Think about a mentor who shaped your life — a teacher who inspired you, a coach who pushed you or a spiritual leader who prayed for you. These mentors guide and mold us, offering support and wisdom at key moments in our lives.

God calls us to thrive in community, emphasizing the significance of forming relationships with one another. Jesus’ command to His followers is clear: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19, NLT).

The Great Commission isn’t just about spreading the gospel — it’s about actively making disciples, walking with others and helping them grow in their faith.

Discipleship drives spiritual growth. By teaching biblical truths, modeling Christ-like behavior and encouraging others, we transform lives. And when believers receive God’s Word in their own language, they’re empowered to share the gospel and mentor others with clarity and impact.

The Great Commission's Ultimate Goal: Discipleship

In the original language, the Greek word for disciples, μαθητεύσατε / μαθητεύω / mathēteuō, refers to someone who learns from another through instruction. A disciple learns a lesson in both their head and their heart. And being a disciple of Jesus means that His teachings cause someone’s life — the way they live and interact with others — to change. It means loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:37-40).

As part of the global Church, we are called to live in community with one another. The Church is a group of people, not just a place, and it looks different across cultures and contexts. The gospel invites everyone — no matter where they live, what language they use or their cultural expression — into a transformative relationship with God and one another.

Discipleship is about teaching, mentoring and walking closely with Christ. Together, as the global Church, we can use our unique strengths and resources to share God’s Word and make a lasting impact.

Reaching Local Women Like Never Before

For years, Tugen women faithfully read the Bible in Kalenjin, a language used in their Kenyan region. But as a speaker read a portion of the newly translated Gospel of Luke in Tugen aloud, Scripture touched their hearts like never before!

Hearing the message in their own language brought the Word of God to life. In awe of the Tugen translation, the women purchased more than 50 copies of the Gospel of Luke before heading home.

While many Tugen people are Christians, traditional beliefs still influence their lives. Scripture is beginning to change that. The Tugen church also continues to empower women by translating women’s discipleship materials, showing women that God sees, knows and loves them.

Praise God: The translators recently completed the translation of the Tugen New Testament! Now more Tugen people will have the opportunity to understand biblical truth and disciple the next generation of Christ-followers in their community.

Bible Translation: A Tool for Discipleship

Bible translation helps people understand God’s character and His love. Without Scripture in someone’s language, the ability for them, as an individual, to understand doctrine and grow spiritually is challenging.

Translating the Bible equips believers to:

• Understand Doctrine: Know essential truths about salvation, grace and redemption (2 Timothy 3:16-17).


• Apply Biblical Teachings: Integrate biblical principles into everyday life, as James 1:22 urges, "But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says" (NLT).


• Grow Spiritually: Develop a personal relationship with God through His Word and bear fruit that reflects His heart (Colossians 1:9-10).

Spiritual Growth and Inspiring Neighbors

Anik lives with a difficult illness. This makes it challenging for him to earn the money that his family needs, causing them to struggle financially. “There was always some kind of sadness in my house,” he said.

But then he noticed his neighbors. Despite the similar financial challenges they were also facing, he noticed that this family radiated joy. Every Sunday, Anik overheard their worship and prayers — and that they were praying specifically for the happiness and peace of their neighbors.

Moved by these prayers, Anik asked the family to share more about their faith. They introduced him to Scripture, which was written in his language, allowing him to fully grasp its message. Anik was deeply touched, especially by the story of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Soon he put his faith in Christ, and his family followed.

“Today, we never call ourselves poor because the love of the Lord God is with us," Anik said. Through the power of Scripture, their lives were completely changed, filling their home with the joy and peace they had once lacked. Anik’s perspective was profoundly shaped by his interaction with believers and God’s Word.

The Ripple Effect

When people receive God’s Word in a language that touches their heart, the effect is profound. Discipleship spreads, creating a ripple effect that transforms individuals, families and entire communities.

The story of the Samaritan woman in John 4 is proof of that. After a meeting with Jesus in which he offered her “living water,” and was changed, she shared her encounter with others. As a result, many from her town believed in Christ. Her faith became contagious, sparking change in her entire community (John 4:39-42, NLT).

In the same way, when believers today receive the Bible in their language, they not only grow spiritually but become disciple-makers themselves.

The Formative Impact of Studying the Bible

As Tamaga read the Biali translation of James, a couple of realizations hit him. First, his current life didn’t align with God’s will. Second, because the New Testament was in his language, he could glean more truths from Scripture on his own. He could learn how to follow Christ wholeheartedly.

This latter discovery delighted Tamaga. “When I was young … I thought that [the pastor] was the only one who could speak in the name of God,” he shared. “What he said was all that I knew about the Word.”

But with Scripture in his language, Tamaga is learning about Christ’s teachings on a personal level. He has worked to change his lifestyle and regularly listens to audio Scriptures with his family.

