The Mandate Of Making Disciples: Teaching As Incarnational Ministry

This paper discusses how the Church can achieve the goal of discipleship through an “incarnational” model of teaching. It argues that teaching in the Church should be incarnational so as to realize transformation in the lives of people. Incarnation is used in the sense of the word of God which the Christian leader has been commanded to teach, becomes flesh and makes a dwelling among the people so that the learner can behold the glory of the word being lived out in human life. The Pastoral ministry must engage in teaching so that learners can become new creations who demonstrate the nature of Christ. In discipleship, the pastor acts as the teacher of teachers, equipping the laity so that they can teach others. Teaching, a key aspect in Christian education, is at the heart of discipleship. As such, for the teaching ministry to be incarnate, it must identify with Jesus Christ. What is preached and taught must become flesh in the teacher’s own life and help the learner to behold the glory of Jesus the Christ.Keywords: Discipleship, Pastoral ministry, Incarnational ministry, Christian education, teaching