CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

For many years after the establishment of the church in Acts 2, those who had obeyed

the gospel were referred to as the disciples of Jesus. It was not until the church was

established in Antioch that the disciples were referred to as Christians. Luke recorded,

“And it came to pass for a whole year that they assembled with the church and taught

many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

They were not called Christians by Christians. They were called Christians by those

outside the church. The unbelievers referred to the disciples as Christians. They were

called Christians about ten years after the establishment of the church in Jerusalem on

the day of Pentecost.

It is interesting to note that the word “Christian” is used only three times in the New

Testament to refer to the people of God (Acts 11:26). However, the term “disciple” is

used over two hundred times in reference to God’s people. The point is that one must

be a disciple in order to be a Christian. One is not a Christian in order to be a disciple.

The generic term “disciple” refers to one who is an apprentice. An apprentice is one

who follows the instructions of his or her teacher. In order to be a successful

apprentice, the student must be willing to leave his own life in order to cleave to his

teacher. This point was illustrated in the early part of the ministry of Jesus when He

called His first disciples. In Mark 1:16-18 Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew to

discipleship. Jesus said to them, “’Follow Me and I will make you become fishers of

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men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” Becoming a disciple

of Jesus means leaving some people and following someone. It means seeking. Simon

and Andrew immediately left their nets to follow Jesus in order to become fishers of

men. They had a new destiny when they became disciples of Jesus. Though one does

not have to leave his vocational means of support as Simon and Andrew who were

called into apostleship, something usually has to be left in order to accomplish one’s

new purpose in life, that is, to be a fisher of men. Those who count the cost of

discipleship, therefore, must seriously consider leaving something in order to

accomplish the task of being a fisher of men.1

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The researcher has identified some of the problems to be investigated in this study

using CAC Oke Temidayo District as a case study. These are: CAC Oke Temidayo

District and most Churches are filled with mere Christian converts rather than strong

and mature Christians, there is no properly defined spiritual formation and

discipleship process that helps cleanse the church of carnality and worldliness, church

leaders lack the knowledge and know-how of how to raise true disciples of Jesus

Christ and also church leaders have neglected teaching, which is the bedrock of

discipleship.

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study include:
i. Revisiting the source of zeal, power and the glory of the church through well

nurtured discipleship strategy.

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ii. Excavating and exploring the discipleship practices of faith patriarchs, using Christ

Apostolic Church using CAC as Case Study.

iii. Exploring valuable teachings on the concept of discipleship as an important

catalyst in building a church that is Christlike in CAC Oke Temidayo District.

iv. Giving an historical account of the exploits of the biblical patriarchs, which

produced a laudable church of the old.

v. Bringing out lessons for the present day’s ministers to produce a church with no

less but of much more values, through the practice of a good discipleship

programmes.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study has the potential to:

i. Help the church understand the efficacy of discipleship being the sole business of

Jesus.

ii. Provide church leaders with empirical information needed to develop church

programs and activities.

iii. Strengthen the church to fulfill the obligation of Christ which is “Go therefore and

make disciples of all nations.

iv. To enhance the spiritual growth of the church.

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1.5 Research Methodology
This research work made use of secondary data which include: Library resources such

as Books, articles, encyclopedia, commentaries. They were necessary to furnish the

researcher with the information needed to carry out the research work on spiritual

formation as a tool for creating solid discipleship. Interviews were also conducted in

the process of this research using Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo District as a

case study to acquire some facts on the research topic by way of opinions.

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the study

This study on discipleship among Christians covered the reason for lack of

discipleship process, implications and consequences in our churches today, using

Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo District as a case study. However, insufficient

fund impeded the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for further relevant

materials, but what he got was sufficient to do justice to the task at hand. The

researcher simultaneously engaged in this study with other academic work. This

consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work. However, the

findings are not in any way invalid because the data used were sufficient.

1.7 Definitions of terms

Spiritual: Connected with human spirit, rather than the body or physical things.2

Formation: This is the action of forming something, the process of being formed.3

Discipleship: A personal follower of Christ during his life, especially one of the

twelve Apostles.4

Strategy: This is a plan that is intended to achieve a particular purpose.5

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 Endnotes
1. E. Rodger Dickson, Biblical Research Library (U.S.A.: African International

Mission, Hutchinson, Kansas Cape Town, South Africa, 2012), 1197.

2. A.S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English

Eighth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 1435.

3. A.S. Hornby, 589.

4. A.S. Hornby, 414.

5. A.S. Hornby, 1475.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Biblical Concept of Discipleship?

According to Larry Deason in his book “Come follow Me,” says the Lord Jesus to all

who would respond to His invitation. Following Jesus is the decisive call of

discipleship. We cannot just call ourselves disciples of Christ because we have

decided to become “born again Christians,” as so many popularly believe. Disciples

are made by following the teachings of Jesus. When we are babes in Christ we all

stand on common ground, at the foot of the cross. We are then to make disciples of

ourselves in Jesus Christ through the grace of our Lord.

Disciple means “follower, one in training; trained on.” To be a disciple, one must be

developing, growing, always following and learning. Being a “disciple,” as the term is

used in Scripture, always involve a personal attachment of the learner to the teacher. It

is a heart commitment. Jesus Christ is the teacher; He is the Master. We are His

followers. But Jesus does not compel us to follow Him; He invites us to follow Him.

God designed us to have the ability to choose. He invites us to follow Him and leaves

it for us to choose.1

According to Biblical Research Library, The word “disciple” means that one is an

apprentice, learner or follower of a teacher (Mark 1:17-21). As an apprentice, the

disciple learns from his teacher (John 1:35). He thus abides in the teachings of his

teacher in hope of being like his teacher (John 8:31). The Pharisees claimed to be

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Moses’ disciples. There were also disciples of John the Baptist. Therefore, the term

“disciple” was a common term used in the first century to refer to those who were

students of another. After this sense, Paul encouraged those to whom he had preached

and baptized to follow his example in following Jesus. He wrote, “The things which

you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do ...” (Phil 4:9). “Imitate

me, just as I also imitate Christ”. The word “disciple” is used as a verb in the Greek

text of Matthew 27:57. Therefore, one can be discipled to a particular cause or work.

Jesus instructed His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations ...”

(Mt 28:19).

The word “disciple” is the most common word used in the New Testament in

reference to those who followed Jesus. This does not mean that the word “disciple” is

a special word with specific religious significance. It simply means that those who

would seek God through Jesus must give allegiance to and learn from Jesus. Jesus

said, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore

everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45). As

God-fearing people, Jesus’ disciples were committed to follow the Father (John 4:34;

5:30; 6:38; 8:29). They were thus committed to follow Jesus. In the first century, and

thus recorded in the New Testament, followers of Jesus were referred to as His

disciples. They were referred to as such for several years after the establishment of the

church in Acts 2. And then, in the city of Antioch of Syria, a new term was used to

refer to those who had given their allegiance to Jesus in order to learn of Him. They

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were called “Christians.” And because they were called Christians by unbelievers

meant that they were touching their communities.2

According to Mathew 28:18-20: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “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 and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am

with you always, to the very end of the age.”

After Jesus’ resurrection, “all authority was entrusted to me” came to fruition. He is

not waiting passively in heaven for His glorious arrival as king but already He is

exercising His lordship. The literal translation is a command: “You disciple.” The

word disciple translates as “to become a learner or pupil.” 3 Grammatically, Matthew

uses the aorist active imperative tense. This simply means an action that is absolutely

required and occurring without end. It is surrounded by three participles (Go, Baptize,

and Teach). The first participle ‘going/traveling’ is one of attendant circumstance. It is

used to communicate an action that is equally as important as the finite verb

‘Disciple.’ In this respect, the verb is not dependent, and is best translated “Go and

Make.” Therefore in Matthew’s mind, Go is understood as not only a nonnegotiable

but an assumed action that is always linked to the command ‘Disciple.” 4

(Baptizing) and (Teaching) are participles of means. Jesus is communicating how the

action of the finite verb is accomplished. By using ‘Baptising’ Jesus is describing the

symbolic gesture of being initiated into His fold. The gospel is the catalyst for that

initiation and thus the most relevant message that a person can receive in this life 5.

