It is an ALL OF ME commitment.
The Word of God is my FOUNDATION and GUIDE.
When Judson was lying loaded with chains in a Burmese dungeon,
a fellow prisoner asked with a sneer about the prospect for the conversion of the heathen.
Judson calmly answered, “The prospects are as bright as the promises of God.”
– Adoniram Judson (Missionary to Burma, present-day Myanmar)
"THE PROSPECTS ARE BRIGHT AS THE PROMISES OF GOD,"
- Adoniram Judson.
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.
That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory,"
2 Corinthians 1:20.
Knowing the FAITHFUL LOVE of God will make us to be NEVER FEARFUL.
If I give my ALL to YOU, I will be in a BEAUTIFUL REST!
One Life Making a Difference.
Our efforts must be for CHRIST.
BUILD or WRECK... "ALL our EFFORTS"
... where are you consolidating your efforts?
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Ten Little Christians
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Ten little Christians standing in line.
One disliked the preacher, then there were 9.
Nine little Christians stayed a very late.
One overslept Sunday, then there were 8.
Eight little Christians all their way to Heaven.
One took the low road and then there were 7.
Seven little Christians chirping like chicks.
One disliked music, and then there were 6.
Six little Christians seemed very much alive, but one lost his interest and then there were 5.
Five little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore, but one stop to rest, then there were 4.
Four little Christians each busy as a bee.
One got his feelings hurt, then there were 3.
Three little Christians knew not what to do.
One joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2.
Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done, differed with each other, then there was 1
One little Christian can't do much ‘tis true, brought his friend to Bible study, then there were 2.
Two earnest Christians, each won one more. That doubled the number, then there were 4.
Four sincere Christians worked early and late. Each won another, then there were 8.
Eight splendid Christians if they doubled as before. In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1024.
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Quoted in IDMC2020
SEPTEMBER 4 2020
Discipleship is DOING.
Importance of DOING ... and whats important to do.
What Christ has commanded us.
INTENTIONAL vs INCIDENTAL
Micah 6:8
justice
kindness
humility
GET THIS: TO STAND AT THE CROSS
Take UP the CROSS
Lift UP the CROSS
DO
who are you MENTORING?
who are you praying with?
who are you reading with?
who are you doing with?
WHO ARE YOU PUSHING?
How we Do the Vision of 12?
Who are you COVERING now?
WHOLE CHURCH DISCIPLESHIP
Disciple-Making is the PURPOSE of the CHURCH
Empower Gods People
Apply what we Heard and Pass it ON
Ephesians 4:11
LENSES
- all EMPOWERED
- to be a MINISTER
- the way of UNITY
- love MATURELY
- multiply ChristLIKE-MULTIPLIERS
MINISTER = SERVANT
who will you enlist for service?
- much work to be done
- together
LET 10 MEN work THAN work the WORK of 10 men!
LET THEM GO!
-
jrs ACTION POINTS
----
WHO?
-----
- WHO will you do WITH?
JESUS and YOU, YOU and WHO?
- WHO do you UNLEASH TOWARDS?
HOLY SPIRIT fills for powerful ministries
- WHO do you FORM Christ WITH?
"until Christ is formed in you"
FATHER and fathering with (no one is an ORPHAN)
I will have NAMES.
NO NAMES = NO MAKING OF DISCIPLES
ACTS.
Who will I prepare to PREACH?
Who will I prepare to TEACH?
Who will I prepare for MARRIAGE?
Who will I prepare for CASTING OUT DEMONS?
Who will I prepare to pass DIVINITY SCHOOL?
Who will I prepare to be a CAMPUS DIRECTOR?
Who will I teach to do S.O.A.P.?
Who will I unleash to do the CROSSROADS?
Who will I prepare to be a LIFE GROUP LEADER?
WHO? WHO? WHO? WHO? WHO?
I will not "entertain" them, rather I will equip them.
I will not hold on to them, rather I will empower and unleash them.
I will have to know their GIFTS, PASSION, SKILLS, PERSONALITIES, EXPERIENCES, and DREAMS and HELP THEM ENTER their DESTINIES!
LEAD THEM TOWARDS their DESTINIES!
Curriculum: TEMPTATION; PERSECUTION; CRUCIFIXION.
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related thoughts
PAST CONFERENCES
FROM
BUILT TO LAST
Towards a Disciplemaking Church
by Edmund Chan
Covenant Evangelical Free Church, 2001
Definition:
“Disciplemaking is the process of bringing people into right relationship with God; and developing them to full maturity in Christ through intentional growth strategies, that they might multiply the entire process in others also.”
Vision.
“I have a dream of a disciplemaking church characterized by these five essential distinctives:
World class Internship – a center for leadership development
Word and Spirit Church – empowered by the Spirit and grounded in the Word – a balance
Life-Transforming Ministries – five pillars: prayer, worship, cells, equipping, and outreach
Holistic Disciplemaking – to help God’s people master life’s transitions
An Unreached Peoples’ Advocate – an outward looking church - planting churches in UPGs we have adopted – sending missionaries and mission teams to them
Eight major characteristics:
Purpose-Driven – intentional disciplemaking is the core mission.
