Go ‘Tell’ All The World [v234]

AUGUST 2018

“Evangelism Marketing” is an advanced form of word-of-mouth marketing. The word “evangelism” comes from the Greek word that means “bringing good news,” and the marketing term draws from the religious meaning a bit in that some consumers are so ‘convinced’ in a product, they are driven to ‘preach’ their beliefs to others in an attempt to convert them to also becoming consumers of the product.

Probably the best known person that epitomized “evangelism marketing” would be Guy Kawasaki when he was at Apple in the mid-1980’s. It was his responsibility to ‘evangelize’ the new Macintosh—originally focusing on anyone who wanted to increase their creativity. (I started selling the Macintosh and laser printers to professional offset printers in 1985 to do “desktop publishing”).

Kawasaki says that “an ‘evangelist’ isn’t really a job title—it’s a ‘WAY OF LIFE’. It means that evangelists must love what they evangelize. No matter how great the person, if he doesn’t love the cause, he cannot be a good evangelist for it. If you don’t love it, don’t evangelize it. Then, after people embrace it, they turn into evangelists themselves, and evangelism then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Kawasaki became one of the most successful marketers—save Steve Jobs—in computer history.

Similarly, the term “evangelism” is used in the Christian faith to describe the ‘process’ of telling people about Jesus—who He was, what He did, and why He came to earth—and what faith can mean to them.

As I mentioned a few months ago in a previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/ones-last-words-v232/), the last words of a person are sometimes the most important thing they have said in their life are very insightful and spur their hearers onto great accomplishments. Well, just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told His disciples WHAT He wanted them to GO DO. It’s called the “Great Commission.”

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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 them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” [ Matthew 28:16-20 ].

The Greek word used for disciple in this verse is “mathēteúō,” which also means “learner.” So, what are we supposed to learn? Well, essentially, to become like Jesus and obey all that He commanded. To be constantly ‘attuned’ to Jesus waiting for our ‘marching orders’, and encouraging others to ‘tune in’ to Jesus by reading the Bible. The disciple is to constantly ‘fuel’ our affections for God, so they can be an example to others considering their proclamations about Jesus.

Then, the disciple should ask Jesus to help them ‘align’ their life with His will for them to be His witness to the ‘world’ (this is the purpose for which God graciously saved them for). The disciple has to remember what’s at stake—everyone is a sinner in need of a Savior, or they will perish in an eternal hell!

When one is ‘born-again’, their minds are transformed by Jesus, and He changes their desires—they become ‘convicted’ that other people need to hear the Gospel. Jesus also transforms their wills, such that they are also compelled to give their lives proclaiming the Gospel to “all nations”—transforming their very purpose for living—to be sacrificially committed to making disciples.

In addition to that, realistically, discipleship requires a lifetime of devotion to studying the Scriptures The follower of Jesus is never really ‘done’—with themselves or with others. As a disciple learns for themselves an ever-greater depth and clarity of what God wants them to know, they then can put that into practice and pass on their new-found knowledge to others.

So, what is involved in “making disciples”? Well, it involves showing people what the life of Jesus looks like in action—being a ‘role model’—and demonstrating an intentionality of trying to imitate Jesus—to be just like Him. Disciple-making also involves teaching people to obey all that Jesus taught and commanded. Just as parents naturally reproduce children in the context of marriage, every one of God’s ‘children’ ought to ‘reproduce’ disciples in the context of living their lives.

Even though all this might seem a bit overwhelming, it really is surprisingly simple—since it doesn’t require a degree, an ordination, or some kind of elevated status—and Jesus ‘modeled’ it for us, so all we have to do is imitate His method. He ‘invited’ people to follow Him, He ‘invested’ time and effort in teaching them, and He ‘empowered’ them to do the same with someone they knew. So then, you can just talk with a few people (“go”), encouraging them to “follow” Jesus (“baptize”), and then help them understand what the Bible says (“teach”).

Now, you may still say that you don’t feel ‘qualified’ to teach anyone else what the Bible says. Well, to put your mind at ease, even though it is important for you to know the ‘basics’ of the faith (we are all sinners in need of a ‘Savior’, and Jesus is that for those who repent and believe), God is the One that changes the person’s ‘heart’ and ‘makes’ them to want to become followers of Jesus—He just wants to use you to be a part of that ‘process’, and will continue to provide you with everything you need to accomplished the ‘task’ of be a disciple-maker. (“God is able to give you every favor and earthly blessing, so that you may always be completely self-sufficient in Him, and have an abundance for every good work” – 2 Corinthians 9:8). Yes, God wants us to pursue knowledge of the Bible, but our ‘motivation’ is much more important to Him—since making disciples isn’t about gathering a bunch of ‘pupils’ to listen to your teaching, but to just focus on loving them as Jesus did, teaching them the things Jesus did, and then both of you living as Jesus did.

Again, you don’t have to be an ‘expert’ to start discipling someone. Making disciples is all about seeing people transformed by the power of God’s Word (the Bible)—just ‘point’ them to it and tell them how it transformed you (something you ‘know’ very well!). You just have to be like the Apostle Andrew, the Apostle Peter’s brother.

Andrew was an ‘ordinary’ person (not ‘important’ like his brother, Peter), and wasn’t full of knowledge about Jesus. He just knew there was something special going on, and just ‘introduced’ Peter to Jesus (John 1:40-42). ALL OF US can do this! Just tell them to “come and see,” and let Jesus do all the ‘heavy lifting’. It’s like one ‘beggar’ telling another ‘beggar’ where to find bread (‘food’ for the soul and nourishment for the spirit). This is just ordinary people showing other ordinary people an extraordinary Person (Jesus). They just need to be a ‘light’ in a ‘dark’ world (“‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’” – Matthew 5:14-16). So, just keep your ‘flashlight’ on!

In the Bible, the Book of Acts gives us a good idea about what discipleship looked like back in the first century (after Jesus left this earth): “And they devoted themselves to the apostles‘ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” [ Acts 2:42 ]. This should give us an additional ‘model’ to follow ourselves, so we don’t have to be looking for any ‘extraordinary’ methods. Both the content of their message and their practices distinguished them from the ‘world’, and were the source and means for their disciple-making.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He emphasized His teachings that bring ‘life’. It is by hearing the Gospel that sinners are saved from destruction, and disciples are conformed to His image (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Every disciple must learn from Jesus, who teaches “a rest for their soul” (Matthew 11:28-29), and it will be their daily ‘bread’.

[ FYI: A great source of this daily ‘bread’ could be the “Our Daily Bread” devotional that you can get sent to your e-mail inbox or a printed version to your mailbox: https://odb.org/ ].

A disciple is sent out into the world to make other disciples of Jesus—not necessarily to change or transform the ‘world’ and make it into the Kingdom of God. Rather, they are to tell those in the world that its ‘condition’ it far worse than they know, and that God’s future for it is far more glorious than they can even imagine! (So relax, it’s not up to you!).

Now, it is definitely a good thing to do good works to make things better in this world, but that is not a disciple’s ‘primary’ focus. It is to be a transforming ‘affect’ on the others around them, so that others notice their ‘sanctification’ more than the things that they do, and ask for the reason why. Then, the disciple can present the Gospel to them.

[ Short, two-minute summaries of the Gospel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTv5KEcyGQw | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apBjEhATypE | Longer, more detailed presentations by R.C. Sproul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWizZ53RFVw | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39h_FY_37Vk ].

By itself, ‘imitating’ Jesus can be mere play-acting—like gluing a plastic fruit onto a dead tree branch. However, after being “born again,” the disciple now has kind of a ‘union’ with Jesus—having been ‘grafted’ onto Him as the life-giving ‘Vine’ where they become a living ‘branch’, bearing much ‘fruit’ (making disciples).

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” [ John 15:1-8 ].

Only after this will the disciple have the ‘proper’ motivation to love and serve others. There’s a world of difference between having a role model whose example we continually fall short of reproducing, and being ‘pruned’ off the Adam’s dead ‘tree’ in order to be ‘grafted’ onto the living ‘Tree of Life’ (Jesus).

[ FYI: To learn more about the “vine” and “fruits,” check out my website:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/ ].

So, if you do desire to be a disciple-maker, you may want to be intentional about it and create a “personal disciple-making plan,” listing people you have a relationship with that you want to see them in Heaven with you! Then you can start praying that God would give you opportunities to share the Gospel with them. Then just be a ‘friend’ to them, and start ‘walking’ with them through life’s joys and trials. Just ‘INVEST’ your life in them.

The REALLY GOOD NEWS is that you don’t have to go to ‘Africa’ to do this! You can start ‘next door’, at work, or at the ‘gym’—and there’s no need to be ‘belligerent’ about it all, since it’s God’s ‘responsibly’ to do all the ‘heavy lifting’ to save them. Just simply present the Gospel and what it has done for you.

[ Note: For more details about this, see the article below on “friendship evangelism” ].

Here’s the thing. Some people’s ‘hearts’ take a long time to ‘thaw’. Disciple-making is more of a marathon than a sprint. So, you may then ask, why go to people if they’re just going to resist you? The answer is pretty simple: Jesus commanded His disciples to do so!

Christians ‘go’ because God came to them when they were ‘resistant’ to being reached by Him. So, it just makes sense for people who possess saving faith to be grateful, and commit to proclaiming the Gospel to everyone they can.

Jesus gave an analogy about this using something all first-century Jews would have had first-hand knowledge of—the harvest:

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor” [ John 4:35-38 ].

Here Jesus is speaking to His disciples, about what to expect when they “go to all nations” to spread the Good News of His Gospel before He ascended into Heaven.

[ Note: For more info about Jesus’ ascension, see this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fulfilled-your-mission-v231/ ].

This was quite a tall order for such a ‘ragtag’ group of embryonic believers of Jesus—a ‘motley crew’ that had been following Jesus around for three years, and still didn’t have it right! Never once did you read Jesus saying to His disciples, “Man, you guys really have such great faith. I’m so proud of y’all.” Instead, Jesus said over and over, “Don’t you guys get it?! How long have I been with you and you still have such little faith?” (Matthew 8:26, 14:31, 17:20).

What was Jesus thinking when He was going to ‘hand over’ the future of Christianity and the Church to these guys? Well, He had told them previously that it WOULD NOT BE UP TO THEM—that they were going to receive the ‘power’ of the Holy Spirit! As was just mentioned (Acts 1:8 verse), they were going to be ‘empowered’ to do things that they would not have been able to do themselves—and that same ‘power’ is available to every born-again believer today!

When you see someone accomplishing great things in the name of Jesus, it is always the Holy Spirit working ‘through’ them. With the Holy Spirit on a disciple’s ‘team’, nothing is impossible! (Luke 1:37). The key is, as was mentioned above, it’s all about staying ‘connected’ to the Holy Spirit (John 15:5-8)—“abiding in the Vine” to bear much “fruit.” The primary way a disciple stays ‘connected’ is through prayer—on a moment-by-moment basis! (“pray without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer is the way God (the “Trinity”—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—working in conjunction) leads us. The more you are in prayer, the more you will ‘sense’ a gentle ‘tug’ of the Holy Spirit to do one thing or another.

Again, the “harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2). As a disciple, this is your ‘mission’—should you choose to accept it!

[ Note: For more info about a disciple’s ‘mission’, see this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fulfilled-your-mission-v231/ ].

[ Suggestion: Put a ‘reminder’ on your phone to go off at 10:02 (Luke 10:2)—in the morning, evening, or both—to prompt you pray and have a ‘conversation’ with God about what He wants you to specifically do today in accomplishing the “Great Commission.” ]

Now, just so you can have the proper expectations about all this, a disciple may ‘invest’ a lot of time and effort into the lives of others, but may not “reap” the amazing privilege of seeing them become a “born-again” believer—they may just be “sowing seeds.” Even though they may spend decades loving, serving, listening, and praying for people, they may never see any ‘fruit’ from their efforts. But, Jesus is essentially saying, “DO IT ANYWAY!”

This reminds me of a poem that Kent M. Keith wrote, “The Paradoxical Commandments,” way back in 1968:

“People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.”

As has been mentioned, only God changes ‘hearts’, and the timing of the ‘harvesting’ process in UP TO HIM. So, sometimes the disciple will “sow” and sometimes they will “reap,” and they may never know, on this earth, how ‘successful’ their efforts were. BUT, someday the ‘sower’ and the ‘reaper’ will be glad with each other, because they will be CELEBRATING in Heaven, and telling each other about their earthly ‘escapades’.

Since the only thing that will last for eternity are God, God’s Word, and people/souls, DON’T EVER STOP INVESTING INTO PEOPLE! Your ‘mission’ is not to manipulate ‘hearts’, but to connect, share, grow, serve, and PRAY for others—the rest is up to God. This is how the early church understood it:

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” [ Acts 1:7-8 ]. (Jesus said this just before He ascended into Heaven).

Now, to give you some encouragement about all this, your ‘influence’ for the Kingdom of God can be substantial with JUST A BIT OF EFFORT on your part—if you ‘strategically’ use the power of “exponential multiplication.”

What, you say, is that? Well, for those who slept through high school Algebra class, if one person (the first ‘tier’) disciples three people (the second ‘tier’) and each of those three people disciple three people (the third ‘tier’), that’s a total of 12 people. Then, if the nine ‘third tier’ people all disciple three people each (27), that already is a total of 39 people. Again, if the 27 ‘fourth tier’ people all disciple three people each (81), that already is a whopping total of 120 people. It GROWS REALLY QUICKLY after this!

This hypothetical situation might more clearly illustrate the concept of exponential multiplication:

Suppose a father wants to give his sons an allowance, and offers them the choice of taking either $10 a week for 52 weeks, or one cent the first week and an amount each week for the following 51 weeks that is double the previous week’s amount.

Which one would you choose?

Well, the first choice is just simple addition or “linear growth.” At the end of 52 weeks, the son would have $520.

But, the second choice is multiplication or “exponential growth.” The allowance in the just the last week (not the total amount accumulated over 52 weeks) would be $22,517,998,136,852.48. MUCH DIFFERENT, EH? Initially the multiplication is slow, but don’t let that deceive you, in the long run, multiplication is ‘explosive’ growth!

If you think about it, the “Christian” faith started with just 12 disciples, and now is over 2 billion people around the world who identify that they are Christians!

So, now that you can see how you can have that ‘substantial’ influence for the Kingdom of God, and know that it is God’s ‘responsibility’ to save a person, JUST START SHARING YOUR FAITH with those who will interact with you, and pray that God will ‘connect’ you with people that will have the same passion for making disciples as you do.

Now, the thing is, just as it was for the original disciples of Jesus—and for every disciples ever since—you have a ‘target’ on your back.There is ‘someone’ that really doesn’t want you to do this—Satan—and he is going to do everything in his ‘power’ (limited) to dissuade and discourage you not to try to make disciples (make you busy; make temporal things important; tempt you with evil thoughts and compromise; plant doubt; say Bible reading is not required every day, etc.).

[ Note: Consider reading this illustrated ‘summary’ of the allegory “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan, to find out the ways Satan tried to dissuade Christian from getting to the “Celestial City” (Heaven):
https://www.revelationmedia.com/projects/lps/assets/PilgrimsProgress_eBook.pdf ]

All disciples are in a ‘battle’—a spiritual war—for the souls of people, and victory is accomplish through the Holy Spirit and prayer. God has ‘called’ His disciples to be the ones that He will demonstrate His ‘power’ to show everyone that what He is accomplishing is greater than what Satan, or this ‘world’, can ‘throw’ at us. The Apostle Paul said it better than I can:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” [ Ephesians 6:10-20 ].

There is a ‘cosmic battle’ raging here on earth (and in the “Heavenlies”) for the souls of people. It’s the way that Satan wants to ‘hurt’ God—having His creation relegated to hell for eternity!

So, are you ready to be ‘equipped’ for this mission/battle? Are you ready to commit to doing anything God ‘tells’ you to do to make disciples? Do you want to see other people’s lives transformed, on their way to Heaven, and passionate about making disciples themselves?

Well, as I’ve discussed in last month’s “Life’s Deep Thoughts” (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/it-will-cost-you-v233/) it can be VERY COSTLY—and Jesus emphasized this by saying: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours” [ John 15:18-20 ]. This happened especially in the first century, because publicly declaring allegiance to Jesus (“baptism”) pretty much ‘marked’ you for martyrdom—as it does in some countries today.

If you are going to be serious about making disciples, you need to realize that it’s not going to come without cost, and it may literally ‘cost’ you, your family, your church, and the people that are close to you. Even the loss of your life! So, anybody wanting a safe, cozy, comfortable life free from danger in this world, then ‘stay away’ from Jesus.

