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Tag Archives: Discipleship

What is the Difference Between Discipleship & Mentoring? By Ted Engstrom

31 Mar

“A discipler is one who helps an understudy (1) give up his own will for the will of God the Father, (2) live daily a life of spiritual sacrifice for the glory of Christ, and (3) strive to be consistently obedient to the commands of his Master. A mentor, on the other hand, provides modeling, close supervision on special projects, individualized help in many areas—discipline, encouragement, correction, confrontation, and a calling to accountability.” – Ted Engstrom (The Fine Art of Mentoring, recently re-published by Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2008 )

Dr. Ted W. Engstrom (1916-2006) dedicated his life to effective Christian ministry leadership. His 60 years of Christian service include careers as Christian book editor at Zondervan, president of Youth for Christ International, president of World Vision, and author of more than 50 books. He was a board member for dozens of Christian organizations and assisted religious and political leaders in 136 other countries where he stood as a model of godly leadership.

 
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Posted by on March 31, 2012 in Coaching Resources, Discipleship, Leadership

 

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The Discipleship Process by Glenn C. Daman

28 Mar

Going From Conversion To Completion in Christ in the Discipleship Process:

(Adapted from Glenn C. Daman’s Shepherding the Small Church, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2008, p. 170)

STAGE 1 – INFANT

STAGE 2 – MATURE

STAGE 3 – LEADER
Scripture Reading Doctrine & Theology Leadership Skills
Prayer Bible Study Skills Mentoring Relationships
Obedience Conduct Personal Vision
Fellowship Service Encourage Others
Service Disciple Infants Disciple the Mature
Stewardship Shedding the Horizontal Vertically Focused
 
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Posted by on March 28, 2012 in Charts, Coaching Resources, Discipleship, Leadership, Spiritual Life

 

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Profile of A Spiritually Mature Disciple of Jesus by Ron Bennett

15 Mar


 Chart Below Adapted from Ron Bennett’s excellent book, Intentional Disciplemaking, NavPress, p. 31

 

Trait Indicators: Child/Infant Adult/Mature Parent/Leader
Commitment (to) To God’s Word – Truth (2 Tim. 3:16) Christ as leader of life (Matt. 4:19) Discipling others (Matt. 28:19-20)
Competence (in) Fellowship with God through the Word and prayer & with others in God’s family (1 John 1:1-3);

 

Shares their personal faith story with others.

 Feed themselves on God’s Word; abiding in Christ (John 8:31-32; Hebrews 5:12);

 

Shares the gospel with lost people, guiding them to personal faith in Christ (Rom. 1:16).

 Follow up of new believers in Christ (Heb. 5:12);

 

Use their spiritual gifts effectively (1 Cor. 12:12-13).
Character (internal – leading to external) Sensitivity toward sin – an honesty to own up to the realities of falling short of God’s glory and His standards for us (1 John 1:9);

 

A genuine love for Christ (John 14:21).

 Love for others, others focus; and a servant spirit (John 13:34-35);

 

Self-control – exercising spiritual and personal disciplines (1 Tim. 4:7-8).

 Self-sacrificing (1 Thess. 2:8-9);

 

Godliness (1 Tim. 4:12; 6:11).
Conviction (in) Identity with Christ; loved, valuable in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17);

 

Belief in the Authority and reliability of the Word (1 Pete 2:2; Hebrews 4:12)

 Living by faith and the power of His Holy Spirit (Heb. 11:6);

 

Character of God; confident in His promises (2 Peter 1:3-4).

 Worth of every individual (Rom. 12:3-4);

 

Value of spiritual generations; spiritual heritage (3 John 4; 2 Tim. 2:2).
 
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Posted by on March 15, 2012 in Charts

 

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Book Review: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan K. Dodson

10 Mar

Brilliantly Integrating the Gospel in all of Life

In 2009 I took a core group of leaders with me from San Diego to Dallas, Texas for an Acts 29 Boot Camp. The highlight for all of us while we were there was hearing Jonathan Dodson give a Biblical Theology on the Person and Work on the Holy Spirit from the Old and New Testament. I knew great things were going to come from this man’s life upon hearing him speak.

I hope that this will be the first of many books that Dodson writes integrating the gospel with all of life. What he does in this book in a very cogent manner is demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses in “traditional” discipleship and shows how the gospel should not be bifurcated, but central to the pre-Christian and post-Christian’s understanding of discipleship. He makes a great case for the “Great Commission” becoming the “Gospel Commission” and shows how repentance and faith in the context of community are constants in the gospel-graced disciple of Christ.

Tackling discipleship biblically, theologically, and practically Dodson has given pastors, church planters, and all kinds of Christians a wonderful handbook for understanding biblical discipleship, and how to practically live out the gospel in the context of community.

