Full Project - DISCIPLESHIP AND IT'S IMPACT ON CHURCH GROWTH: A CASE STUDY OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH, NAMU'A JOS. - AZ Research Consult (MBA MSc Dissertation/thesis Project Writer) Nigeria

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Full Project – DISCIPLESHIP AND IT’S IMPACT ON CHURCH GROWTH: A CASE STUDY OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH, NAMU’A JOS.

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ABSTRACT

The study investigates the impact of effective discipleship on church growth. Many researchers recognise the influence of effective Discipleship on the total health of any church and the spiritual growth of members into maturity. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The qualitative research consisted of 20 in-depth interviews with some church workers, ministers and church leaders from Assemblies of God Church(AGC) Namu’a, Jos. The quantitative research was gathered using structured questionnaires. 150 questionnaires were sent to AGC church within the area of jurisdiction of the research and 105 responses were received. The response rate was 75%, upon which the results and conclusion of this study were based.The results of the questionnaire revealed an average level of usage of discipleship programme in the churches investigated. With regards to beliefs that are expected of a true disciple of Christ, 70.7% of most respondent said the statements were completely true for them. On practices that disciples should display, 43.03% of most respondents said they were involved in one form of spiritual practices or another. When asked on the virtues that disciples should release to others, a huge 76.7% of most respondents said they are fully engage in these. The in-depth interviews revealed that church member assumed that attending 2-3 services weekly is enough to help them grow into maturity. The church workers/ministers assumed that being in God’s service is a form of discipleship as most were not frequent to participate in the small group meeting that could help them grow spiritually. Interviewed church leaders felt they were doing enough discipleship programmes to help their members grow spiritually. Most of these leaders believed that organising programmes is a form of discipleship, while there was apparent neglect of teaching on doctrines that grow members. The interview revealed that church leaders who were disciplers did better to help members grow spiritually and vice-versa. The discipleship programmes well instituted in a church have positive effect on the rate of growth in that church. There exist a significance difference between churches headed by leaders who are disciplers and those without disciplers. There is a positive and direct relationship between discipleship programme instituted in the church and the rate of growth observed and experienced. It is recommended that church leaders should develop a well organised and coordinated discipleship programme as process that help converts to grow into maturity. It is also recommended that leaders spend quality time (at least 60%) to teach their congregation, and mentor a few under-leaders who would assist to fan the embers of discipleship in the church. It is recommended that further research be carried out into specific churches to discover the depth of their discipleship practices and proffer solution that are specific and relevant to assist in the building of a healthy church that will draw men to Christ.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The call to discipleship involves Jesus’ unique invitation to become like Him (Luke 6:40) and to be a full participant in His mission. “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” links discipleship with carrying the good news to all (Mark 1:15,17; Luke 5:10), while the occasions on which Jesus sent the twelve or the seventy out in two’s (Mark 6:7-13; Luke 10:1-20) show that He expects disciples to be fully involved in service to others.

Discipleship is both personal and public. It is comprised of our private daily walk of prayer, fasting, worship, and studying God’s Word. These are all things that people don’t see us doing. Then there is the public part of witness, ministry, and serving. These are things that are visible. Some have called this our “journey inward” and our “journey outward.” Discipleship is both.

Discipleship in the church is a very important task of the church. It is the heartbeat of God and a basic necessity for a successful Christian life. The scripture revealed that Jesus called the twelve disciples from the beginning of His ministry. He taught them within a period of three and a half years. After the training and before the ascension to heaven, He commanded them to go and make more disciples from all over the world. Before then, He had already told them as follows: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, of the son, and of the Holy Ghost and teach them to obey everything I have command you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew28:18-20).

The great commission is all about making disciple. The command of God is not only to raise or make coverts of all nations. This is crucial indeed, most especially for believers who are the disciple today and the disciples of the youth. It is sad today that many churches are filled with overgrown the youth; this is why the church in this generation has not been able to make real impact on the society. No doubt, there are many church auditoriums where people congregate every with high frenzy and excitement but the number of disciple are infinitesimal…..[1] A successful life is a fulfilled life; a fulfilled life is a life that pleases the Lord. The one who will please the Lord is one who has conformed to the image of the son of God (Romans8:29).

