Discipleship 1
Today many Christians lead churches for various reasons. Here are some reasons which I have noticed over the past years of my ministry:-
1. Uncertainty - Some people lead or pastor churches because they are uncertain what other things they can do.
2. Fashion - Some feel that it is the IN-Thing to be pastors and so they have decided to lead churches.
3. Career - Some treat pastoring as a career though it may not pay well at least it is a secure job.
4. Ministry - Some wanted to do ministry like music, preaching, counselling etc. in the church so that is the logical area to enter.
5. Interest - Some become a pastor due to certain interests they have, like wanting to be musicians, worship leader, meeting people, leader, counsellor etc. So the church is a good place for these.
6. Evangelism - Some just want to do evangelism and save souls.
7. Church Planting - Some wish to plant and grow churches, and some for mega churches.
8. Fulfil Ego - Some wish to show to themselves and others that they can do something in the name of God.
9. Fulfilling the Call of God - Some just move along with the leading of God to do what He has planned for them, even to lead churches.
10. Fulfilling Parent’s Desire - Some just wish to fulfill the desire of their parents.
In these days, the concept of Discipleship or Disciples Making has fallen into one of the many categories or segments of the church’s aim. Nobody will say that he does not believe in Discipleship. Logically, no will say that because it is all written in the Bible. But in reality, a close survey of the programmes and activities of the churches in present days will reveal a lack of Discipleship development. This is often in contrast and contrary with the aims and purposes of the church. There are lots of equipping in mission, evangelism (i.e. reaching out), praises, rituals, worship, counselling, preaching, ministry etc. Even the cell groups are geared towards evangelism. The Bible study classes have, in many cases, geared towards acquiring Biblical knowledge. There are more passive learning than pro-active Discipleship learning in the present churches.
Of late, there is a come back in the area and concept of Mentoring. However, it is again the philosophy that has only come back. The real meaning of a Disciple is to become an Apparentice. It includes the real shaping and making of the thought-life, habits, world-view, practice, learning, and theology of the Apparentice. There is so much lacking in this area due to many reasons such as busy-work schedule, reluctance to open up one’s private life, reluctance on the part of the mentor to commit further, the attitudes of the teacher and student themselves, the expectation of the present world on the idea of success, etc.
Most of the things the present churches are doing are good but there must be a strengthening and consolidation on the development of the Disciples Making and Discipleship. Jesus spent only 3 years with his disciples and expected them to change the world which they did. All great leaders are good disciplers. If you disciple one other person properly. After one year both you and him disciple one each then by the end of the second year there will be four disciplers. If this process carries on and multiplies, by the 10th year there will be a mega church of 1000, and by the 20th year there will be a mega church of half a million members, and by the 30th year one-fifth of the world has been reached, and by the 43th year the whole world has been reached. Of course, many will argue that the chain may be broken along the way. If it real does break, it is still a worthwhile exercise and high calling of God for us to attempt. The common quotation of William Carey has been often used: Attempt great things for God and Expect great things from God. If we are to abide by this saying then I would like to propose that the ‘Great Thing’ should be ‘Disciples Making’.
Disciples Making involves mentoring, training, teaching, shaping, sharing, worshipping, fellowshipping, ministering, walking and doing things together. It is the commitment of the whole person to each other, both the mentor and mentee. In involves commitment to each other. It is almost like the idea of cloning - a direct duplicate of you. It is very vulnerable, painful and a very humbling thing to do but the end product is good and worthwhile.
February 20th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Canon Moon, I like this, very Kewl! Can I refer to you as Pastor Moon???? Anyway, how about reasons people nowadays “leave” churches??? I always wonder, and about discipleship, and all that you mention, how many of us are doing it? Or we just plan, but no action? How does one keeps focused (meaning the church and its leaders)? Wonder wonder!
February 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Your Grace; whilst I do agree with what you have written regarding Discipleship, I have yet to witness this in action in the diocese. Who is organising this, and how does one become involved?
March 20th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on discipleship. Here is one article that hopefully could encourage church leaders to implement the ministry apprenticeship. Colin Mashall has written an insightul article on Ministry Apprentices. He says “Apprenticeships are a familiar part of our community life. It is a well-established model of education and training where the master craftsman passes on his knowledge and skills to the trainee. Before our more formal educational institutions arose, apprenticing was the way craft and knowledge were handed down…..More in http://matthiasmedia.com.au/briefing/library/2082/
March 30th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Dear Nicole, Vincent and Thomas,
I do think I need to spend time to tell you the reasons of people leaving the church. If there are 100 people, then there will be 100 reasons. Some are valid and some are not. We are not here to justify ourselves. We should be doing our part to become disciples of Christ. It is our commandment and commission to make disciples - Matt28:18-20.