The best part of this book is how it exalts the gospel of Christ by pointing to a grace based discipleship that doesn’t err toward the extremes of self-righteousness, nor of antinomianism, but simply living out one’s new identity in Christ. According to Dodson, discipleship is our identity in Christ and everything else we are is related to our distinct roles as a disciples of Christ.

Our new identity in Christ has three distinct aspects that are developed in the book: rationality, relationship, and being missional. He also demonstrates that we must not err on the side of being only vertical (pietistic), nor horizontally oriented (missional). We must seek to diagonally balance the vertical and horizontal aspects of our identity in Christ — the head, heart, and hands aspects of discipleship in the context of community.

I highly recommend this book as one that will increase your understanding of, and application of the gospel – no matter how long you’ve been a Christian. It is one of the best books on discipleship to come out in a long time.

*Jonathan K. Dodson (M. Div; Th.M, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) serves as a pastor of Austin City Life in Austin, Texas. He has written articles in numerous blogs and journals such as The Resurgence, The Journal of Biblical Counseling, and Boundless. Dodson has discipled men and women abroad and at home for almost two decades, taking great delight in communicating the gospel and seeing Christ formed in others.

 
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Posted by on March 10, 2012 in Biblical Theology, Christology (The study of Jesus Christ), Coaching Resources, David P. Craig, Discipleship, Small Group Resources, Spiritual Life, Theology Proper (The Study of God)

 

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Profiles of a Convert, Disciple, Worker & Leader

09 Mar

WHAT DO CONVERTS, DISCIPLES, WORKERS, AND LEADERS LOOK LIKE?

((Adapted from Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making, pp. 184-186)

 Profile of a Convert:

  • Gives evidence of possessing new life (2 Cor. 5:17)
  • Attitude toward Christ is now favorable.
  • Attitude toward sin is unfavorable.

Profile of a Growing Disciple:

  • As a follower of Jesus Christ, places Christ first in the major areas of life and is taking steps to separate from sin (Luke 9:23; Romans 12:1-2).
  • Continues in the Word through such means as Bible study and Scripture memory; is regular in applying the Word to life with the help of the Holy Spirit (John 8:31; James 1:22-25; Psalm 119:59).
  • Maintains a consistent devotional life and is growing in faith and intercessory prayer (Mark 1:35; Hebrews 11:6; Colossians 4:2-4).
  • Attends church regularly and demonstrates Christ’s love by identifying with and serving other believers (Psalm 122:1; Heb. 10:25; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:20-21; Galatians 5:13).
  • Is openly identified with Jesus Christ where he or she lives and works, manifests a heart for witnessing, gives testimony clearly, and presents the gospel regularly with increasing effectiveness (Matt. 5:16; Col. 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15).
  • A learner who is open and teachable (Acts 17:11).
  • A visible follower and learner of Jesus Christ, and demonstrates consistency and faithfulness in all of the above areas (Luke 16:10).

Profile of a Worker

  • Evidences growth in the virtues and skills outlined above (1 Peter 3:18).
  • Shows a growing compassion for the lost and demonstrates ability to lead others into a personal relationship with Christ (Matt. 9:36-38; Rom. 1:6).
  • Being used of God to establish believers who have become disciples, either personally or in a discipling group context (Col. 1:28-29).
  • Is currently engaged in the task of making disciples (Matt. 28:19).
  • Regular intake of the Word by all means and the quiet time are now regular habits (Philippians 4:9).

Profile of a Leader 

  • Is an equipped worker who evidences growth in the virtues and skills listed above.
  • Has been used of God to help disciples become workers.
  • Is banding and leading workers in evangelizing the lost and establishing believers.
  • Displays faithfulness and integrity in balancing life and ministry.

Time Element: Convert to disciple – 2 years; Disciple to worker – 2 years; Worker to leader – 3 years.

 
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Posted by on March 9, 2012 in Charts, Coaching Resources, Leadership, Spiritual Life

 

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What Does A Biblical Disciple Look LIke?

03 Mar

*11 Characteristics of A Biblical Disciple by Francis M. Cosgrove

(1) A disciple is a learner – open and teachable. – Proverbs 9:8-10; Matthew 4:19; John 6:60-66.

(2) A disciple puts Christ first in all areas of life. – Matthew 6:9-13,24,33; Luke 9:23; John 13:13; 2 Corinthians 5:15.

(3) A disciple is committed to a life of purity and is taking steps to separate from sin. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:22-5:5; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; Titus 2:12-14.

(4) A disciple has a daily devotional time and is developing in his or her prayer life. – Psalm 27:4; 42:1-2; Mark 1:35; Luke 11:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; James 1:5-7; 5:16.