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The focus is witnessing, so the task of baptizing in this text is mainly evangelistic in

nature.

‘Teaching’ refers to catechesis, which means the process of educating through a

method of active questioning and response. By teaching what Jesus taught, the church

becomes an extension of His ministry6. In all, the command to disciple finds its

fulfillment in evangelism and education. The discipleship characteristics as

commanded by Jesus appear not only in this commission, but throughout the Gospels.7

The good thing the man must do is show his fidelity toward God's covenant by

obeying his laws. These laws were part of first-century Jewish culture, and the young

man is convinced that he has kept them, as many of us have avoided breaking the laws

of our society. But if he is really ready to submit to the yoke of God's kingdom, he

must also become a follower of Jesus and submit to Jesus' demands. That he is

unwilling to spare all his goods to help the poor will soon bring into question whether

he really loves his neighbor as himself.8

2.2 Purpose of God in Discipleship

The main purpose of Christian discipleship is to be like Christ. Christian discipleship

might best be described as training or mentoring program designed to develop

individuals to become more like their Savior. When Christ became man and lived on

earth, he endured all of the same trials, pains, and persecutions that man suffers in

order to prove himself as a perfect example for us. Therefore, one of the primary

purposes of Christian discipleship is to emulate the character of Christ.1 Peter 2:21

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says, "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an

example, that you should follow in his steps."

Another purpose of Christian discipleship is to learn about the Father. In Christ's

three-year public ministry on earth, He often stated that His goal was to teach His

disciples about His Father. Christ wanted us to know that God is alive, real, sovereign,

loving, and is preparing a place for His believers in heaven. So another purpose of

discipleship is to grow in our knowledge of God.

In Philippians 1:9, Paul said, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more

and more in knowledge and depth of insight." As we grow to know God, we yearn to

know His power and to experience it at work in our lives. We long to feel His

presence more closely and fully than we have experienced previously. We yearn to

understand and grow in God's grace.

Bearing fruit for the kingdom of God is another purpose of Christian discipleship. It

says in John 15:8, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing

yourselves to be my disciples." It is essential to increase the fruit (or those character

virtues we exhibit in our lives) to be productive as well informed disciples of Christ in

order to carry out the responsibilities given to believers such as serving others and

spreading the gospel.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever

follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life'" (John 8:12).

Then in Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill

cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they

put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your

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light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in

heaven." We are commanded to take the light we are given and spread it around the

world to others so that they may see Christ and receive Him for themselves. 9

2.3 Discipleship and the Disciplers

Discipleship can be defined as becoming a complete and competent follower of Jesus

Christ. It is about being a spiritually mature believer, and reproducing spiritually

mature followers or disciples who will themselves become disciplers.

The process of discipleship therefore according to Barna, involves two

complementary components:

i) Becoming committed knowledgeable practicing followers of Jesus.

ii) Instilling that same passion and zeal and capacity to others.

It means that people who say that they are Christians are committed to being disciples

and to producing disciples at the same time in others words, the believer is both doing

and facilitating.

Discipleship is servanthood, because Jesus Himself taught that it is only through

serving that one becomes a master. Jesus Himself devoted his life to serving people.

The purpose of discipleship is to help Christians become transformed individuals who

imitate Christ daily. Discipleship is a blending of what we know and what we do.

Effective discipleship is about life transformation – the transformation of lives in

which the followers of Christ are engaged in worshiping, learning, relating, sharing,

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serving, evangelizing and praying. Discipleship is not a programme. It is not a

ministry. It is a lifelong commitment to a lifestyle.

The account in Acts 2:42-47 is an applied definition of discipleship. The followers of

Jesus Christ engaged in worshipping, learning, relating, sharing, serving, evangelizing

and praying. The result was numerical growth and the glorification of God. In this

situation people were committed to both being disciples and producing disciples of

Christ – doing and facilitating. Therefore discipleship is much more than learning the

substance of the Bible, it is a blending of what we know and what we do.

Discipleship does not happen simply because a church exists. It occurs when there is

an intentional and strategic plan to facilitate spiritual maturity. Therefore, the local

church must have a philosophy of ministry that emphasizes the significance of

discipleship and promotes a process for facilitating such a maturity. Discipleship

cannot occur in a vacuum, it is most effectively accomplished in cooperation with

other followers of Jesus Christ. Churches that are most effective in discipleship have

learned what is required among their people, a vision ministry that places spiritual

growth and the heart of ministry.

George Barna states that one very promising but underutilized approval to spiritual

growth in the church is that of coaching or mentoring. It implies personal openness to

evaluation, willingness to consistently work on areas of weakness and submission to

the guidance of someone else. However, building trust is one of the keys of

developing a workable discipleship strategy. Jesus discipled His followers by

teaching, modeling, exhorting and encouraging. One hallmark of effective church

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leaders is that they not only refuse to accept defeat, but they also strive to improve

whatever they are doing while encouraging others to be their best.10

- Discipleship is one person one woman, one man investing himself or herself in a

core group, in a small group of persons, while seeing the potential of each person for

good.

- In disciplership – you see the importance and potential in other persons. You see the

potential in 1 person, 2 persons, 3 persons, 5 persons, 6 persons, 12 persons – you help

them through conversion to becoming spiritually mature believers and you also see

how through these persons – other persons can also become disciplers and workers.

This has a multiplication effect.

Barna concludes by stating that growing true disciples is not about maintaining tight

control, however, true growth demands accountability. It is about letting go to see

what God, through His Holy Spirit can do in the life of a believer who truly wants to

mature in Christ and as that believer grows, he also helps others to grow.

The disciple should go on to become a discipler. The disciple being a convert who is

cared for and nurtured until he/she is established in the Christian life as a mature

functioning member of the local church should now become a discipler to win and

care for and nurture new converts. Such a person, in turn, helps others to grow into

mature believers even while he himself continues to grow. It means that people are

committed to being disciples and producing disciples of Christ by doing and

facilitating.11

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2.4 Condition for Grooming Disciple

The Lord Jesus, in calling His first disciples, had called men from comparatively

insignificant and obscure backgrounds to Himself. They, by virtue of their association

with Him, had been catapulted into a position of prominence. Because of our Lord’s

words and His works, the entire nation was influenced by the ministry of the Lord

Jesus Christ. From border to border the name of Jesus of Nazareth had become a

household word as men debated the question of His authority and of His person. Our

Lord had set the twelve apart to special ministries. These ministries are outlined in the

ninth chapter of the gospel of Luke. There the Lord, after calling together His Twelve,

gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.

In confirming any calling, it is important to first examine your heart and motivation

(Jeremiah 17:9). Do you truly feel this call is from God, or is it a personal desire? Or

is it an attempt to live up to someone else’s expectation of you? If the motivation is

pride or people-pleasing, you should give pause. Are you feeling “called” because you

think that in order to be “most Christian” you must work in a distinctly “Christian”

ministry? Christians are the fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15) no matter where

they serve. You can be light and salt and “do ministry” outside the church or in a

secular job just as well as you can within the church or in a distinctly Christian

vocation.

Guilt can sometimes be mistaken as a call to ministry. Many Christians hear that

serving God requires sacrifice, which it does. But this does not necessarily mean all

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Christians are called to the mission field in Third World countries. Yes, living for

Christ requires sacrifice, but not misery. There is joy in living out our calling. Paul is a

great example of this. He suffered greatly for his ministry, yet he was always content

and joyful in Christ especially Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

After you are certain that your heart is rightly motivated, consider your natural and

spiritual gifts and strengths. Do these seem to fit with the vocational ministry you are

considering? Yes, God is shown strong in our weaknesses and calls us to serve out of

His strength rather than our own. But He also gave us gifts and talents to use for Him.

It is unlikely that God would call someone who is manually unskilled to be a

repairman.

Another important consideration is your natural inclination. Someone invigorated by

accounting facts, for example, is likely not going to enjoy a position in pastoral care.

You may find spiritual gifts tests and even personality tests to be helpful in

determining your natural gifting and inclination.

