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Best Practices
Workshop
Mirroring the Methods of the Master
Investing in Disciples

Equipping Disciple Makers
BUILDING AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
2
The outcome of our Discipleship Model is to create
High Impact Christians with a Biblical worldview
3
Learn
Your Partner for Spiritual Growth
Getting Connected and
Build Biblical Knowledge
Live
Apply Biblical Knowledge to
Everyday Life Situations
Lead
Invest in the
Spiritual Growth of Others
More Info
Additional Information about
Our Approach to Discipleship
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
The Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19
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DISCIPLING BEHAVIORS (draft)
Inquiring Connecting
Intentional
Stewardship
Small Group
Accountability
Personal
Relationship
w/Jesus
Reproducing
Disciples of
Christ
 Event Participation (NACF, VBS, Men’s Cookout, Ladies Tea, etc.)
 Media Inquiries & Interactions
 Initial Worship Attendance
5 Keys of Discipleship
Serving
Others
Engaging
Transforming Multiplying
METRICS
 Serving at Mt.  Participation in
 Local Outreach or  Leadership of
Pisgah
Local Outreach or
Missions
Christ-centered
Missions
Responsibilities
Ministries and
 MP Committee
 MP Committee
Missions
Participation
Leadership
 MP Council
 Stephen Ministry
Leadership
 Broaden mission
outreach to include
anyone who serves
in a given week
local, domestic,
abroad
 Financial
Giving
 Approaching
Tithing
 Would need to add
an internal
category of weekly
giving units (not
total collected)
 Bible Study
Participation
 Bible Study

Fellowships and/or
Small Group

Participation
 Prayer
 Regular
Worship
Attendance
 Baptism
 Church
Membership
 Intercessory Prayer  Regular and
 Regular and
 Statement of Faith
Intentional
Intentional
 Discipleship
Personal Worship
Personal Worship
Events (Emmaus,
Confirmation, etc.)
 Tithing
 At or Above
Tithing
Covenant Group  Covenant Group
Participation
Leadership
Bible Study / Small
Group Leadership
 Missional
Discipleship
 Mentoring Others
 Developing
Discipleship
Leaders
 Small Group
Participation
 Number of Small
Groups
 Worship
Attendance
 Professions of Faith
 Baptism
 Nothing is on VC
that is up to our
standards on this.
A new category
would be needed to
track this one.
5
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THE GREAT COMMISSION
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and
on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and 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.”
Matthew 28:18-20
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DISCIPLE DEFINED
“Jesus said to them, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19
 Follow Me – at the “head” level
• Acceptance of Jesus’ authority and truth
• To know Him and follow Him
 And I will make you – our “hearts”
• Process of Jesus transforming our hearts to be like His
• Primarily a “spiritual” response to the Holy Spirit
 Fishers of men – our “hands”
• A disciple of Jesus is saved for a purpose
• Action of being committed to the mission of Christ
from Disciple Shift
by Jim Putnam and Bobby Harrington
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WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP ?
Christian Discipleship is a concentrated process that
occurs when a more mature believer prayerfully enters
into a committed relationship with a group of faithful
and teachable believers for the purpose of building
Godly character, imparting true knowledge, and
developing ministry skills under the direction and power
of the Holy Spirit, so that they will follow Christ
without reservation and do what He tells them to do.
by John Musselman
Founder & President, The Jackson Institute
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DISCIPLESHIP (page 1)
The word discipleship
• Ship when used as a suffix can be used
in six different ways.
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DISCIPLESHIP (page 2)
First – signifies a state, condition, or quality such as
in the word “friendship.”
• Relationship both with Jesus and fellow disciples
Second – refers to an office, dignity, profession
• Disciple-Makers having the dignity of the office
or profession of making disciples
Third – an art or skill – “horsemanship”
• Discipleship is an art and a skill.
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DISCIPLESHIP (page 3)
Fourth – Exhibiting or embodying a quality or state
• Ultimate goal is for an incarnation of the
qualities of the Master
Fifth – one entitled to a rank – “lordship”
• Every believer is entitled to the distinction of a
disciple.
Sixth – a body of persons participating in a specific
activity
• Participation in a corporate activity
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DISCIPLESHIP (page 4)
Summary:
Discipleship involves disciples and
disciple-makers in a relationship of
corporative activity which requires
an art or skill to yield an incarnation
of the qualities of the King of Kings
in the lives of those so committed.
