praxis noun prax is \ prak-səs \ Origin from Latin and Greek Meaning 1. Practice, as distinguished from theory. 2. Accepted practice or custom. 1
Introduction Jesus told a memorable story of 2 houses built on very different foundations in Matthew 7:24-27. The one on the rock was able to withstand wind and flood because its foundation was strong. The house built on sand did not do so well when the storms came. Jesus told the story to illustrate the difference between those who heard his words and then did them and those who merely heard and stopped there. They will each eventually face very different ends. Jesus wants disciples who do all that He says. He is looking for those who will practice His words out in real life. That s what Praxis means. It is Latin for practice, or the practical application of any theory, idea or belief. This course is not meant for those who simply want to know how to make disciples. It is for those who want to do and grow in the practice and obedience to the final command of Jesus that He gave to all believers in Matthew 28:18-20. It is our prayer that these 4 weeks we will spend together will yield up the principles that Jesus wanted his disciples to know and to obey, so that as we obey and practice them, others will come to know and follow Him as we do. May God lead us to the practice of making other disciples, for His sake and glory! Course overview: Week 1: What is the business of the Church? Week 2: Disciples that Jesus recognizes Week 3: How to make another disciple Week 4: Nurturing disciples who make disciples 2
Week 1 - Key passages: Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11. What is the business of the church? To answer this question, we must first define what the church is. When you hear the word church, what is the first thought or picture that comes to your mind? A building (perhaps with a cross and spire)? Your local place of worship when you go on Sundays? Your pastor or leaders in the church? Church programs and times of fellowship? Your small group? If you thought of anything other than the people of God, you were being unbiblical. In the Scriptures, the Church is not merely an organization or structure but an organism it is a temple made up of people as living stones; the Body of Christ. Therefore, the Church is not a place we go to, but a people we are in Christ. It refers to everyone who belongs to and participates as disciples in the life and mission of a local community where Jesus is obeyed and God is glorified. At the same time, it includes all Christians everywhere in the world, at once both local and global. And the mission of that people anywhere in the world is to be doing the things Jesus wants. He is the head, and, as in biology, a healthy body will do what its head directs. So what is the family business? In Luke 2:49, Jesus tells his anxious, searching parents who had lost him at the Temple in Jerusalem, that they should know that he would be about his Father s business. Jesus, even as a child, knew that he wanted to be doing the same things as his Father, something he later testified to (John 5:19; 12:49-50). In fact, Jesus was sent into the world the greatest Apostle and Missionary that ever was to fulfill God s salvation plan for the world. Jesus variously defined his mission in the world as a search-and-rescue operation (Luke 19:10), a prisoner-ransom exercise (Mark 10:45) and a disease-eradication campaign (Mark 2:17). 3
At the cross, He accomplished His mission by doing only what He could do for us paying the penalty to free us from sin and the devil s hold. And when He rose again, He sent us out as heralds of this very great news. As we will see in this lesson, Jesus has commissioned us to the same business that He was about. The Church - you and me included - is to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16). This is our mission. This is our family business announcing and embodying the good news and making disciples of all nations (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20). 4
For discussion and feedback: What is the main task and mission behind each of the following 5 commissions? Is there particular thing/s to do? A method or an outcome being described? Write down the main task or command: Matthew 28:18-20: Mark 16:16-18: Luke 24:46-49: John 20:21: Acts 1:8: Summary 1. The is from Jesus. (Matthew 28:18-20). 2. The is to make disciples of all people groups, by going, baptizing, and teaching obedience to Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16). 3. The is the preaching of the Gospel, the death and resurrection of Christ with the offer of forgiveness of sins through repentance and faith in Him. (Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48). 5
4. The is everywhere and everyone, until there are disciples among all people groups in the world. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). 5. The comes from the Holy Spirit, who enables the church to be a witness in power (Mark 16:17-18, Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8). 6. The is Christ sent by God (John 20:21). THE BIG QUESTION: If the family business, the business of the church is to make disciples and be/show/tell good news to the world, how are you doing? The TASK FOR THE WEEK: 1) Think and pray about one or two other Christians that you could meet with regularly who can help you become an obedient disciple of Jesus. 2) List down the names of 5 non-christian family and friends (colleagues/neighbors etc) you know who need Jesus. 1) 4) 2) 5) 3) 6
