The Connection Between Discipleship and Leadership
Beth Buster
DSMN 500: Discipleship Ministries
February 26, 2023
Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
Great Commission Leadership...................................................................................................2
Comparing and Contrasting Leadership...................................................................................3
A Healthy Church is the Goal of Discipleship...........................................................................5
Ten Kingdom Leadership Principles..........................................................................................6
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography.................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
There are many catch-22 like questions that permeate the culture, the most famous being
the old-time question that still confuses some adults today, “Which came first? The chicken or
the egg?” Of course the question can cause confusion and a conundrum for the one answering,
and often joy by the asker for the confusion it has caused. The person answering will bounce
back and forth thinking “the egg obviously came first so it could hatch and then there would be
chicken”. But as quickly as that conclusion is formed, so does the realization that the question
then remains, “how did the egg get there without the chicken?” No one has ever solved this
riddle as this is a never-ending, circular question. This is the same circular connection when
discussing developing disciples and developing leaders. Examining each path of developing
disciples and developing leaders, one often questions which path would need to be studied first
in order to achieve both. It becomes difficult to look at one path without seeing the other path
winding in and out along the way. But that is what makes this discussion so interesting; there is
no distinct path of which one should be taken first. Dempsey notes, “Without an effective
discipleship system, you will not have leaders for the mission, and if you do not have Christian
leaders, you will not have reproducing discipleship.”1 Christian discipleship and Christian
leadership are inexorably linked. By making both paths dependent on one another, Great
Commission leadership is achieved. As success is met in one area, so shall success be met it the
other. In as much, if failure is obtained on one path, so shall it be on the other.
Christian leaders are called “to help individuals grow, develop, and serve the King and
His kingdom”.2 The very essence of discipleship is found in helping the believer understand and
fulfill the will of God in order to become a fruitful citizen of the Kingdom. While Christian
1 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission with Passion
and Confidence, (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 203.
2 Ibid., 202.
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leaders are the ones to develop disciples, it is the disciple who maintains and accomplishes the
mission of Christ. This paper will discuss that though the idea is to create disciples, the body of
Christ should not neglect the developing of leaders.
Great Commission Leadership
Before one can consider how to make and maintain true Christian leaders, one must
consider how they are developing their disciples. Christian leaders of the church should be the
encouragement and push their disciples need to become who God has called them to become.
Putman explains that Christian leaders should “want churches that produce lasting disciples of
Jesus Christ—people whose lives are changed in lasting ways for the glory of God, people who
live with spiritual maturity for the rest of their lives, people who fulfill the Great Commission
and work to produce other disciples.”3 Without the proper discipleship training that is essential
for both disciples and leaders within the church, it cannot be expected for new leaders to rise up
within the Church. Spiritual formation, this area of growth for both groups, must occur within the
individual to become a true disciple and to become more like Christ. It then must continue into
the leadership roles. In regard to discipleship within spiritual formation, believers move from the
person they are, and continue to change by degree into the image of Christ.4 Comparatively, the
first truth in leadership development is that God’s assignments are always based on character- the
greater the character, the greater the assignment.”5 There must be a commitment to the process of
spiritual formation in order to become a disciple as well as to becoming a spiritual leader of the
body of Christ. While maintaining this spiritual formation process, vulnerability among the
3 Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, DiscipleShift; Five Steps that Help Your Church to Make Disciples
Who Make Disciples, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 98.
4 Bill Hull, The Complete Book of Discipleship, (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006), Kindle location
1789.
5 Henry and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda, (Nashville, TN:
B&H, 2001), 288.
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leaders is key to cultivate a shepherding environment. As all people miss the perfection mark
(Rom. 3:23), it is not only okay to show vulnerabilities, but leaders should be intentional about
being open and honest with past sins and weaknesses. Disciples will mimic the behaviors of their
leader, so it is pertinent for leaders to mold their disciples to expose sin and vulnerableness so as
not to create fatal flaws in the discipleship or leadership roles. “The biblical model for church
community is an authentic and healthy transparency that repeatedly points people back to the
gospel.”6 Contrary to popular culture shifts of showing no weakness, only power, this type of
honesty and vulnerableness within the church will empower future disciples and leaders to walk
in the will of God in order to fulfill the Great Commission calling.
