ALLaboutLAiTY: Awakening The Laity

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The Crucial Challenge 
Sarang means love in Korean. “God is Love” can be seen at key places of the new SaRang Church in Seoul. Its founding pastor, the late Rev. John H. Oak, started the church with just nine people in 1978, and it has now grown to become one of the biggest churches in Korea. He had totally committed his church to Discipleship Training and he often described his passion to disciple individuals as wildly enthusiastic.

Since its inception, SaRang Church has committed to being faithful in making disciples. It has trained more than 25,000 people through its Call to Awaken the Laity (CAL) Seminar since 1986. Seven of us from SCAC were among the almost 200 who attended its 115th CAL Discipleship Training Seminar from 28th October to 1st November 2019. It was its first seminar in Chinese.

Rev. John H. Oak’s impassioned manual, The Crucial Challenge: How to Engage Your Church in Disciple Making (formerly, Called to Awaken the Laity), has become the main driving force behind the disciple-making movement in South Korea, and around the world. He pointed out that the lay people are the main body of the church and they are the best and the greatest potential the church has. It would be a serious loss for the church if they were not mobilized. Rediscovering the biblical role of the laity demands a radical remodelling of our old framework of ministry. This is the crucial challenge – to awaken the laity and to engage them in disciple making.

How do we train and equip members of our church into lay ministers or leaders? Disciple training ministry is the key. This seminar has sent an urgent appeal to us to embrace the God-given calling to live as disciples and be disciple-makers. It has also provoked us to recover the proper role and position of the laity. It is time to wake up the slumbering laity.

The Essence of Pastoral Ministry
Discipleship training of the laity is the very essence of the pastoral ministry. It is about becoming like Christ and living like Him (Gal.4:9). How can we train a believer to become a true disciple in this era which refuses the knowledge of absolute bible truth and help him to be Christ-like?

The CAL seminar is designed for us to experience the SaRang Church’s dynamic Discipleship Training Ministry through key lectures, inductive small groups and field visits to the discipleship training sessions. Though we were taught on the laity training system and nurturing program, the senior pastor of SaRang church, Rev Jung-Hyun Oh, reminded us that it is not aimed at demonstrating a complete set of training materials. The key purpose is to create in us the dynamic and disciple-making missional ecclesiology. It also helps us to catch the vision of a more improved version from a church-based moralistic Discipleship Training to a life transforming Discipleship Training with missional emphasis.

Building lay people to be teleios disciples of Jesus is an urgent necessity. It is the fundamental task that fulfils the calling of the church. This was the key message given by Rev Oh during the opening of the CAL Discipleship Seminar. A teleios disciple is the mature or holistic person as described by Paul in Colossians 1:28-29.
The environment of the ultimate disciple making is Small Group (Upper Room) engaging in inductive bible study.

Rev Oh shared in depth on how the essence of church ministry originates from the ‘Shepherd Heart’ of God. Such thought not only ignited the flame of his passion but has also propelled him to persevere in this ministry.

The Evergreen Ministry Tree
The ability of SaRang Church to persevere over the past 40 years to become the present life transforming ‘disciple-making-mission church’ model is due to their unswerving grasp on the concept of the evergreen ministry tree as shown below. Many churches have not been able to embark on or sustain its discipleship training, resulting in frustration and despair. Starting discipleship training by first focusing on the numbers, the method and materials are the commonest pitfalls. We should start with the ministry philosophy.

The key seminar lectures were designed according to the desired order of the evergreen ministry tree – philosophy, strategy, method and finally, the field. Though each participant was given a set of the SaRang Church disciple training materials, the speakers stressed that materials are immaterial! It has to begin with a conviction arising from the correct ecclesiological understanding of the pastoral ministry. It is the strong root system which results in the evergreen tree blooming with healthy leaves and bearing much fruits.
Priesthood and Apostolicity

Ecclesiology is the root because it gives birth to ministry philosophy. The pastoral paradigm on the laity in the church needs to be transformed with the correct understanding of the underlying philosophy.

Why does the church exist in the world? What are the identity and role of the laity in the church and in the world?

