Nor Cal / Nev College Ministries

It is time to move from the philosophical, theological foundations for the discipling process to the implementation of that process. With us, as with Jesus, the method must be in the building up of believers into disciple-makers. What is needed is a consistent direction and process. There is no magical recipe. Remember, discipleship is a process not a program. The prindples of discipleship must be applied and tailored to your unique situation. We repeat, there is no magic formula which can be devised to work in all situations.

However, just as a farmer prepares the soil to receive the seed, then fertilizes and waters, so we can prepare the soil of our campus groups to become a discipling ministry. Just as with all other ministry, campus ministry is the Lord's work. He causes the growth. He makes people mature. He has instructed us to be part of the process. So how can we help prepare the soil? Hopefully some of the following ideas may help you on the way.

TEACH ON DISCIPLESHIP

Be careful to instruct students concerning their role in the Great Commission. It is best in a new campus group to use your main meeting as a place to begin teaching on discipleship. One suggestion is to teach through the book of I Thessalonians. You will discover rnany important principles of discipleship expressed here. This would enable you to teach through a biblical book and the students would receive a picture of the discipling process in the context of this first century congregation.

The students cannot respond without a dear call. As you teach disciple-ship, pray that the Lord will build a solid vision of discipleship within them. At some point you need to challenge them to become disciples and disciple-makers. A valuable book to read at this point is Dedication and Leadership by Douglas Hyde. Hyde will challenge you to call for great commitments. Within this manual is a set of student notes for a discipleship class. Save this material from Hyde's book for a class environment. No doubt you will use some of the concepts in your main meeting teaching, but reserve your large group meeting as a place of worship, teaching and ministry time. You are hoping for a prophetic response from the students to disciple. The class situation is better suited for discussion and interaction.

DEVELOP A DISCIPLESHIP SMALL GROUP

As soon as possible, demonstrate the biblical precedent for large group meetings (for worship, teaching and ministry) and small group meetings (for discipleship, fellowship and accountability). Here is another principle in discipling: People tend to reproduce in ministry what they have experienced.

Students need to experience the discipling process beyond having it taught to them. They must have a context where they see and experience transparency and affirmation. Do not expect that they can be taught to do something without showing them how it works.

Therefore, start a discipleship small group and in this group model what they will need to reproduce later as they facilitate small groups. Lead the group with confidence and skill, but also lead in areas that are uncomfortable for you. Lead in skills that you feel less able to lead. Show a humility in leadership as well as competence. These future leaders will be trying their wings for the first time in many areas of ministry and they need to see that it is permissible to stumble around a bit before they grow to effectiveness.

Approach this small group with great care. For in this group you will be setting a pattern that will continue for quite some time. That pattern can be a positive pattern (exemplified by commitment, healing, spiritual growth, vision, etc.) ora negative pattern (demonstrated by haphazard preparation, unchallenging, lifeless, impersonal, etc.). This group can be intimidating for the campus pastor who is doing it for the first time. You may need to model several things you have never had a chance to lead before. Study well before you start. Talk to other campus pastors and ask them about their small group experiences. Have a clear plan. Pray hard. And then walk in faith, and see the hand of the Lord bless something very close to His heart-the discipling of students for the Kingdom of God.

FOSTER AN "EVERY MEMBER A MINISTER" GROUP STRUCTURE

As you are faithful to disciple, you will discover that discipleship fosters more ministry. As students are equipped to assess needs and develop a ministry plan, they will begin to see additional needs and opportunities for ministry. Then a disciple begins to think creatively and with vision. As they pray, they will sense direction from the Lord. They need to be assured that there will be room to find fulfillment for those callings from the Lord.

As you think through your ministry plan, make sure it passes a few tests. Is this campus ministry expandable and flexible? When someone takes on a new ministry responsibility, is that responsibility clearly defined and are the expectations expressed? (A sample job description for a small group leader is included in the appendices.) Are students being pulled into the decision making process for the direction of this campus ministry?

The call to discipleship requires that every member see themselves as a minister/priest within the body of Christ. Once convinced that they are called to disciple, they need to know that the fellowship group is responsive to genuine leading from the Spirit. You need to keep your structures of ministry simple, but not restrictive.

TRAIN EVERYONE IN DISCIPLESHIP

In the discipling method of Jesus, He clearly selected a few men that He would individually disciple. In order to be effective, He restricted Himself to a certain number for the time He had. However, the call to discipleship was always extended in His teaching and ministry. There is something important for us in this.

