Making Disciples, Not Strengthening Them: Understanding the Great Commission

I've read over 15 books on discipleship, and I've noticed something striking—they don't all say the same thing. That alone tells me we're confused about what Jesus actually called us to do. In this post, we're diving into Matthew 28 and unpacking what the Great Commission really means for the church today.

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The Confusion: Making vs. Strengthening

Here's what I think is happening in the church today: we're confusing strengthening disciples with making disciples. These are two completely different things, and the church needs to do both. But somewhere along the way, we've blended them together, and that confusion is costing us.

Let's start with what Jesus actually said:

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" — Matthew 28:18-20

Notice something? At the time Jesus gave this commission, there were no disciples among the nations. There were the eleven apostles, 120 in the upper room (Acts 1:15), and scattered believers, but no organized body of disciples throughout the world. So when Jesus commanded them to "make disciples," He wasn't talking about developing people who already believed.

Two Different Callings, One Unified Mission

Let me show you what Scripture says about strengthening disciples:

"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." — Acts 14:21-22

There it is—Paul and Barnabas actively strengthening disciples who were already believers.

Here's the critical distinction:

• Making disciples = reaching those who don't yet follow Christ

• Strengthening disciples = developing those who already are disciples

The church's task is to do both. You see, at some point in all of our lives, we weren't disciples. We became disciples when we received and believed in Jesus Christ, being born again (John 3:3-7). From that point forward, the church's job shifts to strengthening us to reflect Christ's image and to make disciples of others.

But right now, I want to focus on making disciples, because that's where the Great Commission is pointing us.

Who Are We Making Disciples?

This is where it gets really clear. Jesus says, "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations."

Throughout Scripture, there are only two categories of people:

1. Those in Christ — following the ways of Jesus

2. Those in Adam — following the powers and principalities of the world

Paul explains this beautifully:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." — Ephesians 2:1-2

Everyone is born in Adam and follows Adam's ways as established by Satan (John 12:31). We're all "sons of disobedience" by nature.

But then comes the grace:

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." — Ephesians 2:4-5

When we receive Christ in faith, we're taken out of Adam and immersed into Christ. We become immersed disciples—followers of the master's will and ways.

Where Are We Fishing?

This brings us to an important question: Where do we find people to make disciples?

If we're already in Christ, we don't fish in the pond of Christ. We fish in the pond of Adam. We make disciples of those who are currently disciples of Satan, giving them the light of the gospel so they can receive the testimony of Christ and be placed into Him through the grace of God.

And praise God for His plan! Because at one point, you and I were in Adam. You might be there now. But God, rich in mercy, has called us out of darkness into the marvelous light of His beloved Son (1 Peter 2:9). And He doesn't just call us—He transforms us and gives us the ability to follow the will and ways of Christ.

What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple?

A disciple is one who follows the will and ways of their master. When Jesus called the first disciples, He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). They dropped everything and followed Him. In that process, He changed them—their minds, their moods, and their missions.

That's what discipleship is: transformation in thought, attitude, and purpose.

Check out my Book: Disciple Through Immersion

The Command: Make Disciples

Let me be clear—this isn't a suggestion. Jesus didn't say, "It would be nice if you made some disciples." He commanded it:

"Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations..." — Matthew 28:19

This is an imperative—a non-negotiable command for every believer in Christ.

But here's the key: you don't make disciples by strengthening those already in the faith. Strengthening disciples happens within our community, in our camp. It's when we "stir one another up to love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24-25). We do that so we can fulfill Christ's mission to make disciples.

Making disciples happens when we go outside our camp, into the world, to those who are far from God.

How Do We Make Disciples? Immerse Them in Scripture

Here's where most of us get it wrong, and I used to do this too: we think a 30-second to 5-minute gospel presentation is somehow going to change someone's heart.

It won't.

Let's look at what Jesus actually commanded:

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

The word "baptizing" here is the Greek word baptizo, which simply means to immerse. The context determines what we're immersing people in.

Now, you might think we're talking about water baptism. But water baptism is only one context where this word appears. Consider what Jesus said:

"Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?'" — Mark 10:38

Here, Jesus uses the same word baptizo to talk about His coming death and suffering—not water at all. It's about immersion in a reality.

So when Jesus tells us to baptize disciples—to immerse them—in what are we immersing them?

"Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..."

The word "name" in Scripture doesn't just mean a label. It refers to the character, reputation, authority, and work of that person. The names of God in the Old Testament reveal something specific about who He is and what He does in every context. Jesus's name is Emmanuel—"God with us."

So we're immersing people in the character, authority, and work of the triune God.

And where do we find that?

In the Scriptures.

The Scriptures reveal who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. They show His character, His attributes, His work in history and in our lives.

The Power of God's Word

Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy:

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." — 2 Timothy 3:14-15

The Scriptures—not our eloquence, not our cleverness, not our well-crafted presentations—are able to make someone wise for salvation.

And here's the practical implication:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." — 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Scriptures have the power to transform lives at every stage. They lead people to Christ. They strengthen those already in Christ.

What Making Disciples Actually Looks Like

So here's what this means in practice: Make disciples by immersing them in Scripture.

Preaching the gospel is good. It's necessary. Its purpose is to get someone's attention, to open the door. But that's not where discipleship happens. Discipleship happens when you enter their life and immerse them in Scripture.

It looks like:

• Sitting down with someone at a coffee shop

• Taking them through the Gospel of John week after week

• Reading Scripture together

• Discussing what it means

• Studying it deeply

• Addressing their questions and doubts

• Letting them challenge your worldview and you challenge theirs

• Immersing them continuously in God's Word

(This is why I created a series on the Gospel of John—it was written so that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" — John 20:31.)

This takes time. It takes intentionality. But here's what happens: as they're immersed in Scripture, God works in their hearts. Not through your words of wisdom, but through His character, His work, His testimony revealed in His Word.

And in that process, you're teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded. You're bringing them into alignment with His will and ways.

The Call Is Clear

If we claim to be in Christ, and we're not making disciples by immersing them in Scripture, then I believe we're in violation of this command.

Preach the gospel—yes. Serve others—absolutely. But understand that all of that is meant to find that person or household who you can invite into an ongoing, deep relationship where you continuously give them more and more of Scripture. That's how the Scriptures give them wisdom unto salvation and how they're transformed.

Then they stay in the church and you strengthen them. You help them grow. And as they grow, they become disciple-makers themselves.

The Promise

Here's what Jesus promised:

"Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations...and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." — Matthew 28:19-20

Do you feel like the power of Christ is absent in your life, your congregation, your community? Could it be that we're not fulfilling this commission? That we're not seeing the amazing fruit of Christ because we're not doing what He called us to do?

Christ promises to be with us while we're making disciples. He's not just commanding us to do something hard and then leaving us alone. He's promising His presence, His power, His guidance through the entire process.

A Final Word

The Scriptures are so important, and we don't value them enough. We wonder why God doesn't seem active in our lives, why His power seems distant. But value Him through His Scriptures. Study them. Immerse yourself in them. And as you do, you'll see His will, His ways, and His workings unfold in your life.

You'll be changed in your mind, your mood, and your mission as a disciple of Christ. And you'll see Him working in your family, among your friends, in your neighbors, in your coworkers. As you bear witness to Him in words and deeds and continuously immerse your sphere of influence in Scripture, you'll see the mighty working of Christ who is with you until the end of the age.

That's the promise. That's the commission. That's our calling.

Want to dive deeper into discipleship through immersion? Check out Disciple Through Immersion and download a free guide on how to read, study, and apply Scripture at immerseddisciple.com.