(5) A disciple demonstrates faithfulness and a desire to learn and apply the Word of God through hearing it preached and taught, reading it frequently, Bible study, Scripture memory, and meditation on the Scriptures. – John 8:31; Acts 2:42; 17:11; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15

(6) A disciple has a heart for witnessing, gives his or her testimony clearly, and presents the gospel regularly with increasing skill. – Matt.28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 5:42; 14:21-23; 22:14-15; Rom.1:16; 1 Cor.15:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 2:4.

(7) A disciple attends church regularly to worship God, to have his or her spiritual needs met, and to make a contribution to the body of believers. – Ps.122:1; Acts 16:5; 1 Cor.12:12-27; Col.1:15-18; Heb.10:25

(8) A disciple fellowships regularly with other believers, displaying love and unity. – John 17:22-26; Acts 2:44-47; 4:31-33; Ephesians 4:1-3; Hebrews 10:24; 1 John 1:1-3

(9) A disciple demonstrates a servant heart by helping in practical ways. – Mark 10:42-45; Acts 6:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philippians 2:25-30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9

(10) A disciple gives regularly and honors God with his or her finances. – Haggai 1:6-9; Malachi 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philemon 14

(11) A disciple demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit by an attractive relationship with Christ and those he or she relates with. – Acts 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 2:18-23; 2 Peter 1:5-8

*Adapted from Essentials of Discipleship by Francis M. Cosgrove, pp. 15-16

 
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Posted by on March 3, 2012 in Discipleship, Spiritual Life

 

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What Does A Healthy Follower of Jesus Look Like?

02 Mar

Ten Traits of a Healthy Disciple of Jesus Christ

((Adapted from Stephen A Macchia, Becoming A Healthy Disciple, pp. 18-19)

(1) Experiences God’s empowering presence. The healthy disciple understands the role of the Holy Spirit and lives daily with a fresh reality of His power and presence. But the Helper the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. – John 14:26

(2) Engages in God-exalting worship. The healthy disciple engages wholeheartedly in meaningful, God-focused worship on a weekly basis with the family of God. But the hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. – John 4:23

(3) Practices the spiritual disciplines. The healthy disciple pursues the daily disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and reflection in the quietness of one’s personal prayer closet. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. – John 15:4

(4) Learns and grows in community. The healthy disciple is involved in spiritual and relational growth in the context of a safe and affirming group of like-minded believers. When they did [obey Jesus], they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. – John 21:6

(5) Commits to loving and caring relationships. The healthy disciple prioritizes the qualities of relational vitality that lead to genuine love for one another in the home, workplace, church, and community. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:12-13

(6) Exhibits Christlike servanthood. The healthy disciple practices God-honoring servanthood in every relational context of life and ministry. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. – John 13:15

(7) Shares the love of Christ generously. The healthy disciple maximizes every opportunity to share the love of Christ, in word and deed, with those outside the faith. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

(8) Manages life wisely and accountably. The healthy disciple develops personal life management skills and lives within a web of accountable relationships. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. John 9:4

(9) Networks with the body of Christ. The healthy disciple actively reaches out to others within the Christian community for relationships, worship, prayer, fellowship, and ministry. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. – John 17:23

(10) Stewards a life of abundance. The healthy disciple recognizes that every resource comes from the hand of God and is to be used generously for kingdom priorities and purposes. Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. – John 12:24

 
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Posted by on March 2, 2012 in Christology (The study of Jesus Christ), Coaching Resources, Spiritual Life

 

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Book Review: The Gospel Centered Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester

09 Nov

A Fantastic Resource For Making Multiplying Disciples

 Veteran British church planters Steve Timmis and Tim Chester have put together a very helpful workbook for churches that desire to be more intentionally & strategically gospel driven. In three loaded sections this guide (suited ideally for discipleship, leadership teams, or small group’s of various kinds) covers six sessions on the Priority of Mission; six sessions on the Priority of People; and another six sessions on the Priority of Community and the last chapter which is on why “It’s all about the gospel.” This book is ideal as a workbook for church planting core groups, or churches that want to be more missional and multiplicational in their process of making and maturing disciples of Christ.

Each chapter stands alone and contains the following five sections:

Consider this – A scenario—often based on a real-life situation—which raises some kind of dilemma or frustration in gospel ministry.

Biblical background – A relevant Bible passage together with some questions to help you think it through.

Read all about it – A discussion of the principle, both in terms of its theological underpinning and its contemporary application.

Questions for reflection – Questions that can be used for group discussion or personal reflection.

Ideas for action – Some ideas or an exercise to help people think through the application of the principle to their own situation.

