Cultivating Spiritual Growth through Personal Discipleship
In a world where superficial relationships are rampant, Ajith Fernando, author of “Discipling in a Multicultural World,” emphasizes the crucial importance of personal discipling relationships for every Christian. Despite the prevalence of structured discipleship programs, Fernando argues that a crisis exists in the church today, even among pastors and church leaders, where true discipleship is lacking.
The Power of Personal Interaction
Fernando believes that unless we invest in individuals and get into their lives, real change towards Christlikeness often doesn’t occur. This approach mirrors Jesus’ ministry, where He poured into the lives of His disciples. Fernando’s experience with Youth for Christ, working with unchurched youth, has shown him that personal interaction is essential in helping people mature in their faith.
Overcoming Cultural Barriers
In today’s busy, shallow-relationship culture, people find it inconvenient to commit to discipling relationships. Our private lives, often hidden behind social media masks, can lead to destructive habits. Fernando stresses the importance of accountability partners, citing his own struggles with wasting time on email before devotions. By sharing our struggles, we can learn from each other and grow in our faith.
The Pastor’s Role in Discipleship
Fernando acknowledges that pastors, especially those in smaller churches, face numerous challenges in prioritizing discipleship. However, he encourages them to make time for individual work, even if it’s just a small group of people. Jesus’ method of discipling was often informal, chatting with His disciples about the things of God. By setting a culture of discipling in their churches, pastors can empower others to do the same.
Spiritual Parenthood
Fernando likens Christian discipleship to spiritual parenthood, a metaphor used throughout the Bible. As spiritual parents, we must be willing to spend time, confront, and teach our disciplees. Just as parents don’t discard their children when they fail, we must persevere with those we disciple, even when they struggle.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Fernando shares his own experiences of failure in discipling, highlighting the importance of learning from mistakes. He cautions against individualistic discipling relationships, emphasizing the need for accountability within the wider body of Christ. By recognizing our limitations and weaknesses, we can ensure that our disciplees receive help from others when needed.
Fostering a Culture of Discipleship
To create a culture of discipleship in their churches, pastors must preach about the need for relationships of helping each other. They should prayerfully seek out people open to being discipled and exemplify discipleship through their own lives. By doing so, they can empower others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of spiritual growth throughout the church.
Humility and Insecurity
Fernando warns against the dangers of insecurity in discipling, where the discipler finds too much personal gratification from the disciplee. Instead, we must focus on fostering dependence on God, not on ourselves. By recognizing our limitations and humility, we can create healthy, Christ-centered relationships that promote spiritual growth.
As we look out at evangelical Christianity, it’s encouraging to see people talking about the need for discipleship. However, we must translate this interest into action, embracing a lifestyle of humility, accountability, and spiritual parenthood. Only then can we truly cultivate spiritual growth and fulfill our calling as disciples of Christ.
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