The Glory of God in Marriage (Pt. 6)

This is the sixth post from Paul Washer on the Glory of God in Marriage. Enjoy!!

The Glory of God in Marriage (Pt. 5)

This is post 5 in a 9 part weekend series on the Glory of God in Marriage. Enjoy!!

The Glory of God in Marriage (Pt. 4)

This is the fourth post in a 9 part weekend series from Paul Washer on the Glory of God in Marriage. Enjoy!!

Effective Discipleship: New Testament and Today

Introduction

Jeff Lacine of Desiring God Ministries describes the local church’s ministry in this way, “The role of the local church leaders is to equip the members for ministry by teaching and shepherding. Then, the ministry of each member collectively builds up the church.”[1] The goal of any local Church ministry is to be effective in their mission of discipling as many believers as they can to become more like Christ. The local Church is the place where believers are supposed to come to grow into full maturation of the image of Jesus Christ. Church ministry’s main goal should be to effectively lead believers into a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord. Throughout both Biblical history and church history, there have been many examples of ministries which have been effective at stirring the affections of believers for Jesus Christ. As Michael Mitchell notes, “Fostering growth and development in individuals and in the groups of which they are a part produces complete and mature persons who contribute to the establishment of a Christian community.”[2] If this, however, is the Church’s main goal of ministry; how does one ensure an “effective ministry”? How does a Church ensure that their discipleship ministries will indeed be “effective”?

Biblical Examples

The Bible (particularly the New Testament) is full of examples of effective ministries which have been blessed by God to meet His purposes. Building up believers in their love for Jesus Christ is the main to be the main emphasis of the Christian church according to the New Testament. This was Jesus’ main purpose of ministry as well. Mark 3:14 says Jesus “appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.” The preaching of Jesus was the first ministry He gave His original disciples to accomplish. Preaching was the original ministry of the first disciples, and that preaching no doubt was aimed at growing the earliest believers in their understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done. Obviously, their ministry was successful as well. It is obvious that this was the main emphasis Christ wanted his disciples’ ministry to be focused on, because in Luke 10, when Jesus sent out the 70 messengers on virtually the same mission, they were shocked by Jesus’ response to their joy. Luke 10:17-18, 20 says, “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘…do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’” The ministry which they were to be excited about, according to Jesus, was not the ministry of supernatural power, but the ministry of ordinary conversion (and subsequently discipleship).

This effectiveness in ministry continued into the early church as well. After Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts 2—the first sermon after the ascension of Christ—it is said that “those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41 ESV) Upon the continuance of these believers in daily fellowship, it’s said in Acts 2:47 that, “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 4 gives a picture of what the Apostles’ example appeared like to outsiders. Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” The Apostles’ message and ministry were supported by the fact that they had been “with Jesus.”

The Apostle Paul also had an “effective ministry” in the early Church. I Thessalonians gives a deep insight into the ministry style of Paul as he ministered within the early Christian Church. In I Thessalonians 1:5, Paul explains that the message of the Gospel, “came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” The message which Paul proclaimed within the Churches which he ministered was not only a message of dead words, but of living power through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the conviction which came with the message. In 2:6-10, Paul explains that he and his companions not only preached the Gospel, but also spent their lives in hopes that the Thessalonian believers would grow in their knowledge of the Gospel. Paul and his companions, as well as the other Apostles, proclaimed the message of Jesus Christ and His saving power in order to build up Churches throughout the Roman Empire with very effective results.

