What’s the difference and does it matter?

ChatGPT prompts with instant responses are like a mega research database of ideas to stimulate better writing about many topics. Using technology for followers of Jesus Christ increases the outreach of evangelism and discipleship.

To begin, let’s define discipleship for Christians. Basically, being a disciple of Jesus Christ means becoming more like Jesus Christ. That is the goal for everyone on earth. God created us. God knows what works best for us. We have limited vision of the future and our future selves.

Likewise, defining evangelism is reaching out to invite those who do not yet believe that they need to be saved from themselves. Evangelism begins the process of discipleship. Evangelism is under the umbrella of discipleship. In other words, being a disciple means following the Son of God, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Evangelism does not mean “getting my ticket to heaven.” Evangelism is being born again into the family of God, learning how to walk by means of the power of the Holy Spirit, not by my own effort or willpower. The key word of the Christian way of life is surrender, “Your will be done [God],” not mine. Another way to explain evangelism is Good News as Jesus overcame death itself when he conquered death and rose from the grave. Resurrection gives us hope!

There are several ways to distinguish authentic Christians from nominal (in name only) Christians by stages or phases from observer, fan, user, and player

• Observer — watching from afar; not yet a believer in Jesus Christ.
• Fan — Christian in name only, self-deceived thinking saying a prayer is all it takes; not really saved as a believer.
• User — Nominal Christian; not saved, abusing, deceiving others from within as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” within churches.
• Player — Authentically a Christian believer on the playing field of life as “a tree is known by its fruit” who becomes more like Christ as they are led by the Spirit of God.

The Great Commission

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 is a foundational passage for both evangelism and discipleship. It reads:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Matthew 28:18-20

Here’s how The Great Commission relates to evangelism and discipleship:

1. Evangelism: The Great Commission commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This means sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others, calling them to repentance, and inviting them to become followers of Jesus.
2. Discipleship: The Great Commission also instructs us to “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” This means that we are called to teach and train new believers in the ways of Jesus, helping them to grow in their faith and become mature disciples.

Overall, The Great Commission is a call to action for all believers to share the gospel with others and to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. It reminds us of our mission to make disciples and of the promise that Jesus is with us always as we do so.

Evangelism is the beginning and discipleship is the process

On a continuum, evangelism is the beginning and discipleship is the process of becoming more like Christ. Evangelism and discipleship are both important aspects of Christian ministry, but they differ in several ways:

1. Focus: The primary focus of evangelism is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and invite people to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. Evangelism focuses on reaching out to those who have not yet heard the gospel or who do not have a relationship with Christ. Discipleship, on the other hand, focuses on teaching and guiding believers to grow in their faith and become more like Christ.

2. Scope: Evangelism is typically a one-time event, where the gospel message is shared with an individual or a group of people. Discipleship, on the other hand, is an ongoing process of nurturing and teaching believers to become more like Christ.

3. Audience: Evangelism is primarily directed toward non-believers, while discipleship is directed toward believers. The goal of evangelism is to introduce people to Christ and help them make a decision to follow Him, while the goal of discipleship is to help believers grow in their faith and become more like Christ.

4. Emphasis: Evangelism emphasizes the need for salvation and the forgiveness of sins, while discipleship emphasizes the need for spiritual growth and maturity.

5. Method: Evangelism often involves sharing the gospel message through various means such as preaching, one-on-one conversations, social media, personal witness, and outreach events. Discipleship, on the other hand, involves more intentional and structured teaching, mentoring, and modeling of the Christian life by more mature believers. This may involve walking alongside individuals and helping them learn and apply the teachings of Jesus Christ in their daily lives, not by more effort or trying harder, but by SURRENDER to being led by the Holy Spirit within them. The Christian way of life is supernatural!

6. Audience: Evangelism targets people who are not yet believers, while discipleship is focused on believers who want to deepen their understanding of the faith.

7. Outcome: The outcome of evangelism is conversion, while the outcome of discipleship is transformation. In evangelism, the focus is on helping people come to faith in Jesus Christ, while in discipleship, the focus is on helping believers grow in their relationship with Him and become more like Him.

What is the best way to make disciples of Jesus Christ?

Making disciples of Jesus Christ involves a holistic approach that includes both teaching and modeling the teachings of Jesus Christ. Here are some ways that can be helpful in making disciples:

1. Personal example: As a disciple of Jesus Christ, it’s essential to model His teachings in your own life. Surrender to live a life that reflects Christ’s love and character, which will inspire others to follow in your footsteps. He must increase. I must decrease to become the person that He created me to be.