The Apostle Paul exhorted the earliest Christians that it would be through many tribulations that they must endure to enter the kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 11:16-33) The Apostle Peter also said the disciple shouldn’t be surprised at the “fiery trial” when it comes upon you—to test you—as though something strange was happening to you (1 Peter 4:12-19).

The more passionate a disciple is about spreading the Gospel to every people group in the world, the more they will suffer! Not because they’re ‘seeking’ suffering, but because they’re speaking about Jesus and suffering accompanies the spread of the Gospel (2 Timothy 2:9)—and Satan is going to try to ‘thwart’ that happening!

BUT, don’t lose heart! The Apostle Paul tells us though we will be afflicted, crushed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, all these sufferings are simply preparing the disciple for a “glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Eternity will prove it was worth the price!!!

Question: If you consider yourself as a “Christian”—a “born-again” follower of Jesus—are you reproducing yourself and making disciples of Christ? If not, why not? Making disciples is the ‘mission’ of a born-again Christian! It should ‘DEFINE’ YOU!

[ Note: For more info about a disciple’s ‘mission’, see this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fulfilled-your-mission-v231/ ].

So, I’m going to challenge all “born-again” believers of Jesus here: Since the only earthly thing that matters in ‘eternity’ are people (souls)—since all will be “burned up” (Revelation 8-9)—can you list some people that you are currently discipling, ‘investing’ in? Now, if you can’t list any, that’s okay. I’m not trying to make you feel ‘bad’, I just want to encourage you to MORE SERIOUSLY ‘FOCUS’ on doing what Jesus ‘commanded’ YOU TO DO!

Let me suggest that you make this your prayer to God for the next month—to have Him help you JUST INVITE someone you can disciple.

[ Suggested Resource: http://www.pursuegod.org/train/ ].

As was mentioned initially, “evangelism marketing” is when companies develop customers who believe so strongly in a particular product or service that they freely try to convince others to buy and use it. The customers become voluntary ‘advocates’, actively spreading the word on behalf of the company. As in Guy Kawasaki’s case, it became his “way of life.”

Just as companies use “evangelism marketing” to grow the influence of their brand and grow the number of their products sold, are you ready to be an ‘advocate’ of the Gospel of Jesus and ‘evangelize’ to all nations—to grow the Kingdom of God—something WAY MORE IMPORTANT than the next computer, phone, or ‘game-changing’ electronic device?

I AM. How about you?

Will it become your WAY OF LIFE?

[ Excerpts from: Guy Kawasaki; Tim Harlow; David Platt; R.C. Sproul; Burk Parsons; John MacArthur; Bill Hull; Mark Dever; Francis Chan; Walter Henrichsen; Michael Horton; “Pay It Forward” movie; “Nazlisart” (Exponential Growth Chart); ]

[ FYI: ‘Discipleship’ is the reason I do “Life’s Deep Thoughts,” and why I started it way back in January 1999 (https://markbesh.wordpress.com/how-this-all-started/) to try to apply Biblical teaching, as best I know how, to life’s ‘circumstances’ (‘providence’?), and to try to “disciple” people (you the reader), with the best understanding of Biblical teaching I have (with help from ‘reliable’ Reformed pastors and theologians), so that you would become a ‘disciple’ of Jesus yourself (or become a better one) ].

=============

NOTE: This is the last post of this ‘series’ concerning “disciples” and “discipleship,” which consists of the past three post:

“‘Fulfilled’ Your Mission?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fulfilled-your-mission-v231/

“One’s ‘Last Words’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/ones-last-words-v232/

“It Will ‘Cost’ You!”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/it-will-cost-you-v233/

=============

[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about how you can disciple a friend, visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q12_d6_1of10.html

‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).

If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus.

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

*****************************
*****************************

RESOURCES:

—————-
“The Macintosh Way”
By: Guy Kawasaki

The Macintosh Way is the first book that Guy wrote. At the time, he had just left his position at Apple, so this book offers an insider’s perspective of the Macintosh Division.

The gist of The Macintosh Way is that to change the world, you need to do the right things the right way. This book explains this orientation to work and how to make it work.

This is what the experts said about the book:

“Forget In Search of Excellence, forget The Management Secrets of Attila the Hun. Get attuned to The Macintosh Way.” San Jose Mercury News

“A thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking book. It is a refreshing inside look at the values that produce great products.” John Warnock, CEO and chairman, Adobe Systems

FREE DOWNLOAD:
https://guykawasaki.com/books/the-macintosh-way/

—————-
“Evangelism Explosion: Equipping Churches for Friendship, Evangelism, Discipleship, and Healthy Growth”
By: D. James Kennedy

Churches will learn a biblically based method for sharing the Gospel along with motivating “on-the-job” training on how to share Christ and disciple new believers. This expanded fourth edition features a new section on friendship evangelism and how to build a vision for worldwide discipline. Through this book, churches will experience what can take place when its leaders and members take seriously the command of Christ to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. Chapters include “Training Laymen for Evangelism,” “A Presentation of the Gospel,” and “The Proper Use of Testimony.”

https://www.amazon.com/Evangelism-Explosion-4th-James-Kennedy/dp/0842307648/

—————-
“Jesus Did It Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments for Christians”
By: Kent M. Keith

The author of “Anyway” presents inspirational illustrations of the “Paradoxical Commandments” through Bible stories, personal anecdotes, and verse, explaining how the examples of Jesus and other biblical figures can teach modern Christians how to achieve deeper levels of happiness, personal meaning, and faith.

—————-
“Consumed!–A Passion for the Great Commission”
By: Thomas P Johnston

Jesus told His disciples to “teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” In Matthew alone there are 256 imperatives from the lips of Jesus. The breadth and depth of Christ’s imperatives are enormous—as are the many missional verbs in the Bible. An analysis of the five Great Commissions of Christ unlocks the key to becoming passionate about Jesus. In these pages, Johnston probes every stage in the Great Commission process, from the beginning of Christ’s call to “Go!” to the New Testament’s 62 “One Another Commands.” Plowing new ground in Great Commission studies, Johnston addresses evangelizing and working together with God, a hearing of faith and repentance, persuasion and confession, winning disciples and baptizing them, and teaching and building—all from the standpoint of New Testament Greek verbs.

—————-
“What Is the Great Commission?”
By: R.C. Sproul

After His resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples a mission: to go to all the nations and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them. That remains the continuing mission of the church today.

In this book, Dr. R.C. Sproul explores the Great Commission by laying out the biblical basis for missions, defining the gospel and evangelism, and addressing the need to mobilize Christian believers for missions. He also touches on methods of evangelism, while pointing ultimately to the One who promised that He would build His church. This book is a challenge to the church and to individual Christians to obey Jesus’ command to go and make disciples.

As a gifted communicator, R.C. Sproul has helped many believers grow in their understanding of such matters as the nature of God, the history of redemption, and the manner in which we are saved. Now Dr. Sproul’s lucid teaching on these vital matters is available in a series of concise booklets that are perfect for personal learning and refreshing, as well as small-group study. For a quick introduction to matters at the very core of the Christian life, for yourself or a friend, consider the Crucial Questions booklets from Reformation Trust Publishing.

https://www.ligonier.org/store/what-is-the-great-commission-paperback/

—————-
“The Great Commission Resurgence: Fulfilling God’s Mandate in Our Time”
By: Adam W. Greenway and Chuck Lawless

“We want God to break our hearts over the lostness of the world.”

In the wake of the Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention, SBC leaders and messengers agree that God is now calling us to a Great Commission Resurgence as the next key step toward genuine evangelistic renewal.

Research confirms the urgent, convicting need: millions in North America still don’t know Jesus, and more than 1.6 billion worldwide have likely never even heard of Him. Although the denomination’s membership has increased greatly since 1950, Southern Baptists are reaching fewer persons with the Gospel today than back then, suggesting many churches are making little eternal difference.

“Somehow, we have stood faithfully for a message that we have chosen to keep to ourselves,” co-editor Chuck Lawless writes in his introduction to The Great Commission Resurgence.

Featuring essays by Johnny M. Hunt, Ed Stetzer, Thom S. Rainer, R. Albert Mohler Jr., Jerry Rankin, Daniel L. Akin, David S. Dockery, and more than a dozen other respected SBC voices, this timely book clarifies the biblical, theological, and practical matters related to this compelling movement. It will help recapture an exciting missional vision for presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and making disciples of all the nations.

“Any genuine Great Commission Resurgence will occur only when God’s people–His church, gathered in local congregations–admit our apathy, confess our sin, turn to Him in brokenness, preach the Word in gratitude and obedience, invest personally in the lives of new believers, and give God alone the glory.”

—————-
“Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions”
By: Steven L. Rundle and Tom A. Steffen

In recent decades global missions have been revolutionized by such movements as microenterprise development efforts and tentmaking professionals working in restricted access countries. But little has yet been said about the new missions opportunities created by today’s globalized economy. Nor has much been documented about the role that corporations and businesses can have in the missionary enterprise.

Economist Steve Rundle and missiologist Tom Steffen offer a new paradigm for the convergence of business and missions–the Great Commission Company. These companies intentionally create businesses in strategic locations, pursuing profits while remaining unabashedly Christian in their purpose. By establishing authentic businesses that employ local workers among the least-reached peoples of the world, they contribute to the economic health of the immediate community and also provide avenues for both physical and spiritual ministry.

Based on a five-year study of groundbreaking enterprises like Pura Vida Coffee, this book offers keen analysis of the principles and practices of these companies. In an era where multinational corporations have global influence and impact, the Great Commission Company opens up new possibilities for missions-minded entrepreneurs and businesspeople who want to change the world to the glory of God.

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Commission-Companies-Emerging-Business/dp/0830832270/

—————-
“The Great Commission”
By: Burk Parsons

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His people the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. This is a significant task, yet it is one that the Holy Spirit enables us to accomplish as we rest in the authority of Christ over all things. In this series, Dr. Burk Parsons walks us through every phrase of the Great Commission, carefully examining how Christ calls us to fulfill the Great Commission in our homes, our churches, our communities, and to the ends of the earth.

Study Guide Features:

Lesson Objectives
Message Outline
Study Questions
Discussion Questions

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Commission-Burk-Parsons/dp/1642890014/

—————-
“The Great Commission”
By: Burk Parsons

The Great Commission excites us—but it also scares us. Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations seems like a daunting task. But the Holy Spirit enables us to accomplish it as we rest in the authority of Christ over all things.

In The Great Commission, a new five-part video teaching series, Dr. Burk Parsons walks us through this command verse by verse, carefully examining how Jesus calls Christians to fulfill the Great Commission in our homes, our churches, our communities, and to the ends of the earth.

MESSAGES INCLUDE:
They Worshiped Him
All Authority in Heaven and on Earth
Go Therefore and Make Disciples of All Nations
Teaching Them to Observe All I Have Commanded
I Am with You Always

This teaching series is available now for purchase on DVD, Blu-ray, CD, or as a Ligonier Connect course. A thorough study guide is also available.

https://www.ligonier.org/store/the-great-commission-dvd/

—————-
“Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus”
By: Mark Dever

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed his followers to “make disciples of all nations.” But what does this command actually entail? What does it look like for Christians to care for one another’s spiritual well-being and growth? In this introduction to the basics of discipling, veteran pastor and author Mark Dever uses biblical definitions and practical examples to show how Christians can help one another become more like Christ every day. The eighth volume in the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, this short book explains how discipling should function in the context of the local church, teaching pastors and church leaders how to cultivate a culture of edification and growth in their congregations.

—————-
“What Is Discipleship?”
By: Stephen Smallman

How, practically, do we obey the command to “go and make disciples”? Using ten basic building blocks, Stephen Smallman offers a framework for congregations to design and implement a theologically sound strategy for disciple-making.

https://www.amazon.com/Discipleship-Basics-Faith-Stephen-Smallman/dp/159638235X/

—————-
“The Great Omission: Fulfilling Christ’s Commission Completely”
By: Steve Saint

In this powerful call for the inclusion of indigenous believers in the Great Commission, Steve Saint shows how current missions strategies have unwittingly harmed the indigenous church and kept millions of believers from fulfilling their roles in God’s Kingdom — and millions of others from hearing the Good News.

—————-
“Great Commission Soul Winning & Discipleship”
By: Steve West

It would appear that most churches of today have lost touch with fulfilling the Great Commission. While soul-winning is a vital part of our mission, we seem to have lost sight of biblical discipleship and holy living. Many Christians simply do not know how to share their faith, much less disciple another Christian. This book was written to give ALL Christians a step-by-step look at what fulfilling the Great Commission should look like. It is best studied in a small group setting. However, it will also benefit couples, singles, or any individual that desires to have a foundational working knowledge of the Christian faith and fulfilling the Great Commission. Steve West, A native Texan who was born in Austin. Being raised on a farm just north of Austin, I know how to appreciate hard work and honest living. As a Christian husband, father, business owner, and Sunday School teacher, I have had many opportunities to share my faith. Friends and family wanted me to put my Sunday School materials in a book format so that many others could benefit as well. My prayer for this book is to provide people with practical evangelical and discipleship tools that will bless them and glorify the Lord.

—————-
“Christian Discipleship: Fulfilling the Great Commission in the 21st Century”
By: Steven Collins, PhD

The purpose of Christian Discipleship is to help you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, to fulfill this Great Commission in your personal life. Christian Discipleship will guide you through the disciplemaking process, step-by-step, and help you make the most of your time and effort in discipling new believers and others who need this vital training. Whether you are a youth minister, pastor, young person or adult, this manual will get you involved in reaching others for Christ and then training them to make disciples.

https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Discipleship-Fulfilling-Commission-Century/dp/0615874487/

—————-
“A Passion for the Great Commission: Essays in Honor of Alvin L. Reid”
By: Larry Steven McDonald

In today’s climate of an ever-gathering darkness, no challenge is more vital than that of Jesus compelling His followers forward to take the gospel message into a lost and dying world. Such continues to be the burning passion and purpose of long-time professor and evangelist, Dr. Alvin L. Reid. This powerful festschrift, written in his honor, captures and explores topics related to Reid’s personal ministry as a catalyst igniting within God’s people the commitment to carry out Christ’s Great Commission. In its pages, well-known Christian leaders and scholars address issues related to Great Commission leadership, history, strategies, and vision, which have characterized Reid’s life work. This collection of writings from friends, colleagues, and former students, expressing their gratitude for Reid and his work, continues to fan the flame of conquest for the hearts and minds of an unbelieving world.

https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Great-Commission-Essays-Honor/dp/0615981151/

—————-
“The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship”
By: Dallas Willard

The last command Jesus gave the church before he ascended to heaven was the Great Commission, the call for Christians to “make disciples of all the nations.” But Christians have responded by making “Christians,” not “disciples.” This, according to brilliant scholar and renowned Christian thinker Dallas Willard, has been the church’s Great Omission.

“The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament,” writes Willard. “Christian is found three times and was first introduced to refer precisely to disciples of Jesus. . . . The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. But the point is not merely verbal. What is more important is that the kind of life we see in the earliest church is that of a special type of person. All of the assurances and benefits offered to humankind in the gospel evidently presuppose such a life and do not make realistic sense apart from it. The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian — especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the Kingdom of God.”

Willard boldly challenges the thought that we can be Christians without being disciples, or call ourselves Christians without applying this understanding of life in the Kingdom of God to every aspect of life on earth. He calls on believers to restore what should be the heart of Christianity — being active disciples of Jesus Christ. Willard shows us that in the school of life, we are apprentices of the Teacher whose brilliance encourages us to rise above traditional church understanding and embrace the true meaning of discipleship — an active, concrete, 24/7 life with Jesus.

—————-
“The Second Greatest Commandment Meets the Great Commission”
By: Nancy Golden

The Second Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves and The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) tells us to go and make disciples. By combining these two commandments from our Lord, we are able to share our faith with those around us in a natural way: by building relationships and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us as our relationships progress. In the pages of this book you’ll find ways that you can share the Gospel that are both comfortable for you and effective and since it is all about sharing the love of Christ by building relationships with those around you and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you – the pressure is off! God will use you in the ways that He has gifted you, and when we understand that it is our job to be obedient, but the end results are His, we are free to focus on building relationships rather than trying to follow a preplanned agenda.

