Making Disciples Through Teaching: The Jesus Model in Modern Times
When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t just preach to the crowds—He spent time teaching a few. He called twelve men to walk closely with Him, and through His teaching, He shaped them into disciples who would turn the world upside down. Teaching was at the center of how Jesus made disciples. It wasn’t about quick results. It was about deep, lasting transformation. Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has embraced this same model in his ministry, committing himself to making disciples through teaching, just as Jesus did.
Discipleship requires more than passion—it requires instruction. It is not enough to win people to Christ; they must be taught how to follow Him. Bishop Dag has built his ministry on this principle. From his earliest days as a pastor, he has poured time and energy into teaching those God has given him, not just to listen, but to grow. Not just to attend church, but to become workers, ministers, and leaders in the Kingdom of God.
This emphasis on teaching has created a deep culture of discipleship in his churches and Bible schools. Members don’t just sit in services—they learn, they study, they are discipled. They grow in faith, in doctrine, and in responsibility.
From Converts to Laborers
Many ministries focus heavily on evangelism, and rightly so. But the Great Commission doesn’t stop at making converts—it says to “teach all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Bishop Dag has taken this seriously. His goal is not only to see people saved, but to see them taught. His churches are not built on crowds—they are built on disciples.
Through his books, messages, and training camps, he teaches believers to grow from passive churchgoers to active laborers in the vineyard. He teaches them how to pray, how to serve, how to remain faithful, and how to endure. He teaches on loyalty, humility, spiritual authority, and ministry ethics. These are not topics that trend in today’s culture, but they are the truths that build stable, lasting Christians.
The result is that many who come to Christ through his ministry go on to become church workers, missionaries, pastors, and soul winners themselves. The cycle continues, just like it did with Jesus and His disciples. They were taught, trained, and then sent. That same pattern is alive and well in Bishop Dag’s ministry today.
Teaching with Intentionality
Discipleship doesn’t happen by accident. It takes structure, strategy, and consistency. Bishop Dag’s teaching is not random. It follows a pattern. He teaches in levels, seasons, and series. He takes his disciples through foundational truths before introducing deeper matters. He reinforces what has already been taught and builds upon it over time.
He also teaches with transparency. He shares his experiences, successes, failures, and lessons learned in ministry. This authenticity allows disciples to grow not only in knowledge but in character. They learn that ministry is not glamour—it is grit, sacrifice, and a life laid down.
In doing this, Bishop Dag is not raising spectators—he is raising disciples who are equipped for life and for ministry.
Continuing the Work of Christ
Discipleship is how the work of Christ continues on the earth. It is the multiplication of the mission. Bishop Dag’s commitment to teaching ensures that his ministry is not centered around one man, but around a message—a message that is carried forward by those he has taught.
Through his books, audio teachings, leadership camps, and Bible schools, he has discipled thousands. And they, in turn, are discipling others. This is the Jesus model—one that does not chase speed, but depth. One that builds people, not just programs.
Teaching is not flashy, but it is foundational. It is the path Jesus walked, and it is the same path Bishop Dag Heward-Mills continues to walk. And because of that, the fruit remains.