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PATHOLOGY OF GOD’S COVENANT
(page 1)
God always initiates the covenant
• Adam – Genesis 2:17
“The Tree”
• Noah – Genesis 9:13
“Flood and Rainbow”
• Abraham – Genesis 17:4“Circumcision & the
Descendants of Isaac”
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PATHOLOGY OF GOD’S COVENANT
(page 2)
• Moses – Deuteronomy 9:9 “Tablets of Covenant”
• David – II Samuel 23:5
“Bloodline of David”
• Joshua – Joshua 23:16
“Fate of God’s People”
• Jesus – Hebrews 9:15
“Remedy for Sin”
(Jesus as mediator of
the New Covenant)
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PATHOLOGY OF GOD’S COVENANT
(page 3)
 From Adam to the New Covenant –
each one is dependent on the previous one.
 This requires living in Biblical community.
“Given the chance, the culture will always
bring us down.”
by Steve Wood, Lead Pastor, Mount Pisgah UMC
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PATHOLOGY OF GOD’S COVENANT
(page 4)
4 Important Dynamics:
1. “Glory of God” Revealed in Man
2. “The Word” is Living, Eternal, Transforming
3. The work of “The Holy Spirit” must be cultivated.
4. Necessity of “Accountability”
“Without these, the church atrophies!!!!”
by Steve Wood, Lead Pastor, Mount Pisgah UMC
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COVENANT GROUPS
Covenant Group vs. Small Group –
Distinguishing Characteristics
• Application of Scripture
• Intentionality
• Multiplication of Disciples
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COVENANT GROUPS
 Vital Signs of a Person’s “Covenant Relationship
with God”
• Willingness for Accountability
• Personal Relationship with Jesus
• Sacrificial Living
• Spiritual Leader of Household
• Purifying Love
• Stewardship & Tithing
by Steve Wood, Lead Pastor, Mount Pisgah UMC
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COVENANT TOPICS
What is Life to Life Discipleship?
What is Spiritual Maturity?
What is the Discipleship Process?
What is the One Year Commitment?
Your Expectations and Reservations
- 8 Categories of the Covenant (initialed)
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FORMING YOUR GROUP
Step 1
Prayer list of potential candidates is accumulated
Step 2
Covenant provided to candidates to be reviewed
with spouses
Step 3
Discipleship Leader to review the Covenant
and answer questions
Step 4
Signed Covenant is due each year at end of
Week 2
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JESUS CALLING (page 1)
Come away with Me for a while. The
world, with its nonstop demands, can be
put on hold. Most people put Me on hold,
rationalizing that someday they will find
time to focus on Me. But the longer people
push Me into the background of their lives,
the harder is it for them to find Me.
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JESUS CALLING (page 2)
You live among people who glorify
busyness; they have made time a tyrant
that controls their lives. Even those who
know Me as Savior tend to march to the
tempo of the world. They have bought
into the illusion that more is always better:
more meetings, more programs, more
activity.
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JESUS CALLING ( page 3)
I have called you to follow Me on a solitary path,
making time alone with Me your highest priority
and deepest Joy. It is a pathway largely
unappreciated and often despised. However,
you have chosen the better thing, which will never
be taken away from you. Moreover, as you walk
close to Me, I can bless others through you.
Song of Songs 2:13, Luke 10:42
from Jesus Calling
by Sarah Young
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I
THE CALLING OF A DISCIPLE
Disciples Need To Know What They are Saying “Yes” to:
Disciples Need To Know What They are Saying “Yes” to:
F.
I. T.
T. H.
H.
F. A.
A. I.
Faithful – Loyal, Steadfast
Trustworthy in the fulfillment of promises or obligations
Available – Ready, Prepared
Capable of being utilized and trained
Intentional – Purposeful, Deliberate
Disciplined to follow a plan
Teachable – Acquiring knowledge or skill, trainable
Ready and willing to learn
Hungry – Desire, Longing
Passion to go deeper in Spiritual Walk
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MISSIONAL GUIDE
Who is God Putting into My Life?
Name & Relationship:
Spiritual Assessment:
Current Needs:
Why I’m Concerned:
What I’m Praying For:
What I’ve Done So Far:
What I Plan To Do:
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MISSION ACTIVITY LOG
d Date:
Activities / Progress:
26
SPIRITUAL MULTIPLICATION
II Timothy 2:2
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SPIRITUAL MULTIPLICATION
The Power of Spiritual Multiplication
II Timothy 2:2
Paul
Maker of Disciples
Timothy
Disciple Maker
Faithful Men
Discipler
Others
Disciple
* Each one eventually takes the title of the one above.
