Discipleship in Christianity

DISCIPLESHIP IN CHRISTIANITY
(A LOOK INTO THE PRIMITIVE AND MODERN APPROACH)

BY

OTITOJU TEMITOPE ROSELINE

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN THEOLOGY

at the

REDEEMED CHRISTIAN BIBLE COLLEGE

SUPERVISOR: PASTOR G.G. OBAFEMI

ABSTRACT

One would agree that, apart from His (Jesus) sacrificial work on the cross, the most significant thing our Lord did upon the earth was to make disciples. Our Lord had written no books, He had built no organization; there were no physical structures or monuments left to commemorate Him. He had placed the future of His earthly work entirely in the hands of His disciples. Had they failed there task, humanly speaking the church of Jesus Christ would not exist today.

In the last decade, discipleship had become a popular subject in Christian circles. The great difficulty is that when we use this term we frequently mean something entirely different from that denoted by the biblical terms. For instance, we hear talk about discipling others or being discipled. People go to their Pastors and ask to be discipled just like Paul discipled Timothy. Now the question is just how did Paul discipled Timothy?

This is precisely the problem. We almost completely fail to grasp the biblical concept (primitive) of discipleship. Questions are been raised to the fact that discipleship concept lacks clarity of what it means, how it is done and the likes of it.

This study however, is an exploration into Christian discipleship. Its primary aim is to compare and contrast the primitive and modern approach to discipleship. While the secondary aim is to establish what lessons can be learnt in this modern times, applying primitive styles to disciple believers today. These ends will be pursued by looking into what the modern day approach has missed in the process of discipling believers and what can be imbibed from the primitive approach to help strengthen the cord of modern discipleship.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction
I. Aim of the study
II. Focal theory of the study
III. Purpose of the study
IV. Significance of the study
V. Method and methodology
VI. Limitations and delimitations

CHAPTER 1: An introduction to some scholarly view in discipleship
• 1.1 Introduction (parameter setting)
• 1.2 Definition and concept
• 1.3 Who is a disciple?
• 1.4 Basis for Discipleship
• 1.5 Conclusions

CHAPTER 2: Requirement or Conditions for discipleship
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Highlight of basic requirement or conditions
• 2.3 Deny yourself
• 2.4 Take up your cross
• 2.5 Follow me
• 2.6 conclusions

CHAPTER 3: A look into the primitive approach to discipleship
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Direct approach to discipleship
3.2.1 Abraham in discipleship relationship with God
3.2.2 Enoch in discipleship relationship with God
3.2.3 Noah in discipleship relationship with God
3.2.4 David in discipleship relationship with God
• 3.3 Indirect approach to discipleship
3.3.1 Moses and Joshua
3.3.2 Elijah and Elisha
3.3.3 Jesus and His disciples
3.3.4 Paul and Timothy
• 3.4 Conclusions

CHAPTER 4: An evaluation of the modern approach to discipleship
• 4.1 Introduction (the failure of discipleship)
• 4.2 Modern discipleship and formation
• 4.3 Roots of modern discipleship movement
• 4.4 Evangelism at the expense of discipleship
• 4.5 Conclusions

CONCLUSION:
• The big picture
• The challenge
• Standing strong

Bibliography.

INTRODUCTION

AIM OF THE STUDY (OBJECTIVE) This study has two broad objectives. The first objective is to compare and contrast the primitive and modern approach to discipleship. The title of this assertion “Discipleship in Christianity- primitive and modern approach” explores the styles in which God and man related together in order to be built in conformity to the image of Christ. It will ascertain the old ways of discipling believers in order to highlight the missing point for the modern pattern of discipleship. The main focus of this point of the study is to investigate the relational grounds of both approaches and contraction with each other with the intention of showing the missing link in the modern approach.

It is worth pointing out that at the onset that discipleship has in the modern times been replaced with evangelism. We have left behind the core purpose and intention of Christ in making disciples. All we do now is programs to preach and save souls, but leaving behind the process of making those souls abide, of which souls can only be abiding if the church had continued in the old ways of personal discipleship, those not done in the classrooms but in studying and imbibing the personal life of a teacher (discipler) in a personal relationship.

