LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
The Connection Between Discipleship and Leadership Paper
Submitted to Dr. Jonathan Geukgeuzian,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500-B03
Discipleship Ministries
by
Not Me
February 20, 2022
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................1
Great Commission Leadership ....................................................................................................................1
Compare and Contrast Leadership Chapters ...............................................................................................2
Discipleship and a Healthy Church .............................................................................................................3
Leadership Principles Needing Attention ...................................................................................................4
Area One – None of “it” is Yours ......................................................................................................4
Area Two – The Church is the Body of Christ ..................................................................................5
Area Three – Connect People to the Mission (Outward) ..................................................................6
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography................................................................................................................................................7
ii
1
Introduction
This paper will examine what a Great Commission Leader is and does. It will also
compare and contrast chapters on leadership between the books Disciple Making Is and
DiscipleShift. This paper will also examine the connection of healthy discipleship and a healthy
church, commenting on areas where the author’s current context needs attention.
Great Commission Leadership
Not all leadership is the same. Not only does leadership style and techniques potentially
differ from person to person, the motivation of and for leadership can differ vastly as well. This
is especially true as it comes to secular leadership verses sacred leadership. According to Early
and Dempsey, “The motivation in secular leadership is that you are here to help me make the
organization successful. The health of the organization is the highest goal.”1 Johann Uys and
Robby Webber-Youngman agree as they observe in their book of leadership development stating,
“Leadership development is a lifelong learning journey and a partnership between an individual
and their organisation.”2 In contrast, the leaders who find themselves within the church should be
more concerned with the health of the individuals they are partnering with who make up the
organization.
Yet, even in sacred leadership one can, and does, find areas of differing expectations,
goals, and directions. The goal then, according to Early and Dempsey, is to become a Great
Commission Leader. Dr. Dempsey provides a definition of a Great Commission Leader in his
lecture when he says, “A spiritual leader is a person of influence. He or she follows God’s will
1 Dave Early and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and
Confidence (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2013).
https://app.logos.com/books/LLS%3A9781433677007/offsets/24874?layout=reading.
2
Johann Uys, and Ronny Webber-Youngman, The Anatomy of Leadership in Industry 4.0: The 4. 0D®
Leadership Development Model (Randburg, Republic of South Africa: KR Publishing, 2021), 18.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=6682691.
2
for their life and influences others to follow God’s plan for their lives as well.”3 In essence, Great
Commission leadership is echoing Paul as he writes, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ,”4 (1
Corinthians 11:1). The influence a Great Commission Leader has helps to cast a vision how to
encourage and help develop the gifts of those following them (disciple) especially as it is
concerned with God’s plan for the follower’s lives. Early and Dempsey sum it up well writing,
“It is crucial for those who attempt to make disciples to understand that our job as a leader is to
steward the growth and development of His children.”5 This can be applied to both those who are
young in the faith as well as those who are young.
Compare and Contrast Leadership Chapters
Both Early/Dempsey and Putman/Harrington/Coleman’s chapters on leadership
communicate aspects of leadership responsibilities such as equipping, discipling, character, and
challenges. But they do so in some different ways. Both point to the idea that leadership is
influence over others. Early and Dempsey emphasize this influence in action through solid
character, vision/direction, and development of others.6 Putman et all explain that a leader’s
influence is more as a tone setter and example for spiritual maturity as well as acting less like a
star athlete and more as a coach.7 They write, “A leader’s job is to guide and equip the saints so
that the entire church becomes a mature community in which disciples flourish.”8
3 Rod Dempsey, “The Connection Between Disciple and Leader,” Liberty University, MPEG-4, 5:39, 2014.
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/273271/pages/watch-the-connection-between-disciple-and-leader?
module_item_id=21757777.
4
Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version. (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway, 2007).
5
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is.
6
Ibid.
7 Jim Putman, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to
Make Disciples Who Make Disciples (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013). https://app.logos.com/books/LLS
%3A9780310492634/offsets/76763.
8
3
One of the main differences between the two books is developing and enabling. Putman,
Harrington, and Coleman seem to argue for a more traditional purpose of the pastor/spiritual
leader as a leader maker and disciple creator (particularly as a discipleship-systems builder),
which can be limited to what a local church “needs.” While not fully explored, it seems Putman
et all have a narrower view of application as opposed to Early and Dempsey. Though both books
express the need of a leader to develop some type of discipleship system, Early and Dempsey
argue that the role of a Great Commission Leader is “developing and enabling people to become
who God created them to be.”9 This may not necessarily fill a role in a local congregation that
“needs” to be filled, but instead seeking to fill the roles which God has “prepared beforehand,”
(Ephesians 2:10).
Discipleship and a Healthy Church
This author has never been much for yardwork. Maybe a little raking and burning of
leaves as he was growing up in the mountains, but never any trimming of trees or planting of
gardens. Years ago, when this author began renting his current home, he became the proud owner
to a mature tangerine tree overnight. Over the years, this author needed to learn that to get
healthy tangerines, he needed to work to cultivate a healthy tree. Discipleship is similar to this.
To get healthy fruit within a healthy church, one needs to practice healthy discipleship.
