2012 Great Commission Discipleship Leadership Seminar with Greg Ogden

1. 2012 Great Commission Discipleship Leadership Seminarwith Greg Ogden Sponsored by Ambassadors for Christ, Inc.

2. About Greg Ogden Recently “redeployed” from Christ Church in Oak Brook, IL Now living in Monterey, CA Married for 42 years to Lily, retired elementary school principal Father to Aimee, married to Adam, both pediatricians in Salt Lake City, UT Hopelessly doting grandfather to Claire, 5 years old and Dylan, 2+ years old

5. Overview of our Time • Biblical/Theological Foundations for Discipleship • The Pastors’ Role as Equipper for Ministry • The Pastor’s Role as Disciple-Maker • Vision for Biblical Discipleship • Why small reproducible discipleship groups are a key environment for making disciples • Practical Considerations for Implementing a Discipleship Strategy • Need for Discipleship Curriculum • Coaching strategy for implementing and sustaining group life mulitiplication

6. Biblical/Theological Foundations for Discipleship The Pastor’s Role as Equipper and Discipler

7. Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastor-Teachers Unto The Goal of Equipping: The Priesthood of All BelieversEphesians 4:11, 12II Tim. 3:16-17 Equip the Saints Do One Thing Which in turn Builds Up The Body Of Christ Work of Ministry

8. Jesus called his disciples (Luke 6:12-13) What were the strategic reasons for the selection of the twelve in the light of… Why would Jesus risk the dynamics of jealousy? Why not just expand the crowd? The Biblical Model of Disciple-Making

9. Reasons for Focus on a Few: Internalization • Distrust of the populace • John 2:23-25 • Palm Sunday to Good Friday • “But for the twelve, the doctrine, the works, the image of Jesus might have perished from human resemblance, nothing remaining but a vague mythical tradition, of historical value, of little practical importance.”--A. B. Bruce

10. Reasons for Focus on a Few:Internalization b. Disciples not mass produced • “This careful, painstaking education of the disciples secured the teacher’s influence on this world should be permanent; that His kingdom should be founded on the rock of deep and indestructible convictions in the minds of a few, not on the shifting sands of superficialimpressions in the minds of the many.” -- A. B. Bruce

11. Reasons for Focus on a Few:Internalization c. Causes of Superficiality • Diverted leaders from equipping • Focus on programs

12. Reasons for Focus on a Few:Internalization Characteristics of Programs: • Content or knowledge based • One preparing for the many • Regimentation or synchronization • Low Accountability

13. “Disciples cannot be massed produced. We cannot drop people into a program and see disciples emerge at the end of a production line. It takes time to make disciples. It takes individual personal attention.” (Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciplemaking) Reasons for Focus on a Few:Internalization

14. Reasons for Focus on a Few:Multiplication Have Enough Vision to Think Small A. Jesus had a heart for the multitudes “Jesus it must be remembered, restricted 9/10 of His ministry to 12 Jews because it was the only way to reach all Americans.” --Eugene Peterson

15. The Letter from Jane DISCUSSION What are the significant disciple-making principles or practices reflected in this letter? (circle them)

16. “Perhaps today’s pastor should imagine that they are going to have three more years in their parish as pastor--and that there will be no replacement for them when they leave. If they acted as if this were going to happen, they would then put the highest priority on selecting, motivating, and training lay leaders that could carry on the mission. The results of three sustained years of such an approach would be quite significant. Even revolutionary.” --George Martin The Disciple-Making Challenge: Three Years of Ministry

17. Reflection Exercise(in groups of 3; 1 pastor with 2 lay leaders) 1. How do we take seriously the pastoral role as equipper/discipler and then translate this into an actual strategy? 2. If we were to follow Jesus’ model and plan to turn leadership over to those in our church after we were gone, how would you best spend your time now getting people ready? What might the laity come to expect of themselves?

18. Vision for Biblical Discipleship The Power of Small, Reproducing Discipleship Groups

19. From One-on-One Discipleship to Small, Reproducible Groups

20. Frustrations with Discipling • Meet one on one weekly • Mutual sharing • Teach basics of faith • Apply faith to family, work, ethics, etc. • Study together • Pray together • ...but no multiplication…why? ?!?!?

21. What Do YOU Think? • What are the obstacles to reproduction? • Why don’t we see more multiplication?

22. Biblical Models of Disciple-Making • Paul--Timothy • Father-Son • Teacher-Student • Mature-Immature • Motivator-Motivated • What pressure does the discipler feel? • What does this model foster?

23. Traditional Model of Disciple-making Limitations… One-on-One • Discipler carries the weight of responsibility • Leads to hierarchy which creates dependency • Two-way dialogue; limited interchange • One-model approach; limited to the discipler • Generally does not reproduce

24. Alternate Model of Disciple-making Triads/Quads Important Shifts… • From pressure on discipler to natural participation • From hierarchical to relational • From dialogue to dynamic interchange • From limited input to wisdom in numbers • From addition to multiplication

25. The Power of Threes/Four • The Trinitarian God (Matthew 28:19) • Genesis 1:26: “Let usmake man in ourimage, after ourlikeness. What does the plural tell us about God? What does it tell us about being made in the image of God? • Jesus had 3 as an inner core (Peter, James and John) • Why did Jesus single out this group of 3 from within the 12? • The three-fold cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

26. The Environment for Transformation Why small groups of 3 or 4 provide the right environment for transformation into Christlikeness?

