Gathered to Go— A Theology of Multiplication pt. 2
Corporate Training for Inreach
How, then, are Christians with varying gifts, maturity levels, and skills to fulfill their missionary role? Herein lies the elders’ responsibility to disciple and teach God’s Word to believers. Therefore, the pulpit is just as important as taking the gospel to the world. It is the pastor’s role to equip the saints and edify the body of Christ (Eph 4:12).1 The offices given by the Spirit to the church for “building up the body of Christ” are pivotal in bringing the membership into maturity through preaching and teaching sound doctrine. Accordingly, the membership’s corresponding participation flows from, not apart from, the Spirit-gifted ministry of the Word. So, the significance of the routine acts of preaching and teaching by the spirit-gifted pastor becomes apparent as members receive the Word and subsequently share it by living out of their faith.
To disciple, in its most basic sense, is “doing deliberate spiritual good to help (other believers) follow Christ.”2 Every Christian is a disciple of Christ responsible for discipling others. Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica frames discipleship in parental terms: “like a nursing mother taking care of her own,” Paul and company “were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thes 2:7–8) and “like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God” (1 Thes 2:11–12). The Christians in Thessalonica “became imitators” by “receiving the word” with “joy of the Holy Spirit” and “became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1 Thes 1:6–7). As a result, the word of the Lord “sounded forth,” and their “faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything” (1 Thes 1:8). So, then, the believers received the gospel and, in turn, shared what they received.3
Because discipleship is a significant component of Christian ministry and life, a church should focus on training its members to fulfill the duty incumbent upon them. An atmosphere of discipleship begins with the pulpit ministry as the preacher teaches the members a clear and concise gospel so they can convey to others the essentials for salvation,4 while including exhortations for intentional relational ministry within his sermons.5 Therefore, “every member ministry” does not diminish the preacher’s role; it enhances it. Accordingly, the preacher is a trainer of trainers who sets the pace for the work of ministry within the church through expositional leadership.
Interpersonal Connecting
The heart of purposeful discipleship is deliberate, organic relationships where one member builds up other members for the sake of maturity. However, a discipling environment requires intentional effort and ongoing adjustments to achieve the goal of members discipling other members. The elders must model such intentionality as they nurture relationships among other leaders and the congregation. When the leadership disciples its members, the benefits cascade throughout the congregation as the network of properly conditioned and mature membership expands, each trained member training others with what they received. Discipleship becomes the defining characteristic of the congregation.
Discipleship works best in the church environment. Far from reducing the church’s influence, a discipleship atmosphere fortifies the necessity for corporate worship and other small-group ministries. The corporate church structure provides the framework for all discipleship, as its accountability systems and weekly gatherings instill the discipline and training necessary for modeling the Christian life. Corporate gatherings and small-group settings provide opportunities to perceive the interwoven nature of Christian lives, for the spiritually mature to connect with the less mature, and for Christ’s disciples to engage with fellow disciples. Since intentional discipleship is “disciples of Jesus helping others to become better disciples of Jesus,”6 the local church is central to providing the resources and opportunities for the disciples’ discipling work.7
Next week, we will consider the second part of the multiplication ministry plan: outreach.
How, then, are Christians with varying gifts, maturity levels, and skills to fulfill their missionary role? Herein lies the elders’ responsibility to disciple and teach God’s Word to believers. Therefore, the pulpit is just as important as taking the gospel to the world. It is the pastor’s role to equip the saints and edify the body of Christ (Eph 4:12).1 The offices given by the Spirit to the church for “building up the body of Christ” are pivotal in bringing the membership into maturity through preaching and teaching sound doctrine. Accordingly, the membership’s corresponding participation flows from, not apart from, the Spirit-gifted ministry of the Word. So, the significance of the routine acts of preaching and teaching by the spirit-gifted pastor becomes apparent as members receive the Word and subsequently share it by living out of their faith.
To disciple, in its most basic sense, is “doing deliberate spiritual good to help (other believers) follow Christ.”2 Every Christian is a disciple of Christ responsible for discipling others. Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica frames discipleship in parental terms: “like a nursing mother taking care of her own,” Paul and company “were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thes 2:7–8) and “like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God” (1 Thes 2:11–12). The Christians in Thessalonica “became imitators” by “receiving the word” with “joy of the Holy Spirit” and “became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1 Thes 1:6–7). As a result, the word of the Lord “sounded forth,” and their “faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything” (1 Thes 1:8). So, then, the believers received the gospel and, in turn, shared what they received.3
Because discipleship is a significant component of Christian ministry and life, a church should focus on training its members to fulfill the duty incumbent upon them. An atmosphere of discipleship begins with the pulpit ministry as the preacher teaches the members a clear and concise gospel so they can convey to others the essentials for salvation,4 while including exhortations for intentional relational ministry within his sermons.5 Therefore, “every member ministry” does not diminish the preacher’s role; it enhances it. Accordingly, the preacher is a trainer of trainers who sets the pace for the work of ministry within the church through expositional leadership.
Interpersonal Connecting
The heart of purposeful discipleship is deliberate, organic relationships where one member builds up other members for the sake of maturity. However, a discipling environment requires intentional effort and ongoing adjustments to achieve the goal of members discipling other members. The elders must model such intentionality as they nurture relationships among other leaders and the congregation. When the leadership disciples its members, the benefits cascade throughout the congregation as the network of properly conditioned and mature membership expands, each trained member training others with what they received. Discipleship becomes the defining characteristic of the congregation.
Discipleship works best in the church environment. Far from reducing the church’s influence, a discipleship atmosphere fortifies the necessity for corporate worship and other small-group ministries. The corporate church structure provides the framework for all discipleship, as its accountability systems and weekly gatherings instill the discipline and training necessary for modeling the Christian life. Corporate gatherings and small-group settings provide opportunities to perceive the interwoven nature of Christian lives, for the spiritually mature to connect with the less mature, and for Christ’s disciples to engage with fellow disciples. Since intentional discipleship is “disciples of Jesus helping others to become better disciples of Jesus,”6 the local church is central to providing the resources and opportunities for the disciples’ discipling work.7
Next week, we will consider the second part of the multiplication ministry plan: outreach.
1 The sense of the word “equipping” is that of complete furnishing, a preparation or training that fully qualifies. James Swanson, “καταρτισμός,” Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
2 Mark Dever, Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2016), 17.
3 Richard Coekin, Gospel DNA: 21 Ministry Values for Growing Churches (Epsom: The Good Book Company, 2017), 32.
4 Jeffrey D. Johnson, The Church: Her Nature, Authority, Purpose, and Worship (New Albany, Mississippi: Media Gratiae, 2020), 99.
5 Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop, The Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes a Church Attractive, 9Marks Books (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 90.
6 Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 111.
7 Dever, Discipling, 57.
2 Mark Dever, Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2016), 17.
3 Richard Coekin, Gospel DNA: 21 Ministry Values for Growing Churches (Epsom: The Good Book Company, 2017), 32.
4 Jeffrey D. Johnson, The Church: Her Nature, Authority, Purpose, and Worship (New Albany, Mississippi: Media Gratiae, 2020), 99.
5 Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop, The Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes a Church Attractive, 9Marks Books (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 90.
6 Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 111.
7 Dever, Discipling, 57.
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