You Don’t Need a Crowd to Make Disciples

You do not need a large church, a big class, or a crowd of people to make disciples.

You only need someone willing to follow Jesus with you.

Jesus spoke to crowds, but He spent much of His time with a small group of disciples.

He taught them.

He prayed with them.

He answered their questions.

He showed them how to live.

Then He sent them out to help others follow Him.

Jesus showed us something important:

Disciple making can begin small.

You do not have to wait until you have a large ministry.

Start with one person.

Do I Need a Large Ministry to Make Disciples?

No.

You do not need a large ministry, a big Bible study, or a crowd.

Disciple making can begin with two people.

Open the Bible together.

Pray together.

Talk about what God is teaching you.

Encourage each other to obey Jesus.

Then help that person learn how to help someone else.

One person can help another person grow.

That person can eventually help someone else.

A small beginning can have a lasting impact.

1. Jesus Started With a Few

Jesus could have spent all His time speaking to thousands.

Instead, He chose twelve men to walk closely with Him.

Mark 3:14 (NKJV)

“Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.”

Notice what came first.

They were called to be with Jesus.

Before they were sent out, they spent time with Him.

They watched how He lived.

They heard His teaching.

They saw how He loved people.

They learned from His example.

Biblical discipleship begins the same way today.

We spend time with Jesus, learn His Word, and then help someone else do the same.

Be With Jesus. Become Like Jesus. Help Someone Else Do the Same.

Disciple making begins with Jesus.

Be with Jesus.

Spend time with Him through His Word and prayer.

Become like Jesus.

Let His truth change the way you think, speak, love, forgive, serve, and live.

Help someone else do the same.

Share what Jesus is teaching you with another person.

You do not have to know everything.

You simply need to keep following Jesus and invite someone to walk with you.

2. Start With One Person

Sometimes we think making disciples must be a large ministry.

It does not.

Start with one person.

Invite someone to read the Bible with you.

Pray together.

Talk about what God is teaching you.

Ask how you can help each other obey Jesus.

You do not have to know every answer.

You simply need to be willing to walk beside someone as both of you grow.

Your first disciple might be:

A spouse.

A friend.

A coworker.

A neighbor.

Or someone from church.

Do not focus first on building a crowd.

Ask God for one person.

Ready to begin? Read How to Start Discipling Someone: 5 Simple Biblical Steps.

3. Grow Together

You do not have to wait until you know everything about the Bible before helping someone else grow.

Open God's Word together.

Read.

Ask questions.

Pray.

Talk about what God is teaching each of you.

Encourage each other to obey Jesus.

When you do not know an answer, say so.

Learn together.

The goal is not to prove how much you know.

The goal is to help each other follow Jesus.

Real discipleship happens through relationship, God's Word, prayer, obedience, and everyday life.

4. Think Beyond the One Person

Starting with one person does not mean ending with one person.

Paul gave Timothy a pattern for multiplication:

2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV)

“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.”

Look at the pattern:

Paul taught Timothy.

Timothy taught faithful people.

Those people taught others.

That is multiplication.

One disciple helps another disciple.

That disciple learns to help someone else.

Then the process continues.

Small does not have to stay small.

5. Disciples Make Disciples

Jesus did not tell us only to attend church or learn more about the Bible.

He gave His followers a mission.

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

Every follower of Jesus can be part of this mission.

You may begin with your spouse.

A friend.

A coworker.

A neighbor.

Or someone at church.

Meet for coffee.

Open the Bible.

Pray together.

Talk about following Jesus in everyday life.

One person can help another person grow.

That person can eventually help someone else.

A small beginning can have a lasting impact.

A Simple Pattern for Making Disciples

START SMALL → GROW TOGETHER → LIVE IT OUT → MULTIPLY

Remember these four steps:

START SMALL — One person can make a difference.

GROW TOGETHER — Read, pray, and learn from God's Word.

