For Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, leading someone to Christ is only the beginning of a long and loving journey. His ministry has never been built on events or moments alone—it has been built on relationships, commitment, and relentless follow-up. He believes that the real work of the ministry begins after the altar call. That is when the shepherd steps in, to lead the sheep from newborn faith to mature discipleship.
He teaches that souls are fragile when they are first born. They need feeding. They need checking on. They need direction and protection. And unless the Church rises with a heart of follow-up, the enemy comes in quickly to steal what was sown.
This conviction is seen throughout his ministry. His churches are not just filled with visitors—they are filled with people who were followed up, taught, cared for, and rooted. It’s not because they stumbled into maturity. It’s because someone followed up on them until Christ was fully formed in them.
Love That Goes the Extra Mile
Follow-up is not a system to Bishop Dag—it is an expression of love. He teaches that you pursue what you care about. And if you truly care for souls, you won’t rest when they’re missing. You’ll call. You’ll visit. You’ll pray. You’ll keep reaching out even when the person seems uninterested, distracted, or backslidden.
Many in his churches can testify of being visited when they least expected it. A phone call that brought hope. A leader who remembered their name. A pastor who followed up again and again until their life was healed. These are not isolated stories—they are the fruit of a culture of relentless love.
He teaches that no one is too unimportant to be followed up on. Every soul matters. Every life is worth the extra mile. And it is often in those extra efforts that true transformation begins to take root.
Raising Shepherds With a Follow-Up Spirit
Bishop Dag has trained thousands of pastors, and one of the non-negotiable pillars of their training is follow-up. He tells them clearly—don’t just preach and disappear. Be a shepherd. Know your sheep. Pursue the lost. Feed the weak. Strengthen the weary. Because that is what Jesus did.
He challenges pastors to break the habit of pulpit-only ministry. He teaches that the work is not finished when the service ends—it’s just beginning. And that is why his churches are filled with shepherds, basanta leaders, and lay ministers who don’t wait for people to come to church. They go out and bring them in. Then they follow up until they are planted.
This spirit of care has created depth in the ministry. People don’t just attend—they are discipled. They grow. They stay. Because someone took the time to follow up in love.
The Joy of a Soul That Remains
There is a deep satisfaction in seeing someone you followed up on standing strong in Christ. Bishop Dag often speaks of the joy of seeing those who once struggled now preaching, teaching, and leading others. That joy is the reward of patience. Of consistency. Of not giving up on people too soon.
He teaches that the fruit that remains is the fruit that was followed up. Quick growth without follow-up usually fades. But when you walk with someone, pray with them, visit them, and feed them, they become strong. They become committed. They become fruitful.
Through his life and ministry, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills reminds us that the gospel is not just about moments of conversion—it’s about a journey of transformation. And it is the spirit of follow-up that carries people from the altar to the life of a true disciple.