LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Written Assignment 3 – Disciple-Making in a Healthy Church
Submitted to Dr. Rodney Anderson, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the completion of the course,
DSMN 500
Discipleship Ministries
by
Jarrett Guinn
September 22, 2019
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
A Healthy Church: The Goal for Discipleship.................................................................................2
Three Areas to Create a Healthier Body of Christ...........................................................................4
Steps to Improve Spiritual Health....................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................7
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Introduction
A healthy church is a spiritually loving and bonded community of believers that
represents the Body of Christ. The evidence of a loving church is shown within the church by
the relationships that exist, but also demonstrated outside the church in the community. This is
how the church follows the example Jesus gave us to reach out to the lost and bring Christ to the
world. John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another.” Members and visitors are taught through the process of discipleship, how to study
scripture and know God in order to grow and serve and share with others. A healthy church
intentionally seeks to set up a discipleship process to carry out the Great Commission. This does
not happen organically and must be a mission of the church to develop spiritually healthy leaders
who contribute to the church and to the community.
A Healthy Church
A spiritual healthy church’s success will be measured by the process of creating disciples.
Disciples will contribute to the church by focusing inward, but will also contribute to the
community by focusing outward too. The Book of Acts gives us a definition of a healthy church.
Acts 2:42-47, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs
were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in
common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they
are their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the
people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
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Paul also added many examples of a healthy church when he was directing the people of
Corinth. He listed many elements in scripture that signify a healthy church such as: fellowship,
discipleship, worship, ministry, and evangelism. He also stated that the church is to operate as
one body, the very body of Christ and that these should synonymous because we were all
baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free-and we were
all given the one Spirit to drink.0 1 Corinthians 12:13 echo’s the author’s sentiments, “For by
one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-
and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” This means that for all of our differences, when
we accept Christ, we are all one in Him. This collective is what allows the Gospel to be spread
as it tells us in scripture. Acts 6:1-4, “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows
were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the
disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves
continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
This scripture gives us direction, but what are the indicators of a healthy church and how
do these impact the churches process of developing disciples? Early and Dempsey state in their
text, “Paul points out that the body of Christ is to be built up and that it grows strong by “the
proper working of each individual part.”0 They continue by defining “each individual part” as
working together to contribute to the health of the church, “with an organic system where all
parts work together.”0 They also stress the importance of identifying the spiritual gifts of the
0. Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion
and Confidence (Nashville, Tennessee: Bamp and H Avademic, 2013). .
0. Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--.
0. Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--.
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congregation and placing their gifts in the right place to allow them to be used the way God
intended. The authors give their interpretation of a healthy church’s measure of success by the
amount of effective discipleship that is taking place. Sccazzero and Bird state in their text that a
healthy church practices self, congregational, and leadership reflections to ensure that emotional
and spiritual health is lining up with the will of God for the congregation.0 They go on to state,
“I have seen young people training to be leaders respond brilliantly and experience significant
changes in their lives when exposed to a discipleship model that integrates emotional and
spiritual maturity.”0 Webber gives his discipleship methodology that should occur in a healthy
church by stating, “We must emphasize the cost of discipleship, the absolute dam of God over
our entire lives, and the necessity of a faith that issues forth in obedience. It’s a problem of
balance and emphasis. The need is to return to the biblical message and its demands.”0 He goes
on to give the description of an unhealthy church by stating, “One reason why modern
evangelism may be divorced from obedience is due to the purpose of evangelists. Evangelists
seek to elicit a response, to get someone to make a decision, to make a commitment to Christ.”0
To avoid becoming an example of an unhealthy church where discipleship is not a
cornerstone, churches must follow the words of authors Putman, Harrington, and Coleman in
their text DiscipleShift. They state that church leadership must implement a fundamental shift in
their thinking from informing people to equipping them.0 This transformation is described in
scripture too and is the final goal of discipleship. Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
0. Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply
Transform Your Church, Team, and the World (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2015), 77.
0. Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader, 77.
0. Robert E. Webber, Common Roots: The Original Call to an Ancient-future Faith (Grand Rapids, Mich:
Zondervan, 2009), 157.
0. Webber, Common Roots.
0. Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, Discipleshift (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013), 98.
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to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God.” The healthy church is distinguished and set apart by what Dempsey
states as, “A healthy leader knows who he or she is and they know their role in the body. The
Spiritual leader knows his or her role in the body and helps other people grow in their
relationship with Christ. A spiritual leader is one who is a person of influence. He or she
follows God’s will for their lives and influences others to follow God’s plan for their lives as
well.”0 Lastly, a spiritual healthy church is led by spiritual leaders who are healthy and has
believers who are healthy, and they are actively engaged in discipleship.0 According to all of the
authors and study, a healthy church is immersed in the word and practicing obedience by
carrying out the Great Commission.
