How to Disciple A New Believer
Justin Buzzard writes about a simple way to disciple new believers in your small group using just your Bible.
2 days ago
Discipled to Disciple
part 2: The Spark
Last week I wrote about looking around to see if people were pouring their lives out for others, who in turn would pour their life into someone else. The answer, sadly, was no. Or better put, not yet. What I see when I look around me is a people ready to burn white hot for the Lord, and the Holy Spirit ready to blow a fresh wind across the face of the church and fan the flame. All we need is a spark. I believe that spark is a discipleship vision.
What would happen if believers across the country and around the world would read the gospels … check that… . read the whole Bible with one question in mind: what am I commanded to do? What should I do in response to what I have read? Of course we could start with Matthew 28:18-20 … but that’s only one of many. Take a few minutes and look at these verses:
- John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - Luke 9:23
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. - 1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. - 2 Timothy 2:2
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also
These are just a few selections. There has been a lot of ink spilled about what the big theme or main idea of the Bible is. I am not qualified to jump into that argument. Here’s what I can say: God has given us everything by giving us Himself. Now he asks us to live lives that honor him and help others to do the same.
Imagine how different the Church (that’s big “C” Church … the Bride of Christ … all of God’s people) would look if we all took this message to heart. What if we all found someone and started reading the Bible with them. We started praying with and for them. We encouraged them to find someone else to do the same thing with. I am confident that the Holy Spirit would do His work and we would see the beginning of something incredible. We would see a fire like we have never seen. And it all starts … with a spark.
by Michael Smith
Community Pastor
Fellowship Bible Church of NWA
mismith@fellowshipnwa.org
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Discipled to Disciple
I have been thinking about why we do discipleship. I know there are plenty of answers, the most correct and most import one being BECAUSE JESUS TOLD US TO. But I am thinking in more pragmatic terms. I am asking myself, “What is the desired outcome?” Do I want them to be more like Jesus? Of course! Do I want the person I am pouring into to be more Biblically literate? Absolutely! What about being a better dad, a better husband, a better worker? All good things, so yes … I want those things too. But none of those are really the win I am looking for. I want the person I disciple to disciple someone else. That’s when I know it has taken hold.
In Genesis 12:1-3 we see that God tells Abram that he is going to bless him so that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. We often refer to that as “blessed to be a blessing.” I think the same principal applies to discipleship: discipled to be a discipler. So when I look around my church, my community, and my sphere of influence, do I see hundreds of men and women who have had someone pour into them who are now pouring into others? The honest answer is, “No.” But maybe a better answer is actually, “Not yet.” I think the tinder is dry and just needs a spark. The Holy Spirit will provide the wind to fan the flame into a huge fire of reproducing disciples.
So what is the spark? Next week.
by Michael Smith
Community Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church of NWA
mismith@fellowshipnwa.org
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Jesus
in Revelation 3:19-20
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Jesus
in Luke 11:11-13
Gospel Centered Discipleship has quickly become one of our favorite sites here at r3ally.org. This great post has 20 questions to reflect on the gospel; a great discussion piece with your man or woman or an opportunity for some honest self-evaluation.
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Peter
in Acts 4:11-12
Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. That’s where you need it! How does it get in your mouth? Memorization.
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