Modern Application

If the early Christian Church was able to effectively minister to the Churches of their day, how is the modern Church to minister effectively within its context? George Barna offers five models which offer effective methods of discipleship within the current church context. According to Barna, “Each model has great potential to produce zealots for Christ—people who ‘get it’ and who live it.”[3] The first model is the “Competencies Model,” which focuses on the fulfilling the Great Commission and the Great Commandment through devising “ten core beliefs, ten core practices, and ten core virtues”[4] which allow the members of the congregation many opportunities to grow in their understanding of Jesus Christ. The second model is the “Missional Model,” which is a model based on “help[ing] people become spiritually mature as manifested in six core qualities or competencies.”[5] These competencies are implemented through the use of small groups, “fundamentals” classes, and specialty classes. The third model for effective discipleship is the “Neighborhood Model,” which is committed to growing groups of believers by having them group together with others who live in the same “neighborhood” so that they may “stir up one another to love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24) The fourth model of effective discipleship is the “Worldview Model,” whose purpose in Barna’s words is stated as such: “The primary thrust of the Worldview Model is the impartation of biblical wisdom that leads to personal transformation.”[6] This model follows a two year process of learning the distinctive of the Christian worldview and how they apply to real life situations. Finally, Barna notes the “Lecture-Lab Model,” whose primary growth technique is the use of the sermon for growth, and small groups to more deeply understand what is being taught through the sermon. Each of these models has the potential of building disciples effectively, with the right implementation and perseverance. Dr. John MacArthur has 3 thoughts related to building a long-lasting effective ministry within a local church: “1. Don't arrive unless you plan to stay… 2. Learn to be patient… 3. Don't be afraid to change.”[7] Joseph Hough, Jr. suggests the following, “In the first place, the ‘documents’ of the congregation, living and written, available to the theologian must be examined in order to present, concrete working understanding the congregation has of itself…. Second, the theological analyst must examine the self-understanding of the congregation together with its practice in light of the broader convictions about the nature and purpose of the church.”[8] This analysis is important for the church to recognize where it fits as a part of the entire body of Christ across the globe and throughout the span of Christian history. Christian Schwarz offers the following, according to Dempsey, “Leaders of growing churches concentrate on empowering other Christians for ministry. They do not use lay workers as “helpers” in attaining their own goals and fulfilling their own visions. Rather, they invert the pyramid of authority so that the leader assists Christians to attain the spiritual potential God has for them.”[9]

Conclusion

The goal of every Christian church is to effectively lead believers to become more like Christ as much as is possible within the local church context. Churches have great examples from the Apostles as to what an effective discipleship ministry looks like, and they have many examples of what effective ministry looks like from the pages of Christian history as well. Effective ministry can come from different formats, but the main focuses should be consistently the same—helping God’s people to understand God’s Word so that they may better know God’s Son and better understand God’s Plan. Effective ministry will be carried out by those who are committed to working diligently and patiently at the task—those who are committed to helping others become leaders who can then help others to love Jesus Christ in a deeper way. This is how effective ministry is accomplished within the local church.

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[1] Lacine, Jeff. The Local Church: Training You for Ministry. August 3, 2010. http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-local-church-training-you-for-ministry (accessed April 27, 2011).

[2] Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010. 354

[3] Barna, George. Growing True Disciples. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2001. 134-35

[4] Ibid, 135

[5] Barna 140

[6] Ibid, 148

[7] MacArthur, John. Practical Thoughts on an Enduring Ministry, Part 1. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A223_Practical-Thoughts-on-an-Enduring-Ministry-Part-1?q=ministry (accessed April 27, 2011).

[8] Hough Jr., Joseph C. "Theologian at Work: Theological Ethics." In Building Effective Ministry: Theory and Practice in the Local Church, by Carl Dudley, 112-132. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1983. 112

[9] Dempsey 8

New Testament Discipleship and Modern Discipleship

Introduction

In the history of Christianity, there has been no more effective minister of the Gospel than the Apostle Paul. Paul laid the foundation of many of the earliest Christian churches, and he also ensured through his writings that those churches were growing in their love for God and their love for one another. Paul embodied what it meant to be a “disciple-maker” through his service to the local churches found in the New Testament. He preached the Gospel to men and women everywhere, and those who were converted he continued to minister to as they grew in the level of maturity of their faith. He was devoted to “going” and “making disciples of all nations,” as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. Paul was obviously a model for Pastors and Leaders throughout the history of the church, but did he leave behind a pattern for those future ministers to follow? What would Paul say is the main pattern for his ministry to the churches to which he ministered?

