Covenant Discipleship

Book excerpt: David Lowes Watson advances the practice of mutual accountability in Christian discipleship by expanding and updating the original handbook for covenant discipleship groups. Accountable Discipleship was the manual for covenant discipleship groups for more than six years, with over 20,000 copies printed in three editions. This new version should prove valuable in leading existing groups to a deeper level of discipleship, and newcomers to a fresh discovery of the best of the Methodist tradition. Of special interest is Watson's recovery - from John Wesley's General Rules for the early Methodist societies - of a fourfold ÒGeneral RuleÓ of discipleship: ÒTo witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.Ó