| The purpose of this Ministry Focus Paper is to present a strategy involving the use of small groups and biblically equipped leadership for discipling individual believers in becoming spiritually mature followers of Jesus Christ at the Kitchener-Waterloo Chinese Alliance Church (KWCAC).; KWCAC was founded in 1976. It is financially affluent. It has three congregations: the Mandarin-speaking, English-speaking, and Cantonese-speaking. While the first two are composed of new immigrants from China and university students respectively, the Cantonese-speaking congregation where I am serving consists of the local working families. It is the main source of volunteers and financial support. It is where I shall attempt the disciple-making strategy. (I intend to apply the strategy with its activities and tools, whatever appropriate, to the other two congregations eventually.); That disciple making be materialized in these contexts is my passionate concern. The ministry fills an unmet need in the Chinese churches, which stress the evangelism portion of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18--20). While the Cantonese-speaking congregation is zealous for church ministries, an intentional and intensive disciple-making process has been lacking. We must build His people toward spiritual maturity and the image of Jesus Christ. We envision a community of disciples resulting from this gradual but steady disciple-making effort.; This Paper will be divided into two parts. The first part will set forth the foundations for disciple making and development. Included will be an examination of the community setting of KWCAC, current situation of the church and encouraging changes that have taken place, organic view of church, role of laity and an equipping pastor, and theological and biblical foundation of disciple making and small group. In particular, we shall touch on leadership development. The pastor is to raise up effective leaders and disciplers among the disciples, expanding disciple making and its momentum.; The second part will delineate the strategy, in terms of its germination and implementation, the kinds of groups to be adopted, and the goals and programs that are in line with the mentioned theological and biblical principles. It will deal with introducing new types of groups and refining the current working of the small groups so as to make disciples, train lay leaders, and spread disciple making throughout the church. This part will also cover the essential elements of a strategy, like the promotion, budget, and evaluation.; The goal of this Ministry Focus Paper is to present a strategy to help carry out the Great Commission in the Cantonese-speaking congregation of KWCAC and remind the Chinese Alliance Churches in Canada of the importance and workability of a disciple-making strategy plan. |
