WEA Panel Calls for Family-Centered Disciple-Making Renewal

Global Call for Family-Centered Discipleship at WEA Assembly

At the World Evangelical Alliance’s (WEA) 2025 General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, a passionate plea was made for a renewed focus on family-centered disciple-making. This call was directed at pastors, parents, and church leaders worldwide, urging them to mend the divide between church teachings and home practices on the final day of the assembly.

The session, themed “Celebrating the Gospel in Disciple Making,” was led by four distinguished figures in global discipleship: Gwen De Rozario, David Kornfield, P.C. Mathew, and Alan Charter. Their discussion marked a pivotal moment in the assembly’s focus on mission and renewal.

A Vision for Multi-Level Disciple Making

David Kornfield laid out a framework he believes is vital for sustaining the Church amid cultural and generational changes. He emphasized the necessity of personal disciple-making through small groups, noting, “The first level, without which all the other levels will fail, is small-group, personal disciple making.” His insights suggest that without personal discipleship, even thriving congregations are at risk.

Kornfield also highlighted the need for healthy disciple-making churches and national movements, pointing out that declining church membership is a widespread issue. He cited, “in Latin America, through COVID alone, we lost 39 million members in just two years.” This, he warned, demands urgent attention from evangelical leaders.

The Family as the Foundation

Emphasizing the significance of the family, P.C. Mathew argued that discipleship should begin at home. He remarked, “Many are strong disciples in their ministry outside, yet weak in their ministry inside their own homes,” calling for a return to family-based spiritual formation. To combat this, Mathew proposed the Family Revival Movement, a plan centered on prayer and family engagement.

Equipping Homes for Discipleship

Gwen De Rozario expanded on these ideas by advocating for churches to empower believers to disciple their families. She emphasized that, “We are advocating for the church to be intentional in equipping every member to disciple their home.” By sharing success stories from Asia, she illustrated the transformative power of aligning church teachings with home practices.

Children as Key Participants in Mission

Alan Charter from the Global Children’s Forum highlighted the crucial role of children in the Church’s mission. He stressed the importance of recognizing children not just as passive recipients of faith but as active participants. Charter shared inspiring stories of young individuals taking initiative in their faith, underscoring that “God has no grandchildren — we are all his children.”

Charter revealed that despite the tendency to prioritize other ministries, children’s and family ministry should be at the forefront because early faith formation is critical.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International