The Discipleship Elements

The 3rd category (in my opinion) of critical elements in church planting movements could be called the Discipleship elements. Previous blogs have dealt with Spiritual elements (principles related to God's power) and Strategic elements (principles related to missionary practices). This category relates to principles concerning the discipling of people. This is in direct obedience to the Great Commission's command to "make disciples".

Here is the list:
1. Household conversions, not just individual conversions
2. Making disciples, not converts
3. Obedience to the Word, not doctrine
4. Community of believers--forming believers into minimum practice groups that will become churches
5. Reaching out--missions
6. Reproducing--disciples/churches/groups--rapid incorporation of new believers that will reach out to all segments of society
7. Persecution--bold, fearless faith--suffering
8. Redeeming the local culture

Obviously this division of the elements into these categories is my personal way of looking at them. The purpose is to categorize the elements in such a way that they are easier to grasp and get a practical handle on. I call these the Discipleship elements to emphasize that it is about making disciples. Reading through them in this order shows the implementation of the CPM process in terms of how the receiving culture experiences it.

First, the focus is on households not just individuals. The way of approach is making disciples, not converts. The discipleship method involves study of the Word leading to obedience, not just knowledge. The individual believers and discipled families are formed into groups that constitute the basis of a local church. Missions or discipling others is in the DNA of the group from the beginning. This leads to reproduction. Persecution and spiritual warfare are taught as normal, and so the new disciples do not default as easily when the going gets tough. And in the process of it all, the local culture is transformed by the redeeming power of God.

The individual, family, and culture are discipled and this is multiplied many times.

Critical elements: Principles that are present in every CPM worldwide.

The methods may vary and will be implemented in different ways in different cultures and applied by the Holy Spirit in a variety of ways. But the principles described here can be identified in any CPM.

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