You will learn about why you should evangelize and how to go about it, with plenty of examples and encouragement along the way. You won’t find a huge, scholarly tome here – but an easy to read book that is intentionally not very long. We think you will find it very convenient to fit this study into even the busiest of schedules, yet gain the tools you need to approach evangelism with joy and confidence. Eight chapters lend itself well to an eight-week group study but it can also be read individually at a more rapid pace or adjusted to fit into a seminar format. The discussion questions are designed to give you ideas on how to share your faith and the appendix provides real, thought-provoking stories to inspire you, as you begin your own journey of reaching out to others.

https://www.amazon.com/Second-Greatest-Commandment-Meets-Commission/dp/0578119722/

—————-
“Out of Commission: Getting Every Christian Back to the Great Commission”
By: Paul Chappell

Is Christ’s last command your first priority? Out of Commission is a call for every Christian to reengage in reaching the lost through focused soulwinning and fervent discipleship.

You’d be hard pressed to meet a dedicated Christian who doesn’t say the greatest work on Earth is evangelization. But, while all of us give lip service to evangelizing and discipling, the effect of our labor seems woefully behind. Somewhere there is a disconnect between the priorities we claim and the actions we practice. Something is broken–or maybe just out of commission.

This book is an invitation to “look under the hood”—to examine why we don’t witness for Christ as we should, why our local churches are neglecting soulwinning and discipleship, and how we can get back to making Christ’s last command our first priority.

Written for every Christian who desires to obey the Great Commission of Christ, this comprehensive volume is motivational and practical, diagnostic and corrective. Whether you are new to evangelism or an experienced soulwinner, Out of Commission will challenge and equip you to share your faith and more effectively reach your community for Christ.

—————-
“The Great Commission Christian: Four Steps to Making Disciples”
By: Bob Niemond

In Jesus’s last words before He ascended to heaven, He left us with a monumental task: make disciples. You already know this job is critically important. You may feel like you’re ready to start the journey…if only someone would show you the first step.

Bob Niemond’s detailed book gives you more than just a boost off the starting line. Whether you’re a new Christian or seasoned pastor, Niemond’s text will serve as your road map to following the Great Commission. The book is rich with videos, examples, memory aids, and other tools to equip you. You’ll learn how to start gospel conversations; lead an effective group Bible study; tailor your evangelism to Buddhists, Muslims, or adherents to other global religions; and be loving and strategic in your approach.

The book is organized in a “learn/do” pattern: first, you’ll read about techniques for evangelism, study scriptures that support your mission, and see examples of disciple making in practice. Then, Niemond encourages you to put your training to work—but it doesn’t stop there. Niemond’s ultimate goal is to teach you how to equip the people you disciple so that they’re ready to go out and fulfill the Great Commission as well.

—————-
“Great Commission Disciple Making: Growing Disciples Rooted in God’s Word”
By: James A Lilly

A step-by-step guide to disciple making including the history of Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and underlying principles behind Bible-based Spirit-led discipleship. Intended for small groups committed to obeying and applying whatever the Holy Spirit reveals through Scripture, then sharing it with others. One user said, “After reading all of the books about disciple-making, I asked where do I start? This book puts the goodies on the low shelf. Using the discovery method, it guided me how to start and to form a team who can make disciples.”

—————-
“The Gospel Commission: Recovering God’s Strategy for Making Disciples”
By: Michael Horton

Many churches in America today want to be powerful, relevant, and influential in personal and social transformation. But whose kingdom are we building? God’s? Or our own? A plethora of programs for outreach, discipleship, and spiritual disciplines are available at any bookstore and on countless websites. Yet what we need most is a renewed understanding of and commitment to the Great Commission. We assume that we already know the nature of this commission and the appropriate methods of carrying it out.

But Michael Horton contends that it too often becomes our mission instead of God’s. At a time when churches are zealously engaged in writing up mission statements and strategic plans, he argues that we must ask ourselves anew whether we are ambassadors, following the script we’ve been given, or building our own kingdoms with our own blueprint.

Pastors, church leaders, and readers of Horton’s Christless Christianity and The Gospel-Driven Life will value this frank and hopeful exploration of the Great Commission as a call to understanding and good practice.

—————-
“The Heart of a Disciplemaker: Building a Lasting Legacy Through Authentic Relationships”
By: Tim LaFleur

The church has done a good job teaching people how to share their faith but it hasn’t done well at teaching them to share their lives. There is no question Jesus commanded those who follow Him to make disciples. But what does that look like in everyday life? While most believers are clear that the Great Commission found in Matthew 28 calls us to make disciples, many simply don’t know how. Investing in the lives of others who will in turn invest themselves in others is not difficult, but it does require intentionality. Building authentic relationships that leave a legacy of Christ long past our lives should be the goal of every believer. To accomplish this we must answer the following questions: • What do gospel-centered relationships look like? • What character qualities must we develop to deepen our walk with Christ and with others? • How can we develop a heart for making disciples? In, The Heart of a Disciplemaker, Tim LaFleur provides practical answers to these questions and more. Drawing from the Scripture, and his own life as a disciplemaker, Tim clarifies what a life lived for the glory of God looks like. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, every disciple of Jesus can develop character qualities that will encourage others to follow Christ through meaningful, dynamic, gospel-centered relationships. Relationships that leave a legacy, not for our name, but for the One whose name is above all names: Jesus Christ.

—————-
“Design for Discipleship: Discovering God’s Blueprint for the Christian Life”
By: J. Dwight Pentecost

Dr. Pentecost demonstrates that discipleship is a growing experience of knowledge, commitment, active love, and service.

—————-
“The Training of the Twelve”
By: A. B. Bruce

‘The Training of the Twelve’ (by A. B. Bruce( provides a classic study of Jesus’ teaching and training of his disciples. Using a loose “harmony of the Gospels” approach, Bruce pulls from all four gospel narratives to show how Jesus discipled His disciples. The book’s greatest strength is that it is not as a how-to book on discipleship or a 12-step program for leadership development. Instead, Bruce exegetes the passages showing what Jesus was doing with his disciples and leaves contemporary application to the reader. Bruce’s book, which was first published in 1871, is a valuable study for any Christian who serves in any form of leadership capacity or who seeks to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Its 31 chapters provide an absorbing commentary on selected passages of the four Gospels, following Jesus ministry and teaching among his disciples in chronological order. Although the writing style may take a bit of getting used to for modern readers, the result is well worth the effort. The table of Scripture references discussed in the book also makes it a useful reference work—after it has been read from cover to cover. Theologically sound and biblically true, this book comes highly recommended to anyone desiring to obey Jesus’s command to make disciples.

—————-
“Becoming a Disciple Maker”
By: Bobby Harrington and Greg Wiens

In this new book, Exponential’s discipleship curator and Discipleship.org’s co-founder Bobby Harrington joins with Greg Wiens (Healthy Growing Churches) to introduce and explore the pathway to becoming a disciple maker using Exponential’s Becoming Five framework. Focusing on helping individuals identify where they are on the disciple making scale (Levels 1 – 5) and what’s needed to become a Level 5 disciple maker, Bobby and Greg champion disciple making and equip future church multipliers to move beyond the prevailing worldly success scorecards. The book is positioned as a “field guide” to help leaders compare and contrast the differences between subtraction, addition and multiplication cultures in disciple making.

FREE Download:
https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/disciplemaking/

—————-
“Becoming a Disciple Maker: The Pursuit of Level 5 Disciple Making”
By: Bobby Harrington and Greg Wiens

https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/disciplemaking/

—————-
“Spark: Igniting a Culture of Multiplication”
By: Todd Wilson

What would it look like if a significant number of churches had to intentionally try not to multiply and the Lord added to their numbers daily? (Acts 2: 42-7)? In this FREE resource, Exponential Director Todd Wilson presses into Exponential’s 2015 theme, “SPARK: Igniting a Culture of Multiplication,” to give church leaders a vision for reproducing churches and the tools needed to see that vision come to fruition. The eBook sets the framework for Exponential’s 2015 eBooks series focusing on multiplication and champions Exponential’s focus on moving the multiplication needle in the U.S. Church.

https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/spark/

————-
“BECOMING a Level FIVE Multiplying Church”
By: Todd Wilson, Dave Ferguson and Alan Hirsch

In this new book, Exponential co-founders Todd Wilson and Dave Ferguson introduce and explore Exponential’s focus and theme for 2016: Becoming Five. Becoming a Level Five Multiplying Church continues a conversation started in the 2014 Exponential book Spark: Igniting a Culture of Multiplication, drilling down into more detail focusing on how we can each play our part in moving the needle on church multiplication. While Spark introduced these three core elements of culture, in this book Todd and Dave press more deeply into how we live them out. In this expanded version, Alan Hirsch also provides an additional chapter & comments throughout the book.

Focusing on the specifics of helping churches identify where they are on the multiplication scale (Levels 1 – 5) and what’s needed to become a Level 5 multiplying church, Todd and Dave champion multiplication and equip future church multipliers to move beyond the prevailing addition-growth scorecards. The bottom line, the authors say, is that we need to rethink the operating system that’s producing growth but not producing multiplication—and aim for more healthy Kingdom growth that’s focused on multiplication.

Becoming Five is the theme for both Exponential East 2016 & Exponential West 2016. To dive deeper into how to become a level 5 multiplying church, you can register for either conference, which features speakers like Matt Chandler, Brian Houston, and J.D. Greear.

Note: The book is positioned as a “field guide” to help leaders compare and contrast the differences between subtraction, addition and multiplication cultures. (You’ll find plenty of real-life examples and stories of multiplying churches in Exponential’s upcoming FREE eBook series starting fall 2015!)

Key Takeaways:

– Insightful interactive quizzes to help you assess your thinking and beliefs about church multiplication.
– a new framework and vocabulary for multiplying churches, including a framework for balancing addition and multiplication for healthy growth.
– a framework for discerning five different levels of multiplication.
– five actions needed to move the needle on multiplication and close the gap between our aspirations (what we want to be) and our practices (what we’re actually doing).
– a thorough exploration of three core tensions that all leaders will face in their journey toward becoming a Level 5 multiplying church.
– helpful appendix offering detailed descriptions of the five levels of multiplying churches—equipping any church to identify where it is currently and the practices needed to move to the next levels.
– information about a new assessment tool for helping leaders discern which of the five levels of multiplication (Levels 1 – 5) their church is currently living out.

https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/becomingfive/

————-
“Dream Big, Plan Smart: Finding Your Pathway to Level Five Multiplication”
By: Todd Wilson and Will Mancini

In this new book, Exponential co-founder Todd Wilson and Will Mancini pour gasoline on the already blazing church multiplication conversation. This book is the sequel to Spark: Creating a Culture of Multiplication (2015) and Becoming a Level Five Multiplying Church (2016). Wilson and Mancini seek to help church leaders turn their aspirations and good intentions for multiplication into compelling visions with actionable strategies. The book is built on a solid foundation of strategic planning, looking through the lens of multiplication.

Foreword by Ralph Moore
Introduction Continuing the Conversation
Chapter 1 Preparation: Mapping the Journey
Chapter 2 Purpose: Why Do We Exist?
Chapter 3 Perspective: Where Are We Now?
Chapter 4 Paradigm: What Must Change?
Chapter 5 Pursuit: Where Do We Want to Go?
Chapter 6 Pathways: What Can We Expect?
Chapter 7 Planning: How Will We Get There?
Chapter 8 Penitence: Are We Ready?
Chapter 9 Priorities: What’s Important Now?

https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/dreambig/

————-
“Leaving a Legacy of Level 5 Leadership: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Billy Graham”
By: Bobby Harrington

You may not have known Dr. Graham personally, but you’ve almost certainly been impacted by him. That’s because he was what we call a “Hero Maker.” He spent a lifetime investing in and encouraging others. Without you knowing it, many of the people Dr. Graham mentored and impacted have, in turn, impacted you. That’s what hero makers do. They leave a ripple effect, rubbing off on others to the third and fourth generation into the future.

It’s clear that Dr. Graham’s scorecard of success was not measured by what he did and accomplished, but instead by what Jesus did through him to impact and invest in other people.

Seventeen years ago as part of his Doctor of Ministry under Dr. Thom Rainer, Bobby Harrington was assigned a research report on Dr. Billy Graham. Bobby identified “10 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Billy Graham.” Those 10 lessons are now included in this FREE eBook. The lessons include:

Earnest Prayer
Deep Conviction About the Bible’s Trustworthiness
Focus on the Basics
Be a Gracious Person
Adhere to High Ethical Standards
Ask the Best Possible People to Join You
Let the Day of Judgement Drive Your Life and Life Mission
Be Contemporary
Know the Anxieties and Concerns of Your Audience
Strategy and Plans Matter

https://exponential.org/resource-ebooks/leaving-legacy/

—————-
“Born to Reproduce” (Pamphlet–10-pack)
By: Dawson Trotman

“Born to Reproduce” was originally a 47-minute message given to the staff of Back to the Bible in 1955. A message that burned deeply in Dawson Trotman’s soul, it was later transcribed and published as a booklet that has been ready by thousands over the past 50 years. This booklet reintroduces the message to a new generation. Sold in packs of 10.

https://www.amazon.com/Born-Reproduce-10-pack-Dawson-Trotman/dp/1641580119/

—————-
“Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples”
By: Robby Gallaty

This Book has the Potential to Change your Life!

I think I’m a lot like you. There was a time in my life when I wanted to grow in my faith but just didn’t know how.

* I owned a Bible, but didn’t understand it.
* I heard others pray, but didn’t know how to communicate with God.
* I wanted to share my faith with others, but didn’t know where to start.
* I had friends at Church, but lacked deep relationships with anyone.
* I wanted to hide God’s word in my heart, but lacked a plan for memorization.
* I read the Scriptures, but didn’t know how to apply them.

Maybe this is where you are today.

One day my life changed forever. What was the turning point?
I realized the importance and power of discipleship.

Two men took the time to invest in my life (David Platt–author of Radical and Follow Me, as well as the Foreword of my book–and Tim Lafleur). Since then I have read nearly every book on discipleship, searching for answers to my questions.

Now I want to share my findings with you. Growing Up takes the guesswork out of growing closer to the Lord and equipping others to do the same. This book has the potential to change your life!

In Growing Up, you will learn:

– Three essential relationships every believer must be fostering;
– How to begin, lead, and reproduce a D-Group (i.e., Discipleship Group);
– Why a D-Group of 3 to 5 is more effective than an 1-on-1 relationship;
– A proven method for HEARing from God;
-One spiritual discipline that every disciple should be practicing;
– Six questions every believer MUST be able to answer;
– The difference between an addition and multiplication strategy;
– Answers to commonly asked questions about disciple-making; and much, much more!

Do not read this book and then discard it. As a manual for making disciples, Growing Up is a resource that you can use for years to come.
* Underline in it.
* Write in the margins.
* Interact with it.
* Meditate on it.

How can I promise that this book will change your Life?

This book is built on solid biblical principles. God’s Word, which He promised would never return void, imparts faith and produces a life change.

These principles have been tried and tested over the past decade in various discipleship groups.

My life has been impacted immensely through discipling relationships. I share my story of how God radically saved me from a life of drugs and alcohol in Chapter 1.

Grow In Your Walk with Christ–Defend Your Faith–Lead Others in the Journey!

—————-
“The Disciple-Making Pastor: Leading Others on the Journey of Faith”
By: Bill Hull

Christ commanded the church to make disciples, to produce people who love and obey God, bear fruit, and live with joy. The crisis at the heart of the church is that we often pay lip service to making disciples, but we seldom put much effort behind doing it. For the pastor who is ready to put words into action, The Disciple-Making Pastor offers the inspiration and practical know-how to do so. Bill Hull shows pastors the obstacles they will face, what disciples really look like, the pastor’s role in producing them, and the practices that lead to positive change. He also offers a six-step coaching process to help new disciples grow in commitment and obedience and practical ideas to integrate disciple making into the fabric of the church.

—————-
“Understanding the Great Commission”
By: Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever

God means to fulfill the Great Commission through local churches.

How did the apostles and the churches of the New Testament obey the Great Commission? By gathering Christians together in churches. The church is God’s plan for evangelism, discipleship, and the Great Commission. This connection between the Great Commission and the church dramatically impacts how both leaders and members should think about their work of making disciples. We do it together.

—————-
“Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples”
By: Francis Chan (Author), David Platt (Foreword), Mark Beuving (Collaborator)

Jesus gave his followers a command: “Follow me.” And a promise: “And I will equip you to find others to follow me.” We were made to make disciples.

Designed for use in discipleship relationships and other focused settings, Multiply will equip you to carry out Jesus’s ministry. Each of the twenty-four sessions in the book corresponds with an online video at http://www.multiplymovement.com, where New York Times bestselling author David Platt joins Francis in guiding you through each part of Multiply.

—————-
“True Discipleship: The Art of Following Jesus”
By: John M Koessler

Most of us would answer ‘No’ when asked if we were like Jesus. So how do we become more like Jesus?

