From Brokenness to Purpose

My name is Steve Smith, and I am the founder of Nu DISCIPLES and Forged DISCIPLES.

These brands were not created from a marketing plan. They were born from a life transformed by Jesus Christ.

For many years, my life was marked by addiction, homelessness, destructive decisions and a constant search for something that could fill the emptiness inside me. I came dangerously close to using heroin, but someone intervened at the very moment I needed them. On another occasion, during a violent attack, a friend stepped in and may well have saved my life.

Looking back, I can now see that even when I did not know God, He was protecting me.

Years later, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. During a church service, people gathered around me and prayed. As they prayed, I felt what I can only describe as an electric shock move through my body.

At my next hospital appointment, the tumour had disappeared.

The surgeon could not explain what had happened. For me, there was only one explanation: Jesus had healed me.

That moment changed everything.

I realised that Christianity was not simply about religion, rules or attending church. It was about knowing the living God — the God who sees us in our darkest moments, meets us in our brokenness and gives us a completely new life.

I surrendered my life to Jesus and was later baptised alongside my son. It remains one of the most powerful moments of my life: a father and son publicly declaring that our lives belong to Christ.

My past is not something I hide from. It is evidence of what God can redeem.

I was lost, but God found me.

I was addicted, but God set me free.

I was broken, but God began rebuilding me.

I was facing sickness, but God brought healing.

I had a past filled with shame, but Jesus gave me a new identity and a new purpose.

Nu DISCIPLES is a bold, faith-driven clothing brand created for people who refuse to hide what they believe.

The name represents becoming new in Christ — not simply wearing a Christian label, but living as a disciple of Jesus every day.

Our clothing is designed to start conversations, share the Gospel and help believers express their faith with courage. Every message has a purpose. Whether it says JESUS SAVES, UNASHAMED, REDEEMED or NO TEST, NO TESTIMONY, it represents a truth that has changed someone’s life.

Nu DISCIPLES is more than clothing.

It is evangelism you can wear.

It is a declaration that faith should not be hidden.

It is a reminder that discipleship is not a label. It is a lifestyle.

Don’t blend in. Stand out.

My journey also gave me a heart for men who are silently battling addiction, temptation, shame, fear, anger, pressure, insecurity and a lack of direction.

Many men appear strong on the outside while fighting private battles that nobody else can see. They are providing for families, serving in churches and carrying responsibilities, but internally they feel exhausted, isolated or spiritually stuck.

Forged DISCIPLES exists to help men become stronger — not through ego, image or pretending to have everything together, but by being shaped through truth, brotherhood, discipline and a genuine relationship with Jesus.

A forged man is not a man who has never struggled.

He is a man who allows God to use the fire, pressure and battles of life to shape him into the man he was created to become.

Forged DISCIPLES brings together biblical principles, practical personal development, honest conversations and accountable brotherhood. The mission is to help men remove the mask, confront destructive patterns, strengthen their minds, lead their families and walk confidently in their God-given purpose.

I do not claim to have everything figured out. I am still learning, growing and being shaped by God every day.

But I know who rescued me.

I know who healed me.

I know who gave me another chance.

His name is Jesus.

Nu DISCIPLES and Forged DISCIPLES are my response to what He has done in my life. They exist to reach people who feel forgotten, awaken faith in those who have become comfortable and equip believers to live boldly for Christ.

My testimony is not ultimately about how far I have come.

It is about how far Jesus was willing to come to find me.

He saved me, so I serve Him.