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Discipling the Laity for Disciple Making (02)
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Paul Jang
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2008-03-24 03:21:41, hit : 3,774 |
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Discipling the Laity for Disciple Making (02)
To succeed in making disciples, first of all the pastor must believe that the philosophy of discipling ministry is to use the laypeople for the most part. The rediscovery of the laity is more significant in the work and management of the church than the clergy (Dobbins 1960, 61).
The starting point of the discipling ministry is to have a vision. Phillip King has insisted that many Old Testament leaders such as Moses (Ex.3:1-12), Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-13), and Jeremiah (Jer. 1:11-19) were fired up for their task through being given a vision (King 1987, 137).
In fact, a ministry is to its vision what a ship is to its key, therefore, the ministry cannot take its direction and its goal unless it has its vision. The pastor must show the vivid vision to his people, and identify his vision with them. According to the vision, the pastor must share his ministry with his laypeople.
The major problem in many chronically small churches; however, is that the pastor just does not trust his laypeople for fear of failing in his ministry (Maner 1982, 65). He actually cannot, therefore, do anything because he hesitates to do those. The pastor must trust his laypeople and their gifts which are given by God through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 27-31; Eph. 4:7).
Discipling ministry is that of laypeople-centered rather than that of pastor-centered. Hollis L. Green has pointed out that most local congregations have a wrong "sheepfold mentality." He wrote as follows:
Most local congregations have developed an "active pastor-passive sheep" structure that complicates the whole work of evangelism. Converts believe they are saved to be served rather than to become servants of the Lord...This prevailing concept of the local church must be transformed. (Green 1972, 186)
To succeed, especially in modern ministry, the pastor may switch the active pastor-passive sheep structure to the pastor and laypeople-co-worker structure.
And then the pastor must motivate and train his people for the purpose of making disciples. When the pastor makes disciples, he will be able to effectually carry on his ministry. The pastoral team, namely lay-leaders made by the pastor must be able to assist the pastor in ministry. They can help him: (1) to bring others (evangelizing), (2) to care for the people (carrying), (3) to encourage the members (motivating), (4) to take part in the activities (mobilizing), (5) to teach and train the laity (making disciples) (the General Synod Board of Education under the chairmanship of the Bishop of Oxford 1985, 56).
To succeed in making disciples the pastor must set its principles and methods on the biblical foundation. The first hint of the Great Commission, "Make disciples" has been shown in the Gen. 1:27-28. This is not only a "Cultural Mandate" but also the "Evangelistic Mandate" (Matt. 28:19-20) because it is no doubt possible to analogize the concept of the Evangelical Mandate" out of that of "Cultural Mandate." (Conn 1976, 1, 2). Direct examples are shown in the cases of Moses-Joshua, Eliah-Eliajah, and so on. In the New Testament it is clearly confirmed by Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus Christ has personally spoken to His disciples. It is his command to "make disciples." The direct examples are shown in the case of Jesus-twelve disciples, Paul-Timothy, and so on.
How then did Jesus make his disciples? First, He chose the candidates for his disciples out of the fishermen (Matt. 4:18-22) or the tax collectors (Matt. 9:9). It is very significant that He chose the foolish, the weak, and the lowly of the world, likewise, so that no one may boast before him (1 Cor. 1:27-29). Of course, none had been missed. Second, He called them, "Follow me" (Matt. 9:9).
Third, He taught them about their life and the kingdom of God living with them. Fourth, He trained them to work for the kingdom of God by walking with them. Lastly, He commanded "Go and make disciples." (Matt. 28:19). His method of disciple making is crystal clear as such (Arnold 1992, 15).
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Introduction
Ch Growth 