The visible church is the community of God’s people called out of the world and sent into the world as disciples of Christ.

In the assembly of the chosen or the Body of Christ, there is no distinction between the clergy and the laity. Everyone with the Holy Spirit is a temple of God. The privilege of the laity should be based on the perspective of the priesthood of all believers (Hebrews 10:19-22, Romans 12:1, 1 Peter 2:9). Reviewing such privilege reveals the heavy responsibility every lay person has toward the world, especially in intercession and witness. Besides, the role of the laity from the perspective of the church’s existence is to worship God, to save the world and to nurture and train believers.

Rev Oh substantiated at length the apostolicity of the church (Ephesians 2:20, John 20:21). It is the apostolicity of the church that inherits the gospel passed down by the apostle. The laity is also the successor of the apostolic ministry. They are the people of God called out of the world and also the disciples of Christ sent into the world. It is a grievous error to neglect and even exclude equipping the laity with apostolicity. The laity must be awakened and given this clear sense of identity.

The church, with the clergy, should provide training (Ephesians 4:11-12) to the lay people so that they will become better worshippers and witnesses to the world. As the laity recover their role, they should humbly submit to the authority given to the clergy. Establishing a solid undergirding ecclesiological principle helps to avoid all the frustrations in the pastoral ministry.

Lay-Centred Discipleship
Discipleship is the foundational ministry strategy and it is the sum of the church ministry itself. The strategic value of discipleship provides the goal and standard for training the laity. It is the tree trunk from which comes the branches. The vague concept of ‘disciple’ and the scepticism on ‘discipleship’ are the greatest setbacks of church ministry today.

What kind of laity do you want? Who in the church can be called a disciple?

A disciple is one who is becoming like Christ and living like Christ. It is not a title or medal referring to a person who is receiving disciple training. Though everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord as Saviour is called a disciple, there can be varying degrees of difference in the lives of disciples. According to the Great Commission in making disciples of all nations, it is a process of “go, baptize them and teach them to obey.”

We do not receive training in order to become disciples, but we receive training because we are disciples. A disciple is always in the process of discipleship.

The path of discipleship applies to all believers. Discipleship is a lifestyle and process of spiritual growth. To recover the essential calling of the church in discipleship training, the pastors shall take the leadership and the laity takes the responsibility of ministry. The clergy’s role is to serve the laity in enabling them to become self-reproducing disciples.

Rev Oh brought us through the three basic elements of discipleship. Firstly, the total personal commitment to Christ in reshaping a person who will do his best to pay the necessary price to follow Jesus. It also involves making him into a witness of Jesus in all spheres of his life empowered by the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, as a servant of Christ, in helping the trainee to live out the life of a servant as Jesus has shown us. A disciple is one who trusts, who witnesses and who serves through his character and life.

Hasn’t our church been over focusing on numeric growth and comfort, and neglect the call to awaken the laity in discipleship training? Are we suffering from quantitative obesity without a ‘quality’ laity? The continued expansion of the church without serious teachings will definitely lead to church decline in future.

What changes could we take? Reform cannot be achieved by changing programs or methods. We need to convert our present suffocating guardianship ministry with spoonfeeding in classroom and other activities to training ministry by teaching them in biblical obedience discipleship and disciple reproduction. The key lies in the kind of person the leader is and not the kind of people the laity are. In this respect, a shift from a clergy-centred to lay-centred church is necessary. When this succeeds, both the clergy and the laity will thrive.

The Laity Training System
Discipleship training produces disciples like the tree branches which bear fruits. It is not a fad, a methodology, a course or a bible study program. Though bible study is important and courses are beneficial, they cannot be misconceived as the provision in producing disciples. It has to be disciple making disciples.

What are the practical ways to apply discipleship in our ministry field?

