Student Notes
Student Notes
Student Notes
for
PERSONAL DISCIPLEMAKING
DVD TRAINING SERIES
by
Chris Adsit
DISCIPLEMAKERS INTERNATIONAL
A ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ
and
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19,20*
A. The gospel is getting out farther and faster than ever before.
[*All quoted Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.]
A. The primary imperative verb in this sentence is the Greek word “matheteuo.”
Introductory Remarks
3. Attitude.
4. Actions.
B. Original language
C. Context
3. Both! A “person-in-process.”
b) The gospels: giving us the picture of the baby disciples just beginning to
grow.
E. Increased course-load.
John 6:60-69
1. In John 3, Jesus talks about how we must be born both physically and spiritually.
3. In 1 Peter 2, Peter said believers should crave God’s Word like a baby craves
milk.
B. Baby: 1 John 2:12—“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven
you for His name’s sake.”
Young men = neaniskoi = “a young man, youth, used of one in the prime of life.”
E. Adult: 1 John 3:13—“I am writing to you fathers, because you know Him who has been
from the beginning…”
3. For an ADOLESCENT—himself.
1. With a BABY—mother.
2. With a CHILD—teacher.
3. With an ADOLESCENT—coach.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that
I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
D. “Make disciples” answers the question: “What did Jesus tell us to do?”
E. “Going, baptizing, and teaching” answers the question: “How are we supposed to do it?”
“Paul, as you are riding through towns, I want you to shout, ‘The British are
coming!’ waking everybody up and stopping at all the taverns where patriots
might congregate.”
A. Going
1. Evangelism.
2. Initiative.
3. “Make disciples by getting off your duff! Don’t wait for them to come to you!”
B. Baptizing
c. Luke 9:23 – “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me.”
d. Romans 10:9,10 – “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man
believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in
salvation.”
C. Teaching
1. Three-stage process:
a. Learn It.
b. Love It.
c. Live It.
A. Vince Lombardi, the good coach: “Knowing what the end result looks like.”
“Preaching like an apostle without joining together those that are awakened, and training
them in the way of God, is only begetting children for the murderer.” -John Wesley
I. Just imagine…
“I’ve been watching you. I see that you’re involved in a disciplemaking ministry now.
I’ve only got one question for you: Why? Why are you doing it?”
II. Reason #1: The corporate benefit: to promote depth in the body of Christ
1. George Barna – “The American Witness” (Nov/Dec ’97, The Barna Report)
“Christianity is perceived by most Americans to be a benign religious form
that is largely irrelevant to their struggles in life.”
“Christianity is not losing influence in America because it is over-matched by
the challenges of the day; it is losing its impact because believers have been
unsuccessful at merging faith and lifestyle outside the walls of the church.”
“Christians have become an invisible force within the population, a group
whose faith views are generally accepted by the masses, but whose faith views
are widely deemed to be inconsequential.”
III. Reason #2: The individual benefit: to fix “dead sea Christians.”
1. Sea of Galilee
2. Dead Sea
B. Many Christians are like the Dead Sea: always taking, seldom giving.
C. Remember Moses?
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a
well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:14
• God
• The Word of God
• People
B. Farmer’s job in farming: increasing the probability that the fruit will mature by creating an
environment most conducive to growth.
So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but God who causes the growth. 1 Corinthians 3:7
A. Large group
Movement; momentum; see the “big picture”; not alone; confidence; excitement; enthusiasm;
vision; long-term commitments…
B. Small Group
Camaraderie; fellowship; rub elbows with peers; recognize shared hopes, fears, questions,
difficulties; learn to teach others; learn to encourage and be encouraged; hold accountable
and be held accountable…
C. One-to-one
Personalize and specialize the disciplemaking approach; deal with intimate, personal
issues…
Multitudes
The Disciples
The 12 Apostles
Peter
Your “multitudes”:
Your “disciples”:
Your “twelve”:
Your “James and John”:
Your “Peter”:
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
-Ecclesiastes 7:8
Introductory Remarks.
I. Presuppositions and assumptions often keep us from seeing the truth in God’s Word.
A. “I don’t believe that a loving God would really send nice people to hell.”
1. 1 Corinthians 3:7
2. 2 Corinthians 3:18
3. John 15:5
SESSION #6—PARTNERING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
19
PERSONAL DISCIPLEMAKING SEMINAR – STUDENT NOTES
b. Galatians 3:2,3
c. Philippians 1:6
d. Philippians 2:13
4. The local assembly = the most complete representation of the body of Christ.
2. The Holy Spirit is the Divine Influencer, but He influences primarily through a unique
partnership with the disciplemaker.
a. Acts 20:28
b. Galatians 4:19
c. Colossians 1:28,29
d. Matthew 28:18-20
SESSION #6—PARTNERING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
20
PERSONAL DISCIPLEMAKING SEMINAR – STUDENT NOTES
A. Prayer
(1) We are no more able to cause growth than we are able to cause conversion.
(2) Prayer isn’t part of the ministry, it IS the ministry. Everything else is mop-up.
b. “What are some creative ways that I can pray for my disciple?”
When…? How…? What…? Ways…?
2. Most of the actual, effectual work of the ministry will be accomplished on your knees.
B. Relationship
3. Discipling involves the development of the total person, requiring you to have a
relationship with the total person (not just with his “religious cubby hole”).
2 Timothy 3:10,11
C. Content
1. Many other important things must be taught before they can be caught.
a. Assumes growth proceeds in a line, A to Z, and when we’ve reached the end of the
line, the disciple is done being trained.
c. Assumes that everyone needs the same amount of attention and input.
a. Previous training.
b. Current abilities.
c. Current needs.
d. Future objectives.
B. Resourcing barrier: “How do I figure out what resources will best meet the needs?”
A. Assess – discover strengths, weaknesses, areas of need, input deficits, misconceptions, etc.
C. Resource – allow for maturity level, commitment level, previous training, available time,
background, how they best learn…
1. Auditory.
2. Visual.
3. Kinesthetic.
4. Socratic method.
5. Self-motivated or not very?
6. Monk or coffee-klatcher?
7. People-oriented or task-oriented?
A. Brainstorming: What are the needs of new Christians? What do they need to know? What
do they need to do? What do they need to change? [write answers below]
1 = Input Deficits: Areas in which the disciple received inadequate or no input as he/she was
growing.
2 = Application Deficits: Areas in which the disciple received adequate input but failed to
form convictions or apply them.
