10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson
This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.
To order a copy of Basic
Discipleship,
please visit our Publications section.
PHASE 2
INITIAL GROWTH
Whether you won him or were assigned a person, you now have a disciple who needs discipleship training. A weighty task awaits you, one that will require much contact with this person for close to a year.
Keep in clear focus what your assignment is. Go back, often, to the discipleship overview, which appears at the beginning of this teacher’s manual. Remind yourself of the spiritual goal which you have in mind for this disciple and of the route you must take to get there.
Remember that one of your objectives is to make a discipler just like you
out of this disciple. You want him
to develop to the point of being able to do with another what you are doing with
him. Don’t be silent about this
objective. Share it repeatedly with
your disciple. Show him where you
are headed, the overall discipleship graphic.
Let him know that you intend to get him to phase or level four, which
means he’ll be expected to do with someone else what you are doing with him.
Note carefully what you should communicate and accomplish in this second phase of the training of your disciple. In summary, you will seek to stimulate his spiritual growth by dealing with the following areas:
1. The forming of a strong personal relationship.
A. With you.
B. Understanding the beauty of his relationship with God.
C. How to walk in fellowship with God.
2. Awareness of grave spiritual dangers.
A. Dangers.
B. Fortification against and dealing with dangers.
3. Understanding the disciple’s primary spiritual resources.
A. The Word of God.
B. The Holy Spirit.
C. The Church.
Christian character development is inherent with these sessions.
Approximately three months or 12 sessions should be spent in this area. Bear in mind that at the end of phase two your disciple will not have learned all there is to know, nor will he have arrived at perfect character and a practical mastery of these truths. The development of Christian character is an on-going, life-long project. It should begin here in phase two and strengthen till death. The intent at this level is to make the disciple aware and to give direction and limited supervised training, much as one is taught to drive a car. Obviously, the intent is to get one started, teach him the right way and make him functional; not to stay with him indefinitely. All through the discipleship process, great emphasis should be on the disciple doing it for himself. You are teaching him how to stand on his own and help others to do the same.
Quickly, within the first week, you should initiate a face to face meeting with your disciple. At his home or yours, over a meal at a restaurant, on the church premises, or in some other suitable place, meet with this person for approximately one hour. The purpose of this meeting is:
1. To begin the bonding process with your disciple.
2. To communicate to him your purpose and direction.
During this meeting, you should seek to accomplish the following objectives:
I.
GET ACQUAINTED.
A Exchange background information.
B. Seek common ground and mutual interests.
C. Attempt to establish an at ease relationship with your disciple.
II. EXPLAIN YOUR PURPOSE.
A. That you plan to make yourself available, as an older Christian brother, to help this new or younger Christian to become firmly established in (1) the Word and in (2) the work of God.
B. That you will endeavor to get together with him, in person or by phone, for about 30 minutes once each week for the purpose of sharing Christian growth information.
C. That you will pray for and with this disciple, help him with questions he may have, and systematically lead him through specific areas of the growth process.
NOTE: Let him know that he can lean on you and look to you for help and guidance. Though you will attempt to formally communicate once weekly, your communication need not be limited to that.
III.
SHOW HIM THE BASIC DISCIPLESHIP CIRCLE AND GIVE
HIM A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF IT
A. Have him read with you II Timothy 2:1-2 and tell him that this is what you are doing with him.
B. Emphasize that your objective is to get him through quadrant four.
IV.
HELP HIM FOCUS AND FIX HIS CHRISTIAN COMMITMENTS BY RECORDING THEM.
A. Present him form BD#1 titled My Christian Commitment Record. (Basic Disciple Exercises packet)
B. Let the disciple fill out and keep the form. Help him work through it, using each point as a review and instructional time.
NOTE:
The disciple should complete and keep all forms
as they are sequentially completed.
At the end of the training program,
he can bind them. It is best
that only the currently needed form be presented
to the disciple. Giving all
forms at once is counter-productive.
V. BEFORE LEAVING, FIRM UP FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS AND MEETINGS.
A. Exchange phone numbers, addresses and other contact information.
B. Set up particulars about your next meeting. (When, where, in person, by phone, etc.)
MY
CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT RECORD
NAME:_____________________________________________________
MY SALVATION:
I trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.
Date:________________________________________
Location:_____________________________________
MY
BAPTISM:
I was scripturally baptized:
Into the__________________ Baptist Church.
Date: _____________
MY
PASTOR:
The man whom God has placed over me to watch for my soul is:
_______________________________
MY
OLDER BROTHER\SISTER:
The person who is committed to helping me learn and grow spiritually to the point of Christian maturity and fruitfulness is:
________________________________
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"