There is no more important task in the church than the forming of faithful Christian disciples. When congregations make this their priority, they find Jesus Christ at the center of their life and work, and this empowers them for mission and ministry in the world.

The forming of disciples does not take place without good leaders—members of the congregation who know what it means to walk with Christ in the world and are able to show others the way. [It is important that we go] back to our Methodist roots and [ask] how our spiritual forebears can still be of help to us today.

The genius of John Wesley was to recognize the potential of lay men and women for pastoral leadership, and allow them to share in the oversight of the early Methodist societies. There were two aspects of these societies in particular that embodied lay leadership: Class Meetings and Class Leaders.

Covenant Discipleship Groups, an adaptation of the early Class Meetings, help create a climate of accountability that identifies and prepares men and women for lay pastoral leadership. The office of Class Leader allows these men and women to exercise that leadership by helping to form Christian disciples in the congregation under the supervision of the pastor.

Section 1—
A Matter of Heart & Life: How One Believes
Discipleship is a relationship with Christ. When we believe in him, we open our hearts to him. The Latin word discipulus means a student who is not only seeking to learn, but is also devoted to learning the mind of a particular teacher. Jesus left us some clear teachings to follow, but he also said that we would obey these teachings because we love him.

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
-- John 15:9-10, NRSV

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to them, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
-- John 21:15, NRSV

An Excerpt from the Journal of John Wesley, May 24, 1738
In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation: And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. . . .

After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations; but cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror.

The moment I awaked, “Jesus, Master,” was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon him, and my soul waiting on him continually. Being again at St. Paul’s in the afternoon, I could taste the good word of God in the anthem, which began, “My song shall be always of the loving kindness of the Lord: With my mouth will I ever be showing forth thy truth from one generation to another.” Yet the enemy injected a fear, “If thou dost believe, why is there not a more sensible change?” I answered, (yet not I,) “That I know not. But this I know, I have ‘now peace with God.’ And I sin not today, and Jesus my Master has forbid me to take thought for the morrow.”

David Lowes Watson is Director, Office of Pastoral Formation, Tennessee and Memphis Annual Conferences, Nashville, TN.