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MANI 2021 CONTINENTALCONSULTATION ONTRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLESHIPPRINCIPLES, PROCESS AND PRACTICEBYADEOLU ADEDAPONOVEMBER 4 202111/5/20211
What could be theroot cause ofSpiritual Declinein theglobal church?
Observations on 20th C. Church Pursuit of theGreat Commission1. There was great emphasis on missions andevangelism.2. There was great emphasis on church growthand church planting, research, etc.3. The Christian church was the mostprosperous of all world religions in that C.4. But the challenge of spiritual declineemerged because the Great Commission wasnot pursued holistically.
The Lord’s Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20)And Jesus came and spoke tothem, saying, “All authorityhas been given to Me inheaven and on earth. Gotherefore and make disciplesof all the nations, baptizingthem in the name of theFather and of the Son and ofthe Holy Spirit, teaching themto observe all things that Ihave commanded you; and loI am with you always, even tothe end of the age.”
What Jesus meant by the Great Commission1. A promise of His “Power” (v18)2. A promise of His abiding ‘Presence’(v20)3. A defined “Purpose” as church responsibility orgoal- “MAKE DISCIPLES of all the NATIONS” (v19)4. Three commands for realizing the goal, which are:- Go (v19)- Baptizing them (v19)- Teaching them (v20)
WRONG ASSUMPTION ON TEACHINGA general assumption has been that ‘teaching’ is a very familiarand common activity in every local church. Yes, but we shouldinvestigate what really goes on as ‘teaching’ in churches.Winsouls Missions&Evangelism Bring them intobelievers’’ fellowshipSPIRITUALDECLINETeachingChurch growth& Church plantingTeachingImpact changePreachingImpart Knowledge
Interpreting - “Teaching them ”Today, the 21st C. church must give an accurate interpretation tothe third action step in the Great Commission, just as the 20th C.church did for the first and second action steps.Missions &EvangelismChurching thebelievers- “to observe all thingsI have commanded you;”Teaching them- the same way He taught them to:a) become His disciples (Jn 8:31)b) be transformed (Mk 1:17)Transformational Discipleship
Discipleship is necessary To grow spiritually does not not happen bychance The potential to become a ‘son’ of God, orconform to the lifestyle of our Lord Jesus Christ,comes into us right at the point we truly becomeborn again. But it remains dormant in a believer until he/shebegins to put it into practical manifestation. The process of growing to become like Jesus isdiscipleship.11/5/20218
Before His ascension, our Lord commanded thatthe Church should make disciples for Him. A disciple is a believer in Christ who has asteadfast desire to know Him and to grow into Hislifestyle, as much as possible (Acts 2: 42; Phil 3:10). Discipleship is thus a systematic process of beingtaught, and learning and practicing what weshould become in Christ Jesus. It is the means by which we should intentionallygrow to become genuine disciples of Christ. But then we should know the purpose, principles,the process and the practice or even the product.11/5/20219
Basic Facts about Apostolic DiscipleshipThere are four important things which characterizedthe early apostles’ discipleship efforts.These are:a) acting with a clear purpose,b) being guided by reasonable principlesc) adopting a feasible procedure, andd) having a clear idea of what the product shouldbe.11/5/202110
PURPOSEThe following are some of the statements which confirmthat the apostles had some convergent goal, reason or objectivefor their discipleship efforts. to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”(Col 1:28) to help believers attain “the mark for the prize of the highcalling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14) to conform believers “to the image of His Son” (Rom 8:29) to help believers to purify themselves “even as He is pure”(1 Jn 3:3) to prepare believers who are fit for the ‘rapture’(1 Thess 4:16-17) etc.11/5/202111