Week 2 Key passages : Matthew 7:21-23; John 8:32; 13:34,35 and 15:8 Disciples that Jesus recognizes What do you think is the saddest verse in the Bible? I am sure there are a few possible choices, but for me, Matthew 7:23 takes the cake. Jesus is at the end of his Sermon on the Mount. As though some of the things he s said were not unconventional enough and against the grain of centuries of Jewish religious teaching, Jesus make a startling point in his concluding remarks in Matthew 7:21-23. He tells his disciples that many who will claim personal knowledge of him are really impostors who didn t patently do to the will of the Father. Even the great religious works they did do in His name are worthless. And then I will declare, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matthew 7:23). It is not mere profession of faith that matters, but faith that is genuine and practiced. It is one thing to claim to know and do things for God it is quiet another to actually be obedient to His will and to be intimately known of Him. The question with eternal consequences is not then, do we know Jesus? but does Jesus know us? So how do we make sure Jesus will know us on the day of judgment? What characterizes a true disciples in His eyes? Our Lord explicitly uses the indicative phrase my disciples in the Gospels to identify those who are truly his; who obey and do his will. In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus states three times that my disciples will make him the first and foremost priority of their lives. Only three other places elsewhere (all in the Gospel of John) is Jesus quoted using the same indicative phrase [1]. Ultimately, disciples that Jesus calls His own are those who abide constantly in His word (John 8:31), love one another as He commands (John 14:34, 35) and are fruitful in reproducing other disciples (John 15:8). These are the hallmarks of true discipleship. Who we are will ultimately be seen in what we do and how we live; all in relationship to God, each other and the world. There was a young American engineer who was sent to Ireland for a year. When he left, his fiancée gave him a harmonica. She said, I want you to learn to play this: it will help to keep your mind off those Irish girls. He wrote to her often and told he her that he was practicing his harmonica every night. 1 There are 3 other times that Jesus uses my disciples to mean specifically the group of 12 he had chosen (Matthew 26:18; Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11). 7
After a year, he returned to America and was met at the airport by his fiancée. When he went excitedly to greet her with a hug and a kiss, she pushed him back. Wait before anything else, I want to hear you play the harmonica. She wanted to see his promulgations in practice. Similarly, on that last day would we be able to play the harmonica of our professed obedience to Christ? The tragedy in our churches today is that while many so-called believers may have knowledge of God s will and even experience His goodness and love, they are often deficient and complacent when it comes to obeying the clear commands of Jesus. Thus, they prove to be impostors in the Kingdom of God. The chasm between mere profession in words and real obedience in action will ultimately prove indomitable and damnable (Matthew 7:23, Luke 6:46). Let us instead commit ourselves today to being and becoming the kind of disciples who by our lives and actions will prove we are His, such that on that final Day, Jesus will call us good and faithful servants who are invited in into the joy of our Master. 8
For discussion and feedback: What is a Disciple? (In your own words) A disciple is a person who has that the most thing in their life is to how to what Jesus said to (Dallas Willard in Rethinking Evangelism, Cutting Edge Magazine, Vol 5, No. 1 (Winter 2001)) GROUP WORK 1) John 8:31,32 what does it mean to abide in His word? How do you do that? Is it just knowing and memorizing his word? What is the purpose? 2) John 13:34,35 why do you think Jesus said we should love each other as a sign of discipleship? Isn t discipleship about our personal relationship with Jesus? 3) John 15:8 What does it mean that we bear fruit? How do we bear fruit? 9
EXERCISE: Take a few minutes to compose your testimony (story of coming to faith in Jesus) in 3 minutes. Then practice telling this to one another. Use the statements below to guide you in the telling: a) What you were before you trusted in Jesus (write 2 words to describe how you felt): and b) How you heard and believed in Jesus write a key person, date, place or situation that caused you to repent of your sin and trust in Jesus: c) What happened afterward (write 2 words to describe the changes that took place): and The TASK FOR THE WEEK: From the list of people you made last week who need Jesus, ask God to give you an opportunity to share with at least one of them your story which you practiced today. If they listened and are interested, invite them to join the your small group, an Alpha course at your church or just to read and discuss the Bible with you. (Next week, we will share what happened.) 10
