Archbishop Opens Discipleship Training: “We Pray to Become True Disciples of Christ and Make Disciples of Others”
Cairo – Saturday, July 25, 2026
The Most Rev. Dr. Samy Fawzy, Archbishop of the Province of Alexandria of the Anglican Communion and Archbishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Church in Egypt, inaugurated a discipleship training program attended by a number of pastors and church leaders. The program aims to strengthen the concept of discipleship and equip leaders and ministers to make disciples and build up the Church.
The Archbishop welcomed the participants, emphasizing the importance of discipleship in the life of every believer and its vital role in spiritual growth and the strengthening of the Church.
He opened the event with a prayer, asking that the training would be fruitful and beneficial for everyone. He stressed that discipleship lies at the heart of the Church’s mission and encouraged pastors and church leaders to strive to become true disciples of Christ.
The Rev. Moheb Maher, Director of the Disciple-Making Ministry in Egypt and the Middle East, delivered a lecture titled “The Impact of Discipleship on Church Growth.” He explained that discipleship is the true path to the growth of the Church and the continuation of its mission.
In the second lecture, “Effective Discipleship Tools,” Rev. Maher presented the essential tools for developing authentic disciples. He emphasized that discipleship requires a clear methodology and highlighted that spiritual experience is a fundamental pillar of discipleship, as a disciple-maker passes on his or her spiritual experience to others.
The Very Rev. Hany Shenouda, Dean of All Saints’ Episcopal Cathedral in Zamalek, also addressed the participants. He affirmed that discipleship is both a gift and a skill that can be learned and developed. He discussed the major obstacles to discipleship and the reasons why some people hesitate to engage in it, explaining that it requires time, commitment, and ongoing relationships of mentoring and accountability.
The training also included an interactive session during which pastors and church leaders shared their experiences of discipleship and discussed the challenges of implementing it within their churches. They also explored practical ways to establish discipleship groups in local congregations.
In the third lecture, the Rev. Reda Beshara, Pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, introduced the 4H Discipleship Model and demonstrated how to lead a discipleship lesson. He explained that the model is built on four integrated dimensions: Hands – translating faith into practical actions and daily living. Heart – nurturing the heart and spiritual life. Head – understanding God’s Word and sound biblical teaching. 
Help – encouraging service to others and expressing faith through practical love.
The program concluded with a lecture by the Rev. Gamil Awad of Grace Churches Assembly titled “The Cost of Discipleship.” He spoke about what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ, how to balance ministry and work, and the challenges ministers face throughout the discipleship journey. He emphasized that genuine discipleship requires complete surrender to God.
Archbishop Dr. Samy Fawzy concluded the training with prayers for the ministry of the Church, for pastors, deacons, and all members of the Church community.
To ensure full participation, all lectures were interpreted into sign language, enabling deaf and hard-of-hearing participants to engage fully in the training program.
Issued by
The Press Office of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt