Intentionally Making Disciples (feat. Sydney Clayton)

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The Importance of Women's Discipleship: Empowering the Future
Join us for an inspiring talk on the transformative power of discipleship, especially among women. Sydney Clayton shares her personal journey from a non-religious upbringing to finding faith through intentional discipleship. She emphasizes the critical role women play in passing down spiritual legacies and outlines three compelling reasons for investing in women's discipleship: Christ's example, the church's health, and cultural impact. Learn practical steps on how to effectively invite, inform, imitate, and innovate in disciple-making, ensuring both men and women unite to further God's kingdom.

Key Takeaways
00:00 Introduction and Personal Background
00:46 The Importance of Discipleship
02:55 Influence of Women in Discipleship
05:09 Three Reasons for Women's Discipleship
11:12 Practical Steps for Discipling Women
16:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this video, Sydney Clayton shares her personal journey into discipleship, especially how women have shaped her faith. She starts by talking about growing up in a home where God was more of a background idea than a real presence. Everything changed when a high school teacher asked her two simple questions about knowing Jesus. That moment led her into a real, life-changing discipleship relationship—not just with that teacher’s family, but also through the steady faith of her grandmothers.

She points out that discipleship isn’t a solo act. It’s a team effort, with different people pouring into your life at different times. For her, women played a huge role, especially when the men in her family weren’t spiritually engaged. Her grandmothers showed her what it looked like to live out faith in everyday life—serving, praying, and loving others well. That kind of spiritual legacy, she says, isn’t just for family; it’s for the whole church and even people outside it.

The heart of her message is simple: discipling women matters for three big reasons—Jesus, the church, and the world around us. First, Jesus made it clear that women matter. He welcomed them as disciples and told all of us to go make disciples—no exceptions. Second, the church can’t be healthy if half its people aren’t growing and leading. She uses the analogy of the body: if you ignore one eye or half your heart, you’re in trouble. The same goes for the church if women aren’t empowered. Third, culture is changing fast. Women are leading in every area, and since they’re often the ones raising the next generation, investing in them has a ripple effect.
She also addresses the perception that the church holds women back, saying the opposite should be true. The church should be a place where women are loved, equipped, and sent out to lead.

To wrap up, she gives some practical tips for discipling women: start with a clear invitation and set expectations, make sure scripture is at the center, let people see faith in action, and then encourage them to go further than you ever could. Discipleship isn’t about men versus women—it’s about everyone working together to build a stronger church and a better world.
Bottom line: if we want a healthy church and a positive impact on the world, we need to intentionally disciple and empower women.

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