How a church leader can help cultivate a culture of discipleship

1. Build your own weekly schedule to include time for fellowship with young Christians (breakfasts and lunches, doing chores together, regularly reviewing sermons, etc.).
2. If your church values education, offer to budget for book giveaways. Keep a supply of books in the office for spontaneous gifts. Encourage people to read them and schedule a time with you to discuss them.
3. Encourage mature Christians in your church to meet others (e.g., «Hey, Joe, who are you having lunch with today?»). Look for opportunities for church members to connect with each other («Hey, Joe, have you thought about spending time with John?»).
4. Apply sermons not only to individuals but also to the church as a whole (For example, «What does this passage mean for us as a church? It means we should be willing to encourage and correct one another.») Look for ways to encourage discipleship and mutual care through the application of your sermons.
5. Preach and apply the Gospel. Proper preaching of the Gospel should foster the formation of Christians who recognize their shared responsibility to instruct and teach one another on the basis of a shared family identity in Christ. As often as possible, help church members connect their faith with the call to active love for one another.
6. Offer adult learning or counseling groups.
7. Offer Sunday School (for adults) on more specific topics, such as «Fear of Man» or «God’s Plan and Guidance.».
8. Use church membership training to establish expectations for regular participation in each other’s lives.
9. During a church membership interview, ask the candidate if he or she wants to participate in the church’s discipleship process.
10. Stock your church bookstore and church library with good materials on discipleship.
11. Consider setting up a booklet display (CCEF) in your church to display these short and helpful resources on a variety of specific topics. If possible, offer these booklets for free.
12. Promote and talk about these resources from the department.
13. As a pastor, set an example of humility and call people to repentance and spiritual growth!
14. Consider providing church small groups with specialized literature and resources based on the type of group, such as a group for young couples or for singles.
15. If church resources allow, hire a full-time pastor who can dedicate himself to counseling.
16. If church resources allow, consider hiring a sister on staff who can dedicate herself to counseling and encouraging discipleship among women in the church.
17. Encourage church members to attend Christian Counseling Education Foundation (CCEF) conferences and use their online courses.
18. Offer counseling training for your church members and/or small group leaders. CCEF offers two excellent training courses: «How People Change» and «Helping Others Change.» These user-friendly leadership guides and workbooks make it easy for pastors, parishioners, and church members to learn how to counsel biblically and how to better care for one another (www.ccef.org).
19. Read the book "Paul David Tripp's Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands.".
20. Encourage the brothers you are training for pastoral ministry to read "Ed Welch's When People Are Big and God Is Small.".
21. Pray. Ask God to raise up pastors, godly women, and mature teachers in your congregation to help care for the flock.

(This list is the essence of the article «Twenty Ways to Cultivate a Consulting Culture» by Jonathan Liman and Deepak Reju).