The effect shows the important of discipleship in the life of a Christians “Most churches grow by transfer”. The system of today is the rotation of the saints. To carry on with the work of His father, Christ had to commission his disciples, all believers inclusive. The numbers of real converts to Christ had to commission his disciples, all believers inclusive. The number of real converts to Christ by some “great churches is meager”, instead churches with strong preaching and music programmes attracts large numbers[2] . Therefore people think that the church is great and the workers do the job. In reality, the church with the restaurants and theatres becomes the mega one because they entertain[3] .

The relationship between the clergy and laity has become professional to that of performers and parishioners and audience, the better the show, the larger the crowd. All these show that outstanding performance attracts people. It means little more than that in no way does it faithfully reflect the priorities of Christ for His church[4] . The lord said, ‘I go to conquer other worlds for my Father, so do a good job’[5]

The crucial questions arises again, “who is a disciple”? A disciple is one who follows Jesus Christ. Being Christians do not make one a disciple, even though members of His Kingdom.

Following Christ means acknowledging Him as Lord; it also means serving Him as a slave, just as unbelievers serve Satan. It also means loving and praising the father. Perhaps, the biggest problem in the church today is lack of grounded Christian journey, only a few get plugged in all the way enough to where they mature in the faith.

Incidentally, many Christians are easily beguiled with words and in turn they indulge in philosophy being established in faith and the act of making disciple is a process of building up preparing and equipping the body of Christ. To advance His kingdom should be the primary focus of every believer who is a disciple indeed and wants to be a discipler.

The twenty-first century church need to live up to expectation, the new converts must be followed-up and taken through the Bible investigation class (B.I.C) as well as regular attendance of church service and mid-week activities to be grounded in faith.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Discipleship has become one of the greatest challenges facing the present day church. The believers service in today’s church no longer have much effect as expected in the life of growing Christians and the society. There have also been great deficiencies in the lives of those who profess to be members of the body of Christ producing much of unwanted characters and attitudes that makes one doubt if truly they are born again. This research work is therefore carried out with a view of examining the present structures of discipleship and its effects on church growth and makes suggestion as to raising the standard. The question the researcher needed to investigate and proffer solution to in this research work are:

What are benefits of discipleship as a tool for church growth?
What is the discipleship strategy of Assemblies of God Church Namu’a, Jos?
What are the challenges of discipleship in Assemblies of God Church Namu’a, Jos?
What are the challenges and activities of members towards the growth of the church?

1.3. The Purpose of the Study

To examine the importance of discipleship programme in the growing of churches.
To identify the roles of church members and leaders in discipleship ministry and growth of the church.
To seeing our church growing in quality as it was in the time of our Lord Jesus Christ .
To recommend to the church the biblical principles of discipleship as demonstrated by biblical leaders of various era.

1.4. The Significance of the Study

In spite of the proliferation of the church, there has been a great neglect of discipleship ministry of the church because most churches have replaced it with other activities, yet the church can’t grow properly without discipleship programmes that are based on the scripture.

The study will serve as a source of material for the seminaries and future research into area related to the subject matter.
This research work will help the church improve their discipleship programmes in growing mature believers.
The study will help the church to embark on using disciple as a tool for church growth.

1.5. Delimitation of the Study

This study is limited to discipleship and its impact on church growth. The study will cover Assemblies of God Church Namu’a, Jos will be interview.

1.6. Limitation of the Study

The limitation of the study involves some shortcomings, which were encountered in the cause of the research work. The limitation has to do with non- availability of money, time and difficulty in meeting the respondents during interaction with the Pastors and members of Assemblies of God Church, Namu’a, Jos.

1.7. RESEARCH PROCEDURE

The main instruments used in carrying out the study were oral interview; the researcher conducted a survey of related literatures such as textbooks, commentaries, concordances, dictionaries, Christian Journals. The survey was done in the following libraries:

LIFE Theological Seminary Library Jos
The researcher’s personal library and internet

1.8. Definition of Terms

Discipleship:

It is a process whereby a converted person learns at the feet of Christ with the aim of practicing and doing what he learns until his lifestyle and habit conform to God standard.[6]

Church:

Church simply means the body of Christ at work in the world where the idea and the functional meet. Without the “communion of persons” the institution has no divine power, and without the institution the communion has no means with which to minister to the finite, historically grounded world of persons.[7]

Growth:

This refers to the development of the church both numerically and spiritually.

Assemblies of God Church:

The church is distinctly an indigenous church by its structure belief and practices; it is an independent Pentecostal church.

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