Another area to consider is your experience. God prepares us before launching us into

our calling (in the Bible we see this occur with David’s training under Saul prior to his

taking the throne. Reggie McNeal’s A Work of Heart does an excellent job depicting

this time of preparation). Are there things in your past that God will use to contribute

to your work in the call?

Also, you’ll want to seek counsel (Proverbs 11:14 and 15:22). Others can often see

strengths and weaknesses in us that we cannot. It is helpful to receive input from

trusted, godly friends. It is also helpful to observe others’ reactions to you. Do people

seem to naturally follow you, or do you often have to force your leadership? Are

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people naturally open with you and share their concerns? While it is important to seek

counsel, it is also important not to rely solely on this. Sometimes our friends and

family are wrong (1 Samuel 16:7). However, honest feedback from those who love

you should help confirm your calling.

Every person has a unique calling from God. The call to vocational ministry, however,

is particularly public, and those in public ministry are often both highly regarded and

highly criticized. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers,

my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

Those in ministry leadership positions are held to high standards because they are

guiding others. The books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus list requirements for those in

church leadership positions.

When determining whether or not you are called to vocational ministry, consider what

it will entail, be courageous, and trust God. If God has called you, He will equip you

and fill you so that you may be poured out for others (see Matthew 6:33; Hebrews

13:20-21; Ephesians 3:20-21; Psalm 37:23; and Isaiah 30:21).

One more thing. It is important to keep moving. We sometimes refuse to move until

we are certain of the call. But it is easier to redirect something already in motion than

to get something moving. When we step out in faith even if our step is not quite in the

right direction God is faithful to guide us.

A disciple, first of all, must be redeemed by the blood of Christ. He is one who is

taught the Word of Christ and obeys the Word; he submits to the authority of Christ.

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A disciple is one who serves Christ. He is one who is separated from the world that

hates Christ. A disciple is one who is characterized by the love of Christ. Now the

question directly addressed to you is this: “Are you willing to give yourself to Jesus

Christ to be His disciple?”

This is Christ’s invitation, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take

up his cross daily, and follow me.” “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy

laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am

meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”12

How can a church develop a discipleship strategy that demonstrates effectiveness by

empowering disciples to be world changers? Churches implementing a discipleship

strategy identified by the following characteristics produce disciples who make a

difference. Approaches vary from church to church but these characteristics form a

unifying connection.

Effective discipleship must be intentional and ongoing. A hit and miss, part-time,

seasonal effort produces little fruit. Effective discipleship must be comprehensive in

church practice. Every action of the church should be connected with the strategy to

disciple believers. For example, Sunday school and other ongoing open group Bible

studies provide foundational discipleship and a lab environment to practice leadership

and ministry skills learned in other discipleship experiences. Closed groups provide

short-term experiences that demonstrate a deep degree of accountability: for

attendance, preparation, participation, transparency, and confidentiality.

Every stage of discipleship should be given intentional focus.

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i. New Disciple –The church must help the new disciple begin the journey of

discipleship.

ii. Growing Disciple – The church help all disciples grow spiritually, develop skills

for ministry, and learn to disciple others.

Every age disciple is included in the strategy: adult, student, childhood

• Effective discipleship must be transformational. Disciples should be more like Christ

in attitudes and actions as a result of discipleship. This transformation process follows

a biblical pattern described with three simple words; Be, Know, Do.

a. Be – Who the disciple becomes at conversion as a child of God and who he is

becoming through the ongoing renewal work of the indwelling Spirit. Disciples need

help to evaluate the progress of personal transformation. In attitudes of the heart and

actions of daily living does the disciple look more like Christ?

b. Know – What the disciple learns about God. This learning comes through studying

His Word, seeing His Work, and hearing His Voice. Knowing God more completely

provides fuel for the ongoing transformation.

c. Do – What the disciple does in response to what he knows about God and who he

is. As stated previously, Christ expects obedient action.

These three transformational elements exist as interdependent actions. In isolation,

neither has the ability to produce a Christlike reflection in a disciple. Together, they

serve as catalysts for a God-work that changes the disciple from the inside.

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A world-changing mission results from the interaction of these transformational

elements.

Effective discipleship must be accountable and relational. Disciples cannot grow in

isolation from the fellowship of others. Lone ranger disciples often become ineffective

and unproductive. Iron does sharpen iron.

Effective discipleship must be focused. Providing disciples specific spiritual

disciplines to target for their growth and evaluation makes discipleship more concrete.

Growth in Christlikeness becomes more of a “can do now” that an “ought to

someday.”

Effective discipleship must use relevant methods to implement the strategy. Home-

based small groups, church-based short term and ongoing groups, self-directed

studies, online opportunities, enrichment events, leader training events, and many

other approaches form a resource pool for effective discipleship methods. Church

leaders need to discover what works best in their specific situation. 13

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 Endnotes

1. Larry Deason, Come Follow Me. (Northeastern United States, Texas, 1987), 9.

2. E. Roger Dickson, Biblical Research Library. Fundamental Principles of the

Church African International Mission, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A. (Cape

Town, South Africa. Bk 5, Chap 7, 2012), 255.

3. J. Pentecost, Dwight, Design for Discipleship: Discovering God's Blueprint for

the Christian Life. (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1996), 18.

4. E. Roger Dickson, Teachers’ Bible Come unto Me… Matthew 11:28-30

African International Mission, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A. (Cape Town, South

Africa. 2012), 115.

5. D. Müller, “Mathetes,” The New International Dictionary of New Testament

Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books 1987), 483.

6. D. Müller, 484.

7. K. H. Rengstorf, “Mathetes,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament,

Edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, IV,

1967), 416.

8. K. H. Rengstorf, 427.

9. K. H. Rengstorf, 430-431.

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10. B. Joshua Perachiah, Aboth 1:1,16, as quoted by Rengstorf, (TDNT, IV, 1986),

434.

11. France R. T., I Came to Set the Earth on Fire. (Downers Grove: InterVaristy

Press, 1976), 50.

12. http://www.gotquestions.org/call-to-ministry.html Accessed 14-02-19, 4:07pm

13. https://empowermentmomentsblog.com-bible-verses-of-victory-for-financial-

blessings-in-your-life/ Accessed 25-02-19 12:19pm.

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 CHAPTER THREE

BIBLICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP

3.1 Discipleship in the Old Testament

Several traditions within the national life of Israel make it reasonable to assume that

the concept and practice of personal discipleship existed. Prophet Isaiah penned it

down (8:16) thus: “Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s

instructions and give it to my followers.” The Hebrew term for followers is from dml

which means “to learn” or “instruct” and may indicate that Isaiah had built up “a

circle” of disciples whom he personally instructed and who could promulgate his

teachings among many in the nation.1 As Watts (1985) says, it seems that Isaiah

wanted to deposit “his treasure of warnings and teachings with his disciples.” 2 That is,

while he may not have had a formal school, as we see in the case of Elisha (1 Kings

20:35; 2 Kings 2:3-15; 4:1-38), he nonetheless, gathered around himself certain men

and passed his teachings on to them. In Isaiah 50:4 the prophet says that God wakes

him every morning and gives him attentiveness so that he can listen and learn. In this

way he is like a disciple, but of God. Therefore, involved in the concept of being a

disciple is a willing, listening, and obedient heart. There are other institutions and

traditions in Israel that seem to involve some level of personal discipleship. This could

be expected in the school of the prophets (1 Samuel 19:20-24; 1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings

2:3-15; 4:1-38) and is further evidenced in the entire wisdom tradition running

throughout the Jewish way of life (Pro.1-9). There is, however, no explicit instruction

given on how to personally disciple another, except perhaps in the home (cf. Deut 6). 3

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3.2 Discipleship in the New Testament

Just as there were “disciples” in the Greco-Roman world of the first century, so there

were people called disciples in Judaism as well. Such people were committed to a

recognized leader or movement. This involved Jewish adherents to Philosophical

schools or to religious and political sects. The Pharisees apparently had their own

disciples and they too claimed to be disciples of Moses (John 9:28-29). John the

Baptist also had disciples who lived with him and followed him, practiced his ascetic

lifestyle, and promulgated (to some extent) his teachings (Mark 2:18; Luke 11:1; John