Comparing and Contrasting Leadership
Authors Earley, Dempsey, and Putnam each spend a portion of their books writing to
encourage spiritual leaders to produce disciples that will turn into spiritual leaders. The authors
agree to the approach in making disciples. Putman asserts there must be a fundamental shift in
the thinking of the church in order to make lasting disciples; from the informing of the people to
the equipping of them.”7 Putman further details a spiritual leader must be completely open in
their personal and professional life for the sake of equipping their disciples. Narrating the
importance of sharing strengthens, weaknesses, fights against sin and being vulnerable with the
disciples is what will shape the disciples in understanding perfection is not the goal, even among
the leaders. By achieving this level of vulnerability, Putman notes that the leader is not here just
to shepherd others but to create a shepherding environment where the leader will allow others to
shepherd them as well.”8 Framing the tone by example, the leaders are setting the stage for the
6 Putnam, DiscipleShift, 104.
7 Ibid., 98.
8 Putman, DiscipleShift, 101.
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disciples to be equipped to become future spiritual leaders. As this will also play a significant
role in reaching non-believers, believers must be honest about who they are and what they have
been through in life. It is the redemptive story that nothing separates us from receiving salvation
from God. Dempsey agrees the most important aspect of discipleship is to equip the disciples and
leaders rather than just informing them. Equipping should always be an action, moving from the
theoretical to the practical. It is not a question about whether the church wants to make disciples,
but the focus has wrongly become developing the activities, not on developing people.
Unfortunately, the focus of making disciples has shifted from personally investing in people to
managing the events and activities of an organization.”9 Leadership roles within the church must
make discipleship of utmost importance while focusing their attention more on creating and
maintaining disciples in their discipleship process. A church needs to examine their programs to
see if they are accomplishing the Great Commission. Measure each one against the Bible and the
Gospel, then make the decision as to what programs should be eliminated, revamped, or
continued.
A Healthy Church is the Goal of Discipleship
Not only is the goal of discipleship to mold believers, but another goal is to create and
maintain a healthy church environment to build the body of Christ. God created the human body
to be comprised of multiple organ systems that when functioning properly, work together in
harmony. Similarly, the body of Christ must all come together functioning harmoniously in
loving God, loving one another, and loving our neighbor to create a stronger body. A healthy
church is a representation of the people of God coming together to accomplish the mission of
God for the glory of God.”10 When the Gospel is proclaimed in word and in deed, the Church
9 Earley and Dempsey, Discipleship Making Is…, 222.
10 Ibid., 213.
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will take part in many activities including the baptism of new believers, worship, and passionate
prayer.
When new believers are welcomed into the body of Christ, the healthy church will
encourage and be faithful to disciple these new Christians. By working together to know and
understand God and the spiritual gifts He has given, the church works together to strengthen the
body to reach more nonbelievers. That being said, the core focus of the healthy church has to be
on discipleship. Jesus commanded us to go out and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20) and it should
be noted that disciples are not merely converts but also doers, learners, students, Christ
followers, or better yet, “apprentices of Jesus.”11 This is the goal of every disciple and should be
conveyed throughout the church as it goes forth to spread the Word and love of God.
Ten Kingdom Leadership Principles
Using Mark 10:34-45, ten principles for kingdom leadership can be formed. Of those ten,
there are four principled areas the specific church the author attends upon which it could
improve: there is only one King, and you are not Him, you are not a leader, you are a follower of
a leader, to represent King Jesus you must spend time with Him, and to connect people with one
another.
First, this church struggles at times to remember the world does not revolve around them.