As a campus pastor leads the discipling process, he must accomplish two things at the same time. First, he must select faithful individuals to disciple.

This means he must limit himself to certain students in whom to invest time, prayer and training. After sufficient training has occurred and they are leading discipleship small groups, the campus pastor must continue in these relationships to oversee their ministry. He must provide the continuing support they will need.

On the other hand, the campus pastor must be calling the entire body to the discipleship process. Of course, not all will respond to be trained or will go on from a place of training to service, but nonetheless they must all be called to be trained.

A very effective means for training the entire campus group is through offering a class on discipleship. This class should be offered during the school week at a time convenient for most students. The campus pastor needs to personally recruit students to attend and be faithful to this class. It will serve to provide an overview of the goals of the campus ministry and describe in detail the discipling process. Experience has demonstrated that this class not only serves to train the faithful, but it begins to build vision in others for discipling as well.

Another important outgrowth of discipling the entire student group is that it makes the job of the small group leader easier. How so? If you only train a few select students, you find them to initially be filled with enthusiasm and vision. However, their expectations of what will occur in their discipling relationships and those who have not been trained will be very different. You will end up with many very frustrated small group leaders, and you may lose them due to this frustration. Rather than just train a few, train everyone. Even if only a minority actually become discipleship small group leaders during their college days they will, nevertheless, know what to expect in the discipling process. They will go into their small groups with clearly defined expectations concerning the commitments necessary, how the process will flow, and what the end result should look like. They most importantly will know how they are to function in the group. Mter being discipled you will find that many of these students will later ask to serve as discipling leaders, even though they were reluctant at first.

Experience has also shown this to be wise. Offer the class each school term. Do not allow new freshman to enroll in the class until they have spent at least a third to half year in the campus ministry and in a small group. The Discipleship class will make so much more sense to them if they have had a little history in the small group. They will learn much more if you hold them back a little.

But then you must promote the class vigorously. Do it face to face. Send them a personal letter. Use student testimonies of those who have taken the class previously. Be creative and be persistent.

SELECT DISCIPLESHIP LEADERS AND SUPERVISE THEIR PROGRESS

Essential to the discipling process is the recruitment, training and appointment of discipling student leaders. More specifics on this process will be covered in the next two chapters.

At this point let's look at a few issues. In the beginning stages of a new campus ministry, it is the campus pastor's goal to affirm students to leadership in the group. This increases their ownership in the fellowship and is very valuable for growth. But what kind of leader is needed? Some tend to select leaders who have a focus of ministry over the whole fellowship group. They are an extension of the campus pastor's role. An overall leader has responsibility to give direction to the whole campus ministry.

It is recommended here that the first student leaders selected in a new or small campus ministry be discipling leaders. A campus pastor can continue to provide the overall direction of a small campus group. Selecting discipling student leaders more quickly reproduces ministry, and more growth will probably come from discipling leaders than from overall student leaders.

The discipling student leader is the key leader, no matter how young or old, big or small a campus ministry. Other kinds of leadership roles will come and go in campus ministry, but the discipling leader is essential at all times. When their role is devalued or de-emphasised, the campus ministry will begin to suffer; if not immediately, within one or two school years.

The campus pastor must insure that these leaders are carefully selected, thoroughly trained, and then cared for on a continuing basis. As a campus ministry grows to over 40 in small groups, you may need to consider using students who have proven themselves effective in discipleship to serve as leaders for the small group leaders. Beyond the campus pastor, the discipling student leader may need other students to support them in their role of ministry. Some campus groups have called this student discipleship specialist a Resource Leader.

The development of a discipling campus ministry is anon-going process, especially in the university setting. With the high turnover in membership the need to select, train and supervise is on going. Failing to give prime attention to this process for even one school year can have serious repercussions down the road. There are a few major things working against you in this process. Several aspects in discipleship run completely contrary to the university culture. Lack of commitment, accountability and maturity are area that represent hindrances to developing discipling leaders. Because of these factors, and others, the discipling process can be frustrated.

On the other hand, it is the heart of the Great Commission. Jesus inaugurated it and then commanded it. He is still committed to seeing it accomplished. You know that you are moving in the Lord's favor when you give yourself to discipleship. Just be sure to faithfully disciple vigorously each school year. Also rest assured Jesus will equip you and change the hearts of reluctant students to see the Great Commission accomplished on your campus.