week 7

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of

201820 DSMN 500-B09

Discipleship Ministries

by

March 16, 2018

Contents

Introduction 1

Vision 2

Values 4

Views 3

Step 1 3

Step 2 4

Step 3 5

Vehicles 6

Verifiers 6

Conclusion 7

Bibliography 8

11

Introduction

Our goal as Christians is to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28 verses 19-20. “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.”[footnoteRef:1] The Bible does not simply say to ‘go therefore and lead people and covert people to God,’ but rather to make disciples. There is a significant difference in just converting someone to come to know God, and developing them to accept, follow, obey, and spread the message of God. It should be no surprise that the church has a central role in this process as it is a focal point for believers. [1: Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001).]

Churches should be at the center of this disciple making process. Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18 says, “And I tell you peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades will not overcome it.” According to Aubrey Malphurs, the promise of this passage is “that Jesus is in the church building business. He is the builder of churches, not us. However, he’s assigned us the pleasure of being part of the process.”[footnoteRef:2] In other words it is our duty and privilege as devoted followers of Christ, to build churches and carry on His mission. If this is true, why are churches today having such troubled times? The problem is, over the years many churches have lost sight of this core purpose. Churches, like almost every other aspect of life have a life cycle. They are created, they grow and expand, but eventually they will begin to decline and die. This is simply part of the cycle that has been around for hundreds, even thousands of years. And as the world has evolved and grown churches have lost sight of this purpose, and have not kept up with the growing population. Thus Christ and diminished from the overall world view. As Malphurs notes, “early in the twenty-first century 80-85 percent of the churches sprinkled across America are either plateaued or in decline.”[footnoteRef:3] The need for churches in today’s world is critically high. Malphurs goes on to add that “the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled since 1990, rising from eight to fifteen percent.”[footnoteRef:4] If this trend is head back in the other direction followers of Christ must embrace their duty as disciple makers. The practical way to do this is to create more churches. Churches that produce churches. Since Churches have a life cycle the only way to continue the mission of Jesus is for churches to create churches and multiply. This way as the older churches approach the end of their lifecycle new churches are already underway taking over the mission. [2: Aubrey Malphurs, The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting, A guide for starting any Kind of Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2001), 21.] [3: Ibid., 7.] [4: Ibid., 8.]

Vision

As I have walked and grown in my faith I have come to understand and appreciate this task we have been given. I have experienced what Putman describes as “the call of a true disciple is a call to a change in allegiance, from self to Jesus’ leadership in our lives.”[footnoteRef:5] In today’s society it so easy to become overwhelmed with the state of the overall world. Sometimes the plight of man seems helpless, but as a follower of Christ it is my duty to at least try to make a difference. [5: Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, Disciple Shift (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 32.]

There are a great many things to consider when planning a new church. Putman describes five considerations in developing a church plan, “Develop a Biblical Vision, Create a Common Language, Develop a Disciple Making process, Live out Your Vision, and Assess, Connect and Encourage.”[footnoteRef:6] [6: Ibid., 216.]

Contemplating the church vision and overall mission statement is a vital starting point. It can set the tone for all that follows. Putman cautions us to “remember you are basing your view of purpose on Jesus and the scriptures and that does not change.”[footnoteRef:7] The Bible and its Scripture is eternal, everlasting, constant, never changing. Churches must strive to remain true to it. [7: Ibid., 217.]

My church Mission Statement would include the following: “To reach the people of the community and help them to connect with God by sharing the life giving message of Jesus and further developing them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” The first part of that mission statement is about reaching the lost and guiding or leading them to Christ. For as we are told in Mark 16, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe… Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” (Mark 16:15-20). Notice the passage starts off with action, to ‘go.’ It does not say sit and wait, but rather “go into all the world.” My vision is for the church to be actively seeking the lost. The Great Commission also directs us to “go therefore and make disciples.” Many churches open their doors and wait for people to come to them to interact. My plan is to ‘go’ and seek out those who need Jesus. The second part of the mission statement is about embracing those new believers and developing them into Christ followers that will become disciples that will create disciples. As Earley and Dempsey wrote, “Our goal is to help people come to know Christ, grow in Christ, develop for Christ, and produce fruit (other disciples) who will reach the world with the good news of the gospel.”[footnoteRef:8] [8: Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 257. ]

Values

Once the vision or mission statement is decided it is time to develop a core set of values and principles that will be the guideline for the church. A few key values I would include (in no particular order) are Servanthood, Biblical Truth, Trust, Acceptance and Understanding, Love, Obedience, Learning, Leadership, Discipleship, and Patience. I will only touch on a few of these in more detail.