Paul’s Pattern for Ministry

Paul did not leave future ministers in the church without a pattern, in his own words, of a successful church ministry model. In Philippians 4:9, Paul gives a great example of how he ministered within the Church at Philippi. He writes, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (ESV) In this verse, Paul gives four ways in which the Philippians received discipling from Paul (which was most probably the method which Paul used with every other church to which he ministered).

The first method the Philippians received was learning. Paul taught the Philippians to grow in their love for Christ through growth in their knowledge of the Scriptures. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul encourages Timothy to, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (ESV) This was Paul’s exhortation to one of his most prominent disciples; therefore, the method which he used with the church he discipled must have followed a similar pattern.

The second step in Paul’s discipling process of the Philippians was receiving. The Philippians not only learned the Word of God from Paul; they received the Word which was spoken to them as true. The Philippians believed the Gospel and the teaching which accompanied it.

The third step in Paul’s process of discipling the Philippians was hearing. The Philippians not only learned and believed the Word of God; they heard the message that Paul proclaimed as a message which should be applied. The messages Paul sent to the Philippians through the Scriptures could be shown to be practical for daily life.

The final step in Paul’s process of discipling the Philippian believers was his life example—what they had “seen” in Paul’s life. Commenting on this verse, Ralph Martin notes, “The multiplication of verbs, learned, received, heard, seen, shows how well his readers would be able to appreciate his character in which, by the grace of God, the virtues he had enumerated earlier were displayed.”[1]

Paul’s expectation of the Philippians is then expressed by the phrase, “practice these things,” followed by the promise that “the God of peace will be with you.” Paul’s living example of the teaching he gave to the Philippians empowered him to call for their obedience to the teaching, undergirded by the promise that God would send peace to them as they obeyed His Word.

Modern Examples

The methods which Paul used were teaching, example, exhortation, and promise. How are today’s American churches attempting to follow this Apostolic pattern? What methods are modern churches using to disciple their members? Grace Church, led by John MacArthur, offers a variety of discipling options. The men’s discipleship group currently studies the book, The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall & Tony Payne. They “meet once a month from September to May.”[2] The women’s ministry is currently studying, “Becoming God's True Woman” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. They also “meet once a month from September to May.”[3] The church also offers ministry to the families of the seminary students of the Master’s Seminary, which is also affiliated with Dr. MacArthur; as well as smaller group meetings which meet throughout the week in various homes of members of the congregation. These groups offer home group Bible study for members of the Church’s congregation.

Bethlehem Baptist Church, with Pastor John Piper, offers a variety of different discipleship options for the members of the congregation. The Church offers ministries for parents, which “supports, equips, and encourages parents in their efforts to raise children in the fear, trust, and delight of the Lord.”[4] They also offer a disabilities ministry, which is designed to “support people with disabilities and include them in the life and work of the church.”[5] The Church focuses much of their ministries on family discipleship, although they also have ministries for men, women, and children individually.

Saddleback Church, led by Rick Warren, offers its members a number of ministries for the purpose of discipleship. The men’s ministry lists this as its purpose: “Saddleback is a church built on the five biblical purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. Our goal is to help men understand and apply each of these purposes from a man’s unique perspective and responsibility.”[6] The Church also offers a women’s group called Women’s Connection, whose purpose is stated as the following: “Women's Connection provides Christ-centered spiritual growth and encouragement for all women in our shared journey of faith at every season in our lives, in order to deepen our relationship with God and others.”[7] The Church offers a number of small groups as well in order to foster further growth among the members of the congregation.