John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and the companion guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His disciples. As he offers teaching on the practice of discipleship and the responsibility of being a disciple, readers will be stretched in their thinking and encouraged in their journey.

This book is intended for use alongside the True Discipleship Companion Guide. With Scripture studies, reflection questions, and areas for writing down thoughts, the guide will help you internalize what God’s Word identifies as marks of a true Christian.

—————-
“Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus”
By: Mark Dever

—————-
“The Disciple Maker’s Handbook: Seven Elements of a Discipleship Lifestyle”
By: Bobby William Harrington and Josh Robert Patrick

Many people believe that discipleship is important, but they need help. In fact, the vast majority of Christians report that they have never been personally discipled by a more mature follower of Jesus. Is it any wonder that they have a difficult time knowing how to disciple others?

If making disciples of Jesus is the greatest cause on earth, how should we equip people to do it? This handbook is a practical guide for how to embrace the discipleship lifestyle – being a disciple of Jesus and how to make other disciples of Jesus. With contributions from pastors and teachers like Francis Chan, Jeff Vanderstelt, Bill Hull, Jim Putman, KP Yohannan, and Robert Coleman, the authors present seven elements that are necessary for disciple making to occur:

– Jesus—the original disciple maker and centerpiece of discipleship.
– Holy Spirit—fuels the disciple-making process.
– Intentionality—making disciples utilizing a strategy and a roadmap.
– Relationships—creating a loving, genuine connection with others who trust and follow Jesus.
– Bible—using the Word of God as the manual for making disciples.
– Journey—forging a traceable growth story from a new birth to spiritual parenthood.
– Multiply—reproducing the discipleship process so that the disciple becomes a disciple maker.

Whether you are a parent who wants to disciple your children, a small group leader who wants to disciple those in your group, or a church leader who wants to disciple future leaders, the seven key elements in this handbook form a framework for understanding discipleship that can be applied in countless situations. In addition, there are questions provided in each section to help you think through how to apply the material to your disciple making efforts.

—————-
“Disciples Are Made Not Born”
By: Walter A. Henrichsen

“Make Disciples.”

Jesus’ command is clear. But what is a disciple? And how are we to “make” them?

Based on decades of experience, this book explains and illustrates the process of disciple-making that Jesus taught and modeled. First published in 1974, its practical, biblical approach has revolutionized the ministry of hundreds of thousands of Christians as they learned how to multiply themselves in the lives of others.

Disciple-making is challenging, to be sure. But as we are faithful to Christ’s Great Commission, we’ll experience the fulfillment that comes from being faithful to the life mission to which God has called us.

—————-
“PursueGOD.org”

PursueGOD websites equip regular Christians to help people pursue God, one conversation at a time. Our tools use a simple, 3-step “FLEX” method for mentoring:

Find a Topic
Choose a topic or series from our online library.

Learn About It
Watch the video and browse related topics on your own.

Explore Together
Connect with a group or mentor to talk about it.

http://www.pursuegod.org/train/

—————-
“Lionshare”

Lionshare aims to co-mission with Jesus in fulfilling His Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) by igniting and resourcing disciple-makers within The Church and throughout The Dozen Domains of society.

https://www.lionshare.org/

—————-
“LifeOnLife.org”

provide materials and discipleship contents online. They also have a training program for church leaders.

RELATIONAL PROCESS
We believe transformation happens in the context of relationships. It is not just about knowledge; our process, and discipleship, relies on authentic relationships.

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
Life on Life is a movement led by churches, pastors, and church members, with experience following Jesus’ model to bring about spiritual maturity in the local church.

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
Our theology, philosophy, and practice are grounded in the Word of God. Jesus is our foundational model, and we desire to follow Him in all we do.

https://www.lifeonlife.org/

—————-
“Replicate Ministries”

Replicate Ministries exists to equip local churches to make disciples who make disciple-makers. We do this through sound Biblical methods for training and replicating disciples. These methods have proven to be effective when implemented in the local church. In the last decade, these intentional disciple-making strategies have shown to develop mature followers in our context. It is the team’s desire to share our passion for replicating disciples with other church leaders.

https://replicate.org/

—————-
“The Bonhoeffer Project”

A year-long leadership development community
RECLAIM THE DISCIPLESHIP-FIRST GOSPEL • CRAFT YOUR DISCIPLE-MAKING PLAN • CHANGE THE WORLD

https://thebonhoefferproject.com/

—————-
“Exponential.org”

They have a great number of free eBooks, blogs, video resources, and podcasts on disciple making and multiplication.

https://exponential.org/

—————-
“Discipleship.org”

They are focused on Jesus’ style disciple making for churches and individuals with an increasing number of free eBooks, blogs, video resources, and podcasts on disciple making and multiplication.

https://discipleship.org

*****************************
*****************************

“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

*****************************
*****************************

ARTICLES:

*****************************
“The Art of Evangelism”

A long time ago I was a revolutionary at Apple. My job title was “software evangelist.” My responsibility was to evangelize Macintosh to software developers. Later my title was “chief evangelist,” and my responsibility was to evangelize Macintosh to anyone who wanted to increase productivity and creativity.

Post Apple, I’ve been many things: author, speaker, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, advisor, and father, but I’ve never used the title “chief evangelist” until today. This is because the title only works if your product can change the world—or at least a significant part of it.

Macintosh changed the world. It democratized computers. Google changed the world. It democratized information. eBay changed the world. It democratized commerce. After two decades of looking, I found Canva. It can change the world by democratizing design, and that’s why I’m now chief evangelist of Canva.

We’re big believers in “content marketing” at Canva. It means providing information that’s valuable to our readers and customers. We define “valuable” as something that you can make your life better as opposed to increasing our sales or profits. In this spirit, I’d like to explain how to evangelize a product or service.

Make it great. It’s very hard to evangelize crap. It’s much easier to evangelize great stuff. I learned that the starting point of evangelism is a great product or service. Great stuff embodies five qualities:

Deep. This means your product or service has lots of features because you’ve anticipated what people need as they come up the power curve.
Intelligent. When people use your product or service, they see that someone smart understood their problem or pain.

Complete. A complete product is surrounded with everything you need. For example, great software is not just the downloadable file. It’s also the documentation, support, and string of enhancements.

Empowering. A product or service empowers people because it makes them better. Great stuff doesn’t fight you—it becomes one with you.

Elegant. This means that your product or service is not just functional, it’s also well-designed so that people could use it easily and quickly.

Position it as a “cause.” A product or service, no matter how great, is a collection of parts or snippets of code. A “cause,” by contrast, changes lives. It’s not enough to make a great product or service—you also need to position it and explain it as a way to improve lives. Steve Jobs didn’t position an iPhone as $188 worth of parts. Evangelists need to seize the moral high ground and transcend the exchange of money for goods and services.

Love the cause. “Evangelist” isn’t a job title. It’s a way of life. It means that evangelists must love what they evangelize. No matter how great the person, if he doesn’t love the cause, he cannot be a good evangelist for it. If you don’t love it, don’t evangelize it. This has hiring implications too: a good education and relevant work experience are not sufficient. It’s just as important that an evangelist loves the product or service.

Localize the pitch. Don’t describe your product using lofty, flowery terms like “revolutionary,” “paradigm shifting,” and “curve jumping.” Macintosh wasn’t “the third paradigm in personal computing.” It simply (and powerfully) increased the productivity and creativity of one person with one computer. People don’t buy “revolutions.” They buy “aspirins” to fix the pain or “vitamins” to supplement their lives, so localize the pitch and keep it simple.

Look for agnostics, ignore atheists. It is very hard to convert someone to a new religion when he worships another god. The hardest person to convert to Macintosh was someone who worshipped MS-DOS. The easiest person was someone who never used a personal computer before. If a person doesn’t “get” your product or service after fifteen minutes, cut your losses and move on.
Let people test drive the cause. Evangelists believe that their potential customers are smart. Therefore, they don’t bludgeon them with ads and promotions. Instead they provide ways for people to “test drive” their products and then decide for themselves. Evangelists believe that their products are good—so good that they’re not afraid of enabling people to try before they buy.

Learn to give a demo. “Evangelist who cannot give a great demo” is an oxymoron. If you can’t give a great demo of your product or service, you cannot be an evangelist for it. Demoing should be as second nature, even involuntary, as breathing. This is what made Steve Jobs the world’s greatest evangelist for Apple’s products.

Provide a safe, easy first step. The path to adopting a cause should have a slippery slope, so remove all the barriers. Examples: 1) revamping an entire IT infrastructure shouldn’t be necessary to try a new computer; chaining yourself to a tree shouldn’t be necessary to join an environmental group; and 3) speaking a foreign language and owning a special keyboard shouldn’t be necessary to register for a website.

Ignore titles and pedigrees. Elitism is the enemy of evangelism. If you want to succeed as an evangelist, ignore people’s titles and pedigrees, accept people as they are, and treat everyone with respect and kindness. My experience is that a secretary, administrative aide, intern, part-timer, or trainee is more likely to embrace new products and services than a CXO or vice-president.

Never lie. Lying is morally and ethically wrong. It also takes more energy because when you lie, it’s necessary to keep track of what you said. If you always tell the truth, then there’s nothing to keep track of. Evangelists evangelize great stuff, so they don’t have to lie about features and benefits, and evangelists know their stuff, so they never have to lie to cover their ignorance.

Remember your friends. Be nice to people on the way up because you’ll see them again on the way down. One of the most likely people to buy a Macintosh was an Apple II owner. One of the most likely people to buy an iPod was a Macintosh owner. One of the most likely people to buy whatever Apple puts out next is an iPhone owner. And so it goes, so remember your friends.

People often ask me what the difference is between evangelist and salesperson. Here’s the answer. A salesperson has his or her own best interests at heart: commission, making quota, closing the deal. An evangelist has the other person’s best interests at heart: “Try this because it will help you.” Keep this difference in mind, and you’ll be on the right track.

Try Canva to see why I left my comfy existence and joined a startup to democratize design. You can see how Canva works with a click.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online graphic design tool. Formerly, he was an advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google and chief evangelist of Apple. He is also the author of APE, What the Plus!, Enchantment, and nine other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

[ Guy Kawasaki ]

https://guykawasaki.com/the-art-of-evangelism/

*****************************
“Guy Kawasaki’s The Art of Evangelism
How to Promote Your Product, Service, Company, or Idea”
[ Online Class ]

What Will I Learn?

– Master evangelism as an effective, inexpensive, and fun technique to promote your product in a crowded market
– Transform your sales and marketing from “closing deals” to converting true believers
– Craft a winning pitch and mantra for your product
– Hire, train, and deploy effective evangelists
– Optimize social media as a fast, free, and ubiquitous marketing platform

https://www.udemy.com/the-art-of-evangelism/

Description
Do you want to change the world like Apple? This course will explain how to use a technique called evangelism to change the hearts, minds, and actions of your customers, colleagues, and employees. Evangelism is an innovative approach to sales, marketing, and management. It means mobilizing your customers and staff into becoming as passionate about a cause as you are.

I first learned the technique of evangelism at Apple where my job was to convince developers to believe in Macintosh before it was “real.” I also used evangelism to convince developers and customers to believe in Apple during some of its challenging times. And the rest is history.

Subsequently I’ve used evangelism to introduce many new products. I’m currently the chief evangelist of Canva, the online graphics design service that empowers people to create great graphics. We’ve signed up over 10 million customers in 179 countries in less than four years. That’s the power of evangelism!

This course distills my 30+ years of experience as an evangelist into a straightforward handbook for putting evangelism into action.

In this course, you will learn how to:

– Define your cause, whether it is a business or a public interest concern
– Create a mantra, goals, and tactics to further your cause
– Effectively pitch and demo your product
– Use the stages of evangelism to accelerate your success
– Leverage social media to evangelize more widely
– Find, train, and recruit new evangelists

*****************************
“The Key to Evangelism”

Guy discuses what is called “Guy’s Golden Touch” as the key to evangelism.

The key to great evangelism is that you affiliate with a great product because it is much easier to evangelize a great product than it is to evangelize crap.

The key is not to be the ‘smartest’, but to work the ‘hardest’.

[ Guy Kawasaki ]

*****************************
“How to Turn Fans Into Brand Champions”

As marketers prepare to feel the full effects of evolving social media algorithms, relationships are the new reach. More than ever, a core group of highly engaged fans is more valuable than millions of disengaged followers, and they can have a huge impact on your marketing efforts.

Social media engagement has a snowball effect. When one person interacts with your post, that person is telling the algorithm your content is valuable. As more people engage with the post, endorsing its value, the algorithm will deliver it to more news feeds. That engagement also will increase the likelihood that other people will be inclined to interact with your post.

By effectively mobilizing your brand champions, you can turn that engagement snowball into an avalanche. [ more…]

https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/brand-champions-social-media/

*****************************
“How to Build Brand Evangelists with 3 Winning Examples Posted in Social Media Strategy”
By: Ross Wilson

Obtaining a lot of followers from a social media campaign can open up a much larger audience to share your brand’s message, but even a handful of brand evangelists can do a lot more for your company than hundreds of mute listeners. A brand evangelist is a true fan, someone who wants to talk about and share your message and get involved in any way they can. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to engage an online community and encourage more followers to get active and involved in a social media campaign. [more…]

https://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-strategy/how-to-build-brand-evangelists-with-3-winning-examples/

*****************************
“Friendship Evangelism by the Book: Applying First Century Principles to Twenty-First Century Relationships”
By: Tom Stebbins

Friendship Evangelism by the Book: Applying First Century Principles to Twenty-First Century Relationships, make your friendships count in the kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Friendship-Evangelism-Book-Twenty-First-Relationships/dp/0875095844/

*****************************
“What is Friendship Evangelism?”

Answer: Friendship evangelism as a method of bringing people to Christ or sharing the gospel of Christ has several meanings and connotations. Some people believe that friendship evangelism requires Christians to become friends with unbelievers, establishing a relationship before attempting to address their need for a Savior. Some see friendship evangelism as living a solid, righteous life—a living testimony—before others so that they desire that kind of life and ask how to achieve it. At that point, the gospel is shared. Still others believe that living a righteous life in the world is evangelism enough and that no further efforts are necessary. The theory is that unbelievers will be so convicted of their need for that kind of life that they will seek God on their own. What does the Bible say about friendship evangelism?

Each of the three above-named methods of friendship evangelism falls short of the biblical method of evangelism. The first method, becoming friends with unbelievers in order to gain enough credibility so they will listen to the gospel, fails to recognize several important biblical truths. For one thing, believers are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14–17). The essence of friendship is mutual respect and affection based on agreement on basic life principles. But can a believer really have such a relationship with an unbeliever? In light of James 4:4 and Ephesians 5:11, such a relationship is not biblical. The unsaved person is part of the world, which hates God and the people of God. How can such a person have affection and respect for believers, who are part of the kingdom of God? Are we to be friendly towards unbelievers? Absolutely! Are we to have intimate relationships with unbelievers? Biblically speaking, no.

Furthermore, neither Jesus nor the disciples practiced this type of friendship evangelism. Jesus didn’t limit His gospel presentations to His friends and relations. He preached to complete strangers the message of repentance from sin and salvation through Him. He sent His disciples out two by two, and they “preached that people should repent” (Mark 6:12). If people refused to listen to them, Jesus instructed them to “shake the dust” off their feet and move on to the next town. He never encouraged them to settle down for a few months and develop friendships with those who rejected His message. Nor did He tell them to avoid quoting Scriptures so that their hearers wouldn’t be offended or turned off to the gospel. He knew that the “message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18) and that most people will reject that message, no matter how friendly the manner in which it is presented. Christ was rejected by the world, and He told us to expect the same reaction (John 15:18–20).

What about the method of “evangelizing” through our living testimony? There is no doubt that we are to live righteous lives before the watching world, and there certainly is power in the testimony of a life transformed by Christ. A classic example of this is Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1–42). Jesus was able to tell her everything about her life, including the sin she was living in now. Jesus, in His infallible way, gave her the gospel, and, of course, she believed. John 4:39 picks up the story: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers” (John 4:39–41).

Everyone in that town knew this woman and the sordid life she lived. What caused them to believe in Christ was not only her words about Jesus, but her transformed life. She was a living testimony to the power of the gospel of Christ. So impactful was the change in her life that they knew something miraculous had happened, and they asked Jesus to remain with them, which He did for two days, preaching the same gospel of repentance and the offer of the living water of eternal life through Him. “And many more believed because of his word” (John 4:41). In this instance, both the preaching of the Word of God and the testimony of a life changed by that Word bore the fruit of repentance.

