Culture of Discipleship
Core Values • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What do we mean by a “culture of discipling”?
What do we mean by a “culture of discipling”?
Culture: the shared values, goals and practices that characterize a group.
We don’t want just a program, we want mutual love and encouragement to be a value, goal, and practice that increasingly characterizes all of us.
Formal programs are not necessarily bad, but we want to make sure we do not fall short of the biblical ideal.
You don’t have to sign up for anything or get permission before loving fellow members this way.
Stories from of Ecuador
Stories from of Ecuador
Enrique heard a message on love.
Darwin and Carla spoke of the humility of Kason’s response.
Marcello shared in the joy of raising a family in church.
Sabastian (VNZ) spoke of feeling at home.
Noah knew that Jesus loves him.
Disciple-makers are needed in every community
Disciple-makers are needed in every community
many stories started, when the church came to my community
Matthew 28:19–20“19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Misreading of the passage.
“It goes something like this: “In the Greek, the word translated ‘Go’ is really a participle and it literally means, ‘as you are going.’ But the words ‘make disciples’ are an imperative in Greek. That’s the only imperative in these two verses. Therefore, the Great Commission is not a command to go; rather, it is a command to make disciples as you are going, or make disciples along the way.”
Good motive.
Good motive.
every true believer is a disciple and every disciple should be a disciple-maker
removes urgency and makes the commandment a suggestion
We need to intentionally, cut new paths for the sake of making disciples
We once had “the night of the smores” there was a path created to get to a place for a fire. The path is no longer there. We no longer go there. No matter how much I come here that path is still grown up.
Better understanding
Better understanding
Other examples:
Matthew 2:8“8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.”
Matthew 17:27“27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”
The basic idea would be ‘after you have gone,’ and as such would presuppose that one would have gone forth before making disciples.
How does this relate to the Great Commission?
Essentially, it means that the apostles must go before they could make disciples.
What do we mean by “discipling”?
What do we mean by “discipling”?
These 4 words used in material from Capital City Baptist Church
In one sense, almost everything we do as a local church is about being and making disciples.
The songs we sing, the prayers we pray, and certainly the sermons that are preached all aim to grow us as God-glorifying disciples.
Tonight we are thinking particularly about individual relationships.
We are talking about the intentional encouragement and training of disciples of Jesus on the basis of deliberate, loving relationships.
How did Jesus love his disciples in ways that could be imitated?
Jesus tells us to pursue one another like this: John 15:17 “17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.”
Jesus loved them intentionally, purposefully, humbly, joyfully and normally. Let’s think about these descriptions.
As a member of our church, we want you to be
intentional,
purposeful
humble
and joyful
Intentional
Jesus prayed to the father before going out to look for his first disciples.
Luke 6:12–13“12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
Pray about how and with whom you will invest your time.
2 Tim 2:2 tells us to look for faithful men
Purposeful
John 15:16 “16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
Jesus called them to bear fruit for God’s glory.
If we are to love one-another as Christ has loved us, surely we will share Jesus’ goals for one another.
Humble
John 15:15 “15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
Jesus condescends to be our friend, even though He is infinitely far above us in majesty, holiness, and honor.
Surely, then, we must relate with all humility to our fellow fallen brothers and sisters. We treat them as friends whom we love, not as “projects” or “lessers.”
Joyful
John 15:11“11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
Jesus commands us to love one another so that we would know his joy.
Jesus says it is joy-producing work!
Normal
Hebrews 3:13 “13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Jesus makes this kind of loving discipling his basic command to all his people and, so it should be normal for all Christians.
The New Testament is filled with such exhortations.
Jesus and the apostles did not mean for discipling between Christians to be exceptional, but normal.
What should I do in a discipling relationship?
What should I do in a discipling relationship?
Meet around an open Bible and lead a productive, God honoring conversation.
Most important aspect is to build a relationship with biblical truth at its core.
Churches grows over tomato sandwiches and open Bibles
Churches grows over tomato sandwiches and open Bibles
Story of the Mr. Cooke
In order to present as clear a picture as possible, here is what a day’s schedule might look like for a typical Christian husband and father who has heard Jesus’ call to be a fisher of men.
6:00 a.m. Shower & dress
6:30 a.m. Devotions: Bible reading & praying. Pray for family, day’s events, discipling relationships, evangelistic opportunities, the church, etc.
7:00 a.m. Help kids get ready
7:30 a.m. Meet fellow church member Paul at nearby coffee shop for breakfast; discuss chapter of a book about parenting.
8:30 a.m. Work
12:30 p.m. Lunch with non-Christian co-worker; discuss faith
1:30 p.m. Work
5:30 p.m. Pick up items at store for dinner for wife; bring Ken, single man in the church who lives nearby. Ask deliberate questions about his life.
6:30 p.m. Dinner; family worship; play with kids; bedtime routine
8:45 p.m. Dessert with wife and the Smiths in the living room, a younger couple in the church who are struggling in their marriage; conversations about marriage and prayer
10:15 p.m. Prayer with wife and bed.
How can I get into a discipling relationship?
How can I get into a discipling relationship?
John Pearson will answer this, in relation to our churches discipleship ministry