Disciple-making is the core mission of the Church, and it is a purpose that we must not miss, said Reverend Tony Yeo in a plenary session at the Intentional Disciple-Making Churches (IDMC) 2020 conference on September 5.

“We are free to choose the style of the church … we are free to decide the strategy of the church … But the purpose of church has been given by the Lord Jesus Christ,” Rev Yeo, Senior Pastor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church, said to an online audience of 5,000 on livestream.

“The heart of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is not just making disciples, but discipling the nations,” he added.

How then do we disciple the whole church to follow this discipleship mandate unceasingly?

Rev Yeo offered five essential principles from Ephesians 4:11-13, which can guide the Church toward this purpose.

1. Every disciple to be empowered

In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul writes:

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”

This “five-fold ministry” – the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers – and their respective gifts, are given to equip every believer in the Church to be disciples who make disciples for Jesus, said Rev Yeo.

But what does it mean to be equipped?

Many of us think that being equipped is about being trained for a task, attending Christian education classes or seminars, or even going through a systematic church programme, he said.

However, the essence of the word “equip” in Greek – katartismos – does not mean adding something that is lacking, but putting things in its rightful order, or adjusting things that are out of position, he explained.

Instead of merely planning programmes to occupy more seats in church, Rev Yeo urged leaders to disciple and empower their members toward a change in their values, mindsets and ultimately, their way of life.

“Every equipping in the church must empower God’s people and lead to transformation,” he stressed. “Equipping happens when we have full obeyed and faithfully applied the truth we have already heard, and are preparing to pass it on.”

Therefore, he added, rather than be excessively focused on the programmes and curriculum, we need to ask ourselves this sobering question: Are we truly equipping disciples in a way that leads to true empowerment and a real transformation of their hearts and lives?

2. Every disciple to be a minister

Highlighting Ephesians 4:12, Rev Yeo said that every member is to be equipped not just to be disciples, but to be ministers who build up the body of Christ.

“The equipping of the saints is never intended to be like a dead sea, merely a receptacle with no outlet or channel for what has been received to flow out,” he said.

Everyone is to build up the church.

“The work of the ministry is not just the work of a few gifted people. But those (who are) gifted are to equip others so that (others), being built up in the faith, strengthened in the foundation of biblical truth, and empowered by the application of it, are able to in turn carry on the ministry.”

He offered four helpful handles to minister in a way that builds up the body.

• Recognise that there is much work to be done. It’s all hands on deck. It is everyone rolling up our sleeves.
• We may not have it all together, but together we have it all. When a church only has a few gifted people serving all the time, it can result in celebritism or over-dependance on them.
• Be intentional and inspirational in raising up others to build up the church. If we think that others are too young, too old, too immature, too irrelevant, too unskilled, we may have a church with no next generation.
• Start with this simple mental model. Firstly, I do, you see. Secondly, I do, you do. Thirdly, you do, I see. Finally, you do and I don’t see.

Quoting American evangelist DL Moody, Rev Yeo said: “It is better to put 10 men to work, than to do the work of 10 men.”

3. Every minister to be a unifier

Despite the wide diversity of views, cultures and personal preferences, the goal of the Church is to be united as one in Christ, said Rev Yeo.

In Ephesians 4:13, it says that the body of Christ is to be built up “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God”.

Oneness and fellowship is impossible unless it is build on the foundation of commonly believed truth – namely that Jesus is alive, Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is coming back again, he said.

However, we are united not just in one faith but also in one focus – Jesus. This means that every one of us, as disciples, must have a personal relationship with Christ, he said.

“We grow to love and follow Jesus together. And our faith in Jesus unites and merges us together for Kingdom faith exploits.”

He stressed that parents are the “primary unifiers and disciplers of their children”, and that small group leaders can also play this unifying role.

Ultimately, the most important ingredient to be a unifier is love, said Rev Yeo.

Quoting 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, he said: “My friends, if you are simply ministering as a visionary leader, a gifted brilliant teacher, a caring shepherd, but do not have love for one another, then Paul says you are not unifying the church or the family together.

“Would you start today to commit yourself to be a unifier in your own family, and then in the life of the church? Starting with loving one another.”

4. Every unifier to be mature

Jesus’ goal for each member of the body of Christ is not to be the richest, or the smartest, or the biggest church, but to obtain spiritual maturity, said Rev Yeo.

In Ephesians 4:13, Paul says that we are to grow up to “mature manhood”.

The word “mature” in Greek – teleios – means having reached its goal or purpose, said Rev Yeo. It connotes something that is whole, completely, perfect, fully developed and in good working order.

“This is the same word used to describe the development of a little child until he attains adult strength, discretion, height, wisdom, knowledge and emotional stability,” he said.

He added that our maturity is best nurtured when we are tested and faced with a crisis.

“Practically, it is seen when we mature in our understanding of Scripture, in our devotion to Christ, in our love for one another, in how we respond when criticised, wronged or treated unfairly. 

“It is in these times that our maturity is tested, demonstrated, and developed. The Apostle Paul praised God in the midst of imprisonment, and he encouraged others to do the same. That is a key mark of maturity.”

5. Every mature man to be a Christlike multiplier

As we grow up in maturity, we are to be conformed to Christ’s image (Ephesians 4:13) so that we can disciple others to be more like Christ too, noted Rev Yeo in his final point.

“We cannot lead people where we have never been. We cannot impart what we do not possess. If we are not growing in Christ and being changed by Him, then we can’t help someone else in that process,” he said.

Quoting 2 Timothy 2:2, he stressed: “Christlikeness and multiplication are like two wings of the same aircraft. They are like two sides of the same coin.”

However, there is no need to feel discouraged if we find that we are not yet completely like Christ, as we are all works in progress, he said.

Addressing parents, who are examples to their children, he added: “God can enlarge himself in your weakness, if you only let him do it.”

He urged listeners to identify a few good men and women that God is laying on their hearts to disciple, starting with their families, marketplaces and churches.

Ultimately, all the discipling that is done should bring us back to “one overarching M” – our Master, said Rev Yeo.

“It is not to disciple someone so as to become like you and me, or to be like the leader or the pastor in the church, but to be like the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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