Five Components Of Effective Discipleship
One phrase I have found myself using too much in the last year is “since the pandemic”. But it's hard not to talk about how the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped so much about the way I view life, ministry, strategy and even effectiveness as a pastor and church leader. The huge question on my mind right now is DISCIPLESHIP. What does it take to make robust, mature, Biblically literate, Jesus followers in 2022 and beyond?
What have we done well over the last twenty years?
What has been missing?
What are the obstacles we are facing today?
How do we develop a plan that really works?
There are five components in disciple-making that are relevant to the methods we have used in the past, and in what we will need to redesign for the future.
#1 - CLASSROOM
One of the contexts for discipleship is in the classroom. Often this is where induction courses are taught for new believers, new members, or growth track classes.
In the past, the classroom was a primary way of providing discipleship through Sunday School and what was once called Chrstian Education. Many churches had a Christian Education director on their staff who oversaw the year-round mid-week classes that covered books of the Bible and relevant topics.
Life has gotten busier and in-person church attendance habits are less frequent. Where it used to be realistic to get a large number of people to attend mid-week classes, it is much less likely to have ongoing in-person classroom education in most parts of the western world but it still has a part to play in making disciples today.
#2 - COMMUNITY
So, in my generation there was a shift away from the classroom as the primary means of discipleship and the focus was placed on small group communities. We see this as modeled for us in the book of Acts. In Acts 20:20, Paul reveals his method for teaching… “publicly and from house to house.”' Acts 2 also gives us the impression that there were two primary contexts for teaching and that was larger groups (temple courts) and small groups (house to house).
Many churches use the strategic statement “We are not a church with small groups, we are a church OF small groups.” This implies that the small group meeting is even more important in the weekly life of a local church than their weekend service.
But many churches and believers treat small groups as a seasonal event that they attend. In this model of life groups, there is typically a fall, spring, and summer season where some type of study is provided for the groups to go through thematically. But what can happen is that these small groups only meet 20 weeks of the year, with many participants attending sporadically.
True community cannot be built without a more intense commitment to regular, intentional participation and investment. Community-based (relational) life-on-life discipleship is still the most Biblical method but it is not without its challenges in this fast-paced busy distracted generation.
#3 - COACHING
We often think of this third component when we are trying to develop leaders, artists, and volunteers. Often there is a process of multiplication that involves inviting someone to take on a responsibility. As they lead, we provide feedback in terms of encouragement, instruction, and specific ways to grow and improve. Coaching also implies the one-on-one conversations involved in answering questions about the Bible, about life issues, and about next steps in the journey of following Jesus.
#4 - CATALYTIC EXPERIENCES
As a Penetcostal/Charismatic pastor, I deeply believe there is a fourth category that we often overlook. Jesus told his discipleships, “Don't leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift that my Father promised...for in a few days, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” This moment of outpouring in their lives propelled them forward in their spiritual development far more than any course or coaching session could.
I would expand these catalytic experiences to include going on a mission trip, being exposed to people in need, or spending time in extended fasting and prayer. Often there are moments like these that shape our perspective and our character for years to come.
One of our strategies as parents was to send each of our five kids on a mission trip to serve in an orphanage in Mexico. When they were about 12 years old, we sent them as a part of a team that my parents led. They always came back with a changed perspective and compassion from seeing a greater need and realizing that they could make a difference.
Another aspect of our discipleship strategy at Allison Park Church involves a “freedom in Christ” conference that we host every year called Breakthrough Weekend. In this event we design time and an atmosphere where people can get free from past hurts, habits, and hang-ups and get an understanding of how they can trust the Holy Spirit with their pain and their past. These experiences are discipleship accelerators in spiritual development.
#5 - CONTENT
Finally, in each of these four contexts listed above there needs to be well designed content. One of the massive gaps in our culture today is Biblical literacy. There is a desperate need for people to know how to read the Bible, understand it, and properly apply it to their lives.
In addition, every believer needs a set of key doctrinal concepts that serve as a foundation for their faith. With so many false and dangerous teachings being taught today, making disciples involves the regular impartation of sound doctrine. It's only as people see the real deal that they can sniff out a counterfeit theology or concept.
We also add content through our preaching on the weekend which is the broadest in its impact. But even the best weekend preaching known to man is not enough to produce robust and mature followers of Jesus. To make true disciples, we can’t just lean on one or two methods, we need all five components.