A disciple is a follower, someone who learns from the teaching and example of the one they follow. To disciple, as a verb, is to help someone be a disciple. For Christians, that means helping someone follow Jesus. We all need someone in our life who is further along than we are (a Paul), who can help us to grow in our walk with Christ. We also need a Timothy, someone coming along behind us that we can help. We are also encouraged by friends who are in a similar season of life, with whom we can stand shoulder to shoulder (a Barnabus). We should also be pursuing relationships with lost friends, prayerfully persisting that they might become followers of Christ as well.

The goal of discipleship is to see our fellow believers transformed into the image of Christ. We want to become more and more like the One we follow, and we want to help others in that same pursuit.

All Christians are called to both be discipled and to make disciples. Even a very new Christian can look behind them and see someone they can help along the way. Part of growing in wisdom and discernment is recognizing when you need help and when you can give help, but don’t feel that there will come a day when you have reached full spiritual maturity and then you can begin to make disciples.