“Where Do We Go From Here?”[8]

The ministries offered by many American churches are designed to further the growth of the members in their love for Jesus Christ. How, then, can these churches continue to foster the growth of their members in Godliness? George Barna offers helpful advice by stating, “Successful pastors care about the discipleship commitment of their people, they monitor it closely, and they respond when the numbers suggest a waffling of dedication to spiritual advancement.”[9] The success of discipleship ministries, according to Barna, depends largely on the commitment of Pastors to their discipleship programs and the furtherance of participation in these programs. The above listed Churches use different approaches to reach the same goal—growing disciples. All of these churches use the Biblical approach of teaching, receiving, hearing, and modeling to grow these disciples to be more like Christ. Michael Mitchell offers the following advice, “We can narrow the concern for motivating students to two considerations: the issues that stimulate change in learners’ lives and the factors that will cause learners to pursue the study of a lesson that will make them different from who they are now.”[10] The Pastor’s goal will be to ensure that the disciples within the church are learning in order to grow in their love for Christ—not simply learning to gain knowledge.

Conclusion

The materials I would use as a Pastor would probably align with the ministry opportunities offered by Bethlehem Baptist Church. I believe the family is the primary area of ministry for every believer (especially fathers), and to offer opportunities for fathers and mothers to understand in a better way how to Biblically raise their families is a great idea in my opinion. The opportunities offered by Grace Community Church would also be personally beneficial for men and women who are seeking to become more deeply devoted to Christ. These studies would be a very beneficial opportunity for personal growth, which could then be used to minister to other believers (or even unbelievers).

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[1] Martin, Ralph P. Philippians. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

[2] Church, Grace Community. GCC- Men's Meeting. 2011. http://www.gracechurch.org/ministries/Custom.aspx?MinistryID=32&ID=129 (accessed April 21, 2011).

[3] —. GCC- Women's Ministries. 2011. http://www.gracechurch.org/ministries/Custom.aspx?MinistryID=32&ID=145 (accessed April 20, 2011).

[4] Church, Bethlehem Baptist. Family Discipleship. 2011. http://www.hopeingod.org/ministries/family (accessed April 20, 2011).

[5] Ibid

[6] Church, Saddleback. The Herd. 2011. http://www.saddleback.com/lakeforest/adults/men/aboutus/ (accessed April 20, 2011).

[7] —. Women at Saddleback. 2011. http://www.saddleback.com/lakeforest/adults/women/aboutus/ (accessed April 20, 2011).

[8] Barna, George. Growing True Disciples. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2001. Pg.98.

[9] Ibid, pg. 115.

[10] Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010. pg. 164.

New Testament Discipleship and Modern Discipleship

Introduction

In the history of Christianity, there has been no more effective minister of the Gospel than the Apostle Paul. Paul laid the foundation of many of the earliest Christian churches, and he also ensured through his writings that those churches were growing in their love for God and their love for one another. Paul embodied what it meant to be a “disciple-maker” through his service to the local churches found in the New Testament. He preached the Gospel to men and women everywhere, and those who were converted he continued to minister to as they grew in the level of maturity of their faith. He was devoted to “going” and “making disciples of all nations,” as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. Paul was obviously a model for Pastors and Leaders throughout the history of the church, but did he leave behind a pattern for those future ministers to follow? What would Paul say is the main pattern for his ministry to the churches to which he ministered?

Paul’s Pattern for Ministry

Paul did not leave future ministers in the church without a pattern, in his own words, of a successful church ministry model. In Philippians 4:9, Paul gives a great example of how he ministered within the Church at Philippi. He writes, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (ESV) In this verse, Paul gives four ways in which the Philippians received discipling from Paul (which was most probably the method which Paul used with every other church to which he ministered).

The first method the Philippians received was learning. Paul taught the Philippians to grow in their love for Christ through growth in their knowledge of the Scriptures. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul encourages Timothy to, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (ESV) This was Paul’s exhortation to one of his most prominent disciples; therefore, the method which he used with the church he discipled must have followed a similar pattern.

The second step in Paul’s discipling process of the Philippians was receiving. The Philippians not only learned the Word of God from Paul; they received the Word which was spoken to them as true. The Philippians believed the Gospel and the teaching which accompanied it.

The third step in Paul’s process of discipling the Philippians was hearing. The Philippians not only learned and believed the Word of God; they heard the message that Paul proclaimed as a message which should be applied. The messages Paul sent to the Philippians through the Scriptures could be shown to be practical for daily life.

