Discipleship Training
This is best explained by Paul in Col. 1:28-29, “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” This approach to ministry will help to foster an attitude or outlook by every believer that they are to focus on growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) throughout their lives as long as the Lord gives them life.
This is primarily direct Bible teaching in a more formalized setting. “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues…” (Matt. 9:35a) The verb ‘teaching’ is in the present tense indicating a continuing action. Often Jesus would spend considerable time lecturing his disciples. Consider the Sermon on the Mount and His instructions to the twelve in Matthew ten which are lengthy discourses. Also, Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees in chapter twenty-three and His extended teaching on end times in chapters twenty-four and twenty-five.
In the early church, Acts 2:42, the first description of their activities was, “they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching”. Paul’s continuing exhortation to Timothy was the preach and teach (see 1 and 2 Timothy).
