Get a G.R.I.P. on Discipleship

I love to be the first person on the golf course in the morning — standing on the first tee, sun rising beyond the first green, the fairway misted with light dew ready to reveal the ball trail as it lands and rolls. It never gets old.

However, before the first swing of the day, before the noise fills the fairways of our lives, there is an invitation waiting.

Jesus modeled it clearly.

In Mark 1:35, we read, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying” (CSB). Before Jesus preached, healed, or led, He met with the Father.

That is where discipleship begins.

At In His Grip Golf, we call this our daily tee time with Jesus — a consistent, intentional meeting with God at the same time and in the same place.

Just like a standing tee time at your home course, it becomes a nonnegotiable rhythm. It is where we learn to abide in Christ before we attempt to do anything for Him.

This daily rhythm is the foundation of how we disciple men, rooted in Jesus’ command in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to not just make believers, but disciples — men who follow Him, obey Him, and help others do the same.

To guide that process, we use the G.R.I.P. Method:

God’s Word. Reveal. Implement. Prayer.

Discipleship, at its core, is helping others walk closely with Jesus in a way that transforms their lives and equips them to disciple others. Jesus is our model. He invited specific men into relationship, walked with them daily, taught truth, asked questions, and then sent them out. His approach was relational, intentional, and reproducible.

We follow that same pattern here at In His Grip Golf — often beginning in a place where men are already comfortable: the golf course.

There is something powerful about discipling men in that environment. Whether riding in a cart or walking the fairways, conversations happen shoulder to shoulder, not face to face. Barriers come down. Trust builds. Life gets shared between shots. What starts as a round of golf becomes a pathway for real discipleship.

When a man begins the journey — whether he is a new believer or someone who has never been discipled — we first anchor him in his daily tee time with Jesus.

That is the “G” in G.R.I.P. — God’s Word. Each day begins with Scripture, not as a task to complete, but as a relationship to pursue. God’s Word becomes the foundation for everything.

Next is “R” — Reveal. We ask a simple but powerful question: “What is God showing you?” This shifts a man from reading for information to listening for transformation. He begins to recognize that God is speaking directly into his life — into his marriage, leadership, struggles, and purpose.

Then comes “I” — Implement. This is where obedience takes shape. We ask, “How will you live this out today?” Jesus made it clear that discipleship is not about knowledge alone, but obedience. As a man applies God’s Word, his life begins to change — not just in theory, but in action.

Finally, “P” — which stands for Prayer. This is where the relationship deepens. Prayer is a man’s response to what God has shown him. It is where dependence grows, surrender increases, and faith becomes personal.

Why do we disciple this way?

Because it is simple, consistent, and reproducible. A man who develops a daily tee time with Jesus and learns the G.R.I.P. Method is not only growing himself — he is being equipped to lead another man through the same process.

That is how the Great Commission comes to life.

Our goal is not to create more Bible studies. It is to raise up men who meet with God daily, walk with others weekly, and intentionally invest in someone else. Over time, what begins in the quiet of the morning and continues to the fairways becomes a discipleship lifestyle.

One man reaching one man.

One round at a time.

One daily tee time with Jesus. B&R — Scott Lehman is the founder and president of In His Grip Golf (visit online at inhisgripgolf.com).