Compiled and Revised by Pastor StepheN MacK HowarD
Why do we study discipleship?
A. The first question is, “What is a discipleship program?”
1. Turn to Matthew 28:18-20. It states, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
2. Although Christians have many things to involve themselves with most basically we are to teach others to obey. A discipleship program is “teaching to obey.”
B. My call and how I came to this program
1. It became really important as I began to exercise my gift of pastor/teacher to train up others. This was largely due to the fact that my call was:
a. To teach pure doctrine.
b. Train up leaders.
c. Help others feel more comfortable at church.
d. Work myself out of a job.
2. How I came to this Program
a. I served as a Youth minister for 3 ½ years with several great students that were new believers.
b. I needed good follow up material yet they all seemed to be incomplete and lacking in some very key areas:
- My personal experience
- My time in sharing and answering questions
- My expertise in training others
c. I used what I liked out of some of the other programs out there, took from my own training and study and rounded out a very thorough program.
3. This program, currently in its third generation, is taken from all sources I have had available to me and…
a. Teaches to obey the most Basic Spirituality and how it functions
b. Teaches the 4 directions of Christian life
- Bible Study
- Fellowship
- Prayer
- Witnessing
c. Teaches just exactly what is in the Bible
- Old Testament
- Between the Testaments
- New Testament
d. Teaches to obey the principles of Prayer and Supplication
e. Teaches the importance of Fellowship
f. Teaches to continue in following the great commission in the area of Witnessing
g. Teaches the most basic system of understanding the Bible
- Systematic Theology
· John Calvin – the father of modern systematic theology – and the impact he made from the prior 1200 or so years
· Orders the bible for better understanding. See Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
· Offers a base to figure out difficult passages
· Offers a shelving system for things your legitimately learn
C. Why should we disciple others?
1. Look again at Matthew 28:19-20, “…Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…”
a. The verbage in this verse is very interesting and is the main topic of discussion in most commentaries on this passage. In English we get the following points of interest:
- (Verb) Go – to the uttermost parts of the earth
- (Verb) Make – to make disciples or followers
- (Verb) Baptize – or better ‘identify’ the disciples
- (Verb) Teach – to obey Christ’s commands
- ((Implied verb)) Remember – what was taught
b. But in the Greek language the emphasis is focused differently:
- (Particle) Go
- (Verb) Make – this is the primary activity in the Greek wording, which incorporates Going,
Baptizing and Teaching.
-
(Particle)
Baptize
-
(Particle)
Teach
h. In light of this difference in the Greek language: What does this mean?
- First Make Disciples and in doing so…
· We Go Propinquity (Defending the faith)
1. The closeness felt being near one another and others who need the gospel.
· We Baptize Practice (Practicing and Identifying the faithful)
1. The activities we involve ourselves in both religious and secular to show the world who we really are
· We Teach Proclamation (Teaching the faith)
1. The unique claim we have in doctrine with accompanying authority of the ever present Christ and empowering Holy Spirit
D. How this discipleship program is intended to work:
1. To take a person from initial commitment to a place where he or she is ready to begin ministering
- This typically takes place over about 18 months with this program
2. Help set a Christian’s goals toward a ministry:
- To Understand God’s blessing of individuals Spiritual Gifts
- To begin in a controlled environment to use these gifts
- To step out in God’s place of call in ministry
3. This study is to prepare the Christian to:
a. Culture his/her faith through utilizing the tools of Spirituality
b. Practice his/her faith through Bible study, Prayer, Fellowship and Witnessing
c. Defend his/her faith through understanding what is in the Scriptures
d. Teach his/her faith through a systemized way of ordering Scripture
E. Conclusion
i. Spirituality Unit I
ii. Bible Study Unit II
iii. Fellowship Unit III
iv. Prayer Unit IV
v. Witnessing Unit V
vi. Systematic Theology Unit VI