The Call to Make Disciples

“Make Disciples” / Pastor Chris Zauner / 01.11.2025

Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Not some nations. Not only the ones that look like you. Not the ones you agree with politically. All nations. All people.

Let’s not mince words here. This isn’t a growth strategy, and it’s not a leadership pipeline. It’s not about being flashy enough to attract a crowd or impressive enough to build a following. This is Jesus defining success.

Notice what He doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Go make converts.” He doesn’t say, “Go create attenders.” He doesn’t say, “Be impressive enough that people come consume your gathering.” He says, “Make disciples.”

What is a Disciple, Really?

A disciple is a learner, a follower, an apprentice who orders their entire life around Jesus. And here’s a hard truth we all need to hear: you can sit in church every single Sunday and still not be a disciple of Jesus.

At Grace City, we are called to make disciples who make disciples. That’s why people sometimes feel like, “Why do they keep asking me to do things?” It’s why we won’t stop talking about life groups, and why we keep inviting people into community. Disciples don’t just attend. They contribute. They don’t just consume; they participate.

Life groups aren’t a box to check. They’re an incubator. They’re the place where your life is actually known—where your story, your gifts, and even your struggles are shared. They are where people learn to live, love, and follow Jesus in real relationships. We are not interested in creating attenders. We are committed to forming disciples.

Depth Before Reach

We live in a world obsessed with influence, platforms, and visibility. But Jesus builds depth before He builds reach. He cares more about your character than your audience. He wants you rooted in His Word, anchored in integrity, and built on the rock of Jesus Christ—not the shifting sand of culture.

A viral video disappears in a day, but a disciple multiplies for generations. Jesus didn’t come to build a brand. He built people, and those people built the Church. Not just one local church, but the Big-C Church—His bride, His body.

Jesus measures success by two things: who you are becoming, and who you are raising up.

The Question We All Have to Answer

So here’s the question every follower of Jesus has to wrestle with: who are you intentionally helping to follow Jesus?

Some people think, “I’m new to this. I’ve only been following Jesus for a couple years.” That’s okay. If you’ve got two days under your belt, help someone with what you’ve learned in those two days. You don’t unlock a spiritual achievement badge before you’re allowed to help others. You’ve learned something—don’t wait to use it.

Discipleship isn’t about reaching a destination. It’s about multiplication.

Paul puts it this way in 2 Timothy 2:2: “What you have heard from me, entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others also.” In one verse, we see four generations—Paul to Timothy, to faithful people, to others. That’s how movements last. That’s how the gospel doesn’t die in a generation. That’s how faith survives cultural pressure and confusion.

Fruit That Lasts

Discipleship happens in relationship, over time. It isn’t flashy, and it isn’t instant. But it is incredibly fruitful.

This is the kind of fruit that multiplies lives and transforms generations, and it’s exactly what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Go and make disciples.”