3 = Aspiration Deficits: Areas of strength and giftedness in the disciple’s life in which
he/she needs to be motivated toward.
A. Intuitive
B. Systematic
C. Strengths/weaknesses of each
1. Intuitive strengths.
2. Intuitive weaknesses
3. Systematic strengths
4. Systematic weaknesses
Our quest: to combine the strengths of the Intuitive with the strengths of the Systematic, while
minimizing the weaknesses of each.
I. Be aware of the potential needs [See page 29 for “Newborn Care Training Objectives”]
A. 1 Samuel 16:7 – “…man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
C. How does he know what to tell us? We have to ask the right questions.
Key question to ask over and over: “Does this disciple need any more input in this area?”
IV. ATR
2. Scope and Significance of Salvation – The disciple understands in greater detail the scope and
significance of what occurred when he invited Christ into his life, producing a deeper
commitment and greater motivation to go on with Christ.
3. Filling of the Holy Spirit – The disciple has a basic understanding and avails himself of the
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
4. Identity in Christ – The disciple has a basic understanding of his new identity in Christ and the
struggle that exists between his old nature and his new nature.
5. Basic Growth Principles – The disciple has a basic understanding of spiritual growth principles
and is aware of the beneficial influences of time, adversity and the sovereignty of God.
6. In Fellowship – The disciple has a basic understanding of the importance of Christian fellowship
and is beginning to attend Christian functions.
7. In the Word – The disciple has a basic understanding of the importance of Biblical input, the
physical layout of the Bible, and has begun to read it on his own.
8. Prayer – The disciple has a basic understanding of prayer, knows the fundamentals of prayer,
and is beginning to pray on his own.
9. Witnessing – The disciple has a basic understanding of witnessing, knows the primary elements
of the gospel and can tell another how to become a Christian.
10. Spiritual Warfare – The disciple has a basic understanding of the fundamental facts concerning
adversity, Satan, temptation and sin.
11. Time Management – The disciple has a basic understanding of the principles of successful time
management and has implemented a strategy to better utilize his time.
12. Vision – The disciple understands how significant he is to the advance of the kingdom of God,
has a clear picture of some of the broad plans God has in mind for him, and is motivated to
actively pursue his spiritual development and his relationship with God.
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Name______________________________________ Date___________
CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS
Directions: Answer each question by circling the most appropriate answer. Don’t be tempted to
respond untruthfully to put yourself in a more positive light, or to say what you think people want to
hear—answer honestly. If none of the options are quite right, choose the one that is closest, and put
a question mark in the margin next to that question.
1. I am [not sure, fairly sure, mostly sure, positive] that if I were to die today, I would immediately
go to heaven.
2. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] knowledge of what the Bible is talking
about when it says I am a “new creation.”
3. I am [not sure, fairly sure, mostly sure, positive] that all my sins have been forgiven.
4. I am [not sure, fairly sure, mostly sure, positive] that before I met Christ and invited Him into
my life, I was a sinner headed for hell.
5. I am [not sure, fairly sure, positive] that my salvation is permanent, and that I will never again
be separated from God.
6. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] knowledge about the many important
changes that occurred in me after I asked Christ into my life.
7. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] understanding of how to be filled with
the Holy Spirit.
8. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] knowledge of the tension that exists
between my new nature and my old nature, and why I still struggle with temptation even though
I am a “new creation.”
9. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] knowledge about the activities I can
undertake that will help me grow spiritually in a balanced, steady fashion.
10. I have [minimal, partial, average, pretty good, thorough] understanding of why it is important
for me to be involved actively in fellowship with other Christians.
13. I [don’t understand, have some idea, have a fairly good idea, know very well] what people mean
when they call the Bible the “Word of God.”
14. I know that prayer is simply talking to God, and I don’t have any real difficulty doing it. [agree,
disagree, not sure]
15. On the average, I have a period of personal, concentrated prayer _____ days a week, each
session lasting about _____ minutes.
16. Right now, I could do a [poor, fair, good, great] job of telling another person how to become a
Christian if the opportunity presented itself.
17. I feel [petrified, hesitant, willing, strongly motivated] about telling others how they might come
to a saving knowledge of Christ.
18. I am [not sure, fairly sure, mostly sure, positive] that adversity is a normal part of the Christian
life. When I experience trials, I [never, rarely, sometimes, often] get mad at God and [never,
rarely, sometimes, often] go to Him for help.
19. I [don’t believe, am not sure, know] that Satan is real and that he seeks my downfall, and I have
[no, some, extensive] knowledge about how to resist him.
20. I have [no, some average, fairly good, thorough] knowledge of what to do to restore fellowship
between God and myself when I have sinned.
21. I am [terrible, fair, pretty good, very good] at managing my finances, including debt
management, a savings plan and giving to the Lord’s work.
22. I am [terrible, fair, pretty good, very good] at managing time, goals and priorities in my life.
23. I have [no, a vague, a fairly clear, a very clear] idea about what I want to accomplish in life.
24. I have a workable program in place that helps me set and reach personal goals successfully while
managing my day-to-day activities effectively. [agree, disagree, “sort of”]
25. I [don’t see, am not sure, think maybe, know] that I have talents, skills and gifts that can be used
in the advancement of the kingdom of God.
26. I see myself as having the potential of being [minimally, somewhat, very, extremely] significant
to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
27. I would say at this point I am [minimally, somewhat, very, extremely] motivated to actively
pursue my spiritual development and my relationship with God.
Name______________________________________ Date___________
1. Assurance of Salvation
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4. Identity in Christ
6. In Fellowship
7. In the Word
8. Prayer
9. Witnessing
12. Vision
Profile Profile
Recommendation for the next, most crucial step: Statement# Question # Statement # Question #
1a 1 5 9
1b 2 6 10-11
1c 3 7 12-13
1d 4 8 14-15
1e 5 9 16-17
2 6 10 18-20
3 7 11 21-25
4 8 12 26-27
33
PERSONAL DISCIPLEMAKING SEMINAR – STUDENT NOTES
Introductory Remarks
• Write
• Call
• Go visit
a. F – Faithful
• 2 Timothy 2:2: And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of
many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will teach others also.
b. A – Available
c. T – Teachable
d. Younger Spiritually
e. Younger Age-wise
• Experience-based wisdom.
f. Same Gender
1. Covert Discipling
• Look for ways to inject scriptural truth into opportunities the Lord gives you.
2. Overt Discipling
• Meeting regularly.
• Meet needs.
• Selective Commitment.
