Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Liberty University
SELECTING A DISCIPLE-MAKER’S MESSAGE
Submitted to Dr. Allan England
in partial completion of course requirements for
DSMN 500 – Discipleship Ministries
Elke Speliopoulos
Downingtown, PA
June 3, 2011
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Definition of Terms..........................................................................................................................3
Authentic Learning (or “Preaching What You Practice”)................................................................5
Forms of an Educator’s Message and Curriculum Planning...........................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................8
ii
3
Introduction
Solomon wrote: “Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many
books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the
conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all
mankind.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13, NIV)
As Christian disciple makers, we do well to remember that simply developing a
curriculum that pumps a mind full of Bible information is not sufficient. Just as God created us
in His image and just as Jesus stated that loving God included heart, soul, mind and strength
(Mark 12:30), those being discipled need to be engaged in all of their person.
Definition of Terms
Mitchell outlines that several steps are needed to create a curriculum plan, whether for a
secular or a church setting. From identifying and acknowledging goals and expectations as to the
outcomes of teaching1, to cataloging the existing baseline of knowledge, the mindset and
ultimate skill set needed to create the desired outcome, much needs to go into planning.2
Once this has been defined and communicated, courses and texts or textbooks, as well as
teachers and associated activities required to propel a student to a desired learning outcome can
be lined up.3 Ultimately, with all these elements in place, it is possible to create a learning path,
or “scope and sequence chart” 4 to ensure that all learning is aligned along an agreed upon time
axis.
1. Michael R. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church,
School, and Home (Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010), 248.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid., 248.
4. Ibid., 249.
4
Since the terms content, curriculum and lesson can take on similar meanings in
educational settings5, it is important for all participants to be clear on the precise meaning of
these terms. Mitchell offers a number of definitions focusing on content, curriculum, message,
teaching methods and learning activities. 6
According to Mitchell, content “consists of all the matter, materials, substance, and even
meanings available to an educator to communicate and transmit to students.”7 The Concise
Oxford English Dictionary describes content as originating in Middle English “from medieval
Latin contentum (plural contenta ‘things contained’), neuter past participle of continere” and
describes it as “the things that are contained in something”.8
In contrast, according to Mitchell, “curriculum refers to the actual messages chosen to
transmit to the student.”9 Mitchell breaks curriculum down into three guiding principles:
instruction, inclusion, and participation.10 Instruction is only possible when every type of
learning activity includes focus on allowing learning, growth and development within the student
to happen.11 Inclusion can mean stipulating a requirement within a learning environment that
ensures that every participant can be part of any activity. 12 Finally, participation necessitates an
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid., 249.
7. Ibid., 251.
8. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed. (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2004).
9. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples, 253.World-Class Education in the Church, School,
and Home, 248.
10. Ibid., 254.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid., 255.
5
encouragement to students to become actively engaged by the learning facilitators (teachers,
group leaders, etc.).13
The message itself, a term derived from the word missive, is something that is sent from
one party to another. Mitchell uses the example of Hebrews 12 to show that God as both our
Father and Teacher outlines a course for His children to run. To make this effective, God chooses
“specific messages from all of the content available to him in order to communicate with his
disciple-followers.”14
Finally learning methods and teaching activities allow students to engage with the content
and message on a deeply, what Mitchell calls, “soulish” level of learning, which incorporates
thinking, feeling, and choosing.15
Authentic Learning (or “Preaching What You Practice”)
One critical element in any approach to learning has to be the authenticity displayed in
what is conveyed to the learners. Mitchell calls this “preaching what you practice”1, e.g. unless a
teacher is already living what they are trying to convey, the message may resonate as shallow.
Tradition, observation, participation and inspiration in Christian learning all become
elements of how information is conveyed. Tradition describes what our knowledge is based on
from texts and other containers that convey through the centuries what a culture is about.
Observation is what a student brings into the learning experience, which includes many
unprocessed impressions. Participation is what the teacher elicits out of the student because of
his or her life experience. Inspiration finally is wholly dependent on the Holy Spirit’s
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid., 257.
15. Ibid.
1. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and
Home, 257.
6
participation, guiding and directing the teacher’s words and actions to convey what God wants to
impart to the student (and many times also the teacher).2
Forms of an Educator’s Message and Curriculum Planning
Mitchell suggests the “three-legged stool” approach for developing curriculum:
evaluating of textbooks to be utilized, determining the subject matter addressed, and
incorporating of data discovered and mined during personal research and preparation.1
Ultimately Christian education, whether in a formal setting or in a one-by-one disciple-
making effort has to feature Christ-centered, Bible-based, pupil-experienced, others-related,
family-focused, socially-applied, and evangelistically-concerned building blocks.2
Looking at the curriculum planning itself, a view at how the apostles taught teaches
modern teachers to emulate a model the Holy Spirit inspired in the apostles of the first century.
Mitchell primarily draws on the example laid out in Acts 2:42-47, where the apostles grew the
disciples through a series of activities, such as devoting themselves to prayer, sharing
communion as well as the community, which came with this intimate experience. They also met
needs, assembled together, and praised the Lord and worshiped Jesus.3
He lays the concept studied in Scripture in a seven-step approach:
Step 1: Diagnosis of need
Step 2: Formulation of objectives
Step 3: Selection of content
Step 4: Organization of content
Step 5: Selection of learning experiences
Step 6: Organization of learning experiences
Step 7: Determination of what to evaluate and of the ways and means of doing it4
2. Ibid., 261.
1. Ibid., 268.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid., 275.
4. Ibid., 274.
7
Each of these steps have biblical precedence, however primary consideration for overall
Christian education can be found in such passages as the aforementioned Acts 2:42-47,
Ephesians 4:11-16 (describing Christ’s direct commissioning of pastor and teachers to equip the
body for works of service and maturing the body through the mechanics of divinely led
maturing), 1 Corinthians 12 (describing spiritual gifts and the purposes of deploying them within
the body of Christ), Romans 12 (again teaching about the spiritual gifts, but tying them here to
love in the body of Christ) and Colossians 1 (regarding the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to
mature into a life worthy of Jesus), to name a few.5
Conclusion
To select a new lesson, the deliberations of the educator have to include which content to
convey in which message format and via which curriculum through what type of learning
activity and teaching methods. They need to span all the way from prayerful biblical
consideration to objectively evaluating where his intended audience finds itself spiritually,
emotionally and even physically, especially in today’s online environments.
A teacher must be authentic, e.g. he or she can only convey in a meaningful manner what
has been learned already through experiences God has brought him or her through. We teach best
when our life reflects the promises of God – whether in hardship or in plenty.
5. Based on discussion of biblical passages in Dr. Dempsey’s presentation “Introduction to the Discipleship
Ministries Project”.
8
Bibliography
Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the
Church, School, and Home. Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010.
Soanes, Catherine, and Angus Stevenson. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. 11th ed. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2004.
Dempsey, Richard. Introduction to the Discipleship Ministries Project. Video presentation
delivered via Liberty University Blackboard for DSMN 500, accessed May 30, 2011.
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