Three Areas to Create a Healthier Body of Christ
There are three areas of concern for an unhealthy church and they are as follows: 1. Lack
of leaders in discipleship, 2. Lack of a discipleship process, 3. Lack of small groups that are
functioning and healthy. To avoid falling into a situation where any of these elements are present
in a church a congregation must ask the following questions regarding the first area as follows:
Does the pastor have a vision for the church that is family and friend based? Are new people in
the congregation evaluated for spiritual gifts and if so are these gifts being utilized for the
betterment of the body? Discipleship must be encouraged from the pastor through his or her life
and mentorship of others. Does the pastor offer any classes that improve skills or discipleship
classes that lead people in leadership positions within the church? Is the focus of the church
inward or outward to the people in the community outside of the church? The following
0. Rod Dempsey, “The Connection Between Disciple and Leader,” Video of Lecture, DSMN 500 LUO
Liberty University (Fall 2014).
0. Allen England, “Lecture Notes: Creating a Healthy Church,” Discipleship Ministries DSMN 500 (2014).
5
questions regarding the second area as follows: Does your church have a specified plan for
discipleship? Are community outreach programs centered on holiday events such as Easter egg
hunts, Christmas plays, or festivals? Do your small groups lack of effective leadership because
the church neglects hone their skills for the betterment of the group? This is perhaps the most
troublesome question because if our church leadership is not being fed, how can they disciple
others who are influenced by them? The following questions regarding the third area as follows:
Are the small groups in your church separated in how they worship, meaning do they meet with a
youth group for activities but not for discipleship? If groups do not have small groups who
fellowship together and create real relationships outside of the church, the church cannot grow.
The scriptures tell us how to identify taking care of a spiritually unhealthy person. James 5:13,
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” 2
Thessalonians 3:2, “and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all
have faith.”
Steps to Improve Spiritual Health
The first step to improving spiritual health of the church starts with God’s chosen man,
the pastor. The pastor must have an intentional plan to create a discipleship process. The pastor
is the visionary of the church which is given by the Holy Spirit. This leader has to know the role
in the body and return to the work of developing leaders who plant churches.0 Planting churches
is not necessarily a process that happens outside of the church walls. Developing leaders
happens in the congregation for those identified with the gift to lead others. These leaders are
key to the discipleship making process and also allows the pastor to focus on the leadership
development of these individuals to begin the process. The pastor has to become the spiritual
leader that influences by developing and trains other persons of influence who understand the
0. Dempsey, “The Connection Between Disciple.”
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importance of discipleship.0 The church leadership, existing of the pastor and deacons must
develop a plan that involves an intentional disciple-making process that focuses on relationships
and a clear cut strategy to eventually birth new groups.0 The pastor has to cast a vision for the
deacons and saints of the church to embrace and carry on to the congregation. The pastor must
develop a process where new believers are intentionally and individually developed.0 This
investment will not only feed the individual worshiper, but also create what Liberty University’s
educational slogan states, “Making Champions for Christ” in their individual communities. This
process also makes the church a place where the process of multiplication is a reality and not a
theoretical construct.0
Conclusion
Healthy churches are easily identified by the love they show their fellow brothers and
sisters within the church. This love is also shown in the community by their actions and
involvement. The second element that allows healthy churches to be identified is the disciples
that are being produced as a result of an intentional plan from the pastor. These disciples are not
produced by chance, but developed with a plan that involves an investment in scripture and the
knowledge of Christ, mentorship, and prayer. This mentorship requires spiritually mature leaders
who are equipped to guide others to do their part in carrying out the Great Commission.
0. Dempsey, “The Connection Between Disciple.”
0. Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--.
0. Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--.
0. Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is--.
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Bibliography
Dempsey, Rod. “The Connection Between Disciple and Leader.” Video of Lecture, DSMN 500
LUO Liberty University (Fall 2014).
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is--: How to Live the Great Commission with
Passion and Confidence. Nashville, Tennessee: Bamp and H Avademic, 2013.
England, Allen. “Lecture Notes: Creating a Healthy Church.” Discipleship Ministries DSMN 500
(2014).
Putman, Jim, and Bobby Harrington. Discipleshift. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013.
Scazzero, Peter. The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will
Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan, 2015.
Webber, Robert E. Common Roots: The Original Call to an Ancient-future Faith. Grand Rapids,
Mich: Zondervan, 2009.
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