Christian Living, Discipleship Insights

Let's Connect

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to drop us a DM and we will get back to you within 2 business days.

Click Here

Additional Topics

BIBLICAL STUDIES | BOOK REVIEWS | CHRISTIAN LIVING | CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT | DISCIPLESHIP | LEADERSHIP | MISSION & OUTREACH | PRAYER & DEVOTION

When Does Discipleship Start?

There is a common misunderstanding that discipleship is for the spiritually mature Christian to help another Christian. There are three biblical accounts that I would like to discuss that illustrate that “Go” in Matthew 28:19-20 means now, not waiting until you are spiritually mature.

Andrew

Let’s first look at Andrew recorded in Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-18 and John 1:40-42. In these accounts, after Andrew comes to faith, he immediately joins the kingdom call that the gospel calls for by sharing the good news with his brother. Andrew also proclaims that Jesus is Christ—another element of a gospel response.

The Philippian Jailer

When the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:29-33 witnessed the miraculous events surrounding Paul and Silas, he asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” The jailer and his household believed and were baptized immediately, demonstrating the urgent obedience of their faith.

The Samaritan Woman

When Jesus went to Samaria in the middle of the day, He met the woman at the well. Knowing of her shame and place in society, Jesus broke cultural norms and approached her. In her coming of faith, she left her clay pot behind because she was filled with the living water, also known as the Holy Spirit. What was her first step of faith in her Messiah? She ran to her village, sharing the good news. The beauty in this story is that Jesus used all that shame and her being a societal outcast, and she was able to evangelize her whole village, and the village came to faith. Her testimony advanced the kingdom because she took that baby step of faith and was on mission for Jesus.

Now What?

At that moment of saving faith and repentance, our first step is toward Jesus and joining His kingdom’s mission of making disciples. These biblical examples illustrate that true faith in Christ compels immediate action. The transformative power of encountering Jesus leads to life-changing decisions and bold steps of obedience. As we reflect on these stories, may we be inspired to respond promptly to God’s calling in our lives, demonstrating our faith through our actions? While this walk is different for everyone, that step is building in growing our faith and the fruit of our faith.

Randy is an IT consulting executive with an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary, where he is pursuing a Doctor of Educational Ministry in Discipleship, Mentoring, and Coaching. As a certified giftedness coach trained by Bill Hendricks and The Giftedness Center, Randy helps evangelical executives and organizational leaders discover and align their leadership with their divine design. He also provides one-on-one mentoring to help men faithfully walk out their faith in the workplace and in life.

Spiritual Florishing Assessment

Take our Spiritual Flourishing Assessment to discover where you're thriving and where growth is needed across key life dimensions.

Take It

Article Topic(s): Christian Living | Discipleship

Themes Covered: Biblical Women / Gospel / Kingdom / New Testament.

Related Articles

A Deeper Look into Being a Disciple of Jesus that Becomes Complete in Christ

Let’s take a deeper look into what it means to be a Disciple of Jesus so that we might become Complete in Christ. This fulfills the Great Commission and Great Commandment.

Read More

Hesed in Real Life: Commitment, Grace, and Love in Action

Hesed is more than kindness—it’s the unshakable, covenantal love of God that anchors us, transforms community, and finds its fullness in Christ.

Read More

Spiritual Flourishing

We’re passionate about helping people grow closer to God and live out their faith in transformative ways. To nurture this spiritual fruitfulness, we’ve developed the Spiritual Flourishing Assessment, a tool inspired by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University.

Read More

Evangelism Reframed: The Goodness of Work Before the Fall

Before sin ever touched the world, God called humanity to meaningful work as an act of worship. When leaders embrace their vocation as a sacred partnership with the Creator, they reveal the gospel’s power to restore purpose, dignity, and hope in every boardroom and business decision.

Read More

Come Out of the Shadows to be an Emotionally Healthy Leader

In order to be an emotionally healthy leader, one must understand the shadows that shapes their behavior. Plus having healthy boundaries are vital.

Read More

Surprise a Dark World as His Light Ambassadors of Hope

Discover how living as the light of the world, reflecting Christ’s character, and sharing His love can transform our lives.

Read More

My Dear Wormwood

As part of the Dallas Theological Seminary Spiritual Formation program, they ask each person to write a CS Lewis style Screwtape Letter. This is based on what original sin(s) would knock you out of ministry. It causes a deep introspection of areas you struggle with...
Read More

Disciple or Follower: Is There a Difference?

What does it really mean to follow Jesus? Is there a difference between being a disciple and a true follower? While a disciple learns from Jesus, a follower strives to fully mirror His life and teachings. In this post, we explore the key difference between learning about Christ and being transformed into His image.

Read More

The Whole Gospel

Do you have a full understanding of the Gospel and response to the Gospel? Here are the 4 declarations and 3 imperatives.

Read More

Evangelism Reframed: Starting Where God Started

In many circles, evangelism begins with Genesis 3, with sin, brokenness, and separation from God. The approach is valid, but I would like to challenge you on the starting point for evangelism. When we open with, “You are a sinner in need of saving,” we bypass the foundational truth of Scripture’s opening movement, that we were made in the image of God, for relationship, purpose, and flourishing. For those in positions of leadership and influence, this reframed approach is not only theologically faithful, but it is strategically wise.

Read More
Why Talented Executives Still Burn Out: The Giftedness Gap

Why Talented Executives Still Burn Out: The Giftedness Gap

You’ve built skills, climbed the ladder, and achieved success. Yet something feels fundamentally off. The work that should energize you leaves you drained, and your witness suffers because you’re surviving, not thriving. If this describes you, you’re not facing a performance issue; you’re experiencing the giftedness gap: the disconnect between what you can do and what you were created to do.

read more