He is grateful for the translation project that sparked his spiritual epiphany. “I blessed the Lord for those who contributed to this work, who sought our good without knowing us,” he said.

The power of God’s Word doesn’t stop at personal growth — it drives believers like us to share it with others. We become disciple-makers, spreading the message to families and communities. As we grow in discipleship, we actively take on the Great Commission, making new disciples and expanding the proclamation of the gospel.

This ripple effect of discipleship leads to:

• Personal Transformation: Believers experience new life in Christ, as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person” (NLT).


• Community Impact: Transformed individuals influence their families and neighbors, just as the Samaritan woman did.


• Global Reach: Disciples make new disciples, spreading the gospel exponentially, mirroring Acts 6:7, “So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased” (NLT).

This powerful ripple effect echoes the early Church’s growth — in which everyone played a part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Faithfulness Among the Isnag

In the summer of 2023, Virginia Beach Community Chapel (VBCC) lead pastor, Pastor Robb Esperat traveled to the Philippines. He, along with his son and VBCC’s former missions pastor, attended the Isnag Bible dedication, while their congregation celebrated back home. As the Isnag people received the full Bible, they joyfully exchanged their well-worn New Testaments for fresh copies of the complete Bible.

This moment of celebration highlighted the faithfulness of both the Isnag community and those in Virginia who had invested in seeing them encounter the gospel in a language they could clearly understand. After the dedication, Pastor Robb had the privilege of baptizing 34 Isnag believers in the river — a powerful testimony to God’s work in their lives.

Reflecting on the experience, Pastor Robb shared: “Truly, the village and its surrounding areas have been transformed. I saw with fresh eyes how the ‘finish line’ of Bible translation is the ‘starting line’ of discipling the nations. God’s Word never returns void; it always produces a crop and is a sure investment of our time and resources.”

Challenges to Discipleship

Discipleship has the power to transform lives and communities, but several challenges often hinder the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Obstacles like limited Scripture access, persecution and social barriers continue to slow the spread of the gospel and the growth of new believers. We believe that Bible translation is key to overcoming these challenges and ensuring everyone can access God’s Word.

• Lack of Scripture Access: Millions of people are still waiting for the Bible in their language and format. Without Scripture, it’s difficult to fulfill the divine mandate of the Great Commission: “But how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14, NLT).




• How does having access to the Bible impact your daily life?




• Persecution: In many places around the world, Christians face severe opposition for following Christ. Yet Jesus encourages us in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (NLT).




• How could you find comfort in hard times if you didn’t have Scripture in your language?




• Cultural Barriers: Misunderstandings can hinder discipleship between people from different cultures. Revelation 7:9a reminds us of the importance of cultural diversity, as God’s Kingdom will have people “from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (NLT).




• If differences and uncertainty discourage us from building bridges, how can we truly be the global Church?

Overcoming these challenges to discipleship requires the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, helping us to remove barriers and persevere in wisdom and truth.

Your Role in Fulfilling the Great Commission

You’re a valued contributor to the body of Christ; you are called by God and have purpose (Romans 12). Here are a few simple ways that you can get involved in the work of Bible translation and help change the world today:

• Pray: Lift up Bible translators, missionaries and believers who are facing persecution.


• Give: Support organizations that are focused on Bible translation and discipleship.


• Go: Consider participating in missions by serving, whether locally or abroad, and sharing the gospel.


• Engage Your Church: Disciple people locally and mentor new believers in your community, helping them grow in their faith.


• Advocate: Raise awareness about the need for Bible translation, celebrate what God’s done through His people and share discipleship resources with your community.

Each of these ways contributes to the fulfillment of the Great Commission by causing individuals, communities and entire nations to be transformed. As you engage in God’s global mission, remember Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NLT).

Whether you are praying, giving, going or advocating, thank you for partnering with the global Church; your actions make an eternal impact.

A Unified Mission: Making Disciples of All Nations

Fulfilling the Great Commission is a monumental task, but when the global Church is united in its purpose, empowered by the Holy Spirit, it becomes achievable. Bible translation provides the foundational tool for spiritual growth and discipleship: God’s Word.

As the global body of Christ works together, we are helping to fulfill the vision of Revelation 7:9. Praise God for the way He is faithfully drawing His people from every corner of the earth together — for His own glory!

As you partner with our work and the work of our partner organizations, you’re helping to make this vision a reality.

Thank you for saying yes to the calling laid out in the Great Commission. As we unite in this shared calling, we don’t just help others grow in their faith — we experience transformation in our own lives.

What does participating in Great Commission activities look like for you? Invite your community to get involved or see if your church might offer a class like Perspectives. Through Christ, we can make disciples of all nations — so everyone can receive and understand the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Dare to Live Generously

Church communities are critical to ongoing discipleship. Consider how you might challenge your church or small group to grow through resources like our 7-day devotional “Dare to Live Generously”.

Engage Your Church