Discipleship Foundations: Building a Disciple-Making Culture in a Bilingual House Church

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 is not a suggestion. It is the mandate for the Church. Jesus calls us to "make disciples," not just win converts. As Robert E. Coleman notes, many churches have "tried to get world evangelization without disciple making." That approach fails.

This plan outlines a biblical strategy for developing disciples of Jesus Christ within Casa de Paz y Bendición, a bilingual, in-home church plant. True spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the glory of God and the sake of others. This document covers the foundational passages, core principles, and guiding philosophy for a ministry committed to obeying Christ's final command. It addresses the specific context of our Spanish-speaking congregation and lays a course for intentionally moving believers from spiritual infancy to reproductive maturity.

Guiding Scriptural Foundations

Three passages anchor this discipleship plan: Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 4:19, and Ephesians 4:11-16. These texts define our mission, our method, and our ministry structure.

Matthew 28:18-20 is the Great Commission. Jesus, with all authority in heaven and earth, commands: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." The primary imperative is "make disciples." The verbs "go," "baptizing," and "teaching" are participles describing how this command is fulfilled. The goal is not decisions or conversions, but a comprehensive process that teaches new believers "to observe all that I commanded you." This requires long-term, intentional investment in people's lives. This passage makes discipleship the core mission of the church, not an optional program.

Matthew 4:19 gives the definition of a disciple. Jesus calls Simon and Andrew: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington break this into three components: a call to follow Christ (head), a promise of being changed by Christ (heart), and a commission to the mission of Christ (hands). Discipleship begins with a personal relationship with Jesus, involves a transformative process initiated by Him, and results in missional living. This verse guides our focus toward developing whole persons, not just knowledgeable believers.

Ephesians 4:11-16 outlines the operational structure for a disciple-making church. Paul explains that Christ gave gifted leaders, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, not to do all the ministry, but "for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ." Leadership equips, every believer ministers. This creates a culture where every member uses their God-given spiritual gifts to serve others and build up the church. This passage guards against a consumeristic model where professional clergy perform for a passive congregation. It mandates a participatory environment where the goal is the maturity of the whole body. This is the blueprint for a healthy, multiplying church.

Ministry Focus and Context

These biblical foundations are applied within the specific context of Casa de Paz y Bendición (House of Peace and Blessing), our small, in-home church plant serving Spanish-speaking families in Houston.

Our primary focus is first-generation immigrants, many of whom are undocumented and living in near-poverty conditions. They work multiple low-wage jobs, which creates significant time poverty and stress. Our discipleship model must be flexible and integrated into the natural rhythms of their lives, rather than demanding attendance at numerous programs. The in-home church model, centered around a shared meal and fellowship, provides community and spiritual nourishment in a comfortable and accessible setting.

In terms of spiritual maturity, the congregation is almost entirely “spiritual infants”. Using the framework from DiscipleShift, these are new believers who are excited about their faith but highly dependent on others for spiritual feeding and guidance. They are just beginning to learn the basics. Our initial discipleship must focus on clear, simple, foundational teaching. We walk them through the core tenets of the gospel, the importance of prayer and Scripture, and what it means to live as a follower of Jesus in their daily lives.

We also navigate significant cultural and linguistic barriers. While services are in Spanish, the cultural backgrounds of our members, from various Latin American countries, require cultural sensitivity. Their experiences with church in their home countries often mix folk Catholicism and legalistic Pentecostalism. A key part of our discipleship is to gently untangle these past experiences and present a clear, grace-centered understanding of the gospel. We create a safe and loving community where they can ask questions, share struggles, and grow in their understanding of who God is and who they are in Christ.

Core Ministry Values

From the foundational passages of Scripture, we derive three core principles that guide every aspect of our ministry.

First, we make disciples, not just converts. This flows directly from the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19). Our primary measure of success is not hands raised or decisions recorded, but transformed lives. A convert has made a decision for Christ; a disciple is actively following Christ, being changed by Christ, and committed to the mission of Christ. This compels us to move beyond attractional events and focus on a relational process. We are committed to the long, often slow, work of teaching, mentoring, and walking alongside people as they learn to obey everything Jesus commanded. We celebrate every decision for Christ as a starting line, not a finish line, and immediately begin the journey of development.

Second, we equip every believer for ministry. Our model for ministry is not a pyramid with a pastor at the top, but a body with every part functioning. Ephesians 4:11-16 is our blueprint: leaders equip, and the saints minister. Every person who has placed their faith in Jesus has been given at least one spiritual gift by the Holy Spirit for building up the church (1 Pet. 4:10-11). A central component of our discipleship process is helping believers discover, develop, and deploy their spiritual gifts. This guards against a passive, consumeristic mindset. It fosters a culture of participation and shared ownership. Our goal is to see every member of Casa de Paz y Bendición transition from being a recipient of ministry to being a conduit of ministry. This creates a healthy church that is not dependent on a single leader but empowered by the collective ministry of its members.