The second objective of this study is to consider the implications of the first objective, what lessons can be learnt or missing point been identified to help retrace our steps back to the root of what needs to be done, and also to suggest a way forward to help remedy the current situation.

FOCAL THEORY (ORIGIN) OF THE STUDY

My own personal motivation for embarking on such a study stems from the time I discovered that the church these days does more of evangelism than discipleship. Most believers does not even see reasons to make disciples of men. Perhaps, they don’t yet understand how to make disciples of men, rather all they engage in is saving the soul of men by just preaching and engaging in evangelistic activities.

The concept of discipling which involves “taking up one’s cross” within the daily Christian experience remains a challenging and often distant concept for modern Christians within the affluent communities. Discipleship has been left in the hands of individuals doing it all alone (lone rangers) following the direction of the Holy Spirit. The question there is, how many hear and obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit? How many are filled with the Holy Spirit, and how many are today sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. My hope in this study is to begin to forge a way out of this difficult situation. It is an attempt to offer an eye opening view on the way Jesus made disciples and instructed such disciples to make disciples of men (matt.28:19:20), His ways are still very relevant to our modern times which needn’t to be discarded because of the growing development of the mind technology. I am of the opinion that if we can go back to the primitive style of making disciples based on personal relationship or community relationship rather than individuals (lone rangers) of those days, the world would be a better place and Gods name will ne glorified, and Gods name will be glorified, as evangelism will not be a difficult task. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study is to explore the concepts and conditions for discipleship in the light of primitive and modern approaches. The study hypothesis is that while recognizing that they are modern styles to discipleship, some primitive methods can also be imbedded, which can shed more lights in the concepts of understanding discipleship in the modern context.

Bibliography: INTRODUCTION AIM OF THE STUDY (OBJECTIVE) This study has two broad objectives. The first objective is to compare and contrast the primitive and modern approach to discipleship. The title of this assertion “Discipleship in Christianity- primitive and modern approach” explores the styles in which God and man related together in order to be built in conformity to the image of Christ. It will ascertain the old ways of discipling believers in order to highlight the missing point for the modern pattern of discipleship. The main focus of this point of the study is to investigate the relational grounds of both approaches and contraction with each other with the intention of showing the missing link in the modern approach. It is worth pointing out that at the onset that discipleship has in the modern times been replaced with evangelism. We have left behind the core purpose and intention of Christ in making disciples. All we do now is programs to preach and save souls, but leaving behind the process of making those souls abide, of which souls can only be abiding if the church had continued in the old ways of personal discipleship, those not done in the classrooms but in studying and imbibing the personal life of a teacher (discipler) in a personal relationship. The second objective of this study is to consider the implications of the first objective, what lessons can be learnt or missing point been identified to help retrace our steps back to the root of what needs to be done, and also to suggest a way forward to help remedy the current situation. FOCAL THEORY (ORIGIN) OF THE STUDY My own personal motivation for embarking on such a study stems from the time I discovered that the church these days does more of evangelism than discipleship. Most believers does not even see reasons to make disciples of men. Perhaps, they don’t yet understand how to make disciples of men, rather all they engage in is saving the soul of men by just preaching and engaging in evangelistic activities. The concept of discipling which involves “taking up one’s cross” within the daily Christian experience remains a challenging and often distant concept for modern Christians within the affluent communities. Discipleship has been left in the hands of individuals doing it all alone (lone rangers) following the direction of the Holy Spirit. The question there is, how many hear and obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit? How many are filled with the Holy Spirit, and how many are today sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. My hope in this study is to begin to forge a way out of this difficult situation. It is an attempt to offer an eye opening view on the way Jesus made disciples and instructed such disciples to make disciples of men (matt.28:19:20), His ways are still very relevant to our modern times which needn’t to be discarded because of the growing development of the mind technology. I am of the opinion that if we can go back to the primitive style of making disciples based on personal relationship or community relationship rather than individuals (lone rangers) of those days, the world would be a better place and Gods name will ne glorified, and Gods name will be glorified, as evangelism will not be a difficult task. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study is to explore the concepts and conditions for discipleship in the light of primitive and modern approaches. The study hypothesis is that while recognizing that they are modern styles to discipleship, some primitive methods can also be imbedded, which can shed more lights in the concepts of understanding discipleship in the modern context.