Seven Things I Think I Know About Discipling

FIRST:

There are no easy answers, no quick fixes, no big box store solutions. There is no effective program or kit or carton of resources. Discipling is a process and a lifestyle. It is a never-ending quest with eternal consequences.

SECOND:

The indispensable resources, according to everything I have read, heard, and experienced, are: 

1.      Passion for Christ

2.      Clarity of purpose

3.      Churchwide commitment to scripture

4.      High quality well trained leaders, based on their spiritual gifts

5.      Ample opportunities for everyone to use their gifts

6.      Opportunities to build meaningful relationships that lead to accountability

THIRD:

All church activities must be streamlined to prioritize and support discipling. If your church is doing something that does not lead to discipleship, stop doing it. Redirect your time, money, and energy toward activity that will disciple believers. For example, I am deeply appreciative and committed to the Sunday school, but I wonder if maybe it has outlived its usefulness? If it is discipling people, great! If not – well,  you know. Under this general heading:

1.      All ministry programs must be intimately tied to discipling outcomes

2.      The number of church programs should be minimized

3.      All teaching in the church should coordinated, aiming toward discipling

FOURTH:

Find and call a leader. No ministry will prosper without a champion, someone who is passionate about discipling and is called by God to take the lead. Make this a matter of prayer. Look for someone who is willing to learn and grow and take leadership. Then issue a call to that person: ask them to pray about it and accept it only if they sense God’s call. Then train and support that leader.

FIFTH:

Measure your results:

1.      Keep track of every member’s spiritual gifts

2.      Keep track of how many volunteers you have ministering in your church

3.      Keep a record of who has a personal growth plan

4.      Keep track of how many visitors come to your church

5.      Keep a record of your members who participate in local and foreign mission projects

6.      Keep track of how many disciples are discipling others who are discipling others

SIXTH:

What this looks like when it works:

1.      There is holistic personal transformation

2.      Your members are determined to bless others

3.      Christians aggressively pursue spiritual growth

4.      People have renewed lifestyles

5.      There is more concern about quality of character than extent of knowledge

6.      Your church is known for its culture of love – commitment – service

7.      Your people are devoted to a lifelong journey to imitate Jesus Christ

SEVENTH:

George Barna[1] lists the following advice from the pastors of the most effective discipling churches in his research:

1.      Discipling is a process not a program

2.      It won’t happen without the senior pastor’s leadership

3.      The church’s focus must be streamlined to prioritize and support discipleship

4.      You need a simple but intelligent plan

5.      There must be a designated leader to facilitate progress

6.      Adapt lessons learned by other effective disciplers – but do not just buy some program from a “successful” church

7.      Burnout and complacency will set in after 2 to 3 years

Blessings!

---

[1] Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2001).