DSMN 500 Essay the connection between discipleship and leadership assignment
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Essay: The Connection Between Discipleship and Leadership Assignment
By Christie Johnson
September 29, 2023
DSMN 500: Discipleship Ministries (B01)
1
Contents
Contents………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Great Commission Leadership…………………………………………………………………..2
The Similarities Between Developing Disciples and Developing Leaders……………………...3
Compare and Contrast Leadership Chapters in Earley/Dempsey and Putman…………………..4
How a Healthy Church is the Goal For Discipleship…………………………………………….7
10 Kingdom Leadership Principles What Needs More Attention………………………………..9
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………..12
2
Great Commission Leadership
“At the very core of Christian Leadership is the idea that I am here to help you grow and develop. Without character, we will not sacrifice for, or serve, others. Jesus sacrificed for us, and in order to lead like Jesus, we must sacrifice to develop God’s children.”
1
As it shows here, as a Christian leadership we must have Jesus’ character. “The first truth in leadership development is this: God’s assignment are always based on character—the greater the character, the greater the assignment.”
2
God is the one who assigns us into being a Christian leader. As we are called to be his leader of others, we must follow what Jesus did.
Jesus mission is to lead people to His Father, so we are to be just like Him and do the same. “As a Christian leader, I am here to help you grow and become all God has in mind for you to become.”
3
By following Jesus’ character, we will be able to do that. We need to have the motivation to help the members of the church to become mature in their faith and productive member. “The motivation in Christian leadership, however, is that I am here to help you become a healthy (mature) and productive part of the body.”
4
As a Christian leader, we must “encourage, equip, and empower individuals to grow and become what God intends them to be.”
5
We are able to do that because we live our lives for God,
and we show that to others. We must as leaders keep in mind what God’s vision is for us and for Footnotes
1.
Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is... How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and
Confidence,
(Tennessee: B & H Academic, 2013), 194.
2.
Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is,
194.
3.
Ibid., 194.
4.
Ibid., 194-195.
5.
Ibid., 197
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others. Having this in mind it will help in our ministry work for God. “A passion for the gospel and the Great Commission are qualifications for ministry.”
6
To be that best as a Christian leader we need to have that passion.
When having the passion for Jesus and to do His mission, we set out to help individuals to come into who they are to be for Christ. Then, “Our job as Christian leaders is to help individuals grow, develop, and serve the King and His kingdom.”
7 By doing this, we are giving God the glory. The Similarities Between Developing Disciples and Developing Leaders
Being a disciple, you are going out and teaching the gospel and how to obey Jesus. This is similar to what leaders do. Leaders are teaching the gospel and teaching how to obey Jesus. Jesus said to go out and make disciples and teach them to obey me according to Matthew 28:18-
20. Both Christian leaders and disciple making is focused on that passage which is called the Great Commission. Disciple go out and make more disciples, while Christian leaders are more focused on working on the church members. Both developing disciples and developing leaders are very similar. They both are centered around the power of Jesus. “They went not in the authority of their own experience or wisdom but in the authority of and power of Jesus.”
8
So, if we are a disciple of Christ or a leader for Christ, we do what we do in the authority and power of Jesus. Can not do either of these without His authority or power.
Footnotes
6.
Jason K. Allen, and Albert R. Mohler, Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to Know For Sure and What
to Do About it,
(Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2016), 55.
7.
Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is,
203.
8.
Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded,
(Illinois: Crossway, 2022), 31.
4
“However Jesus, not our activity, is what makes us a disciple. Notice that each of these activities is Christ-centered: we go in Jesus’s authority, not our own authority; we baptize into Jesus’s name (and the Father and the Spirt), not our name; we teach Jesus’ commands, not our best practices.”
9
We do everything in Jesus’ authority, if we are His disciple or leader. Another similar thing about disciples and leaders is that they both are people of God who go out to encourage and lead other believers. “Discipling then is a relationship where we intentionally walk alongside a growing disciple or disciples in order to encourage, correct, and challenge them in love to grow towards maturity in Christ.”