Week 3 Key passages : Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 14:1-23 How to Make Another Disciple No one made disciples like Jesus! Incredibly, Jesus, who never traveled more than 200 miles from where He was born, launched a global movement from scratch that has no equal in history. And He did it without writing a book, founding a school or university or conquering with an army. How? He chose twelve men and concentrated most of His time and focus on them. Jesus was looking to make disciples and subjects of His one-of-a-kind Kingdom, not raise up a rebel army or win the popular vote. Consider the men He picked to establish his new Israel they were not from the high echelons of their society - the Who s Who? of their day. He chose in effect, nobodies - the who? of common stock. Among the twelve were wet, clueless fishermen, a few political zealots and the odd tax collector. They smelled of fish and revolution as one writer put it. Yes, Jesus chose them and gave them front-row seats and back-stage passes for the 3 or so years of His ministry. In doing so, he gave us principles and a pattern for continuing the same task he now calls us to of making of disciples after Him. Here are 5 things Jesus did to make disciples who would change the world forever, by the power of His Holy Spirit. Consequently, we need to do the same. 1) Invitation. When Jesus begun His earthy ministry, after a night of prayer, He chose the twelve from among an already a larger group of disciples (see Mark 3:13-19, Matthew 10:1 and Luke 6:12-16). Likewise, we need to be actively and prayerfully seeking people that we can reach out to and disciple (as well as those who may disciple us). To be a disciple who makes other disciples, you have to be find someone else to walk and do discipleship with. Invite them to meet and journey with you once a week at the least, but regularly and as consistently as possible- to pray, read the Word and help each other be and make disciples of others. Model Jesus spent countless days and nights with this group of 12 throughout their apprenticeship. They got to see, hear and experience close-up what many of us can only dream of or imagine. Jesus taught by repetition, remark and revelation, through the situations they encountered and amidst challenges that arose. He told unforgettable stories; he demanded their obedience and trust, and he left an indelible pattern on their minds and hearts. 11
But most of all, he showed them how He wanted them to live, by his life and example. [2] And most people need to be shown, not just to be told. That s why true evangelism and disciple-making is always a show and tell endeavour in the Scriptures. We need to talk the talk and walk the walk! We must likewise therefore model and practice a genuine way of life before those we disciple. Follow me, as I follow Christ was how Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Train Jesus did just appoint and give a select group a first-hand look at his life and ministry; but He actively prepared and trained them to be a part of His work. In fact, most of Jesus time spent in the Gospels in not simply on doing ministry, but on developing disciples to take on the work once He ascended into heaven. [3] It was a practical development and training, with assignments. This was all part of their original calling so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach. (Mark 3:14). He involved them in ministry (Luke 9:12-17; 22:8-13) and allowed them to grow in faith by experience (Mark 4:35-41; Matthew 14:28-29). He sent them out on shortterm training assignments (see Matthew 10:5-15, Mark 6:7-11). He invested time and energy to instruct and explain to them his teaching and ways (Mark 4:34). Making disciples is not simply teaching theory or about completing a short course of instruction (this course included!) It is a way of life we enter into, by apprenticing for an extended season with another more mature disciple, to learn from and develop into being a disciple-making disciple in our own right. It is distinctively practical and intensely focused on being and becoming what God wants us to be. Authorise - When He first called together the select group of 12 disciples, He already was preparing them to do the same work as Him (Mark 3:14-15; Luke 9:1-6 and Matthew 10:1 compare with Matthew 4:23 and John 14:12.) When He sent them out on mission in Matthew 10:5-15 and Mark 6:7-11, as well as with the larger group of disciples the 72 of Luke 10:1-11, they were expected to announce the coming of the kingdom, heal the sick and cast out evil spirits. He gave specific instructions and authority to do the same thing He did. And this is exactly what happened, which they were joyfully were able to report on their return (Luke 9:6; 10:17 and Mark 6:13.) 2 This is borne out from an example in John 13:1-16 where he demonstrates by example, then calls to attention by explanation and application, the clear lesson he wants them to grasp. 3 For example, more than 60% of the Gospel of Mark is the record of Jesus being alone with his disciples. He spent more time with them than he did with the large crowds. 12