But was the woman’s changed life sufficient to bring others to the Savior? No, but it was the impetus for them to seek more information. Can we today expect that our lives will be sufficient testimony to convince unbelievers of their need for Christ? The problem that arises in this third type of friendship evangelism is that too often the lives of Christians are not a good witness of the Lord and Savior we profess to know and serve. Too often the world sees in us more of a reflection of them than a reflection of Christ. To rely exclusively on the “living testimony” of redeemed sinners who, while saved by grace, still battle the flesh on a daily basis—without the testimony of the truth of Scripture—is to handcuff ourselves in a way the Bible never bids us to do. Not even the most well-lived life can compare with the power of the Word of God. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).

Clearly, the biblical method of evangelism is the faithful proclamation of the truth of Scripture in conjunction with the living testimony of those who have been changed by that truth. When Jesus went about teaching the gospel message of salvation, He taught love and forgiveness, being kind and compassionate. But He went to sinners in order to convict them of their sins. A case in point is the very Samaritan woman we’ve been talking about here. Remember . . . the very first word Jesus said when He began His ministry was “Repent!” “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’” (Matthew 4:17). We are commissioned to bring that same message to the world, speaking the truth in love from a heart changed by the Savior.

[ Got Questions ]

*****************************
“Multiplication Thinking”

Andy Stanley sermon at Exponential Conference: https://exponential.org/andy-stanley-multiplication-thinking/

*****************************
“Disciplemaking: Addition vs. Multiplication”

Walter Henrichsen in Disciples Are Made Not Born suggests a hypothetical situation that clearly illustrates the process of multiplication. Suppose a father offers his two sons the choice of taking either one dollar a week for 52 weeks or one cent the first week and an amount each week for the next 51 one week’s that is double the previous week’s amount.

Which one would you choose?

The first choice would just be adding one dollar each week – that’s linear growth. At the end of 52 weeks – he’d have $52.

The second choice is multiplication – that’s exponential growth. If one of the sons chooses this, at the end of the year he will have an unbelievable amount of money. In fact, his allowance in the last week (not the total amount accumulated over 52 weeks) would be $22,517,998,136,852.48. Initially the multiplication is slow, but don’t let that deceive you. In the long run, addition never keeps pace with multiplication. Multiplication is explosive.

Another example: Suppose you start with a checkerboard of 64 squares. On the first square you place one grain of wheat. On the second square you place two grains, and on the third square you place four grains. How much wheat would you have to place on the last square if you continue doubling each succeeding square?

It would take enough wheat to cover India to a depth of fifty feet. The multiplication process is indeed explosive.

A disciplemaking ministry is built on exponential growth – the principle of multiplication. Consider a comparison of disciplemaking to mass evangelism:

Suppose you are a really great evangelist and you lead 1,000 people to faith in Christ every day. At the end of the first year there would be 365,000 new believers! That’s the principle of addition – 1,000 added every day.

Suppose another person in one year led one person to Christ and spent that year building his faith, teaching God’s truth, and training that individual to grow to maturity and to spiritually reproduce themselves in someone else. At the end of the first year there would be 2 disciplemakers.

If you continue to lead 1,000 people everyday to faith in Christ, at the end of the second year you’d have led 730,000 people to follow Jesus. The disciplemakers at the end of the second year will have invested themselves in two more individuals so that at the end of the year they are able to spiritually reproduce themselves. So after two years – there would be 4 disciplemakers.

If this process were to continue and you kept leading 1,000 people to Christ every day (adding 365,000 believers every year), at the end of 10 years you would have reached 3,650,000 people and at the end of 25 years that number would be 9,125,000.

The disciplemakers keep on investing in one new person every year who does the same thing, he invests in one new person every year. The numbers simply multiply and at the end of 10 years there are 1,024 disciplemakers and at the end of 25 years, there would be 33,554,432 disciplemakers (over 3x more than the addition process).

It’s easy to see that the process of multiplication is slower than the process of addition. It takes 19 years for the number of disciplemakers to exceed the number of the first year alone. However, when the disciplemaking process reaches year 26, they would reach 67,108,864, a number you couldn’t reach by addition for another 158 years.

The big difference in disciplemaking isn’t just the numbers. It’s the growth and maturity that happen in the disciplemaking process! When you focus on disciplemaking, you develop men and women who are mature in their faith and able to spiritually reproduce themselves in others.

https://www.missionalchallenge.com/disciplemaking-addition-vs-multiplication/

*****************************
“We’re Called to Make Disciples, Not Converts”

The last thing jesus told his disciples to do was to go everywhere and teach everyone to obey everything he asked them to do but how how were eleven uneducated and unsophisticated Jewish men supposed to make disciples in all the different cultures and languages of the world they had no money no power no organization and no leader and to make matters worse they were outcasts in their own society and religion the disciples didn’t seem to have anything and yet they changed everything what they did have was a life-changing experience with Jesus a willingness to simply obey the power of the Holy Spirit oh yes and lots of context what we call today a social network here’s what happened everything started with prayer then came the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost after Pentecost people visiting Jerusalem from faraway places went home and told their friends and family what God had done and when those people passed on what they had experienced the good news about Jesus spread like wildfire post Pentecost social networking is how the gospel went viral that was over 2,000 years ago so how are we doing today there is some good news and some not-so-good news the good news the number of Christians is increasing the not so good news the percentage of Christians is stuck so what’s the problem and how can we solve it the biggest issue seems to be that not all believers in Jesus are actually obedient followers of Jesus the main job of being a disciple of Jesus is to make more disciples but not many people are doing that today in the first century what created a spiritual revolution was disciples making disciples who made disciples dozens became hundreds hundreds became thousands and before too long thousands had multiplied to millions all because ordinary people simply obeyed what Jesus told them to do and taught those who risk wanted to do the same we think this is an idea whose time has come again

*****************************
“Making Disciple-Making Disciples”

Commanded by our Lord, we have the privilege of leading others in the way of Jesus. In this video: Mary Mohler, Jani Ortlund, Jennie Allen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX98-FJ-mYs

*****************************
“Making Disciples Who Engage the Culture”

“We will never affect the culture publicly until we’ve been transformed by the Gospel privately.”

[ Robby Gallaty ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9cm3AR9BPs

*****************************
“Go Therefore and Make Disciples”

Jesus gave you and me a command to “go therefore and make disciples.” That Great Commission responsibility rests on each one of us, as believers—even if we’re not gifted evangelists or apologists.

But what is discipleship? Well, think of it as raising children. Evangelism is “making children” but discipleship is building them up. And no matter where you are in your spiritual growth, there is always somebody you can disciple or mentor in the Lord.

I started doing that when I was a fairly new Christian. I didn’t know much, but I knew more than other people in my circle. Some I had led to Christ, others were new believers, and I shared what I knew to build them up in Christ. That’s what discipleship entails.

And you can do the same. You can play a central role in fulfilling the Great Commission by seizing the opportunities you have with people in your circle who are less mature. You have something to give them to build them up.

So here’s my suggestion. Survey your immediate environment and ask yourself, Who are the individuals I can build up in Christ? Who are the people I can be a spiritual father or spiritual mother to?

No matter who you are, no matter where you’re at, and no matter how immature you consider yourself to be in the Lord, there are others less mature who you can build up in some way. I suggest you look for those people and get about doing the Great Commission in that way.

And STR stands ready to help. Because of friends like you, STR offers many resources to help disciple and equip believers with the knowledge, wisdom, and character you and others need to be ambassadors for Christ.

[ Greg Koukl ]

*****************************
“How Do We Make Disciples of All Nations If We’re Not Gifted in Apologetics or Evangelism?”

Greg shares how any Christian – no matter their skills – can play a part in making disciples of all nations.

[ Greg Koukl ]

*****************************
“Making Disciples of Jesus”

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you—Matthew 28:19–20

As Alexander the Great was moving east in his conquest of the world, he came upon a fortified city. Alexander demanded that the king and the citizens surrender. The king laughed and said, “Look at our strong walls. Why should I surrender to you?” So Alexander decided to give the king a demonstration. Near the city was a cliff. Alexander ordered his army to start marching toward that precipice. The city’s citizens and king watched with horror as the men marched closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. After several soldiers plunged to their deaths, Alexander halted the army and turned back to the king. The citizens realized there were no walls thick enough to protect themselves against that kind of radical commitment. They fell at Alexander’s feet, surrendering immediately. The radical loyalty those soldiers demonstrated toward Alexander the Great is the same kind of radical commitment Jesus Christ demands from those of us who want to be His disciples. And it is that kind of commitment Jesus talks about in the parables that address the cost of following Him.

In every political season, both parties promise everything under the sun if you will vote for them. “I will lower your taxes. I will make the world more secure. Vote for me.” The candidates do everything they can to try to garner as many votes as possible. But how different Jesus Christ was from today’s politicians. Sometimes it seems like Jesus isn’t trying to attract followers. It almost seems as if He is trying to discourage followers. And there is a reason for that.

Luke 14:25 says, “Now large crowds were going along with Him.” There were two phases to the ministry of Jesus Christ. There was the public ministry in which He did many miracles in order to garner a crowd. But then there was the private ministry in which Jesus talked about the cost of following Him. And we see the pivot between those two phases of Jesus’ ministry in this verse. Jesus looked at the great crowds that had been following Him and said to Himself, “It’s time to thin out the ranks. It’s time to pare down these people who say they want to be My disciples.” So Jesus, beginning in Luke 14:26, lays out the cost of being a true disciple of Christ.

Now, before we talk about the demands of being a disciple, it would be helpful to know the definition of a disciple. Matthew 28 is one of the seminal passages on discipleship. Verses 19 and 20 are familiar to us—we call them the Great Commission, Jesus’ final marching orders to the church. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The reason you and I exist, the reason we have been left on earth instead of being raptured when we were saved, is for one reason: we are to make disciples for Jesus Christ.

What is a disciple? A disciple is one who professes to have learned certain principles from another and maintains those principles in his life. In Jesus’ day, there were many rabbis who had their own followings. If there was a particular rabbi to whom a person was attracted, that person might choose to become the rabbi’s disciple. That is, they would attach themselves to that rabbi. They would go around with him and listen carefully to his teachings. But more importantly, they would emulate every activity of that rabbi’s life and make it a part of their life.

A disciple of Jesus is somebody who molds his or her life after the principles of Jesus. And the reason you and I are still here on earth is to go into our country, into the world, and make disciples of Jesus.

***
Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Becoming Salty Saints” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

https://ptv.org/devotional/making-disciples-of-jesus/

*****************************
“Making Disciples Like Jesus Did”

C.S. Lewis Institute

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX5fwLpxLcA
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI29w9ziPsY
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trsBDL0Wjuc

*****************************
“Church Growth By Multiplication”
The Acts 1:8 Plan for Church Growth

Only two dozen American mega-churches—a church with at least 2,000 people in average attendance—existed in 1990 according to Outreach magazine. Today there are over 1,300 mega-churches in America. The mega-church movement has boomed.

But in the last few years a new label has emerged—the giga-church. A giga-church has over 10,000 people in average attendance. Over 36 giga-churches exist in the United States alone.

The giga-church title does not necessarily mean that God is blessing that particular congregation. There are many apostate preachers that have very large congregations. Bigness does not necessarily equal godliness.

The first church in Jerusalem dwarfed even the largest modern giga-church. God blessed this church in an unusual way. He first added a huge number of new believers, then He multiplied.

ADD, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE
The culture of the New Testament Church was one of continual addition. Acts 2:41 tells us the Lord added 3,000 souls. Acts 2:47 says the Lord added daily. In Acts 4:4 another 5,000 men were added to the church, and Acts 5:12 says that “multitudes” were added. But there came a day when the Lord stopped adding and began multiplying.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Acts 6:1

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7

God’s multiplication of disciples brought exponential growth. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for those original 120 disciples to see their church explode in numerical and spiritual growth. God was working in a powerful way, but His plan of multiplication was not going to be limited to one location.

In one surge of persecution, the giga-church at Jerusalem became a scattered church. All the believers, except the apostles, were spread throughout Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8:1). This was the final stage of God’s plan for church growth. God was no longer just multiplying disciples, He was multiplying churches. The cultural shift was from one very large church to multiple assemblies that would reach all ethnic groups in every country around the world.

God gave his plan for the local church in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The word both in this passage indicates simultaneously ministering in all four areas. God fulfilled his plan in Acts 1:8 by scattering His church in Acts 8:1. In order to multiply the church, He first divided the church.

Today churches have a choice. They may willingly submit to the Acts 1:8 plan to witness to the uttermost, or God can use the Acts 8:1 plan to multiply His churches.

“EVERY BAPTIST A MISSIONARY”
Few pastors adopted this plan for church multiplication like Johann Gerhard Oncken, my spiritual great, great, great, great grandfather. My mother, Gisela, and father, Otto Irmler, were saved in Baptist churches which Oncken helped begin in Germany and Poland respectively. It is difficult to measure the impact this man had on Europe.

Johann Oncken was born into a Lutheran home, became an apprentice to a tradesmen in a Scottish Presbyterian’s home, was saved in a Methodist Chapel in London, and became a Baptist preacher in Germany after reading the Bible. He was baptized five years after his conversion by the Baptist preacher, Barnas Sears. The next day, Barnas Sears organized a local Baptist church with six newly baptized converts and appointed Johann as the pastor.

Oncken had a passion for multiplying churches. There was no religious liberty in Germany in his day, but Oncken continued the work in spite of being harassed, fined, and jailed. During one stay in prison, the warden intercepted a note from Oncken’s followers informing their pastor about the current state of the flock. The note read, “Dear Brother, The Lord’s work goes on well, may that comfort and refresh your spirit. Yesterday we met in twelve places; the police are hunting for us, but failed to find us.”

Despite persecution, the churches grew, not only in Germany, but also across Europe. Oncken preached and labored in churches in Denmark, Sweden, France, Hungary, Prussia, Russia, and Switzerland. His love for souls was reflected in his motto: “Every Baptist a missionary.”

Oncken’s impact reached beyond his own church walls. Although his church, First Baptist Church of Hamburg, had an auditorium that seated 1,400 people, there were tens of thousands of believers that were members of more than 2,200 churches, preaching stations, and Sunday schools Oncken started in Germany. The total membership of all the churches he started in Europe, not including 17,000 Sunday School students of various ages, was 114,000 believers.

Pastor Johann Oncken believed the Bible demands that God’s people and God’s churches reproduce themselves many times over. In the history of the church, there have been few laborers who, by the power of God, have been so successful in bringing salvation to the lost.

What was the common link between Oncken’s churches and the church at Jerusalem? Their faith was alive and active, and they continued multiplying themselves.

The growth of the church in Jerusalem was a wonderful testimony to the spirit of God’s grace and power. Their growth revealed that their church was alive and active. They knew that they could reach a city by addition, but they could reach the world through multiplication.

[ Mark Irmler ]

*****************************
“GO!”
Greg Laurie

Matthew 28/Luke 14

*****************************
“The Great Commission Starts in Your Backyard”
For parents, our most important mission field is closer than we think.

According to a recent Barna report on spiritual conversations in a digital age, children who grow up regularly talking about faith and seeing their parents integrate faith into everyday life are much more likely to continue being actively engaged in their faith as they grow older. In other words, parents who are eager to talk with their kids about spiritual matters raise kids who are likewise eager. While we often think of sharing faith as something we do with strangers or non-Christian friends, some of the most significant and impactful conversations happen in the familiar context of home. [more…]

[ Noel Green Estes ]

https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2018/july/great-commission-starts-in-your-backyard.html

*****************************
“The Cost of Non-discipleship”

What it means to follow Jesus:
– To live with radical abandonment for Jesus’ glory
– To live with joyful dependance ion Jesus; grace,
– To live with faithful adherence to Jesus
– To live with urgent obedience to Jesus’ mission.

[ David Platt ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKK-WWBWjpQ

*****************************
“Calling All Fishermen”

In our first day of our 21 day disciple makers devotional, will look at Matthew chapter 4 where Jesus called his first disciples. Noticed that he did not start by preaching sermons. He identified a handful of regular guys and sent them out with purpose from the very beginning.

Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WywH23Hkdlw&list=PLO-sIGv5wgZyJae0m8KItO2akCE4Dtftd

Disciplemaking is just speaking truth in love (verse?). How can you start doing this? Well, most importantly, you need to be in God’s Word (the Bible) on a daily basis—’digging out’ truth.

Then, ‘connect’ with one or more believers to encourage each other and ‘go out’ together—you’re “better together.” (“He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits” – Mark 6:7). Not only was Christ with them in spirit, He gave them His Spiritual power (Holy Spirit) to do His work of spreading the Gospel!