LIVE IT OUT — Encourage and help each other obey Jesus.

MULTIPLY — Disciples make disciples.

You do not need a crowd.

You need faithfulness.

Start with one person and trust God with what happens next.

Disciple Making Is About People, Not Numbers

It is easy to think success means having a large group.

But disciple making is about people.

Real people.

Real faith.

Real struggles.

Real growth.

One person matters.

One conversation matters.

One open Bible matters.

One prayer matters.

One act of obedience matters.

Do not measure your faithfulness only by the size of your group.

Be faithful with the person God places in front of you.

What Can Two People Do Together?

Disciple making can be simple.

When you meet:

Talk about life.

Ask how things are going.

Open the Bible.

Read a short passage.

Talk about what you learned.

Ask what God is teaching you.

Choose something to obey.

Ask how you can live the truth you just read.

Pray together.

Pray for each other's needs and spiritual growth.

Think about someone else.

Ask who each of you could encourage or help.

Then meet again and continue growing together.

It can begin with two people, an open Bible, and a desire to follow Jesus together.

Disciple Making Begins With Following Jesus

Before we help someone follow Jesus, we must keep following Him ourselves.

Spend time with Jesus.

Learn His Word.

Obey what He teaches.

Grow in prayer.

Let Him change your life.

Then invite someone to walk with you.

Read next: What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?

Learn More About Biblical Discipleship

Biblical discipleship is more than learning information about Jesus.

It means following Him, becoming more like Him, and helping other people follow Him.

If you want to understand the larger biblical picture, continue with:

Biblical Discipleship: What It Means to Follow Jesus and Make Disciples

Want to Grow as a Disciple Maker?

Maybe God has already placed someone on your heart.

Now you want to know how to help that person grow.

The Disciple Maker — Disciples Who Make Disciples was written to help Christians move beyond simply learning about discipleship and begin living it.

Learn how to follow Jesus, help others follow Him, and multiply disciples.

🌱 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISCIPLE MAKER

Download the Free Printable Guide

Want a simple reminder that disciple making can begin with one person?

Download the free You Don't Need a Crowd to Make Disciples guide.

Keep it with your Bible or share it with someone who wants to begin making disciples.

Remember:

Start Small. Grow Together. Live It Out. Multiply.

🌱 DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF

Questions About Making Disciples

Do I need a large group to make disciples?

No. You do not need a large church, big class, or crowd. Disciple making can begin with one person who is willing to follow Jesus with you. 

Why did Jesus focus on a small group?

Jesus spoke to crowds, but He invested deeply in His disciples. They spent time with Him, heard His teaching, watched how He lived, and learned from His example before being sent out. 

Who can I begin discipling?

You might begin with a spouse, friend, coworker, neighbor, or someone from church. Start by asking God to show you one person you can encourage and help grow. 

Do I need to know the whole Bible first?

No. You do not have to know every answer. You can walk beside someone while both of you continue growing and learning from God's Word. 

What should we do when we meet?

Read the Bible, pray together, talk about what God is teaching you, and encourage each other to obey Jesus in everyday life.

How does one-on-one discipleship multiply?

Paul taught Timothy. Timothy taught faithful people. Those people taught others. That is the biblical pattern of multiplication described in 2 Timothy 2:2.

Your Next Step

Do not wait for a crowd.

Ask God to show you one person you can encourage and help grow as a follower of Jesus.

Then take one simple step.

Send a message.

Make a phone call.

Invite them to meet.

Open God's Word together.

Disciple making does not have to begin on a stage.

It can begin with two people, an open Bible, and a desire to follow Jesus together.

Who is one person God may be placing in your life for you to disciple?

Start small. Be faithful. Make disciples. Multiply.

About James Constable

James Constable is a Christian author, pastor, teacher, and disciple maker. His writing helps Christians follow Jesus, grow in God's Word, make disciples, and help those disciples make disciples.