, but a lifelong journey of growing in grace. We are continually being shaped by God’s grace, both individually and in community, as our faith moves beyond what we believe to how we live and love others.
Our Definition of A Disciple
Today, Trinity Conference’s working definition describes a disciple as “someone becoming like Jesus,” expressed through four movements: Surrendering, Growing, Serving, and Multiplying.
We see those movements reflected in Trish’s testimony, where surrender is ongoing, spiritual growth happens in community, and serving others becomes an expression of a faith that continues to mature.
Start With Relationships
But what about the congregation with 20 members? Or the church without a discipleship director, an established small-group ministry, or additional resources?
DJ offers a simple starting point: “Start with relationships, not programs.”
Laity Can Start Now
Pastors certainly have a role in encouraging and equipping others for discipleship, but they do not have to lead every effort. At The Harvest, Trish shares how her pastor regularly encourages members to find their “plus one” or “plus two” beyond Sunday worship. For Trish and her husband, that encouragement is reflected in their willingness to open their home, lead a small group, and walk alongside others as they grow in faith.
This is something anyone can do. It may begin with inviting three people to study Scripture together, gathering a few people for prayer, or simply walking alongside someone who needs encouragement in their faith. Disciple-making does not require us to reproduce another church’s structure. It calls us to be intentional with the relationships already before us.
Every congregation has a place in this work. Every disciple has something to offer.
We do not have to wait to start making disciples until we have “more.” We can start with what God has already placed in our hands and with the people God has already placed in our lives.
Start This Week
Identify one person you can encourage in their walk with Christ. Invite them to pray, study Scripture, or share a conversation about faith. Make the invitation, set a time, and begin growing together. That's how disciples make disciples...one relationship, one invitation, and one step of faith at a time.