In discipleship, one influences others to follow God’s plan for their lives. As these
disciples are gathered together, practicing healthy habits and spiritual disciplines, they unite to
form a healthy church. Geiger, Kelley, and Nation observe, “When a leader understands the
spiritual disciplines as putting the believer in the right posture to be transformed, these
Putman, Harrington and Coleman, DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who
Make Disciples.
9
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is.
4
instructions are understood as essentials for a healthy, Christ-centered community of believers,
which is transformational for those who belong.”10 Disciples do not live in isolation with only
themselves, they live with one another. As a disciple grows more into the image of Jesus they are
called to practice and participate in the “one another’s” of Scripture. In the same way this author
had to learn to prune, and water, and fertilize for the result of getting good fruit from a good tree,
so growing in Christ takes the discipline of Godly habits. As Early and Dempsey remind their
readers, “We are constantly encouraging the practice of good healthy habits. We are constantly
exhorting people to “exercise” their gifts. We are concerned about matters of the heart. We desire
for the body of Christ to be healthy so that it grows and matures. As it matures, it will reproduce
new life: new disciples, new leaders, and new churches,”11 all for the glory of God.
Leadership Principles Needing Attention
Of the “10 Kingdom Leadership Principles” listed in the handout, three stand out as
needing more attention than the others. They are: (i) None of “it” is yours, (ii) The Church is the
Body of Christ, and (iii) Connect people to the Mission. It is these three areas which this section
will discuss as to why they are in need of attention.
Area One – None of “it” is Yours
While it can be a good thing to have a sense of ownership as it comes to the physical
property, programs, and even history/traditions of the local church, this can twist into something
more sinful. Instead of having an identity as a steward of that which belongs to God, one can find
themselves thinking it belongs to them. It is in this way the author of this paper currently finds
himself. Many in the congregation use language such as “my church” or “my offering” not in the
10 Eric Geiger, Michael Kelley, and Philip Nation, Transformational Discipleship: How People Really Grow
(Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2012), 128.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=914339.
11
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is.
5
sense of management but in the sense of possession. They do this especially as it comes to those
outside of the local congregation wanting to use church property for various events or even
sometimes people who visit and sit in someone’s seat. This also comes up at times when people
disagree with leadership’s direction or decision and remind them that it is “my tithe” to fund the
programs, people, or property they want to fund. It is a rather deeply rooted issue in this author’s
local church context that is slowly being addressed but still creates divisive situations.
Area Two – The Church is the Body of Christ
This area struggles first as it comes to connecting with other parts of the Body of Christ.
While this author’s local congregation does seem to have a desire to be connected to the head,
there is an overall mistrust of other local congregations in the area. These other local
congregations may have different operating procedures, governmental bodies, and visions, yet
they preach the same Christ, the same Gospel, and they are still brothers and sisters in Christ.
Thus, they are a part of the same Body. The author’s local congregation needs to move out of its
more isolationist mindset.
The second struggle in this area is connected to being fruitful and multiplying. There is a
definite lack of desire and effort to be part of this mission personally. While this local
congregation gives generously towards a mission fund, there is not much more than that in terms
of participating in the Great Commission. The overall attitude seems to be to leave it to the
“professionals.” While there is movement in the leadership to helping remedy this, it will
definitely be an uphill battle.
Area Three – Connect People to the Mission (Outward)
This third and final area is connected to Area Two as seen above. Again, there is a greater
emphasis on the Upward and Inward as congregants vocalize a high view of God and His Word
6
as well as displaying a close, almost family-like atmosphere within the local congregation. Yet
when it comes to those outside the walls of the church there is much to be desired. This too
seems to be something that should be left to the “professionals” as opposed to participated in by
all those who claim to follow Christ.
Conclusion
A Great Commission Leader needs to be discipling others to fulfill the great commission
using the gifts God has given to those being discipled. This happens as Great Commission
Leaders disciple others to fulfill the “one another’s” of scripture within the context of the local
church with an eye always looking out to make new disciples of Jesus. J. Oswald Sanders, in
writing about a healthy spiritual leader, comments, “If he is to carry out his trust fully, the leader
will devote time to training others to succeed and perhaps even supersede him.”12 This author has
heard it summarized by those who have discipled him, “I’m trying to work myself out of a job.”
A healthy leader will work to make healthy disciples which will grow a healthy church of
disciple makers and leaders. Again, turning to Early and Dempsey one sees, “The health of the
organization is a result of the individual members maturing and ministering according to their
role in the body.”13
Bibliography
Dempsey, Rod. “The Connection Between Disciple and Leader,” Liberty University. MPEG-4,
5:39, 2014. https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/273271/pages/watch-the-connection-
between-disciple-and-leader?module_item_id=21757777.
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2013.
https://app.logos.com/books/LLS%3A9781433677007/offsets/24874?layout=reading.
12 J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1994), 147.
13
Early and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is.
7
Geiger, Eric, Michael Kelley, and Philip Nation. Transformational Discipleship: How People
Really Grow. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2012.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=914339.
Putman, Jim, Bobby Harrington, and Robert E. Coleman. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help
Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,
2013. https://app.logos.com/books/LLS%3A9780310492634/offsets/76763.
Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1994.
Uys, Johann, and Ronny Webber-Youngman. The Anatomy of Leadership in Industry 4.0:
The 4. 0D® Leadership Development Model. Randburg, Republic of South Africa: KR
Publishing, 2021. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?
docID=6682691.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
