WLD Discipleship Consultation - I (Lahore Chapter)

WLD Discipleship Consultation - I (Lahore Chapter) 19^th Nov 2021

 

The goals for this event.

·       To seek consultation from Church leaders (Pastors, Bishops, and Ministry Leaders) on family discipleship to build healthy Christian families with a Biblical approach.

·       To present and share our vision for family discipleship with these leaders.

·       To inspire churches and Christian families to live lives shaped by Christ.

·       To discuss current challenges, possible solutions, and practical ways forward for effective family discipleship.

·       To deepen our understanding of the true meaning and practice of discipleship

Event preparations:

Yes, we were able to make thorough preparations for this event. Our team made several visits to the venue to ensure that all arrangements were in place. We initially invited 20 leaders from various churches, organisations, and missions. Out of these, 18 confirmed their participation, and by God’s grace, a total of 24 leaders attended the event.

How were the presentations and presenters?

• Presentations were good. The following were the presenters:

Rev. Raja Shaleem Samuel

Rev. Jan Wessels

Brother Anton Ponomarev

Rev. Waseem Ullah Khokhar

Rev. Prof. Asif Khalid 

Event Reflection

Achieving Goals:

• Yes, we met our goals.

The overall impression:

·       Participants’ feedback was good and encouraging for us.

Highlights of the Consultation:

1. Devotion
The consultation began with a time of worship led by the participants. Rev. Prof. Asif Khalid then shared a devotional message, setting a Christ-centered tone for the entire event.

2. Opening Sessions
Rev. Jan Wessels and Brother Anton Ponomarev opened the consultation by sharing the history and vision of Faith2Share. They emphasized the purpose of this platform and its heart for Pakistan.

Key points from their session included:

·       Faith2Share is not an organization but a platform that brings together churches, missions, and ministries to discuss what true discipleship looks like.

·       Faith2Share began a few years ago with a consultation of leaders who wanted to see how genuine discipleship can be rooted in the life of a believer so that Christians may live Jesus-shaped lives in seven key areas of life.

·       The focus of this consultation was specifically on one of these areas: family discipleship.

3. Break (Tea/Coffee)
Participants enjoyed a tea/coffee break, which provided a wonderful opportunity to build connections, share experiences, and enjoy fellowship with one another.

4. Character Formation: Discipleship in the Family Context
Rev. Prof. Asif Khalid and Rev. Waseem Ullah Khokhar shared insightful presentations on discipleship within the context of Christian families in Pakistan.

Key points from their session included:

·       There is no clear or commonly accepted definition of discipleship among many churches and believers in Pakistan.

·       The prevailing perspective of discipleship is often limited to “pupilship” or “studentship,” rather than the relational model of fellowship and follow-ship taught by Jesus.

·       Few discipleship programs exist in Pakistan, and those that do often focus primarily on biblical knowledge for new believers rather than holistic, family-centered discipleship.

·       The Church in Pakistan has drifted away from the original concept of Jesus’ model of discipleship. There is an urgent need for ongoing consultations like this to spark a revival and to help believers and churches embrace the vision of living Jesus-shaped lives in every aspect of their families and communities.

5. Lunch
Participants enjoyed a traditional lunch featuring three different dishes. This time of fellowship over a meal allowed leaders to build relationships and share ideas in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

6. Plenary Discussion and Working Groups: Resources for Family Discipleship
Following lunch, all participants were divided into three groups for in-depth discussions on the topic of family discipleship. Each group was tasked with identifying challenges, resources, and practical recommendations for strengthening family discipleship in Pakistan.

The groups appointed leaders to take notes and present their findings:

·       Group One Leader: Mr. Adnan (Ambassadors of Christ International)

·       Group Two Leader: Mr. Nisar Masih (Every Home for Christ International)

·       Group Three Leader: Dr. Pastor Liakat Sarfaraz (Jesus Mission Ministries)

Summary of Group Discussions:
Participants highlighted several pressing challenges hindering Christian family discipleship in Pakistan:

·       The growing influence of social media and modern technology among children and youth within families.

·       The absence of clear Christian family norms, with families being heavily influenced by cultural and social pressures.

·       Relationship crises within families—between husbands and wives, parents and children, and extended family members.

·       Financial hardships affecting the ability of families to prioritize discipleship.

·       Socio-cultural barriers that make it difficult to practice and promote family discipleship.

·       Lack of effective leadership across political, social, and religious spheres, leading to a gap in guidance and direction.

·       A serious absence of youth-focused programs at church, community, and national levels.

·       No unified platform where leaders can come together to discuss and develop strategies for family discipleship.

·       A lack of age-specific resources: while there are some children’s discipleship programs, there is an almost complete absence of programs designed for teenagers (13–19 years). As a result, nearly 90% of youth in this age group are disengaging from church life.

7. Recommendations and The Way Forward

During the group discussions, the leaders presented several recommendations and practical steps to strengthen family discipleship across Pakistan.

Key Recommendations:

·       Develop More Age-Specific Resources:

o   While the Living IN Jesus (ADT) program by LORD’S HOME has been very effective over the last three years, there is a pressing need for additional training materials and discipleship programs that address different age groups and life stages.

§  Specific discipleship programs for teenagers (13–19), with separate approaches for boys and girls.

§  Programs for women, including young girls, single women, and married women.

§  Programs for young adults (20–30 years) and for those aged 30–40 years.

·       Increase the Number and Scope of Consultations:

o   Conduct 4- to 5-day consultations involving 50 to 200 participants.

o   Organize specialized consultations for specific groups, such as working women, homemakers, political leaders, church leaders, business professionals, and youth.

o   Plan a series of consultations over the next 5 to 10 years to bring about long-term transformation, acknowledging that one consultation alone cannot achieve significant change.

·       Focus on Training Parents:

o   Develop discipleship training programs specifically designed for parents to equip them in leading discipleship within their own families.

·       Encourage Localised Consultations:

o   Every church and organisational leader should organise similar consultations within their own congregations and ministry networks.

·       Adopt the “7 Mountains” Vision:

o   Brother Samuel Paul (LRI) shared a vision God gave him regarding the “7 Mountains,” with one of these mountains being family discipleship and another focusing on business. Participants agreed to carry this vision forward as part of their future plans.

Future Steps:
All participants agreed to:

·       Conduct additional consultations in the future, lasting 4–5 days, at different locations in major cities across Pakistan.

·       Begin developing discipleship programs and resources tailored to the specific needs discussed during this consultation.

8. Closing Prayer and Departure
The consultation concluded with a prayer led by Brother Samuel Paul. As a gesture of appreciation, the organising ministry team presented flowers and souvenirs to all the participants before departure.