The mission statement of the North England Conference for the period 2017–2021 was “Extending God’s Kingdom: Nurturing Each Other & Winning Another.” Taking this theme seriously, Pastor Daniel Ebenezer led four congregations in the Manchester area to implement a discipleship strategy to better nurture members and improve their ability to win new believers.
When 131 church members were anonymously surveyed, nearly 50% were found to be struggling with their spirituality. Survey questions were guided by 1 John 3:18: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (NKJV). Accordingly, the questionnaire measured love in both action and truth in four key areas: a loving relationship with God, loving relationships with family, loving relationships with church family, and loving relationships with neighbors. Only 29% of the respondents had regular devotions, 13% practiced family worship, 48% experienced loving family relationships, 18% experienced loving fellowship with the church family, and 7% were confident about sharing their faith with others. The responses also indicated that there was a degree of fear of public evangelism. Though not verbalized, members presumed the Gospel no longer appeals to or changes people. Local churches were engaged in many things, but the main things were lacking.
The elders and church board members sensed that a transformation was needed to move people from being church members to disciples, from consumers to contributors, from spectators to participants, from passive worshippers to active laborers. Looking for ways to make a major paradigm shift, the leaders made a radical decision. They decided that every member of the church would either be a mentor or a mentee. The Discipleship Handbook was chosen as the primary resource that would be utilized by the churches. Six months were set aside for discipleship ministry training. Small groups were formed and mentors assigned. Progress reports were reviewed monthly in church board meetings.
As a result, personal devotions were revived among many members. Sabbath School and prayer meeting attendance increased. Spontaneous and intentional personal witnessing increased. The number of Bible studies given by members substantially increased. Members gained confidence in public evangelism. They also gained a clear understanding of Adventist identity and mission. There was an increase in baptisms and tithe among the churches. Every person, including youth and children, became involved in either giving or receiving Bible studies. One church member recently wrote, “The impact was immediate and long lasting. The results are still being seen and recognized now.” The churches that prioritized discipleship became the fastest growing churches in the conference. Training was offered across the conference so that the strategy could be replicated in other churches.
Even the most stagnant congregations in the toughest territories of the world can grow spiritually and numerically when we make the radical decisions needed to follow Christ’s method of making disciples. Following His example of ministry, the harvest will not only be gathered, but also preserved.
