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Biblical Discipleship . He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. (I John 2:6). Biblical Discipleship. Conversion is the first step towards….? Becoming like Christ, to walk as he walked!. So… are we accomplishing this?. Survey says. 2.5.
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Biblical Discipleship He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. (I John 2:6) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Biblical Discipleship • Conversion is the first step towards….? • Becoming like Christ, to walk as he walked! DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
So… are we accomplishing this? DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Survey says... 2.5 DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Signs of an Immature Believer • Marginal desire for God’s Word • Few “Works of Faith” (i.e. serve others, giving, etc.) • Easily swayed or deceived by false doctrines • Stuck in the basics - No growth • Limited desire for fellowship with the Brethren • Strong desire for worldly possessions / selfish ambitions • Difficulty in repenting and forgiving others • Lacking compassion for the lost • Not actively assisting other believers in their growth • Limited sense of God, His character and will • Life filled with fear, anxiety - lack of peace • Often covetous, boastful, prideful, manipulative, etc. • Ongoing financial difficulties (i.e. living under mounds of debt) • Seekers of pleasure • Lives marked by a lack of discipline • Partial victory over sin • Nonexistent or lackluster prayer life • Little or no time for personal worship DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
The Central Issue Too many Christians are not attaining the “New life in Christ” Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Rom 6:4 DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
What is causing this? DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Trends limiting a Christian’s ability to be conformed to the image of Christ: • Tendency to gravitate to the mean or “Norm”. This creates an arbitrarily low standard to which new believers aspire, comparing themselves to their own selves. II Cor 12:10 • False belief that Faith has limited practical relevance • Selfish Christianity - Lives so busy that we don’t have time to fulfill our duty to “Seek first the kingdom of God” on a daily basis * The Biblical concept of “Teaching” having evolved into more of a “Telling” or “Pointing” to available resources • Get caught up in focusing on a few external behavior patterns and not searching the heart. Counseling to get to the heart is much more difficult and time consuming • Baptism being viewed as the ultimate goal for believers on earth DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
To what can all of these trends be attributed? Lack of Discipleship DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Apostolic Christian Church • Have we done what is necessary to bring the earnest convert into possession of the new life in Christ? DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
“Discipleship?” • After we were baptized, what did our “discipleship” consist of? • Sunday and midweek sermons • Sunday Bible Class • Youth Groups, camps, retreats, etc. • Observation and imitation of others’ actions • Some personal devotions and prayer time DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Col 2:6-7 • I propose that we need to adopt the Biblical principle of Discipleship…. • After we have learned to “Walk as He walked” to teach others the same. DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
So what is Discipleship? • Discipleship is the level of Empathy and concern for the convert where the mature brother or sister goes beyond telling to TEACHING, beyond explaining to SHOWING, ASSISTING AND HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE TO BIBLICAL TEACHING. DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Biblical Basis for Discipleship And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. II Tim 2:2 1) Become a Disciple of Christ (Mathew 11:28) 2) Learn of Him. (Mathew 11:29) 3) Complement with additional learning times with mature brethren (II Tim 2:2) 4A) Teach others to know and observe Christ’s principles (Mathew 28:20) 4B) Go into the world and preach the Gospel (Luke 9:60) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Biblical examples of Discipleship: • The Twelve Disciples of Jesus (Matthew 10:1-4) • Seventy disciples sent forth by Christ to witness and teach (Luke 10:1) • Disciples of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:1-3) • All disciples were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26) • Paul and Timothy, his disciple - THE MODEL (1 Timothy 1:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:1-2) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Bible verses commanding us to TEACH God’s principles: • For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. (I Cor 4:17) • A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (I Tim 3:2) • These things command and teach. (I Tim 4:11) • And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (II Tim 2:2) • And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, (II Tim 2:24) • The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (Titus 2:3,4) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
The Role of the Church • To teach and preach Jesus Christ And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Acts 5:42 DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
The role of teachers and leaders • Study and rightly divide the word (II Tim 3:15) • Able to teach and instructing those that are struggling to recover themselves (II Tim 3:24,25) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
The role of mature Brothers and Sisters • And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Eph 4:11-15) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
If we fulfill our roles we will see a much greater tendency for immature believers to grow in their faith becoming mature believers That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Col 1:10 DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Mature Believer • Desire for God’s Word • Ability to apply God’s Word • “Works of Faith” (serve others, giving, etc.) • Steadfast, firmly grounded (not carried about with every wind of doctrine) • Desire for fellowship with the Brethren • Life evidencing the Fruit of the Spirit • Compassion for the lost • Actively assisting other believers in their growth • Knowledge of God, His character and will • Lives marked by discipline • Victory over sin • Strong prayer life • Love for worship DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
Benefits • The lives of new believers will grow to be thoroughly furnished unto every good work • Our families will be stronger • Our communities will be influenced • The Church will be strong and vibrant - experience revival • God will be glorified DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002
He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. (I John 2:6) DAP Biblical Discipleship - OAMC 9/21/2002