Sections
1 and 2
Using Matthew 28:18-20 and 1 John 2:12-14 as our outlines, the School will cover three degrees of maturity or discipleship—that of the child, the youth, and the father. Recognizing the command of Scripture to be discipled and to disciple others, this course will follow the adjacent overview chart and focus on five Es:
- the Evangelism of preChristians
- the Establishment of new converts in the faith
- the Equipping (preparing and repairing) of disciples for ministry
- the Enlistment of all to follow the Master's plan for discipleship and the enlistment of some for leadership
- the Expansion and Extension of the kingdom of God throughout the world
Our model will be Jesus' style of outreach and His strategy for building His disciples.
Upon completion of this course, the participants should be able to:
- design a School of Discipleship for small or large groups, or a one-to-one discipleship ministry that will continue to multiply itself through many spiritual generations
- discover how to personalize their witness
- disciple a new convert and help to establish him/her in the basics of the faith
- develop and grow in their knowledge of God, forgiveness, ministry, and spiritual warfare
The following represents the lessons for the entire course. Other sections will follow that will take the student into two more sections: Youth and Fatherhood. After that, there will be opportunities for further training presented.
Please keep in mind this is a non-profit site that has its initial funding from Hillcrest Chapel, 1414 Larrabee, Shoreline, WA 98155, USA. If you are blessed by this seminar, or anything else on this site, we would also appreciate your financial assistance to keep it going.
Section
One: Overview
An overview of the process of discipleship. It is the most important strategy and activity our Lord left us to do!
What will determine success in our life and discipleship? The answer is found in our hearts and illustrated in the Parable of the Sower—Matthew 4:1-20. (Outline form also available)
Growing
Into Maturity, or Outline, or 
The key question we need to ask ourself is: "Where am I in my spiritual growth?" A passage to help us evaluate our development is 1 John 2:12-14. This passage gives us a simple overview of the discipling process and the three levels of maturity. John saw that it was God's intention to bring believers to the place of spiritual fatherhood, after going through spiritual childhood and young adulthood.
Section Two: Children
In section two, lessons are designed to assist each student with the beginning process of their growth to maturity and the discipleship of others.
1 John 2:12-14—"I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13] ....I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father."
As we can see from these verses, there are two general characteristics of children (new converts) in the faith:
- They understand their sins are forgiven; and
- They know the Father.
Using those two general characteristics as a guide, the following lessons are designed to help a new believer to understand the application of forgiveness to their lives as well as gain a basic understanding of who the Father is. Complementary to these teachings are several additional lessons to help a new disciple gain an understanding of God’s will and the basics of their salvation.
Two
Sides of Forgiveness—Matt.
6:12,14-15; Lk. 7:36-50.
Forgiveness: it is a word we love and loathe. It is, however, an essential step in being a disciple. At the heart of the Lord's Prayer and the verses immediately following, we find a far-reaching prayer and instruction concerning forgiveness.
Our biggest need is to diligently get to know God. Many of the problems we face will find their roots in a misconception of who God is—of the basic nature of God. Ethical problems, doctrinal errors, and counterfeit worship experiences are a result of not understanding who God is. How do we plant a good understanding of who God is in our hearts? We will take a practical approach. We will start with the attributes of God and apply them to our worship, prayer, and everyday life.
In this study we begin a survey of the attributes of God. We will view and apply three attributes: omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence.
Getting
to Know God, Part Three
In order for our understanding of God to not come from a mixture of rumor, films, a projection of our own humanness and half-truths, we continue a study of the attributes of God from the Scriptures. In this lesson we will view and apply two more attributes: God is immutable, and God is holy.
Getting
to Know God, Part Four
When we show love to those who do not know Christ, they will get a picture of what God is like. That is our goal in Getting to Know God. An understanding and application of the attributes of God can have a dramatic effect, not only on us, but on all we might influence. In this lesson we will view and apply these attributes: God is just, and God is love.
Getting to Know God, Part Five
Come with me to a vista where we will view God's attributes. You should be prepared to be changed, because a view of God’s attributes exposes our sinfulness and compels us to offer ourselves completely to Him. We'll look at the responses we should have when we attain some understanding of God's attributes.
A knowledge of God is the substance of our praise. This lesson is really an encouragement for private praise. It launches what I hope will be a lifetime project of: 1) enriching your knowledge of God by knowing His attributes, 2) memorizing one or two key passages for each attribute, 3) then filling your praise and worship with statements that declare and thank God for who He is and what He has done. This lesson is divided into two categories, even though they overlap: 1) Who God is, and 2) What God has done.
In this session we want to clear up some of the fog that often surrounds the subject of God's will. What will help us? After looking at some key principles/steps that come from Romans 12:1-2, we will study "The Seven Action Tests." They will show us the will of God involves our active and joyful surrender. Remember, His will is not hidden. He longs for us to know His will.