Responsible Evangelism – leading people to Christ and conscientiously following up
Intentional Growth Strategies – developing people
Leadership Commitment – committed to model disciplemaking
Vision-Casting – The pastor champions and models disciplemaking
Vision-Concretizing – vehicles established to facilitate disciplemaking
Small-Group Infrastructure – small groups are intentional disciplemaking units
Spiritual Multiplication – lives are transformed and spiritual multiplication occurs
Why must disciplemaking be the key agenda of the church?
A biblical and theological foundation is summarized.
Along with many others, Chan cites Mt 28:18-20 and claims “Making disciples is at the very heart of the Great Commission.” (31) [I would argue that making discipled nations is a better interpretation.] “The call of the Great Commission is to not merely make converts to make disciples.”
“The ultimate aim is for spiritual maturity.”
“I am convinced that mentoring of disciples is the key to the critical need for leadership emergence.”
Four aspects to the definition of disciplemaking
Bringing people into right relationship with God
Developing them to full maturity in Christ.
Through intentional growth strategies
To multiply the entire process in others
Chan includes a chapter on “Misconceptions of the Great Commission.”
The focus of the Great Commission is on Christ, not the Church.
The essence is “a way of life to live,” vs. a message to broadcast
The main impetus is for the whole church, not just missionaries
The main command is “make disciples,” not “go.”
The main product is “disciples,” not “converts.”
The main yardstick is obedience, not baptisms.
The main concern is cooperation vs., competition.
Chan’s four convictions about the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20)
Disciplemaking is at the heart of local church ministry.
God intends disciplemaking to be global.
God intends discipling to be for every believer.
God intends disciplemaking to be for all times.
“In our evangelical smugness, we have failed to recognize the alarming extent to which the world has influenced the modern church.”
The Crisis of Modernity:
The crisis of identity in an age of narcissism – fulfillment dominates our private agendas.
The crisis of truth in an age of pragmatism – a profound lack of reflection on truth. Whatever works is true. “It is a generation that thinks it thinks.”
The crisis of authority in an age of consumerism – the customer is boss. Does the church meet my needs?
The crisis of spirituality in an age of fatigue – “We live unexamined lives at a frantic pace.” “We become spiritually dry and lethargic.”
Paradigm Shifts in 21st Century Discipling.
“We must meaningfully exegete our world and adjust our approach to be relevant and effective.” (53)
From spiritual exhortation to spiritual direction – Provide more than ‘what to do.’
Provide instruction on ‘how to do.’ More counseling is needed.
From single-level discipling to multi-level discipling – Churches are not homogenous.
Many methods and structures are needed on different levels.
From program-oriented to person-oriented discipling – We have to being with “who are you?” rather than “what is to be covered?”
From classroom-discipling to real-world discipling – Application is more challenging.
Things taught must be integrated into all arenas of life.
From superficial conformity to value-change – “There must be an emergence of a counter-cultural worldview – real value change. Unless our core values are transformed by God in light of the Scriptures, nothing is really changed.” “We must know and apply basic life principles.”
From theological content to theological contemplation – We have to learn how to think critically.
From ministry management to life management
Chan’s Core Curriculum for Disciplemaking is fundamental, progressive, diagnostic, and prescriptive. The topics are
Theology (Who is God?),
Allegiance (Who is my master?),
Identity (Who am I?),
Purpose (What am I called to do?),
Values (What is of ultimate importance in my life?),
Priorities (What are the things I must put first?),
Empowering (How can I be empowered?),
Foundation (What should I anchor my life upon?) (62-71)
Philosophy:
“Disciplemaking is all about a certain kind of person who is radically committed to a certain kind of purpose, who through a certain kind of process, reproduces a certain kind of product.”
God uses committed disciples, sold out on disciplemaking, making a life investment to reproduce in others (according to 2 Tim 2:2) the biblical design for a disciple.
The practical outworking in the church requires a philosophy of three parts: “
a clarification of Values that answers the “Why” question
a focus of Vision that answers the “What” question
a determination of Vehicles that answers the “How” question.”
Chan represents these as three points on a triangle. The vision consists of the five distinctive characteristics and the core vehicles are the five pillars of ministry above.
The five core values are truth, community, stewardship, balance, and brokenness.
Principles for Mentoring:
It’s more about who we are than what we do.
Selection is key: select kindred spirits
Aim for value (inner life) change
Modeling is at the heart of mentoring. “Example explains everything.”
Spend time together. Mentoring doesn’t occur in a vacuum.
Mentor holistically to produce leaders – spiritual formation, theological foundation, strategic life and ministry skills
Prayer is the work.
Chan includes brief appendices on the importance of covenant groups, nourishing your soul, the fruit of the Spirit, why mentoring is important, obstacles we face, and mastering life’s transitions.