The final step in Paul’s process of discipling the Philippian believers was his life example—what they had “seen” in Paul’s life. Commenting on this verse, Ralph Martin notes, “The multiplication of verbs, learned, received, heard, seen, shows how well his readers would be able to appreciate his character in which, by the grace of God, the virtues he had enumerated earlier were displayed.”[1]

Paul’s expectation of the Philippians is then expressed by the phrase, “practice these things,” followed by the promise that “the God of peace will be with you.” Paul’s living example of the teaching he gave to the Philippians empowered him to call for their obedience to the teaching, undergirded by the promise that God would send peace to them as they obeyed His Word.

Modern Examples

The methods which Paul used were teaching, example, exhortation, and promise. How are today’s American churches attempting to follow this Apostolic pattern? What methods are modern churches using to disciple their members? Grace Church, led by John MacArthur, offers a variety of discipling options. The men’s discipleship group currently studies the book, The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall & Tony Payne. They “meet once a month from September to May.”[2] The women’s ministry is currently studying, “Becoming God's True Woman” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. They also “meet once a month from September to May.”[3] The church also offers ministry to the families of the seminary students of the Master’s Seminary, which is also affiliated with Dr. MacArthur; as well as smaller group meetings which meet throughout the week in various homes of members of the congregation. These groups offer home group Bible study for members of the Church’s congregation.

Bethlehem Baptist Church, with Pastor John Piper, offers a variety of different discipleship options for the members of the congregation. The Church offers ministries for parents, which “supports, equips, and encourages parents in their efforts to raise children in the fear, trust, and delight of the Lord.”[4] They also offer a disabilities ministry, which is designed to “support people with disabilities and include them in the life and work of the church.”[5] The Church focuses much of their ministries on family discipleship, although they also have ministries for men, women, and children individually.

Saddleback Church, led by Rick Warren, offers its members a number of ministries for the purpose of discipleship. The men’s ministry lists this as its purpose: “Saddleback is a church built on the five biblical purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission. Our goal is to help men understand and apply each of these purposes from a man’s unique perspective and responsibility.”[6] The Church also offers a women’s group called Women’s Connection, whose purpose is stated as the following: “Women's Connection provides Christ-centered spiritual growth and encouragement for all women in our shared journey of faith at every season in our lives, in order to deepen our relationship with God and others.”[7] The Church offers a number of small groups as well in order to foster further growth among the members of the congregation.

“Where Do We Go From Here?”[8]

The ministries offered by many American churches are designed to further the growth of the members in their love for Jesus Christ. How, then, can these churches continue to foster the growth of their members in Godliness? George Barna offers helpful advice by stating, “Successful pastors care about the discipleship commitment of their people, they monitor it closely, and they respond when the numbers suggest a waffling of dedication to spiritual advancement.”[9] The success of discipleship ministries, according to Barna, depends largely on the commitment of Pastors to their discipleship programs and the furtherance of participation in these programs. The above listed Churches use different approaches to reach the same goal—growing disciples. All of these churches use the Biblical approach of teaching, receiving, hearing, and modeling to grow these disciples to be more like Christ. Michael Mitchell offers the following advice, “We can narrow the concern for motivating students to two considerations: the issues that stimulate change in learners’ lives and the factors that will cause learners to pursue the study of a lesson that will make them different from who they are now.”[10] The Pastor’s goal will be to ensure that the disciples within the church are learning in order to grow in their love for Christ—not simply learning to gain knowledge.

Conclusion

The materials I would use as a Pastor would probably align with the ministry opportunities offered by Bethlehem Baptist Church. I believe the family is the primary area of ministry for every believer (especially fathers), and to offer opportunities for fathers and mothers to understand in a better way how to Biblically raise their families is a great idea in my opinion. The opportunities offered by Grace Community Church would also be personally beneficial for men and women who are seeking to become more deeply devoted to Christ. These studies would be a very beneficial opportunity for personal growth, which could then be used to minister to other believers (or even unbelievers).