* Only reason I’m doing this is so you will do the same!!
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CATCH THE VISION
Keith Phillips’ chart compares the numeric difference between one person a
day coming to Christ and one person a year being discipled to maturity. 1
Year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Evangelist
365
730
1,095
1,460
1,825
2,190
2,555
2,920
3,285
3,650
4,015
4,380
4,745
5,110
5,475
5,840
Discipler
2
4
8
16
32
64
128
256
512
1,,024
2,048
4,096
8,192
16,384
32,768
65,536
1
Keith Phillips, The Making of a Disciple
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability to God *
Having our character, motives, words,
and behavior (i.e., our lives) weighed
and measured by Christ in the light of His
standards as preserved in His righteous Word.
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability to Another Person *
Openly and willingly submitting our character,
motives, words, and behavior (i.e., our lives) to
be weighed and measured by trusted friends in
the light of God’s righteous Word for the purpose
of preparing us for the final Day of Reckoning
when we will give an account of our lives to
Christ.
by John Musselman
The Jackson Institute
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ACCOUNTABILITY
One Appointment
• “So then each one of us shall give account
of himself to God” (Romans 14:12)
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Principle 1
• Giving An Accounting to God is Mandatory For All
(Romans 14:10, Ecclesiastes 3:17)
Principle 2
• All Secrets Will Be Exposed (Psalms 11:4, 139:1-6)
 Every Careless Word (Matthew 12:36)
 Things Hidden in the Darkness, Motives
(I Corinthians 4:5, Ecclesiastes 12:14)
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Principle 3
• The Quantity and Quality of Our Work Will Be Measured
- Steward (Luke 12:42, I Corinthians 4:1, Matthew 25:19)
- Quantity of their work (Matthew 25:14)
- Quality of the fruit (John 15:1)
Principle 4
• Christ Will Judge Us Righteously and Fairly
(Ezra 9:15, Romans 2:2)
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Principle 5
• Our Eternal Rewards Will Be Based
Upon His Judgments
(I Corinthians 3:14, Matthew 16:27)
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Why Be Accountable to Another Person?
 Prays, encourages, checks up
 Lifts you up, sees you restored
 Intrinsic value, committed to one another
 Unconditionally accepts you, taste of God’s grace,
forgiveness, and unconditional love
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ACCOUNTABILITY
Principles Governing Our Accountability to Another
•
•
•
•
•
Voluntary
Boundaries
Character development
Performance standards
Evaluation time – when, how
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21 QUESTIONS – JOHN WESLEY
HANDOUT – 21 QUESTIONS THAT
MEMBERS OF JOHN WESLEY’S HOLY
CLUB ASKED THEMSELVES EACH DAY
38
“IRON SHARPENIING” ENCOUNTER
(page 1)
Proverbs 27:17, Hebrews 10:24, Proverbs 27:5-6
Whatever form the questions take,
Accountability is the Key!!
39
“IRON SHARPENING” ENCOUNTER
(page 2)
• Personal Worship?
• Biblical needs of Spouse?
• How is your Thought Life?
• Steward of Time, Talent, Resources,
Relationships, Truth?
40
“IRON SHARPENING” ENCOUNTER
(page 3)
• Responded by Sharing Your Faith?
• Work as though you are working for
The Lord?
• Spiritual Battlefields? Spiritual “Achilles
Heel”?
• Have you been Honest?
41
JESUS’ MODEL OF IMPARTATION
 He did it
(Modeling)
 He did it while they watched
(Association)
 They did it while He watched
(Delegation)
 He sent them out, then debriefed
(Reproduction)
42
Commitment to Daily
PERSONAL WORSHIP (page 1)
How do you have a relationship with Jesus?
Biblical justification:
 Mark 1:35
 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
 Joshua 1:8
 Daniel 9:1-19
 Psalm 55
 Psalm 119
43
Commitment to Daily
PERSONAL WORSHIP (page 2)
“God’s relations will not be made by pop-calls”
by E. M. Bounds
“If you want to have a devotional, you’ll find a way.
