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Jesus commanded his church to ‘make disciples’, not merely converts. Disciples are to be baptised, said the Lord, and then they are to be instructed ‘to observe everything I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:19-20). This is our commission. How do we go about it?
Discipleship is a popular topic in evangelicalism today, and many resources are available. Pastors are encouraged to devote time and energy to the active discipling of all believers in their churches. They are wisely advised to train up others to do the same. Discipling takes place in one-to-one or small group contexts. It focuses on Bible study, prayer, Christian fellowship, and the practical application of the Christian faith to the individual lives of those involved.
The objective driving these activities is a good one. New Christians need instruction in how to live their new Christian lives. Older believers often benefit from help in this area too. One-to-one meetings with the pastor or a qualified mature believer can be immensely beneficial, as can small-group discussions.
But it is worth pausing. We are not the first generation to discover the need for Christian discipleship. There is something to be gained from asking how evangelical churches in the past went about fulfilling this task. They did not have the kind of discipleship courses that are available to us. What did they use?
