Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Liberty University

WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY?

Submitted to Dr. Allan England

in partial completion of course requirements for

DSMN 500 – Discipleship Ministries

Elke Speliopoulos

Downingtown, PA

May 29, 201

 CONTENTS

Introduction......................................................................................................................................1

Education, Discipleship and Spiritual Formation............................................................................1

The Key Priority in Church Ministry...........................................................................................3

Connection of the Three Areas to Worship.................................................................................4

Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5

Bibliography....................................................................................................................................7

ii
 1

Introduction

As a teacher both in a women’s Bible study and a mixed adult Sunday morning group

setting, the question of what constitutes the essential activity of Christian ministry is a critical

one. The purpose can be to simply educate about the Bible in a Christian setting, to drive

spiritual formation or to foster discipleship of Jesus Christ. An important consideration is also to

establish what really separates these concepts or whether there is significant overlap. While

many answers about education have been developed and published by secular authors, finding

answers in the Christian setting require quite different considerations as the spiritual dimension

is a part. God is difficult to contain in scientific evaluation, however we can evaluate answers to

the quest for an answer based on what Scripture teaches.

Education, Discipleship and Spiritual Formation

Three terms need definition for the further discussion: education, discipleship and

spiritual formation.

In his book, Mitchell provides his answer to the question “What Is Christian Education?”

with “Make a Disciple who Worships Jesus.”0 He writes that the “overarching and ultimate goal

of Christian education is producing disciples who worship Jesus.”0

Mitchell defines education as “the creative process of utilizing external and internal

forces to facilitate the functions of teaching and training in promoting and attaining growth and

development, enabling complete individuals to comprehend, contemplate, and contribute to their

community and culture.”0

0
. Michael R. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church,
School, and Home (Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010), 240.
0
. Ibid., 231.
0
. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples, 225.World-Class Education in the Church, School,
and Home, 240.
 2

In the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, we find this explanation of discipleship: “Like the

master-apprentice relationship, though in a religious context, the teacher—disciple relation is a

socially recognized quasi-contractual institution primarily for the purpose of learning.”0

Mitchell adds to this picture that one of the objectives of making disciples through

discipleship ministries is the reconciliation of two estranged parties, God and man, separated by

a gulf that was created by the sin that separates a sinless God from sinful man.0 He reminds us

that the term “disciple(s)” is found 294 times in the pages of the New Testament.0

Barna highlights two critical elements of discipleship: the becoming of a fully committed

follower of Christ, followed by the desire to instill the passion and commitment for Christ in

others.0

Finally, Armstrong describes spiritual formation, as referring to “Christian growth

through a definite process of living the Christian life by the Holy Spirit. It also refers to the

means, or methods, by which this life is to be lived. Embedded in the term is the idea of

development, arrangement, organization and synthesis.”0

In another source, it is readily apparent that this is not a simple academic exercise, but

rather that “[i]n discussing … spiritual formation, it is essential that God’s Spirit be understood

as the root of the meaning of spirituality.”0

0
. Leland Ryken et al., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 2000), 208.
0
. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and
Home, 231.
0
. Ibid., 21.
0
. George Barna, Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ
(Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001), 24.
0
. John H. Armstrong, “Introduction,” Reformation and Revival vol. 13, no. 3 (Carol Stream, Illinois:
Reformation and Revival Ministries, 2004), 8.
0
. Kevin J. Vanhoozer et al., Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI.:
SPCK; Baker Academic, 2005), 767.
 3

The Key Priority in Church Ministry

When analyzing even the admittedly limited information gathered above, it quickly

becomes apparent that all three of these elements are interrelated. Trying to educate without

discipleship or spiritual formation, two terms which can be deployed somewhat interchangeably

in today’s church context although subtle difference exist, will be fruitless. Ultimately all these

pieces snap together seamlessly.