Just remember what Jesus said was the most important in life: love God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40). Then, in John 21, Jesus is talking to the Apostle Peter and He says: “Simon, do you love me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” (verse 17).
So, if we really “love people,” then we

After you are committed to making disciples, there will be opposition—from the people you are trying to help, from other people opposed to Jesus, and even from the “evil one” (Satan). So now you, just like the Apostles, need to pray for “boldness”: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.,” [ Acts 4:29-31 ].

Back in the time after Jesus ascended into Heaven, all the ‘regular’ disciples—not just the “professionals” (the Apostles)—went out to “all the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1:4) to spread the Good News of Jesus.

This is what all believers are ‘called’ to today. We are not to expect the “professionals” (Pastors and paid staff of the church) to do the work, we are all to do it! Just remember that Jesus sent Saul—later to be the Apostle Paul, the most influential Christian in history—to a ‘regular believer, Ananias, for him to explain the Gospel and disciple him in the faith. Now, Jesus could have ‘discipled’ Saul, but that’s not how He has decided to do it. He want BELIEVERS TO DISCIPLE OTHERS. That’s our ‘job’!

Now, you might say that you don’t fell “ready,” “qualified,” “competent,” or “prepared” to teach someone else. Well, consider what the Apostle Paul did right after Saul became a Christian because of Ananias’ teaching: “For a few days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ” [ Acts 8:19b-22].

In addition to this, some of you might feel you are “disqualified” because of something in your past that you feel guilty about, and that keeps you from being able to go out and make disciples. But, consider just before Saul’s conversion because of Ananias discipleship, he was going to Damascus to arrest and kill Christians. So, if he didn’t feel disqualified just a few days after he became a believer, then I am sure what you have done doesn’t disqualify you either!

Now, the “Great Commission” commands us to go and make disciples. It also is inferred that we make them in a ‘reproducible’ way—disciples who make disciples, who make disciples—so, making “disciple-makers.” The Apostle Paul said this well to his disciple Timothy: “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on the others” [ 2 Timothy 2:2 ].

There’s no other better ‘legacy’ you can leave! This is the greatest thing we can do with our lives—impacting other people’s eternity!!!

So, again, WHO WILL YOU DISCIPLE? (and hopefully they will tell you who they will disciple).

*****************************
“Life-To-Life Discipleship”

The Navigators is a ministry that shares the gospel of Jesus and helps people grow in their relationship with Him through Life-to-Life™ discipleship, creating spiritual generations of believers. Since its founding in 1933, The Navigators has upheld the mission “To know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same™.” Watch the video below and read on to learn more about our ministry efforts around the globe.

https://www.navigators.org/

————–

The Wheel® Illustration
Each part of The Wheel Illustration represents a crucially important component of a vibrant Christian life—from the rim representing obedience to Christ, to the hub of Christ-centeredness, to each of the four spokes of witnessing, prayer, fellowship and the Word.

If you need a simple, effective way to visually explain the structure of a God-glorifying life to someone you’re discipling, sharing The Wheel diagram can be as simple as drawing it out on a napkin or notepad. Challenge them to think deeply about how to be an obedient follower of Christ. [more…]

[ The Navigators ]

https://www.navigators.org/resource/the-wheel-illustration/

*****************************
“The Essentials of Discipleship”
(1 Corinthians 4:1-21)

[ My Selected Excerpts ]

We are under orders. We have a stewardship, I do and you do, that is to be discharged. We are to feed the flock of God, shepherd the flock of God, live an exemplary life, train them in ministry, edify them so they can grow to the fullness of the stature of Christ.

———-

To put it in great commission language, Matthew 28:19 and 20 which is, of course, is familiar to all students of the Bible, this is the Great Commission. “Go, make disciples of all the nations.” That’s our responsibility. That is for all of us, “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I command you for low I am with you always even to the end of the age.” We have been all called to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Pastors are the ones who show you the way to do that. We’re the examples of a responsibility we all possess.

———-

Now, to understand the components of doing this, just a little bit of a study, drop down to verse 14…drop down to verse 14, we’ll actually start one verse in it, verse 15, but we’re going to look at verses 14 to 21 in this wonderful chapter and I’m going to show you the components that are essential in making a disciple. This is what it is to exercise the responsibility of gospel ministry, gospel stewardship in the life of someone else. This is what it means to be a spiritual father.

———-

Now drop down to verse 15 . Paul says, “For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” This is where discipleship begins. It begins with understanding that we are spiritual fathers to others. We have already seen the picture of slaves and servants and stewards, and now we are seeing the unveiling of a new spiritual metaphor, we are to be engaged in spiritual fatherhood, true spiritual fathers. You remember in Matthew 23 Jesus condemned the leaders of Israel because they wanted to be called “Father.” And they were only fathering sons of hell. Jesus says, “You make them more sons of hell than you yourselves.” That is the result of false spiritual leadership. But here we’re talking about being a true spiritual father.

———-

Now what are the components of that? Number one, he begets…number one, he begets. This is what defines a father. He has children, or he adopts children. That is to say he recognizes that he has direct personal care for his spiritual children, whether he himself was there at their birth, or whether he adopted them somewhere along the way. In the case of the Corinthians, of course, the Apostle Paul was their spiritual father. He says, “You could have many paidagogos, countless. You could have ten thousand tutors. This is…this paidagogos is what we get the word pedagogue from. These would be tutors or instructors that families would hire and these would help the children do their homework and they would walk the children to school and tutor them as they went and be there when they came out and tutor them as they came home. Paul says you might have a whole lot of tutors, you might have countless, unnumbered tutors, but you only have one who is spiritually responsible for you. Paul calls the Galatians, for example, in Galatians 4:19, “My little children in whom I have birth pains until Christ is fully formed in you.”

———-

Now back in Acts 18, we read the history of how Paul became the father of the people who came to Christ in Corinth. He left Athens, he went to Corinth. He found there a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome, he came to them, he was of the same trade as they were, leather worker, tent maker. He stayed with them. They were in the same trade, making tents. He was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath trying to persuade Jews and Greeks and it goes on to tell the story of the impact that he had. Verse 8, Crispus, the leader of the synagogue believed in the Lord with all his household. Many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized and the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid any longer, go on speaking, do not be silent, I am with you. No man will attack you in order to harm you for I have many people in this city, and he settled there a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them.” This is when he fathered the believers in Corinth. He is a spiritual father.

[ John MacArthur ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U8w_8KNi30

*****************************
“How to Empower Someone to Make Disciples”

You don’t have to be a pastor to train and empower someone to go out and make disciples. If Jesus let fishermen do it, so can you.

Invite->Invest->Empower

– Train
– Practice
– Encourage
– Mobilize
– Follow Up

[ 365 Bible ]

*****************************
“How To Make Disciple Makers”

We can talk about making disciples all day long. But to actually do it requires commitment to three basic tasks.

– Invite
John 1:39

– Invest
Ephesians 4:11-12, 15

– Train
2 Timothy 2:2

[ 365 Bible ]

*****************************
“How to Make Disciples in Three Easy Steps”

Jesus expects his followers to go out and help people pursue God. Here’s how to actually do it.

Find a topic
Learn about to
Explore it through conversation

FlexTalk:
http://www.flextalk.org/

[ 365 Bible ]

*****************************
“Jeff Bezos and the Golden Rule”

Jeff Bezos has always lived by simple leadership principles, and it is made him one of the richest men in the world. Jesus was an even greater leader, and his principles are timeless.

Jeff Bezos: “Focus on the things that don’t change.”

Matthew 7:12 (“Golden Rule”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fnZsyM-IB0

[ 365 Bible ]

*****************************
“Discipleship Lifestyle”

“Everyone who is called to salvation is also called to discipleship – no exceptions; no excuses.”

In this video, Bill Hull declares that, “the Gospel we believe in determines the disciples we make.” The problem, he says, is that we proclaim a deficient gospel where discipleship is optional. Instead, discipleship should be part of a Christian lifestyle from day one.

Key Discipleship Highlights:
The false promise of discipleship
Will we ever “arrive” practicing spiritual disciplines? Is “arriving” their purpose?
Moving from “How am I doing?” to “How am I doing loving others?”

[ Bill Hull ]

https://exponential.org/discipleship-lifestyle/

*****************************
“Mobilizing Disciples”

Joining Jesus in His Mission of Making Disciples of All Peoples

Our Ministry Focus
Within the structure of TMS Global, we serve as Ministry Resource Consultants focusing upon three primary areas:

Spiritual Growth
Maximizing the effectiveness of missionaries through pastoral care, personal discipleship training, and resources for continued spiritual growth.

Effective Mobilization
International Mobilization & Discipleship Consultations in strategic cities throughout the world, assisting pastors and national leaders to become more effective in mobilizing churches to truly become missional outposts focused upon personal disciple making

Discipleship Movement
Discipling pastors and strategic church and community leaders to enable movements of disciple making within churches and personal networks of relationships

https://www.mobilizingdisciples.com/

*****************************
“Go and Make Disciples” NOT Pew Warmers”

Jesus said Go and Make Disciples!

What if Go looked less like this…
and more like this…

What if we did less of this…
Would we be more free to…

As a church we need to ‘step out’…step out in faith, step out of the church doors, and step into the world to engage the lost and the suffering.

Although programs and events are useful, they can easily create an inwardly focused atmosphere to where the body is sustained just enough to survive but not enough to multiply… The five-fold ministry’s position is not to be up high orating to an audience below, but to be the settled foundation upon which the saints are equipped to the work of the ministry of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God… We come to go…

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYB3vm9u3AQ

*****************************
“Go” (Make Disciples)

Before Jesus left the earth He left us with the Great Commission to go and make disciples. More than 150,000 people die every day, many don’t know Jesus. Someone brought the gospel to you.

The command in context:
1. Jesus has the authority, so then…
2. Go and make disciples, remembering…
3. Jesus will always be with you.

The Roman’s road gospel…

Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 10:9-10

[ Jason Fritz ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-v5HXiUfks

*****************************
“Jesus and the Great Commission”

“Jesus and the Great Commission” out of Matthew 28:18-20, by Pastor Brett Baggett via Ekklesia Muskogee. Week #43 in The King and His Cross sermon series.

[ Brett Baggett ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULRr0qAiQdE

*****************************
“6 Simple Ways to Make Disciples Without Adding Anything To Your Schedule”

Caesar Kalinowski shares six simple ways to make disciples without adding anything to your schedule. http://bit.ly/17gUvTy

In the video clip above he says, “Let me give you six rhythms we’ve been using in community…

First one is Know the Story. Okay, we all have a story. Is our story apart of God’s story or are we believing a different story that’s been told to us by maybe our parents, our boss, people growing up, the culture? Do we know God’s story as a story? We need to. If we’re going to be living as disciples who make disciples, we need to know God’s story. We need to get to know each other’s story deeply enough to apply the gospel…

That leads us to another rhythm of Listening. We’re always listening to someone, but are we listening to God…We need to listen backwards through the Word of God—Who is God? How has He always been? We need to listen forward through the Holy Spirit. Like my prayer times are mostly filled up with me telling God what to do, then I shoot off into my day. But to cultivate a rhythm of listening to God and in community is how you get to know peoples stories…

Next rhythm: Celebrate. Life is living in a rhythm of celebration. Think about all the holidays that are just coming around, and birthdays (everybody you know has one), and anniversaries, and graduations, and all. We need to join those celebrations and be the bringers of the better wine…Throw the best parties. The church should be the most celebratory people of the planet. We get to live forever! Party!

Rhythm of Eating. Talk about moving from additional to intentional. We’re already eating like 21 times a week…What if I were to have three meals a week with people I’m trying to make disciples of?

Then this rhythm of Bless…Ask the spirit to reveal to you three people that you could bless intentionally each week through either words, action, or gift. Imagine a community of people in a neighborhood, like ten or twelve, all blessing three people a week. You think that neighborhood would notice? It’ll transform a place.
This last rhythm is ReCreate. It’s this idea of rest in Christ’s completed work and then out of that we create beauty and we work and we create value. Resting in what Christ has done for us, not to earn, but then we work. It’s the idea of sabbath.”

[ Caesar Kalinowski ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7_YbdaDEQ

*****************************
“Go Make Disciples”

This video deals with God’s commission of all his followers. If we are believers in Christ God commands us to make disciples. Are you obedient to God’s call?

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arYN1j7YbBE

*****************************
“Disciple Making”

Alan Hirsch video intro at the Verge Missional Community Conference in Austin, Texas.

Another key ingredient of mDNA is discipleship and disciple making, because it involves the critical task of becoming more like Jesus, the Founder. It is about embodiment of Jesus and all that he stands for. Jesus movements that change the world are at core, disciple-making systems. At every level of the organization, and in every stage of life, it features significantly.

When dealing with discipleship, the capacity to generate authentic followers of Jesus, we are dealing with a crucial factor that will in the end determine the quality of the whole—if we fail in embedding this element of mDNA then we are guaranteed to fail in all the others. It is such a critical task that Jesus focused most of his energy on it. For the follower of Jesus, discipleship is not the first step in a promising career, but the fulfillment of their destiny to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom.8:29).

[ Alan Hirsch ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3oA5AETuI

*****************************
“As You Go, Make Disciples”

Paul Washer is preaching at a Missions Conference.

[ Paul Washer ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo5FXX0pl1U

*****************************
“Christ Commands to Make Disciples, Not Returning Customers”

“Jesus Christ failed miserably in evangelism.” At least that is what you will get if you ask the pragmatic “seeker sensitive” movement. This clip by Charles Spurgeon and Mark Kielar shows exactly why the methods used by the modern “church” are contradictory to what Jesus set forth as the right way to evangelize the lost.

[ Mark Kielar ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Vr-MijSnc

*****************************
“Why People Don’t Make Disciples”

[ David Platt ]

*****************************
“Make Disciples”

[ David Platt ]

#1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXlGYPCs2ho
#2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsflb7_CbGI
#3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lq6KvW5zBU
#4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMJVVo_SnMU
#5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAakySEXDes
#6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92YqnYJXhpA

*****************************
“Disciple Making”

[ Francis Chan And David Platt ]

Don’t Be Deceived, Disciples Make Disciples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6aqT7MOXo0

Disciple Making, Fruit Of Being A Christian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVaktd2s0L4

If I Believe this Gospel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYqyu1iAGtQ

What Is Multiply?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8iKvZ6Vejw

*****************************
“Disciple Maker Tools and Processes”

2016 Discipleship.org National Forum featuring Randy Pope

Conference Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq3pkV6ucQ

*****************************
“DiscipleFIRST”

At discipleFirst our mission is to multiply disciple-making churches locally and globally. As an organization we long to see a disciple-making movement sweep through the hearts of Christ followers in the United States and around the Globe.

Website: https://disciplefirst.com/

*****************************
“Discipleship”

At Bellevue Christian Church, we describe disciples as ordinary people learning to live everyday life like Jesus. This is our attempt to explain what that looks like at our church

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTBBuirYxNo

*****************************
“Discipleship at the Core”

While discipleship should be at the core of every church, it won’t become the core by accident. In this video, Jim Putman explains why discipleship should be at the core of every church plant and how to make disciples that make disciples as your church takes off

[ Jim Putman ]

Presentatiopn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDE-uVpMqzM

*****************************
“Emotionally Healthy Discipleship”

Emotionally Healthy Discipleship was birthed out of the realization that key areas were missing in the church’s spiritual formation/discipleship. Over a 22-year period, these missing elements were identified and applied deeply at New Life Fellowship Church and then in churches around the world. Click here to watch a 9 minute introduction by Pete on Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.

A Strategy for Discipleship that Deeply Changes Lives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUKHlJvfq4s

Chapter 1: https://vimeopro.com/user29978616/emotionally-healthy-relationships-chapter-1

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course – Session 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=895hXe7KMOw

Emotionally Healthy Relationships Workbook: https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Emotionally-Healthy-Relationships-Workbook.pdf

More Info: https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/discipleship-courses/

*****************************
“Do Churches Disciple The Wrong Way?”

Jesus had both his public ministry to the multitudes and his personal discipleship of his own disciples. His public teaching ministry looked much like Marge’s teaching method (the history teacher in the video above) and his day-to-day discipleship looked more like Tom’s (the guitar tutor from the same video). Today’s churches try to apply this the same idea of teaching large groups and tutoring smaller ones, of lecturing to the big group and listening to one another in small group. To accommodate large group lectures, churches usually build auditoriums. To accommodate programs with smaller gatherings such as Sunday School classes and Bible studies, they often add on classrooms. Yet neither of these approaches is an accurate reflection of the early church

[ Church Anarchrist ]

*****************************
“Effective Discipleship Documentary”

Intentional. Missional rather than invitational. A disciple is one who hears God and develops a pattern of responding in obedience

*****************************
“How NOT To Make Disciples”

[ Francis Chan ]

Download Francis Chan’s eBook, The Joy of Being a Disciplemaker, here:
http://my.vergenetwork.org/the-joy-of-being-a-disciplemaker-francis-chan/

*****************************
“3 Steps To Making Disciples”

One of Francis Chan last sermons at cornerstone church where he speaks about the importance of making disciples. Discipleship matters to Jesus but does it matter to you?
1. Co-ordinate
2. Chill
3. Correct

[ Francis Chan ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEksEDlrcFc

*****************************
“Go Make Disciples”

This was a little inspirational piece I made for Disciples everywhere, Lets change the world for Jesus!