3:25; Acts 19:1-7). In general, the education of boys in the first century Judaism

centred in the home around Torah learning. The Torah was taught primarily by the

Father. But during the time of Jesus, there is good evidence to suggest that primary

schools (beth Sepher) had been developed to mitigate against the inroads of

Hellenism.4

Watson D.F. was of the opinion that “after a boy was thirteen years of age there was

no more formal education as such. If he wanted further training in preparation for

being a judge, teacher, scribe, or head of a synagogue, he might continue his study of

the Torah in a small group or seek to study as a disciple under a certain scholar.” The

apostle Paul was an example of a Jewish boy who had left home (i.e. Tarsus) to study

the Law under Gamaliel, a famous Rabbi in Jerusalem (Acts 5:34; 22:3).5

According to Mark’s view, the group of Jesus’ followers is not ‘a locked, but an open

circle’ (my own expression), since it integrates both those who perform powerful deed

and those who simply offer a cup of water to a thirsty person in Jesus’ Name (9.34-

41). All the same, in examining Marks’ perspective of discipleship, to be a disciple is

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to follow Jesus ‘on the way’. Three initial actions (‘come after me’, ‘deny’ and ‘take

up’) succeed one another, placing the disciples in a process where they ‘keep on

following’, in other words, discipleship is defined as the act of following a person and

not a teaching.6

Matthew regards the act of becoming a disciple as a committed act of willingness to

keep following Jesus. The evolution of Matthean thought is to be taken through the act

of denying oneself to taking up one’s cross. The decisive way is the rejection of one’s

own ego in order to signify total dedication to God. Matthew, taking into account the

environment of sharpened conflict in which Jesus’ followers lived, begins to radicalize

the act of being a disciple. While the disciples are excluded from Jewish assemblies

and alienated from their families, Matthew strives to reinforce their commitment to

Jesus in the midst of persecution, reminding them that they are children of The Father,

adopted into God’s family. That is why the disciples are invited to love Jesus more

than their father or mother, brother and sister. The only way for them to survive is to

constantly be mindful that they are part of the familia dei from which all the

opponents (even the authorities and parents) are excluded.7

In Luke’s perspective, following Jesus cannot be made concrete reality without self-

sacrifice. Giving up one’s possessions for the sake of The Kingdom of God seems to

have conditioned Luke’s concrete perspective of discipleship. Nevertheless, not only

goods and homes have to be abandoned; relationships with brothers, sisters, mothers

and father have to be sacrificed too. Matthew says that they should not love other

more than God, but Luke radicalizes discipleship by inviting disciples to hate those

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whom they are tied to by family bonds. The cost of discipleship is separation from the

so-called encumbrances of relatives or possessions.8

All the evangelists share the view that a disciple keeps following a person and not a

teaching or philosophy. However, from Mark to Luke through Matthew, an evolution

is perceptible; being a disciple is a matter of much sacrifice, self-sacrifice as far as it

implies the sacrificing or breaking down of any encumbering connection, human or

material (even legitimate relations like those with parents, siblings or a spouse), or

goods, possessions or one’s life.9

There is evidence that personal discipleship was carried on among the Greeks and the

Jews. Though the term “disciple” is used in different ways in the literature of the

period, there are examples of discipleship referring to people committed to following

a great leader, emulating his life and passing on his teachings. In these cases,

discipleship meant much more than just the transfer of information. Again, it referred

to imitating the teacher’s life, inculcating his values, and reproducing his teachings.

For the Jewish boy over thirteen years, this meant going to study with a recognized

Torah scholar, imitating his life and faith, and concentrating on mastering the Mosaic

Law as well as the traditional interpretations of it.10

3.3 The Concept of Biblical Discipleship

In Matthew 28:18-20, The Bible says: “And Jesus came to them and said, “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 and of the Son and of

25
the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And

surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus’ Command after Jesus’ resurrection, “all authority was entrusted to me” came to

fruition. He is not waiting passively in heaven for His glorious arrival as king but

already He is exercising His lordship. The literal translation is a command: “You

disciple.” The word disciple translates as “to become a learner or pupil.” 10

Grammatically, Matthew uses the aorist active imperative tense. This simply means an

action that is absolutely required and occurring without end. It is surrounded by three

participles (Go, Baptize, and Teach). The first participle ‘going/traveling’ is one of

attendant circumstance. It is used to communicate an action that is equally as

important as the finite verb ‘Disciple.’ In this respect, the verb is not dependent, and is

best translated “Go and Make.” Therefore in Matthew’s mind, Go is understood as not

only a nonnegotiable but an assumed action that is always linked to the command

‘Disciple.” 11

(Baptizing) and (Teaching) are participles of means. Jesus is communicating how the

action of the finite verb is accomplished. By using ‘Baptizing’ Jesus is describing the

symbolic gesture of being initiated into His fold. The gospel is the catalyst for that

initiation and thus the most relevant message that a person can receive in this life. 12

The focus is witnessing, so the task of baptizing in this text is mainly evangelistic in

nature.

‘Teaching’ refers to catechesis, which means the process of educating through a

method of active questioning and response. By teaching what Jesus taught, the church

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becomes an extension of His ministry 13. In all, the command to disciple finds its

fulfillment in evangelism and education. The discipleship characteristics as

commanded by Jesus appear not only in this commission, but throughout the

Gospels.14

Jesus’ Model: Discipleship was Jesus’ method of winning the world to Himself. In

fact, Jesus converted very few people in His earth ministry in a clear-cut way. He

literally staked His whole ministry on twelve men. As popular as He was during His

earthly ministry, Jesus did not focus on the momentary applause of men but quietly

poured His life in those who would multiply. Jesus was not trying to impress the

crowd, but usher in a kingdom. Christ expects His followers to be fruitful, 15 but often

we are not without external motivation and accountability.16

Jesus knew that He would have to equip the saints to be able to lead the multitudes.

This is what we need in our churches. It is safe to say that discipleship was

foundational to Jesus’ ministry. Early Church Model: Although not in a methodical

plan as what we are accustomed to today, the apostles of the early church believed the

command of Jesus was indeed serious. One clear example is the life that Paul modeled

as shown most beautifully in the exhortation given in 2 Tim. 2:2. Paul understood it

was important that Jesus sent him to do all that He had commanded. In the same way,

he was sending Timothy. While being sent, Timothy is to continue the legacy by

sending out faithful men out who would send others. This is what Jesus commanded

Paul and this was his command to Timothy. The command is also extended to us

today.

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We have seen that Jesus calls His followers to reproduce the example of training

disciples to continue the mission of actively teaching and sharing the gospel. There are

practical examples of what this looks like through Jesus’ ministry and Paul’s

relationship with Timothy to name a few. This will require long term investment but

can create a deeply affecting ministry. So it appears that the call to discipleship is

extended to the entire body of Christ and is no less relevant today than when it was

first given.

Discipleship is an essential element of our Lord’s ministry and command to believers.

It should be a significant component in the body of Christ both theoretically and

practically.

Discipleship is a popular word, often used vaguely and ambiguously. It’s actually

quite simple. Discipleship is the relationship between a teacher (discipler) and student

(disciple). Many churches and Christian groups around the world do elements of

discipleship, but rarely engage in holistic discipleship as modeled by Christ.

Discipleship is not fulfilled by any of the following items on their own:

 Fellowship

 Accountability

 Evangelizing and making converts

 Bible study

 Training seminars

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 Listening to sermons

 Hanging out with an older believer

Remember, these are elements of discipleship, not equivalents of discipleship. They

are good and godly, but they lack the individual attention, growth and accountability

that Jesus modeled.

By looking at Jesus’ ministry and the early church, we see that to holistic discipleship

involves someone training their disciple in Word, Relationship, and Ministry.

Word: Teaching disciples to obey all that Christ commanded and modeled throughout

the Scriptures. Jesus clearly showed His disciples the importance and use of the

Scriptures, both in His own personal devotion and in winning others to Himself.

Learning and obeying Scripture is essential for one’s growth as a disciple of Christ.

Mack Avenue Community Church expects its leaders to love God’s Word and to

impart this love to their disciples.

