Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Liberty University
WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITY OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY?
Submitted to Dr. Allan England
in partial completion of course requirements for
DSMN 500 – Discipleship Ministries
Elke Speliopoulos
Downingtown, PA
May 29, 201
CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Education, Discipleship and Spiritual Formation............................................................................1
The Key Priority in Church Ministry...........................................................................................3
Connection of the Three Areas to Worship..................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................7
ii
1
Introduction
As a teacher both in a women’s Bible study and a mixed adult Sunday morning group
setting, the question of what constitutes the essential activity of Christian ministry is a critical
one. The purpose can be to simply educate about the Bible in a Christian setting, to drive
spiritual formation or to foster discipleship of Jesus Christ. An important consideration is also to
establish what really separates these concepts or whether there is significant overlap. While
many answers about education have been developed and published by secular authors, finding
answers in the Christian setting require quite different considerations as the spiritual dimension is
a part. God is difficult to contain in scientific evaluation, however we can evaluate answers to the
quest for an answer based on what Scripture teaches.
Education, Discipleship and Spiritual Formation
Three terms need definition for the further discussion: education, discipleship and
spiritual formation.
In his book, Mitchell provides his answer to the question “What Is Christian Education?”
with “Make a Disciple who Worships Jesus.”1 He writes that the “overarching and ultimate goal
of Christian education is producing disciples who worship Jesus.”2
Mitchell defines education as “the creative process of utilizing external and internal
forces to facilitate the functions of teaching and training in promoting and attaining growth and
development, enabling complete individuals to comprehend, contemplate, and contribute to their
community and culture.”3
1. Michael R. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church,
School, and Home (Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010), 240.
2. Ibid., 231.
3. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples, 225.World-Class Education in the Church, School,
and Home, 240.
2
In the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, we find this explanation of discipleship: “Like the
master-apprentice relationship, though in a religious context, the teacher—disciple relation is a
socially recognized quasi-contractual institution primarily for the purpose of learning.”4
Mitchell adds to this picture that one of the objectives of making disciples through
discipleship ministries is the reconciliation of two estranged parties, God and man, separated by
a gulf that was created by the sin that separates a sinless God from sinful man.5 He reminds us
that the term “disciple(s)” is found 294 times in the pages of the New Testament.6
Barna highlights two critical elements of discipleship: the becoming of a fully committed
follower of Christ, followed by the desire to instill the passion and commitment for Christ in
others.7
Finally, Armstrong describes spiritual formation, as referring to “Christian growth
through a definite process of living the Christian life by the Holy Spirit. It also refers to the
means, or methods, by which this life is to be lived. Embedded in the term is the idea of
development, arrangement, organization and synthesis.”8
In another source, it is readily apparent that this is not a simple academic exercise, but
rather that “[i]n discussing … spiritual formation, it is essential that God’s Spirit be understood
as the root of the meaning of spirituality.”9
4. Leland Ryken et al., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 2000), 208.
5. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and
Home, 231.
6. Ibid., 21.
7. George Barna, Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ
(Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001), 24.
8. John H. Armstrong, “Introduction,” Reformation and Revival vol. 13, no. 3 (Carol Stream, Illinois:
Reformation and Revival Ministries, 2004), 8.
9. Kevin J. Vanhoozer et al., Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI.:
SPCK; Baker Academic, 2005), 767.
3
The Key Priority in Church Ministry
When analyzing even the admittedly limited information gathered above, it quickly
becomes apparent that all three of these elements are interrelated. Trying to educate without
discipleship or spiritual formation, two terms which can be deployed somewhat interchangeably
in today’s church context although subtle difference exist, will be fruitless. Ultimately all these
pieces snap together seamlessly.