2. Intentional relationships: Discipleship involves building intentional relationships with people who want to grow in their faith. This can be achieved through small groups, mentorship, or one-on-one relationships that allow for regular engagement and accountability. We do not grow in isolation. When Greg Ogden did research on what size works best, he found that micro groups of 3–4 facilitate more authentic transparency. This avoids a “teacher-student” dynamic of one-on-one and creates opportunities to share more than a group of 12–15 in a small group. Check out the preview for the Table of Contents, Covenant, method and intro to Part 1.

3. Bible Study: Studying the Bible together with other believers is an essential aspect of discipleship. This involves exploring the teachings of Jesus and applying them to our daily lives.

4. Prayer: Prayer is a critical aspect of discipleship as it helps to deepen our relationship with God and allows us to seek His guidance and direction.

5. Serving others: Serving others is an essential part of following Jesus Christ’s example, and it helps to deepen our understanding of His teachings. By serving others, we demonstrate His love and compassion, which can inspire others to do the same.

Creating unity instead of division

Evangelism and discipleship are not be in competition. Each is important. One is not external and the other internal. Both are on a continuum of healthy focus to be disciples and make disciples. The church is defined as a “gathering” from the root word. In other words, people are the church, not the building. People make the difference. People who work together to draw others to find out who they were meant to become brings unity to all. That’s evangelism. That’s discipleship.

Some see evangelism as getting a “ticket to heaven” and walking away to go their own way. The Bible identifies that is a false lure because Jesus calls people to follow Him, “to take up your cross.” That means death to self and becoming alive to His plan, His way.

ChatGPT reinforces profiles

Reinforcing profiles can be used for beneficial and detrimental purposes.

What goes in is what comes out.

What is in the prompt? What is in the database to reflect profiles? With the proliferation of information and the warnings from people like the former CEO of Google, the world we live in since ChatGPT arrived in November 2022 will change how we write and interact.

Garbage in, garbage out. If it is filled with destructive words, that is a potential issue to address now, not later. Naill Ferguson, the historian agrees. ChatGPT is a game changer for the future.

I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.

Let’s trust God and use the new technology in a way that benefits others.

ChatGPT implications for Christians in evangelism and discipleship

With the rise (and fall) of Christianity in the countries and continents of the world, ChatGPT may be used to persecute Christians as in the First Century and early years, documented by Pliny for arrest in his report to the Emperor Trajan. Secular influences in Europe and the USA seem to indicate that the center of evangelism is changing to the Southern Hemispheres of the world in the 21st Century.

Hunger for the truth is real. Yes, there is truth. It’s not “my truth vs your truth, your perception versus my perception. There is reality that is not fake news. Truth is a Person: Jesus.

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.”

John 14:6

Yet the issue throughout time is who to believe. C.S. Lewis comments,

“The very first step towards getting a real self is to forget about the self. It will come only if you’re looking for something else that holds will know even for earthly matters. Even in literature on art, no man who cares about originality will ever be original. It’s the man who’s only thinking about doing a good job or telling the truth who comes rarely original and doesn’t notice it. Even in social life you’ll never make a good impression on other people until you stop thinking what sort of impression you make.

That principle runs all through life from the top to the bottom. Give up yourself and you will find your real self. Lose your life, you will save it. Submit to death, submit with every fiber of your being, and you’ll find eternal life. Look for Christ and you will get Him, and with Him everything else thrown in!

Look for yourself, and you’ll get only hatred, loneliness, despair.“

C.S. Lewis

Always consider the source. That principle holds true throughout human history from the Garden of Eden to today. Do I believe God is justice and mercy, or do I fall for the devil’s lies that divide, deceive, and destroy? That is the same choice with ChatGPT. Do the words that are spun so quickly reflect accurate truth coming from accurate and factual databases across time, or have lies been generated by nefarious characters seeking to divide, deceive, and destroy individuals, nations, and the world?

Christian evangelism and discipleship means to become more like Christ — becoming the person you were created to be. That is still the issue in life on the Earth, ChatGPT-generated or not. Try it out! See for yourself when you type in “evangelism and discipleship” into ChatGPT.

(As a former English teacher teaching writing, ChatGPT will change the way for educators, students, and readers. Critical thinking skills will rise. I used ChatGPT to find out what it would compile about evangelism and discipleship. I have edited this article significantly from the original prompt. As a result, ChatGPT reconfirmed concepts and ideas about evangelism and discipleship that have been around for over 2000 years. With this new AI tool, I find that writing is more enjoyable as a writer, English teacher, and as an instructional designer, collaborating with my initial rambling thoughts and the organized output of artificial intelligence that acts so much like a real human writing a research report.)