A. Pray.
• Prayers of Paul for those he ministered to: Ephesians 1:17-23; 3:14-19;
Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-14
I. Be tenacious.
L. Be a challenger.
M. Talk about the Bible with other Christians while they’re around.
Introductory Remarks
A. Assurance of Salvation – The disciple is sure that if he has honestly asked Christ to enter his
life:
a. Christ has indeed come into his life;
b.He has been re-born as a whole new creation;
c. His sins—past, present and future—have been forgiven;
d.A new relationship has been established between him and God;
e. He will never again be separated from God.
B. Definition: A settled confidence that one is saved and bound for heaven due to his faith in
Christ as his/her Savior.
C. Scriptural basis: According to the Bible, why or how can we know that we are saved?
1. Satan’s objective: to quickly “devour” the new believer using lies and doubts.
2. Most new Christians’ concepts of the supernatural and the spiritual come from the
inaccurate depictions of the film industry.
3. Many people have unrealistic expectations about what sorts of feelings, experiences and
drama should take place upon conversion.
a. Observation Questions:
-What do you see in this passage?
-What is happening here?
-What’s the main point so-and-so’s making here?
b. Interpretation Questions:
-What do you think this means?
-Why would he say that?
-Why is this point important?
c. Correlation Questions:
-How does this relate to what you already know?
-Does this change your thinking about this issue?
-How does this fit into the bigger picture?
d. Application Questions:
-What does this mean to you personally?
-What difference does knowing this make to you?
-What are you going to do about this?
Engine = “Facts” – what we know to be true on the basis of the Word of God.
Coal car = “Faith” – our trust or beliefs; our reliance on, and confidence in, certain
truths, which lead to consequential opinions and actions.
The points:
1. The train will run with or without the caboose, but it goes nowhere without the
engine.
2. In the same way that the train moves only if you’ll shovel coal from the coal car
into the engine, so will our Christian lives move if we’ll place our faith in the
facts of God’s Word.
• John 8:32 – “Then you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
3) All his sins – past, present and future – have been forgiven.
Psalm 32:5 Isaiah 53:6 Colossians 2:13-14
Psalm 103:12 Matthew 26:28 Hebrews 10:12
Isaiah 1:18 Acts 10:43 Hebrews 10:16-17
Isaiah 38:17 Ephesians 1:6-7 1 John 1:9
Isaiah 43:25 Ephesians 4:32 1 John 2:12
2. The reasons he was separated from God before are gone now, and things are
totally different between him and God.
1. A cheat sheet
• Campus Crusade For Christ Tract: Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?
or Would You Like To Know God Personally?
A. Scope and significance of salvation: The disciple understands in greater detail the scope and
significance of what occurred when he invited Christ into his life, producing a deeper
commitment and greater motivation to go on with Christ.
• God desires that we know for certain that we are saved: 1 John 5:11-13; Romans 8:15-17.
• The simplicity of salvation by grace through faith cannot be denied (2 Corinthians 11:3;
Ephesians 2:8,9; Acts 16:30,31), yet the scope and significance of salvation is vast and
many-faceted. It involves issues that the prophets of old, the apostles and even the angels
have longed for eons to investigate and understand (1 Peter 1:10-12; Ephesians 3:8-10).
• The mysteries of salvation have now been made clear to us through God’s written word
(Hebrews 1:1,2; 2 Peter 1:16-21).
• It follows that the more a person knows about the magnitude of his decision to follow
Christ, the more committed he will be to that decision (2 Peter 1:10-12; Hebrews 6:11,12,
19,20).
• This increased knowledge will help him begin to “take up the full armor of God” so that he
will be able to “stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13-17).
1. If the disciple is a new Christian, he probably hasn’t fully grasped the concepts yet.
Here are a few ideas about what kinds of things you might want to ask him about:
• What’s his family background? Brothers? Sisters? Married? Kids?
• Where is he from originally and what brought him here?
• Where does he live?
• What does he like to do with his free time? Hobbies? Sports?
• Where did (or does) he go to high school or college? Major? Sports?
• Does he have a job? What does he do? How long has he done it?
• What has been his “religious” background up to this point?
b. First Transition
• “How’s it been going since we were together last time? Have you noticed any
changes in your life, or come up with any questions since then?”
• And then LISTEN!
c. Second Transition
• You could say something like, “Well, Bill, do you remember that verse I shared
with you about becoming a ‘new creation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17)? I’d like to
show you what the Bible says is included in ‘The New You.’ These are all
passages in the Bible that talk about what happened to you when you asked
Christ to come into your life.”
2. To help him understand further what happened to him when he received Christ.
• His condition before he met Christ.
11. You became an adopted child of God, with all of the accompanying rights and privileges:
Romans 8:15-17
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have
received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit
Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children,
heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…”
12. A wall of supernatural protection was set up around you: Psalm 34:7
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them.”
13. All the angels in heaven know you and are rejoicing over you: Luke 15:10
“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner who repents.”
***Note: You probably won’t be able to cover all those points in one session—that’s OK!
Introductory Remarks
B. Definitions:
Romans 8:9-11 – “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the
Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does
not belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet
the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus
from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give
life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.”
• Acts 1:5
• Acts 11:16
• 1 Corinthians 12:13
Ephesians 5:18 – “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled
with the Spirit.”
• Greek: literally, “be being filled” (present, imperfect, passive). It’s referring to a
continual, on-going activity.
1. Not allowing the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives is one of the primary reasons the
church is so shallow and carnal today.
2. It’s important that your disciple knows whether or not he’s plugged into the power and
the program of the Holy Spirit.
John 10:10 – “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”
Galatians 5:22,23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”
Acts 1:8 – “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
3. How do we move from the third circle back to the second one?
a. Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit
Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
shall be satisfied.”
John 7:37-39 - “…If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who
believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow
rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who
believed in Him were to receive…
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
c. By faith, claim the fullness of the Holy spirit according to two things:
1. His Command:
Ephesians 5:18 – “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be
filled with the Spirit.”
2. His Promise:
1 John 5:14,15 – “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if
we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that
He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which
we have asked from Him.”
B. Spiritual breathing
1. Exhale – confess your sins.
• Agree with God that what you did was wrong,
• Admit that you have once again taken the throne of your life.
• Ask Him to forgive you.
B. Specific Suggestions
b. Give it to the disciple to read ahead of time, and then discuss it.
• Do you understand these three circle diagrams?
• Which one was represented by the glass that I filled and then bumped?