27. Ingredients for Transformation: • Intimacy/Transparency • Truth in Community • Life-change Accountability

28. Ingredients for Transformation: When we… • open our hearts in transparent trustto each other • around the truth of God’s word • in the spirit of mutual accountability... …we are in the Holy Spirit’s hothouse of transformation.

29. Transformation involves:1. Transparent Trust Principle: The extent to which we are willing to reveal to others those areas of our life that need God’s transforming touch is the extent to which we are inviting the Holy Spirit to make us new. • Affirmation • Walking Through Difficulties • Being Reflective Listeners • Confession

31. Transformation involves:2. Truth in Community II Timothy 3:16, 17--profitable for… • Teaching • Reproof • Correction • Training in righteousness • Need for systematic teaching and a tool • Mosaic Image

32. Discipleship Essentials • 25 lessons • Written to implement small, reproducible discipleship groups • Built in covenant • Relational tool • Leads to transformation • Precedent for the book Leadership Essentials

33. THE ESSENTIAL COMMANDMENT • 12 lessons on The Great Commandment • 2 lessons each on loving God with all our… heart, soul, mind and strength • 3 lessons on loving our neighbor as ourselves • Takes us to the core of following Jesus

34. Transformation involves:3. Life-change Accountability • What is accountability? • Submission to mutually agreed standards • Giving partners authority to call you to account • What are the standards? (p. 14) • Minimum commitments • Recommitment to the standards (p. 80, 146)

36. Small Groups Teaching Preaching Discipling Power of the Discipling Model Intimacy Truth Accountability

37. Good Curriculum Importance and Characteristics

38. Overview of Charateristics • Transferable tool • Progression: create a sense of movement • Simple without being simplistic • Easy to use format • Highly interactive: egalitarian (everyone participates equally) • Personal (application oriented)

39. Transferable Tool • Content can be used and reused • The framework for teaching • Gives discipler the confidence. Do not need to know it all • Someone who is new to the faith can use and master • Overcomes a hit and miss approach

40. Progression • Gives a sense of movement • Mosaic Image • Four Parts with two lessons as intro • Growing Up In Christ • The Message of Christ • Becoming Like Christ • Serving Christ

41. Discipleship Essentials • 25 lessons • Written to implement small, reproducible discipleship groups • Built in covenant • Relational tool • Leads to transformation • Precedent for the book Leadership Essentials

42. Section 1 Growing Up In Christ • Lesson 1 and 2 • What is discipling? • Who is a disciple? • Lessons 3-6: Personal and Corporate Disciplines • Quiet Time • Bible Study • Prayer • Worship

43. Section 2 The Message of Christ Trinitarian: Father, Son and Holy Spirit flow • Lesson 7-8: The 3-Personal God and Being Made in His Image • Lesson 9: Sin as broken relationship • Lesson 10: Grace: restored relationship • Lesson 11: Redemption: Person, death and resurrection of Jesus • Lesson 12-13: The Benefits of the Work of Christ • Justification • Adoption

44. Section 3 Becoming Like Christ • Lessons 14-15 Holy Spirit • Filled with the Spirit • Fruit of the Spirit • Lesson 16 Trust: what is faith? • Lesson 17 Love: key characteristic of the life in Christ • Lesson 18 Justice: love on a societal basis; God’s heart for the poor and disenfranchised • Lesson 19 Witness: Being connection of God’s love to those who don’t know it

45. Section 4 Serving Christ • Lesson 20 Church • Lesson 21 Ministry Gifts • Lesson 22 Spiritual Warfare • Lesson 23 Obedience • Lesson 24 Sharing the Wealth • Lession 25 (Bonus Lesson) Money

46. Simplicity without being simplistic • Format is repeatable and consistent • Core Truth • Memory Verse • Scripture Readings • Contemporary discussion of the issues. • Question are not insultingly simple • Observation: Q 3 and 4 a (p. 89) • Interpretation Q4b (p. 89) • Application Q. 5, (p. 89)

47. Format is easy to use • Questions are laid out to make for a progressive use. • Created a simplified way to cover the content.

48. Interactive • Group size keeps everyone participating. • The tool is the teacher. Stay away from an answer person. • If an unorthodox thought is uttered, take people back to what the Scriptures say. • Everyone has a voice and brings their life experience.

49. Personal Application • Life change does not occurred until truth intersects the real issues of our life and leads to change… • Attitudes • Behaviors • Values • Relationships • Life Direction

50. Pray for discernment Invite the potential partner Stateyou were drawn to them in prayer Review Table of Contents Talkthrough the Disciple’s Covenant Ask the person to prayerfully consider Seek a third/fourth person The Practicalities of Disciple-Making Role of the LeaderRecruiting the Discipling Triad