10
As Christ’s disciple or leader, we want to help believers to mature in Christ. Both have a strong desire to do this.
Compare and Contrast Leadership Chapters in Earley/Dempsey and Putman
In the book, Discipleshift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples by Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington with Robert E. Coleman, the authors speak about “the role of the leader what’s the role of the leader in the disciple-making process?”
11
While the book, Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence by Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, the authors talks about the different things a spiritual leader is. Putman book is more aligned with what a pastor is to do as a leader in his church. Dempsey book talks more about being a spiritual leader, not necessary a pastor. Putman books explains that the character of a leader is shown in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:
“Both of these passages list several qualities for godly leaders in the church: they are to be above
Footnotes
9.
Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship:, 36.
10.
Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials,
(Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2019), 7.
11.
Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, Discipleshift: Five Steps That Help Your Church
to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples,
(Michigan: Zondervan, 2013)
,
97.
5
reproach, self-controlled, respectable, the husband of one wife, not given to drunkenness and the like.”
12 The authors even go into the concept that as leaders, we need to show that we sometimes struggle, as well. “Leaders need to model for their church what it means to stumble (James 3:2) and yet remain faithful to the path.”
13 As we do this, we show the believers that “we do not “claim to be without sin” and that we do not “deceive ourselves””
14
So, as we do that we show the believers “the forgiveness of and faithful path in the way of Jesus.”
15
Putman books also goes into detail of the four relational environments that we see in Jesus’ model of relational discipleship. The first environment is “intimate discipling relationships( one leader interacting with two or three people)”
16
This is where you have a small group that help you in the church such as “small group leaders, key staff members, or first elders and deacons.”
17
The second environment is “personal discipling relationships (one leader interacting with ten to twelve people)”
18
This is where you may disciple more personally with a little bigger group than the first environment. The third environment is “social discipling relationship (on leader interacting with up to 120 people)”
19
Here, you are interacting with larger group of people and may know their names but not very much on the personal side like you do in
the first two environments. The last environment is “public discipling relationship (one leader
Footnotes
12.
Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, Discipleshift: Five Steps,
103.
13.
Ibid., 105.
14.
Ibid., 105.
15.
Ibid., 105
16.
Ibid., 107.
17.
Ibid., 107.
18.
Ibid., 107-108.’
19.
Ibid., 108
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interacting with larger crowds of people)”
20
At this level, the pastor is going out and speaking in a public gathering by teaching about the commitment to Jesus.
Putman book goes into detail of the four main roles of a disciple-making pastor. The author says that the first role is that a pastor needs to be “an authentic disciple”
21
“When we walk
authentically with God, it gives legitimacy to our teaching and leadership.”
22
The second role is a
discipleship-system builder. “A disciple is a person who follows Jesus, is transformed by Jesus, and joins Jesus on his mission: that’s the job of every believer.”
23
But a pastor is much more than that he has been giving the “task of leading a church in which he is to create a system in which people are taught how to be disciples.”
24
The third role is a developer of leaders. In this role, the pastor is “identify emerging, gifted leaders and help them grow.”
25 The fourth role is a vision caster. Here, the pastor is to “be able to cast the vision that creates the disciple-making culture of the church.”
26
Now, in the Earley book, the author talks about the comprehending spiritual leadership and reproducing missional leaders are. The authors explain that this type of leader needs to have the character of Jesus, so to be able fulfill the Great Commission given to us. It goes into the description of what are the characteristics of this type of leader. This leader is to influence others Footnotes
20.
Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, Discipleshift: Five Steps,
108-109.
21.
Ibid., 119-120.
22.
Ibid., 119-120.
23.
Ibid., 120.
24.
Ibid., 120.
25.
Ibid., 123-124.
26.
Ibid., 126-127.
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by showing their spiritual growth, through our speech, our character, and our gifts and talents.