Sevanthood is one key value. As stated in Acts, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:25). The church and its leadership must remember that its purpose is to serve others by delivering the message of Jesus. As disciples, we are to serve God by serving others in leading them to Christ. As Duane Elmer writes, “It is the very nature of God to serve…We are never more like Jesus than when we serve others.”[footnoteRef:9] We are setting the example, and may at times be a person’s first introduction to Christ. With a servant’s heart we must in a sense, remove ourselves, and be and extension or example of Christ. The important thing to remember is that it is not about us. We are here to carry out God’s plan and should be striving to find and fulfil the purpose He has for us. John 13:14-17 reminds us of the servant’s heart. Jesus was a servant. [9: Duane Elmer, Cross-Cultural Servanthood (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 21.]

Another important value is Biblical Truth. What I mean by that is the church must stay true to the Word of God. The Word does not change. It is timeless. It was, is and always will be. Putman reminds us to “remember you are basing your view of purpose on Jesus and the Scriptures and that does not change.”[footnoteRef:10] In today’s world that includes a multitude of ways to offend, some churches are altering the Word in an effort to not offend and push people away. Some lessons may be hard for some to hear, however a Pastor should never water down or change the message. First Corinthians 1:17-18 tells us, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Also in Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from.” We should never be ashamed to preach the truth of the Word. Robert Coleman also states it well in that God had a clear goal, “God wanted all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.”[footnoteRef:11] I also agree with Putman when he states, “If we simply look to Him and His Word for answers and then apply those truths wisely in our own context shared by teams we do ministry with, then we can start to see the church in our area win again.”[footnoteRef:12] In essence if we look to the source, the Bible, for answers and apply those principles the church should be successful. After all the Bible describes the original church planter, Jesus. We should always be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel. [10: Putman, DiscipleShift, 217. ] [11: Robert E. Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Robert E. Coleman, 1993), 17.] [12: Putman, DiscipleShift, 216.]

Acceptance and understanding are two more important values I would have in my church. The basis for these two values stems from Romans 15:7, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the Glory of God.” The church must accept and love all who they come in contact with. Acceptance does not mean agreement or approval, but a willingness to set aside those difference to communicate and in the churches case share the gospel to a needing soul. As extensions of Christ, we must not judge. We must remember that God, nor Jesus, throws us out to live in isolation, rather He remains open and available to us when we are ready to return to him. Every person should be welcome into the church. A person should not be defined by the current situation they are in. Situations and circumstances can change, it is the internal heart of the person that the servant must accept and try to reach. Romans 14:4 tells us, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

The last one I will discuss is love. Love is key. 1 Peter reminds us, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins, show hospitality to one another without grumbling, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:8-10). Jesus was the purest and truest example of love. Earley and Dempsey state that “the foundation for disciple making is love, a virtue not highly prized in our culture.”[footnoteRef:13] If we are true followers of Christ we will lead by Jesus’ example and show to love to all. In Matthew 5:43-48 we are told to love our enemies, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” What an example of Jesus’ love for us to love and pray for those who mistreat us. We will not always know the true extent of someone’s circumstances. Our act of love could be the catalyst to softening their heart. [13: Earley and Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…, 242.]

Obedience, Learning, Leadership, Discipleship, and Patience are all other important values that will be included. Many of these will be touched up in the Vehicle section to follow.

