Pastors and Discipleship

There is no question that discipleship must be a key component of a pastor’s ministry, and this cannot be fully accomplished behind the pulpit.

Biblical truth is fundamental for a discipleship ministry. Jesus clearly called people to follow His teaching.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:31–32

But Jesus also called people to follow Him. His life was a demonstration of how Christian disciples should live.

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 9:23

Paul emphasizes the need for both teaching and the demonstration of a pattern of life that must benefit our disciples.

Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!
2 Timothy 3:10–11

Paul was passionate about Christian leaders discipling future Christian leaders. This is fundamental to the growth and perseverance of the church.

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2

Pastors can easily fall into the habit of maintaining a public ministry behind a lectern and not engaging in life-on-life discipleship. A discipleship ministry requires volumes of time and vulnerability. Discipling men to be Christian leaders necessitates allowing them to be in your life, participate with your family, join you in Christian service. This is seldom convenient and yet is a critical responsibility of Christian leaders. The long-term benefits are also wonderful!

Tags: , ,

Rocky Wyatt

Rocky Wyatt came to know the Lord as a young teenager and began working in youth ministry when in college. After serving in churches in Utah, California and Colorado, Rocky moved to Texas to serve as Youth Pastor at Countryside Bible Church. He served there for 26 years where he eventually moved from youth ministry to serve as an Associate Pastor.

Over the course of his ministry, Rocky has always had a desire to train men for pastoral ministry in the context of the local church. In 1992 he started XL Ministries, an organization that is committed to helping churches establish intensive internships for pastoral training. In 2020 he left his position at Countryside Bible Church to become the Executive Director of XL Ministries and now works full time assisting churches in training men for ministry.

He is co-author of The Youth Ministry Training Manual, a textbook for training youth pastors, and has also written multiple other resources for use in various local church ministries. He is currently working on a book to encourage churches to take the primary responsibility to train pastors.

Rocky is married to Pamela, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58