• This verse under “Natural Man” (1 Corinthians 2:14) says that the things of the
Spirit of God are “foolishness” to the natural man. Can you think of any examples
of that in your life before you knew Christ, or in the lives of others you know right
now?
• What do you see as the primary difference between the “Natural Man” here and the
“Spiritual Man”? How about between the “Spiritual Man” and the “Carnal Man”?
• If you were to look at the behavior of a “Natural Man,” and compare it with the
behavior of a “Carnal Man,” do you think you’d be able to tell any difference?
• Is the “Carnal Man” saved?
Introductory Remarks
A. Identity in Christ – The disciple has a basic understanding of his new identity in Christ and
the struggle that exists between his old nature and his new nature.
B. Definition of Identity in Christ: Who we are in Jesus Christ; the distinguishing characteristics
of the born-again Christian in his basic nature or essence; what is true about the basic nature
of a Christian as a result of his becoming indwelt by the Holy Spirit upon conversion.
1. You’ve told your disciple he’s a new creation, but he still has a lot of the same tendencies
of the old creation.
“The way you were before you became a Christian could be represented by this well. The farmer
who owned this well drew water from it all the time. The trouble was, the water that came out of
it was contaminated – the underground stream that fed it ran under a toxic waste dump and his
family always felt weak and ill.”
Blacken in the underground stream with your pen.
“But since they had drunk from that well all their lives, they didn’t even know they were sick.
This is how the natural man is. How you and I were before we met Christ. The farmer
represents your mind, the underground stream represents your old self or your old nature, and the
contamination represents your sinfulness. Jesus said in Mark 7:20-23 ‘That which proceeds out
of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil
thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as
deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within
and defile the man.’”
Each time you make reference to a verse of scripture, be sure to do two things: (1) write
the reference on the sheet so he can look it up again later if he wants to, and (2) open
your Bible to the passage and one of you read it out loud. It’s also handy to jot down a
one-to three-word summary of the verse.
“Paul said in Ephesians 2:1-3 that we were all like this at one time and it was our very nature to
be so. But just as the farmer only had one well to go to and wasn’t aware of the contamination,
so we had only one contaminated character to draw on. And just as the farmer and his family
were headed for an early grave, so we were headed for an eternal grave. Paul tells us about the
kinds of behavior that this ‘contaminated well’ produces in Galatians 5:19-21 [the works of the
flesh]. Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:6 that the best we could be in this condition was like ‘filthy
rags’ to God.”
“One day a man from the Environmental Protection Agency came and tested the farmer’s well
and alerted the farmer to the contamination. Of course, he immediately stopped using his well,
but he needed water. So he consulted some well-drilling experts who informed him that there
was a crystal clear underground stream on the other side of his property. He sent down another
well shaft and sure enough, the water there was perfectly pure.”
Draw another well way over on the other side of the paper, along with its shaft and
underground stream.
“This is what you did when you invited Christ into your life. This new underground stream
represents your ‘New Man’ or new nature, and it has no contaminating sin nature.
2 Corinthians 5:17, which we’ve talked about before, says that God made you into a whole new
creation with a whole new character or nature. Galatians 5:22,23 talks about the kind of
behavior that will come out of this ‘pure well.’”
“This ‘New Man’ is the opposite of the ‘Old Man.’ Romans 8:1,2 talks about how the law of the
Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death, just like the pure water of this well set
the farmer and his family free from the sickness and death of his contaminated well. The true
nature of the new believer is now one of righteousness, completeness and perfection.
Hebrews 10:10,14 talks about how we have been made [notice past tense] holy and perfect, and
Romans 8:28-30 tells us that, in God’s eyes, we are already glorious! This well represents the
new YOU! It’s the real you! From now on, you can say, ‘It’s not like me to be selfish or lustful.
It’s not like me to hate this person. The real me is characterized by love, joy, peace and
patience.’”
“But almost immediately we notice a problem. Sometimes we’re not loving. Sometimes we’re
not joyful. How is it, if we have this new nature within us, that we Christians still sin? The
reason that you and I and all Christians still have the ability—and even the inclination—to
continue sinning is because, just as the farmer’s contaminated well still sits right next to his
house, so our old man still exists within us.”
“Sometimes, we decide to go back to the old well and draw from it. The farmer may, from time
to time, think it’s too far to walk all the way over to the new well. After all, the new well is over
this hill, through these bushes across this ravine and down this hill, while the old well is right
outside the door. [Draw each of those obstacles as you mention them.] Or sometimes he may
doubt the EPA man’s test. Or he may rationalize that, ‘Just a little of this contaminated water
shouldn’t hurt.’ In the same way, our minds may find it easier to draw from our old man. Or we
may be so used to following the dictates of our old man that we don’t even think about listening
to our new man. We forget. For 30 years, when the farmer wanted water, he went out his front
door and turned left. It may take him a while to get used to turning right.”
As you say those last two sentences, draw arrows coming out of the farm house, one
going toward the old well and one toward the new well.
“Paul talks about this in Romans 7:18-25. Just as the farmer truly wants to quit drinking the
contaminated water, so Paul wants to quit following the dictates of his old nature. But it’s not
easy. In fact, Paul even calls it a ‘war’ (vs. 23). In the end, Paul says that the only way he’ll be
able to do it is with God’s help (vs. 25). This is where the ministry of the Holy Spirit comes in.
He’s like a big neon sign planted right outside the farmer’s front door flashing ‘TURN
RIGHT!!’”
Draw a box below the two arrows coming out of the farmhouse with “TURN RIGHT!!”
in it.
“However, the farmer can still choose to disregard the sign. And in the same way, you can still
disregard the direction of the Holy Spirit. That’s why ultimately it’s going to be up to you to
choose which well you will draw from. God will help you, but you will make the decision.
That’s why Paul said in Ephesians 4:20-24 that we should ‘put off’ our old self and ‘put on’ our
new self – it requires an act of our will. Every day. Every time we are tempted. And in Romans
12:1,2 Paul urges us to be ‘transformed in the renewing of our mind.’ Our minds have to be re-
taught to draw upon the supernatural resources of our ‘new man’ instead of the contaminated
sewage of the ‘old man.’ We’ll learn more about that next week.”
“How do we do that? In two ways: (1) Continually ask the Lord to control and empower you
through the filling of the Holy Spirit; (2) Gain nourishment and strength by daily feeding on the
Word of God. Most people think the Bible is simply a book. You read it, draw out its contents,
digest it and you’re done! But the writer to the Hebrews says that the Word of God is alive and
active…not static (Hebrews 4:12). You can read it a thousand times, and it will have a different
and deeper effect on you each time.”
