Discipleship is one of the most important aspects of Christianity, yet many churches today focus only on attracting people rather than training them for spiritual maturity. A church that does not disciple its members will eventually become weak, filled with people who attend services but do not grow in their faith or become active in ministry.
Dag Heward-Mills has made discipleship a core pillar of his ministry, ensuring that believers do not remain spiritual babies but grow into strong, committed Christians who can lead, teach, and evangelize others. His teachings have strengthened churches worldwide by providing a structured approach to discipleship, making sure that new converts do not just attend church but become mature followers of Christ who take up responsibility in the Kingdom of God.
Making Discipleship a Church-Wide Culture
Many churches struggle with discipleship because they see it as a program rather than a lifestyle. Dag Heward-Mills has transformed this mindset by making discipleship a natural part of church life. His ministry teaches that every believer should be discipled, and every believer should disciple someone else.
Because of this, his churches do not just rely on pastors to disciple members. Instead, they train leaders, cell group leaders, and church workers to take responsibility for the spiritual growth of others. This multiplication model ensures that discipleship is not limited to a few but becomes a movement that continues to spread.
Through this approach, new believers quickly learn how to grow in prayer, study the Word, serve in ministry, and share the Gospel, making them active participants in the church rather than passive attendees.
Training Leaders Through Structured Teaching
A strong discipleship system requires structured training. Many churches struggle with discipleship because they lack a clear teaching system that helps believers move from being new converts to mature Christians.
Dag Heward-Mills has solved this problem by developing a well-structured discipleship program that covers essential topics such as spiritual growth, holiness, evangelism, loyalty, and leadership. His books, such as “The Art of Shepherding” and “Transform Your Pastoral Ministry,” have been widely used to train church leaders, ensuring that they understand how to disciple and nurture believers effectively.
Through his Bible school, leadership conferences, and structured training materials, he has provided churches with a system that ensures long-term spiritual growth for their members. This approach has resulted in stronger churches with well-trained leaders and committed members.
Empowering Believers to Take Responsibility for Their Growth
A major weakness in many churches today is spiritual dependency, where members rely too much on pastors to feed them spiritually. Dag Heward-Mills has emphasized that true discipleship requires personal responsibility. Every believer must learn to study the Word, pray, and serve in ministry without being spoon-fed.
His teachings encourage believers to develop a personal prayer life, a deep knowledge of Scripture, and an active involvement in the work of the ministry. His books and teachings stress that every Christian is called to serve, evangelize, and disciple others, rather than just attend church.
Because of this approach, many churches under his leadership have grown stronger, with believers who are not just spiritually fed but are also feeding others. This has resulted in a church culture where growth and maturity are expected, not optional.
Creating a Church That Sustains Itself Through Discipleship
A church that does not focus on discipleship will eventually lose members. Many churches shrink because they do not train their members to be committed, causing people to drift away over time. Dag Heward-Mills has ensured that his churches do not just attract people but retain them through discipleship.
His churches emphasize continuous spiritual growth, involvement in ministry, and leadership development, ensuring that members do not remain spectators but actively contribute to the church’s mission. This has created a strong, self-sustaining movement, where believers are constantly growing, training others, and expanding the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Dag Heward-Mills has transformed Christian discipleship, ensuring that believers grow into strong, committed, and responsible Christians. His approach of structured training, personal responsibility, and leadership development has helped churches build committed and mature believers rather than passive attendees.
His teachings challenge churches to go beyond preaching and start actively discipling their members. When discipleship is made a priority, churches grow stronger, believers become leaders, and the Kingdom of God expands with greater impact and effectiveness.