The Doctrine Of Discipleship

The Doctrine Of Discipleship

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 4, 2026 (Donate)

Why does Sunday Schools exist? Or small groups, men’s or women Bible study fellowships in Church, or apologetics ministries? Or even Christian schools? The answer is discipleship. It’s going to that next level of learning and growing in Christ after we’ve received the Gospel.

What Is The Theological Name For Church Discipleship?

The theological study and practice of making disciples is often simply referred to as discipleship but is also known as “Christian formation”. In broader theological discussions, it is closely related to ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) and sanctification (the process of growing in holiness). The New Testament presents discipleship not as an optional ministry of the church but as one of its central purposes.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

The word "disciple" comes from the Greek word mathetes, meaning "learner," "student," or "follower." A disciple is someone who learns from a teacher and seeks to imitate him. Therefore, Christian discipleship is the lifelong process of learning from Christ though His Word, following Christ’s directives, and helping others do the same.

Did Christ Command That We Disciple Others?

Yes. One of Christ's final commands before ascending into heaven is commonly called the “Great Commission”:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:19-20, NKJV).

Notice that Christ didn’t merely command His followers to make converts. He commanded them to make disciples. Evangelism is the beginning of discipleship, but discipleship continues throughout the believer's life.

Jesus repeatedly trained His followers to teach others. Paul later instructed Timothy:

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2, NKJV).

This verse reveals four generations of discipleship: Paul, Timothy, faithful men, and others also. The biblical model was multiplication through faithful teaching to the Word of God. We still do this today. 

What Exactly Is Discipleship?

Discipleship is the intentional process of teaching believers to know, obey, imitate, and glorify Christ in every area of life.

It involves far more than attending church services or participating in occasional Bible studies. A disciple learns biblical truth, applies biblical truth, and teaches biblical truth to others.

Jesus described discipleship as following Him completely:

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV).

Discipleship, therefore, includes:

1. Learning God's Word.
2. Growing in holiness.
3. Developing Christian character.
4. Worshiping God faithfully.
5. Serving others in Church.
6. Sharing the gospel.
7. Defending the faith (apologetics).
8. Training future disciples.
9. Consistent in prayer.
10. Relying on the Holy Spirit to guide in Christ’s Word

The goal is spiritual maturity (from milk to solid food per Hebrews 5:12-14). Paul, by the power of the Holy Spirit, wrote that church leaders exist to equip believers until they attain "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

How Was Discipleship Done In The New Testament?

New Testament discipleship was highly relational as the Scriptures were being completed. From there, discipleship was centered upon Scripture and Who Scripture pointing to—Jesus Christ.

It is estimated that Jesus spent approximately three years personally teaching the Twelve Apostles—based on the number of yearly Passovers that He attended with them (though some may not have been recorded so we should remain tentative).

Passover meal; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Jesus taught publicly, but He also invested significant time with a smaller group of followers. They learned not only through lectures but through observation, questions, ministry participation, personal example of watching Jesus but also…correction.

Mark 3:14 says Christ appointed the apostles "that they might be with Him." Before they could effectively minister for Him, they needed to spend time with Him to grow and learn—that is, mature in their faith.

After Pentecost, the early church continued this model. Acts 2:42 states:

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Discipleship, in the early church occurred through:

1. Public and private preaching.
2. House-to-house instruction.
3. Personal mentoring.
4. Leading and counseling (e.g., elders)
5. Fellowship among believers—Including communion
6. Prayer.
7. Corporate worship.
8. Practical  and special ministry opportunities (e.g. deacons were especially designed for this).

Paul followed this pattern throughout his missionary journeys. He discipled men such as Timothy, Titus, Silas, and others by traveling with them, teaching them, and gradually entrusting them with leadership responsibilities. Consider Christ and His disciples.

Disciples of Jesus Christ

The Twelve Apostles (Christ's closest disciples):

1. Simon Peter
2. Andrew
3. James (son of Zebedee)
4. John (son of Zebedee)
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Thomas
8. Matthew
9. James (son of Alphaeus)
10. Thaddaeus (also called Judas son of James)
11. Simon the Zealot
12. Judas Iscariot—who betrayed Christ and killed himself

After Judas' death:

13. Matthias (chosen to replace Judas)

Other named disciples and followers of Christ:

• Mary Magdalene
• Martha
• Mary of Bethany
• Lazarus
• Joseph of Arimathea
• Nicodemus
• Cleopas
• Joanna
• Susanna

Jesus also sent out seventy (or seventy-two) disciples in Luke 10, but most of their names aren’t recorded.

