Discipleship Ministry Plan for Church of God in Christ - Essay Example

?Discipleship Ministries Project Table of Contents Introduction 3 Scriptural Foundations 4 Core Ministry Values 5 Behavioral Goals with an Encompassing Goal Statement Including Slogans and Visuals 6 Measurable Objectives 8 Base Path of Development 9 Encompassing Vision Statement 11 Identification and Description of the Characteristics of the Target Group 11 Action Plan: How Are You Going To Get From Point A To Point B? 12 Scope and Sequence Plan 13 Budget and Communication Tools and Techniques 17 Conclusion 17 References 19 Introduction Felkar admitted that people who do not embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ are enslaved in spiritual darkness. In this context, the primary command illustrated in v.19 of the Greek text advocates to “make disciples of all the nations1”. It has been proclaimed that motivating people to pray a prayer is not enough to attain spiritual well-being. Hence, it has been ascertained that the entire humankind should be offered with opportunity to become disciples of Lord Jesus Christ. It has been affirmed in this regard that the first step to become a disciple of Lord Jesus Christ is to know about the Gospel. Discipleship, in its simple meaning, can be defined as serving God through a spiritual life dedicated to the church by taking some additional responsibility of preaching God’s words. Discipleship is not limited to taking people to the savior or just baptize them. However, it is equally important to teach them the God’s word so that they can have a prosperous life. At the same time, the truth learned should be practiced in daily lives in order to serve Jesus. It can be affirmed in this regard that discipleship is must be cultivated from heart and mind and not as a coercion. In Christianity, it is believed that such practice can make an individual a true disciple of Lord Jesus Christ. The role and responsibility of teacher in discipleship is thus extremely crucial. The teacher should not only put emphasis on teaching the Biblical doctrines, but it is equally important for the educators of discipleship to make the learners or followers aware of Christ’s verses. It is also important that teachers concerning with discipleship not only encourage disciples to attend the Church on Sundays, but they should make sure that disciples are able to depict their gratitude to God whenever possible and maintain peace in their life1. Focusing on these aspects of discipleship, this paper entails to design a comprehensive ministry plan for Church of God in Christ with the purpose of encouraging people to acquire Biblically sound knowledge and insights for attaining spiritual well-being in their life. Scriptural Foundations Church of God in Christ believes that Bible is the ‘word of god’ and it comprises pleasant and satisfactorily comprehensive system of principle. It believes that Bible is the only right in every matter and avow in the life of a human. Church of God in Christ is guided and validated by Thessalonians 2:14 and Pauline Epistles passages. According to Thessalonians 2:14 passage, “for ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews”2. Church of God in Christ thus teaches that Jesus is the only arbitrator between God and human where no redemption exists. It believes in Holy Spirit who acts as representatives of God that equips, authorizes, leads and directs the church. Church of God in Christ also believes in angels, who are considered as messengers sent by the God and who assisted in the establishment of Old Testament as well as the church. As per the belief, angels exist basically in spiritual monarchy and are structured based on responsibilities and activities in God’s kingdom. Church of God in Christ considers demons as evil or impure spirits. These demons are referred as “fallen angels” and exist as challengers to the God’s persistence and determination. Church of God in Christ believes that demons can be restrained and defeated by the authority of Holy Spirit and by the power of Jesus3. Church of God in Christ explains that humans were developed perfect and sinless led by the God’s appearance as a multilateral being, having a body, a transcendental soul and a godly spirit. In the later period, sin was transmitted to humanity which resulted in dissoluteness of man from God, through way of indignity, culpability and spiritual demise. Thus, Church of God in Christ believes that humanity can only be re-established by following redemption as versed by Jesus. Core Ministry Values The core values of this ministry are as follows: The Educational Environment Fostering a familial atmosphere for learning through weekly small groups designed at personal inspiration and the teaching of God’s word in an alluring setting Building a team composed of old, young and middle age people, who have the ability to counsel and guide the development and growth of this ministry The Educational Content This ministry will put emphasis on the tradition of the living word of God through expository and topical messages, which are fundamental in understanding of God’s redemptive historical narrative explained throughout theology with a Christ-centered focus on spirituality Observing the unique needs and issues confronted today by old, young and middle age people and concentrating on firm application concerning to those needs and issues throughout the study and presentation of theology This ministry also aims to offer an interactive environment where strong focus can be