Relationship: Building relationships that feature love, commitment, authenticity,

vulnerability, accountability, and intentionality. Having called His men, Jesus made a

practice of spending time with them. This was the essence of His training program

letting His disciples follow Him. Knowledge of Christ was gained by association

before it was understood by explanation.17 He ate with His disciples, slept near them,

and talked with them for most of His active ministry. Although there is no command

to commit to such a level, it seems convincing that Jesus shows how important

relationship development is to growing a disciple. If this does not happen, the disciple

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may feel like a project and not a person. The person should know he is loved, not only

by Christ, but also by their discipler.

Ministry: Training disciples in service and evangelism. Service is any work done with

the motivation to honor Jesus. This could be buying a cup of coffee for a coworker, or

caring for those who have been marginalized by society and affected by injustice,

making provisions for those who are hurting spiritually and physically. Evangelism is

spreading the gospel by public preaching or personal witness.

Jesus never asked anyone to do or be anything which first He had not demonstrated in

His own life. His desire was to get the disciples into a vital experience with God. It is

important that we realize that these early disciples really did not do much other than

watch Jesus work for at least a year. However, the vision was kept before them by His

activity. The model has been set for us. The mission of equipping us as believers to

communicate our faith to the world was a huge component of discipleship in Jesus’

approach. Word, Relationship and Ministry work together to holistically model

discipleship principles taught by Jesus. The goal of discipleship is to develop healthy

believers that walk by faith, communicate their faith, and multiply their faith.

Christ modeled the principle that selection of disciples is key to discipleship. He

demonstrated that the multitudes could be won if they were just given Spirit-filled

leaders to follow. We have to be discerning so that, like Paul following Jesus’ model,

we will choose disciples who will not waste our time and but will be faithful stewards

to what has been entrusted to them.

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We should look for three main qualities in a disciple:

1. Faithful. Confidence that what you are entrusting to the person will be in good

hands.

2. Available. It is hard to train someone who is not around. Therefore, a potential

disciple must show a willingness to be around you. He or she must model

commitment.

3. Teachable. It is impossible to teach someone who thinks they know everything

and are not receptive to instruction or rebuke. Just as Jesus modeled, we are not

to waste the stewardship of our lives with know-it-alls.18

3.4 Implication of Biblical Discipleship on the Contemporary Society

The word “mission” from the Latin verb mittere and from the participle missum means

“to send” or “to be sent.” Proper therefore to mission is the idea of being sent. God so

loved the world that he sent his only son Jesus, the Divine Word (John 3:16). The

incarnation of Jesus is how the Father revealed his love for humankind. As Jesus

fulfilled the Father’s work, he gathered to himself disciples whom he also sent to all

corners of the world to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God and the

Father’s liberating and unifying love: “As the Father sent me. So I send you” (John

20:21). The Holy Spirit, sent by the risen and glorified Christ, raised up the church,

the new people of God as a sign of salvation for all. That same Holy Spirit “repeatedly

raises up communities which place themselves as the disposal of the church to help

accomplish its missionary work”10 Thus, the church indeed is missionary by nature.

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Mission is the essence of the church. It was as a response to the promptings of the

Holy Spirit and the needs of peoples “Missionary work, is therefore, the end and aim

of our Society. All our activities, diverse though they be, are ultimately intended to

help the church fulfill its missionary task.” The believer is at the service of the church.

Like the disciples of Jesus, the missionary must be ready to leave his own country,

mother tongue and cultural milieu for the task of evangelization. Of course, every

baptized Christian for that matter is a missionary and is sharing in the mission of Jesus

and his church. Every one is being sent to witness to Jesus and his teachings in their

very own cultural milieu. Hence, every one is invited by Jesus to discipleship.

Christ has called us to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Mark 16:15). But how

do we witness to a broken and hostile contemporary world? First and foremost, our

personal and community lives ought to be a living witness of the very person of Jesus.

We respond to God’s call of discipleship by taking the simple public vows of

consecrated chastity, evangelical poverty and apostolic obedience. Through our

willful acceptance of the evangelical counsels we bind ourselves to Jesus.

By professing a life of celibacy in community, we strive to form a true brotherhood

where confreres feel at home, find fulfillment in their work, and develop the

potentialities of their talents. We cultivate this brotherhood through prayer, sharing in

the table of the Lord, personal relationships, and common missionary activities. We

help and encourage one another to fuller development. We also share the joys,

sorrows, hopes and problems of each other. Truly, our celibate lives anticipate and

proclaim the authentic unity of all people in the Kingdom.

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Inspired by the poverty of Jesus, the Word Incarnate, our profession of the vow of

poverty makes us generously share our time, talents, work, and community resources

at the service of our missionary tasks. Our simplicity of life makes us readily available

and accessible for the work of the Kingdom of God. It teaches us how to become

totally dependent on God, inwardly free, and detached from all earthly goods and

honors so as to be available and open to God and others.

The vow of apostolic obedience reminds that Jesus came not to do his own will but his

Father’s (John 6:38). Jesus’ whole life was a life of loving obedience. Jesus calls us to

take his obedience to devote and bind ourselves in the Society of the Divine Word as a

missionary commitment within the Church to serve the people and God and for his

glory of the kingdom.”15 Indeed, our vow of obedience makes us as one religious

congregation, sharing in the fulfillment of the Society missionary goals. Obedience

allows us to see the will of God in the decisions of our duly constituted authorities and

thus makes us ready to go anywhere the Society seems fit to send us.

Jesus ministered to all kinds of people; he made himself available to all, most

especially to the poor and the marginalized. In the same token, our religious

missionary calling should make us effective witnesses to all kinds of people,

especially where the Gospel has yet to be preached and where the local churches are

still struggling to survive. We strive to witness to Jesus’ ministry through active

pastoral and sacramental ministry, teaching in schools, caring for the sick and the poor

in hospitals, orphanages and hospices. We build Christian communities in mission

territories through the education and formation of families. We devote ourselves to the

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education of the youth both in and out of school. We bring the message of Jesus and

his Church through involvement in various social means of communication. By

initiating interreligious dialogues in areas where Christianity is a minority, we learn to

appreciate the religious traditions and conviction of these people. Lastly, we witness

to Jesus’ ministry by promoting justice and peace according to the gospel in solidarity

with the poor and the oppressed.

As an international religious missionary congregation dedicated to the Divine Word, it

is our special devotion to bring the word of God to the most undeserved and remote

areas of the world where the Gospel had never been preached or preached

insufficiently. This is very much expressed in the prayer of our Blessed Founder, St.

Arnold Janssen, "May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the

light of the Word and the spirit of grace, and may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts

of all. Amen.” God’s Word is the light of the world that enlightens everyone. Hence,

the congregation has been active in many forms of biblical apostolate in those

countries where we work. Through the power of the Gospel, we hope to establish new

Christian communities and foster the transformation of the whole of humanity, both

individually and collectively.

Dialogue should be understood as an attitude of solidarity, respect, and love. These are

the values that ought to permeate all of our missionary activities wherever we are

assigned. To be able to dialogue with the society and its people we need to be open to

the signs of the times. This entails sensitivity to what is happening around us. We live

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in a world characterized by globalization, pluralism, culture and religious change,

climate change, poverty, and loss of meaning in people’s lives. We need to insert

ourselves into the actual situation of those whom we work. Just as the Divine Word

became incarnate in a particular historical situation, we likewise have to share the

lives of peoples in their concrete situation.19

W.E. Pilgrim notes, “Socially and religiously the tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes,

beggars and various kinds of sick constituted the class of outcasts, who were the

specific objects of Jesus’ ministry.”19 The poor have a privileged place in the Gospel.

We recognize in Mark’s gospel Christ’s active presence in the poor and the oppressed,

thus we commit ourselves in the promotion of integral human development, esp. the

poor and oppressed. It is noteworthy to mention that the recently concluded SVD

General Chapter considers migration as a big challenge for us today. The Chapter

states:

Human mobility is one of the signs of our time. In the face of migrants, we

contemplate the image of Christ who said: ‘I was a stranger and you made me

welcome’ (Matt 25:35). As an intercultural and international society, we observe the

increasing volume of internal and external free and forced displacement of individuals

and groups that is affecting the stability of families and communities. This

phenomenon is found in almost all of the areas where we work and certain similarities

can be found within the zones.20

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 Endnotes

1. D. F. Watson, Education: Jewish and Greco-Roman, in Dictionary of New

Testament Background, ed. Craig A. Evans and Stanley E. Porter, (Inter

Varsity, Downers Grove, IL, 2000), 308.