I think this is a phenomenal resource that helps a church think through how to contextualize the gospel message in its own unique setting. It is concise, deep, Christ exalting, biblical, gospel oriented, God-glorifying and extremely practical. I can’t recommend this resource highly enough.

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2011 in Bible Study Helps, Book Reviews, Theology Proper (The Study of God)

 

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Book Review: The Essential Commandment by Greg Ogden

07 Nov

Another Winner by Greg Ogden to Help You Make Multiplying Disciples

 I finished reading Ogden’s 3rd workbook for making disciples this morning and I’m really excited about how God will use this book in building up His church through the multiplication of disciples around the world. The focus in this discipleship resource is on what it means to practically love God and others by studying, discussing, and applying the many principles gleaned from God’s Word related to what we call the “great commandment.”

Ogden has done an exceptional job (once again) of writing a discipleship workbook that is based on specific Bible passages, non-wordy, provides deep food for thought, and giving great insights and discussion questions along the way. I have used the two previous workbooks by Ogden and found that they work best in groups of three or four people.

Each Chapter in this book provides a: 1) Core truth – “the nugget around which each lesson is built;” 2) Memory Verse – “so that God’s viewpoint on the topic at hand becomes our own;” 3) Inductive Bible Study – “The place to discover reality from the only perspective that counts is the Bible;” 4) Reading – “Each lesson concludes with a teaching printed in the guide. This reading is intended to provide a contemporary discussion of the eternal core truth that will challenge our lifestyle and stimulate our thinking. The follow-up questions will make the learning concrete.”

I can’t recommend this workbook highly enough. Ogden is an expert at making disciples and knows how to get groups thinking, talking, praying, and serving together – resulting in what the church is supposed to be all about – making multiplying disciples. He has done a great service to the church by adding to his two previous works in this series (Discipleship Essentials, and Leadership Essentials). I hope that many will buy this book and use it repeatedly with triads and quads so that we continue to obey the great commandment and the great commission together for God’s glory.

 
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Posted by on November 7, 2011 in Bible Study Helps, Book Reviews, Discipleship, Small Group Resources

 

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Book Review: Going Deep by Gordon MacDonald

12 Oct

Go Deeper and Out of the Shallows

 I am a fan of Gordon MacDonald’s books because he has a unique style of writing where he synergistically integrates principles, personal experiences, and biblical insights in such a way that he makes one think and desire to put into practice what he is writing about.

In his newest offering – continuing in the context of what he wrote about in a previous book, “Who Stole My Church” – MacDonald sets out to explore and develop the statement, “The future of the Christian faith will not be determined by the number of people who fill the pews but by the spiritual depth of those people…We seem to know how to get unchurched people to visit our buildings. We even seem to know how to draw them across the line into a declaration of personal faith in Jesus. But what we do not seem to know is how to cultivate spiritually deep people. Tomorrow’s church could be headed for trouble.” This book is a fictional exploration in answering these observations based on the experiences of the fictional pastor – GMAC – and his large congregation set in New England in the modern era. Macdonald sets out to “offer a detailed plan of helping churches cultivate people of depth–spiritually mature Christians that truly desire to make a difference for Christ with their lives, that will help grow the church.”

I personally enjoyed the book because as a pastor myself I can relate to almost every story, person, thought, and implication in the book. Like MacDonald I am a pastor that has had many ups and downs with people in seeking to be a “deep Christian” and what that means in the context of seeking to grow a disciple making church. I think pastors will enjoy this book more than most people – because they will be able to identify more with the story than non-pastors will. I would recommend this book either be read while on vacation, or a chapter a day – for Type A people – you will get frustrated because the story line will move too slow for you. As for the more reflective and melancholy types – you will enjoy the story more because it will appeal to you emotionally and you will be more patient with the developing story.

I am very concerned about the shallowness and lack of depth of most churches today, and I am all for “going deep” and think that MacDonald’s book will be used to help steer many church leaders, and thus churches in a positive direction. I hope that this type of book will spur church leaders toward deeper thinking, and result in developing disciples that are deeper and less shallow than what our previous leaders have done with their churches.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

 

Gordon MacDonald has been a pastor and author for over forty years. For many years he pastored Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massacusetts and continues to serve as Pastor Emertius. He has also provided leadership to influential ministries such as Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, which he served as President for three years, and World Relief, which he currently serves as Chairman. Gordon’s best-selling books include Ordering Your Private World, Mid-Course Correction and, most recently, A Resilient Life. He also writes and serves as Editor-at-Large for Christianity Today’s Leadership Journal. When not writing, leading or speaking at conferences, Gordon and his wife Gail can be found hiking the trails of New England.

 
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Posted by on October 12, 2011 in Book Reviews, Leadership

 

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