1    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.

2    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.

3.   Begin each weekly encounter with prayer.

4.   Have the materials on hand (outlines--"lessons," cards for verses, pamphlets, etc.)

5.   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.

6.   Give out the outlines step by step -- a page at a time.

7.   Have a system for notifying if someone is not able to attend.

8.   Meet around a table for ease in writing and using the Bible.

9.   Use an hour to an hour and a half of time.

10. Share group leadership. Let others talk.

11. Women meet with women and men with men.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Don't try to force an issue; allow the Holy Spirit to act.

15. 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.

16. Develop a personal relationship, not just as student to teacher, but as friends.  Plan to do some social activities together.

17. 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.

18   Share openly with them your own spiritual needs and personal problems (we all have them).

19. Review the materials once in awhile.  Have the disciple present or review the material with you or better yet, with someone else.

20. Remember that "information" is necessary, but the goal is "formation" of disciples for the Lord.

21. 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.

22. Have the disciples in the group write the memory verse on their cards as you dictate them.

23. Before leaving the Encounter, plan for the next one by making notes on the Progress Sheet or on your own "lesson plan".

24. Remember, being involved in ministry gives a sense of direction to everyone involved in discipleship

25. Never allow your discipling relationships to fizzle out. Always have closure. Celebrate what has been accomplished.

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.

THE BIBLE, GOD, and PEOPLE

1.       The Bible - our authority for faith, doctrine, and conduct.

1.1       The origin of the Bible (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21)

1.2       Christ used the Scriptures - the Old Testament (Lk.24:27)

2.       The Bible teaches that God is:

2.1       The Creator (Gen. 1:1; Acts 17:24-31)

2.2       The Provider (Ps. 55:22; Jn 16:24)

2.3       The Alpha and the Omega (Rev 1:8; 21:6; 22:13)

2.4       The "I Am" (Ex. 3:14; Jn 8:58)

2.5       The God of eternal love (Jeremiah 31:3)

2.6       The God of forgiveness, reconciliation (Nehemiah 9:17; Jeremiah 31:33,34)

2.7       A Spirit (Jn. 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:17)

2.8       A Trinity  (Genesis 1:26,27; Matt. 28:19; Jn. 8:58; 1 Pet.1:2;

2 Pet.1:1; Acts 5:3-5; 2 Cor.3:17 and 13:14)

2.9       Just (Deut. 32:4)

3.       The Bible teaches that I am:

3.1       A unique creation of God (Psalm 139:13-16)

3.2       Lost by my own choice (Isaiah 53:6)

3.3       Separated from God (Isaiah 59:2)

3.4       An individual with freedom of choice (Romans 6:23)

4.       God's original plan for humankind. (Figure #1)

4.1       What did God have in mind when he created humans? (Genesis 1:26,27)

4.2       Did God's plan for people change when sin entered into their lives? (Romans 8:29)      

Figure # 1             

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5        How God brings hope to people - His plan still intact. (Figure #2)

5.1       If God has not changed His plan for people, even after the fall, what change needs to take place so that humankind can participate in that plan (John 1:12,13; Col. 2:13; Col. 3:9,10)? There has to be a change within people themselves. [This is a change from being lost to becoming a follower of Christ.]

5.2           How people may become alive in Christ: Rev. 3:20; Jn. 1:12; & Rom. 10:9

6. God's plan for followers of Jesus Christ.

6.1       It always has been and will be God's plan that we be conformed to the image of Jesus, His Son. (Rom. 8:29; Gal. 4:19; James 1:18; I Jn. 3:2)

6.2       How we may participate in this process.

A.      Every person bears the image of our father, Adam, but is able to receive the image of the "man from heaven"  which is God's plan. (1 Cor.15:49)

B.      This is an ongoing transformation if we keep our focus on Christ. (2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 8:29)

C.      What will we finally be like in the future? (I Jn. 3:2)

7. Two ways in which salvation may be understood.

7.1.  One very common but un-biblical way is to see our salvation as simply an  escape from an unpleasant end (hell).

A.   But then where is the motivation to become what God has planned for us or the desire to seek after maturity? 

B.    Does God exist just for people's good or do people exist for God? (Col. 1:15,16; Eph.1:5-6,12)

7.2     The biblical understanding of  salvation is seen in our relationship with Christ - there is an interchange of life (Gal.2:20) which: 

A.  -Produces in the Christian the desire to reflect the image of God (Rom. 8:8,9; Phil. 2:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:17).

B.  -Produces the desire to grow & mature (Rom. 8:9-14; Gal.4:19).

C.  Helps the Christian handle the difficulties of life (Phil. 4:12-13).

D.      Thrusts us out to do good works  (Eph. 2:10; Titus 3:8).

8.       Understanding Christian maturity.

8.1       What did Paul have in mind when he discipled Timothy?   (2 Tim 2:2)

8.2       Can a person grow in Christ without Discipleship? (I Pet 2:2)

8.3       How are we benefited from discipleship? (Rom. 1:11,12)

8.4       What does it mean to grow or to mature as a Christian?  (Eph. 4:13)

8.5       Some goals for the Christian:

A.      Become like Christ Himself (Rom.8:29, 2Cor 3:18)

B.      Be faithful (1 Cor. 4:2)

8.6       Who is our model? (Eph.4:13)

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Homework:  Memorize Rom. 8:29                                                                                      

THE BRIDGE ILLUSTRATION

God created people  so he could have a personal and direct relationship with them.  This relationship was broken because of sin.  Now there is a separation between people and God.

1. The actual situation of the human being.

1.1 All have sinned--Rom. 3:23

1.2 The wages of sin--Rom. 6:23

1.3 There will be a judgment--Heb. 9:27

2. God wants to have a good relationship with every person.

2.1 God loved us so much that He gave us his only Son--John 3:16

2.2 He wants to give us life to the full--John 10:10

2.3 He loves us even though we don't deserve his love--Rom. 5:8

3. People are trying to reach for God through religion, philosophy, good deeds, pleasures, etc. These are represented by the partial bridges below. Eph 2:8,9; Prov. 14:12

4. God has provided us with the only way to Himself -- through Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins--John 14:6; 1 Pet. 3:18

5. We must received Christ as our Lord & Savior--Rev. 3:20; John 1:12;      Rom 10:9

Ask if there is something that would keep the person from receiving Christ and wait for an answer. If he/she says "no," then invite the person to pray to receive Christ. The person may pray on his/her own or repeat a prayer after you. Sometimes you may give the person the "homework assignment" of considering what you have shown him/her. Assure them you would be interested in knowing where they come out in their thinking. After they invite Jesus Christ into their life you will want to use Step One to help them start growing

Without writing in the numbers, you draw this Bridge Illustration as you talk. (The numbers refer to the points listed above. Practice this presentation).