A PROPOSAL ON DISCIPLESHIP AND ITS IMPACT ON CHURCH GROWTH

ABSTRACT

This study will be on discipleship and its impact on church growth. Four objectives will be raised which included; To examine the importance of discipleship programme in the growing of churches, to identify the roles of church members and leaders in discipleship ministry and growth of the church, to seeing our church growing in quality as it was in the time of our Lord Jesus Christ and to recommend to the church the biblical principles of discipleship as demonstrated by biblical leaders of various era. The method of data analysis that will be used by the researcher is score and grand mean was used to answer the research questions

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The call to discipleship involves Jesus’ unique invitation to become like Him (Luke 6:40) and to be a full participant in His mission. “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” links discipleship with carrying the good news to all (Mark 1:15,17; Luke 5:10), while the occasions on which Jesus sent the twelve or the seventy out in two’s (Mark 6:7-13; Luke 10:1-20) show that He expects disciples to be fully involved in service to others.

Discipleship is both personal and public. It is comprised of our private daily walk of prayer, fasting, worship, and studying God’s Word. These are all things that people don’t see us doing. Then there is the public part of witness, ministry, and serving. These are things that are visible. Some have called this our “journey inward” and our “journey outward.” Discipleship is both.

Discipleship in the church is a very important task of the church. It is the heartbeat of God and a basic necessity for a successful Christian life. The scripture revealed that Jesus called the twelve disciples from the beginning of His ministry. He taught them within a period of three and a half years. After the training and before the ascension to heaven, He commanded them to go and make more disciples from all over the world. Before then, He had already told them as follows: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, of the son, and of the Holy Ghost and teach them to obey everything I have command you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew28:18-20).

The great commission is all about making disciple. The command of God is not only to raise or make coverts of all nations.  This is crucial indeed, most especially for believers who are the disciple today and the disciples of the youth. It is sad today that many churches are filled with overgrown the youth; this is why the church in this generation has not been able to make real impact on the society. No doubt, there are many church auditoriums where people congregate every with high frenzy and excitement but the number of disciple are infinitesimal…..[1]  A successful life is a fulfilled life; a fulfilled life is a life that pleases the Lord. The one who will please the Lord is one who has conformed to the image of the son of God (Romans8:29).

The effect shows the important of discipleship in the life of a Christians “Most churches grow by transfer”. The system of today is the rotation of the saints. To carry on with the work of His father, Christ had to commission his disciples, all believers inclusive. The numbers of real converts to Christ had to commission his disciples, all believers inclusive. The number of real converts to Christ by some “great churches is meager”, instead churches with strong preaching and music programmes attracts large numbers[2] . Therefore people think that the church is great and the workers do the job. In reality, the church with the restaurants and theatres becomes the mega one because they entertain[3] .

The relationship between the clergy and laity has become professional to that of performers and parishioners and audience, the better the show, the larger the crowd. All these show that outstanding performance attracts people. It means little more than that in no way does it faithfully reflect the priorities of Christ for His church[4] . The lord said, ‘I go to conquer other worlds for my Father, so do a good job’[5]

The crucial questions arises again, “who is a disciple”? A disciple is one who follows Jesus Christ. Being Christians do not make one a disciple, even though members of His Kingdom.

Following Christ means acknowledging Him as Lord; it also means serving Him as a slave, just as unbelievers serve Satan. It also means loving and praising the father. Perhaps, the biggest problem in the church today is lack of grounded Christian journey, only a few get plugged in all the way enough to where they mature in the faith.

Incidentally, many Christians are easily beguiled with words and in turn they indulge in philosophy being established in faith and the act of making disciple is a process of building up preparing and equipping the body of Christ. To advance His kingdom should be the primary focus of every believer who is a disciple indeed and wants to be a discipler. The twenty-first century church need to live up to expectation, the new converts must be followed-up and taken through the Bible investigation class (B.I.C) as well as regular attendance of church service and mid-week activities to be grounded in faith.

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