This requires intentional significant valued relationship. This is the relationship matrix described in the Bible – highlighted in scriptures such as Acts 2:42, and John 15.
The matrix of relationship with God through Jesus and with church, the people of God in a specific time and place.
This relationship will respect and receive from the ministry of the church, the apostolic teaching, and from the various gifts and graces expressed by different members of the body.
This will require meaningful relationships with several someone’s in the church, ideally as part of a Life Group of friends growing together in Christ.
Our belief and experience is, the above relationships will bring forth disciples of Christ and stimulate and grow the life of the church as Christ’s body and enterprise on earth.
With the above relational matrix working many types of programs and courses prove useful e.g. Alpha. When the relational matrix is not working for someone, no number of courses seems effective for making them a disciple.
A foundational belief is: a relationship with the church community will always lead someone to a relationship with Christ; and a relationship with Christ will always lead to a relationship with the church community.
Therefore when we ask the question. How does little/big Billy become a disciple of Christ at Unite Church? We are asking how does Billy become relationally connected with several significant members of the Unite Church body?
Experience has revealed that, preaching, music, sharp programming are not church growth draw cards or sticky. Warm enjoyable relationships are both draw cards and sticky. My observation is most people will put up with a lot of programming mess, even questionable doctrines when they have a relational stick. People will put up with very little when they have no relational stick.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
-Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)
The power is in the joint!