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[1] Martin, Ralph P. Philippians. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

[2] Church, Grace Community. GCC- Men's Meeting. 2011. http://www.gracechurch.org/ministries/Custom.aspx?MinistryID=32&ID=129 (accessed April 21, 2011).

[3] —. GCC- Women's Ministries. 2011. http://www.gracechurch.org/ministries/Custom.aspx?MinistryID=32&ID=145 (accessed April 20, 2011).

[4] Church, Bethlehem Baptist. Family Discipleship. 2011. http://www.hopeingod.org/ministries/family (accessed April 20, 2011).

[5] Ibid

[6] Church, Saddleback. The Herd. 2011. http://www.saddleback.com/lakeforest/adults/men/aboutus/ (accessed April 20, 2011).

[7] —. Women at Saddleback. 2011. http://www.saddleback.com/lakeforest/adults/women/aboutus/ (accessed April 20, 2011).

[8] Barna, George. Growing True Disciples. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2001. Pg.98.

[9] Ibid, pg. 115.

[10] Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010. pg. 164.

Gauging Success in Discipleship Ministry

Introduction

One of the most important factors with regard to the successfulness of a discipleship ministry is the methods and messages which are used to accomplish the discipling. The discipling method used will either be effective at growing the believers in their love for Jesus, or else it will be ineffective and leave believers in a stagnant state in their spiritual life. The messages used will also either draw the disciples in toward a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord, or they will push people further away through dull, dry messages given by a disinterested teacher. The obvious desire for the teacher of the curriculum is the former rather than the latter, but how is one to ensure that they draw the listeners in to the messages and grow the believers in their love for Jesus Christ through the method of teaching? Jeffrey Kaster asks the question in this manner: “How effectively do adolescent catechetical curricula actually foster Christian discipleship?”[1] How is one to ensure the effective growth of the believers in their knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord?

Devising the Program

One of the main portions of designing and implementing an effective discipleship ministry pertains to the actual designing and structuring of the ministry. Michael Mitchell notes, “Administrators in virtually every venue routinely design strategies for communicating and implementing their organization’s mission and vision. In a church, this strategic activity is generally referred to as creating a program, while in schools it is known as constructing a curricular plan, but the terms are virtually interchangeable.”[2] The design of the program, then, is very important to the successfulness of the ministry. A poorly developed or mismanaged discipleship ministry can leave believers on a plateau spiritually, if not dragging them back down in their spiritual progression. If the believers participating in the program experience this poor handling of the program, it may hinder them further in the future by putting a very negative impression on any further discipleship through other programs. John Johnston notes, “Effective discipleship must be intentional and ongoing. A hit-and-miss, parttime, seasonal effort produces little fruit.”[3]

The development of both the methods and messages delivered is very important to the success of the program. A successful program will foster growth in the believers attending, and will stir them to further growth. This will be accomplished through fervent effort by the administrator in planning the program. The administrator must think in terms of both scope and sequence to determine the relevance of the program to the audience involved. If the group being discipled is not prepared for the level of depth involved in the program, the program will cause the group to be lost in the messages and hinder their growth in knowledge. Effective programs will consider the audience involved by understanding the level of depth into which the program will plunge. The amount of information covered should also be divided between the allotted amount of weeks and/or months appropriately. Attempting to implement a program in which a great deal of material is covered in a very short time could have overall negative consequences with regards to message retention. Both scope and sequence should be considered when developing a program for any discipleship ministry.

Scriptural Ministry Development

As Christians, the most important question to answer whenever asking practical ministry questions is, “What does the Bible have to say?” The development of a discipleship program is no different in this regard. Questions regarding the implementation of any program should be taken to the Scriptures to test for Biblical faithfulness. The Apostles in the New Testament may not have had to develop “discipleship ministry programs” in the same way in which modern believers do, but there is no doubt they had much to say regarding the development of general ministry toward the believers within the local churches.

Paul, in I Corinthians 1:5-7, says of his time spent with the Corinthians, “that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (ESV) The result of this “program” of ministry with which Paul engaged Corinthians resulted in a very remarkable result—“you are not lacking in any spiritual gift.”

