Discipleship. Becoming More Like Jesus

Transcription

1 Discipleship Becoming More Like Jesus THIS IS YOUR DISCIPLESHIP GUIDE Over the next six months, you will be challenged to grow to become more like Christ in your thoughts, your actions, your speech, and your love for God and for others. At Cornerstone, we re passionate about imitating the life and ministry of Jesus. A disciple means learner or apprentice. As we look to and learn from Jesus, we see that Jesus lived His life in three dimensions of relationships. His relationship with God the Father, His relationship with believers, and His relationship with the world. Our Vision and Mission at Cornerstone is to make disciples who are growing in these three areas. We express this through our Experience, Equip, Engage terminology. Our E 3 Discipleship Groups are gender specific groups that meet at least two times per month with the clear goal of God shaping your life to become more like Jesus. The groups will meet for 6 months to one year, and then multiply into new groups. E 3 groups provide a high challenge and high support environment to help you grow. These groups function best with 3-4 people, and the goal is for each person to learn how to lead their own group. [1]

2 CORNERSTONE VISION What are we doing? At Cornerstone, disciples are made who are experiencing new life in Christ, who are equipped to follow Christ, and who are engaging our community and world for Christ. Why are we doing it? Cornerstone Core Values - Our values guide our actions and show our strengths. Focus - We are all about Jesus Transformation - We are growing to become more like Jesus Authenticity - We are real people who value real relationships Grace - We believe in second chances Teamwork - We can accomplish more together Celebration - We will celebrate what God is doing Generosity - We will be radically generous Commitment - We will be the church every day of the week Truth - We will use the Bible as our authority and guide Opportunity - We believe in the next generation How are we doing it? We want to guide people to take next steps in their faith. This is our discipleship process Experience: A place where you can belong Through Sunday Services, LifeGroups, and Social Gatherings, people learn that Cornerstone is more than a church, it s a place where they can belong and learn what it means to follow Christ. Equip: A place to become the person God wants them to be Through Sunday Services, LifeGroups, E3 Discipleship Groups, Classes, and Service Opportunities, people learn that Cornerstone is a place where they can grow in their faith and obedience to Christ. Engage: A place to share new life with others Through community service, mission work, and real life, people learn how to share the love and life of Christ with others When are we successful? We measure how people progress through the steps. We will not become consumed about attendance and budget, but instead we will focus on how we are doing at making disciples. experiencing new life in Christ - we will celebrate our baptisms equipping - measure participation in LifeGroups and in our E3 discipleship groups engaging - measure how many people are serving inside the church and outside the church [2]

3 DISCIPLESHIP AT CORNERSTONE THE CENTRALITY OF DISCIPLESHIP The purpose of the Church is to make disciples. The familiar words of Jesus from the close of the book of Matthew are to Go... and make disciples of all the nations... Making disciples and teaching them to do what Jesus commanded is why the Church exists. In his classic book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis emphasizes this point powerfully: The Church exists for no other purpose 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. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1956), p This is the first point I would make with respect to a strategy for making disciples. The clearly stated and intently pursued goal of Cornerstone Community Church must be to make disciples. My second point would be that if we want to make disciples, we must ourselves be disciples. Jesus command to make disciples was addressed to his disciples. God is certainly able, and perhaps he sometimes does use non-disciples to make disciples, but his apparent preference is to use people who are disciples to make disciples. WHAT A DISCIPLE IS Now if the purpose of Cornerstone Community Church is to make disciples, and if we must be disciples in order to make disciples, we must have a precise understanding of what being a disciple is. Perhaps a good way to understand what it means to be a disciple would be to think of the television program, The Apprentice. The idea of the show, as I have understood it, is to have aspiring, young entrepreneurs compete for the opportunity to become an apprentice to business tycoon Donald Trump (for them, the opportunity of a lifetime). If we consider what these young people are competing for, I think we will have a good picture of what a disciple is. The fervent hope of each contestant on The Apprentice is that they will win the opportunity to be with Donald Trump in order to learn from him how to be like him and how to do what he does. This is precisely the nature of discipleship. To be Jesus disciple, his apprentice, is to be with him in order to learn from him how to do what he does, how to be like him. THE CONDITION OF SOUL IN THE DISCIPLE It is important to note that the contestants on The Apprentice have a certain attitude or mentality about what they are doing. Clearly all of them think that whatever it has cost them to be on the show is well worth the reward. None of them are sweating the cost. What they are sweating is whether or not they will win, whether or not they will get in on the greatest bargain of their lives. Do you imagine that the eventual winner of the contest will be concerned about having to leave family and friends, quit his/her job, and move to New York City in order to be with Donald Trump? Those who would be disciples of Jesus must come to have a similar outlook. The contestants on The Apprentice see Donald Trump as the person to teach them how to be successful in what they highly prize. Similarly, if we want to be apprentices of Jesus, we will have to come to view him as the person to teach us how to have something we value more than any other thing in our world. We must come to see apprenticeship to him as the greatest deal anyone has ever offered us, well worth any cost we might have to pay. This is exactly the point of two short parables Jesus used to instruct the very first disciples. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:44-46, NIV) In his book, The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard explains the significance of these parables this way: These little stories perfectly express the condition of soul in one who chooses life in the kingdom with Jesus. The sense of the goodness to be achieved by that choice, of the opportunity that may be missed, the love for the value discovered, the excitement and joy over it all, is exactly the same as it was for those who were drawn to Jesus in those long-ago days when he first walked among us. It is also the condition of soul from which discipleship can be effectively chosen today. TO CONTINUE READING THE ENTIRE ARTICLE, VISIT DISCIPLESHIP Mark Robinson Elder at Cornerstone [3]

