One person at a time

In this day and age, where quantity often takes precedence over quality, one-on-one discipleship can feel slow, tedious, and even outdated. We live in a culture that rewards efficiency, scalability, and rapid results. Measuring CTR, which used to be reserved for marketing, has now become normal in the life of the church. Impact is often measured by numbers and reach. It can start to feel like our success in bringing people to God depends on how many people convert to Christianity, how many show up, or how far our message spreads.

Sometimes I catch myself thinking this way. That success in bringing people to God is tied to results I can measure. In that kind of environment, I feel tempted to take a broader, more impersonal approach. To cast a wide net and hope that someone, somewhere, responds to God's call. Maybe if I send a thousand messages about Jesus, a few people will respond, and one might even become a Christian. And I wonder, isn't that still worth something? Isn't it true that every time a soul repents, the heaven rejoices?

But when I slow down and bring these thoughts before God, I have to ask myself what I am really trusting in. Am I relying more on human strategy than on the leading of the Holy Spirit? Is this becoming a kind of campaign, with Jesus as a brand to promote? Am I more focused on visible fruit than on quiet obedience? Am I willing to be invisible, as long as I am faithful?

I think about how Jesus lived. He did speak to large crowds, yes, but most of His time was spent walking closely with a small group of people: the twelve disciples. He shared meals with them, prayed with them, taught them, corrected them, and loved them deeply. He gave His life not only for the world, but also for those individuals He knew by name. That kind of discipleship was not fast. It was not flashy. But it was real and lasting.

John 6 comes to mind when it comes to showcasing how difficult a discipleship is, even when it's tempting to measure using metrics. When Jesus taught a difficult truth about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, many in the crowd walked away. He did not run after them or try to soften His message so he could retain the number of followers he had. He simply turned to the twelve and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” That moment reminds me that even Jesus lost followers. But He remained faithful to the few who stayed.

When I left my ministry after deciding to become Catholic, I felt this shift almost immediately. The influence I once had on campus faded quickly, and I found myself with only a few people around me. Some of them I had never even met before, we only met through the new young adult group that I attended. It was humbling. And yet, in this quieter season, I can now say with confidence that my relationships with those few people are thriving. I am so grateful to see their love for Christ growing through small, ordinary things: shared conversations, prayer, time together.

This has reminded me that I do not need a title or platform to disciple people. The Great Commission was not given only to pastors or missionaries. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). This calling is for every believer. It is for me. It is for today.

Our role is not only to introduce people to Jesus but also to help them stay with Him. To walk with them, to encourage them, to model what faith looks like in real life. That kind of discipleship is not something we can rush. It is not measured in clicks or attendance or applause. It is measured in love, in perseverance, and in faithfulness. Sometimes, the few people in front of us are the exact ones God has entrusted to our care. And that is more than enough.

In short, maybe one-on-one discipleship feels outdated because it pushes against the pace of our culture. It forces us to slow down, to be present, and to care deeply for one person at a time. And maybe that is exactly what makes it so powerful.

I keep reminding myself of what Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). I continue to pray for the grace to be faithful with what God has given me. To not overlook the quiet, slow work of love.

Maybe that is also a wake-up call for me. To stop chasing numbers and start being more intentional with the friends in my life who do not yet know Jesus. My goal now is to disciple one person at a time, making sure they're transformed to be more like Christ. Not to rush the process, not to measure outcomes, but to walk with them patiently and faithfully, just like Jesus did.