By Darrel Rowland
Southland Christian Church“s approach to making disciples might seem a little counterintuitive.
For instance, although the Lexington, Kentucky, church has grown to 8,000 weekend attendees in recent years, Southland actually is holding fewer, not more events. And the leadership believes the discipleship process begins before, not when, someone becomes a Christian.
The number of events has been trimmed to maximize impact and quality, say Will Briggs, connection minister, and Brandon Schaefer, study associate minister.
“We have been aware of the stigma and reality that some churches do entertain,” Schaefer says. “We”ve combated this by really being intentional and streamlining our activities.”
Every major adult discipleship event or activity must be approved by Southland”s Study Ministry team; if it affects the whole congregation, the Management Team generally must give final approval.
“The purpose, target audience, content, desired outcome, and how the event ties to the church”s vision and values must be explained,” Schaefer said.
“The team then is free to ask questions and help refine any aspect of the event to ensure that it is going to be Christ-centered and meaningful. This has brought many tangible (quality of events has improved) and intangible (staff teamwork) benefits.” Another unusual aspect to the Southland approach is the starting point of making disciples.
“Discipleship begins when a Christ follower says hello. It begins at the earliest stage of relationship and progresses as a more mature follower of Jesus walks alongside another person,” Briggs said.
How do they know if they have succeeded?
“If a Christ follower can function without hand-holding, we have done our job,” the two ministers say.
One of Southland”s six core values states that home is the best place for lifelong discipleship, noting, “What happens at home can make or break what God has been teaching us.” But another value says life happens best in community, when people and homes interact.
“If we can grow communities toward a strong sense of trust through shared experience””laughing together, crying together, etc.””when they get to the point of studying Scripture, deeply impactful, and significant conversations can emerge,” Briggs said.
The church”s small groups focus on three factors: shared life, spiritual formation, and serving. But participants learn that the three are not part of a checklist. Nor do they occur one at a time, but together.
Southland”s leadership readily acknowledges that God”s Spirit lives in every believer.
“What if we acted on that belief,” Briggs said, “and instead of controlling a group”s progress, we allow them, through the cooperative efforts of the entire body, to learn to hear God”s voice, feed themselves in the Word, and walk in obedience?”
Darrel Rowland is public affairs editor of The Columbus Dispatch and an adult Bible fellowship teacher at Worthington (Ohio) Christian Church.
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