Disciples of John the Baptist

John baptizing; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

The Bible specifically identifies several people who were first disciples of John the Baptist before following Christ:

1. Andrew (John 1:35-40)
2. John, son of Zebedee (likely the unnamed disciple in John 1:35-40)
3. Simon Peter (brought to Christ by Andrew after Andrew followed John)

Other unnamed disciples of John are mentioned in:

• Matthew 9:14
• Matthew 11:2
• Mark 2:18
• Luke 7:18

Disciples of the Apostle John

The New Testament doesn’t provide a formal list of John's disciples, but early church history identifies several men associated with his ministry:

1. Polycarp of Smyrna
2. Papias of Hierapolis
3. Ignatius of Antioch (often associated with John's circle, though less directly than Polycarp)

The strongest historical connection is between the Apostle John and Polycarp. Irenaeus, who was a disciple of Polycarp, testified that Polycarp had learned from John and other eyewitnesses of Christ.

A commonly cited discipleship chain is:

Jesus Christ
→ John the Apostle
→ Polycarp
→ Irenaeus

If you consider the big picture, it has gone from Jesus Christ, the initial disciples of Christ…down to you and me for about 2000 years!

How Is Discipleship A Matter Of Training In All Things Of Christ—Including The Old Testament?

In the Great Commission, Christ commanded believers to teach disciples "to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). Since Jesus is God incarnate and the divine Author of all Scripture, discipleship involves instruction in the entirety of God's Word.

The Old Testament was the Bible used by Jesus, the Apostles, and the early church. Jesus frequently taught from Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets.

After His resurrection, Jesus explained:

"Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24:27, NKJV).

Likewise, Paul taught:

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV).

When Paul wrote those words, the Old Testament was primarily what Timothy possessed. Therefore, biblical discipleship includes instruction from Genesis through Revelation.

The Old Testament teaches God's character, creation in 6 days, sin, covenant, promises, redemption, worship, wisdom, prayer, prophecy, and the coming Messiah. The New Testament fulfills and explains these truths more fully in Christ. Together, they provide the complete foundation for Christian growth and discipleship.

How Has Discipleship In The Modern Western World Become Lax And How Should The Church Respond To Remedy This?

Many churches in the modern Western world have focused on attendance, entertainment, giving, or superficial involvement while neglecting deeper biblical discipleship. Large numbers of professing Christians possess limited knowledge of Scripture, theology, church history, apologetics, and practical Christian living. There is a general shallowness that tends to stagnate their discipleship growth.

Some believers attend church regularly but are never personally trained to study the Bible, defend the faith, teach others, or apply Scripture to daily life. In many cases, churches have substituted programs for discipleship and information for transformation. Sadly, this has led many churches to be stagnant in their effectiveness and even allows false teachings to come into their doors.

The biblical solution isn’t new—but is a simple return to the apostolic model set for us in the Bible. Churches should get their Sunday schools, schools, small groups, and their main services back to solid Bible-based teachings:

• Prioritize the teaching of Scripture.
• Train believers in sound biblical doctrine—even the hard stuff.
• Encourage family discipleship in the home.
• Develop mentoring relationships.
• Equip believers for evangelism.
• Teach biblical apologetics (creation apologetics and general apologetics).
• Foster accountability and spiritual growth.
• Train mature Christians to disciple others.
• Relying on the guidance of the Holly Spirit to grow us in our sanctification and discipleship

Pastors are called not merely to gather crowds but to equip saints for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). Parents are commanded to teach God's Word diligently to their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Older believers are instructed to train younger believers (Titus 2:1-8). Every Christian has a role in the discipleship process.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

A healthy church isn’t measured merely by attendance numbers but by the spiritual maturity of its members and their ability to make additional disciples.

Conclusion

Church discipleship is the biblical process of helping believers become mature followers of Jesus Christ. It was commanded by Christ, practiced by the apostles, and established as a central mission of the church. True discipleship involves teaching the whole counsel of God—the 66 books of the Bible, applying Scripture to every area of life, and training believers to teach others.

The New Testament model wasn’t merely producing church attendees but producing faithful disciples who would multiply themselves through future generations. As the modern church faces increasing biblical illiteracy and spiritual weakness, the solution is a renewed commitment to Christ's command: "make disciples."

One must submit and rely on the Holy Spirit for this process. Through faithful teaching, godly example, prayer, and obedience to Scripture, the church will move forward to continue the mission Christ entrusted to His people until He returns.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.