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Discipleship Training:
A Network of Discipleship Efforts may be Most Effective:
As stated in the overview, shepherding may best be accomplished through a network of shepherds rather than by one individual. So it is within some of the specific venues, like discipleship.
The ideal may be to pair up each individual with someone who may disciple them but the reality is that a variety of discipleship options would provide a broader base of understanding and growth. Further, many people will be resistant to adding one more program to attend to their already busy schedules. Discipling others one-on-one can be very time intensive.
Discipleship can happen at a variety of levels in a number of ways:
Large Group Setting (over 35 people): sermons, conferences
Pros: Meeting with the corporate body helps develop a global perspective, giving the sense that the individual is part of a whole.
Cons: If this is the person's only source of discipleship, he/she will probably be spiritually anemic. Often teaching in the large group setting does not zero in on the specific needs of each person. Unless breaking into smaller groups, little to no opportunity exists in this setting for clarification, questions, and feedback for every individual.
Mid-Size Group Setting (13-35 people): Sunday School classes, age level meetings, women's and men's ministries
Pros: In a mid-size group you are able to target specific groups of people and thereby get closer to meeting needs.
Cons: Although opportunity for some clarification, questions, and feedback is greater than in a large group, maximum participation of every individual is still not usually possible unless you break them into small groups.
Small Group Setting (3-12 people): Sunday School classes, support groups, community or home fellowship groups
Pros: Opportunity exists for clarification, questions, and feedback, allowing for maximum participation of every individual.
Cons: If the small group leader does not have the gift of pastor or is not adequately trained, he/she could lead the group in such a way that discipleship is little more than teaching or fulfilling an agenda. Mutual accountability and body life connections take small groups to greater effectiveness in discipleship. Not all small groups will achieve this dynamic without intentional facilitation toward this end from a leader.
One-on-One Setting: discipleship partner, mentor
Pros: A great degree of personalization to the individual and his/her needs can be sought in this setting. A good relationship between the discipler and the disciple, along with teaching, tends to yield great results.
Cons: Working with someone one-on-one can be very time intensive and requires a high level of commitment to follow through. The disciple receives only one vantage point, that of the discipler's gifting and walk with God. A greater potential for abuse may exist in this setting (i.e., co-dependency, control).
Individual Setting: personal time in the Word and in prayer and other spiritual disciplines, reading of helpful books
Pros: Abiding in Christ is a personal choice and must happen on a daily basis for a person to experience optimal growth. No other setting can take the place of and allow for the intimacy of relationship with the Lord and potential for consistently being nurtured.
Cons: Many people lack the motivation and discipline to maintain a personal discipleship effort until they are discipled in one of the other settings wherein they are encouraged in this way. If this is a person's only means of discipleship, he/she may become imbalanced. God designed us to learn from one another as well.
Involvement in these various settings will maximize discipleship.
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Potentially as you go down this list of settings the discipleship will become:
- more intense or deeper (less superficial)
- more personalized in meeting people where they are
- more hands-on and learner involved thus yielding greater understanding
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Large Group
Mid-Size Group
Small Group
One-on-One
Individual
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Potentially as you go up this list of settings the discipleship will become:
- more outward looking rather than making it "about me"
- more reaching in terms of span of influence (more people reached in less time)
- more diversified in input
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