“It’s like how you make a Grand Canyon. You start with a little stream—one that isn’t having
much effect to start out with. But as that stream continues to flow it cuts deeper and deeper, until
finally most of the water in a four-state region flows through that vast valley before it gets to the
ocean.”
“That’s how you get your mind renewed. That’s how you get transformed. It’s like the farmer
going to his well. Every time he makes a trip to the new well, the path to the old ones gets a
little more overgrown, a little uglier, a little harder to find, while the path to the new well gets
smoother, wider, more pleasant to travel, easier to find.”
“Every time you obey God in the small, everyday kinds of things in your life, like saying yes
when God wants you to spend some time reading the Bible or praying or going to church, when
the really life-and-death kinds of choices are put before you, like adultery or drugs or engaging
in illegal activities, you’ll be strong, and ready, and you won’t be able to find the path to the old
well. Your first, knee-jerk reaction will be to start sprinting down the path to the new well.”
A. Basic growth principles: “The disciple has a basic understanding of spiritual growth
principles and is aware of the beneficial influences of time, adversity and the sovereignty of
God.”
3. We grow as we pray.
Matthew 7:7,8 Philippians 4:6,7
Mark 11:24 Hebrews 4:16
John 16:24
4. We grow as we fellowship.
Proverbs 27:17 Hebrews 3:13
Matthew 18:20 Hebrews 10:24,25
John 17:21
5. We grow as we witness.
Psalm 107:2 Daniel 12:3
Psalm 126:5,6 Matthew 4:19
Proverbs 11:30 Acts 1:8
Isaiah 58:10-12 Romans 1:16
Galatians 1:15-2:1 – After Paul’s dramatic conversion, God put him through a 17-
year training program before He allowed him to launch his public ministry.
2 Corinthians 3:18
1 Timothy 5:22
A. In the “Identity in Christ” session he learned what to know; this session he needs to learn
what to do.
c. No pain – no gain.
-Athlete analogy.
-Without the adversity, there will be no victory (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
-Think of God as your “Heavenly Coach.”
• Step 6, “The Christian and Obedience” (All six lessons apply to obedience)
SESSION #16—FELLOWSHIP
A. Fellowship: The disciple has a basic understanding of the importance of Christian fellowship
and is beginning to attend Christian functions.
Each of the following verses has something to say about why it’s important for every
Christian to be involved in regular fellowship:
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 1 Corinthians 10:24 Philippians 2:3,4
Proverbs 27:17 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Hebrews 3:13
Romans 1:11,12 Ephesians 4:16 Hebrews 10:24,25
Romans 15:1-3
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b. More creative?
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If he has already read Transferable Concept #8, simply spend some time discussing it. If
not, read and discuss some of the following passages:
• Matthew 22:37-40 – Loving God and loving man are the two greatest
commandments.
• John 13:34,35 – Commanded to love by Jesus; mark of a true disciple.
• Romans 13:8-10 – Love is the fulfillment of the law.
• 1 Corinthians 13 – The Great Love Chapter.
• 1 Corinthians 16:14 – Do everything in love.
• Galatians 5:22 – Love is the first component of the Fruit of the Spirit.
• 1 Peter 4:8 – Love covers a multitude of sins.
• 1 John 3:16-18 – Love prompts us to sacrifice for others; if not, love of
God isn’t in us; need to love in deed, not just word.
• 1 John 4:7,8 – Love is a characteristic of all those born of God.
• 1 John 4:16-21 – Abiding in love = abiding in God; we love because He
first loved us; can’t love God and hate your brother.
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3. What we do in fellowship
• Acts 2:42 – Study the Word together, have communion, pray together.
• 1 Corinthians 10:24 – Seek each other’s benefit, not our own.
• Galatians 6:2 – Carry each others burdens.
• Ephesians 4:15,16 – Speak the truth in love; build each other up.
• Ephesians 5:19,20; Colossians 3:16 – Worship God together.
• Philippians 2:1,2 – Seek unity and like-mindedness.
• Hebrews 3:13 – Exhort each other to maintain a godly lifestyle.
• Hebrews 10:24,25 – Get together with other Christians; provoke each other to love
and good works.
• 1 Peter 5:5,6 – Serve each other in humility.
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A. The Word: The disciple has a basic understanding of the importance of Biblical input, the
physical layout of the Bible, and has begun to read it on his own.
A. Two objectives
1. The knowledge you receive (on any subject) is only as good as your sources, so
check your sources first.
2. The ultimate source for knowledge about God and Christ is the Bible.
3. While books about God are useful, they are no substitute for the Bible itself.
4. The sources of the Bible are unimpeachable – men who know God intimately, and
God Himself superintended the writing of the Bible.
5. There are parts of the Bible that are difficult to understand, or uninteresting to a
new believer. There are other parts of the Bible that will prove to be very
interesting and helpful – these passages are the ones he should concentrate on first.
7. Every Christian should be able to study the Bible on his own, and not have to rely
totally on others for “spiritual feeding.”
a. The Old Testament was written before Jesus Christ was born.
b. The New Testament was written after He died and rose again.
c. Represent two “covenants” or “agreements” that existed between God and mankind.
a. 66 books.
b. 40 different authors.
a. Old Testament
(1) The Law
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
(2) The Histories
Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah,
Esther
(3) The Poets
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
(4) The Prophets
(a) Majors: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
(b) Minors: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
b. New Testament
(1) The Histories
(a) The Gospels – accounts of the life of Jesus:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
(b) The Acts of the Apostles – accounts of the early church after Jesus’
resurrection
(2) The Epistles (“letters”): Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus,
Philemon, Hebrews James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude
(3) The Apocalypse – Prophesy concerning the end of the world
Revelation
1. The Gospel of John. This Gospel presents Jesus in His deity, and we find more proof-
texts for Jesus as the unique Son of God in this book than in any other Gospel. Plus,
Jesus is presented very personally here – we see considerable detail concerning His
personal life, His relationships with His disciples, and His relationship with His Father.
“Believe” (and its different forms) is found 97 times in this book, and will give the reader
a good sense of the centrality of faith in the Christian life.
2. The Gospel of Mark. This Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels and definitely the
fastest-moving and most action-packed of them all. It’s like watching the six o’clock
news on TV. It focuses more on what Jesus did than on what He said. Descriptions of
Jesus’ miracles abound in this book. As J. Sidlow Baxter said, “Mark is the camera-man
of the 4 Gospel writers, giving us shot after shot of unforgettable scenes.”