A
Special Study: Watch For Open Doors And Closed Doors
God often gives us direction through closed or open doors. This lesson will help us be alert to keep our spiritual eyes open for them. Often they are not apparent to the natural eye.
The
Fear of the Lord—Proverbs 9:10
The Scripture makes it clear that the fear of the Lord is central to a believer's life and success. It is a consistent theme throughout Scripture. In this study we intend to give an overview of the subject; show its necessity; as well as answer some key questions regarding it. Be prepared to look at a lot of verses. This is a major theme in Scripture.
The implications of the doctrines of salvation are staggering. In order to fully understand the application of these doctrines, we must begin by hearing the good news again—all of it. In this study we will review the basics and apply them.
Section Three: Young Adult
13b] "I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one..."
14b] "I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one."
As we grow in our faith, John highlights three general characteristics of a young man (adult) in the faith. The three characteristic are:
- They have overcome the evil one--v. 13;
- They are strong--v. 14b; and
- The Word of God lives in them--v. 14b.
Therefore, if we desire to grow up in our spiritual lives, it is wise that we mimic these three characteristics as well. This third section of the School of Discipleship is focused on that goal.
You Have Overcome The Evil One
13b] "I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one..."
As followers of Jesus, it is obvious we are involved in a spiritual war. How are we to overcome our enemy? If we are to grow up in our faith, then we are going to need to understand our enemy’s ploys and how he is defeated. The following lessons give us the basic training and tactics we need in order to overcome the evil one.
On Being Hunted by a Lion, Part 1
It is important we are prepared for the one who stalks us as believers. We must know his ways, our defense, our company, and our promises.
On Being Hunted by a Lion, Part 2
The Light Became Darkness: an Introduction to the Evil One, and How to Overcome Him. This lesson explores the following questions: Is Satan real? How did Satan become the enemy of God and us? What is he like? How can we escape him?
On Being Hunted by a Lion, Part 3
The Believers' Enemy. A Study on Overcoming the Evil One. Explore the four things each believer needs to understand if he is going to fight effective battles.
On Being Hunted by a Lion, Part 4
Set Free from Satan. More principles to help us in our spiritual warfare, and some principles for victory!
You Are Strong
14b] "I write to you, young men, because you are strong..."
Strong in the Spirit and Ministry
We never know when we will have to extend the healing/help of Jesus to those who are in need. Therefore, we need to understand Jesus' heart for the needy and be prepared to express it. We call this Ministry 101-105: an overview of the Lord's ministry from His own lips.
How do we pass the torch of discipleship from one person, one generation, to the next? We'll look at 2 Timothy 2:1-3, noting what we are to be and what misconceptions we are to avoid when we purpose to disciple others and multiply ministry.
How to Be Strong During an Emotional Upheaval
Many who go through emotional upheaval in their lives end up adding to their problems by the way they handle their emotions. Truly, our emotions play a large part in making our lives meaningful or miserable. Take a look at some Scriptural examples that illustrate how to handle our emotions, particularly the negative ones.
The Celebration of the Lord's Table
What is the Lord's Table all about? What do the elements represent, and how are we to approach this celebration of remembrance?
The Word Of God Lives In You
We might call this section of the school an Eagle Flight to Higher Heights. Here we will discover some more significant and effective means to grow in our spiritual lives. If we are going to grow from spiritual infancy into spiritual young adulthood, the following section will be crucial to that process. These lessons are presented separately in a 7 hour seminar entitled Eagle Flight.
Some may find it helpful to view the elements of this section in a separate context, but it is essential we keep the big picture in mind and see the following elements as part of an overall development process in the context of I John 2:12-14. In other words, here we are going to continue to see the various means by which a spiritual child develops into a spiritual young adult. Remember those characteristics are:
- they have overcome the evil one
- they are strong and
- they have the word of God living in them—1 John 2:14b.
If that isn’t a description of your life, then this section is designed for you. Even if you think these verses describe you, the following material should also enrich your spiritual life journey.
Eagle Flight To Higher Heights
Every time we see an eagle in flight, we should be reminded of the power that God has made available to us. The flight of an eagle also teaches us how essential it is that we spend time with God, and that we gain a personal and accurate view of who He is through our time with Him! The problem is, we aren't exercising our opportunities to be with Him; thus we don't know Him or His power.
Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines
What can we expect as we practice spiritual disciplines? In this study, we will learn some lessons from Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Here we will discover how to maintain Jesus as our focus and how to be rooted in Him. Mary models for us the value of practicing spiritual disciplines—spiritual health habits. As we choose to rest in Him, i.e., to be in His presence, we will see worry dissipate, our priorities get in line with our Lord’s plans for us, and our activities more focused and prioritized.
