There is a difference between making disciples and leadership development. We both need them to have a healthy church.

In Victory, we follow the 4E’s of Discipleship. Engage culture and community, establish them in biblical foundation, equip them to minister and empower them to make disciples.

I think every Christian should be making disciples. It is the great commission. Discipleship is not a program. It should be a lifestyle for every Christian.  Every local church must have an expression of discipleship. How are we going to reach out to our city?

With our church, we would always say all roads lead to discipleship. We cannot have programs that would not connect people to discipleship. It has helped us make disciples on a consistent basis because it is front and center of what we do as a church.

A biblical-based discipleship produces a healthy church. With healthy church comes growth. And with growth comes adjustments and birth pains. In Acts 6, we saw this problem arise in the early church

Acts 6:1-4 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Discipleship and leadership development is a one-two punch for healthy growing churches.

How about you? Share some ideas that your church is doing to make disciples and develop leaders. I would be glad to hear what you guys are doing!

Inspired by the book of Pastor Steve Murrell, Multiplication Challenge. Must read for church leaders.