In Matthew 10:5-8 (ESV), Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs. The verbs He used in His instructions mirror His own ministry: “go,” “preach,” “heal the sick,” “raise the dead,” “cleanse the lepers,” and “drive out demons.”
These verses tell us Jesus not only called the disciples to this task; He gave them the authority to carry it out. Add this authority to the months of living examples they had observed while in His company day in and day out, and it is clear Jesus went beyond teaching these men. He equipped them.
Here at Life on Life, we want to push discipleship groups to go further, and to more closely follow the model that Jesus used while on earth. We use an acronym to describe the 5 key elements of a transformational discipleship, and that acronym is “T.E.A.M.S.”
The five elements that make up T.E.A.M.S. are Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, and Supplication. In this article, we’re going to dive deep into the topic of Equipping. We’ll explore why equipping cannot be skipped, what it means, and how discipleship leaders can equip their people for ministry.
What is Equipping in Discipleship?
Equipping is an essential part of discipleship, but it is frequently skipped in modern churches. We define equipping in this way: massaging God’s Truth until it becomes understandable and usable. Not only does a person need to hear and learn Truth to do the work of the ministry, but he or she must also be shown how to use and apply the Truth.
The Greek word translated “to equip” is katartizo and carries the idea of coming alongside someone as he or she seeks to arrive at their destiny—not to randomly pull people off the bench and tell them to get to work.
This is an important distinction, it is not enough to simply tell someone the Truth, you’ve got to come alongside them and take the time to ensure they understand how to apply it.
As we said earlier, Jesus didn’t just send His disciples to do ministry—He spent years coming alongside them, providing examples and pushing them to grow.
Equipping is an Essential Step in Ministry
Equipping is often skipped and a major shortcoming in many Bible studies and churches. In Bible studies, we frequently see people reading the Bible and then they simply identify the things they liked or that stuck out to them. Truth is certainly an essential part of discipleship, but it is also vital that groups discuss how to actually apply that Truth.
We also see this in many churches. Preachers teach the Truth in sermons, and then send their people out on mission without actually equipping their people to do the ministry. This sets people up to fail, and so we cannot skip the step of equipping.
For this reason, we see the primary role of a pastor is to be a leader-equipper. Scripture uses the title “pastor-teacher” to refer to those gifted to shepherd God’s people with a primary emphasis on teaching. This person is admonished in Scripture to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12 NRSV).
If the health of the local church is going to be measured by the degree to which believers become mature and equipped followers of Jesus Christ, then someone has to be responsible to ensure that the objective is accomplished—equipping and leading them.
How to Equip Your People
Equipping the saints for ministry takes time and effort, and unfortunately a pastor cannot spend that kind of time with everyone in the congregation. This is where life-on-life discipleship makes all the difference.
One of the ways Jesus equipped His disciples was through life-on-life relationships. He showed them how to do ministry, He did ministry with them, He sent them out on missions, and He coached them after they did ministry themselves.
A pastor cannot build life-on-life relationships with everyone in the church, but they can build that kind of relationship with a few people. When those few people are equipped, they can then go and build life-on-life relationships with a few others themselves. As this process repeats itself over the years, your church can have hundreds of people involved in life-on-life relationships.
It is important to recognize that equipping takes time. Mastery of anything does not happen overnight, it takes months and years to truly learn how to do something, and to do it with confidence.
We frequently hear from churches who want to “speed up” the discipleship process, but this is kind of like asking how an accounting student can speed up their degree or a medical student asking how they can speed up their residency program. Equipping takes time—there is no way around it.
Examples of Equipping in the Bible
Equipping relationships are woven throughout the story of the Bible, offering helpful insights into discipleship and leadership development. These relationships were more than acquaintances; they demonstrated life-on-life relationships that cultivated growth, inspired change, and nurtured spiritual transformation.
As we have already discussed, one of the most profound examples is the relationship between Jesus and His disciples. Jesus invested time, wisdom, and love in His followers, preparing them to carry forth His mission.
Another great example is the relationship between Moses and Joshua. Moses, one of the greatest leaders of all time, mentored Joshua with intention for years, preparing him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Not only that, but just like Jesus did with the disciples, he gave Joshua the authority to lead in Numbers 27:22-23 (ESV), “And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.
Elijah and Elisha’s relationship provides another picture of the strength of equipping relationships. Elijah, the seasoned prophet, nurtured Elisha, empowering him to continue his ministry. After Elijah is taken to heaven, Elisha steps into the role left behind by Elijah. He was clearly equipped through his relationship with Elijah and God’s Spirit, and others could see the impact. 2 Kings 2:15 (ESV) says, “Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’”
Another great example comes from the New Testament: the equipping relationship of Paul and Timothy. Paul, a highly influential apostle, guided Timothy, encouraging him through a personal relationship and letters filled with wisdom and truth. In 2 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV), Paul says this, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
In those verses, we can see the closeness of their relationship, with Paul calling Timothy “my child,” but also the commission to take what Timothy has learned and pass it onto others. Timothy hasn’t just been taught the truth, he has been equipped and called to teach others that same truth.
These biblical relationships serve as timeless examples of how life-on-life relationships can equip individuals to fulfill their God-given purpose, fostering a legacy of leadership and spiritual growth for generations to come.
Conclusion
In this article, we have highlighted the way that equipping is a cornerstone of effective discipleship. The biblical examples of Jesus, Moses, Elijah, and Paul demonstrate the transformative impact of life-on-life relationships in nurturing and empowering individuals for kingdom work.
By embracing the role of equipping in discipleship, churches can foster a spiritually mature community ready to lead and equip the next generation of disciples. Equipping is, unfortunately, frequently skipped in modern churches, but it is essential. If you would like to experience equipping yourself, then we recommend you check out our discipleship training cohorts, where we equip leaders to launch a discipleship movement in their own church.