Session 2: “From Emulation to Duplication” (E2D)

Facilitator: Pastor David Dean

Date: Wednesday, May 12th

Description: This session will cover what discipleship is and the ways in which we can effectively disciple and be “discipled”.

***Opening Prayer***

IceBreaker: Discussion of Meme “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.”- Dietrich Bonehoeffer. Transition to a brief breakdown of what will be covered in this session. What do you think is meant by this statement?

Introduction: About Us (incorporate the slide set used in Pastor’s Morris’ session which covered the Mission Statement & the Core Values specifically)

I want to emphasize 2 aspects of our mission & core values found in the acronyms S.T.Y.L.E. & F.L.O.W. I think we can use these to memorize these aspects of our Mission & Values

Mission Statement

- Learning to Live Through Worship and the Word to Exemplify, Encourage, and Embody Love and to Equip and Deploy All for Service.

Abridged Statement: “Learning to Live Through Worship and the Word”

Motto: “Live in the F.L.O.W” (Fearlessly Living Out the Word)

Core Values

Studying the Word (2 Timothy 2:15) Transforming Lives (Romans 12:2)

Yielding to Worship (John 4:24) Love through Service (2 Corinthians 9:13)

Everything in Excellence (Proverbs 22:29)

So where do U belong? How do we find our place in this ministry, and how does discipleship connect us?

John 13:12-17: 12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Point 1. Emulation: What does it mean to “be like Christ?”

WWJD...or WDJD?- Some years ago, the phrase “what would Jesus do?” Or WWJD was popularized. It was a simple way to remember a crucial element of living out the Christian faith: live the way Jesus would live in our society today. But in order to figure out what He WOULD do, it is important for us to know what He DID do. The Fresh Start method of doing what Jesus did is encompassed in our F.L.O.W. and S.T.Y.L.E. U Belong in a place

Discipleship through servitude- This is the “L” in our S.T.Y.L.E.- “Love through Service.” Jesus taught us to serve one another (elaborate specifically how Jesus washed feet at the Passover Feast in John 13). The point Jesus constantly taught His Disciples, “without my Father, I can do nothing.” But with God, all things are possible. Although Christ is God, He demonstrated His submission to the Father’s will and power to accomplish His purpose. Paul, who often shows us how the Gospel is applied to our lives practically, echo this principle in Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things” not in my own strength, intellect of ingenuity but “through Christ, who strengthens me.”

UBelong in a place that calls you to do what Jesus did, and to serve like Jesus served.

Philippians 2:5: “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude [e.g mindset, way of thinking] in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus

Point 2. Duplication: The “Printer Principle” Duplicating the source- not making a copy of a copy.

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“Be a printer, not a copy machine”- Perhaps you are familiar with what happens when you make a copy of a copy of some document that is repeatedly used- a fax cover, or a checklist.IIn the beginning, the copies look much like the original, with only minor differences; there may be spots, or the alignment is slightly off. After many generations of copies, these issues become much more pronounced. The only solution is to go back to the original. It is wonderful to have good leadership; it’s a great thing to have mentors and teachers- people who show a pattern for living out our Christian convictions. Good leadership teaches you good things; but godly leadership will demonstrate how to live godly, and point you to the source of their strength to do so. Some of us are here because we realized the difference between the two. I am sure that if we began to share our various testimonies a theme would emerge. We are not called to duplicate the “spirit” of a leader or movement; we are called to be and make disciples of Christ- the former (being Disc..) is a requirement of the latter (making Disc..). Please know that you are NOT part of a ministry that is more concerned about developing its brand more than developing its people; we are driven by our mandate to glorify God with our lives- all of it- not driven by charismatic personalities.

The Discipleship process: Learning, Doing & Being- We are called Christians- “ones who are like Christ”. Our time in the scriptures and formal Bible study is crucial to our learning WHAT we believe. And we must know the Word in order to “Live in the F.L.O.W.” (Fearlessly Living Out the Word), which is the Fresh Start way of doing what the Word says. And as we learn and do, we become who we are meant to be- the “imago Dei” (“image of God” in latin). We are called to be and to make copies of the original, Christ Jesus; the messenger and the means of conveying that message may differ, but the message itself- and its power to change us AND the ones who hear it- is dependent on faithfully relaying the original content. Every time you make a copy of a copy, something gets lost or distorted. This is why the Lord doesn’t change...and why He only made one of you. You’re an original too- why be a good copy of someone else?

Judges 6:11-14: 11 Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” 13 Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The Lord looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

Point 3. Discipleship’s Greatest Enemy (Hint: It’s Not the Devil) Being transparent about our excuses; “i’m not ready/not worthy” , “I’m too busy”, “Where do I begin?”

It’s not about you- I will speak plainly in my conclusion. I love the story of Gideon, especially this part of it. I imagine a man, hiding from his enemies- and his destiny- literally covered with frustration (if chaff cannot blow away in the wind, it lands on the nearest surface which, in the case, is back on Gideon)! And God chooses this moment to call him out: “The Lord is with you, o valiant warrior”. I imagine the expression on his face conveying the thought, “Who...me?” And his response? He presents his limited view of his circumstances as both a complaint and an excuse. But the God who called him would hear NONE of it. His response in verse 14 says it all: “Go in this your [current] strength [resources & abilities, your issues & questions too]” , and to paraphrase, do what needs to be done! The Lord’s final word to every excuse is this: “Have I not sent you?” The Lord knows your challenges- your schedules, your doubts, fears- and even your sin (which must be dealt with). And while He cares deeply, none of it excuses us from the work we must do! “Have I not sent you?” is another way of saying, “Am I not enough?” Lord, you most certainly are!

Conclusion

This is merely an introduction to Discipleship- it is an invitation to begin a journey of seeking God to find out where He wants you to go and grow.

Fresh Challenge: My challenge: this week, I want you to:

Pray (with your lips) about where the Lord wants you to serve at Fresh Start.

Consider what bothers you- because typically the things that burden our hearts are the very things that the Lord has put us here to resolve.

After you’ve prayed with your lips, pray with your feet.

Reach out to the Fresh leaders, and share your thoughts- YOU may be the answer to the prayers WE have praying.

Suggested Reading:

“The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (***briefly tell them who he is)

Q&A I would like to take out a few minutes to take a few questions before we end tonight. If I don’t get to your question, I promise that I will review every question & respond to you at a later time; I may even post a video response in the Fresh Family Group page so we can continue the discussion.

***Pray Out***