Lecture Notes: Understanding Essential vs. Non-Essential in Context of Ministry and Discipleship

Key Themes

• Essential vs. Non-Essential Jobs during COVID-19
• Approach to Ministry: What's Essential?
• Discipleship and Evangelism: Balance and Integration

COVID-19 and Defining Essential Work

• Many new terms introduced globally during 2020 due to the pandemic.
• Differing definitions of 'essential' vs. 'non-essential' jobs, stores, etc., varied by community, city, country.
• Examples:
  • Schools opening or closing in different districts
  • Restaurant policies varying by city zones
  • Liquor stores often deemed essential; churches often deemed non-essential
• Confusing uncertainties and inconsistencies even from policy to policy.

Ministry Context: Essential vs. Non-Essential

• Musical Instruments: Are they essential for worship? Depends on the context (some areas more tech-savvy, others musically inclined).
• Church Buildings: Some places consider having a church building essential; others might prefer house churches, no roof, or electricity.
• Ministerial Educational Credentials: Varied opinions; not deemed essential for ordination in the Every Nation ministry context. Valuable but not mandatory.
• Legal Boards: Important for organization setup depending on cultural/legal context.

Determining Essential Elements in Ministry

• Best practice: Look at the life and teachings of Jesus.
• Biblical example and words of Jesus provide insight.

Case Study: Discipleship Material

• American missionary impressed by discipleship in Victory Manila church.
• Initially assumed need for structured material; Victory Manila focused primarily on using the Bible.
• Eventually produced materials, but emphasized that the core material was and is the Bible.

Discipleship: Key Teachings from Matthew 28

• Dual Focus of Discipleship: Evangelism and Spiritual Formation
• Misconceptions in Western Church:
  • Discipleship as merely a program to make better Christians.
  • Discipleship ending post-baptism and new believers remain spiritual babies.
• Matthew 28:19-20: Highlights the dual mandate
  • Verse 19: Evangelism - "Go and make disciples of all nations..."
  • Verse 20: Mature New Believers - "...teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

Reconnecting Evangelism and Discipleship

• Evangelism and Discipleship often mistakenly segregated (bookstores, church org charts).
• Necessary to integrate these concepts like parts of the same body.
• Aim: include people far from God as an essential aspect of discipleship.

What Did Jesus Do? Pattern of Ministry

• Jesus balanced between large crowds and small groups (12 disciples).
• Rhythms observed in the gospels: Big crowd moments followed by intimate small group discipleship.
• Key insight: Even as ministries grow, maintain small group discipleship to nurture leaders.

Conclusion: What's Essential and Non-Essential

• Essential practices are modeled by Jesus's actions and teachings.
• Core of ministry practice: evangelism paired with nurturing small group discipleship.
• Churches should strive to integrate both aspects for holistic community growth.