established to the preaching of God’s word in a virtuously declarative matter. Despite, the criticism of modern day religious preaching that has on the prevailing culture, this ministry holds fast to the truth that the declared Gospel is ‘the power of God for salvation’ (Romans 1:16)4 Behavioral Goals with an Encompassing Goal Statement Including Slogans and Visuals The identification of the core values of this ministry will ultimately lead towards the ascertainment of the behavioral goals. It is worth mentioning that Christ calls the disciples to something much more radical in terms of behavior modification. Moreover, Christ calls that disciples will have to lose his material life for the obtainment of the Christ-life. It is admitted in this regard that righteous behavior can only be developed by following the teachings of Christ, through right believing. In this context, the literature of evangelism can be referred to have a strong influence on an individual which shall be radically life altering. The mission statement of discipleship ministry is to ‘reach, renew and reform old and young, middle age from different backgrounds and ethnicities with a Christ-centered message that is firmly rooted in a biblical foundation.’ The word, “reach”, here signifies the public ministry of preaching the Gospel with the theological belief that God has nominated and prepared some for redemption, both on a universal scope and through the humble participation of this ministry. Similarly, the word “renew” puts emphasis on the tasks of renewing the minds of old, young and middle age to the truth of God’s words. Accordingly, the word, “reform”, is firmly related with the aim of stimulating the church with new hope of transforming to the wholesomeness of faith in the Gospel and rectifying the sincere but flawed practices of post-modernization and sophisticated impacts within the church. The discipleship ministry humbly envisions a movement of old, young and middle age people who are impassioned about the Person of Christ, about the Gospel and also about the accurate scripture that promote godly life which further glorifies God. In addition, the ministry envisions old, young and middle age people becoming loyal to the body of Christ, not just out of the obligation or religious compliance, but owing to their love for God’s community, and therefore, develop as new people of God where they can obtain a pure direction from the word of God and benefit from the spiritual union of the faithful. It is also expected that this ministry shall facilitate in the development of religious leaders who will be acquainted with adequate skills to provide guidance to other people and make them aware of the truth of God. At the same time, the other people or the followers of these religious leaders are expected to learn to perform their responsibilities as a husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son or friend in the most transparent and lucid. With such assistance, the old, young and the middle age people are likely to grow their abilities to reject the false allure of the material world and will swallow water of religiosity. It is envisioned that this ministry will become racially diverse. The ministry further aspires to develop as a miniature of how God gathers His church among many races, languages and human kinds on the earth. Within this diversity, the ministry can grow from a small institute into a mixed congregation, powerful in its own right. The ministry will infiltrate the perceptions of the learners in a concrete and biblically sound manner5. The ministry also follows the slogan of “We are a Christian community welcoming all, offering spiritual growth and opportunities for compassionate service”. Measurable Objectives Establishing measurable objectives is essential for achieving reliable outcomes. Additionally, a real accomplishment can be attained when coherent objectives are established in measurable terms. In this view, this ministry has the following objectives: Disciples, after attending this ministry for three years, must be able to develop leadership skills with an ability to represent and unite churches “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of lord Jesus Christ and they shall be able to demonstrate a fellowship of Jesus that continues through a life of victorious, struggles and changes” (2 Peter 3:18). Growing in the grace and knowledge of Lord Jesus Christ will enable old, young and middle age people savoring in all-encompassing work of Christ6 Embrace with knowledge that advocates the basics of the Christian faith and the sovereign of good character of God Develop an aptitude to approach the scriptures and decipher orations and Christian material by thinking critically and filtering everything through the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31)7 Involve in church and community activities actively, to serve the Lord in his calling for their lives while holding to Gospel that transcends the struggles of life and grants victory over the world Base Path of Development The progress of the ministry in accomplishing the goals and objectives will be virtually measured on the basis of three criteria, i.e. attendance, monetary support and involvement of members. It can be proclaimed in this regard that a church is healthy when people attend, give money and involve themselves actively in the various programs of the church. Thus, it is essential to incorporate various measurable steps in order to attain growth. Correspondingly, the base paths of