Biblical Discipleship

Base on

Scriptural Mandates

Begun 9/22/02 and last revised on 9/22/02

INTRODUCTION

This essay does not pretend to have all the answers.

What you have here is an orderly arrangement of the questions.

Your challenge is to take these to God, the Bible and to fellow believers.

The Body of Christ is a living organism and not a stagnant organization.

These questions will stir you and others up unto examining your assumptions.

You will see the familiar activities of the church in new ways.

You will see the Bible in new ways.

You will see your walk as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ in new ways.

AUDIENCES

Perhaps God is preparing you for better or more ministry as

Small group leader

Sunday School teacher

Community outreach or evangelism leader

Women’s or men’s ministry leader

Elder

Pastor

Church planter

Missionary

Each role contains a HUGE cluster of challenges.

No matter where you are going in the future, you can use this to pray better today.

Along the way you can refer to this essay to provoke better thinking, praying and discussions.

Plus you do not need to have a public ministry to have an eternal impact on lives for Christ.

NEVER underestimate the importance of such influential roles as

Parent

Grandparent

Teacher

Coach

Mentor

Close friend

HAVE YOU EVER …

Have you ever felt that there was something seriously missing in

your Christian walk

your local Church

in many of the sermons you have heard

Have you ever felt concerned that

the church is not fully challenging you to grow spiritually

there are too many hypocrites in the church

even the best churches fall short of what the Bible says

Have you ever wondered why

the teachings of the Bible were not motivating you to better prayers

discipleship seems so difficult in the Bible but so diluted in the church

you and others were not much more eager to pray for God’s grace and mercy

Have you ever wondered how

you can better think, pray and plan about pleasing God better

the instructions of the Bible can work well in cross-cultural contexts

you can lead an individual and small group into a closer walk with Jesus Christ

I SUBMIT TO YOU

I submit to you that

this essay will BEGIN to answer the previous questions

the way to answer the previous questions, is to dig into the Bible with other questions

it is time for the faithful members and leaders of the local church to dig deeper

the Bible is FULL of simple and pungent guidelines for the courageous

the world, the flesh and the devil are subtle adversaries that will bow to God’s Word applied

all that there is to loose are stale forms of religion that never pleased God Almighty

there are MANY church members that are longing for a renewal based on the Bible

there are MANY friends, relatives, coworkers and classmates that are watching skeptically

when the Word of God is better understood and better applied it will lead to transformations

transformed lives better reflect the goodness, grace, love and mercy of God

God is eager to transform lives into the image of His dear Son

REALISM

Let us be realistic

the American society is changing rapidly

the local church typically changes very slowly

the local church is in danger of becoming increasingly irrelevant

the church members have all kinds of problems that have biblical solutions

the church members need to become healthy and strong to reach out to others

there are needs for significant changes to be made in the church over the long term

the challenge is how to best think, pray and plan for changes

the Bible cannot and will not ever change

the God of the Bible is called the Rock, He is changeless

the central truths of the gospel message remain always the same

ESSENTIALS

Let us review some of the essentials

God is love

God loves every person

God is holy, righteous and pure

Every person inherited a sin nature from Adam’s fall

Every person sins in their thoughts, words and deeds

PRAYER

God could use you mightily today by praying for those who have already received a copy.

May God take these mere words and use them to reach deep into their heart and mind.

May they search the scriptures as never before.

May the Holy Spirit make alive verses in new and exciting ways.

May they clearly know what God would have for them to do in the short term and long term.

May they commit to begin right away to obey God and take the appropriate actions.

May they trust and obey the Lord Jesus Christ each day in grateful submission.

FIRST prayerfully consider what the Bible passage means.	THEN prayerfully answer this in light of the first column.
Example: What does the Bible mean when it says …?	Example: What are some simple and practical ways to apply the Word of God in my/our personal and corporate life?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves?” (Ja. 1:22)	What are some simple and practical ways to be effective doers of the word and avoid being only hearers of the Word?
What is the work of the saint’s ministry?	How do we better equip them?
Who are the faithful teachers we can reach and teach?	How do we best serve/equip/teach the teachers?
What are the felt needs of those in our midst?	How can we use their felt needs to guide them to an interactive relationship with Jesus Christ, through Bible study and prayer?
What does the great commission mean that we are to make disciples?	How can we adapt proven methods and create innovative approaches to making disciples?
What are the ways to measure the effectiveness and success of making disciples?	How can we monitor our progress and make adjustments according to appropriate criteria?
What is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ? (define and describe the biblical ideals for a disciple)	How is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ made?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me?” (Jn. 14:21)	What are some of the key commandments of Jesus that we are to keep and what are some basic guidelines to be obedient?
What does the Bible mean when Jesus says “how do you call me Lord and do not do what I say?”	How can we become more aware of what the Lord Jesus says and quickly repent when disobedient?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment? (Matt. 22:37,38)	What are simple and practical ways to express love for God throughout the week?
What does the Bible mean when it says, (Jesus said) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets? (Matt. 22:39, 40)	What are simple and practical ways to express love for people and for yourself throughout the week?
What does the Bible mean that we are to love one another?	What are ways to love one another during our weekly routines and on special occasions?
What is agape love and how does it differ from the other kinds of love?	How can we improve our expression of agape love as individuals and as groups?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “to consider one another to stir up love and good works?” (Heb. 10:25)	What are some simple and practical ways for individuals and groups to stir up one another to love and good works?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth?” (Acts 1:8)	By means of application, who is to witnessing to whom and how is this best facilitated?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ?” (Gal.6:2)	Who bears whose burdens and how is this done effectively?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth?” (2Tim. 2:15)	Who is responsible to study the Bible and how is the word of truth rightly divided?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “God gave us the ministry of reconciliation. He committed to us the word of reconciliation as ambassadors for Christ?” (2Cor. 5:18-20)	What is the ministry of reconciliation and what is the word of reconciliation for an ambassador for Christ?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things in Him who is the Head – Christ?” (Eph. 4:16)	What does it mean to speak the truth in love? How can we do this better and more?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “you also as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God?” (1 Pet. 2:4,5)	How can you/we become better living stones and holy priests? How can we make better and more spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God?
What does the Bible mean when it says “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service?” (Rom. 12:1)
What does the Bible mean when it says “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind?” (Rom.12:2)
What does the Bible mean when it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness?” (1 Jn. 1:9 )
What does the Bible mean when it says, “teaching them to observe all things that I (Jesus) have commanded you?” (Matt. 28:20 )
What does the Bible mean when it says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you maybe able to stand against the wiles of the devil?” (Ep. 6;11 )	What is the whole armor of God? How does one put on the armor? What are the wiles of the devil?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “Be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you?” (1Peter 3:15 )	What is the hope that is in you? What are effective ways to give a defense?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 )	What are simple and practical ways to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God?
What does the Bible mean when it says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths?” (Proverbs 3:5,6 )	What are some simple and practical ways to trust in the Lord with all your heart and to acknowledge Him in all your ways?

FIRST prayerfully consider what the Bible passage means.	THEN prayerfully answer this in light of the first column.
Functions	Forms
Whys	Hows
Reasons	Methods
Where going	How get there
Destinations	Courses
Ideals	Practical approaches
Plans	Actions
Goals	Processes