WHY? Why have a discipleship class, in the first place?
It’s because the main mandate that we have been given is to disciple others (to make disciples).
- Matthew 28:19-20 … Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- make disciples of … NOT three separate words in the Greek, BUT one word (mathēteusate) … from mathéteuó: To make a disciple, to teach, to instruct.
HOW? How are disciples made? Opinions vary … from denomination to denomination … from church to church … but it seems that some sort of multi-level teaching is involved. Note what Paul told Timothy …
- 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
- Note that there are four levels of learning referenced in the passage:
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- Paul had an understanding of things …
- Paul taught Timothy …
- Timothy taught faithful men …
- Those faithful men taught others.
HOW DO THOSE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES COME ABOUT? Some/Most will probably have to be arranged/organized/ planned … but some will occur naturally. Consider what Apostle Peter wrote …
- 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
- The idea seems to be that IF we live “questionable lives” (lives that cause people to ask questions of us) THEN we will have opportunities to give answers that include the Gospel message.
HOW DO MEMBERS OF A CHURCH LEARN TO MAKE DISCIPLES? That’s where pastors come in. Notice what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus …
- Ephesians 4:7, 11-13 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift … 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
- According to v.12, saints are to be equipped for ministry, so that the church can be edified.
- It is for the purpose of equipping the saints that pastors are given to churches.