development (measurable steps) are illustrated below: With reference to the above illustrated flow chart, the first measurable step to attain the goals and objectives of the ministry shall include development of active program to foster consistent attendance of old, young and middle age people. In order to seek the active participation and attract new attenders, internet and social sites can be widely used for the purpose of advertisement. At the same time, due consideration shall be given while designing curriculum contents to reinforce attendance of potential disciples. Accordingly, the curriculum will be determined by the traditional word of God. The Christ–centered stories should also be conveyed in the form of messages that shall offer justification for seeking participation of people in the ministry. Finally, the ministry shall stimulate and encourage attendance by using vision casting and through the efforts of exposure to the mass by technology owing to its wider reachability. Moreover, with a vision to attract more and more audiences, constant efforts should be made to communicate the goals and objectives of the ministry. Encompassing Vision Statement The vision for the ministry is to emerge as, “The Lighthouse on the Crest,” demonstrating the transforming supremacy of the gospel of Christ around the world. Identification and Description of the Characteristics of the Target Group This ministry targets old, young and middle age group those ranging between 24-80 years. The ministry offers equal opportunity to all age groups, above 24 years, to acquire significant insights and knowledge about the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ, as versed in the Bible. The ministry seeks to target old, young and middle age people existing in the local community, irrespective of their social or cultural backgrounds and age groups. The ministry in this regard intends to maintain diversity within the church. Contextually, every individual, including old, young and middle age people, in today’s post-modern lifestyle, are so busy that they are not much inclined to visit churches even on Sundays8. According to news published in US Today, it was revealed that large population groups, which do not attend regular prayers on Sundays in Church, are currently encountering significant level of stress and depression which indicates a correlation between people attending prayers in churches and their well-being9. Based on these concerns, the ministry shall offer congregants with intellectual knowledge about the Lord Jesus Christ and stimulate them to practice the word of God throughout their life. The ministry shall facilitate the mankind in incorporating value to the lives of the congregants to make their lives better. Currently, the old, young and the middle age people have been witnessed to lack in faith on Lord Jesus Christ and his teachings. As a consequence, they have to live their life in sorrow and stress. Once Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life10”. It is expected that the ministry shall facilitate in inculcating the teaching of Lord Jesus Christ which shall promote them to ascertain spiritual well-being and truthful life. Action Plan: How Are You Going To Get From Point A To Point B? Action plan is a crucial activity for the ministry in order to achieve the predetermined goals and objectives. Accordingly, the successful action plan discloses the procedures that will be implemented in the course of attaining the goals and objectives of the ministry11. The action plan of the ministry is being postulated below: Begin with a small group of old, young and middle age people in the first year that grows to more than 100 participants by the end of the third year Begin a service run by old, young and middle age people with the strong focus placed on the declaration of the God’s word and establish a formidable platform ministry that calls old, young and middle age people to a decision and personal prayer ministry. By the end of the third year this service will reach 500 in attendance Develop a social network that will offer interaction forum on weekly topics related to scripturally based articles, mini-videos and blogs. By the end of the third year at least 1000 participants in this social network will be linked with Scope and Sequence Plan It can be ascertained that the curriculum is the vital component of ministry plan. It is actually the plan that entails how actual messages shall be transmitted effectively to the congregants. It is the combination of the all the learning experiences that results from an effective curriculum plan. At the same time, it is essential that the curriculum plan is consistent with the goals and objectives of the ministry. Accordingly, the curriculum related with the comprehensive discipleship ministry, a curriculum can be either based on a desire to induce and empower people, or it can be based on a Biblical foundation. In general, it can be affirmed that the curriculum can either be established on the newest Christian fad or rooted upon the solid foundation of the God’s words as was versed in the ancient time. With reference to this ministry, the discipleship curriculums have a human centered propensity that shall be primarily focusing on the inner experience of an individual. Correspondingly, the ministry should familiarize old, young and middle age people with the doctrine of Lord Jesus Christ. It has been suggested by Anderson in this regard that “Discipleship is an intensely personal experience between two or more