If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
by Howard Hendricks
“What are the consequences of not teaching personal
Worship?
by Dr. John Musselman
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Commitment to Daily
PERSONAL WORSHIP (page 3)
Transitions of Personal Worship:
Duty  Pupil  Partner  Sonship
“The one priority is time together with the eternal
Father to receive His love and transformation. The
bottom line is withdrawing and being fully present
with Jesus.”
by Pastor Steve Wood
45
Commitment to Daily
PERSONAL WORSHIP (page 4)
The glue of discipleship is deploying six spiritual
disciplines on a daily basis through Personal Worship:
 Journaling
 Confession
 Scripture Reading
 Scripture Application
 Engaging the Holy Spirit
 Thoughtful Targeted Prayer
46
SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
47
60 SECOND TESTIMONY
Time
1st
“The Old Me”
25%
2nd
“Surrendering to Jesus as Savior”
35%
3rd
“The New Me”
40%
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FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS
1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
2. Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot
know and experience God’s love and plan for his life.
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through
Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for
your life.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan
for our lives.
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WHO’S ON THE THRONE ?
50
CHRIST ON THE THRONE
51
TARGETED PRAYER
• Truth Applied
• Situation in Life
• Person on Missional Prayer List
52
TARGETED PRAYER
• The purpose of narrowing down the prayer
topics is to create thoughtful requests from the
Lens of a Disciple
• Additional requests can be emailed out to the
participants mid-week
• Missional Prayer is defined as “Who is God
putting in my life that I am to invest in?”
53
THE LORD’S PRAYER
7 Targets
 To God
• Praise
• His Kingdom
• His Will
 To Human Needs
• Daily Provision
• Forgiveness
• Temptation
 Intercessory
54
REGIMEN OF PRIVATE PRAYER
by George Buttrick (page 1)
“No binding rules but ‘hints’ – Not formal or formless”
• The casual mind kills it
1. Silent self-preparation
•
Orderly quietness and a mind focused on God
2. Thanksgiving
•
Call to mind the joys of the journey
55
REGIMEN OF PRIVATE PRAYER
by George Buttrick (page 2)
3. Confession
•
•
•
•
Be specific to work the surgery to cleanse the soul
Accept God’s pardon
Set your hooks in the facts
Don’t be too morbid or too indifferent
4. Intercession
•
•
•
“I humbly beseech you…..”
Ponder and bear on my heart their burdens
Chart of intercession for each day
56
REGIMEN OF PRIVATE PRAYER
by George Buttrick (page 3)
5. Petition
•
•
•
“Lift my earthly needs before eternal eyes”
Crisis cry and friendship talk
“Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done”
6. Meditation
Following each step, contemplate God’s goodness
•
•
•
Confession  Adore pardoning love and listen for guidance
Intercession  Try to see the whole world’s needs
Petition  Meditate on God’s will
57
EVERY HOME HAS 7 PRAYER NEEDS
1. “Hallowed be thy Name” – 21 names for God
2. “Thy Kingdom come” – Spiritual rebirth of faith
3. “God’s will be done” – Active obedience
4. “Give us our daily bread” – God’s provision – Let Him worry for us
5. “Forgive us, as we forgive” – Grace of forgiveness –
Reconciliation with God
6.
“Lead us not into temptation” – Turn off all bad ideas & thoughts
in our mind
7.
“Deliver us from the evil one” – From demonic influences
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PRAYER FOR PASTORS
1. Know God’s Will
I.
2. Do God’s Will
II. Family Needs
3. Productivity
III. Spiritual Needs
4. Relationship with God
IV. Congregational Needs
Personal Needs
5. Power in Their Lives
6. Right Attitude
7. Giving, Healing, and
God’s Power = Focus
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21 NAMES OF GOD
Adonai
Jehovah-Mekaddishkem
El
Jehovah-Nissi
El Elohe Yisrael
Jehovah-Rapha
El Elyon
Jehovah-Rohi
Elohim
Jehovah-Sabaoth
El Olam
Jehovah-Shalom
El Roi
Jehovah-Shammah
El Shaddai
Jehovah-Tsidkenu
Immanuel
YAH, or JAH
Jehovah
YHWH
Jehovah Jireh
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BIBLICAL GUIDE TO
DEFENDING THE FAITH
Responses to the 12
common questions?
61
T.E.A.M.S. APPROACH
Truth
10%
Equipping
Accountability
75%
Missional
Supplication
15%
62
T.E.A.M.S. APPROACH
Truth
 What God has revealed for His people
to know, understand and obey.