3. The Gospel of Matthew. The longest Gospel, so it is recommended only for those who
seem to be the studious sort – the type who thinks nothing of spending an hour at a time
reading. It starts out with a great description of the birth of Christ, John the Baptist, the
temptation of Jesus and the calling of the first disciples – all narratives that should easily
catch his attention. Then comes the Sermon on the Mount – an excellent introduction for
the new Christian regarding how radical the Christian lifestyle is meant to be. If your
disciple is of Jewish descent, this is the one for him, as it is written by a Jew, for Jewish
readers, and strongly presents Jesus as the Messiah. There are 130 quotes from the Old
Testament in this book.
4. The Gospel of Luke. Another long Gospel, but it starts out with the most extensive
narrative of Jesus’ birth and childhood days – great for young people and those who are
already somewhat familiar with Christianity. The Christmas narrative will probably
bring back many pleasant memories for them. If could be compared to watching a
motion picture documentary, with a heavy emphasis on factual reporting of historical
events. Written by a physician, it was originally intended to be read by the intellectual,
logical Greeks.
5. The Psalms. I wouldn’t recommend a strong dose of these yet. To us who have walked
with Christ for a while, they are among the most precious passages in all of God’s Word.
But they could be a bit tiresome or even confusing for the new believer (“Why is David
praying that God would smash his enemies to smithereens? That doesn’t seem like the
Christian thing to do.”) You might suggest that he read one a day, on top of his reading
of the Gospels. Consider assigning specific Psalms that you know he can grasp with a
minimum of confusion, and a maximum of inspiration.
6. The Proverbs. See Psalms above – the same goes here. Perhaps he could read the
chapter in Proverbs that corresponds with the current day of the month (i.e. on May 12,
read Proverb 12).
7. The Acts. After he has read a Gospel or two, the next logical book would be the Acts. It
describes the growth of the early church, and heavily emphasized the role of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of Christians. It’s easy in this book to see the results of living a life of
faith, and Paul sets an excellent example of how to live victoriously in the midst of
personal trial and affliction – a concept that all Christians need to grab on to early.
8. The Epistles. After your disciple has read a couple of the Gospels and Acts, he could be
urged to begin reading an epistle. They’re a lot more heady, so you should recommend
that he limit his intake to a chapter a day.
Start him off with one of the short ones – Ephesians would be excellent, because it covers a
lot of the major themes of the Christian walk. Galatians would be good as well, especially
for its section contrasting the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Next, one of the personal epistles: 1 & 2 Timothy would be good, because of the
personableness, intimacy and challenging nature of Paul’s writing to his own young disciple.
Follow that up with 1 John. The great “Apostle of Love” can’t help but be a “loving”
influence on your disciple. He should be able to grasp important concepts about the love that
exists in the heart of God for us, as well as the love that ought to exist in our hearts for Him
and for our brothers and sisters.
SESSION #18—PRAYER
Introductory Remarks
A. Prayer: “The disciple has a basic understanding of the importance of prayer, knows the
fundamentals of prayer, and is beginning to pray on his own.”
C. Your disciple will “catch” a lot of instruction regarding prayer by observing your prayer life.
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A. “How do I do it”?
Sixteen facts that the new Christian should know about prayer.
2. You can pray about anything you want to, any time, any place.
Anything:
1 Chronicles 4:10 (For blessings) Matthew 6:11 (For daily needs)
2 Chronicles 7:14 (For national peace) Mark 11:22,23 (For the impossible)
2 Chronicles 14:11 (For help in trouble) Mark 11:24 (For your desires)
Psalm 18:1 (To express love to God) Luke 18:13 (For God’s mercy)
Psalm 22:1,2 (When in anguish) Luke 22:31,32 (For your friends)
Psalm 52:9 (To express thanks to God) John 15:16 (For your ministry)
Psalm 143:8 (For direction) Romans 10:1 (For another’s salvation)
Psalm 143:9 (For protection) Philippians 4:6,7 (For EVERYTHING)
Psalm 143:10 (For instruction) James 1:5 (For wisdom)
Psalm 145:1,2 (In praise and worship) James 5:16 (For physical healing)
Proverbs 3:5,6 (For guidance) 1 John 1:9 (For forgiveness)
Matthew 5:44 (For your enemies) 1 John 5:14 (For ANYTHING)
Any Time:
Exodus 15:1,2 (When you’re “up”) Psalm 88:1 (Day and night)
2 Samuel 12:15 (When you’re “down”) Mark 1:35 (Before dawn)
1 Kings 18:36 (In spiritual battle) Luke 10:21 (Spontaneously)
Psalm 5:3 (Morning) Acts 16:25 (When in trials)
Psalm 51:3,4 (When you’ve sinned) 2 Timothy 1:3 (Night and day)
Psalm 55:17 (Evening, morning, noon)
Any Place:
1 Samuel 1:9,10 (In the house of God) Matthew 18:19,20 (With others)
Matthew 6:6 (In your room) Mark 1:35 (Alone)
Matthew 14:23 (Out in the hills)
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5. There are four types of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication
(A.C.T.S.).
Adoration:
Exodus 15:1-21 Matthew 11:25,26 Ephesians 3:20,21
2 Samuel 22 Luke 1:46-55 1Timothy 1:17
Psalm 63:1-8 Luke 4:8; 1 Peter 1:3-5
Daniel 2:19-23
Confession:
Psalm 32 Psalm 139:23,24 Luke 15:17-21
Psalm 51 Proverbs 28:13 Luke 18:9-14
Psalm 66:18 Mark 11:25 1 John 1:8-10
Thanksgiving:
Daniel 6:10 Romans 1:21 Colossians 2:7
Psalm 105:1 Ephesians1:15,16 Colossians 3:17
Luke 17:11-19 Philippians 4:6 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Supplication:
Genesis 18:23-32 Proverbs 30:7-9 Philippians 1:9-11
1 Chronicles 4:10 Luke 11:5-13 Philippians 4:6,7
2 Chronicles 14:11 Luke 18:1-8 James 4:2,3
Psalm 34:15 John 16:24 1 John 5:14,15
Psalm 143:8-10 Ephesians 6:18,19
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8. We can’t expect God to grant our requests if we are unwilling to grant Him His
(importance of obedience).