people in the presence of Christ and centered in the word of God12”. It is worth mentioning that Bible does not convey the messages of God, but it also entails methods through which these messages can be communicated to the congregants. The ministry should also intend to communicate and reshape the perceptions of people and shall aim at persuading them towards inculcating Biblical teachings in everyday activities of life; even by gathering time during breaks with Bible can be more than attending church regularly. In this context, it is essential that the actual message to be chosen to communicate is more important than the method for reinforcing the vital need of Biblically sound curriculum. In relation to this, the ministry shall introduce the curriculum based upon the organizational principle concerning complexity. Initially, simple concepts shall be introduced and the curriculum will progress to more complicated ones. The following plan is suggested for the ministry during the first year of its operation: Weeks 1-12: Reading of Mark Driscoll’s Book, Doctrine, and What Christians Should believe Weeks-13-18: Reading of Timothy Keller’s book, Counterfeit Gods Weeks 19-24: Reading of RC Sprouls book, chosen by God Weeks 24-30: Reading of John Piper’s book, Desiring God Weeks 31-52: Reading of Wayne Grudem’s, Systematic Theology It is expected that the study of these books shall partially facilitate in transmitting the doctrinally sound messages through the principle of complexity. On this node, it has been advocated by Regi that “Jesus gave us life by rescuing us from the death13.” Consequently, it is also emphasized that the ministry will be able to promote alluring atmosphere for these studies to take place, which will significantly direct towards generating a familial approach with the assistance of the suggested curriculum. It shall further facilitate in enhancing learning practices and promoting fellowship among the congregants. In addition, the study of these books shall contribute towards building favorable and positive relationships within the mankind that will glorify God. Additionally, meetings also need to be considered with the congregants where the old, young and middle age people will hear the Christian theologies expounded in different ways. Correspondingly, the ministry will spread the saving gospel to the congregants. The ministry will duly involve in activities such as regular prayers, study of Bible, welcoming new people and making them comfortable in the curriculum and equipping the members with aptitude of spiritual growth. The ministry will also focus on the specific needs of the people attending the meetings. The ministry, during its curriculum durations, should also decipher adequate committed towards developing its members into future leaders as the Lord directs. Likewise, the ministry will further strive to encourage the people to visit the church on a regular basis. Again, it is worth mentioning that the entire stress of this comprehensive discipleship plan would be considerably based upon the centrality of preaching the God’s word. At the same time, the ministry will render due emphasis on developing the executive leadership, vision casting and needs-oriented teaching for the purpose of spreading God’s message on discipleship to the congregants. Moreover, it is essential to affirm that the centrality of preaching by this ministry is not for glorifying that preaching act; rather, it aims at glorifying the Christ among the target population14. Additionally, the ministry does not intend to dispense the information about Jesus, but it seeks that congregants are involves in the worship of Lord Jesus Christ. In this context, the congregants should be effectively motivated to go beyond the message communicated to them and thereby, apply the doctrine of Bible to their real lives. In accordance, this ministry will also incorporate narrative, theological textual and biographical discourses to make its congregants familiar with the God’s word15. Therefore, the calendar of the ministry will entail: Fall months: The Nature of God December: The Incarnation and Person of Christ January-February: The Nature and Reality of Sin Early Spring-Easter: The Death and Work of Christ as the Remedy to Sin Easter-Summer: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit In relation to above illustrated ministry calendar, the primary purpose of the curriculum will be to expose congregants to become familiar with Gospel. Contextually, the personnel within this ministry will comprise of Senior Pastor, the appointed Pastor and group of men and women who will serve as counselors to the learners. Budget and Communication Tools and Techniques Stewardship/Monitoring is an essential component attributed to the success of the ministry. Accordingly, it can be stated that church requires more care and cautiousness regarding the spending of the limited monetary value available with it. In order to ensure that the ministry conducts its discriminating tasks with the spirit of excellence, it is essential that it has the sufficient manpower and resources16. Hence, it will be beneficial for the ministry to hire full-time pastor and part time secretary to make the execution process of the curriculum easier. Notably, the remuneration for these job positions will be decided by the mother church. Furthermore, the ministry will require finances for purchasing books and multimedia. In this regard, it is anticipated that the ministry will require about US$2,000 as the startup cost. The