What type of program did Paul implement? A part of this “curriculum” is given in I Corinthians 2:1-4, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”. Paul did not “fluff” his message to the Corinthians with high-minded rhetoric. He spoke to them of “Jesus Christ and him crucified”; and—judging by his messages to the other Christian churches—he would have spoken of the application of this to the lives of the Corinthians as well. Paul discipled the Corinthian church by teaching them the Gospel and its implications for their lives.

Peter, in II Peter 1:5-7, encouraged the believers, whom he was discipling to, “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (ESV) Peter’s method of discipling believers included encouragement toward growth in Christian virtue in their daily lives. This method of discipleship would be a great aim toward which any leader should lead his disciples. The Biblical model of discipleship encourages progressive growth toward Christ with Christ as the main focus.

Practical Examples

The discipleship ministry’s program development will have many practical implications for those involved—both leader and disciple. Many ministries have experienced the success of a well developed program, and many methods have been implemented for use in successful discipleship ministries. Dean Blevins notes a Wesleyan method of discipleship: “the means of grace provide a framework for exploring and organizing contemporary Christian education practices.”[4] The AWANA program goes in a related, but slightly different, direction with their ministry, “Obedience and submission to Scripture represent core beliefs of the AWANA ministry. Therefore, Scripture memorization constitutes a vital tool in the curriculum. Although it is not the sole purpose of AWANA, as previously described, Bible memorization is the major thrust.”[5] Some, as evidenced by Randy Frame, take discipleship too far, however. He notes, “The ICC teaches "the biblical principle of discipleship as a necessary part of the salvation process." To qualify for baptism-and thus salvation-a person's behavior undergoes rigorous scrutiny by local church leaders who look for signs of godly living.”[6] Ministry development has been successfully implemented by many organizations within churches, following Biblical patterns which lead to effective ministry.

Conclusion

The discipleship administration principles set forth by Mitchell form a great foundation for forming a successful ministry within the local church. The most appropriate form of message from his list of messages would be the Teacher method of messages. Demonstrating that the leader is actually “preaching what he practices” is important to ensure the success of the discipleship program. This will be very helpful in ensuring that the ministry program will end with disciples who have grown into a deeper love for Jesus Christ and a deeper knowledge of Him as Lord and Savior.

Works Cited

Blevins, Dean G. "Renovating Christian Education in the 21st Century: A Wesleyan Contribution." Christian Education Journal, 2005: 6-29.

Firmin, Michael W, Perry C Kuhn, Jared D Michonski, and Terra N Posten. "From Outside-In to Inside-Out: A Qualitative Analysis of Childhood Motivation by Achievers in AWANA Programs." Christian Education Journal, 2005: 77-96.

Frame, Randy. "The cost of discipleship?" Christianity Today, 1997: 64-66, 88.

Johnston, John G. "DISCIPLESHIP: STEPPING STONES TO DEVELOPING YOUR CHURCH’S STRATEGY." Masters Thesis, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009, 133.

Kaster, Jeffrey. "Evaluating Adolescent Catechesis." Religious Education, 2009: 63-81.

Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010.

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[1] Kaster, Jeffrey. "Evaluating Adolescent Catechesis." Religious Education, 2009: 63-81. 63

[2] Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010. 267

[3] Johnston, John G. "DISCIPLESHIP: STEPPING STONES TO DEVELOPING YOUR CHURCH’S STRATEGY." Masters Thesis, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009, 133 p.

[4] Blevins, Dean G. "Renovating Christian Education in the 21st Century: A Wesleyan Contribution." Christian Education Journal, 2005: 6-29. 15.

[5] Firmin, Michael W, Perry C Kuhn, Jared D Michonski, and Terra N Posten. "From Outside-In to Inside-Out: A Qualitative Analysis of Childhood Motivation by Achievers in AWANA Programs." Christian Education Journal, 2005: 77-96.

[6] Frame, Randy. "The cost of discipleship?" Christianity Today, 1997: 64-66, 88.