Equipping
 Massage God’s Truth until it becomes
understandable and usable.
Accountability
 Ask the hard questions to promote Godly
living and living fully for Christ.
63
T.E.A.M.S. APPROACH
Missional
 Engage the lost and impart the Gospel
through word and deed.
Supplication
 Support the above in prayer
 Targeted Prayer
 Truth applied
 Situation in life
 Person God put in my life
64
T.E.A.M.S. APPROACH
Missional Living
• Ezekiel 34:1-12
“For thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I
Myself will search for My sheep and seek
them out.” (verse 11)
• Luke 15:1-7
“Rejoice with Me, for I have found My
sheep which was lost!” (verse 6b)
65
FORMULA FOR CHRISTIAN MATURITY
Christ
+ His Word
+ Disciplined Obedience
+ Effective & Capable Discipler
= The ultimate goal of “Christ-likeness.”
by Dr. Charles Lake
66
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
• The Real You
• Meeting Real Needs
• For the Right Reasons
• In the Right Way
“When the world sees God’s people step up and
love those who are unlike them, and especially
those who are unlovely, it takes notice.”
67
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
• The Real You
 Authenticity = Sincere Love
 Purity = Hate what is Evil & Cling to Good
• Meets Real Needs
 Devotion in Brotherly Love
 Humility is giving preference to one another
• For the Right Reasons
 Motive = Fervent in Spirit
 Method = Diligence & Enthusiasm
• In the Right Way
 Upward Focus = Hope & Persevering
 Outward Focus = Pursuing Needs
by Chip Ingram
from Living on the Edge
68
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
Relational Connectedness Requires:
 Take off our masks and be pure
 Be devoted to one another and honor
one another above ourselves
 Serve God with Passion and Excellence
 Carry one another’s burdens in the midst
of difficulty
69
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
Dangers:
• Collective Focus turns Inward vs.
Outward (e.g. “Us 4 and No More”)
• Need to practice hospitality and pursue
strangers
70
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
Life to Life discipleship is the process
of transferring spiritual life from one
person (a Discipling Leader) to another,
in the context of a small group of five
to eight people (a Discipleship Group).
71
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
Jesus’ Methods*
Selection
Association
• Willing to learn
• Concentrate on a few
• To know is to be with
• Foundation of follow-up
Consecration
Impartation
• Required obedience
• Absolute submission
• Life of giving
• Love is the only way
72
LIFE TO LIFE IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
Jesus’ Methods*
Demonstration
• Versus explanation
• Transparent & authentic
Delegation
• Briefing instructions
• Reaffirming follow-up
Supervision
• Continuous review &
application
• Growth in knowledge &
grace
Reproduction
• The acid test of ministry
• God’s method
* from The Master Plan of Evangelism
by Dr. Robert E. Coleman
73
P.L.A.C.E.
P.L.A.C.E. – Online Assessment Tool
P – Personality Discovery
L – Learning Spiritual Gifts
A – Abilities Awareness
C – Connecting Passion with Ministry
E – Experiences
Website: http://www.placeministries.org/
74
WIRED
Wired That Way
• Personality Profile
Paperback book
by Marita & Florence Littauer
Revell Publisher, 2006
75
KOLBE WISDOM
TM
KOLBE CORP. ASSESSMENT
Website:
http://www.kolbe.com/why-kolbe/kolbe-wisdom/
76
RIGHT PATH
RIGHT PATH RESOURCES
Website: http://www.rightpath.com/site/
77
THE BIRKMAN METHOD
THE BIRKMAN METHOD
by Rob Ketterer
Website:
http://www.visionworksconsulting.com/about/
78
SUMMER DEVELOPMENT
Disciple’s Summer Development Ideas
• Thought is for each person to be accountable for some
area of personal development over the summer.
• 1st meeting in the fall, each disciple presents a one page
paper on their project.
• Other ideas:
 All read same book
 All read different books
 Attend a conference
•
Main thought is that there is some accountability
deliverable to the group for a summer project.
79
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Continuing Education for Leaders
 Biblical Principles of Discipleship – Allan Coppedge






The Master Plan of Evangelism – Robert Coleman
Growing True Disciples – George Barna
Personal Disciple Making – Christopher B. Adsit
The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands – Paul Tripp
Classic Discipleship – John Musselman
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