Transcript A Recipe for Making Disciples

A Recipe for Making Disciples
Our favourite recipes
• What do you like to cook?
• What ingredients make it
better?
• Do you have a special
method?
What’s cooking?
• Our mandate to make disciples
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matt 28:18-20
• What is meant by ‘disciple’?
What’s cooking?
• The scope of disciple-making
– Contacting
– Engaging
– Grounding
– Maturing
“Discipleship isn’t just one of the things the church does;
it is what the church does.”
Bill Hull
What’s cooking?
• The current situation in our churches
– How do you assess the level of discipleship?
• Causes
– Historical
– Cultural
What’s cooking?
Historical cause – enlightenment view of rationality
Theology’s purpose is not merely to satisfy our intellectual
curiosity. It has another practical goal in view – to provide
direction for Christian living. The Christian life flows out of a set of
beliefs shaped by the Bible. We engage in theological reflection so
that our lives might be changed. We desire to become stronger and
more effective disciples – to connect Christian belief with Christian
living. Doctrinal conviction…motivates us to act continually in
accordance with our commitment to Christ.
Stanley Grentz
in Created for Community: Connecting Christian Belief with Christian Living
What’s cooking?
Cultural cause – consumer culture has our hearts
‘Humankind is not simply a rational animal. We are not thinking
beings so much as we are desiring beings. This has significant
implications for Christian discipleship and spiritual formation—
especially in the light of the consumer culture that surrounds us.’
James Smith in Desiring the Kingdom
What’s cooking?
• The name of this
dish is ‘disciples’
• A picture of the final
product
• A list of ingredients
• Some methods
Take a break!
A picture of the product
A picture of the product
A picture of the product
What qualities are you seeking to
develop in disciples?
A picture of the product
David Watson, Called and Committed: World-Changing Discipleship, 1982
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Willing to serve
Learning to listen
Willing to learn
Teachable
Submissive to
authority
Willing to share the
faith with others
Learning humility
Examines his own life
Knows his own
weaknesses
Is not a perfectionist
• Forgiving
• Persistent,
courageous
• Trustworthy,
responsible
• Not a busybody or
gossip
• Does things well
whether great or
small
• Uses time wisely
• Aims to please God
• Quick to obey
• Has faith in God
without seeing
• Willing to trust
without material
security
• Willing to follow the
Spirit’s leading
• Has a clear
understanding of
God’s priorities
A picture of the product
Bill Hull in The Complete Book of Discipleship, 2006
Personal characteristics (Jn 15) Personal competencies
• A disciple abides in Christ
• A disciple submits to a
through the Word & prayer v7
teacher who teaches him or
• A disciple bears much fruit v8
her how to follow Jesus
• A disciple responds to God’s • A disciple learns Jesus’ words
love with obedience v9-10
• A disciple learns Jesus way of
• A disciple possesses joy v11
ministry
• A disciple loves as Christ loved • A disciple imitates Jesus’ life
v12-13
and character
• A disciple finds and teaches
other disciples for Jesus
A picture of the product
Renovare practices for discipleship, current
1. By God's grace, I will set aside 4.
time regularly for prayer,
meditation, and spiritual
reading and will seek to practice
the presence of God.
2. By God's grace, I will strive
5.
mightily against sin and will do
deeds of love and mercy.
3. By God's grace, I will welcome
the Holy Spirit, exercising the 6.
gifts and nurturing the fruit
while living in the joy and power
of the Spirit.
By God's grace, I will endeavor
to serve others everywhere I
can and will work for justice in
all human relationships and
social structures.
By God's grace, I will share my
faith with others as God leads
and study the Scriptures
regularly.
By God's grace, I will joyfully
seek to show forth the presence
of God in all that I say, in all that
I do, in all that I am.