4 MEETING FORMAT Each group will meet at least twice per month for one hour. Some groups may decide to meet weekly. The time will be focused, and each person will be challenged to grow in Christ-likeness. EXPERIENCE [10 MINUTES] Together, each group will challenge each other in reading the Bible and practicing Spiritual Disciplines. Each time you gather, the group will go over assignments and new ideas about experiencing true life in Christ using this Cornerstone E 3 Guide. EQUIP [30 MINUTES] Use the following questions as a launchpad for discussion about the things God is in conversation with you about. Fight for each other s hearts! Remember that healing comes as you confess your sins to God and each other (James 5:16) How have you experienced life in Christ this week? How have you equipped yourself to live in Christ? How have you engaged your community for Christ? Did you make enough space for prayer? Did you do your job to the glory of God? Did you experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life? Have you lacked integrity? Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your important relationships this week? Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face-to-face? Have you given in to an addictive behavior this past week? Explain. Were you anxious, afraid, nervous or living in peace? Did you miss any opportunities because of a lack of boldness or trust? Have you been completely honest with me? ENGAGE [10 MINUTES] Life is war. That s not all it is. But it is always that. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. Pray for two people you are personally connected to who don t know Jesus to come to know Jesus. Pray for opportunities to serve others in the name of Christ. Pray with passion and expectancy. Pray and God will change your heart. Pray and you will be moved into action. PRAYER THEMES Father, send your Holy Spirit to draw to yourself (John 6:44, John 16:7-11) May hear and believe the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Father, restrict Satan from blinding to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Tim. 2:25-26) Give me the opportunity to interact with about Jesus (Ephesians 6:19-20, Col 4:3-6) Father, tear down any walls or barriers that prevent from coming to know you (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Father, surround with other people who will point them to Jesus (Matthew 9:38) [4]

5 We will focus on our relationship with God John 10:10 - I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Matthew 22:37 - Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. EXPERIENCE Experience Checklist Read the New Testament with Your E3 Group (you can download a reading plan at Read through the Story Brochure and be familiar with sharing the story of the Bible with others Share your personal testimony with the Group (for more help read Just Walk Across the Room or Share Jesus Without Fear) Study the Nine Sacred Pathways (from the book by Gary Thomas and listed oat and take the assessment found on the website to discover the way you connect with God Share your plan on how to integrate spiritual disciplines into your life with the group Complete a Spiritual Growth Plan for the next year. Pick a book to read on Experiencing Life in Christ from our resources page on the website ( and share what you learned with the group. [5]

6 We will focus on our relationship with other believers. Ephesians 4: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Equip Checklist Choose 1 Other Discipleship book and share a summary of it with the group (Building a Discipling Culture, r12, Choose the Life, Crazy Love, Not a Fan, Radical) Read a Summary of All the Commands of Jesus Be familiar with all 8 Lifeshapes shared by Mike Breen and be familiar with how to use them to explain Biblical truth Be familiar with the Multiply Material at the Multiply Movement website, and use as needed in your group. Lead at least one meeting for your E3 Discipleship Group Identify and invite 3 to 4 people to disciple after you complete this group [6] EQUIP Complete the Growthfinder Assessment (your E3 leader will give you directions)

7 We will focus on our relationship with the world. Matthew 28: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Engage Checklist Complete the Spiritual Gifts Inventory on our website and identify your top spiritual gifts Complete the Five-fold ministry Inventory and Identify your leadership strength Find a place to serve in ministry at Cornerstone Participate in a Servant Evangelism Project ENGAGE [7]

8 Multiply by David Platt and Francis Chan David Platt and Francis Chan have launched a new website, The Multiply Movement, along with a new book, Multiply. What makes this unique is the discipleship curriculum they created is available for free on the website. There are 24 online lessons, available on the web, as a free pdf file, and included in the book. Each lesson is meant to be used in a small discipling group. David Platt and Francis Chan have also created a series of videos to be used with the study. This material can be used in our E3 groups as a resource for those we are discipling Multiply is designed as a simple resource that you can use to begin making disciples. Our prayer is that it will give you the confidence you need to step out in faith and disciple the people whom God has placed in your life. This is another tool we can use as we reach out to teach and disciple others. There are 24 lessons designed to be taught and discussed over a period of 24 weeks. The topics covered include: 1) Living as a Disciple Maker 2) Living as the Church 3) How to Study the Bible 4) Understanding the Old Testament 5) Understanding the New Testament Go to to download the resources and watch the videos. [8]