Principles that Guided theApostles’ Discipleship PracticesThe apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ conducted discipleship inways that transformed the believers’ lives to Christ-likeness.Five fundamental principles that are easily identified, whichguided their procedure and practices are:1.2.3.4.5.Principle of the New BirthPrinciple of Biblical ContentPrinciple of HolismPrinciple of Spiritual MaturityPrinciple of Timing11/5/202112
Principle # 1NEW BIRTHOnly the genuinely born again can be discipled.Statement:A person can only be discipled after he/she hasbecome genuinely born again through a living faith inChrist Jesus as His personal Lord and Saviour (Acts 2:41f)Note:Not all members of a church are born again, and notall who claim to, may truly be so.11/5/202113
Principle # 2BIBLICAL CONTENTThe Holy Scriptures is the only legitimate source forany transformational or apostolic styled discipleship.Statement:There is no legitimate source of content fortransformational discipleship, other than the writtenword of God – the Bible (Jn 17:17; 1 Pet 2:2).Note:Selecting and teaching from extra-biblical content mayentertain but will never transform lives. Only theword of God has the attribute of ‘spirit and life.’11/5/202114
Principle # 3HOLISMOnly by teaching the “whole counsel of God” can believers“grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.”Statement:It takes nothing less than teaching the whole counselof God to produce disciples who are fully grown upinto Christ in all things (Mt 28:20; Eph 4:15; Acts 20:27).Note:No church or ministry that holds a strong doctrinalbias, can produce genuine disciples of Christ. Thebest they do will still be limited by the much theyexcluded.11/5/202115
Principle # 4SPIRITUAL MATURITYThe ultimate and incontrovertible goal of any genuine discipleshipeffort is to bring believers to spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus.Statement:The unique and exclusive goal of any genuinediscipleship is to grow believers to spiritual maturityin Christ Jesus (Col 1:28; Eph 4:13-16).Note:Physical age, position in society, activeness in thechurch, oratorical ability, and such like, are notnecessarily evidences of maturity in Christ. OnlyChrist-like character is.11/5/202116
Principle # 5TIMINGThere is a time frame within which a discipleship package is expected toachieve its defined goal.Statement:There is always a time frame within which adiscipleship programme is supposed to produce theexpected result of spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus,in those exposed to it (Act 11:26; 20:31).Note:An indefinite programme can never produce apredictable outcome. Goals are only meaningful tothe extent they are defined by time.11/5/202117
DISCIPLESHIP -PROCESS(Definition)Discipleship is not just an event. It is the process offacilitating the believer’s continuous andincremental development of the characteristics orlifestyle of our Lord Jesus Christ (spiritual growth).New Birth11/5/2021DiscipleshipIt is member-focused and member-benefit oriented18
Transformational Discipleship is Life-longEffective Discipleship begins from the point a person becomestruly born again. It is a life-long experience (Acts 21:16Mnason). No person graduates from being a genuine disciple(Phil 3:10). It continues till we ultimately meet our Lord JesusChrist in heaven.New Birth11/5/2021Ultimate Maturity19
Conceptualizing Spiritual GrowthNew BirthSpiritual growth is a progression of manifestingincreasing measures of Christ-likeness11/5/202120
Significant Points in Spiritual TransformationSince believers are transformed “from glory to glory”(2 Cor 3:18), it will be helpful to visualize scripturallyconsistent points which indicate the attainment of somesignificant levels of this ‘glory.’ Consider the following:NBALCULT.MAT.FAMPhil 3:10-14New BirthJn 1:122 Cor 5:1711/5/2021Acknowledgeablelevel ofChrist-likenessMt 5:16Acts 11:26‘Full-age’Maturity1 Jn 3:2Acts 11:24Heb 5:1421
