The Bishop of Seoul, Peter Lee, has used a New Year message to his diocese to encourage Christians to change from believers to disciples. Bishop Peter said that he had chosen “From believers to disciples!” as the motto for his diocese in 2018. “We all have to live a life of disciples,” he said. “The Lord calls us and says, ‘Follow me!’

“The words that Jesus tells us and the personality and way of life that we showed ourselves must be revealed through us. We cannot expect the growth and development of our church without the desire and determination to be our disciples. Church reform is no different. Only those who are converted into disciples – disciples in personality and in life – will be able to make the church to be a church, and the glory of God will be revealed through them.”

In 2016, the Anglican Consultative Council said that it “recognises the need for every province, diocese and parish in the Anglican Communion to adopt a clear focus on intentional discipleship.” It encouraged them to produce resources “to equip and enable the whole church to be effective in making new disciples of Jesus Christ.” In addition, it asked the Standing Committee, the Secretary General, and the Anglican Communion Office’s mission department to effect a decade-long Season of Intentional Discipleship.

“Reform and growth are the most urgent and crucial challenges in this era,” Bishop Peter said. Reform and growth must be promoted together as both sides of the coin. The reforms that are not aimed at growth are empty, and the growth without underpinning the reforms is lacking.”

He also urged Christians to welcome new believers and to “bring the lost sheep back to the Lord’s bosom.”

• Click here to download Intentional Discipleship and Disciple-Making: An Anglican Guide for Christian Life and Formation (pdf)