Labouring Side by Side: The Local Church as the Most Significant Arena for Disciple-Making

The ministry of evangelism is at its best when it occurs in and through the local church, experienced by members at the local church level. Through the local church, Christians learn to discern the voice of the Good Shepherd, and when they know the voice of the Good Shepherd, they easily run away from following the false prophets, false spiritual healers, and other strange voices. African local churches are the best arenas for converts to make their commitment to Jesus Christ and to be nurtured and guided toward Christian maturity when the pastor labours side by side with the members of the congregation - enabling the laity to learn what their clergy know about evangelism.