9 LifeShapes Building A Discipling Culture by Mike Breen In the book, Building a Discipling Culture, Mike Breen shares a visual model for how to teach discipleship to others. He uses eight shapes to convey Spiritual Truth. These are not meant to be eight balls to juggle simultaneously, or eight plates to keep spinning constantly, or eight more things to add into your busy diaries. They are meant to be eight reminders to live a passionate life of following our Lord Jesus. You may find yourself prompted to focus on one shape now, and then perhaps in several weeks or months or years another shape will come in to focus. Seek the Lord on this: use the shapes as visual reminders of the comprehensiveness of the life of discipleship. The Circle -Continuous Breakthrough The learning circle helps us identify the significant events of our lives in a way that enables us to move deeper into God s will. To put it another way, it helps us discern when God is speaking to us through the events of life, and to do something about it. The time has come, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news. Mark 1:15. The key thing is to look for a Kairos moment : a significant event (positive or negative, never neutral; leave an impact on you; signaling an opportunity to grow spiritually and emotionally) and then (prayerfully) enter into the circle of learning (3 steps to repentance (=changing one s mind) and 3 steps to faith (=doing something about it). The Semi-Circle - Fruitful Living The Semi-Circle is the pendulum that swings from rest to work and back: We see this pattern in Jesus s life. He started his ministry with a time of abiding (desert experience) we tend to launch straight in and rest when we burn out! So the rhythm is: Abiding resting, being in the Father s presence, being not doing. Growing not the end of itself, but an essential part of being healthy. Fruitfulness productivity, one important aspect of which is (for the Christian) making disciples of others. Pruning prayerfully reducing our commitments, creating new space, cutting back stuff which has had its time, or which needs to lie fallow for a while. [9]

10 LifeShapes The Triangle - Deeper Relationships So the triangle reminds us to develop all three relationships in a balanced way: Up consciously inviting Jesus into our daily activities (not just a quiet time detached from the rest of the day, or a church service divorced from the rest of the week) In building meaningful relationships with fellow believers with whom we can share our spiritual journeys and support each other in love (Jesus said that by our love for one another we would be known as His). Building community that the world is in fact very hungry for! Out developing loving friendships with people in the wider world, serving the world as Jesus did. The Square - Multiplying Life The Square is the vision and strategy for leading people in an E3 Group. Teaching someone how to hammer a nail is different than training someone to read blueprints and how to build a house from the ground up. The Square leads us through the process of learning covenant and kingdom, the blueprints for the kingdom life on earth and also the process of acquiring the tools and skills to invest in the kingdom of God daily. Our E3 Groups are the process where a master spiritual craftsman leads apprentices through the 4 main stages to becoming master spiritual craftsmen themselves, with the capacity to lead others through the same process. The Pentagon - Personal Calling The Pentagon is about the five ministries that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:7-16 (a letter destined to many churches, and not just a specific one, making it easy to broadly apply the principles within). Traditionally these ministry gifts were seen as for church leaders only, but many recent interpretations disagree. For to each of us grace has been given The letter is not about leadership, it is about the church body. So we all occupy one side of the pentagon as our base ministry with which we are primarily called to serve the church body. We are all called to use our ministry gifts to build the church so that the body of Christ may be built up and attain maturity. [10]

11 LifeShapes The Hexagon - Definitive Prayer The Hexagon is simply a reminder of the way Jesus told us to pray. When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he said pray this way. He didn t say here s one approach you might like to try. So we should take it very seriously. Read Matt 6:9-13 again. It wasn t wordy, extensive, or techniquefilled. It certainly wasn t a set form of words to use every time. It was simple, profound, multi-dimensional and rich; a framework that guides us beyond our habitual prayers into prayers of adoration, confession, intercession, petition, guidance and warfare. It is praying about one thing: our Father in heaven. It is praying about three things: up, in and out. The Heptagon - Spiritual Depth Biology has taught us there are seven characteristics that identify all living organisms (the mnemonic is MRS GREN). Each one applies to physical life but also to spiritual life and growth, and we can use them to assess the vitality of our spiritual life. Jesus used illustrations from natural life an awful lot to make points about spiritual life (trees, seeds, birds, vines, ). This similarity between physical and spiritual life makes sense of course, as we are physical and spiritual beings designed by the Author of Life! These principles apply to our individual lives but also to the life of the church body ( there s that organic metaphor again!). The Heptagon - Relational Mission The final shape, the Octagon, is all about moving away from a notion of evangelism (spreading the good news of Jesus) that is guilt-based and guilt-ridden, and releasing us into Jesus s way of sharing the good news: grace-based and spirit-led. The key to this approach is finding the Person of Peace. Read Luke 10:1-11 and you see that the disciples were sent to find the person of peace, someone open/receptive to the message, and a gatekeeper to their whole town/community. Stay with the person of peace, says Jesus, and you will reach their community. We need to move away from dragging people into our communities and actually work with people in whom God is working, and create new Christian communities around the person of peace and their network of relationships. [11]