Often the preacher has proclaimed, “it’s not about you.” There seems to be a culture of stating
ministries belong to the ministry leader, instead of remembering the ministries are serving the
King through various means. There have been incidences of setting policy or procedures that are
unbiblical, or at least putting the wants of the church over biblical ethics. This church needs to
work on recognizing the sovereignty of God. There is no way to predict or plan for every single
11 Putman, DiscipleShift, 32.
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contingency that may hit the church. This church however tries. The budget is not faith-based,
but dependent upon the income of the previous year, while still trying to save money in case a
disaster strikes. Remembering that Jesus is ruler and has the authority over all entities of this
earth would go a long way in trusting the future to Him. There is nothing on this earth that
surprises Him, and He is the ultimate authority in the church.
In the same manner, the leaders of this church have often acted like they are the
conclusive authority. Instead of learning to lead through discipleship, leadership is most often
grabbed by those with tenure, disregarding gifts, callings, or interest in the ministry. Revisiting
real discipleship mentoring will be a good place for this church to start correcting mindsets.
Instead of demanding to be followed with harsh words or gossip to discredit others, mature
disciples should influence people to follow King Jesus and the ministries of His church through
example, words, prayers, love, enthusiasm for serving the Lord.
Third, mature disciples are not going to be made if they are first not immersed in the
Word of God. There is no short cut or self-help book that will fast track a believer to spiritual
maturity. The Bible is the one and only way to know God. John 1:1 proclaims the Word became
flesh, Jesus, and He clearly states that He is the one and only way to God (John 14:6). Thinking
the Word of God can be short-changed or disregarded is arrogant, and unbecoming of a follower
of Jesus. This church is in need of serious Bible Study, not books written on bible study or
Christian living, but deep, pure, reading of the Word.
Finally, in continuation of the previous three areas, this church has neglected to connect
people with one another. By segregating itself to age groups, friend groups, and even class
groups, cliches have been formed, not disciple groups. This is counter-productive to the health of
the church and to the development and growth of disciples and leaders. Being in a class where
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you see each other once or twice a week does not grow a familial relationship but seems to
misguide these believers into thinking they are mentoring each other. As spiritual family bonds
are formed, the discovering of each other’s gifts, talents, and interests strengthen the church. No
longer are there power grabs or the ignoring of ministries because individuals are invested in
each other and therefore in the church.
Conclusion
Spiritual leadership and discipleship cannot exist without each other. As two peas in a
pod, they go hand in hand with one another in order to form a mature believer. Spiritual leaders
are called to teach and join the various parts of the church together as one body all while they
lead disciples to follow and mimic the life of Jesus Christ. Disciples of the church are called
make more disciples as they grow spiritually. This is accomplished by discovering their spiritual
gifts given to them by God, studying His Word to become more like Him and by taking on
leadership roles in the body of Christ. These two disciplines call for the individual to begin a
process of spiritual formation and continue that process in order to be more like Jesus. The goal
is to be a missional living believer, not living by the name of Christian alone. The last earthly
words spoken by Jesus called believers to go forth and create more disciples from every nation
(Matt. 28:18-19). By developing means for discipleship and leadership training, the church can
encourage believers to learn and grow together to become more like Him. As discipleship
develops, more spiritual leaders will emerge and continue the growth of the body of Christ. Both
discipleship and the spiritual leadership that grows within the body of Christ is necessary in a
healthy church as the Spirit transforms non-believers into believers, believers share God’s word,
serve others, and continue to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to the world.
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Bibliography
Blackaby, Henry and Richard. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda.
Nashville, TN: B&H, 2001.
Dempsey, Rod. “Maintaining a Tight Focus.” in Disciple Making is..:How to Live the Great
Commision with Passion and Confidence. ed. Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Nashville,
TN: Broadman and Holman, 2013.
Earley, Dave and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2013.
Hull, Bill. The Complete Book of Discipleship. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006.
Putman, Jim and Bobby Harrington, DiscipleShift; Five Steps that Help Your Church to Make
Disciples Who Make Disciples, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013.
