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11 questions to grow disciple-making churches

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MinistryLift’s Strategic Pathway for Discipleship

transit-line1 Prayer permeates disciple-making churches. How can
we grow a culture of prayer – in which God works deeply in
peoples’ lives?

2 Communities where people lovingly practise life-on-life discipleship are great incubators. How can we develop this kind of intimacy?

3 Discipleship flourishes in a growth-oriented environment. How do we gear our church culture toward helping people take next steps? 

4 Programs provide a context in which discipleship can occur, but a personalized approach is a requirement. How do we come alongside and help individuals on their walk?

5 A goal of making disciples is making more disciples – a missional mindset that requires passion, time and energy. Are we motivated to see Christ transform lives?

6 We need strong biblical teaching that exposes people to the whole counsel of God and motivates them to greater obedience. Do our sermons help people know and follow Jesus?

7 Timely and relevant training equips people to be disciples of Jesus. How do you help people grow in their relationship with God, develop godly character, understand and live out their calling, invest in the lives of others and hone skills to serve God more effectively?

8 Robust small groups are effective in making disciples. Do your small groups focus on praying, reaching out to those who don’t know Jesus, caring for people and empowering members to serve?

9 Accountability is the voluntary surrender of your life to regular and frequent scrutiny and encouragement for the purpose of ongoing life transformation, says Dave Currie (Doing Family Right). How do you employ this vital ingredient in your church?

10 In a coaching/mentoring culture, people make disciples as they engage in structured and spontaneous opportunities. Do you recognize the disciple-making possibilities in every conversation?

11 Spiritual disciplines, like prayer and meditating on Scripture, help us surrender every part of our lives to God. How do we grow in our capacity to become spiritually disciplined, vibrant disciples of Jesus who actively make disciples of others?

What are some of the other markers of discipleship you have applied in your church?

This content first appeared on the MinistryLift blog as “Developing a Strategic Pathway for Discipleship in Your Church” (ministrylift.ca/pathway-for-discipleship-in-your-churchMinistryLift). Ministry Lift (www.MinistryLift.ca) is the non-formal training arm of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. MinistryLift can help you design a discipleship pathway or provide training in other areas.

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Other MinistryLift resources

Seven Dimensions of Leadership Development (www.ministrylift.ca/seven_dimensions_of_christian_leadership)

Strategies for Growing Your Small Group (www.ministrylift.ca/Strategies_for_Growing_Your_Small_Group)

 

Further Reading

Small Groups Big Impact: Connecting People to God and One Another in Thriving Groups, Jim Egli and Dwight Marable

Doing Family Right (www.doingfamilyright.com), Dave Currie

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