27
Also, as a leader, we need to be able to see the way or vision. “When we spend time with God in His word and we spend time in His presence, we begin to hear His voice clearly.”
28 Another thing
that a leader needs to do is “the idea of developing and enabling people to become who God created them to be.”
29
Earley book explains the purpose of Christian leadership. “Christian leadership is the process of influencing individuals to follow God’s plan for their lives and become all they can be
for Christ and His mission.”
30
The author also goes into explaining the power of love that a leader needs. “The Christian leader involved in the process of leading people to follow Christ must encourage, empower, and illustrate how-to live-in Christ’s love.”
31
Both of these books go into detail of being a Christian leader. One just puts it in the area of being a pastor and the other is a general concept for anyone being in leadership. They had very
similar ideas of what each type should be like as being a Christian leader.
How a Healthy Church is the Goal for Discipleship
“A healthy church is a representation of the people of God coming together to accomplish
the mission of God for the glory of God.”
32
In the book, Disciple making is, the author goes into Footnotes
27.
Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is,
196.
28.
Ibid., 196.
29.
Ibid., 197.
30.
Ibid., 203.
31.
Ibid., 205-206.
32.
Ibid., 213.
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detail of 20 ways show how to be a healthy church. The first one is “where the gospel is being proclaimed by word and deed.”
33
We are as leaders or disciples need to preach the gospel to all. This needs to be the focus of the church. Another one listed is “where new believers are growing in their ability to surrender and sacrifice for the kingdom.”
34
as it is said in Luke 9:23-24. Yet, another one it says is “where new believers are intentionally nurtured and developed.”
35
To have a healthy church, these things need to be apparent in the church. As a leader of the church, the leaders need to make sure that they are doing what Jesus tells them to do and have Jesus’s as their head.
“The scriptures present the church as a body with Christ as its head. Not only does this imply that the church is alive but also that it derives its life from the Lord Himself.”
36 The church
needs to allow Christ to lead them in presenting the Gospel of Jesus. If a church does not do that then they will not be considered a healthy church. “When a church understands its place of submission to Christ as its Head and leader, attention is shifted away from accomplishing our goals and is focused on Him and His direction, guidance, and plan.”
37 This is the most important thing that a church can do that is to follow Jesus.
One of the things that a church must also do is discipleship within the church. “A commitment to be and make a disciples must be the central act of every disciple and every
Footnotes
33.
Dave Earley, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is,
213.
34.
Ibid., 214.
35.
Ibid., 214
36.
Neil Cole, and Phil Helfer, Church Transfusion: Changing Your Church Organically,
(California: John
Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012), 14.
37.
Neil Cole, and Phil Helfer, Church Transfusion: Changing,
15.
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9
church.”
38
A healthy church will instill this concept into it leaders and members. Disciple making ensures that the gospel is embedded deeply in the lives of mature believers who serve as links to the future. Discipling then is a relationship where we intentionally walk alongside a growing disciple or disciples in order to encourage, correct, and challenge them in love to grow toward maturity in the church.
39
By doing this in the church, then the church will begin to do what Jesus says to do in the Great Commission which is to make disciples and teach them.
10 Kingdom Leadership Principles What Needs More Attention
In the article, 10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles,
under the Kingdom Perspectives section, number 2 says “You are not a leader…you are a follower of a leader. You influence people to follow King Jesus through your example, through your words, through your prayers, through your love, through your enthusiasm.”
40
is one that I need to start doing more often. Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I do my best to follow his commands that He teaches. I need to start displaying Jesus in my life to others by how I act. I do a good job speaking about Jesus to others and trying to help them follow His commands in their lives. But I sometimes don’t seem to always show Jesus working in my life to others. I pray on a daily basis and get into
God’s Word to help me navigate my life in the many trials I face. I continue to work on myself following Jesus, so that I may be able to lead others to become Jesus’ disciple, as well. I have begun to work on being that example for them to come to Jesus.
