Wikichurch - Steve Murrell
This is a book on discipleship that my mentor recommended I read, and I am glad I did. It will take me quite a while to unpack it, but the insights will be helpful as our church seeks to grow in this area.
Murrell is a pastor at Victory Church in the Philippines, a church which saw a large growth in numbers during his time in leadership, but Murrell points out, firstly, that numbers are not as important as lives changed and people growing, and secondly, that a lot of what has happened at Victory isn't directly to do with him. He takes the example of wikipedia (which the book title is based on), and points out that originally the creators of wikipedia had attempted to make an online encyclopedia written by - and checked by - experts, but that this slowed the project down to the point that it was untenable. When they opened the project to amateur writers, it grew rapidly, in numbers of articles and in popularity. In the same way, Murrell points out that allowing all the members of a congregation the freedom and authority to help in the discipleship making process is a far more effective method than expecting church leaders to do it all themselves!
Different parts of the book challenge various assumptions, often with how closely church leaders can hold to roles themselves. Murrell points out that the Biblical model also included many disciple-makers at an early stage, and even uses Scripture to suggest that people could be trusted to help out even before they have fully "matured" in their faith (with the right support and discipleship).
There is a lot more to the book than what I've covered so far, but it's all good and thought-provoking. For church leaders, seeking to see their congregation grow in the things of God, this is a book I would recommend. I will keep praying through its suggestions for some time to come.
Completed 14 October 2024.
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