Journal writing is a discipline that will be invaluable in retaining the lessons God is teaching us now, as well as providing a memory bank for the ways God has ministered to us in the past. Many devout people have kept such a record of the ways God has dealt with them. Here we will learn the basics of Journal writing, how to write a psalm and how to turn life's experiences into praise.
Using the 10 Commandments as our guide, we will see a method to periodically take a spiritual inventory of our lives.
A Worship, Prayer & Listening Experience
We will practice our journal writing by reflecting on some poignant verses.
Here we find a personal guidebook on how to reap a harvest from the Scripture. Using very specific inductive study methods, this approach will help us to discover the meaning and application of the scripture. Don’t miss this, it is absolutely foundational to being strong in the Lord and growing into maturity.
Our outer journey must be supported and undergirded by our inner journey. To illustrate, we’ll view one of the most stressful and stretching experiences our Lord ever experienced on this earth. (It was also a test for the disciples.) It took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is a primer for prayer in stretching times—Matt. 26:36-45
This is a quick overview of the Lord’s prayer. By following the pattern of the Lord's prayer, we will discover pattern prayers can help us get started when we need help, and yet they can be elaborated on as we get more experienced.
Prayer can be one of the most difficult disciplines to do consistently and persistently. For our biblical motivation, we will turn to Matthew 7:7-12. This key passage gives us a better idea of what the process of prayer entails. Each of the stages of prayer are outlined here: asking, seeking, and knocking.
Have you ever become bored in your quiet times? Do you open your Bible and find yourself dreaming or immediately getting sleepy? Have you ever switched off your alarm, thinking, "I'd rather sleep than have a quiet time?" How can we recapture our passion for quiet times with God? We’ll look at the some key passages and creative ideas for some clues.
How to Spend an Hour In Prayer
How can anyone possibly pray an entire hour? Here's how to structure an hour in prayer with 12 Scripturally based aspects.
"I never thought a day could make such a difference," a friend said to me. "My relationship to everyone seems improved. Why don’t I do it more often?" Comments like these come from those who set aside a personal day of prayer. With so many activities—important ones—clamoring for our time, real prayer is considered more a luxury than a necessity. How much more so spending a day in prayer!
Meditation points the way to islands of calm in a world that moves all around us like waves of the sea. Meditation is a spiritual health habit that promise enormous benefits and blessings.
Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, often used to say: "Predominant thought determines present action." This is the key reason that we should give ourselves to the memorization and meditation of Scripture. What we do and say is determined by the things that are most on our minds and in our hearts—Matt. 15:18-19; 12:34-37.
Fasting is one of the most misunderstood and least practiced spiritual disciplines. Most of us act as if the teachings on fasting are not at all important, but Jesus had a different view; He never minimized fasting.
The tongue reveals that the source of our speech is being adversely affected, while kind and truthful words indicate a good source for our speech. Critical and cursing words reveal a polluted source even though there may be some good words at the same time. Our solution will be to go to the source of the pollution, become a spiritual environmentalist, clean it up and plant a Garden of Praise in its place.
Resource Section
In this extensive resource you will find a number of training sessions on prayer. They provide several different perspectives on the ministry of prayer. They can be used for individual study, or as a source to develop "teaching outlines" for a prayer seminar.
Section Four: Fathers
Section four contains lessons for those who have developed in their spiritual lives so that they are now recognized as Spiritual Fathers.
The characteristic John used to describe those who have grown to this extent is repeated in two places in I John 2:
13] "I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning."
14] "I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning."
Here’s a review of what we have seen in section three: As we grow in our faith, John highlights three general characteristics of a young man (adult) in the faith. The three characteristic are:
- They have overcome the evil one--v. 13
- They are strong--v. 14b;
- and the Word of God lives in them--v. 14b.
Therefore, if we desire to grow up in our spiritual lives, it is wise that we mimic these three characteristics as well. The third section of the School Of Discipleship was focused on that goal.
As we grow into adulthood/fatherhood, God is interested in seeing us go beyond activity, to see Him as He truly was before He started any world activity.
Therefore as fathers in the faith:
- Maturity calls us to see Him in His exalted role ("Our Father which art in heaven...").
- Maturity calls us to know not only His acts, but also His ways: not only His creation, but His character.
- Maturity calls us to not only know about Him, but to be like Him, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, conformed to the likeness of His Son (Eph. 4: 13-16; Rom. 8:29)
- Spiritual fatherhood calls on us not only to know our Spiritual Father, but to be a spiritual father and mentor to others as we have been parented by our Lord (1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Thess. 2:11; Titus 2:1-8; Phil. 2:22; Acts 6:6)
- Maturity means we commune with our Father by means of in-depth conversation, plenty of listening and being still and knowing He is God.