2. Watts Tozer, “The Pursuit of God” (Christian Publications, Harrisburg, Pa.,

1948), 112.

3. D. F. Watson, Education: Jewish and Greco-Roman, in Dictionary of New

Testament Background, ed. Craig A. Evans and Stanley E. Porter, (Inter

Varsity, Downers Grove, IL, 2000), 313.

4. J. Michael Wilkins, “Following the Master: Discipleship in the steps of Jesus”.

(Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids: Michigan, USA. 1992), 68.

5. D. F. Watson, Education: Jewish and Greco-Roman, in Dictionary of New

Testament Background, ed. Craig A. Evans and Stanley E. Porter, (Inter

Varsity, Downers Grove, IL, 2000), 256.

6. M. Dennis Sweetland, “Our Journey with Jesus:Discipleship According to

Mark”. GNS 22, Del Michael (Glazier, Wilmington, USA. 1987), 56.

7. S. Paul Minear, “The Disciples and the Crowds in the Gospel of Matthew”,

(AThR Sup. Series, 3 March, 1974), 28-44.

8. J.C. Ryle, “Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke, Vol.1”. (James

Clark, Cambridge, 1976), 195.

9. M. James Boice, “Christ’s Call to Discipleship” (Moody Press, Grand Rapids,

MI: USA, 1986), 24.

10. M. James Boice, “Christ’s Call to Discipleship”, 28.

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11. B. Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond The Basics. (Grand Rapids:

Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.), 641.

12. J. Michael Anthony, Introducing Christian Education: Foundations for the

Twenty-first Century. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2001), 53.

13. W.D. Davies, and C. Dale Allison, The International Critical Commentary: A

Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Saint

Matthew. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1991), 65.

14. B. Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond The Basics. (Grand Rapids:

Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.), 408.

15. B. Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond The Basics, 410.

16. J. Michael Anthony, Introducing Christian Education: Foundations for the

Twenty-first Century. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2001), 55.

17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winners%27_Chapel Accessed 21-05-19 7:22pm

18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winners%27_Chapel, Accessed 21-03-19 7:31pm

19. Wolfgang Stegemann, The Gospel and the Poor, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press,

1984), 19.

20. W.E Pilgrim, Good News to the Poor: Wealth and Poverty in Luke-Arts.

(Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1981), 55.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

DISCIPLESHIP IN CAC OKE TEMIDAYO DISTRICT IN LAGOS

4.1 Historical Background of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide

The structure, belief and practices of Christ Apostolic Church proved that it is

an independent Pentecostal Church. The history of the Church is traceable directly to

our fore-fathers, namely Oba/Pastor Isaac Babalola Akinyele, Pastor David Ogunleye

Odubanjo, Joseph Sadare, Miss Sophia Odunlami and Evangelist (late Apostle) Joseph

Ayodele Babalola who was called to the ministry by the Lord on 11th, October, 1928.

Apostle Babalola’s call subsequently led to the great revival of 1930. Before then,

there was the 1918-28 Faith Tabernacle era characterized by the formation of praying

groups’ such as the Precious or Diamond Society found in small pockets all over

Nigeria. The brethren in control were Joseph Sadare (a.k.a. Esinsinade), D.O.

Odubanjo, I.B. Akinyele (late Olubadan of Ibadan) and Miss Sophia Odunlami.

Majority of the members of the first group of Diamond Society were worshipers at St.

Savior’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-Ode, where they began meeting regularly for prayers

and spiritual guidance in 1918. Mr D. O. Odubanjo soon developed contact between

members of the ‘Praying Band’ and Pastor A. Clark, the leader of Faith Tabernacle in

Philadelphia, USA. through correspondence and receipt of tracts and magazines such

as ‘The Sword of the Spirit’.1

Fortunately, the Great Revival of 1930 with Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola as its

medium, emerged in July 1930 at Oke Ooye, Ilesa. Those who assisted him during the

Revival included D. O. Odubanjo, Oba I. B. Akinyele and J. A. Babatope as well as

Babalola’s followers such as J. A. Medayese, A. O. Omotoso, John Oye, J. B. Orogun,

38
and Philip Mabigbade among others. Prophet Daniel Orekoya later on came to the

scene. The Great Revival did not only embrace all the beliefs accepted by the Faith

Tabernacle group, but also went further by embracing the baptism of the Holy Spirit,

the spiritual manifestation of seeing visions, prophesying, speaking in tongues and

dreaming. Consequently upon this, people with diverse deceases were healed in

thousands and, in turn, they spontaneously rejected their “juju” and other medicines.

Massive revivals hitherto unknown in Nigeria ensued. Thousands of people

surrendered theirs lives to Jesus.2

Over the time, God revealed to Apostle Ayo Babalola to name the Revival Group

“Apostolic Church”. About 1939, the Church changed its name to Nigerian Apostolic

Church. This name was again changed to United Apostolic Church until 1942 when

God specifically revealed that the name of the Church should be Christ Apostolic

Church. It was thereafter that the name was registered as No. 147 of May 4, 1943,

under the Lands Perpetual Succession Ordinance. During the decades 1940-1960, the

CAC was subjected to a series of strain and stresses. Stiff opposition came from the

detractors of the Church including some of the orthodox churches, most government

officers, some Obas and high chiefs and even evil forces.3

The history of the church witnessed remarkable developments such as the

establishments of a Bible Training College, Ede (1952) (the Bible Training College

moved to Erio Ekiti in 1954, to Efon Alaaye in 1958 and to Akure in 1969), Pastoral

Training College at Ibadan (1946), School of Prophets and Evangelists at Ilesa (1949),

defunct Teachers’ College at Efon Alaaye (1955), Faith Home at Ede (1959).

Grammar Schools at Ibadan, Efon Alaaye and Iperu (all in 1960), Ilesa (1962), Akure

39
(1964) and Odo-Owa (1970), Press and Publications department (1966-67), Sunday

School Department (1977), Theological Seminary at Ile-Ife (1979) by merging the

Bible Training College and Pastoral Training College, and the formation of Societies,

Associations and Fellowship groups. All these organs soon helped the Church to

firmly establish religious practices and liturgy peculiar to it.4

As a Pentecostal denomination, the Church, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit,

is administered by the orders of Apostle, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers.

Ultimate power rest with the Authority of the Church; but it involves elders/deacons,

women leaders (deaconess) and leaders of recognized organizations as found

appropriate in the process of administration (Eph. 4:11-13).

4.2 History of Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo, City of Joy Zone

Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo started as a house fellowship in the planter’s

apartment at 15, Ogunwo Street, off Oniwaya Road, Agege; with the planter’s himself

(Pastor S. Oladunjoye), his wife (Mrs. Victoria Oladunjoye), their children (Gbenga

Oladunjoye, Amos Oladunjoye and Esther Oladunjoye) and some family members in

year 2002. The church at the inception was under Christ Apostolic Church Oke Ayo

(now City of Joy Zone), District under the leadership of Pastor Ola Osholana (Rtd.) in

Pleasure DCC under the leadership of Pastor C.S. Fasuyi (Now the Director of

Mission CAC Worldwide). The church administration is an open, responsible and

response one. It encourages mass participation of members and also welcomes

constructive criticism aimed at raising the standard of the church both physically and

spiritually. The members are arranged into groups for easy co-ordination and for the

40
purpose of prayers, visitation, evangelism and social supports to members. The church

is administered by church council comprising of Minister’s of God, the elders and the

head of each group. All the groups, departments and units in the church have their

main focus on evangelism so they were involved actively in preaching, teaching and

spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These departments includes: Christ Apostolic

Church Men Association (CACMA), Good Women Association, Sunday School

Department, Youth Fellowship, Ushering Department and Choir department.