[ Handly Eugene ]

*****************************
“Here Am I… Send Him!”

Part 1 of the series Go! (Book of Jonah)
Message by Pastor Greg Laurie

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2dGPLCCx6s

*****************************
“Downline Ministries”

Nine life-changing months of biblical discipleship training

http://downlineministries.com/

*****************************
“How Disciples Make Disciples”

The Bible often explains spiritual growth by using natural, organic examples. This video illustrates spiritual growth and maturity and the importance of disciple-making in that process.

[ Grace Church – Bath Campus ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNNf0wUqAkg

*****************************
“How Do We Make Disciples? – Acts 18:1-17”

Jesus the King gave us joyful marching orders. He commanded us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” and that is exactly what Christians are delighted to do. But how? In Acts 18 Paul arrives at Corinth, and the way he handles himself gives us three things to focus on as we seek to fulfill Jesus’ great commission. Don’t stop talking (vv. 1-5), don’t give up (vv. 6-8), and don’t be afraid (vv 9-17).

[ Ekklesia Church ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceQnV19S5Z0

*****************************
“How to Disciple”

10 tips on Discipleship.

[ Sarah Gatewood ]

*****************************
“Hymn of Invitation and Dedication “Go, Make of All Disciples”

[ Polk Street United Methodist Church ]

*****************************
“Make Disciples, Not Converts”

“Make disciples, not converts,” is a profound truth that must be taken seriously when mentoring, coaching, and training people around the world to become followers of Jesus.

[ Jerry Trousdale ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JLGrbDW_8M

*****************************
“Work and the Great Commission”

Most Christian businesspeople are bored in church—and in life. How can your calling at work be reconciled with everyone’s calling to make Christ known amongst all the nations?

[ J.D. Greear ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYSw4FKkV20

*****************************
“MAKE DISCIPLES – IDENTITY” – Matthew 28:18-20”

The mission of every church and every Christian is to make disciples of all nations. Why? Because Jesus has all authority and that’s exactly what He said to do. A disciple is someone who has received a new identity by grace from Jesus, through faith in Jesus. A disciple is someone who has been adopted into the family of God as God’s child. Why do people need to become disciples of Jesus? Because those who are not disciples are in the path of the wrath of God. How will people become disciples? By Christian’s being intentional to tell others the gospel and by the Holy Spirit’s life-giving grace, who makes dead sinners alive in Christ when Christians tell people the gospel. Are you a disciple?

[ Ekklesia Church ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_icltArvU0

*****************************
“Making Disciples”

Most people assume that the Gospel is about making a decision and getting into Heaven. There is a clearer way to understand the Gospel, when it calls us to salvation, it calls us to discipleship as well. The Gospel leads to making disciples. No exceptions. No Excuses.

[ Bill Hull ]

*****************************
“Making Disciples Like Jesus Did”

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX5fwLpxLcA
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI29w9ziPsY
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trsBDL0Wjuc

*****************************
“Our Main Business” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Starts with evangelism.

Baptizing someone is more than just dunking them in some water, it includes inspiring the person to obey Jesus commands, and getting them ‘connected’ to a local church (body of believers),

Teaching them to be followers and ‘imitator’ of Jesus

[ Mike Redick ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNBEHfegKTk

*****************************
“8 Non-Negotiables of the Great Commission”

[ David Platt ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChhKRiCBHSs

*****************************
“Real Discipleship Creates Disciple-Makers”

1: I do, you watch
2: We do together
3: You do, I watch
4: Yo disciple others

[ Christian Anachrist ]

*****************************
“The Biggest Mistake You Can Make in Disciple-Making!”

When it comes to apprenticing others to live a life of discipleship-making and mission, we can often send people off to almost certain failure.

[ Caesar Kalinowski ]

*****************************
“The Command To Make Disciples”

Multiply: The Command To Make Disciples (Week 3) Grace Church Southern Pines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv1pVKb0114

[ Randy Thornton ]

*****************************
“The Great Commission – Go Make Disciples”

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5E8zS9ReL4

*****************************
“Disciple Maker Tools and Processes”
[ Featuring Randy Pope ]

– A Sincere Worshiper of God Daily
– Be a Faithful Disciple-maker (keep going after lost people)
– Be an Effective Disciple Trainer (labor in the lives of a few)
————

– Just start the process (Just Do It!)
– Don’t wait until you think you’ve got enough info/master it—you’ll never share your faith
– When God asks you to give Him an account of our stewardship on earth, you don’t want to ‘point’ at stuff/wealth/religiosity, you want to mention people you invested you life in/discipled.

————

– Pray to God
– Ask Him to show you people
– Invest in them/pour into them
– Pray for them daily

————-

– The Holy Spirit is capable to help you invest in people.
– If God leads you to a person, the Holy Spirit will help you along.

[ 2016 Discipleship.org National Forum ]

Conference Q&A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq3pkV6ucQ&feature=youtu.be&t=3367

*****************************
“Why the Great Commission is Great”
(TGC – 2013 Missions Conference)

[ David Platt ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9U66lYRcWg

*****************************
“Is My Flashlight On?”

You cannot be light on the outside, until you have light on the inside. Everybody in this world is either in the light or they are in the dark. Jesus came to die on a cross for our sins, to take care of the darkness of sin and death, and to come out of the grave three days later so He could be to us the light of the world. Is your flashlight on? If you have Jesus in your heart, your flashlight must be on!

[ James Merritt – “Touching Lives” ]

*****************************
“The Tragic Cost of Non-Discipleship”

David Platt discusses the tragic cost of non-discipleship.

He says, “…the cost of discipleship is great. To live with radical abandonment for His glory, faithful adherence to His person, urgent obedience to His ministry—this is costly. This could cost us, or the people we lead, our lives. But I submit to you this morning that the cost of non-discipleship is far, far, far greater. The cost of non-discipleship is great for scores of people in the church sitting comfortably right now under the banner of Christianity, but have never counted the cost of following Christ—many eternally deceived.

There’s great cost for all who settle for casual association with Jesus and miss out on the abundance and satisfaction and joy that he has designed for us. There’s a cost that comes to monotonous routine Christianity. Don’t do it and don’t lead churches like that. We’ll waste our lives away like that. The cost will be great for us and the church…And the cost of nominal Christianity will be great for those who are lost in this world.

For people in our communities, our cities, for people groups are the world who will go on without the Gospel, because we are content with not making disciples of all the nations. Because in our casual approach to Christianity we are leaving them on a road that leads to an eternal hell. The consequences to casual cultural Christianity are tragic—eternally tragic…Let’s follow Him with abandonment for His glory, with dependance of His grace, with adherence to His Person, and with urgent obedience to His mission.”

[ David Platt ]

*****************************
“Therefore Go and Make Disciples The Great Commission”

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

[ Hyper Pixels ]

*****************************
“We Are To Make Disciples”

Can you be a friend to a new believer? Can you be an unsung hero? Taken from the message “Unsung Heroes”, by Pastor Greg Laurie.

[ Greg Laurie ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI0lOccYKUo

*****************************
“We’re Called to Make Disciples, Not Converts”

Therefore Go and make disciples of all nations.

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rfANtFQtUo

*****************************
“What Is Discipleship and How Is It Done?”

[ John Piper ]

*****************************
“Why Is Discipleship Important?”

Dave Gibbons discusses the importance of discipleship.

In the video clip below he says, “Discipleship is critical, because that’s what Jesus did…That was the purpose actually of the existence of the church. It wasn’t just to build big buildings and for us to spend our lives doing multiple campaigns and to be wrapped up in programs that give us illusions that we’re worshipping God when all we’re doing is sitting and singing to ourselves.

I think discipleship is critical, because that’s the call of the church. In Ephesians 4 he says the main purpose of the church is to equip the saints…How I see it is here you have the world and the church builds its organization and we ask the people to come out of the world into the church building. And then we ask them to put on our t-shirts, we give them a new language, sing our songs, become a small group leader, we give them our job description, and then we ask them to go back into the world and they don’t know how to relate. That’s why they only see church one day a week.

Reality is here’s the world, church may be here, but God says you’re supposed to go into the world and you’re supposed to equip them. So it’s not so much about them fulfilling the churches destiny, or the vision of the organization of the church, but it’s the church actually helping the people find their destiny and then equipping them to make a difference in their world. It’s a totally different mindset.

Could you imagine if the resource that typically go to professional staff and buildings went into actually equipping the people.

From a practical perspective I’ve launched a couple of consulting agencies—one from a secular perspective which is mostly based in Asia and then one here in the US and also Asia. What I’ve realized is that people will pay high dollar for consultancy…When we were doing this I realized this is exactly what the church should be doing. They should take the time to listen to people. Instead of just vomiting their vision to them and their strategies, they should listen to their voice and what God’s done in their life and help them define their destiny and then customize their development based upon their learning style, not just some academic approach. It needs to be much more creative, collaborative and customized.

So discipleship is critical. I see it as one of the main functions of how we’re to be the church, especially when it comes to leadership. We’re to equip people.

The other thing that’s interesting about discipleship to me, that the church needs to do, it’s not so much about classes as it is life together. It’s choosing to live with people, because that’s where the messiness of discipleship really takes root and also it tends to grow.

That’s where the soil is tilled—it’s in the daily life and routines of community. And community not defined as a small group, but as a family. If you really see yourselves as family you’re going to treat others differently. And then you’ll see discipleship as not a program; you’ll see it as real life.”

[ Dave Gibbons ]

*****************************
“Why is Discipleship Important?”

[ Alan Hirsch ]

*****************************
“Why Evangelism Cannot Be Our Focus”

Evangelism vs. Discipleship.

[ Alan Hirsch ]

*****************************
“Disciple-maker Assessment”

Discover your profile and pattern of disciple making. The assessment is FREE and takes about 20 minutes to complete.

http://church-multiplication.com/disciplemaker/

*****************************
“Why the Great Commission Is Great”

Watch David Platt preach about reaching the nations from 2 Corinthians 4 at The Gospel Coalition’s 2013 Missions Conference at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando.

[ David Platt ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9U66lYRcWg

*****************************
“I Can’t Keep It In”

Oh I can’t keep it in, I can’t keep it in
I’ve gotta let it out
I’ve got to show the world, world’s got to see
See all the love, love that’s in me, I said

Why walk alone, why worry when it’s warm over here
You got so much to say, say what you mean
Mean what you’re thinkin’, and think anything
Oh why, why must you waste you’re life away

You’ve got to live for today, then let it go, oh
Lover, I want to spend this time with you
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, if you let me know
And I can’t keep it in, I can’t hide it and
I can’t lock it away

I’m up for your love, love heats my blood
Blood spins my head, and my head falls in love, oh

Oh, I can’t keep it in, I can’t keep it in
I’ve gotta let it out
I’ve got to show the world, world’s got to know,
Know of the love, love that lies low,

So why can’t you say, if you know then why can’t you say
You’ve got too much deceit, and deceit kills the light
Light has to shine,
I said shine light, shine light
Love, that’s no way to live your life

You allow too much to go by, and that won’t do, no
Lover, I want to have you here by my side
Now don’t you run, don’t you hide
While I’m with you

And I can’t keep it in, I can’t keep it in
I gotta let it out
I’ve gotta show the world, worlds’s got to see,
See all the love, love that’s in me

I said why walk alone, now, why worry when it’s warm over here
You got so much to say, say what you mean
Mean what you’re thinkin’ and think anything, why not?
Now why why why not?

[ Cat Stevens – “Catch Bull at Four” album ]

*****************************
“Go, Make of All Disciples”

Go make of all disciples
We hear the call O Lord
That comes from Thee our Father
In Thy eternal Word
Inspire our ways of learning
Through earnest fervent prayer
And let our daily living
Reveal Thee everywhere

Go make of all disciples
Baptizing in the name
Of Father Son and Spirit
From age to age the same
We call each new disciple
To follow Thee O Lord
Redeeming soul and body
By water and the Word

Go make of all disciples
We at Thy feet would stay
Until each life’s vocation
Accents Thy holy way
We cultivate the nature
God plants in every heart
Revealing in our witness
The Master Teacher’s art

Go make of all disciples
We welcome Thy command
Lo I am with you always
We take Thy guiding hand
The task looms large before us
We follow without fear
In heaven and earth Thy power
Shall bring God’s kingdom here

[ Polk Street United Methodist Church ]

*****************************
“Here I Am Lord”

Here I am Lord
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

[ John Michael Talbot – “Table of Plenty” album ]

*****************************
“Go Tell It On The Mountain”

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er their silent flocks night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior’s birth

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

[ Mercy Me ]

*****************************
“Go! And Tell It To The World!”

Christ is coming soon in glory and majesty
Each one needs to hear this Truth about eternity
Who will go without waiting
To tell it to the world
That Jesus is soon to come again

Go! And tell it to the world!
That from sin and so much trouble
The people can be free
Go! And tell it to the world!
That Christ is coming soon in victory!

So many souls are dying
In darkness and in fear
They need the Light from heaven
To give them hope and cheer
Who will go to these lost ones
The Truth of God to share
That Jesus will save then from despair

Go! And tell it to the world!
That from sin and so much trouble
The people can be free
Go! And tell it to the world!
That Christ is coming soon in victory!
Go! And tell it to the world!
That from sin and so much trouble
The people can be free
Go! And tell it to the world!
That Christ is coming soon in victory!
That Christ is coming soon in victory!

[ Author/Singer unknown ]

*****************************
“Tell The World”

[Hook – Mali Music:]
Now, I’m a tell the world, tell ’em
I’m a tell it everywhere I go
Tell the world, tell ’em
Yeah, I’m a billboard
Tell the world, tell ’em
And I’m broadcastin’ like a radio
Tell the world
You ought to know, I’m brand new

[Verse 1 – Lecrae:]
I know one thing’s true: I don’t even really deserve to know you
But I-I’m a witness that you did this, and I’m brand new
So, I-I’m read’ to go, and I’m a tell the world what they need to know
A slave to myself, but you let me go, I tried getting high but it left me low
You did what they could never do
You cleaned up my soul and
Gave me life – I’m so brand new
And that’s all that matters
I-I ain’t love you first but, you first loved me
In my heart I cursed you, but you set me free
I gave you no reason to give me new seasons, to give new life, new breathing
But you hung there bleedin’, and ya’ died for my lies and my cheatin’, my lust and my greed and (Lord!)
What is a man that you mindful of him?
And what do I have to deserve this lovin’?

[Hook – Mali Music:]
Tryna make the moments last
Holdin’ on to the past
But, like a hero in a dream
Christ came, and he rescued me

Now, I’m a tell the world,
Tell the world, tell ’em
I’m a tell it everywhere I go
Tell the world, tell ’em
Yeah, I’m a billboard
Tell the world, tell ’em
And I’m broadcastin’ like a radio
Tell the world
You ought to know, I’m brand new

[Verse 2 – Lecrae:]
I can’t offer you nothin’, but your care and kindness keep comin’
And your love is so unconditional, I get butterflies in my stomach
I got the old me in the rearview
Now the new me got a clear view
And I was so dead, I couldn’t hear you
Too deep in sin to come near you
But you drew me in, you cleaned me up, so take me home, beam me up
Before you do, just let me tell the truth, and let these folks know that I done seen ya’ love
And it’s everlasting, infinite, it goes on and on, you can’t measure it
Can’t quench ya’ love, they can’t separate us from the love of God, there’s no estimate
My face look the same, my frame ain’t rearranged, but I’m changed; I promise I ain’t the same
Your love’s so deep you suffered and took pain, you died on the cross to give me a new name
Ain’t nothing like I’ve seen before, I got a beaming glow
I was low, down, and dirty, but you cleaned me, Lord
You adopted me, you keep rocking me
I’m a tell the world, and ain’t nobody stopping me!

