Strategic Discipleship

(Worship, study, aspiring seminary student, nurse manager for hospice company, Christian since I was 13 but didn’t get serious till 2013) (Use the dry erase, write discipleship on the left with four blanks on the right and fill them in as we go.)

The problem as I see it:

, “but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Philippians 3:12b NIV

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

a. Php 3:12b, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

I don’t see very many runners. We have a few walkers on the track and a whole lot of people still sitting on the bench.

“The greatest single cause of atheism today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” Brennan Manning

Most churches don’t appear to be growing. Many of those that are have questionable theological ideologies. We have 1,500 members, 500 of which come on sundays, and 100 of which are actively involved in lifegroups, serving, etc.

Sometimes we need a chnage in order to succeed. It’s time to think outside the box. That’s why we are here. Many of us have been working with the youth for years, I am proposing that we reevaluate how we approach the youth. I believe that what we do here can have a huge impact on the rest of the church.

We are on the front lines, our youth are under attack (GSA versus FCA).

We have to be ready, we have to take it seriously

Mission of Crave: Discipleship

Goal of discipleship is Christ-like maturity

LBD defines: The disciple is a servant who must reject worldly expectations and concentrate on God’s way, which travels through suffering and servanthood.

1. But what is discipleship? (ask leaders for their definition)

But what is discipleship? (ask leaders for their definition)

Covered in the dust of their Rabbi

Disciples in 2nd temple Judaism attached themselves to their Rabbi

Who is following you? And what are they being taught? (let this hang in the air for a moment)

Much of what disciples learned was not taught, it was caught

1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1st Principle: Disciples are made through imitation

(We must do the fundamentals well)

It starts with us

One definition for discipleship that I ran across is “teaching someone to be what you already are”

Youth pastor most influential person in most people’s life; this includes youth leaders

Talk about Phil Todd, still a spiritual mentor

What we do and say will have a profound impact on the lives of the youth.

We will be held to a higher standard

James 3:1 NIV

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Socrates, “A life unexamined is not worth living.”

How is your Christian walk?

We must be doers of the word.

Matthew 5:48 NIV

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

James 1:23–24 NIV

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

The bar is set high

Matthew 5:48 NIV

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Make no mistake, the world rejoices when a Christian does not live according to their calling.

The five critical areas of a mature Christian walk.

Think of it like a house. With Christ as our foundation, there are five essential load-bearing support structures that maintain the integrity of the house. If any of these are weak then the whole structure is weak.

1: Prayer

Start small, expectation is that you pray for your students but you have to start somewhere.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–17 NIV

Rejoice always, pray continually,

2: Service

This is integral to the Christian walk.

Matthew 20:26b NIV

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

You should be giving financially in some form to the church. But, I believe that the greatest gift we can give is our time. Crave leadership is a time commitment.

3: Bible study

is 176 verses that talk about the richness of the word of God and Jesus said

Matthew 4:4 NIV

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

When most of the disciples had abandoned Jesus after he teaching on communion, he asked Peter if he was leaving and Peter said

John 6:68 NIV

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Once you get a taste of the richness of God’s word, you will find it beginning to consume you. Your thoughts, you time, your life.

Immerse yourself in His word if you aren’t already.

Develop a study pattern (See Leader’s binder)

4: Community

d. Community

I once had a friend give me her laundry list of stuff to do over the weekend, I asked if church was on her list and she said, “Jesus knows that I love him.”

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Perhaps iti. You should be in a life group, find a group you can grow in and that will encourage you. Monthly crave leader meetings?

Hebrews 10:24–25i NIV

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

What if coming to church wasn’t about you but about the person that you were suppose to encourage for today?

You should be coming to church. Sit with your kids if possible.

One more analogy:

A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the

reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the

flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a

brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there

was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time

to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.'

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much

for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.'

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the

best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

You need to be in constant contact with a Christian community. We can’t Christian alone, our fire doesn’t burn as bright when we are alone. You should be in a life group, find a group you can grow in and that will encourage you. Monthly crave leader meetings?

You should be in a life group, find a group you can grow in and that will encourage you. Monthly crave leader meetings?

5: Worship

e. Worship

Not talking about turning Klove on the radio or jamming out to the new Hillsong worship album. Worship is a culmination of the first 4 things and thanking God for the ability to do those things. Worship should naturally follow.

iii.

The five areas of mature Christianity:

1: Prayer

Vineyard work

2: Service

3: Bible study

4: Community

5: Worship

John 15:5 NIV

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

I watched my father in law work a vineyard for several years. Day after day he would go out and work those plants. As I watched, I began to realize what a labor of love he had for those plants. I also began to realize how finicky those plants were.

You see, you have to pick out the right type of grape according to the type of wine that you want to make. This requires some study and research because not all grapes are created equal.

Once you have your grape, then you have to plant it. You have to be selective in the type of fertilizer you put on it. Particularly if you don’t want anything that is chemically driven.

You have to be careful with the water. Too little and you kill the plant. Too much and you kill the plant.

When the plant begins to grow, you have to keep them trimmed. If you don’t trim the branches then it will cause the plant to drop and the grapes will suffer. If you cut too much then you could kill the plant.

You also have to watch out for the external factors. The diseases. The insects. You have to repair the fences to keep the deer and rabbits out. And you have to spread nets to keep the birds out.

There are quite a few verses about the care and maintenance of a vineyard in the New Testament. Typically those have to do with the work of the Kingdom. And just like my father in law we have to be intentional.

2nd Principle: Discipleship is intentional

Find out where the kids are in their spiritual walk (obviously can’t be a disciple if they aren’t saved) but it’s also not logical to think that these kids are going to start a bible study group at school if they don’t own bibles. Figure out what areas they need improvement in.

Don’t waste time, get into the material. Guide the students to understanding what they have just heard and then help them find application. This will require preplanning on your part, you have to know the material and we will supply the material a week prior.

Get them in their bibles, consider 5-10 minutes of quiet time in your group once a month. Explore passages together. Don’t be afraid to hand out reading assignments.

Challenge: Identify one key need of each of your students and work on that one issue. Set realistic goals for your students i.e. we’re gonna read our bibles once a week, or start a prayer journal.

3rd Principle: Discipleship requires a time commitment

4th Principle: Disciples are made in relationship

Youth ministry is only successful inside the church when it’s successful on the outside. Expectation: Make extracurricular events of your students, meet them for a coke, go to the movies with them, go play basketball with them. The time commitment you put into these kids is going to show them that you are a constant and someone they can rely on. Then they will open up.

Get to know these kids on a personal level, which is the only way that we will gain their trust.

Be available for these kids.

Pray for your kids (Prayer journal)

Develop meaningful, lasting relationships with individual kids. Can’t stress this enough.

Be there for them, many don’t have a stable, steady adult figure in their life. Aim to be this.

If at all possible, develop relationships with their parents.

Reemphasize the four principles of discipleship

Discipleship is:

Imitation

Intentional

Time Consuming

Relational

Mother Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

Run your race with reckless abandon and be amazed at what God will do.

Let’s Pray

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