The church that started at the planter’s sitting room in 2002 has now moved to another

location where it’s standing right now (4, Oyekan lane off, Ogunwo Street, Oniwaya

Road, Agege). The church faced a lot of problems by the muslims and the herbalist

around who does not want the gospel to spread but God wins. To the glory of God, the

church met with the obligations of the church authority and was lifted to district in

2017 with Pastor S. Oladunjoye as the District Superintendent, City of Joy Zone under

the leadership of our father Pastor D.O. Ilupeju (Zonal Superintendent of CAC City of

Joy Zone).

4.3 Discipleship as Practiced in Christ Apostolic Church

The practiced of discipleship is Christ Apostolic Church has been active right

from the inception of the church. In those days in Christ Apostolic Church

discipleship is known as Apprenticeship. There are cases whereby a young man will

be given to a minister of God to serve him, to learn from him, to be trained.

Apprenticeship leadership is what Alokan calls discipleship leadership. 5 Writing on

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CAC, Alokan mentions that discipleship was in operation in the church for more than

twenty years before the establishment of its Bible Training College in Ede in 1952.

This, according to him was called ‘Tuule’, that is, pre-Bible College Training.

Discipleship leadership style is still part of the practice in CAC today which could

explain the reason both men and women in CAC did not significantly differ in their

perception on the type of leadership styles adopted by the church for its

administration. And from the oral interview conducted, the researcher found out that

from 1930–1952, discipleship style was the mode of training ministers for CAC. 6 The

leadership style had positive impact on the church as many of the pastors in the church

were products of the school. Senior pastors used to disciple the young leaders before

taking up the ministerial work. Just like there were sons of prophets in the Old

Testament (2 Kgs. 2:1-11), so also senior prophets in CAC had their private schools in

which they trained young prophets into the ministry. The impact of discipleship

leadership style is positive and significant in CAC. In various interviews, Obafemi and

Oloye agree with Alokan on this. But apprenticeship leadership demands exemplary

leadership and which from the interview with Aluko, not many leaders in the church

have.7

4.4 Concept of Discipleship in CAC Oke Temidayo

The purpose of the Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo is not only to produce

good Christians in their congregations. Rather it is called to make disciples of Jesus

Christ. Discipling is not an event, it is a process. No system can make a disciple,

because discipleship requires that a person’s will be activated by the Holy Spirit.

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Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo has the responsibility to provide the clear

vision and vehicles that brings Christians into mature discipleship. Discipling could be

describe as the intentional training of disciples, with accountability, on the basis of

loving relationships. This definition of discipling helps the Christ Apostolic Church

Oke Temidayo to identify some processes involved in making disciples today. These

processes are: Intentional. Like Jesus, we must have a planned strategy. Jesus knew

the kind of people he was creating and his goal for them. The discipling church’s

leadership team should have a defined purpose and also teach its members how to

make disciples. Here the leadership must define what it means to be a disciple,

develop a method to make disciples and pass on the vision and know-how of disciple

making to its’ members.

i. Training. Here discipling means more than developing skills, although it must

include that. Training implies a prescribed course of study and a process people

undergo order to reach certain goals. Small groups and other vehicles can provide

a track on which people can make progress. Everyone in the congregation should

receive an invitation to learn about scripture, discover his or her gifts and use

them in Christ’s service.

ii. Accountability. The church should provide a variety of means to hold people

accountable to their commitment towards God. A series of agreements may be

made within the discipling program of the church. Both formal and informal

means of accountability should be provided for effective discipling in the church.

iii. Loving Relationships. All successful ministry is based on relationships. A loving

and supportive environment builds emotional equity that acts as a cushion during

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 bumps and turbulence of ministry. There is a need for every church to unleash its

loving anchor to form the church’s relational foundation.

The process of discipling in Christ Apostolic Church Oke Temidayo and other

local church is not just about passing on information from the bible to members of the

church. It is about matured believers (disciplers) who have committed themselves to

nurture other believers (disciples) in the character and example of Jesus Christ to help

equip them for every good work in church.

4.5 Barriers of Discipleship in CAC Oke Temidayo, City of Joy Zone

Anyone who has ever tried to get better at following Jesus knows that there are certain

things that get in the way of our efforts.  Anyone who has ever worked in the church

knows that barriers of this sort seem to multiply when you get people together.

Perhaps it would help us understand our task better if we could put the many and

varied obstacles that we encounter in some simple categories.  The categories we

construct need to be broad enough to capture the wide variety of challenges we face

and to make those challenges manageable, but they also need to be specific enough to

illuminate our thinking about and practice of discipleship.

Barriers Related to Biblical and Theological Knowledge: There are three categories of

barriers that was encounter when we try to become better disciples of Jesus and when

we try to make (better) disciples of Jesus in our churches and communities.  The first

category of barriers includes those related to biblical and theological knowledge.

Sometimes, we just do not know enough about Jesus, his life, or his teachings to be

good disciples.

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Barriers of this sort usually derive from one of three sources.

 Unwillingness to Learn – Many Nigerians seems unwilling to learn the things that

need to be learned if we are going to be good disciples of Jesus.  Indeed, in some

quarters of Nigerian evangelicalism, there is an active hostility to learning. If it

doesn’t meet a felt need, some people just aren’t interested.

 Learning the Wrong Things – Some Christians have actively engaged in the

process of learning, but they have learned the wrong things.  They have a view of

God, the universe, or their own story that is inconsistent with the truth, and those

wrong “facts” have a peculiar way of insulating them from the truth.  In other

words, once someone learns something, it can be difficult to convince them that

what they learned is wrong.

 Application Errors – Sometimes, people are willing to learn, and they manage to

learn the right things.  Nevertheless, they have difficulty applying what they have

learned in the real world. The life of the mind is extraordinarily important, but its

importance is rooted in the impact that it has on how we live our lives.

Each of these barriers to discipleship brings harm to the individual or to the

congregation in which he or she participates.  

Barriers Related to Spiritual Practices: A second category of obstacles can be

described as obstacles related to spiritual practices.  What do we mean by “spiritual

practices”? We mean those things that keep us connected to God, that build our

biblical and theological knowledge, and that connect us with other followers of Jesus.

In other words, we are talking about those things that the Holy Spirit can use to

communicate His presence and accomplish His work in our lives. Some practices are

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mandatory.  These include prayer, Bible reading, worship, and fellowship.  Other

practices may not always be required but are strongly recommended for those who

want to stay connected with God, with their follow believers, and with themselves.

These include fasting, silence, solitude, journaling, and confession of sin and/or

weakness.

Sometimes, the problems related to these practices originate in the fact that we just do

not do them enough.  Sometimes, they originate in the fact that we do not know how

to do them well. At other times, they originate from the fact that we do not do them

with other believers or from the fact that we do not get feedback from trusted spiritual

guides about how we are doing them.  Regardless of why the obstacles exist, they can

cut us off from the interactive relationships; relationships with God and relationships

with trusted others that have the power to correct our misperceptions and to heal our

brokenness.

Barriers Related to Emotional Healing and Maturity: And this brings us to our third

category of barriers those related to emotional healing and maturity.  There are a lot of

wounded people walking around our churches, people whose hearts have been broken

by God, by a parent, by another authority figure (coach, pastor, etc.), by a lover, by a

friend, or by someone in the church.  The suffering that these individuals experience is

bad enough to deserve our attention, but, all too often, their woundedness results in

destructive behavior towards others in their family, congregation, or community. And

now there are more wounded people whose suffering must be addressed. Moreover,

we all have growing up to do, and this is especially true for leaders.  In order for

people to be ready to lead whether it be in their own family, in the church, or in

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society at large they have to grow up emotionally.  And when they don’t grow up,

they inflict wounds upon themselves and upon others. Maturity doesn’t just happen.  It

takes intentionality. It takes work.   It takes time. And, sometimes, it takes help from

someone who has walked the road of emotional growth ahead of us.8

4.6 Solution to the Barriers of Discipleship in CAC Oke Temidayo, City of Joy

Zone

Discipleship is about more than we often think.  It is a broad and integrated endeavor,

drawing from various aspects of the human person and seeing how they are deeply

embedded within one another. The church leaders of Christ Apostolic Church Oke

Temidayo need to develop an identity that is really oriented around the work and

witness of Jesus and address the wounds which sin has inflicted upon their psyche.  In

other words, prayer and Bible study may not be enough to address the emotional

baggage that the leaders have brought with them into their vocation.