Finally, in Matthew 28:18-20, in his final command to the disciples, the risen Jesus authorizes them on the basis of being Lord of Heaven and Earth to make disciples of all peoples. The making of disciples is the high calling and work that Jesus has authorized us to do in His name and by His power. This is not the job of a few professional Christian pastors and missionary, but the work of every disciple. So, we must teach and show disciples that they are likewise authorized by Heaven s King for service and mission in the world. Release/Send Finally, Jesus commissioned them in what we in NAMS call the final command of Matthew 28:18-20 to reach all peoples of every ethnic group. Before he left them, Jesus promised that they will receive the Holy Spirit to empower them for this witness, and that through Him, Jesus himself will be with us till the ends of the earth and the end of time. There will come a moment, as with Jesus and Paul (see Acts 14:23; 20:17-38) when we must release disciples that we have made to become disciple-makers in their own right with others. This is a principle Paul establishes for Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2. As we have been discipled, so we must now pass on to others what we received, by making other disciples. We are taken captive by Christ in other to be released to mission in the world. We commend them in prayer to God and move on ourselves to make more disciples. This is how Jesus begun a world-movement from simply focusing on a few. 13
For discussion and feedback: When Jesus told us to make disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, He gave us 3 participles that enable the imperative make disciples to happen. List them below. We make disciples by: 1) 2) in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and 3) them to obey all Jesus commanded. GROUP WORK: From Acts 14:1-23, how did Paul and his team reach and make disciples in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe? What were the things they did to find, make and establish disciple. What are the clear strategy and hints in the passage? List them below. 14
The NAMS Life Cycle of Discipleship W >T >C >N >M KEY TEACHING: A disciple who is not beginning to or seeking to make another disciple is not yet adequately discipled. The TASK OF THE WEEK: 1. Ask one of the Christians you thought of last week, if you can meet with them regularly once a week, to pray, read God s word and for them to help you become a disciple who makes disciples. 2. Continue to seek opportunities to share with one of the 5 people on your list. Pray for opportunities to share your story with them. 15
Week 4: Key passage: John 15:1-16 Nurturing Disciples who make disciples [4] Discipleship is not just something we do, it s also who we are and are becoming in Christ. It starts from the inside out, so discipleship must never be reduced to a programme or a method from the outside in. It is about relationship with Jesus, becoming like Him, through Him, for Him. This is born out in the Gospels. Matthew 10 for example is extended teaching by Jesus for disciples on mission. In verses 24-25a, Jesus said, A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant to be like his master. Discipleship is about becoming like our Lord. It is less about mastering a skill as being mastered by the King. The Greek word that is used of disciple in the New Testament - mathetes (used about 266 times) carries the meaning of a learner or apprentice. Apprentices after the great work of God, to win for himself a people from every tribe and people. In this, we become fellow-workers with God. The great goal of discipleship is ultimate transformation into Christ-likeness. The pathway of discipleship is transformation into His image through the obedience of faith, empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit so that we abide in Jesus word, love each other and bear fruit by consistently seeking after the Father s glory and kingdom. It is no easy work, and it will take a lifetime to learn to follow Jesus. One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime. (Elizabeth Elliot). It requires humility (and lots of it) for us to learn to depend and trust in God s will and ways. We need the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and fill us. We need His word to correct, train and encourage us. We need each other to help and hold accountable, and to pray for. We need His forgiveness and faithfulness. Having written all that, there are discernible steps in the journey of becoming mature and multiplying disciples of Jesus. Like growth-charts that help tell how well our children are growing, we at NAMS have for years used the following schema to capture the milestones in the wonderful movement of a person from pre-believer to maturing disciple of Jesus who is helping to make other disciples. 4 The following is an edited except from a chapter in the NAMS e-book Habits for a Holy People by Manik Corea, available from www. namsnetwork.com/resources.html 16
We call it the Life-cycle of Discipleship. Our experience has shown these 5 steps to be crucial in making disciples. So we teach that a disciple that is being well made must grow through these 5 steps to maturity in Christ. They must be: 1. Welcomed (by another Christian or group of Christians) 2. Told the whole Gospel (in a way that is intelligible and contextual to their worldview) 3. Converted to faith in Jesus Christ 4. Nurtured in the basics of the Christian life 5. Helped to make and multiply other disciples. Because it is a cycle (not linear), the process of multiplying disciples returns back always to the start the way we begin to make and multiplying other disciples (step 5) involves going back to step 1 - welcoming (indeed seeking for) non-believers to share the love of God with. Nor is it necessarily always consecutive, i.e. a new disciples being nurtured in the basics of the faith can already be making other disciples, by teaching what he/ she already knows of the Gospel. So, in this final session, we will discuss how we can continue to grow as disciples of Jesus who make other disciples. 17
