Developing Horizons Magazine (2).pdf Spring 2015 | Page 10

Nurturing Growth
By: Diane M. Hale

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or those called to grow disciples, we must first come
to terms with the fact that creating the right kind of
environment for growth will be an up-side-down culture with bottom-up initiatives. It is an environment
that recognizes growth coming from the root and the
climate of such growth is freedom. Its form and shape
will reflect individual uniqueness through personal
and authentic experience in Christ.
All of my ministry life, I have heard leaders wonder
and complain about how to grow God’s kingdom, but
nothing they do seems to work. I have often thought
and taught that it’s a lack of vision or purpose problem,
but that is only partially true. Although the people
of God may not be living it, we have the clearest, best
defined vision of anyone. We are to make disciples. The
problem seems to be that we are not allowing freedom
to bring forth fresh initiatives. We do the same things
we have always done, maybe adjusting some minor
aspect, but for all practical purposes, it’s the same
though we are expecting different results.
Without an intentional effort to grow disciples we
put “discipleship” in a box—the box beginning with
Acts 2:45: prayer, fellowship and Bible study. These
are great, but then what? What happens when in
the process of prayer, fellowship and Bible study, an
individual hears from God—receives a call and there’s
a new ministry about to be born? You can control
people who don’t think for themselves, but if you want
to nurture growth, especially growth of eternal value,
those making disciples cannot control but must be
ready to nurture and release new ministry initiatives.
Authentic Christianity will allow freedom of uniqueness in Christ that is constantly challenging leaders to
the call of midwifery, the birthing of something new.
This creation, of course, requires the apostolic anointing and the humility to watch the growth and development of others and their ministries with great joy even
when it outgrows their own.
The very word disciple means ”learner, one that is a
student.” Something is growing through knowledge of
God’s call and then by taking action, the disciple has
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experiential understanding. The primary reason for
lack of growth in discipleship is rooted in not allowing
the disciple freedom to explore, discover and develop
God-given gifts and talents. I have learned that if you
want to have a culture susceptible and open to growth,
it has to be nurtured in an environment based on
new and fresh paradigms of thinking “ministry.” The
paradigm shift is that each individual is called of God
to a unique and distinctive area of ministry. Many,
refusing to be restricted, have followed this process but
found they are “out there” and alone. Personal leadership development is imperative for new ministries
which means emerging leaders need other leaders for
prayer coverage, accountability and training.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, leaders have to think in
certain ways. In most every situation, an absence of
open mindedness hinders actions th