The leadership of Christ Apostolic Church must come to recognize that discipleship is

not just about the acquisition of knowledge, about the consistent pursuit of God

through spiritual disciplines, or growing into healthy, well-adjusted adults.  It is about

all of these things, and each one of these things has a profound impact on all the

others. Recognizing the breadth and interconnectedness of our task will challenge us

to radically reconfigure our approach to discipleship, and it may even challenge us to

acquire new skills in order to complete our task.

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 Endnotes

1. S. G. Adegboyega, Short History of the Apostolic Church in Nigeria. (Ibadan:

Rosprint Industrial Press Ltd. 1978,), 23.

2. C. O. Oshun, Christ Apostolic Church in Nigeria: A Suggested Pentecostal

Consideration of its Historical, Organisational and Theological Development,

1918-1978. (Thesis Accepted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the

University of Exeter, England. 1981), 45.

3. S. G. Adegboyega, Short History of the Apostolic Church in Nigeria. (Ibadan:

Rosprint Industrial Press Ltd. 1978,), 24.

4. S. G. Adegboyega, Short History of the Apostolic Church in Nigeria.

5. J.A. Alokan, Christ Apostolic Church at 90 (1918-2008). (Ile-Ife: Timade

Ventures, 2010), 54.

6. J.A. Alokan, Christ Apostolic Church at 90 (1918-2008)

7. E. H. L. Olusheye, The Legacies of our Church Patriarchs. (Ibadan: Gideon

Global Press, 2010), 53.

8. Brien Mike. “Why Most Church Discipleship Plans fail”, from

www.churchleaders.com. Accessed on 26-05-2019, 4:15pm.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary

This study examines spiritual formation as a tool for creating solid discipleship using

Christ Apostolic Church as a case study. Discipleship is the pillar of any spiritually

healthy church. A disciple is "one who abides in Jesus' words" (John 8:3). This would

imply being a diligent student of the teachings of Christ. It also requires one to be a

"doer" of the Word (Mt 7:21-27; Jam 1:21-25). In view of this, a true disciple would

not fail to study the Bible diligently and not willingly refrain from opportunities to

study with others (e.g., Bible classes, church services, gospel meetings). A disciple is

also "one who loves the brethren" (John 13:34-35) with a love patterned after the love

of Jesus ("as I have loved you"), which is visible to the world ("by this all will

know"). Therefore, a true disciple would make every effort to get to know his

brethren, take advantage of occasions to encourage and grow closer to them (e.g.,

attending services on Sunday and any weekdays and night vigils). We have learnt that

a disciple is one who wants to become like his teacher. Jesus Christ was willing to

sacrifice time and effort for His brethren during His earthily ministry, and every

disciple of His must do likewise if they are truly His disciples.

A disciple is "one who bears much fruit" (John 15:8). This is so important to a disciple

that fail to bear much fruit will result in being severed from Christ (John 15:1-2) and

how can one be a disciple if he or she is cut off from Christ? The point should be

made clear: to be a disciple of Jesus Christ means more than just a casual church

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member. It requires commitment, especially in regards to: the teachings of Christ, the

love of brethren and bearing fruit to the glory of God. The kind of commitment

involved is seen further when we consider the "high cost" of discipleship demanded

by Jesus in Lk. 14:25-33. The issue is that Jesus must come first before anyone else,

including members of our own family, and even before one's own self. We must be

willing to suffer for Christ, and while trying to live godly lives in an ungodly world,

we may find that following Christ sometimes involves ridicule and persecution (2Tim.

3:12). Even if we are blessed to escape such things, we must still be willing to expend

time and effort in promoting the cause of Christ in positive ways. Putting it simply, we

must forsake all to follow Christ, and in other words, Jesus must be King and Lord of

our lives while nothing should take precedent over Him and His Will for us. This kind

of "high cost" of discipleship demanded by Jesus caused many people to turn away

from following Him. But Jesus wasn't trying to attract large crowds, He wanted

disciples! The cost is worth it, if we consider some of the rewards of discipleship, i.e.

the rewards of being a disciple. Therefore, Church leaders should know that numerical

growth is not synonymous to spiritual growth as the lack of effective discipleship

programme in the church will not enhance the spiritual quality of members.

5.2 Conclusion

This study reveals that the Word of God must touch us and transform the very core of

our being in a discipleship ‘infested’ church. We cannot lead others to Him when we

do not know the way, and, in order to know the way, we must have knowledge.

Knowledge comes from experience, and experience comes from discipleship. The will

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of God is that we study His Word which will change our behaviour. To Revisiting the

source of zeal, power and the glory of the Christ Apostolic church through well

nurtured discipleship strategy, a leader in the church, must have the knowledge and

experience to put into practice the work that needs to be done. The disciple should be

studious so that the Word nourishes him. He must study and apply the Scriptures, not

just read them occasionally, like a novel. The Word must touch who we are and

transform the very core of our being. This is the knowledge that church leaders need

to possess to lead and transform the members of their congregation. After Exploring

valuable teachings on the concept of discipleship as an important catalyst in building a

church that is Christlike in CAC Oke Temidayo District, It is evident that from the

character of Christ comes the conduct of Christ, and those who choose to follow Him

must import His values to our daily walk, and let them drive their behaviours which in

turn influence others who are watching them. Someone said “You cannot lead where

you have not been, or when you do not know the direction to go”, hence this is why

discipleship is so essential to every aspect of being a Christian, especially to witness

the gospel of Jesus. We are called, not to just visualize faith and discipleship, but to do

it, not to just read about it, but to do it, and not to just talk about it, but to do it. What

an effective church should do is to take the Scripture and the call of our Lord

seriously, gather, prepare, and then put it all into practice so that our peoples’ life will

be transformed.

The lessons for the present day’s ministers to produce a church with no less but of

much more values, through the practice of a good discipleship programmes are:

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1. Understanding that the reasons for lack of discipleship process in our churches

today is not being in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

2. Little or zero believe in the authority of the Bible as the Word and standard to

follow. little love for God and His people, and releasing what we have for the

purpose of promoting God’s work.

3. Lack of effective teachings on prayer by the pastorate which could transcends to

low prayer life, laziness to study and meditate on the Word of God, the

individuality in today’s world.

4. The rush for gains and monetary returns in the world has made evangelism and

mission to be pushed to the back and growth through conversion is the culprit.

If the church leaders can commence training other leaders in the act of discipling the

members, sanity and health would return to the church of God. These are the

implications and consequences of what the lack of effective discipleship programme

will have on the growth of the church in the short to long term. The challenge is for

church leaders of Christ Apostolic Church and other local churches to become

disciple-making leaders so that the health of the church would not suffer in these last

days.

5.3 Recommendations

This study makes the following recommendations to church leaders on how to

institute an enduring discipleship programme that build and sustain relationship

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among members. As the study has substantiated the need for well defined discipleship

counseling programme in our churches to assist members to become heavenly

focused, these recommendations will go a long way to help build vibrant and healthy

church through the instrumentation of effective discipleship programmes:

a. All church leaders must possess the fundamental skills necessary for effective

performance in ministry.

b. Discipleship programme should be a part of every church using small group so that

everyone can be reached and helped.

c. The Pastor of the church must be interested in his or her own personal growth and

work to develop and horn his core competencies so that he is well equipped to develop

other leaders.

d. The church leaders should have a group of people chosen by him from the church

under his training purview so that he can infuse into them the requisite knowledge and

potency to affect others in the church.

e. The Pastor should be visionary, amenable to change, be prayerful and make friends

within and outside the church. The relationship of the leader will help the church if

well defined and harnessed.

f. The church leader must be interested in the ministries outside the church by

developing leaders to explore and do this for the church. A missionary- oriented leader

is always rated high by God.

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This study should serve as a springboard for future researchers who are interested in

the field discipleship among Christian and for church growth as there are still many

issues that were unearthed in the field, but are beyond the scope of this work.

54
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