Several of these lessons can also be found on this site in a section called A Pastor’s Seminar. The implication should not be drawn that only pastors are spiritual fathers, but it is best if a pastor is growing toward the maturity of spiritual fatherhood. At a minimum, a pastor should reflect the characteristics of a young adult in the faith. See section three: Young Adult.
In most cases, it is also true that in some setting the spiritual father is exhibiting leadership. It may not be a pastorate, but they are leaders by virtue of their character and lifestyle. If you are a pastor, you might want to use a Pastor’s Seminar as your curriculum for this section.
The following lessons are designed to be an encouragement to those who are exhibiting the characteristics of a Spiritual Father.
Finishing Well—Hebrews 12:1-3
The key question to ask and answer for all of us is, "How can I finish well?" Supplemental to this question are the related ones: "Who did not finish well?" "Why did they not finish well?" The writer of Hebrews is in effect saying, "Don't give up too soon; don't relax before the tape; don't stay down if you fall; get up; refocus your attention on the Author and Finisher of the race; and finish the race." From this passage, as well as observing a number of authors, biographies, mentors, friends, and family members, we will see 6 characteristics of people who finished well.
Job Description of a Spiritual Father and Leader—1 Thessalonians 2:1-20
What is the job description of a spiritual leader? I'm sure we could compile quite a list of expectations. In I Thessalonians 1 & 2, we have an example of Paul's heart and ministry modeled and described. It is an amazing story and example for us. This passage tells us why the Thessalonians stayed true and the church grew at such a remarkable pace. It didn't just happen; there were certain elements present that made it strong.
Priorities of a Pastor or a Spiritual Father—1 Timothy 4:11-16 (The Cure For Ineffective Ministry)
When Paul writes his first letter to his young associate, Timothy, he wants to spell out how people should behave in the church and he wants to speak a word to Timothy himself. In this situation, he is going to tell Timothy that at a time like this, he had better get back to fundamentals; make first things central. Here in I Timothy 4, Paul spells out for his young friend (and through Timothy, for us), the priority of ministry that will cause the people of God to respect us and to respond to us.
The Heart And Ministry of a Great Leader—Acts 20:16-38.
This session gives us an essential truth for leadership and that is, the heart and ministry of a leader are inseparable. If we intend to be effective and reflect the lordship of Christ in our leadership, then we need to constantly remind ourselves of the relationship between these two. To put it another way: what I do is a reflection of who I am. Or, the outer life of service is sustained by an inner life of devotion. To illustrate this relationship, we want to look at the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul. We will do this by isolating our attention on only one of the churches he founded and pastored. This church was located in Ephesus. In this section of Scripture, we will review the summary remarks of Paul to the elders at Ephesus.
Remember Your Leaders—Hebrews 13:7-8
It is constructive to remember those who have influenced us; those who have lived through testings and trials. The Jewish people were called to remember the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. It is likewise appropriate for us to remember our leaders as well. We might be tempted to drift or to return to our old way of life, but leaders can help us. Which leaders? Those "who spoke the word of God to you." But notice what we are to consider about those memorable leaders: v. 7c—"Consider the outcome of their way of life..." If we want to be a leader, or we are a leader, these verses should be a powerful call to us.
A Harvest of Character Qualities
What are some of the specific character qualities we can deduce from Scripture that all disciples/leaders should have growing in their lives? When a leader is described, the tendency is to look at the outward appearances, actions, or gifts. It is interesting to note, however, that outward manifestations are rarely, if ever, mentioned in choosing leaders in the early church. This study will look at the specific spiritual qualities that will need to be developed in maturing Christians and leaders.
Defeating Discouragement and Burnout—1 Kings 19 (Lessons from Elijah in the Desert)
Spiritual Fathers who are burned out, have lost the zest for ministry; they 'go through the motions' day after day; but with little joy, and with greatly reduced capability for effective service. The sad part of this is that leaders who burn out are among our most dedicated people.
The hopeful part is that burnout can be avoided, and, if caught in time, can usually be remedied. This session is a wonderful study on how to recover from and/or prevent burnout. We will study the life of Elijah just before and after Mount Carmel. It is a model for all who desire to help people. It is also a very personal study of how God cares and ministers to a dispirited prophet, i.e., a person who has faithfully followed the Lord and is now discouraged, defeated, and maybe burned out.
In a general fashion, this is a review session and will simply lay out for the us the theological underpinnings for any ministry, especially a discipleship ministry. Participants in the seminar will have a chance to rewrite or affirm this theological statement.
Related Links
See also our Special Section on Burnout
Expository
Preaching (Riveted and
Relevant). Being riveted to Scripture, and at the same time being relevant
to our times is the balance needed for expository preaching. This seminar
will focus on a number of key ingredients that are central to the expository
process, and lead to pertinent steps of implementation in people's lives.
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