Views

When creating and implementing a new ministry it is important to make sure everyone is on the same page. You may have church leadership from a variety of different denominational backgrounds. Although many of the basic principles are the same, some denominations or backgrounds may use different terms for the same position or function. For example you have Pastors, Preachers, Priests, and Reverends etc. It is important that the church establishes guidelines and terms so to not create confusion among the leadership and congregation. Personally I prefer the term Pastor and would use that term for the ministry leadership. Head Pastor, Executive Pastor, Student Pastor, Youth Pastor would be the assigned terms, each clearly defined as to their roles and responsibilities. Head Pastor would be the top person, the Pastor in charge if you will, responsible for the overall operation and organization of the ministry. The Student and Youth Pastors would be leaders in their respective section planning activities, lessons and leader training for their subordinate leaders. A “leader” would be one who has been trained to lead a particular class, group or section. “Mentors” would be sub-leaders under the leaders. There would also be administrative personnel, financial personnel, overseers, audio-visual staff, social media/website staff, events staff, praise and worship staff etc. all with clearly defines roles and responsibilities. Some positions would be paid positions and some may be volunteer. Either way each position will have a detailed job description of what is expected. In addition to a set of views for the business side of the church, there would also be a list of religious views held by the church. Any employee or volunteer must understand and agree to uphold those beliefs and views. For example, anyone working as a paid employee or in a volunteer status must accept the Holy Bible as truth. It is the truth from which the church will preach and minister. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” They must believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God as represented in Matthew 1:18 and Isaiah 7:14. They must believe in salvation as represented in Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:16 or Romans 10:9-10. The belief in the Holy Spirit as represented in Hebrews 2:4, Romans 1:11-12, Ephesians 4:16 and 2 Timothy 1:5-16. These are just a few of about twenty core beliefs that will be known to all and that the church will stand on as their foundation of Scripture and purpose. For if everyone involved in the church staff is not committed to the core values and values it will only be a matter of time before tension or misunderstanding develop and cause friction and chaos within the church. These principles must be made known and accepted.

We are living for a greater purpose of life eternal.

Bibliography

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Discipleship. Germany: Fortress Press, 2001.

Coleman, Robert E. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Grand Rapids, MI: Robert E. Coleman,

1993.

Earley, Dave and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is…How to Live the Great Commission with

Passion and Confidence. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2013.

Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Servanthood. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.

Malphurs, Aubrey. The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting, A guide for starting any Kind of Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2001.

McElveen, Micah. “Vapor.” High Pointe Church, Enterprise, February 2018.

Putman, Jim and Bobby Harrington. Disciple Shift. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013.

Stroup, George W. Why Jesus Matters. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.

“The Local Church in Mission: Becoming a Missional Congregation in the Twenty-first Century Global Context and the Opportunities Offered Through Tentmaking Ministry,” Lausanne Occasional Paper, 39, (2005). Accessed March 1, 2018. Http://www.lausanne.org/content/lop/lop-39.

“Christian faith affirms that the meaning of life is found in a relationship to that ultimate reality known as ‘God,’ a reality that encounters people in the person of a first century Jew named Jesus. In Him (Jesus) people come to know God to be gracious, loving, and faithful. Jesus is therefore the center of Christian faith, the basis for what Christians believe they know about God.”[footnoteRef:14] [14: George W. Stroup, Why Jesus Matters (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 7.]

In summation being a disciple is our duty and obligation as part of our obedience to the Lord. It requires Christ to have a place at the center of our life. As Stroup states, “Jesus is the reason Christians believe they are called to lead lives that witness to the grace and love of God. Jesus is the basis for their hope that God is faithful even when they are not, and the reason they trust the future belongs to God and is to be anticipated with confidence rather than despair.”[footnoteRef:15] That hope and confidence is to be shared with everyone. [15: Stroup, Why Jesus Matters, 7.]

Jesus knew His mission. He remained obedient and “not for one minute did Jesus lose sight of his goal.”[footnoteRef:16] Obedience is more than simply showing faith by worship and Bible study. Micah McElveen said in a lecture, “Faith by itself if not accompanied by action is dead.”[footnoteRef:17] [16: Coleman, The Master Plan…, 18. ] [17: Micah McElveen, “Vapor” (lecture, High Pointe Church, Enterprise, 2018). ]

As a person grows in their faith they will inevitably see that Christ is at the Center, the focal point around which all else revolves. Hopefully the new believer will also recognize their role as a disciple. God had a clear goal, he wanted “all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”[footnoteRef:18] The role of people as disciples is clear in various parts of the Bible. In Luke we read of Jesus selecting followers to teach and carryout his mission, “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:13).[footnoteRef:19] In Robert Coleman’s book The Master Plan of Evangelism, he points out “the initial objective of Jesus’ plan was to enlist men who could bear witness to his life and carry out his work after he returned to the Father.”[footnoteRef:20] We, as followers and believers, are also called to discipleship. [18: Robert E, Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Robert E. Coleman, 1993), 17.] [19: Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001).] [20: Coleman, The Master Plan…, 21.]