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Discipleship then and now
The Effect of Discipleship on the Life of a Christian Today
Discipleship then and now
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The Leader as Mentor
Discipleship is the process of making disciples; students or followers of someone (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). Although discipleship existed long before Jesus, the disciple-making process as expressed by Jesus is the most impactful example for Christianity. The following is an analysis of discipleship as it was applied to Jesus’ ministry, Jesus’ discipleship model in light of modern leadership theories, and a discussion of what can be gleaned from Jesus’ discipleship model.
Levels of Discipleship Shown in Jesus’ Ministry
Among the other things that Jesus did during His time on earth, He made disciples. His command to His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) was an extension of His disciple-making
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Jesus was no different. Among the leadership strategies He used to disciple were Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), Transformational Leadership, and Situational Leadership. This “mixed strategy” allowed Jesus to reach, impact, and disciple individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds without leaving anyone behind.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory
LMX Theory organizes followers into groups defined by access to the leader. In some ways, it is like a target with the leader as the center and each concentric circle signifying groups of followers, each with less intimacy with the leader. LMX Theory components are: the leader, the inner circle, the in-group, the out-group, and strangers (Scandura and Schriesheim, 1994). As one gets close to the leader, he/she has more access to the leader and the leader has more influence in the life of the follower. LMX theory follows Jesus’ discipleship model very closely.
Transformational
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The four quadrants of Situational Leadership correspond to the four phases of Mentorship (Hersey, 1985; Carder, et al, 1996; Hitchcock, et al, 1995; Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 1, in which the follower has no skill and the leader provides high instruction and support (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 1, in which the mentoring relationship is initiated (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 2, in which the follower has limited skill and the leader acts as a teacher (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 2, in which the mentee becomes the mentor’s protégé (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 3, in which the follower has advanced skills and the leader acts as a consultant (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 3, in which the mentor releases the mentee (Carey and Weissman, 2010). Quadrant 4, in which the follower can be trusted to act independently (Carder, et al, 1996), corresponds to Phase 4, in which the mentee and mentor enjoy a lasting friendship (Carey and Weissman,
To be a true disciple of Jesus one must not disown or deny Jesus but
...rmational journey (pg. 19). The transformational leadership process initiates from personal leadership and progresses to one-on-one leadership and team leadership and continues to organizational leadership. Your leadership transformation means adopting a God's-eye view of your life and leadership. This will help you learn how to align your leadership motivation, viewpoint, behaviors, and habits with those of Jesus to effectively lead others. Blanchard & Hodges say that “the world desperately needs new leadership role models, and Jesus has shown us the way to lead” (pg. 234). Jesus is the greatest leader of all time and Jesus calls us to be servant leaders. Lead Like Jesus is a tool that can help guide us toward that goal. It will definitely make a difference in your leadership and in those you influence.
Mark's Gospel and Nature of Discipleship In Mark's Gospel, there are many accounts of Jesus' disciples and Apostles which are helpful to Christians as examples of the nature of discipleship. In this part of my coursework essay I hope to address questions involving what Mark's Gospel tells us about Jesus' disciples and Apostles, as well as defining the principle of what being a disciple entails, and defining also who the apostles were. This is because by learning about past disciples and the Apostles, a modern disciple of the Church can learn about the nature of discipleship. A disciple is somebody who is inspired enough by somebody to learn about them, listen to their ideas and follow them and their way of life.
Kelley, R.E. (1988). In Praise of Followers. In Wren, J.T. (Ed.). (1995). The Leader’s Companion (pp. 193-204). New York: Simon & Schuster.
Teachers around the time when Jesus lived thought that learning was such that the people who wanted to learn should come to them to be taught. But Jesus felt differently and rather than waiting for people to come to him, he went out to find them and then chose them to be his followers. He called them disciples and this word means one who learns. But Jesus chose his disciples carefully as we are told in Mark 1:16-20 and also in Mark 3:13-19. In the first passage, Jesus appoints his first four disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John. Jesus said to them “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17) In Mark 2:13-17, Jesus calls up the fifth disciple, Levi who was a tax collector, and Jesus later renamed him Matthew. But Levi was not called in the same way as the other four disciples. Jesus was with him at the tax collector’s booth and Jesus simply said, “Follow me” (Mark 2:14) and he rose and followed Jesus.
Transformational leadership also integrates well with a biblical worldview because both advocate valuing followers as well as leaders, the importance of ethical behavior, the need to forgive and learn from mistakes, and the value of a high moral example. Kouzes and Posner advocate leaders having a “moral authority to lead” (2007, p. 41), practicing personal accountability and working to improve all aspects of their follower’s lives. This others-centered leadership approach fits well in the Christ centered atmosphere of a Christian school.
Sometimes there are positive aspects but sometimes there are negative aspects of the. In this essay I will discuss the nature of discipleship is in Mark’s Gospel. The word “disciple” means “follower” and is often used to refer to one. of Jesus’ followers from the Gospels. When Jesus first gathered his disciples he says to them.
God is the focal point for spiritual gifts, talents, and training for leadership. The disciples were trained by Jesus. He did not take disciples into a classroom but He taught by examples.9 Many times the disciples were put in situations by Jesus to help them learn on-the-job. Even in missions, leaders cannot be prepared for every circumstance that may arise; however; with his talents, spiritual gifts, and the Holy Spirit, one can have the resources necessary to be successful. With one’s failures, spiritual gifts, and talents, the Holy Spirit will use these things to train leaders as they continue to aspire in
For example, under this theory the leader would employ High Directive/High Support leadership behaviors to the Disillusioned Learner. Ideally, the leader helps the followers as they progress through the stages to achieve the Self-Reliant Achiever/Delegating level. While I do not necessarily fully subscribe to the theory, it does seem to have merit and I do believe that it is important for an effective leader to have the capability and flexibility to adapt his or her style to the needs of the followers in order to encourage everyone’s success. I also believe that an effective leader plays a significant role in promoting and molding individuals’ readiness as it relates to motivation and commitment. As such, I developed my leadership assessment with these points in mind. The assessment focuses on 14 attributes that I believe are important not only for a leader to be successful within the parameters of the SLT, but...
Jesus’ command is very clear, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19. In the book “Growing True Disciples” by Pastor George Barna, he makes an effort to help church leaders and pastors fulfill their own part in accomplishing the Great Commission. The book was created as an outcome of the Barna Research Group where they conduct research for Christian ministries and non-profits, and Barna himself is widely known for his research-based seminars for church leaders (Barna 183). Each section in this book offers great value for every reader, but the sections that really stood out to me were, “How Important is Discipleship”, and “Methods of effective discipleship”,
Robert Clinton states “The central task of leadership is influencing God’s people toward God’s purposes” (Clinton, 1988). George Barna defines a Christain Leader as “someone who is called by God to lead; leads with and through Christlike character; and demonstrates the functional competencies that permit effective leadership to take place” (Barna, 1997). It is a shame we as Christians fail to recognize that Christ would have us be leaders in more than the church.
What does it mean to be a disciple? Rev. Turriff notes that a disciple of Jesus is a learner, a grower, a builder, and a battler. A disciple of Jesus means to be someone who strives to become like Jesus. The disciple is the one who understands that discipleship is a lifelong process.
Jesus was the Son of God and some may ask why he needed followers, the
Chung, Y. (2011). Why servant leadership? Its uniqueness and principles in the life of Jesus. Journal Of Asia Adventist Seminary, 14(2), 159-170.
in the world. But it does not make you less of a Christian if you have