Mitchell uses an excellent example of this when he mentions the Shema, which was used

through the centuries by Israelite parents to teach their children. Likewise, Christian believers

were commissioned by Jesus Himself to make disciples, and even broader, according to Mitchell,

all mankind has been given “an educative imperative in the charge to subdue the earth.”0 In all

these scenarios, components of education, discipleship and spiritual formation can be found,

even though this is limited to natural revelation in the last example.

With this as a background, there is a critical difference when one considers education.

Christian education attempts to transmit information in more structured manner than is typically

found in discipleship relationships. Learners can be passive, active or interactive.0 When

Mitchell describes education as “the creative process of promoting and attaining [g]rowth and

[d]evelopment”0, he means that most learning is accomplished in a mediated manner, with

another person often times serving as the source promoting the process and have reached, or

attained, some “stated goal or state of growth.”0

Learning can occur along three axes. The first signifies on each end of the axis activities,

which are either transmissive or reflective. Transmissive activities might include a sermon, a
0
. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and
Home, 214.
0
. Ibid., 215.
0
. Ibid., 223.
0
. Ibid.
 4

lesson given or similar. Reflective activities are those that give those receiving a transmission of

information a chance to provide feedback or seek clarification. The second axis signifies

individual vs. corporate aspects. A one-on-one vs. a group setting can impact how information is

both given and absorbed. The final axis describes growth and development elements of

education. As Mitchell says, “Maturity (development) must always accompany an increase in

capacity (growth), whether this increase is in knowledge that demands wisdom, physical growth

that demands coordination, or spirituality that demands holiness.”0

All of these elements of education simply lead believers to learn how to be better disciple

makers for the Lord Jesus Christ. As Mitchell succinctly states the end purpose of Christian

education is to engage “learners in acquiring the mind and skill sets necessary for an increasingly

mature understanding of the Creator, the created order, and themselves as created in the image of

God, while also discovering their contribution and place in God’s kingdom, as well as their

community.”0

Connection of the Three Areas to Worship

Well-thought-out Christian education is an excellent delivery mechanism for effective

discipleship and spiritual formation. When the end goal, as described, is one of maturing a

believer in his or her understanding of who their Creator is and what their standing is on basis of

Scripture, they are given a powerful baseline for worship. A heart aligned with God’s Word and

an understanding of its purpose for existence is one that can truly sing praises. Discipleship

provides a very personal route of translating what a mature believer knows about the true

character of God to a younger-in-the-faith believer. Not only is the younger believer built up, but

the more mature believer is reminded of just how praiseworthy God is.

0
. Ibid., 224.
0
. Ibid., 226.
 5

Conclusion

If our goal is to nurture disciples who seriously consider the cost, are totally committed to

Christ, are willing to carry their cross to sacrifice, are willing to give up all earthly possessions,

and continue in God’s Word0, we are well served to consider how a human being created in the

image of God acquires new knowledge. Scripture reminds us to love God with all our heart, soul,

mind and strength (Mark 12:30). These four elements suggest that loving God is not solely an

emotional, physical or intellectual experience, but one that combines all of a human’s capacities

as given to him or her by God.

Understanding that the essential activity of Christian ministry is discipleship, our learning

about each of the facets and how they are best nurtured is imperative. Jesus Christ can serve as

our primary example here of how to disciple others: He taught, modeled, exhorted and

encouraged His disciples. Discipleship 101 is contained in the pages of Scripture.

0
. Rod Dempsey, “What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple,” PowerPoint in DSMN 500, 2.
 6

Bibliography

Armstrong, John H. “Introduction.” Reformation and Revival vol. 13, no. 3 (Carol Stream,
Illinois: Reformation and Revival Ministries, 2004).

Barna, George. Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of
Christ. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.

Dempsey, Rod. “What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple.” PowerPoint in DSMN 500.

Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the
Church, School, and Home. Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010.

Ryken, Leland et al. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J., Craig G. Bartholomew, Daniel J. Treier, and N. T. Wright. Dictionary for
Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI.: SPCK; Baker Academic,
2005.