The Neglected Art of Discipleship in the Church

This book begins with a definition of the philosophy of discipleship. While addressing the Biblical philosophy of discipleship we discover that we must be disciples to be able to make disciples. We also see that discipleship is not only a dependent process but that concentration is crucial to multiplication. It is instructive to note that people are not our disciples but Disciples of Christ.The author then defines Spiritual formation and highlights some of the key spiritual disciplines. The goal of spiritual life and the pathway to the goal are then described. The motivation to begin the spiritual life and the enabling factors in pursuit of the spiritual life are discussed in detail including the possible hindrances. It is clear in this paper that spiritual formation occurs in the context of a worshipping community. Spiritual formation and ministerial education is briefly addressed. In conclusion the paper demonstrates that the agency of Spiritual formation is the Holy Spirit even though the individual Christian is not a passive participant.