International Theological Conference – Discipleship in Evangelical Churches

The Biblical Institute of Zagreb (BIZG) recently hosted a successful international conference
on disciplemaking, drawing church leaders and workers from across Croatia and beyond. The
event, held April 25-27, sparked such interest that a follow-up gathering is already planned
for September.
Titled Discipleship in Evangelical Churches: Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary
Perspectives, the conference featured presentations and discussions aimed at equipping
participants with practical tools and insights to improve discipleship processes within their
churches.
“Jesus’ final command to us was to make disciples as we go into the world,” said BIZG
President Perry Stepp. “This conference was about recognizing that it’s not enough to just
introduce people to Jesus or to baptize them. Churches have a responsibility to help them
grow in character and love, becoming mature disciples of Christ.”
The event brought together veteran pastors, Christian leaders, and church workers from six
countries, offering diverse perspectives and experiences. Renowned pastor and professor of
ministry, Dr. Greg Ogden, served as the main speaker, addressing crucial questions like the
true essence of Christian discipleship and the potential of interpersonal relationships for
fostering spiritual growth.
Presentations also explored practical applications of scripture in disciplemaking, using the
book of Proverbs to foster godly thinking, as an example. Additionally, thought-provoking
discussions delved into topics like the impact of nationalism on evangelism and
disciplemaking.
“We aimed to have a practical focus,” explained Dr. Stepp. “While providing a solid biblical
and theological foundation, the conference emphasized actionable steps Croatian pastors
and church leaders can take to strengthen their churches. Weak discipleship leads to weak
churches, and we believe this conference is a significant step towards building stronger
disciples of Jesus Christ … and therefore stronger churches, as well.”
One of the lasting contributions of this conference is two books that the Institute introduced
there. Through special support from our ministry partners in the USA, we were able to
translate and publish Greg Ogden’s Discipleship Essentials and Dennis Allen’s The
Discipleship Dilemma and present them at the conference. In these books, Croatian church
leaders will find a wealth of information about church-based disciplemaking. (The
Discipleship Dilemma was published in a joint project with the Evangelical Theological
Seminary in Osijek.)