Making Your Time Together Productive: Four Critical Areas

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 2:20-21

What is the framework for discipleship? Discipleship must be both highly relational and highly intentional, and you must be getting regular, consistent time together. After establishing the context of discipleship relationships, four crucial areas are unpacked to make your time fruitful and productive: studying together, giving counsel, coaching, and praying together.

The Process of Choosing Disciples

Howard Hendricks

Luke 6

Looking at Luke 6, Hendricks details the example we see from Jesus Christ and his own disciples as our model for discipling others. Prayer is especially important in this process - since we are selecting people who have already been selected by God.

Building Leaders Through Mentoring

Waylon Moore

Isaiah 60:22

Waylon Moore describes avenues of mentoring and how to incorporate them in practical ways. Mentoring is a deliberate relationship of trust and the spurring on of another believer. Following Jesus' example in his private ministry is spiritual work everyone can do. This involves intercession, witnessing, nurturing, and discipling. Jesus modeled these things often and well. Following Jesus' example is the way we can experience duplication in our discipleship.\r\n

Making Disciples in the Context of Christian Community

Gene Getz

Romans 15:5-6

Making disciples requires living in Christian community. Three key aspects of Christian community include: 1) basing it on of the Word of God; 2) having vital relationships with one another and with God; and 3) being involved in dynamic witnessing. These things can be done anywhere and are essential to live out New Testament Christianity. We will not mature in Christ or help others mature in Christ without living in community.\r\n

Lessons on Prayer

Dennis McCallum

Acts 12:1-16

Peter the apostle is thrown into prison and eventually rescued by an angel of the Lord. We gather several principles from this story: 1) God doesn't promise to answer any and all prayers; 2) it's important to be persistent in prayer; 3) corporate prayer is also essential to the prayer life; 4) God wants us to approach Him in prayer; 5) pray within God's will?the object of our prayers is more important than the quantity of our prayers; 6) prayer is how we can relate to God personally; 7) learn to recognize, remember, and appreciate answered prayers.

Prayer for Intimate Knowledge of God

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 1:15-23

God wants us to have a deep and intimate knowledge of Himself. Paul prays specifically that the Ephesians would understand the hope in God's plan, the security in their inheritance, and God's power. We can pray for these same things, with confidence that God will reveal these things to us!\r\n\r\n

Leadership in Missions

Holly McCallum

Ephesians 1:15-23

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called not only to share our faith at home but also abroad, as Jesus has a heart for all people and wants all people to come to know him. A good sign of a healthy church is one in which its members are both aware and excited about missions. For the most effective world missions, the church should be sending people who are already servant leaders and who have already gained ministry experience at home before attempting this in a more difficult field abroad. Today, we face challenges such as post-modernism which often views mission leaders as intolerant for trying to proclaim one truth to a people group and a self-focused approach to church. As believers who are being transformed by God into influencers, we can gain the proper equipping and attitude to overcome this and prioritize world missions. \r\n

Knowing Christ

Dennis McCallum

Revelation 3:20

Not only did God pay for our sins on the cross, but he also initiated a personal relationship with each human being. All we have to do is accept God's invitation and our whole eternity is changed. Paul said he counts everything as garbage compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.

Joy in Adversity

Dennis McCallum

Romans 8:28

Paul suffered countless times for the Lord, even during these times he was able to find joy in the love and purpose he received from the Lord. Paul constantly turned to his new identity and future eternal life as things to always be thankful for. God can use suffering in our lives to teach us things and to grow our faith.