How can we build up the laity as Jesus’ disciples, well-grounded in discipleship? 
Launching Disciple Training in our church can be a difficult and revolutionary act. As Disciple Training is successfully launched, pastors should prepare Upper Rooms immediately. In SaRang Church, the laity training system is an organic triangular relationship between Discipleship Training/Leadership Training, the Upper Room Leaders’ Meeting and the Upper Room (Small Group). Most of the trained leaders are the Upper Room leaders. We were also taught on the understanding of the discipleship training tools, preparation for discipleship training and discipleship training practicum. During the seminar, we had an opportunity to observe the laity training of SaRang Church. The Disciple Training Session and the Upper Room Leaders’ Meeting are inspiring.

What tools should we use for disciple training? Jesus valued the training of a small number of disciples and he devoted His whole life to the task of training them. His tools were the Word of God, His own example and the disciples’ experience. In the church, the pastors should take the lead. Like Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). A pastor’s sermon can inspire the lay people, but his teaching is imperative to change a person through equipping of skills and competency in order to fulfil the calling. The success of each discipleship training group depends on the leader. His character, spirituality and the skill will determine the quality of the product.

One must be willing to pay a high
cost to raise leaders. Leaders are raised through sacrificial investment of resource, hard labours and silent tears. Practically speaking, preparation by the pastor and church are of paramount importance. Promotion with vision casting, motivation through pulpit preaching and adjustment to ministry pattern is necessary. There shall be no haste, no greed and most of all no disappointment when faced with challenges.

The Upper Room Disciples
One unique feature of the seminar is the field visit of an actual Upper Room, the Small Group meeting at their homes. There are about 2,500 small groups in SaRang Church and they meet in their Upper Room weekly. We observed their meeting, followed by an unforgettable Korean lunch and fellowship. They are the fruits of the evergreen ministry tree. The multiplication of branches results in multiplication of disciples.

If Disciple Training is the front-wheel of a four-wheel car, small group is the rear-wheel. Small group is the primary expression of the church, a requisite for all church members and it is the core item in evangelism.

“A Christian small group can be defined as a deliberate face-to-face gathering of three to twelve people who meet regularly and share the common purpose of exploring together some aspect of Christian faith and discipleship.” ~ Roberta Hestenes

The role of the trained small group leader comes with the shepherding authority. The ultimate goal of being in a small group is to grow to be Christ-like in character and in life. Besides life transformation, the laity must also become a people called and mobilized to make new disciples. We were giving a few lectures on the practical Small Group Leading Guide which include the context and characteristic of small group, small group and leadership, inductive bible study and its practice.

The key component of the Upper Room meeting is the inductive bible study. In contrast to the deductive bible study, the inductive approach is strong in participation of the members, logic of discovery, reciprocal communication, changing character and application of the Word. It starts with observation, interpretation, process of response and application. The Daily Living Water which many of us are using follows this approach. It is published by SaRang Church. We were privileged to meet the Campus Evangelical Fellowship Press team from Taiwan who are responsible for the Chinese edition.

The seven of us used the Group Bible Study included in the Daily Living Water for our Upper Room meeting on our last night in Seoul. Besides the inductive bible study, we also shared on what God had spoken to us on Discipleship Training in our pastoral ministries.

Discipleship and Church Growth
Discipleship training is the essence of biblical ministry and church growth is directly connected to it. When a local church awakens its laity and the laity leaders play their function, church growth will naturally occur. However, pastors who equate Discipleship Training with numerical “church growth” make a serious mistake.

Why do some churches fail in Discipleship Training? Rev Oh pointed out three reasons during the closing ceremony: Lack of understanding of the foundational and irrevocable ministry philosophy, lack of the skill in small group dynamic with inductive bible study, and lack of the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship Training is the most biblical and effective way to awaken the laity to their identity and calling. The church must be willing to face the challenge and embrace the necessary change. On the Certificate of Completion of CAL Seminar, we were given another reminder. Under our name is the following statement: May you remember and cherish the ministry philosophy and vision the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon your heart until the day you hear from our Lord: Well done, good and faithful servant.

Our lay people are not raised to their full potential and are not well equipped to serve the Lord. The church must recover its essence and calling to renew and rejuvenate the lay people. Properly developing and fully mobilizing the laity is a challenge to SCAC. God has put into our heart his calling, that is, we are called to awaken our laity!

Dr Wong Sung Ging
SCAC Lay Leader