Home Next StepsDisciple Making

Faith Journey · First McKinney Church, Texas

Disciple Making at First McKinney: Helping Others Follow Jesus

Live and love like Jesus, and help others do the same.

Disciple Making at a Glance

Disciple making at First McKinney means intentionally investing in others to help them live and love like Jesus and help others do the same. Through relationships, growing in God's Word, and learning to follow Jesus in everyday life, disciples grow in their faith, learn to share the gospel using tools like Three Circles, and invest in the lives of others.

Faith passed between generations at First McKinney Baptist Church
The Model

Jesus Calls Us to Make Disciples

Before Jesus returned to the Father, He gave His followers a clear mission: “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19–20). At First McKinney, we believe that calling continues with every follower of Jesus.

Biblical disciple making means intentionally investing in others to help them live and love like Jesus and, in time, help others do the same. It happens through relationships centered on Jesus and His Word, everyday rhythms of following Him, and a commitment to help others grow as disciples who make disciples.

Matthew 28:19–20
Three Circles

Three Circles: Learn to Share the Gospel

Sharing the gospel is part of disciple making, but knowing how to begin that conversation can sometimes feel difficult. Three Circles is a simple, visual gospel presentation guide that can help you explain the good news of Jesus and invite someone to respond to Him.

God’s Design

God created us to know Him and live according to His good design.

Brokenness

Sin leads us away from God’s design and into brokenness. We cannot overcome that brokenness on our own.

The Gospel

God sent Jesus into our brokenness. Jesus died for our sins and rose again, making a way for us to be restored to God. We respond by turning from our sin, believing in Jesus, and following Him.

In Practice

How We Practice Disciple Making

Disciple making is about intentionally investing in others. At First McKinney, that happens through relationships centered on Jesus and His Word as we help one another grow, learn to live and love like Jesus, and help others do the same. This kind of Christian mentoring goes beyond personal spiritual growth. The goal is to equip each disciple to invest in someone else.

One of the primary ways we put this into practice is through D-Groups. These small groups create space for people to walk closely together, center their lives on Jesus, respond to God’s Word, encourage one another to obey and share what they are learning, and eventually begin discipling others.

Two believers reading Scripture together at First McKinney Baptist Church

The D-Group Model

  • Approximately 2–5 people
  • Meets two to four times a month for approximately six to 18 months
  • Uses the First McKinney Bible Reading Plan and SOS Bible study method
  • Follows the Three Thirds meeting rhythm
  • Teaches and practices Three Circles for sharing the gospel
  • Looks for opportunities to serve through First McKinney ministries and missions
  • Prepares each person to begin investing in and discipling others
Invest in One

Who Can You Invest In?

Disciple making doesn’t require a platform or a formal ministry role. It begins with intentional relationships. Ask God to show you who He has placed in your life, then invest in others by spending time together, reading and responding to God’s Word, praying for one another, and encouraging each other to follow Jesus in everyday life.

The goal isn’t simply your own spiritual growth. As you help someone learn to live and love like Jesus, you also equip them to help others do the same. That kind of Kingdom impact begins with ordinary people faithfully investing in the people God has placed around them.

Frequently Asked Questions

First McKinney Church

Disciple making means intentionally investing in others to help them live and love like Jesus and help others do the same. Jesus calls His followers to make disciples in Matthew 28:19–20, and at First McKinney, disciple making is central to our mission.

Three Circles is a simple, visual gospel presentation guide that helps people explain God’s Design, the Brokenness caused by sin, and the Gospel (the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection). At First McKinney, we teach and practice Three Circles as a tool to help people grow more confident in sharing the gospel with others.

Disciple making is for every follower of Jesus, not just pastors or church leaders. Jesus calls His followers to make disciples, and that can happen through intentional relationships in everyday life. At First McKinney, we want to equip people to live and love like Jesus and help others do the same.

First McKinney offers Equip Training throughout the fall and spring to help you feel more prepared for gospel conversations in everyday life. Through these trainings, you'll learn practical tools such as Three Circles, how to start spiritual conversations with people in your circle of influence, and how to talk about Jesus with someone who follows a different religion. Upcoming trainings are posted on the website and shared in the weekly newsletter.

Christian discipleship is the ongoing process of learning to live and love like Jesus. It includes growing in your relationship with Him, learning from God’s Word, and developing everyday rhythms of following Him. Disciple making takes that growth outward by intentionally investing in others to help them live and love like Jesus and help others do the same.

The Discipleship Pathway helps us understand what it looks like to grow as followers of Jesus through rhythms such as worshiping God, living in community, serving others, and making disciples. Disciple making puts that growth into practice as we intentionally invest in others, helping them live and love like Jesus and help others do the same.

A D-Group is one of the primary ways we practice disciple making at First McKinney. These small groups meet regularly to read and respond to God’s Word, encourage one another to obey and share what they are learning, practice sharing the gospel, and grow together as followers of Jesus. D-Groups equip each person to eventually invest in and disciple others, who can then do the same.

You don’t have to know everything about the Bible before you can begin investing in others. Keep growing in your own relationship with Jesus, and ask God to show you people in your circle of influence whom you can encourage to follow Him alongside you. First McKinney offers D-Group Training, Equip Training, groups, and resources to help you grow in your faith and become equipped to make disciples.

Yes. First McKinney encourages intentional relationships where people can grow together as followers of Jesus. A Life Group is a great place to begin building relationships with other believers, and D-Groups provide a more intentional setting for people to grow through God’s Word and help one another follow Jesus. If you’re not sure where to begin, visit the Next Steps Room on Sunday, and we’ll help you explore your next step.

Disciple making leads to more people following Jesus and helping others do the same. As people learn to live and love like Jesus, they are equipped to invest in others and help them do the same. Over time, new disciple-making relationships begin and multiply, extending the Kingdom impact into our everyday relationships, our community, and beyond.
Christian mentoring between two believers at First McKinney Baptist Church
Your Next Step

Who Is God Calling You to Invest In?

Disciple making begins with intentional relationships. Ask God to show you someone in your circle of influence whom you can invest in, encourage, and help grow as a follower of Jesus. You don’t have to have every answer. You can begin by showing up, opening God’s Word together, praying for one another, and learning to follow Jesus in everyday life.

And you don’t have to figure out how to do it alone. D-Group Training and Equip Training at First McKinney provide practical tools to help you make disciples and share your faith with greater confidence.

Learn Three Circles Ask About D-Groups Talk with our Discipleship Minister