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 15th, 2009 posted in another blog)