When it comes to discipleship, a one
size fits all approach simply does not work.
What is working for Willow Creek
or Saddleback church – two churches with attendance of
20,000 or more – will not necessarily work for the church of
100 or less.
This is a problem if we try to
model our church after the success of another church.
Fortunately, the Bible gives us
some guidance with regard to disciplemaking so that we are
not forced to come up with our own model.
As could be expected, the
Biblical model will work for churches of all shapes and
sizes.
We know that Jesus
was the master disciple maker and therefore there is a lot
that we can learn by the way that He made disciples.
Jesus did not use only one
method however, so we have multiple approaches that we can
take, each of them a valid method of discipleship because
Jesus used them.
There are at least
four methods of discipleship that Jesus used.
They are the lecture method, the
Socratic method, the discovery method, and the drama method.
All of these methods are found
at work in the church today to varying degrees.
It is largely dependent on the
audience which method is most effective.
The lecture method
is by far the most common method that is found in churches
today.
The sermon is almost always a
lecture out of necessity.
Whether preaching to a
congregation of 50 or 500 it is nearly impossible to engage
everyone in a meaningful way that would involve interaction.
Unfortunately this is also why
many people are attracted to larger churches.
They can slip in and out without
being noticed or have any expectations placed upon them.
The lecture method
is popular because it requires no commitment on the part of
the participant.
They do not have to do anything
aside from sit and listen.
They can absorb as much as they
desire and if there is something else that grabs their
attention, they will focus on it instead of the lecture.
For this reason the lecture
method is the least effective in creating deep spiritual
change.
However it is the most effective
in reaching a large number of people at one time.
The Socratic
method is best used on a one on one basis or with a small
group of only a couple people.
It is interactive with the
instructor guiding the discussion.
Questions are asked to cause the
disciple to think about what they believe and why.
In lecturing, a person is simply
told what to believe and hopefully why they should believe
it.
With the Socratic method, the
process is reversed.
A disciple will have to answer
the question of why they believe things and ultimately reach
the conclusion of what they believe.
What they believe will not be
based upon what they were told but what they researched,
evaluated, and questioned and have proven to be true.
People who learn this way will
stand much stronger in their faith because they own it.
Jesus used the Socratic method when he
asked the disciples questions such as John 6:67-69.
"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the
Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You
have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Likewise in Matthew 16:15-16:
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God."
In these passages,
Jesus wanted a response from His disciples and He got one
and caused them to really think about the question that He
posed.
The discovery
method is similar because it is a guided journey.
A disciple is expected to reach
their own conclusions.
It is not a matter of leaving a
person to discover on their own however.
When Jesus sent the seventy two
out in Luke 10, He expected them to return to Him with their
questions and observations.
There would be a debriefing
period in which they would discuss everything that had
happened.
Luke 10:1-4, 17-20:
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent
them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where
he was about to go. He told
them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers
into his harvest field.
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet
anyone on the road.'
"The
seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the
demons submit to us in your name.'
"He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and
scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you.
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but
rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'"
The dramatic method is most often
employed during children’s Sunday school or any other youth
activity that meets during the week.
The goal is for disciples to
learn interactively through demonstration or vicariously by
invoking an emotion.
Particular Bible lessons are
much better suited for this type of learning than others.
It is difficult to dramatize the
laws of Leviticus but when a student learns the story of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace, they
can and should come away with a feeling of God’s love and
protection for them.
We don’t picture
Jesus as being one for drama but this was a method that He
used quite often.
Jesus often spoke in parables.
These were stories that had a
point behind them.
All of the parables had the
intent to teach but they contained everyday ideas such as
planting and harvesting.
Needless to say,
every miracle that Jesus performed was a drama as well.
We think of Jesus’ miracles as
being about His care and compassion for people who are
hurting and this is certainly true.
But Jesus’ miracles were to
emphasize a point as well.
Some were simple proof that He
was the Messiah.
Others showed that He was the
Lord of the Sabbath.
Still others were more abstract
such as when He cursed the fig tree He meant to teach His
disciples about the spiritual state of the nation of Israel.
All of these
discipleship methods are worthwhile for a teacher or the
leader of a small group.
A person may use the lecture
method, the Socratic method, the discovery method, or the
dramatic method.
All are effective methods of
disciple making, the group that a teacher is working with
will determine what method is most effective.
