Dear Kingfisher family,
Is there only one way of making disciples?
The question came during a discussion after a workshop session focused on using the gospel of Matthew as a discipling manual, a tool that implies that it is possible to learn from Jesus himself how to make disciples. The answer lies in the last phrase. Jesus is the key. Through his spirit, He is the actual disciple-maker, even now.
What the person asking the question meant was, “Should we make disciples the way you and your wife do it? “. The answer is not so easy. Everybody needs a role model, a mentor, someone of flesh and blood to follow as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. But what is Paul only had a limited set of gifts and abilities? What if my makeup is different from that of my mentor, my Paul? How will I then learn how to make disciples the Jesus way, but tuned to my set of gifts, abilities, and my personality?
The answer comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter four. We often refer to this passage as highlighting the so-called five-fold ministry of apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd and teacher. It is important to realize that this passage is not a leadership text, describing different leadership roles within the church. It is rather a body text, describing the different ways in which Christ uses the members of the body to minister effectively through the whole body, the church.
Paul teaches in Ephesians four that each member of the body has been given as a gift to the church so that as Christ ministers to the whole body through the combined and interdependent ministry of every member, the whole body will grow to spiritual maturity according to the example Christ himself. The outcome is Christ ministering to the whole world through us, Him being the primary disciple-maker.
So, the answer to the question at the beginning is simple: There is only one way of making disciples – Christ’s way! The application, however, is much more difficult. I have a limited set of gifts and ability. I, personally, have been given to the body as a gift, just like everybody else. I have an apostolic calling that plays itself out in teaching others how to make disciples. I can only be an example to those with more or less the same makeup as myself. For Christ to minister in fullness to the whole of the body, the others who has been given as gifts and who are different from me is of vital importance. Someone who functions very strongly as evangelist, or shepherd or prophet will disciple, mentor and guide in a different way from me and will be able to effectively disciple people in ways that I will not be able to do.
So, in real life ministry it means:
- Christ in us means that to some extent any believer should be able to disciple anybody else through the first foundational stage of discipling.
- As it becomes clear how the Lord wants to use a disciple’s abilities, life experience and personality in ministering to the body, he should be mentored and guided by someone who has experience in that form of ministry and can be a living example. There comes a time when shepherds should disciple shepherds, teachers, should disciple teachers, evangelists should disciple evangelists, and the same for prophets and apostles.
- If all of us function in this way in harmony within the one body of Christ, the whole body will grow to spiritual maturity with an effective ministry like that of Christ. He as sent one (apostle), prophet, evangelist, shepherd and teacher, will be the disciple maker through us collectively.
The implication is that no disciple group or church will be able to function effectively if just one or two of the modes of ministry dominates everything.
So, there is only one way of making disciples – the Jesus way! But in order to have the fully developed example, all of us need to be involved so that all can be discipled and developed towards maturity like Christ.
Regards!
Pieter Steyn