“Commit To Faithful Brethren Who Are Able To Teach” (2 Timothy 2:2): The Pastor/Preacher As A Leader In Disciple Making

Abstract

Many have come to associate discipleship process in the church with Bible studies. As such, preachers pay little attention to disciple-making in their delivery with the assumption that preaching time is not the time to build up disciples. Some preachers are also affected by postmodernism, capitalism, and secularization-individualism and as such want to project themselves only and think about what they can get. They forget that biblical leadership is about building others and developing other people’s faith in Jesus Christ so that they grow to maturity. Preachers who do not see the need to build others and overlook committing the word to them cannot be ideal leaders of the church. Bearing in mind that the key role of the pastor is preaching, this paper emphasizes the role of the preacher in disciple-making. It argues that for effective disciple-making, the preacher must intentionally aim at committing the message to others who have the capacity to teach others too in order to have a multiplicative effect. Using the practical theology approach, the paper demonstrates that when a preacher builds relationships intentionally, lives a life of integrity, and builds up knowledge, the command to commit the word to faithful brethren can be fulfilled.