Third, our discipleship is three-directional. A mature disciple loves God, loves the church, and loves the world. This framework, drawn from the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-39) and the Great Commission, ensures a holistic and balanced approach to spiritual growth. Our love for God (Upward) is the foundation, nurtured through prayer and Scripture. This upward relationship fuels our love for one another within the Body of Christ (Inward), expressed through fellowship, service, and mutual encouragement. A healthy upward and inward life will overflow into a love for our neighbors (Outward), compelling us to share the gospel and serve our community. This prevents our faith from becoming purely private or merely social. We are not just growing for our own sake; we are being blessed to be a blessing to others.

A Philosophy of Making Disciples

Our philosophy of ministry is the "why" behind the "what." At the core is a clear and biblical definition of our terms. A disciple is a person actively engaged in a three-part relationship with Jesus Christ: following Christ (head), being changed by Christ (heart), and committed to the mission of Christ (hands). "Following Christ" involves a conscious decision to learn from Him and submit to His authority. "Being changed by Christ" is the internal work of the Holy Spirit, transforming our character and desires. "Committed to the mission of Christ" is the external expression of our faith, using our hands and feet to serve others and share the gospel. This holistic understanding prevents us from creating disciples who are all head (intellectuals), all heart (emotionalists), or all hands (activists).

Disciples are made in the context of a healthy church and Christian community. Dietrich Bonhoeffer powerfully argued against "cheap grace"—grace without discipleship, without the cross. True, "costly grace" is lived out in community, where believers bear one another's burdens, speak the truth in love, and hold each other accountable. Relationships are the bridge over which the Word of God travels most effectively. Our philosophy is intentionally relational. We believe that life-on-life investment, modeling, and mentoring are the primary methods through which people are conformed to the image of Christ.

The Body of Christ and Church Model

The New Testament describes the church as the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), a living organism mystically fused to the living and reigning Christ. It is the primary instrument through which God accomplishes His mission in the world.

Using the TAHO chart, Casa de Paz y Bendición most closely aligns with the Organic model. The Organic church is characterized by its simple structure, high value on relationships, and emphasis on lay-led ministry in natural life settings like homes. This contrasts with the Traditional model (pastor-centric, program-driven), the Attractional model (focused on high-quality weekend services), and the Hybrid model (blending elements of both). Our in-home gatherings, centered on meals and mutual care, and our focus on equipping every member for ministry, place us firmly in the Organic category. This model is not chosen for trendiness, but for its suitability to our context of reaching overworked, under-resourced families who need deep community more than polished programs.

Ministry Assessment and Strategy

In assessing the health of Casa de Paz y Bendición, our primary strength is our deeply relational environment. We excel at "inward" love for one another. Our small size and in-home setting allow us to bear one another's burdens in tangible ways, from providing groceries to sharing life's struggles. This strong sense of family creates a safe place for spiritual infants to ask questions and be vulnerable. This relational foundation is the fertile soil in which all other growth can happen.

Our most significant weakness is the spiritual infancy of the congregation. While rich in love, we are poor in biblical literacy and theological depth. The immediate need is to move our members from dependency to self-feeding. Our strategy for improvement is twofold. First, we will continue our 8-week discipleship courses, focusing on foundational truths: how to read the Bible, how to pray, and the core story of the gospel. Second, we will intentionally identify and mentor one or two individuals who show potential for leadership, equipping them to eventually lead their own small groups. This is the first step toward spiritual reproduction, moving from being a spiritual parent to becoming a spiritual grandparent.

Another area for growth is our outward focus. While we serve the poor within our church, we have not yet developed a clear strategy for reaching the lost in our community and workplaces. The strategy here is to model missional living. As the pastor, I must lead by example, intentionally engaging colleagues in my workplace and sharing those experiences with the church. We will challenge every member to identify one person in their sphere of influence to pray for and build a relationship with, trusting God to open doors for the gospel.

The Centrality of the Local Church

Our entire philosophy is built on the conviction that the local church is God's "Plan A" for making disciples, and there is no "Plan B." The local church provides the context for baptism, the Lord's Supper, corporate worship, and mutual accountability. The pastor, according to Ephesians 4, is a gift to the church, not to be its sole minister, but to be its chief equipper, training the saints for their work. The saints—every believer—are the true ministers, called and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts are the tools God gives to each saint to do the work of ministry. A church becomes healthy and effective not when it hires a talented pastor, but when its members are unleashed to use their gifts to build up the body and expand the kingdom. Our role as leaders is to help every person at Casa de Paz y Bendición discover their place in the body and joyfully fulfill their God-given ministry.

Conclusion

This discipleship plan is a commitment to move beyond the superficial and embrace the costly, transformative work of making disciples. Casa de Paz y Bendición will be a church defined not by its programs, but by its people, people who are actively following Christ, being changed by Christ, and committed to the mission of Christ.

By anchoring our ministry in the clear commands of Scripture, adhering to biblically-derived principles, and operating from a consistent and relational philosophy, we aim to create an environment where spiritual growth is the norm, not the exception. The journey ahead requires patience, perseverance, and deep reliance on the Holy Spirit. However, the mandate is clear and the model has been given to us by Christ Himself. We are called to invest our lives in others, to equip the saints for ministry, and to build up the Body of Christ until we all reach maturity.