Getting Ready for CPM - 6 - David Watson
Obedience-based Discipleship/Leadership Training

The first job of the Church Planter after a family has received Christ is to teach that family obedience to the commands of Christ. In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), Jesus said,

“18 … All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It is the responsibility of the Church Planter to teach new believers to obey the commands of Christ. This means the Bible. Obedience-based Discipleship is about knowing the Word of God and choosing to live in obedience to that Word. The Church Planter must establish a system by which new believers are exposed to vast amounts of the Word of God, and challenge the new believers to obey all they hear and learn from the Word.

Maturity as a believer is defined by obedience, not by time. A mature Christian obeys Christ. One who is obedient matures more quickly and grows more rapidly than one who is not obedient. As Christians mature they take on leadership roles. Leadership training begins from the moment a Church Planter starts a Discovery Bible Study.

Every new believer is expected to be a leader, and equipping is done as if everyone will be a leader. God calls some to be special leaders. It is the responsibility of the Church Planter to begin this leadership training process.

In order to give each church the opportunity to be as knowledgeable and productive as every other church, leadership training is offered to all leaders. By localizing leadership training we insure that every potential leader is trained, and that every church has the same basis of training that keeps the church growing and developing.

The Church Planter knows he succeeded when leaders reproduce new leaders and churches are start new churches. Obedience requires us to replicate as individual believers, leaders, or churches.

Conclusion

God causes church planting to happen. The Church Planter puts into place all the elements of church planting that God blesses and uses to start the church. We are God’s partners in the effort to take the Gospel to the ends of the World. When we do our job, God brings forth fruit beyond anything we could do on our own.

posted by alexander @ 6:18 AM    0 comments

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