Under the section of Kingdom Principles, number 4: “To represent King Jesus you must spend time with Him”
41
is another thing I must work on in my life, so that I am able to be an Footnotes
38.
Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials,
21.
39.
Ibid., 7.
40.
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles, 1.
41.
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles, 2.
10
effective disciple of Jesus. I must continue to get into His Word daily and spend as much time as I can in His presence. I know that by doing this I will be effective. To be able to connect others to
Jesus, I must make Him the head of my life. As long as I stay focused on this, I will be able to fulfill the purpose that God has given me. Under the section of Kingdom Practices, number 8: “Connect people to Jesus (UPWARD
—He is the head)”
42 is also the one that I must continue to do. I need to continue to preach the Gospel to all that I can, so to be able to connect them to the one who they should follow in their lives. I must continue to speak the Gospel along with my story, so to continue to connect people to Jesus.
Under the section of Kingdom Practices, number 9: “Connect people to One Another (INWARD—The Body is Formed)”
43 is one that I am currently working on in my life. I believe that God’s purpose for me is to connect people who suffer what I have suffer in my life to each other for support in helping each other come to Jesus and to follow Him. I feel that God has been
preparing me for this, my whole life. I am not fully there, yet but I am getting close to where I will be able to fulfill His command of my life. I know that I will be able to set up groups all around the world with Jesus guiding me.
Under the section Kingdom Practices, number 10: “Connect people to the Mission (OUTWARD—The Body rises up and serves)”
44
is my ultimate goal in my walk with Jesus. I feel that with Jesus as the head of my life and guiding me through this walk I am in; I will be
Footnotes
42.
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles, 2.
43.
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles, 2.
44.
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership principles., 2.
11
able to be effective in the ultimate goal of leading people to Him and them going out and doing the same. There is a population on Earth that is needing Jesus more than ever, that are those who have been abused, depressed, and suicidal. God has been preparing my whole life to be able to come to display His glory and restoring power to those, who are just like me. I truly believe that as long as I continue to follow Jesus and be His follower, I will be able to complete what God has for me to do.
As for the believers in this world, I feel that all 10 of these kingdom leadership/followership principles should be part of their lives. The ones that I have mentioned for myself would benefit any believe out there. If they make Jesus their head of their lives and remember that they are followers of His, then they will be able to fulfill Jesus’ mission. All believers need to make their focus and devote their lives to Jesus. When believer do this, then they begin to have a Christian spiritual formation happening in their lives. “Christian spiritual formation is distinctive from other forms of spiritual formation because it begins and ends with Christ. When a person is “in Christ,” he or she possesses the desire and the capacity to change. God is at work “in you,” and He gives the disciple the will to submit to a pattern of life that leads
to character transformation”
45
As this Christian spiritual formation take place in the believer life, then they will be able to effective do Jesus’ mission. Because they will have Christ in the beginning of their transformation and finishing it with Christ, which brings them to submit their lives to Christ.
Footnotes
45.
Dallas Willard, et.al, The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual
Formation,
(Colorado: NavPress Publishing Group, 2010), 82.
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12
Bibliography
10 Kingdom Leadership/Followership Principles
Allen, Jason K., and Albert R. Mohler, Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to know For Sure
and What to Do About It.,
Chicago, Moody Publishers, 2016.
Cole, Neil, and Phil Helfer, Church Transfusion: Changing Your Church Organically—From the
Inside Out.,
San Fransico: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012.
Dodson, Jonathan K., Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded.,
Wheaton:
Crossway, 2022.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission With
Passion and Confidence.,
Nashville: B & H Academic, 2013.
Ogden, Greg, Discipleship Essentials, Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2019.
Putman, Jim, and Bobby Harrington with Robert E. Coleman, Discipleshift: Five Steps That
Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples,
Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2013.
Willard, Dallas, et.al., The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual
Formation,
Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group, 2010.