[Hook:]
Tryna make the moments last
Holdin’ on to the past
But, like a hero in a dream
Christ came, and he rescued me

[2 Corinthians 5:17 – Lecrae:]
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
He is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Yea, I’m brand new

[ Lecrae ]

*****************************
“Should I Pray or Should I Go?”
(Parody of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash)

Calling on God to let me know, should I pray or should I go?
If You say that You don’t mind, I’ll be here till You send a sign
So Your Gospel gets to grow in the neighborhood I know
If all of us leave to preach and teach
You’ll have no one left on their knees
I’d say it’s fine to just stay back
Though if You want me, I’ll go pack
Well, come on, not Mexico – there’s no Spanish words I know
Should I pray or should I go now?
Should I pray or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble; the missionaries there may double
And it’s crowded as we know
This Indian mission’s buggin’ me
(Greece, Indonesia, Malta, Malaysia)
They say they want me desperately
(Mongolia, Philippines, Albania)
Is that the food I’m s’posed to eat?
(India, Uzbekistan, Pakistan)
Don’t You need mission trips to Italy?
(Afghanistan, Kazakhstan)
Don’t want no vegetables
(Turkmenistan,Tajikistan)
Shouldn’t I go with the food I know
(Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh)
(Guinea-Bissau, Benin, Gibraltar)
(Cambodia, Vietnam, Somalia)
(Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, Libya)
(Tibet, Sri Lanka, Azerbijan)
(Western Sahara, Macau, Lebanon)
(Qatar, Nepal, East Timor, Burma)
(UAE, Maldives, Gaza Strip)
Should I pray or should I go now?
(Laos, Nigeria, Niger, Mali)
Should I pray or should I go now?
(Israel, Syria, Thailand, Guinea)
If I go rebuild their rubble
(Senegal, Portugal, Djibouti)
Can’t lift a spade or wield a shovel
(Bahrain, Algeria, China, Turkey)
So You gotta let me know
(Iran, Oman, Yemen, Morocco)
Should I mail in the check I wrote?
(Bhutan, Japan, Burkina Faso)
Should I pray or should I go now?
(Cyprus, Brunei, both Koreas)
If I go I’ll break my bubble
(Mauritania, Iraq, Tunisia)
And if I stay I will be cuddled
(Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Gambia)
So tomorrow let me know
(Taiwan, Jordan, Eritrea)
Should I pray or should I go?
(Chad)

[ ApologetiX – “Adam Up” album ]

*****************************
“Wherever You Will Sow”
(Parody of “Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling)

So lately you’re wondering who really cares to take Christ’s grace
Well, Christ taught that seeds of new life get scattered on Earth’s face
If a grain of wheat shall fall, yeah, fall upon good soil
In between the sand and stone, Good News makes that crop to grow
Yes, I’ve learned that Christ’s word will grow wherever you will sow
Wait a while, hold out hope — it grows wherever you will sow
And maybe you’re fried now, afraid you’ve wasted bags of grain
You watered, you tried to do your darnedest, all in vain
If as great a faith as Paul’s can follow after Saul
Then there’s hope for someone out there who you think rejected you
Yes, I’ve learned that Christ’s word will grow wherever you will sow
There’s all kinds of ground though – it grows wherever you will sow
Some it may hit the rocks, some it may hit the road
Some it may hit the thorns
I know now there’s dry ground but lives you love might still grow strong
Give their hearts some more time and state the truth for all mankind
Yes, I’ve learned that Christ’s word will grow wherever you will sow
We all cry, we’ll shout though — as Psalm 126 will show
We might return back cryin’ – Christ’s word is never useless though
Read Isaiah 55 – by verse 11 you will know
It grows wherever you will sow

[ ApologetiX – “Adam Up” album ]

*****************************
“Fishin’ on a Pier”
(Parody of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi)

(Once upon a time – God so loved the world … )
Johnny used to work on the docks
Fishing’s been his life since John was a pup
It’s tough – to stop
He would work with Simon and James
Workin’ for his dad – he made fish fillets
For lunch – mmm – for lunch
He says
We gotta hold on to what we’re taught
Because we may be Christians doesn’t mean we forgot
We got deep water and nets and rods, so now
We’re fishin’ for God

Oh … the pathway’s clear
Oh … fishin’ on a pier
Hey, my man, the lake is right here
Oh … fishin’ on a pier

Tommy’s taught his six-string to talk
With Keith, Todd, and me
Makin’ music Vegas rocks those drums
Mmm … his drums
Jesus gave us somethin’ to say
Cause Christ’s in our lives … now we’re fishers
Parody’s our bait … some say
We gotta hold on to what we’re taught
He called us as musicians and we’re praisin’ our God
We got deep water
And lots of rock and roll
We’re fishin’ for God

Oh … the pathway’s clear
Oh … fishin’ on a pier
They’re my band, the lake is right here
Oh … fishin’ on a pier
Fishin’ on a pier
LEAD

We gotta hold on – steady your rod
We fish for the ones that are called out by God
CHORUS

[ ApologetiX – “Wise Up and Rock” album ]

*****************************
“Unfinished Job”
(Parody of “Unskinny Bop” by Poison)

What’s gotten you so comfy?
How can you sit still, yeah?
Like gatherin’ season out in the country
There’s reapers needed in the field, yeah

Every time I touch on it, you get hot
Don’t wanna make all the neighbors talk
Come on, the devil’s goin’ door to door
Once we’d go with God but not anymore

Unfinished job – He showed you the way, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job – so why delay, yeah? (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job, job, job – we just want to stay, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, what’s the Lord to say?

Go look at Jesus’s strong faith
Loved by God, but acted oh, so brave
He said, we got so many people who want saved
Can I get some other workers that can pave their way?

Every time I touch on it, you get hot
Don’t wanna make all the neighbors talk
Come on, the devil’s goin’ door to door
Once we’d go with God but not anymore

Unfinished job – He showed you the way, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job – so why delay, yeah? (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job, job, job – we just love to play, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, but there’s more to save

You say the Bible always moves ya
Well, that ain’t much if you run in place
Well, honey, I can read it right to ya
Check Luke 10:1,2 and Matthew 28
LEAD

Tough life
Tough song
Tough love
Tough it out and go with God

Unfinished job – He showed you the way, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job – so why delay, yeah? (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job, job – Jesus wants ‘em saved, yeah (ooooooh)
Come on, the devil’s goin’ door to door

Unfinished job – Luke 10:1,2, Luke 10:1,2, Luke (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job – Matthew 28, yeah (ooooooh)
Unfinished job, job, job – Luke 10:1,2, Luke 10:1,2, Luke (ooooooh)
Unfinished job (ooooooh)
Unfinished job (ooooooh)

Luke 10:2
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the
Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

[ ApologetiX – “Play Nice” album ]

*****************************
“Spread The Way”
(Parody Of “Drift Away” By Dobie Gray)

Day after day my Lord comes through
Still it looks more than likely that more’ll be slain
You know after James died my faith was bruised
And I’m feelin’ the pain – but I ain’t gonna change

Jimmy and me, Lord, me and my bro
You wanted apostles to walk the road and spread the Way
Galilee Beach Boys, that’s me and my bro
We counted the cost and we rocked the boat and left the lake
Why’d You take him away?

Beginning to think that I’m racing time
They don’t understand the things they do
But Lord our side will come out fine
And I’m counting on You when they bury me too

CHORUS

And when my time’s complete
You’ll hold a family reunion
And if my dreams come true
I’ll get to come with You real soon then

Thanks Father God that I live and breathe
I want You to know that I believe in Your Son
But livin’ with dyin’ is hard for me
So help me,God
Ah, it’s taking so long

CHORUS

You won’t forsake me, you won’t forsake me

[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]

*****************************
*****************************

DEEP THOUGHTS:

“Do not allow your life to diminish without reproducing it.”
[ Sunday Adelaja ]

“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.”
[ Dietrich Bonhoeffer ]

“The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.”
[ C.S. Lewis ]

“All who are called to salvation are called to discipleship, no exceptions, no excuses!”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The devil himself desires nothing more than this, that the people of any place should be half-awakened and then left to themselves to fall asleep again. Therefore, I determined by the grace of God not to strike one stroke in any place where I cannot follow the blow!”
[ John Wesley ]

“The gospel we preach and believe dictates the kind of disciples we are and the kind of disciples we make.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“Our churches exist for making disciples, and disciples are God’s gift to the world.” [ Bill Hull ]

“We are coming into a time when many churches and Christians who are in leadership positions will be able to say, ‘It’s all about discipleship and transformation into Christlikeness.’”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“Success should be measured not by how many disciples are made, but by how many disciples are making other disciples.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“How dare lead someone to Jesus Christ without adequate follow-up.To do anything less is simply to beget children for the murderer.”
[ John Wesley ]

“God designed it this way; He intended that His great power, wisdom, and love should become visible in very ordinary and otherwise inconsequential people.”
[ Ray C. Stedman ]

“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“Ultimately each church will be evaluated by only one thing, its disciples. Your church is only as good as its disciples. It does not matter how good your praise, preaching, programs or property are. If your disciples are passive, needy, consumeristic, and not moving in the direction of radical obedience, your church is not good.”
[ Neil Cole ]

“Discipleship is the only hope for this world—it hasn’t worked because it hasn’t been done—it hasn’t been done because we are distracted, we are an impatient lot who have been more interested in ourselves and our kingdoms than Christ and His. Only when a person submits to a community of serious Christ-followers can they learn to do all that Christ commanded.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Since making disciples is the main task of the church, every church ought to be able to answer two questions:
What is our plan for making disciples of Jesus?
Is our plan working?”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“I am not afraid that the people called ‘Methodists”’should ever cease to exist in Europe or in America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
[ John Wesley ]

“The church must recapture its missionary identity and activate every Jesus-follower to engage wholeheartedly in the ongoing mission of God.”
[ Brad Brisco ]

“Discipleship is at the same time a character revolution and a worldwide strategy.
It is a strategy that requires depth as a perquisite for reproduction and multiplication.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Our most serious failure today is the inability to provide effective practical guidance as to how to live the life of Jesus. And I believe that is due to this very real loss of biblical realism for our lives.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“Discipleship is at the same time a character revolution and a worldwide strategy.
It is a strategy that requires depth as a perquisite for reproduction and multiplication.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Does the Gospel I preach and teach have a natural tendency to cause people who hear it to become full-time students of Jesus? Would those who believe it become his apprentices as a natural ‘next step’? What can we reasonably expect would result from people actually believing the substance of my message?”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“The greatest challenge the church faces today is to be authentic disciples of Jesus.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.”
[ Dietrich Bonhoeffer ]

“A mature disciple is one who effortlessly does what Jesus would do if Jesus were him.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“God has not promised to bless our good motives, dreams and innovation. He has promised to bless his plan, that plan is that disciples make other disciples—everything else is a sideshow.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice – a practitioner… Disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom of the Heavens to every aspect of their life on earth.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“God has promised to bless his plan and making disciples is his plan. He didn’t tell us to build churches, mission organizations, or Christian Universities. He told us To Make Disciples. It is possible to attend a good church, get a degree from a fine university, and even to go into a full time Christian vocation and not to make disciples.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Sadly enough, [Christian faith throughout history] as failed to transform the human character of the masses, because it is usually unaccompanied by discipleship and by an overall discipline of life such as Christ himself practiced. As a result, when faced with the real issues of justice, peace, and prosperity, what is called faith in Christ has often proved of little help other than the comfort of a personal hope for what lies beyond this life.”
[ Dallas Willard ]

“The morality of need. The pastor preaches to minds that believe bigger is better; the more spectacular the more important; the most important thing about life is that it is enjoyed; basic needs are a nice home, two cars, a three-week paid vacation, several weekends away; life has cheated you unless you have a Caribbean cruise, a DVD player, and an iPod. People have a corrupted sense of need. Needs become values, they take on their own morality. The language of need has replaced the language of greed.”
[ Bill Hull]

“Evangelicals are too easily duped by the latest way to reach people, whether it be the Internet, nifty brochures, or musical extravaganzas. The entire approach puts more responsibility on the leadership to be creative and raise funds than it does on the members of the church to effectively penetrate their worlds for Christ.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Eugene Peterson has said, “American culture is stubbornly resistant to the way of Jesus.” The culture is strongly individualistic; the church is to be strongly communal. The culture is impatient; the church is to be persevering. The culture is celebrity-ridden; the church is to be a culture of humility. The culture celebrates competence; the church’s first priority is dependence. The way of Jesus, then, is one of community, and submission, service, and patience in that community. Jesus’ way is the road of humility, living in a state of brokenness before God. Jesus’ way is a people anxious to depend on God rather than on competence alone.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“When we begin to live for others, we will begin to have the same effect on others as Jesus did.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“We are too easily satisfied with conventional success: bodies, bucks, and buildings. The average Christian resides in the comfort zone of “I pay the pastor to preach, administrate, and counsel. I pay him, he ministers to me. . . . I am the consumer, he is the retailer. . . . I have the needs, he meets them. . . . That’s what I pay for.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Look at the bestselling Christian books, listen to the television evangelist, talk to the average parishioner; the common thread is a preoccupation with felt needs. If the church is going to obey Christ, this must stop.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“It takes five years to establish a discipleship flow and have it bear fruit within the church. Many pastors and parishioners simply don’t possess the spiritual stomach for such a journey.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“When certain characteristics of growing churches become the “holy grail,” simply because they work, not because they are biblically sound, then pragmatism has become an idol.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The uneducated Christian waits until he feels the prompting of the Spirit before he takes action. The Word-filled believer takes action based upon the facts of God’s commands, regardless of how he feels about it.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The church best glorifies God by making disciples, simply because fruit-bearing believers glorify God.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The local-church thinker says, “We are building a great church.” The kingdom thinker says, “We are taking the rule of Christ to the world.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“Before you start making disciples in the church, count the cost; don’t start unless you plan to finish.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The reason the church has not changed the world is not just because of warfare with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Blame goes to the good guys as well, for the evangelical church has failed to produce a healthy product.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“The chief barrier to effective discipleship is not that people do not have the ability to become spiritually mature, but they lack the passion, perspective, priorities, and perseverance to develop their spiritual lives. Most Christians know that spiritual growth is important, personally beneficial, and expected, but few attend churches that push them to grow or provide the resources necessary to facilitate that growth. Few believers have relationships that hold them accountable for spiritual development. In the end it boils down to personal priorities. For most of us, regardless of our intellectual assent to the importance of Christian growth, our passions lay elsewhere—and our schedule and energy follow those passions. Most believers, it turns out, are satisfied to engage in a process without regard for the product.”
[ Bill Hull ]

“We are all mere beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.”
[ Martin Luther ]

RELATED BIBLE VERSES:

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
[ Luke 6:40 ]

“And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”
[ Matthew 4:19 ]

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [ Matthew 28:18–20 ]

“And Jesus was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”
[ Luke 9:23-25 ]

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [ John 8:31-32 ]

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
[ John 13:34–35 ]

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”
[ John 15:8 ]

“Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings both new and old things out of his treasure chest.”
[ Jesus in Matthew 13:52 ]

“As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
[ John 20:21 ]

“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”
[ Luke 14:26–27 ]

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher.”
[ Matthew 10:24–25 ]

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
[ Isaiah 50:4 ]

“By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
[ 1 John 2:5–6 ]

“…train yourself to be godly.
Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
[ 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 ]

“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.”
[ Philippians 3:17 ]

“Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be able to teach others also.”
[ 2 Timothy 2:2 ]

“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.
[ Romans 8:29 ]

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
[ Philippians 4:9 ]

“Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.”
[ 2 Timothy 1:13–14 ]

=============

“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

*****************************
*****************************

Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

The “Great Commission”
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
[ Matthew 28:16-20 ]

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’”
[ Mark 16:15-16 ]

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
[ Acts 2:42, 47 ]

Mark

*****************************
*****************************

If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((‘>
><((((‘> ·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·..><((((‘> ·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((‘>
·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·..><((((‘>
><((((‘> ·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.><((((‘>

	Can ‘AI’… on Are You ‘Prepared’…
	Preparing For The… on Is Death a ‘Dead End…
	Being ‘Thankfu… on “Pay It Forward”…
	Repurpose And… on Concept ‘Refinement…
	Realistic ‘Exp… on Are You ‘Prepared’…
	‘WHY’ Do… on Are You ‘Prepared’…
	‘WHEN’ W… on Are You ‘Prepared’…
	GAINING A DEEP ‘UNDE… on The “BIG Story”…
	Learning To ‘T… on ‘Who’ Can You Trus…
	Persistently ‘… on Too Busy to ‘Wait’…
	Persistently ‘… on Overloaded Lives p2 [v74]
	Persistently ‘… on Overloaded Lives p1 [v73]
	Continually ‘T… on “Life Remodeled” […
	Continually ‘T… on ‘Remodeling’ Your Service…
	Continually ‘T… on Being ‘Remodeled’…

LIFE'S DEEP THOUGHTS