One-to-one ministry

Tony Payne@ www.mathiasmedia.com.au is dealing with an almost absent topic in today's church. One-to-one discipleship. He notes: "Effective one-to-one Christian ministry is not limited to counselling, nor is it essentially about solving personal or emotional problems. What is it then? It is forming a relationship with another individual for the purpose of mutual growth in Christian understanding, obedience and service of others".

He unpacks the elements of:

Forming a relationship

With another individual

For the purpose of mutual growth

In Christian understanding, obedience and service of others

The Christian growth we are aiming at is mutual and comes in stages, but it also relates to three aspects of our lives:

• our knowledge or understanding
• our obedience or personal godliness, and
• our service of others.

He then outlines several Practicalities:

1. Start a friendship

2. Use a framework

3. Read together

4. Pray together

5. Do things together

6. Keep at it