Preface


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Free E-mail Bible Study Bible study The Discipleship Process
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Ralph F. Wilson, 'I am the vine, you are the branches' (2026), original watercolor painting. Larger image.

Jesus' commission to his disciples is:

"Go and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19a)

To obey Jesus' command, we must understand the process of becoming and growing as disciples.

When I read some of the great authors on discipleship and spiritual formation, I marvel at their insights. What can I add? Perhaps nothing new, but my desire is to firmly ground our discipleship with models and principles from the Bible that inform our work.

Over the course of my ministry, I have focused on discipling and spiritual formation. I have written and taught, mentored and developed discipleship materials, and led groups focused squarely on forming men and women into devoted disciples of Jesus. I have learned that, while preaching and Bible teaching are indispensable in forming disciples, they are not adequate to produce mature disciples by themselves. To develop disciples as Jesus and Paul did, we need a much more personal touch.

No matter how much our cultures and spiritual traditions might differ from one another, the underlying principles of discipling men and women are universal. As we apply these principles from Scripture, we will see powerful results.

I write with two goals in mind. First, to inspire you to renew your commitment to serve Jesus as his faithful disciple. Second, to encourage you to disciple or mentor newer believers so they follow Jesus fully themselves. Jesus said,

"I am the Vine, you are the branches....By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:5a, 8, ESV)

My prayer is that in following Jesus as his disciple, you will bear much, much fruit!

Pastor Ralph
Loomis, California
April 17, 2026

The Discipleship Process: Biblical Models for Spiritual Formation

Copyright © 2026, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor@joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.