Jesus Christ introduced the holy concept of discipleship, where he asked his followers to spread his teachings to the world and commanded the same process to be followed for a lifetime.
As The Great Commission read, “Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”
Over the years, following the guidance of Jesus, pastors found it beneficial to introduce discipleship training programs to form great leaders who would then preserve the teachings of Christ and share it with the world. Let’s read more about it.
What Is a Discipleship Training Program?
Discipleship is a lifelong journey intended to happen among the community of disciples. It teaches the apostles to make intentional decisions over their course of life to build a stronger relationship with Jesus and hence, follow his supreme word.
That’s why church pastors and great leaders found their way to find the next best leaders in these programs. In a discipleship training program, with the commitment of a pastor, his vision, and leadership, a smooth biblical process for nurturing and grounding young students is ensured.
The program follows the process of selecting a team, choosing a leader, taking weekly coaching calls, and joining other groups in the discipleship cohort. Moreover, weekly meetings, different workshops, etc., are taken for the students to grow and learn as a community. More importantly, the journey to becoming an apostle is not only limited to attending a program but to having the ultimate faith in Jesus and keep on doing the good deed for the rest of one’s life.
Discipleship Program and Great Leaders
Discipleship programs have helped create great leaders who not only followed Lord Jesus Christ with their whole self and belief but also spent their life giving the world more such leaders “Only a disciple can make a disciple”, said pastor A.W. Tozer.
Jesus spent three years training his students/followers and took one night to announce his disciples.
A disciple-making mentor aims to shape the student’s attitude, understanding, and behavior in the form of Jesus and try his best to drive the student with a deeper goal of serving others. It’s like these programs choose a leader with an agenda of instilling the teachings of Christ into their apostles and ensuring they take the legacy forward.
The great leaders have been taught to focus their leadership on responsibility and not authority as it helps them work towards their ultimate purpose, teaching others the value of sacrificing your personal gain and ultimately serving the word of Jesus.
Final Thoughts
The aim of these programs has always been to seek multi-generational discipleship impact, ensuring the word of Lord Jesus is being shared and served. The process of discipleship and transforming students into great leaders demands one’s wholeheartedness and the holy spirit to learn, understand and obey the teachings of Jesus.
