Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Glenn Williams, DMin

Second Advisor

Mark Merrill, DMin

Third Advisor

Jason Clark, DMin

Abstract

Go into all the world and make disciples: the great commission given by Christ to his disciples. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus invited them to drop everything and follow him. By his example, he taught them how to fulfill this commission. Discipleship is the key element of faith that determines the future of the church. It is imperative that the great commission continue to be carried out to the next generation. Discipleship for the emerging generation has consistently happened since Jesus first gave his commission. The principles of discipleship stay the same, but the methods must be relevant to each generation’s specific needs and communication styles. There are multiple methods and platforms for discipleship today, but they share five principles. Family, authenticity, intentionality, time, and hope are the foundation for discipleship. Jesus is our example. Jesus created family, he was authentic, and he was intentional. He gave time and he created hope. His pattern is the blueprint for next-generation discipleship. Making disciples today will require different language and different environments. The connectivity of social media provides a means to develop relationships, which leads to discipleship. Moving from neighbor to friend, friend to family, and then family to faith is the process of discipleship for this emerging generation.

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