John the Baptist: Preparing Disciples for Christ

In the opening movements of the Gospels, before Jesus gathers crowds or calls disciples by name, another voice is already at work in the wilderness. John the Baptist stands at the threshold of the gospel story as more than a prophetic forerunner; he is a formative disciple-maker whose ministry directly shapes the earliest followers of Jesus. Without John’s faithful witness, the initial movement toward Christ might have looked very different.

John’s ministry was rooted in preparation rather than possession. Drawing from Isaiah’s promise of one who would “prepare the way of the Lord” (Isa. 40:3), John called people to repentance, baptism, and renewed faithfulness to God (Matt. 3:1–6). This was not repentance as private remorse, but a public reorientation of life toward God’s coming reign. In that sense, John was already doing the work of discipleship: forming people who were attentive, responsive, and ready for what God was about to do (N.T. Wright, John for Everyone).

Crucially, John did not position himself as the destination of this movement. When questioned about his identity, he consistently deflected attention away from himself and toward the one who was coming after him (John 1:19–27). His disciples were taught not loyalty to John, but expectancy for Christ. This humility is central to understanding John’s role in Jesus’ growing following. John’s ministry created space for Jesus to be recognized—not through coercion or spectacle, but through faithful testimony.

The Gospel of John gives us a vivid example of this transition. When John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God,” two of his own disciples immediately begin to follow Jesus instead (John 1:35–37). John does not resist this loss of followers; rather, he affirms it. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). In this moment, John models a discipleship that is willing to let go, trusting that true faith always leads beyond the teacher to Christ himself (Keener, The Gospel of John).

From a discipleship perspective, John’s ministry reminds the church that forming followers of Christ often begins before people consciously name Jesus as Lord. Practices such as repentance, confession, accountability, and spiritual expectancy shape hearts to recognize Christ when he is revealed. John Wesley understood this preparatory work as part of God’s prevenient grace—the grace that goes before, awakening and drawing people toward salvation (Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions). John the Baptist’s ministry is a biblical embodiment of that grace at work.

John’s role also challenges modern Christian communities to examine the focus of their witness. Like John, the church is called to point beyond itself. Programs, personalities, and traditions are not ends in themselves; they are meant to prepare people to encounter Christ. When the church becomes overly concerned with maintaining its own following, it risks obscuring the very One it is called to proclaim.

As we reflect on John the Baptist, we are reminded that discipleship is not about gathering people around ourselves, but about faithfully directing them toward Jesus. John’s voice may have cried out in the wilderness, but its echo continues wherever the church humbly prepares the way for Christ to be known, followed, and loved.

Bibliography

Keener, Craig S. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. 2 vols. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003.

The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue). National Council of Churches of Christ, 2021.

Wesley, John. Sermons on Several Occasions. Edited by Albert C. Outler. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1984.

Wright, N. T. John for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1–10. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.