Psalm 37:4 Matthew 6:14,15
Proverbs 15:8 1 John 3:22
Proverbs 28:9
9. We must deal with any known sin in our lives before we can expect God to hear and act
upon our prayers.
Psalm 32:3-5 Proverbs 28:13
Psalm 66:18 Isaiah 59:2
Psalm 139:23,24 1 John 1:9
10. Prayer is hard work, and, as in all work, a very important factor is patient perseverance.
Psalm 40:1 Luke 18:1-8
Luke 11:5-9 1 Corinthians 15:58
11. We must approach God in humility, remembering Who we are talking to.
2 Kings 22:19 Psalm 10:17 James 4:10
2 Chronicles 7:14 Psalm 51:16,17 1 Peter 5:5,6
2 Chronicles 34:27 Luke 18:9-14
12. Yet, we can feel bold and confident about approaching Him in prayer, because He fully
accepts us as his children.
Ephesians 3:12 Hebrews 4:15,16 Hebrews 10:19-22
13. When you pray out loud, don’t try to impress other people who might be listening in;
concentrate on talking to God.
Matthew 6:6 Luke 20:46,47
14. Use your brain when you pray – don’t just repeat phrases.
Matthew 6:7
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2. What content?
a. Bible reading.
b. Prayer.
3. How long?
4. How often?
5. When?
6. Where?
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SESSION #19—WITNESSING
C. Applicable definitions:
Witnessing: “Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving
the results to God.”
Gospel: “All men are guilty of sin before God. The penalty for sin is death – eternal
separation from God. But because of His great love for us, God sent His Son – Jesus Christ –
to take the penalty of our sin on Himself when He died on the cross. Three days later he was
resurrected from the dead and is alive today and forever. If a person will repent of his sinful
way of life, and have faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and able to save him from eternal
death, he will be forgiven, reconciled to God, and guaranteed eternal life.”
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a. 2 Timothy 3:12
b. Galatians 1:10
c. John 12:43
a. So that they can experience the joy of the Lord as they obediently and
whole-heartedly share their faith;
b. So that they will be active soldiers in the army of Christ, tearing down
the strongholds of Satan and working with Christ to set the captives free,
thus advancing the Kingdom of God.
2. What will intrinsically motivate him in the proper direction? Two things:
b. Your example.
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1. “What is the greatest, most significant thing that has ever happened to you?”
2. “What, then, is the greatest, most significant thing that a Christian can do for another
person?”
B. A good study
1. The Transferable Concept #5: How To Witness In The Spirit
[The “eight ingredients” of successful witnessing]
1. What is witnessing?
• Acts 4:20 – “We cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard”
• John 14:6
• John 8:24
• Acts 4:12
• 1 Corinthians 1:21
• Romans 10:13,14
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b. Because we want to see the benefits of a life with Christ passed on to others.
• John 4:1-34
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4. How do I witness?
a. Our lives? Matthew 5:16
b. Our words?
• 2 Timothy 4:2
• Acts 10:42
5. What do I say?
(1) God loves every individual and created them to have eternal fellowship with Him.
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(2) Every individual has sinned, severing this fellowship with God, ultimately resulting
in eternal separation.
(3) God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the penalty of our sin on Himself, making
reunion with God possible.
(4) The sacrifice of Jesus is applied to us individually as we – through an act of our will –
receive Christ through faith.
b. Your testimony.
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• Luke 10:16
• 1 Corinthians 3:5-10
• Isaiah 55:10-11
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3. Prayer project.
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Introductory Remarks
God wants us to know the facts regarding Satan’s strategies, the consequences of following
Satan, how to escape his influences, and how to pick ourselves up when we fall spiritually.
B. Scare tactics?
1 Peter 5:8
1. Fundamental Fact #1 –
Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean you will no longer have problems; but you now have
the Supreme Problem-Solver of the universe living within you.
2. Fundamental Fact #2 –
The difficulties that you will be experiencing as a Christian will come from one of four
sources:
a. The natural consequences of foolish (but amoral) actions.
(1) The lust of the flesh – the misuse of your natural appetites – for food, sex,
comfort, pleasure, etc.
2 Samuel 11:2-4 Matthew 4:2,3
(2) The lust of the eyes – the compulsive desire to possess things: materialism;
wanting whatever one sees.
(3) The pride of life – the compulsive pursuit of fame, power, recognition,
exaltation in the eyes of others; anything that might possibly supplant God’s
position of priority in your life; pursuits that could take God off the throne and
put you on it.
3. Fundamental Fact #3 –
Adversity caused by any one of these four sources is allowed by God through a perfect
blending of two Biblical principles:
• Galatians 6:7,8 [One reaps what one sows, good or bad.]
• Romans 8:28 [God can turn even the “bad” into “good.”]
Biblical Examples:
4. Fundamental Fact #4 –
Christians are to flee temptation and resist the devil.
Burglar Satan
Step One: “I think there’s a “I think Satan is trying to make
Detect burglar in the house!” me sin!”
Step Two: Grab an “equalizer” – “Submit yourselves, therefore, to
Empower like a shotgun! God.” Take your position of
authority in God. Psalm 59:9
Step Three: “Gotcha covered! “Resist the devil, and he will flee
Trap* Reach for the sky or from you.” Address him directly,
I’ll shoot!” just as Jesus did; use your
sword—the Word.
Ephesians 6:13-17
Step Four: Call the Police! “Draw near to God, and He will
Reinforce draw near to you. After the fight,
spend a short time in prayer or
Bible reading to seal the victory
and strengthen yourself.
Isaiah 41:10
5. Fundamental Fact #5 –
Salvation does not give us a license to sin; sin interrupts fellowship with God and short-
circuits the power that God has made available to us.
Isaiah 59:2 Romans 6:16 Titus 1:16 1 John 2:3-6
John 15:6 1 Corinthians 6:12 James 2:19,20 1 John 4:20
Romans 6:1-6 Galatians 5:13 1 Peter 4:1,2 Jude 4
6. Fundamental Fact #6 –
When you do sin, confession, humble repentance and re-appropriating the filling of the
Holy Spirit will once again restore you to a right relationship with God.
a. We’re all going to slip up and sin from time to time.
Psalm 14:3 Romans 3:23
Isaiah 53:6a 1 John 1:8
e. Mouthing the words is not enough; there must be genuine humility and
repentance.
2 Chronicles 7:14 Psalm 34:14,17,18 James 4:9,10
Job 11:13-15 Psalm 51:17
7. Fundamental Fact #7 –
Above all else, no matter how badly you may blow it, you can know that
God still loves you; you are still “fully accepted in the Beloved,” and God
still wants to help you to overcome your problems and become more like
Christ.
c. God still wants to help you to overcome your problems and become
more like Christ.