For discussion and feedback: GROUP WORK: Read John 15:1-8. What are the things Jesus tells us here that we need to do in order to be faithful and bear much fruit for God? List them down. Abide in Him, What all believers need to be taught to do: P R the Scriptures and O it. M with other believers. I S E God and E each other. KEY TEACHING: A disciple who is faithfully connected to Jesus will be fruitful for Him. 18
My Commitment: Lord Jesus, this year, I am going to disciple (or be discipled by) by meeting regularly to pray, read and obey the Scriptures and learn how to make another disciple. I pledge to continue to pray and share my story and the good news of Jesus with the 5 people and to be held accountable to do this. Please help me to obey you in everything. Amen. Sign Date 19
Further Resources You can find on the NAMS website at www.namsnetwork.com/resources.html a whole list of downloadable e-books that we hope will help you learn and grow to be a disciple who makes disciples. Among the e-books you will find there are: Steps to Becoming a Disciple-making Disciple by Revd Dr Jon Shuler Seven Short Words for the Long Haul by Revd Manik Corea The Multiplying Kingdom. by Revd Manik Corea Prayer: Making Disciples on your Knees by Revd Manik Corea Habits for a Holy People by Revd Manik Corea The Gospel, with Apology by Revd Manik Corea Video You can also visit the NAMS Youtube channel. Just type in NAMS Network into the Youtube search box. There you will find useful videos including a 7 part shortvideo teaching series by NAMS leader Jon Shuler on Disciples who make disciples. 20
Resources for disciple-making whether for one-on-one and small group settings. 7 Signs of John The following 7 passages, called The 7 signs of John are great for use with people who have responded to your story/testimony and want to know more. When you meet with them, you read together one of the Scripture stories per week. Ask them before the next meeting to read as often as they can the next week s story. When you meet, use the suggested Discovery Bible Study questions that follow below to help you in your discussion about the passage as you try to help them know Jesus and who He is: Week 1: The turning of water into wine (John 2:1-12) Week 2: The healing of the royal official's son (John 4:46-54) Week 3: The healing of the paralytic at the Bethesda pool (John 5:1-17) Week 4: The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14) Week 5: The walking on water (John 6:15-25) Week 6. The healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-41) Week 7: The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46) Questions to ask and use: 1. What does this story say to you about people? 2. What does this story say to you about Jesus? 3. What does this story have to say to you? Is there something you have learned or discovered? 4. Is there something God wants me to do? Who else can you share this story with? 21
8 Commands of Christ For new and older believers, it is great to use the following 8 week series called The 8 Commands of Jesus as a start. Each week, read, review and discuss the relevant passage, and decide what is God asking you to do about it. Week 1 - Repent and believe in Jesus (Luke 19:1-10) Week 2 - Be baptised (Matthew 28:1820, Acts 8:26-39) Week 3 - Receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-39, Acts 19:1-7) Week 4 - Take communion (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, Exodus 12:1-14) Week 5 - Love God and all people (Matthew 22:36-40, Luke 10:25-37). Week 6 - Pray (John 16:24, Matthew 26:31-50) Week 7 - Give (Matthew 25:14-30) Week 8 - Make other Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) 22
Suggested Structure of Each meeting The Three Looks method. 1. LOOK BACK As you meet together, open in prayer. Sing some songs or read a psalm (optional). Share with each other what has been happening in your lives in the past weeks lessons learnt, challenges faces, struggles, etc. Key accountability question: Did you obey or do what you said from last week s passage? (If they didn t, don t condemn but encourage them to continue seeking to obey). 2. LOOK UP Read the Scriptures together. Share what we learn, discuss how the passage applies. Ask questions like: 1. What does this passage teach us about God? The Father? Jesus? The Holy Spirit? 2. What does it teach us about ourselves and each other? 3. What is the main point/s of the passage? What must we do? What must we avoid? 4. What must I do to obey the passage? Discuss, share and commit to one another what we will do as a response to the Scripture/s. 3. LOOK FORWARD What is our plan for the week? What and who do we need to pray together for? Who and/or how I am going to share what I ve learnt in our time together with, or my story/testimony to? End with praying for each other. 23