Strategic Discipleship
Taught by Anazao
Standing before pastors and ministers at The Covenant Nation, the teaching builds on Dr. David Ogueli's earlier session and lays out eight non-negotiables for what he calls strategic discipleship. The Great Commission is not a slogan or a slow afterthought; it is the architecture of the Christian life and the only thing that produces a church with depth and a voice rather than just numbers. He keeps the room on the same edge he is on: discipleship is slow, not streamable, and very often the product does not arrive in the discipler's lifetime. From the Christ-centered focus that anchors everything, to the modeling demand, the teaching emphasis, the commitment factor, the supremacy of the word over ministry gifts, the priority of fruit over gifts, the accountability structure, and the accessibility path, each pillar is a correction to a generation more concerned with hype than with hidden, faithful work. The session is unusually personal: he names his own pursuit of power, the moments God corrected him, and the fear he carries of giving account for misleading anyone.
This session is delivered at the Pastors and Ministers Conference hosted by Pastor Poju Oyemade at The Covenant Nation, Lagos. the teaching follows Dr. David Ogueli's earlier session and openly builds on it, repeatedly referencing what 'the last speaker' said. The teaching is unusually personal: he speaks as a man who pursued the power of resurrection for years and was corrected by God; he names by example Pa Akindayomi's discipleship of Bishop Oyedepo as the long-form pattern he is calling the room back to. The session ends as a charge to a generation in a hurry, urging them to embrace the slow, accountable, accessible work of discipleship that revival has always rested on.
Summary
Standing before pastors and ministers at The Covenant Nation, the teaching builds on Dr. David Ogueli's earlier session and lays out eight non-negotiables for what he calls strategic discipleship. The Great Commission is not a slogan or a slow afterthought; it is the architecture of the Christian life and the only thing that produces a church with depth and a voice rather than just numbers. He keeps the room on the same edge he is on: discipleship is slow, not streamable, and very often the product does not arrive in the discipler's lifetime. From the Christ-centered focus that anchors everything, to the modeling demand, the teaching emphasis, the commitment factor, the supremacy of the word over ministry gifts, the priority of fruit over gifts, the accountability structure, and the accessibility path, each pillar is a correction to a generation more concerned with hype than with hidden, faithful work. The session is unusually personal: he names his own pursuit of power, the moments God corrected him, and the fear he carries of giving account for misleading anyone.
Key Points
1. Christ-centered focus. Discipleship begins with a personal revelation of Jesus, not just information about Him. 'Follow me as I follow Christ', the focus must always come back to the One at the center.
2. The modeling demand. Acts 1:1 says Jesus 'began both to do and to teach.' the teaching stresses that strategic discipleship requires a private life that matches the public message; sometimes the loudest sermon is what people see, not what is preached.
3. The teaching emphasis. Matthew 28 commands 'teaching them to observe.' He says it bluntly: 'It's okay to be boring to the multitude if the disciples are getting the point.' 2 Timothy 3 says scripture is what thoroughly equips the man of God.
4. The commitment factor. Discipleship is a slow process and is therefore unattractive in a culture obsessed with speed. 'You can't pair speed with discipleship.' Refuse to be distracted by what is streamed; faithful work doesn't need a camera.
5. The supremacy of the word over ministry gifts. Gifts and callings are without repentance. God can let a gift continue even when He has stepped away from the man. The word, not the gift, must remain supreme.
6. Fruit of the spirit over gifts of the spirit. By love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the fruit, men know who is a disciple. Jesus did not say miracles would be the proof.
7. Accountability structure. Real discipleship runs both ways: those being discipled give account, and the one discipling also accounts to others. 'Confess your faults one to another' (James 5:16). Iron sharpens iron.
8. Accessibility path. Jesus had inner circles, the 3, the 12, the 70, the 120, each with a level of access. You cannot disciple from a distance; small clusters with real access are where the real teaching continues after the multitude leaves.
Sober warning to his own generation. the teaching confesses he once chased the power of His resurrection without willingness to enter the fellowship of His sufferings. The result is many ministers go to dangerous lengths for healing anointings Jesus never gave them.