This is a common question that pastors and church leaders ask, whether looking for a new model or evaluating a current one. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to making disciples. As you seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, with agape’ love toward the people in your zip code, this tool has been created for you to evaluate your discipleship model in your context.
Define: What does discipleship mean within your church? It seems obvious, but only when you are all in agreement can you be unified around your mission to be The Church and disciple your church members to be who Jesus has called them to be, and do what Jesus has called them to do. One suggestion is to combine the two most important statements that Jesus taught.
Discipleship is
“living out the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandment.”
5 PROMPTS TO GUIDE THE EVALUATION OF YOUR DISCIPLESHIP MODEL
INTENTIONAL
Everything that is said, sung, and done in the life of the church, from Sunday-Saturday is on purpose and centered around the mission and context of the church. Answer the question “Why do we do this?
- Describe the context of our church.
- What is the mission of our church?
- How is our church strong with being intentional?
- How can our church become more intentional?
HOLISTIC
Being a disciple of Jesus affects every area of a person’s life: head, heart and hands. It includes and also goes beyond a curriculum and program, inside and outside the walls of the church building.
- How is our church strong with being holistic?
- How can our church become stronger with being holistic?
MULTIPLYING
Reproducing believers, leaders and churches.
- How is our church reproducing believers, leaders and churches?
- How can we strengthen our church in this area?
RELATIONAL
Values all three relationships in the Greatest Commandment, with God, others and
ourselves.
- How is our church strong with being relational?
- How can our church become stronger with being relational?
LIFELONG
A person is never too young and never too old to be discipled. Start early, teaching children to be disciples-makers now and for the rest of their lives.
- How is our church strong in this area?
- How can we strengthen our church in this area?
Celebrating every time a disciple makes a disciple and a church multiplies itself until The Wesleyan Church has a transforming presence in every zip code.
Dr. Anita Eastlack is executive director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church.
