Podcast Episode #465
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Discipleship is something churches say they do, but also something they don’t always really understand. Today we explain why.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Too many church leaders either don’t under stand discipleship or don’t understand how to make it effective in the local church.
- How we do discipleship is often more confusing that what we do for discipleship.
- Discipleship is an ongoing process, not something that is finished when we complete a study.
- Church membership does not equal discipleship, but church attendance sure does affect it.
- Just because you are going to church, doesn’t mean you are growing at church.
The seven reasons that we discuss today are:
- Lack of clear definition of discipleship
- Failure to see discipleship as a process
- Amount of time invested in the worship services
- The wide-open back door
- Failure to connect groups to discipleship
- Creating the false dichotomy of evangelism and discipleship
- Failure to emphasize daily Bible reading
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Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Becoming a Welcoming Church.
Hi Dr. Rainer. This was great. Dr. Warren Haynes from Gateway Seminary wrote a book titled DISCIPLESHIP UNCOMPLICATED. He speaks of 8 principles of disciple making that I find very helpful, especially Chapter 7, “Gather People”. I would recommend this book to every pastor as a tool.
Q. Which is more true: “Christians grow in their likeness to Christ” or “Christians are grown in their likeness to Christ”?
Individual believers can aim to grow spiritually–and intellectually and emotionally–as Christians via our practice of the disciplines of the Christian faith alone and/or corporately with others; and, one aspect of the Holy Spirit’s working is to produce in Christians the character qualities of Christ so that those qualities are demonstrated through our living. Disciple-making (discipleship) is eclectic in that sense–both/and, not either/or. In any case, the existence of local churches hardly can be sustained over time unless their members are integrated intellectually and practically to what it means to be a Christian on mission with God in the world–and so a pulpit-oriented, a program-oriented, a process-oriented, and a person-oriented approach is required (eclectic; not either/or). Cf. citizens of the US and our citizenship: many are born in America each year, but what percentage actually becomes patriotic, contributing members of US society the others of us do not have to fear?–Without some intentional effort at that (proper home life, civics lessons in school, etc.), it appears not to happen as often as is needed.
Where is the link for the assimilation webinar in October? Thanks.
Thomas Rainer you said you want to know what pain people in the church are experiencing. Please let me share a situation I am going through in the church.