MAKE DISCIPLES

As pastors we are where we are because someone discipled us. I was a young Christian, when Dale Fisher—our student pastor—took me and two other men, including my brother-in-law, John Crayton, and discipled us.  This was a formative time. In the fifty years that have followed, I have sought to do likewise. This is at the core of the Great Commission our Lord assigned us. Jared Wilson hits this same note:

It is important for pastors to prioritize those more mature in their faith, under the assumption that newer believers can benefit from discipling relationships with those just a bit further along than them. Ideally, anyone who’s been a Christian for more than a couple of years should be capable of working with a new believer to go through a book on sound doctrine or the spiritual disciplines or discuss parts of Scripture. But more mature believers need one further along than themselves to speak into their lives. Typically, those qualified in church leadership are among the few who fit that bill. In your eagerness to shepherd new believers along their spiritual journey, don’t neglect more established Christians who could benefit from your time. They will likely slip through the cracks. 

At the same time, if you can manage it, discipling a new or immature believer can be an extremely rewarding experience for both of you. In your case, it can be refreshing and encouraging to see the faith with new eyes. The eagerness and wonder of new believers can supply great energy for seasoned pastors and add a special relatability and intuition to their preaching. 

In some cases, you may want to meet with more than one man for discipleship at a time, perhaps in twos or threes, or even in a men’s discipleship group. Aside from preaching, this was my favorite part of pastoral ministry. In my last church, I met one-on-one with two men about once a month. One was a more immature believer, and the other was more mature and a potential elder candidate. My approach with each was different. But I also led a men’s discipleship group twice a month on Monday nights. In that venue, we had about twelve men going through book discussions and having confessional conversations. These were my discipling priorities, and the fruit was in these men’s ability both to love their neighbors well and to disciple other men accordingly.” (Gospel-Driven Ministry, p. 152, Kindle edition)