Jesus commands us to make disciples. That is true of all Christians, in all lines of work, of all giftings, in all cultures throughout all the ages. Even though Jesus sandwiches this command between a promise of his authority and his presence (Matthew 28:18-20), where do we begin? There is an unspoken but underlying step in making disciples that is easily neglected: making a disciple always begins with making a relationship. You cannot disciple someone you do not know. Making a relationship is always the first step.

This command that embraces all of life should also be active when we gather on Sundays. I know we usually think about the Sunday gatherings as a place for Christians, and you may even have one of those “you are now entering the mission field” signs above the exit of the building, but I hope that your church regularly has visitors, and I want to talk about turning those visitors into disciples in four simple steps: initiate, investigate, invest, invite.

Initiate:

We are the missionaries. We are the ones commanded to make disciples. We cannot expect newcomers to come to us; we need to go to them, and that (for most of us) does not happen naturally. We need to follow God’s example. He did not wait for Adam in the garden, nor did He wait for us, but sent His son to reach His wayward creatures. So, what does this look like on Sundays? Intentionally show up in time to park and be there 15 minutes before service starts. Intentionally notice newcomers. Deliberately introduce yourself and welcome them to church. Purposely pursue a relationship. Discipleship begins with an extended hand, an introduction, and a welcome.

Investigate:

We need to investigate because we are interested in making disciples, not just conversions. We should be interested in hearing stories. Ask questions that allow them to talk about who they are, what they think, what they are looking for, etc. A friend likes to say that we need to be a church with big ears: a church of good listeners. If people are lost, crazy, confused, unsure, broken, prideful, or content in their sins, that is great! That is exactly who God wants to work in. Although Jesus is the answer to everyone’s questions, we need to hear the questions first so we can show how Jesus is the answer. Making disciples is not some mechanical, cookie-cutter methodology. We make disciples, starting with who people are and where they are at. That means getting to know them.

Invest:

Find a way to sacrificially move the relationship forward. Invite them over for dinner or out to coffee. Commit to seeing their punk-metal fusion band. Volunteer to go with them to visit their friend at the hospital. All these things quite simply are summed up in one word: Love. We need to love people just as Jesus did by spending time with them. That is where the opportunities to speak into their lives come from, and it is also what makes those speaking times valuable and valid to the hearers. It may be cliché, but it is true, “They don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” [Note: This is the step that is most often skipped, jumping right from the initial conversation to the invitation, but it is vital, and Christlike (Luke 19:5).] One of my favorite memories from pastoral ministry in Seattle is when we met a first-time visitor at our church who was part of a community theater. She had mentioned having a show on Wednesday, and a bunch of the church members decided to go together. More than half the audience was people she just met at church. That was touching not just to her but to her whole theater troupe. This simple act of love became an open door.

Invite:

Discipleship begins when we ask those we are in a relationship with to “follow me as I follow Christ.” Whether we invite them into a discipleship community like a homegroup or a one-on-one Bible study, discipleship requires intentional rhythms with the goal of growing in Christ. Please remember these are not just places or maneuvers for believers; faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Inviting them to join you in your growth is only one possibility. You can also come alongside them in their growth. What do they want to understand? Where do they have questions or doubts? The goal is to move the relationship from casual friendship to purposeful discipleship.

To fulfill the great commission, we have to move the people we encounter from strangers to friends, and then from friends to disciples. We can do this with those we meet on Sundays through the four “I’s”: Initiate, Investigate, Invest, and Invite. When this becomes not just a personal mission but a church culture, you will be amazed to find yourselves in a season like the book of Acts where “the word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied” (Acts 6:7).