Pastors Edge

 

While the first step in waking a declining church is Vertical Revitalization, the second step is One-on-One Revitalization or discipleship.  Our greatest example of this is Christ, who modeled the process of disciple-making during the years he publicly ministered. By focusing on turning 12 men into life-long disciples, he built a secure foundation for the Church as we know it. While Christ ministered to the crowds; He discipled the 12! 

Notice that focusing on the few doesn't mean ignoring the crowd.  Jesus had an incredible ministry with the masses, and you can too.  The pulpit is a God-given platform for ministry.  Preaching, though now considered foolishness to some, is an instrument that God has chosen for speaking to His people. 

That said, there will be some in the congregation who will demonstrate potential for growth more than others.  It isn't that they are favorites of God, they are just primed for service.  These are the people that you need to identify and begin to disciple.  Not only are they most likely to complete a discipleship program, they are most likely to reproduce and train other disciples.  Remember that Paul instructed Timothy to entrust the truths of discipleship to a few. A disciple-making pastor realizes the reality of this principle, so they focus on the few and train them to be reproducing disciples of their own.

This principle of priority is where most pastors are falling short.  They try to make everyone in their congregation into intimate disciples, and in the process they end up frustrated without making disciples of anyone.  You can't depend on processes to bring crowds through the stages of discipleship, but you can count on the art developing relationships with individuals who show potential to become intimate Christ-followers.

Your church will go through an extreme makeover if you will learn how to identify those in your congregation who demonstrate the precursors for discipleship and invest one-on-one-time with them. What characteristics should you be looking for? On a basic level, there are at least four.

• A hunger for the word of God
• A love for prayer 
• An ability to prioritize Christ
• A commitment to service

As you identify people with these traits, don't waste time bringing them into fellowship, accountability, and discipleship.  If you don't have any discipleship materials, allow the Bible to serve as your textbook.  Don't focus merely on what Scripture says, but how it is lived out in real life. Learning about Christianity is great, but this generation needs to experience Christianity. Give them both tools and opportunity for Christian practices.

How many bona-fide disciples are in your congregation today?  If the number is low don't complain about it, change it! Change won't come primarily through Sunday school groups, small groups, life groups, care groups, or even life-transformation groups.  Change will come when disciples follow the pattern and command of Christ for disciples to make disciples. Before you know it, your church will become a disciple-making factory and you will have more revitalization partners than you ever imagined.

Keep up to date on the latest issues that affect the Christian life. These articles will give thought provoking coverage and insight into these issues as well as what can be done about them.