Romans 8:28,29 1 Corinthians 3:18
® Junk
a. “Mission Statement” = a succinct way of expressing why they exist and what they’re
trying to accomplish.
c. Should reflect his personal priorities identified above. From Bobb Biehl:
(1) Directional – it’s like taking you somewhere; accomplishing something.
(2) Umbrella – takes in everything you do.
(3) Lifetime – it’s on-going; never completely accomplished; never needing to
change.
d. A few examples:
Chris Adsit: “To cooperate with God in His program to conform me to the image of
Jesus Christ, utilizing all of my available resources to serve Him, my family and my
fellow man primarily through a fruitful ministry of disciplemaking, writing and
speaking.”
David Dawson, Founder and Director of “Equipping The Saints”: “To walk in daily
fellowship with God and to order my life and family in accordance with the Word of
God so that we are daily exchanging our lives for the fulfilling of Christ’s Great
Commission.”
Bobb Biehl, Founder and Director of Masterplanning Group Int’l: “To love God and
my fellow man and to show this love by helping people see life with increasing
clarity and know how to cope with life’s pressures and challenges.”
3. Determine “Major Goals” that will combine to make the “Mission Statement” functional.
4. Determine “Intermediate Goals” that will help accomplish the “Major Goals.”
a. These are stepping stones to the major Goals.
5. Determine “Short-Term Goals” that will help accomplish the “Intermediate Goals.”
a. “What can I do right now to get the ball rolling?
6. Determine “Schedule” that will allow for the accomplishment of the “Short-Term Goals”
and will screen out unnecessary activities.
a. Get the goals on his calendar!
2. Re-evaluate your Mission Statement, Major Goals and Intermediate Goals periodically.
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e. He’ll have on his heart what God has on His: The World.
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2. Modeling (Relationship)
3. Praying (Prayer)
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-Joseph: papa’s pet; tattletale; hated by his brothers (Genesis 37:1-4); kidnap victim
(Genesis 37:18-28); sold into slavery (Genesis 39:1); falsely accused of rape
(Genesis 39:7-19); jailbird (Genesis 39:20; 41:1). Became the Prime Minister of
Egypt and saved the embryonic nation of Israel (Genesis 41:37-45; 45:4-13:50:19-
21).
-Moses: murderer (Exodus 2:11-12); fugitive (Exodus 2:13-15); sheepherder in exile
(Exodus 2:22; 3:1); a man of great reluctance and little faith (Exodus 3:11,13;
4:1,10,13). Became God’s primary ambassador to earth, the one with whom God
spoke “face-to-face” (Genesis 33:11) and spoke of as “My servant” (Joshua 1:2).
-Jephthah: illegitimate child (Judges 11:1); cast-off (Judges 11:2, 7); rabble-rouser
(Judges 11:3). Became a Judge in Israel and was greatly used by God to free the
nation (Judges 11:32-33; 12:7).
-Ruth: a Moabitess in exile, widowed, childless, destitute (Ruth 1:1-18). God set her
up with Boaz, a wealthy land-owner, and they became the great-grandparents of
King David (Ruth 4:21-22).
-David: shepherd boy, youngest kid of an insignificant family (1 Samuel 16:1-12);
weird-looking because of his red hair and pale skin (1 Samuel 16:12). Used by God
to slay Goliath, embolden Israel (1 Samuel 17:26-53), and later to bring Israel to the
pinnacle of world power (2 Samuel 7:1, 18-29).
-Jonah: originally rebelled against God’s orders to preach (Jonah 1:1-3), and got real
down-in-the-mouth about it (Jonah 1:15-17). Used by God to save the city of
Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10).
-Esther: an orphan, raised by her elder cousin, an exile in a pagan country
(Esther 4:13-16; 7:2-10; 8:5-12).
-Peter: all mouth (Matthew 26:33-35); impetuous (Matthew 26:69-75). Became one
of the all-time Pillars of the Christian movement (Acts 2:14-41; 3:1-26; 10:1-48;
wrote 1 & 2 Peter).
-Paul: vicious, zealous persecutor of Christians, sent many of God’s children to prison
and death (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:9). Outside of Jesus
Christ, he turned out to be the most influential Christian ever to have lived (he was
inspired to write half of the books of the New Testament).
-Jesus: carpenter’s foster son from a backwater town in Galilee. Saved the world.
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I. Step 1: Assess
A. We need an objective system for evaluating spiritual maturity.
b. The Word – “Activities undertaken to absorb and apply the Bible to one’s daily life.”
(John 8:31)
d. Fellowship – “Attitudes and actions that enhance one’s relationships with other
Christians and build up the Body of Christ. (John 13:35)
e. Personal Growth – “Attitudes and actions that help one develop a closer relationship
with God and a more Christlike lifestyle.” (Matthew 10:25) Includes:
• Character development
• Devotional life
• Dealing with adversity, Satan, temptation and sin
• Discerning the will of God
• Temple Maintenance (exercise and diet.)
g. Family – “Attitudes and actions that enhance one’s relationship to his family and
make him better able to fulfill his unique role and responsibilities within his family.”
(Joshua 24:15)
2. Option #2: Do a “Full Blown” assessment on all seven areas, THEN begin resourcing.
II. Target
A. Look first at baby level, and scrutinize each Profile Statement that’s not currently
operational in the disciple’s life.
C. If you can’t decide on one, narrow it down and ask your disciple what he/she thinks.
III. Resource
• Pastors. • Christian Book Store manager.
• Para-church staff members. • Bible College or Seminary librarian.
• Your discipler. • Your notes.
• Other disciplers. • Your memory.
• Church library. • Concordance.
• Commentaries. • Your own creative, anointed mind.
3. However, the Bible points out specific things we can do to enhance our relationship with
God, and operate more efficiently within the spiritual realm.
5. Self-control is the ninth component of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23)
IV. Be a friend
• A natural outflow of point #2.
V. Be patient
• Quality takes time.
• Real maturity will be built by God, in His way, and in His time, not by my program.
VI. Be persistent
• Being patient doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing.
• Remember: your disciple isn’t there to enhance your ministry; you’re there to enhance his!
• Mark 10:45
• Don’t put on a phony front. Share your hurts, defeats, limitations, fears.
• Proverbs 24:24,25
• 2 Timothy 2:20,21