Practical helps for discipleship





PRACTICAL HELPS FOR DISCIPLESHIP Start by contracting to meet with your potential disciple(s) for only two to four weeks. After that you are free to continue if mutually agreed upon. Decide where you will start - Step One or the optional starting points on pages 21 or 23 are likely places to begin. Some however, will start with a particular topic e.g. prayer, or witness, depending on their particular situation. Be prepared ahead of time. Begin each weekly encounter with prayer. Have the materials on hand (outlines--"lessons," cards for verses, pamphlets, etc.) In general, go to meet them rather than wait for them to come to you. If there are several disciples, choose the home of the one who would have the most difficulty in coming. Give out the outlines step by step -- a page at a time. Have a system for notifying if someone is not able to attend. Meet around a table for ease in writing and using the Bible. Use an hour to an hour and a half of time. Share group leadership. Let others talk. Women meet with women and men with men. If there are two or more persons in the group and one misses a discipleship encounter, have one of the others in the group catch them up. Don't take anything for granted. That is why the outlines begin with the Miniature Plan of Salvation. Rev. 3:20, John 1:12, and Romans 10:9. Make sure they know the Lord. Don't try to force an issue; allow the Holy Spirit to act. Pace yourself and the group. It is not necessary to read all the biblical passages listed. Need and time must be taken into account. Take time to allow the person(s) to understand the materials, not only the theoretical parts, but also their practical applications to life. Develop a personal relationship, not just as student to teacher, but as friends. Plan to do some social activities together. Talk about problems as they come up. Pray with your disciple(s) and direct them towards a practical solution. If there are critical problems at the moment, first handle them and then continue with the encounter. Don't hesitate to ask for help from a Christian whom you respect. Share openly with them your own spiritual needs and personal problems (we all have them). Review the materials once in awhile. Have the disciple present or review the material with you or better yet, with someone else. Remember that "information" is necessary, but the goal is "formation" of disciples for the Lord. Time with the disciples may include: 21.1 Personal application from the Word (you share.) 21.2 Check-up (homework, memorization, etc.) 21.3 Handle problems as they arise. 21.4 Prayer. 21.5 Continue with the outline. Have the disciples in the group write the memory verse on their cards as you dictate them. Before leaving the Encounter, plan for the next one by making notes on the Progress Sheet or on your own "lesson plan". Remember, being involved in ministry gives a sense of direction to everyone involved in discipleship Never allow your discipling relationships to fizzle out. Always have closure. Celebrate what has been acomplished. QUESTIONS COMMONLY ASKED ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP : Q.- Am I doing it right? After four months I'm only on Step #4. It seems like we spend so much time talking about "other things." A.- You are right on target. There is no given time frame. Many people will take a year. Some more time and others less. You would not touch on the "other things" if you did not have the outlines in front of you as your "pretext" for getting together. You are all growing! Q.- Now that we are discipling people in the church, should we organize a committee to keep it going? A.-: Discipleship depends on vision and relationships. Selecting a promoter to encourage people and to organize an annual banquet or semi-annual half-day retreat and to lift up the discipleship vision is a good idea. Periodic words of encouragement in the weekly bulletin are always appropriate and help create an ongoing interest in discipleship for the whole church. This requires little organization.

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