March 14th, 2025

How disciples became Christians

I arrived early at the university's Student Union food court, finding a quiet table away from the lunch rush. After years of sharing Christ with college students as a staff member of a para-church organization, these discipling meetings had become the highlight of my week. Today, I was meeting with Mike, a student I'd introduced to a relationship with Jesus less than a year ago.

Mike spotted me across the crowded space, waved, and made his way over. Setting his backpack down, he took a seat across from me. Since the university had just resumed after summer break, this was our first opportunity to reconnect. Mike had spent the summer working at his parents' home to fund his education while volunteering as a youth leader at his church.

After sharing updates about his summer, Mike leaned forward with a thoughtful expression. "I've been wondering about something. What's the difference between calling myself a Christian and being a disciple?"

"That's an excellent question," I replied, genuinely impressed. "Most people use these terms interchangeably. What got you thinking about this?"

"Our church hosted a guest speaker who focused on Matthew 28:19, where Jesus instructs His disciples to 'go and make disciples,'" Mike explained. "The speaker argued there wasn't any difference between the terms—just that people who followed Jesus during His ministry were called disciples, and today's followers are called Christians. But something about that didn't sit right with me."

"Think of it this way," I suggested. "Being a Christian is like having your name on a team roster, but being a disciple is showing up for practice every day and applying what the coach teaches you."

Mike nodded slowly. "So where did the term 'Christian' come from in the first place?"

"The first recorded use appears in Acts 11:26, around 40 A.D. in Antioch," I explained. "Interestingly, it wasn't what Jesus' followers called themselves—it was a derogatory label applied by those in Antioch as being outsiders."
"What do you mean by outsiders?" Mike asked.

"Antioch was a Greek city with its own culture and religious practices," I said. "The local people, called Hellenistic, created a term to identify Jesus' followers who didn't worship their gods. The Greek word for 'Christian' literally meant 'Christ-follower,' which was a derogatory—marking them as different from mainstream society."

"That's fascinating," Mike said. "So if Jesus' followers didn't call themselves 'Christians,' what did they call themselves?"

"What does Jesus consistently call them throughout the Gospels?" I asked, encouraging Mike to make the connection himself.

He thought for a moment. "Disciples! They would have identified themselves as disciples of Jesus, right?"

"Exactly," I smiled. "And that identity carried significant meaning in Jewish culture. While the specific word 'disciple' wasn't common in the Old Testament, the concept was established by God and commanded to be passed down through generations. Do you have your Bible with you? Let's look at Deuteronomy 6:6-9."

Mike pulled out his Bible and read aloud: "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

"What stands out to you in this passage?" I asked.

Mike studied the text. "It seems like God is describing a total immersion in His teachings—not just learning information but living it out in every aspect of life." He paused. "Wait, it only mentions teaching sons. Were daughters excluded?"

"Good observation," I replied. "The Hebrew word for 'sons' can also mean 'children' depending on context. Given God's character as revealed throughout Scripture, it's clear He intended all children to learn about Him, regardless of gender."

"So to summarize where we are so far," I continued, "all disciples of Jesus would be called Christians today, but not all who identify as Christians function as disciples. A disciple is actively engaged in learning from Jesus and applying His teachings in everyday life."

"That makes sense," Mike said, glancing at his watch. "But what specifically distinguishes discipleship from just being a believer? I've heard Christian leaders use phrases like 'internal commitment', ‘transformative’, and 'spiritual formation,' but isn't the Holy Spirit already doing that work in all believers?"

"That's where this gets interesting," I replied. "Discipleship in Jewish culture was a specific relationship and process. Think about how Jesus trained the Twelve—it wasn't just about believing the right things; it was about..."
Mike's eyes lit up with understanding. "It was about becoming like their teacher! Jesus said a student becomes like his teacher in Luke 6:40."

"You're connecting the dots," I smiled. "In discipleship, there's an intentional process of not just believing in Jesus, but learning to live as He lived. It's the difference between knowing about someone and actually becoming like them."

I noticed the time. "We should probably wrap up. You have practice soon, right?"

"Yeah," Mike said reluctantly, gathering his books. "But I want to continue this conversation. In my youth ministry this summer, I realized I was doing a lot of teaching but not much discipling. I'm starting to see why that matters."

"That's really insightful," I replied. "Let's meet next week at my house over dinner.  My wife is a great cook and would love to have the opportunity to cook for more than just the two of us."

"I definitely will," Mike said, standing. "And could I bring Ryan and Josh next time? They'd get a lot from this conversation too."

"Absolutely," I laughed. "My wife would love to cook for you all. The more the merrier."

George E. Willock