ministry will also have to allocate a significant amount by investing in communication tools such as social websites and videos. Conclusion With reference to the above stated comprehensive discipleship ministry plan for Church of God in Christ, the assessment is duly made on the effective integration of the “5 essentials activities of discipleship” as postulated by Mitchell15. Firstly, as it has been ascertained, this comprehensive discipleship ministry plan will have its core goals of making disciples which is vulnerable to amble from the foundations of Christianity. However, this ministry will duly place emphasis on stimulating and inculcating the perceptions of the people with the God’s word. The ministry will also attempt to impart knowledge in such a way to the people which will facilitate them to teach others and encourage a larger group of the community to pursue a pious lifestyle that will not only bring them peace but also give them courage to face the odds in life as mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:217. The education offered by the ministry shall also help the people to understand the true doctrine of Jesus Christ which they are aware of, but lack complete understanding. Secondly, the plan also focuses on Biblical doctrine and intends to spread Gospel and teach the word of God to old, young and the middle age people. Concerning with the curricular plan, it will be based on tradition of Christian faith. Thus, the congregants will make familiar with the meaning of true discipleship in attaining the spiritual well-being. Thirdly, the plan will follow the process that shall intend to bring the congregants to follow the Biblical doctrines. The message regarding Christianity and the teaching of Lord Jesus Christ shall therefore be imparted to the congregants through the arrangement of frequent meetings, using multimedia and social networking sites. Fourthly, the plan aims to attain a balanced environment for learning modes wherein the plan shall also offer alluring atmosphere wherein every congregants are motivated to practice the teaching of Lord Jesus. Last but not the least, the plan will be principally rooted to the notion of serving the old, young and the middle age people with the doctrinal truth. References Anderson, Neil T. The Path to Reconciliation: Connecting People to God and To Each Other. United States: Gospel Light Publications, 2011. Anderson, Neil T. and Mylander, Charles. Extreme Church Makeover: A Biblical Plan To Help Your Church Achieve Unity and Freedom In Christ. United States: Gospel Light Publications, 2008. Bockmuehl, Markus. “Thessalonians 2:14-16 and the Church in Jerusalem.” Tyndale Bulletin 52 no. 1 (2001): 1-31. http://www.tyndalehouse.com/tynbul/library/TynBull_2001_52_1_01_Bockmuehl_1Thess2.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Biblica, Inc, “2 Timothy 2:2 (New International Version),” Holy Bible, New International Version, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A2&version=NIV (accessed June 21, 2013). Cole, Steven J. “The Gospel: God’s Power for Salvation.” The Lockman Foundation (August 2010): 1-9. http://www.fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/082210M.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Campbell, Regi. Mentor like Jesus. United States: B&H Publishing Group, 2009. Church Of God in Christ, Inc, “Our Foundation.” What We Believe. http://www.cogic.org/our-foundation/what-we-believe/ (accessed June 21, 2013). Frame, John M. “Grow in Grace and Knowledge.” Third Millennium (2013): 1-6. http://www.thirdmill.org/newfiles/joh_frame/PT.Frame.2pet.3.18.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Felker, Stephen, “The Great Commission.” Swift Creek Baptist Church, http://www.swiftcreekbaptistchurch.com/Sermons/Matthew28_18-20.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Grossman, Cathy Lynn, “Young Adults Aren't Sticking With Church.” USA Today. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-08-06-church-dropouts_N.htm (accessed June 21, 2013). Gannett, “Who's feeling stressed? Young adults, new survey shows.” The State Of Stress in America. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/06/stress-psychology-millennials-depression/1878295/ (accessed June 21, 2013). Kim, Jong Yoon. “Characteristics of a Healthy Church from the Seven Churches of Asia That Can Apply To Yohan Tokyo Christ Church.” Liberty Theological Seminary (April 2006): 1-158. http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1395&context=doctoral (accessed June 21, 2013). Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. United States: CrossBooks, 2010. Pratt, Richard. “Jeremiah 31: Infant Baptism in the New Covenant.” IIIM Magazine Online 4 no. 1 (January 2002): 1-14. http://thirdmill.org/newfiles/ric_pratt/TH.Pratt.New.Covenant.Baptism.PDF (accessed June 21, 2013). Park Ridge United Methodist Church, “Strategic Ministries Action Plan.” Our Core Values, http://www.parkridgeumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/MAP-2013-Draft.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Southern Cross, “Connecting Young People with the Message of Jesus,” Some Key Biblical Images Used in the Gospel Message, http://www.sc.org.au/studies/ConnectingYoungPeopleWithTheMessageOfJesus.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Tozer, A. W., “Man - The Dwelling Place of God.” The Importance of Sound Doctrine, http://www.dailybread.com.au/e-books/AW_Tozer/Man%20-%20the%20Dwelling%20Place%20of%20God.pdf (accessed June 21, 2013). Read More