MORE ON BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP
I have been truly overwhelmed by the number of responses I have received regarding my recent blog, these have come from 10+ difference nations) on “The Goals of Biblical Discipleship”. I wrote this as the Lord very clearly put in my heart, THE GOAL OF DISCIPLESHIP IS TO RAISE UP SONS WHO WILL BECOME FATHERS. I do not have the slightest doubt this statement lines up with the Word of God. The unanimous response has been “one on one face to face” is essential in Biblical Discipleship BUT, sadly, it is too time consuming, and I simply do not have the time. So as I have written many times we put all the components into a Discipleship curriculum and teach all the topics ONCE. And hope it produces disciples.
A friend sent me their program this week, the contents were excellent, but all in a class situation, then when the new Believers have “graduated” they are moved on to someone else for Mentoring (I would say more “monitoring”). Have the “Monitors” been well discipled? Are they themselves growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise the low level of real effective Discipleship continues on.
From my many years of experience a class room situation does not generally produce a quality disciple. Some will struggle through and after years of frustration and regret come to some level of maturity, but can happen so much faster.
One on one (face to face) can produce a growing and developing son in 6-9 months.
Remember we are dealing with babies, and I have mentioned already there are those things that can be covered in a class situation. But spiritual development takes time to become a lifestyle, with someone walking with the new Believer.
DO WE WANT QUALITY DISCIPLES?
THEN LET’S DO IT THE BIBLE WAY!
I am sure many Disciplers simply get overwhelmed by the task, and cannot see an answer. Let me give you an answer.
After the 6-9 month period allocate a couple of new Believers to a developing SON and also commence A TIMOTHY CLASS, with those you have previously discipled, immediately you cry out “more work” if you can fit in a face to face get together occasionally all the better (especially over coffee),but in these days of technology. you can instead send them regular SMS”s or longer WhatsApp messages, and even a video message from time to time.
It would seem to me, that the proof that Biblical Discipleship is taking place, is that like naturally we enter into Puberty, so spiritually we also enter a puberty, where there comes a desire to reproduce, and our responsibility as a Discipler is to nurture that.
I guess the lack of desire to reproduce could be a sign of a lack of Biblical Discipleship!!!
Can you see the important aspect of DELEGATION here?
Dawson Trotman the Founder of the Navigators (one of the great Discipling organisations that God has raised up) wrote an excellent booklet “Born to reproduce”,
THIS IS WHAT FATHERS DO
So is the various goals of Biblical Discipling becoming clearer? We must raise up SONS, who want to reproduce, and you continue to invest in them until they become a reproducing father, and thus the cycle of Discipleship with continue and produce much fruit for the Kingdom of God.
