A Ministry of Discipleship in the Congregation
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Discipleship
What would a ministry of discipleship look like in the life of a congregation? I am sure that such a pursuit might take a number of different shapes, but I would like to propose one to see what you might think and how you might refine it.
When I talk about a ministry of discipleship, I have in mind the development of a discipleship culture in a local church. I see a congregation intentionally making disciples, as Jesus commissioned us to do (Matt. 28:18-20). So, I guess the first thing we should consider is the question: What is a disciple?
I like Jim Putman’s response to this question. In his book, DiscipleShift, Putman cites Matthew 4:19, where Jesus said to Simon and Andrew (two fishermen), “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Putman derives from this verse three elements to define what a disciple is. A disciple is someone who knows Jesus and acknowledges His Lordship (“follow me”), who is being transformed by the power of Jesus (“I will make you”), and who is engaged in Jesus’ mission (“fishers of men”).
So what would a congregation do to develop a culture of discipleship that would produce such people? If I were responsible for the discipleship ministry in a particular church, I would want to discover the Senior Pastor’s vision for the ministry, and I would want to know how other ministry staff persons viewed the effort. If asked, I would suggest (for purposes of refinement by other members of the ministry team) both (1) the process involved in organizing and nurturing a discipleship ministry and (2) the means we might use to build people up in discipleship.
THE PROCESS
First, the senior pastor must be consulted. Everything we do needs to reflect the vision and passion of the pastor. Next, as I said, the other members of the ministry staff need to have input. Their ministry areas should interface with the discipleship ministry so that discipleship would not be simply another program but rather a part of the culture of the congregation. The ministry team is vital to the outcome, and every member of the team has a part to play.
The committee (or similar structure) that oversees the discipleship ministry has a stake in all that is done, and its members also will give shape to discipleship in the life of the church and will evaluate the effectiveness of the effort.
The next level of planning would involve identifying, recruiting, training, and equipping front line leadership, the people “on the ground” helping to nurture disciples as they follow Christ, experience His life-changing work in their lives, and live in the world on mission for Him. These nurturers must be nurtured themselves, and they must have opportunity to discern the fruitfulness of their work. There may be some value also in recognizing them (by publicly commissioning them or by celebrating their efforts).
THE MEANS
Depending upon the approval of the senior pastor, the ministry staff, and the planning team, I would suggest a three-track approach to the discipleship ministry.
1. First Track: Personal and Family Devotions
To begin with, the church would provide a plan for personal and/or family devotions each day of the year. There are several ways we could approach developing the plan. We might build it around the senior pastor’s sermon texts, for example, so that, each week, a person or family’s attention might be focused on preparing for the coming Sunday’s sermon. Or, the plan could be arranged to help people go deeper or to help them apply the sermon the week following its presentation.
2. Second Track: Periodic Courses on Christian Living
A second track might involve periodic courses on Christian living, each course presented by the senior pastor or a member of the ministry staff. One sequence of courses could the developmental life cycle: preparing parents for the baptism of their children, say, or providing parenting courses from time to time. Confirmation, membership classes, marriage preparation, and readying persons for ordered ministries (ruling elder and deacon) could fit into this sequence, as could courses on financial planning and stewardship, caring for aging parents, and so forth.
Another sequence of courses could be built around such themes as knowing and studying the Bible, learning to pray, becoming acquainted with the confessional heritage of the church, finding a place of service in God’s family, sharing the faith meaningfully, and so forth.
3. Third Track: Covenant Groups
The third track would involve providing covenant groups (small groups) to include six to ten people each. The groups would be focused on creating a relational environment in which people can see personal transformation over time. Stan Ott, a pastor in Virginia, has launched what he calls “birthing groups,” and I think there’s some value in structuring covenant groups around such a concept. A “birthing group” is designed to grow, and, when it grows to a certain point (to twelve members, say), it is divided into two groups, each of which will begin the process over again. Understanding that the group will divide at a certain point would be part of the initial covenant to which group members would agree.
Covenant group meetings would ordinarily meet weekly (or bi-weekly) for an hour-and-a-half each time. The time would be spent in gathering around the Word, sharing concerns, praying, and enjoying fellowship.
Covenant group leaders, as I said above, would be identified, recruited, trained, and equipped. Apprentice leaders would be identified as well, so that, when a covenant group is ready to “birth” another group, the new group will have a leader in place.
Covenant group leaders and apprentice leaders would meet together periodically (monthly, perhaps, or every quarter) to encourage, pray for, and learn from one another.
Conclusion
This is a bare outline of a possible approach that might be taken to have an effective discipleship ministry in a local congregation. There are details, of course, to fill in, but I would be interested in hearing your comments. What’s missing? Where could improvements be made? And what improvements would you recommend?