Becoming a Disciple is not the end of the road. We are called to Make Disciples (not one). Everyone one of us who are Christian for 3 years should start making new disciples but this is exactly the area we fail to do. Christians who are 30 years or 50 years in our Malaysian churches are like overgrown babies (I mean the vast majority).
Let me try to pin-point some failure which I have observed and hope to work at it to overcome this in the future. Discipleship making is a long process. if we need to train a clergy in the seminary for 4 years, I think we need as long to make a disciple of Christ. Christ did it in 3 years and with one casualty.
1. The poor ecclessiology (the doctrine of the church) has been taught or assumed by many.
2. The idea of becoming a disciple is the end product and that’s it.
3. The learned clergy are not freed to spend sufficient time on discipleship through good biblical study and teaching on one - one or one to a few. No disciple can be made in a big group or class style. Jesus only have 12.
4. The laity has been misled or conveniently given up the role of discipleship training for themselves and then for new disciples of their own.
5. The vast majority of churches in Malaysia and throughout the world have considered Discipleship as a programme rather than the most essential process for any one Christian from birth to death.
6. The demands and attractions of the world have turned our attention away from the Bible to the monetary gain events.
7. In our own family, we have also relinquished our role of disciple making for our own children. We have surrendered it to the Sunday School teachers and some to the computer.
8. Subsequently, the church saw that the demands are not for discipleship training so they have also shifted their attention and focus to other aspects which are also necessary and sounded spiritual.
We need to return to a clear understanding of our Ecclesiology and a disciplined life to disciple our own disciples, starting with our own children and nephews and nieces.
GBU.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
“The real meaning of a Disciple is to become an Apparentice. It includes the real shaping and making of the thought-life, habits, world-view, practice, learning, and theology of the Apparentice.”
“…there must be a strengthening and consolidation on the development of the Disciples Making and Discipleship.”
“Discipleship making is a long process. ”
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Paul in 2Timothy 2:2 has trully captured the the crust of Matt 28:18-20–In Making Disciples Of all Nations .
“And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.” NAB
The key principle here is THOSE WHO ….TEACH OTHERS==>TEACH OTHERS==>TEACH OTHERS==>TEACH OTHERS==>TEACH OTHERS..on and on…! We see a generation llines. In common term it means MULTIPLYING LEADERS, NOT FOLLOWERS.
Who are qualified for that? I observed that one of the problem of failling in duplicating a true disciple-apprentice is that-we have wrongly assumpted and thought ONLY CERTAIN so-called leaders of the church are selected for the process of discipling (and leadership position)and conviniently leave out the majority,the “unlearned” ones-the olds, the “weaker” ones, the non-PCC….
What happens ? Normally those so called leaders of the church are not as obedient and disappont you if not fail you.To the “unlearned ones” or “non leaders”, they thought that ONLY CERTAIN LEADERS are capable and qualified for leadership discipling, and they dare not or shy to lead others.
But I believe that Jesus not only wants EVERYONE to be made a true disciple but EVEYONE CAN BE a true disciple who will disciples other disciples….
“Jesus spent only 3 years with his disciples and expected them to change the world which THEY did.” WHO they were?
Acts 4:13
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Jesus made the uneducated, common men into a world transfomers! We need to change our mindset and have faith in EVERYONE and disciple them to disciple others to disciple others!
When a “weaker” leads and multiplying other disciples, then the so called “powerful” will cry shame on themselves for not being committed and obediently follow the Master;for those other “weakers” will be greatly encouraged , motivated and shout, “Yes! we can do it too!”.
The way of the world is to look for the “stronger”ones but Jesus can turn any “weak one” into a powerful world changer/ paradigm shifter. Paul reminds that-do not conform to the standard of the world…
Jesus spent 75% of his time in discipling the 12. I think we Pastors need to follow the Master, that’s what an apprentice should be. As an equiper of the Church(Eph4:12), the pastor should spend 75%(the rule of 80/20) of his time in discipling the church. Equiping THEM to do the ministry of building up the BODY(Edification) and the ministry of the WORLD(evangelism).
‘Disciples Making’ not only being “The Great Thing” but I believe should be “The MAIN Thing” we pastor do. First BE a true apprentice of Jesus and THEN DOING the Discipling task. The world can be evangelised quicker by this world shaking Kingdom Strategy of the King Of Kings!
Books by AB Bruce’s “The Making of the Twelves”; “The Art Of Evangelism” which based on AB Bruce’s monumental works and “The Art of Discipling” by Robert Coleman; and books like “Be A Disciple Making Pastor” ; “Following The Master” are some theological food for thoughts and resources.