A picture of the product
Obedience Based Discipleship curriculum in India, 2008
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Disciples use scripture to
overcome temptation
Disciples leave everything to
follow Jesus
Disciples introduce others to
Jesus
Disciples are wise and sincere
when they relate with
unbelievers
Disciples will be persecuted just
as Jesus was persecuted
Disciples shouldn’t be afraid to
die as Jesus did
God helps disciples endure
persecution
8. Disciples reconcile broken
relationships
9. Disciples keep their word
10. Disciples do not retaliate when
people hurt them
11. Disciples love their enemies
12. Disciples humble themselves
before God
13. Disciples look to God as their
Father
14. Disciples surrender their will to
God’s will
15. Disciples forgive others as the
Lord forgives them
A picture of the product
2 Peter 1:5-7 qualities that typify a godly life
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Faith
Goodness
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Mutual affection
Love
A picture of the product
What qualities are you seeking to
develop in disciples?
Take a break!
Ingredients
What goes into making a disciple?
Ingredients
Supplied from God
• Word
• Spirit
His divine power has given us
everything we need for a godly life
2 Peter 1:3
So what is supplied from the disciple?
Ingredients
Supplied from the disciple….
One (1) life
• Heart
• Soul
• Mind
• Strength
Offer yourselves to God as those who have
been brought from death to life; and offer
every part of yourself to him as an
instrument of righteousness Romans 6:13
Ingredients
• Desire
• What do I
love?
• Obedience
• How will I
respond?
• Identity
• Who am I?
Heart
(feeling)
Soul
(being)
Strength
(doing)
Mind
(thinking)
• Imagination
• Why do I
believe?
Ingredients
2 Peter 1:5-7 qualities that typify a godly life
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Faith
Goodness
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Mutual affection
Love
– strength
– soul
– mind
– mind
– strength
– soul
– heart
– heart
Ingredients
How can we help disciples offer
every part of themselves?
•
•
•
•
Stimulate desire
Clarify identity
Fire imagination
Facilitate obedience
Ingredients
How can we make ourselves
available to God as conduits for
the Word and the Spirit?
Take a break!
Simmer
Chop
Saute
Mix
Bake
Sift
Blend
Chill
Split
Boil
Slice
Rub in
Stir
Grease
Cover
Sear
Drain
Reduce
Spoon
Sprinkle
Toss
Add
Season
Whisk
Soak
Methods
Discipleship practices of the early church
1. Practices around prayer Acts 2:42,43,47; 4:24ff
2. Practices around community Acts 2:42-46; 4:32f
3. Practices around learning Acts 2:42
4. Practices around service Acts 3:6; 5:15-16
5. Practices around witness Acts 2:47; 4:2,31
Simmer
Chop
Saute
Mix
Bake
Sift
Blend
Chill
Split
Boil
Slice
Rub in
Stir
Grease
Cover
Sear
Drain
Reduce
Spoon
Sprinkle
Toss
Add
Season
Whisk
Soak
Methods
Paul’s counsel to Timothy re disciple-making
1. Practices around prayer 1 Tim 2:1-2, 8
2. Practices around community 1 Tim 3:14-15; 5:16
3. Practices around learning 1 Tim 4:13; 2 Tim 3:16,17
4. Practices around service 1 Tim 6:17-18
5. Practices around witness 1 Tim 2:4-6; 2 Tim 2:2; 4:5
Simmer
Chop
Saute
Mix
Bake
Sift
Blend
Chill
Split
Boil
Slice
Rub in
Stir
Grease
Cover
Sear
Drain
Reduce
Spoon
Sprinkle
Toss
Add
Season
Whisk
Soak
Methods
HEART
Stimulate
desire
Prayer
• Intercession
• Praise
Community
• Availability
• Vulnerability
Learning
• Story
• Outlook
Service
• Mercy
• Hospitality
Witness
• Evangelism
• Advocacy
SOUL
Clarify
identity
MIND
Fire
imagination
STRENGTH
Facilitate
obedience
In groups…
• Discuss these
responses to the
question put
• What comment
would you post?
Simmer
Chop
Saute
Mix
Bake
Sift
Blend
Chill
Split
Boil
Slice
Rub in
Stir
Grease
Cover
Sear
Drain
Reduce
Spoon
Sprinkle
Toss
Add
Season
Whisk
Soak
Methods
Be the change you seek to bring
Ensure you have integrity about your
own ongoing discipleship
Stay in touch
Email: [email protected]
Connect on LinkedIn
‘Friend’ me on Facebook!