Three Critical Stages inTransformational DiscipleshipFrom the foregoing, we can deduce three primary andsequenced stages in an apostolic styled transformationaldiscipleship process.NBStage 1IDENTITYALCStage 2COMPETENCEFAMStage 3RELEASE(Virtual or Actual)11/5/2021(Mt 11:29)(Jn 14:12)(Mk 16:15)22
Growth Goals / Requirements for the StagesTransformational discipleship is a responsibility which a localchurch must take up in a systematic way (i.e. ordered stages),so as to achieve some predictable results.GrowingNBStage 1ALCStage 2FAMStage 3IdentityCompetenceReleaseGrowChrist-like CharacterGrowDemonstrable SkillsGrow11/5/2021For IndependentPursuit Of HigherSpiritual Goals23
Being Deliberate About Discipleship-PRACTICEChurch leaders should accord importance to what theMaster regarded as very important, which are, Being, and,Sending or Doing (Mark 3: 14).Our first responsibility is to ‘make’ believers to ‘BE’ orbecome like Christ in lifestyle / character, as much aspossible.The second responsibility is to equip them so that they cango anywhere as Christ’s witnesses i.e. as kingdom changeagents or impact makers.To achieve these goals, we must be very deliberate aboutwhat we plan, and how we execute it.11/5/202124
Intentionality of Stages(Possesses capacity to)Receive deeper expositionsPursue higher aspirationsStage 3SEND-ingDevelop SkillsStage 2Manifest op CharacterStage 1Manifest IDENTITY11/5/202125 48
Analyzing Components of Stage OneNBNew BirthJn 1:122 Cor 5:1711/5/2021ALCAcknowledgeableof Christ-likenesslevelMt 5:16Acts 11:2626
Why Focus on Stage One?1.2.3.4.We shall focus attention on Stage 1 of our discipleshipprocess for the following reasons.It seems to be the most neglected stage ofdiscipleship (Mt 7:22-23).It is crucial for a stable and sustainable growthof subsequent stages (Luke 6:47-49).Our Lord Jesus started with developing a godlylifestyle in His disciples (Mt 5 - 7).So must we.11/5/202127
Comparing Natural and Spiritual GrowthNatural GrowthSpiritual NeedChallenge1Has a child been born?Need to ascertain genuineness of‘born again’ claim.How can one be bornagain?2What do we start feeding thenew child with?Need to feed a convert with spiritualmilk, as a new born baby.What is the first spiritualfood for the newly bornagain?3What are the agents / causes ofdeath or disability in oursociety which we must protectthe new child from?Need to ‘immunize’ a convertagainst any spiritual hazards likelyto threaten his healthy growth tospiritual maturity.What characteristics in oursociety and culture areharmful to the spiritualstability of the believer?4What specific foods should achild be given to enable hiscontinuous healthy growth?Need to feed a convert withappropriate ‘solid food’ (spiritual)to enable his growth toward a stableand healthy manhood.What do we teach thebeliever to enhance hisspiritual growth?5How do we know that a childhas grown to become a man?Need to ascertain when a convertWhat are thebegins to consistently manifestcharacteristics of spiritualfeatures of an acknowledgeable level maturity?of Christ-likeness.11/5/202128
Deriving Components (Courses) of Stage 1NB1.2.3.4.5.6.Stage 1ALCNew Birth (Sin to Assurance of salvation)Spiritual Milk(Heb 6:1-2)Peculiarities(Tit 1:12-13)First Steps in Spiritual Growth (Acts 2:42-47)Growing in Love (Agape)(2 Pet 1:5-7)Features of Spiritual Maturity (Eph 4:13-16)11/5/202129
Developing Content for Stage 1 TransformationalDiscipleshipIn practice, attention is always focused on Stage 1 of thediscipleship process for the following reasons:1. It is the most neglected stage of discipleship(Mt 7:22-23)2. It is crucial for stable and sustainable growth ofsubsequent stages (Luke 6: 47-49).3. Our Lord Jesus started with developing a godlylifestyle in His disciples (Mt 5 - 7).4. So must we.11/5/202130
Transformational discipleship is a responsibility which a local church must take up in a systematic way (i.e. ordered stages), so as to achieve some predictable results. Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Identity Grow Christ-like Character Compete
