In Galatians 5:22-24, after Paul had listed the works of the flesh, he describes the life changed by Christ: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have…
What decisions need to be made in your disciple-making strategy? As you put together your personal or church plan to make disciples, allow me to offer some questions for you to consider: Group size. What size(s) will you include? Content delivery is possible in large groups, but disciple-making is nearly…
Brainstorming brings collective intelligence and synergy to bear upon needs, problems, planning, and conversation. In order to identify needs in your church disciple-making, gather a group of key leaders for brainstorming. Ask them these questions and record their responses. What current church programs, activities, and events contribute toward disciple-making? What…
Growing churches have trained leaders. Pastors, staff, and discipleship leaders pursue training annually. Bring your discipleship team to Super Saturday this year. Here are conferences offered, locations/dates, and how to register: CONFERENCES 10:00 AM – 12:15 PM “Coaching: Life-on-Life Disciple-making.” Launch a method of disciple-making that is simple, life-changing, and…
Daily time with God in Bible study and prayer is an essential discipleship practice. It is vital to growing to be like Jesus. It is as vital as breathing is to life. Stagnation and distance quickly develop when we go without Bible study in the same way dehydration quickly develops…
Our youngest son, Jordan, was married back in May. Weddings, even simple ones, require a lot of planning and expense. They include rings, invitations, dresses and tuxedos, flowers and decorations, cake and food, gifts and honeymoon plans, photographer and pictures, and much much more. Weddings are celebrations and rites of…
In The Impact of Proxemics on Disciple-making, I talked about four American spatial distances/zones and group size in those zones. Here is a summary of what I shared there: Intimate distance: 0-18 inches (2 people) Personal distance: 18 inches to 4 feet (3-7 people) Social distance: 4 to 10 feet…
Where does evangelism end and discipleship begin? Some would say the dividing line is salvation, but check out the Great Commission where Jesus says, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching…
Proxemics is a sociology and psychology term. According to Dictionary.com, proxemics is… the study of the spatial requirements of humans and animals and the effects of population density on behavior, communication, and social interaction. Edward Hall wrote a book entitled The Hidden Dimension. There he identifies four American spatial distances/zones:…
In Part 1, I shared a set of questions to help you and your team as you plan your New Member Class. The questions related to (1) your purpose for the new member class, (2) the frequency you will offer it, (3) who will lead it, (4) will participation be…
Two encounters are critical. First, the leader encounters God in His Word and is changed. Second, the leader guides the group to have a life-changing encounter.