Mitchell uses an excellent example of this when he mentions the Shema, which was used
through the centuries by Israelite parents to teach their children. Likewise, Christian believers
were commissioned by Jesus Himself to make disciples, and even broader, according to Mitchell,
all mankind has been given “an educative imperative in the charge to subdue the earth.”10 In all
these scenarios, components of education, discipleship and spiritual formation can be found,
even though this is limited to natural revelation in the last example.
With this as a background, there is a critical difference when one considers education.
Christian education attempts to transmit information in more structured manner than is typically
found in discipleship relationships. Learners can be passive, active or interactive.11 When
Mitchell describes education as “the creative process of promoting and attaining [g]rowth and
[d]evelopment”12, he means that most learning is accomplished in a mediated manner, with
another person often times serving as the source promoting the process and have reached, or
attained, some “stated goal or state of growth.”13
Learning can occur along three axes. The first signifies on each end of the axis activities,
which are either transmissive or reflective. Transmissive activities might include a sermon, a
10. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and
Home, 214.
11. Ibid., 215.
12. Ibid., 223.
13. Ibid.
4
lesson given or similar. Reflective activities are those that give those receiving a transmission of
information a chance to provide feedback or seek clarification. The second axis signifies
individual vs. corporate aspects. A one-on-one vs. a group setting can impact how information is
both given and absorbed. The final axis describes growth and development elements of
education. As Mitchell says, “Maturity (development) must always accompany an increase in
capacity (growth), whether this increase is in knowledge that demands wisdom, physical growth
that demands coordination, or spirituality that demands holiness.”14
All of these elements of education simply lead believers to learn how to be better disciple
makers for the Lord Jesus Christ. As Mitchell succinctly states the end purpose of Christian
education is to engage “learners in acquiring the mind and skill sets necessary for an increasingly
mature understanding of the Creator, the created order, and themselves as created in the image of
God, while also discovering their contribution and place in God’s kingdom, as well as their
community.”15
Connection of the Three Areas to Worship
Well-thought-out Christian education is an excellent delivery mechanism for effective
discipleship and spiritual formation. When the end goal, as described, is one of maturing a
believer in his or her understanding of who their Creator is and what their standing is on basis of
Scripture, they are given a powerful baseline for worship. A heart aligned with God’s Word and
an understanding of its purpose for existence is one that can truly sing praises. Discipleship
provides a very personal route of translating what a mature believer knows about the true
character of God to a younger-in-the-faith believer. Not only is the younger believer built up, but
the more mature believer is reminded of just how praiseworthy God is.
14. Ibid., 224.
15. Ibid., 226.
5
Conclusion
If our goal is to nurture disciples who seriously consider the cost, are totally committed to
Christ, are willing to carry their cross to sacrifice, are willing to give up all earthly possessions,
and continue in God’s Word16, we are well served to consider how a human being created in the
image of God acquires new knowledge. Scripture reminds us to love God with all our heart, soul,
mind and strength (Mark 12:30). These four elements suggest that loving God is not solely an
emotional, physical or intellectual experience, but one that combines all of a human’s capacities
as given to him or her by God.
Understanding that the essential activity of Christian ministry is discipleship, our learning
about each of the facets and how they are best nurtured is imperative. Jesus Christ can serve as
our primary example here of how to disciple others: He taught, modeled, exhorted and
encouraged His disciples. Discipleship 101 is contained in the pages of Scripture.
16. Rod Dempsey, “What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple,” PowerPoint in DSMN 500, 2.
6
Bibliography
Armstrong, John H. “Introduction.” Reformation and Revival vol. 13, no. 3 (Carol Stream,
Illinois: Reformation and Revival Ministries, 2004).
Barna, George. Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of
Christ. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.
Dempsey, Rod. “What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple.” PowerPoint in DSMN 500.
Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the
Church, School, and Home. Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010.
Ryken, Leland et al. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Vanhoozer, Kevin J., Craig G. Bartholomew, Daniel J. Treier, and N. T. Wright. Dictionary for
Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI.: SPCK; Baker Academic,
2005.
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