Phase II Week 1 Competence In A Specialized Ministry April 13- 19
Steve Smith
Children workers: Soldiers with Little Feet
1. Read the introduction and Chapter one
A. What dreams did you have as a child? Have you struggled with the question, “have God really called me to this, or the pastor” what is your conclusion?
Sunday School: Learning Styles: read page 11-21
A. Comment “As teachers of God’s Word, we must give student an opportunity to demonstrate his or her preferred way of learning at some point in every lesson.
Youth: The last Christian Generation: page 11- 30
A. Write a response: what are your concerns, what surprised you? What do you see as your responsible in this?
Discipleship & Evangelism; Chapter 1 & 2 Growing True Disciples, George Barna
Why is it important to shift from?
1. A program-driven ministry to people-driven ministry?
2. From emphasis on building consensus to building character?
3. Retool developmental ministry efforts from being unrelated and
haphazard to being intentional and strategic
4. How important is for disciples to reproduce themselves in Christ?
joscelyn cameron
On Monday, April 13, 2015 at 4:59:50 PM UTC-4, Steve Smith wrote:
Discipleship & Evangelism; Chapter 1 & 2 Growing True Disciples, George Barna
Why is it important to shift from?
1. A program-driven ministry to people-driven ministry?
As Disciples of Christ, we need to focus more on how we minister to people than how we align our programs to suit the needs and conditions as they present themselves. Qualitative change needs to be made first, in the lives of the disciples, and then in the lives of the people before any expected progress to the next level of ministry. With the rapidly changing pace at which everything seems to move currently, we must seek first the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all we do and not rely on the old way of doing programed leadership. Another essential and necessary element is training. This helps us to become prepared and be ready to take on the complex task of meeting the needs of each individual.
2 From emphasis on building consensus to building character?
In building consensus, the leader would be seeking approval of others in an effort to get their plans etc. accomplished. This might be beneficial to the leader but detrimental to the people. Christ, by His approach in leading those whom He had called to follow Him, taught them how to pray, organize the crowds and share their lives with the unfortunate ones among them and in general, to be good disciples. He also taught them how to disciple those who became followers. Christ, in a practical way showed them how to get the job done right. The disciples were impacted by the master within the 3.5 years of training which built their character and in-turn made them resolute in taking the ‘Good News’ to the lost at the expense of their own lives.
haphazard to being intentional and strategic
In scripture, we observed that everywhere Christ’s disciples went they drew the attention of the people. They would immediately point them to Christ as being the man in the glory. They lifted Christ up among the crowds while instructing them in the way. Every chance they got, be it in prison, on the streets or in the synagogues, they preached Christ to souls that were lost. . As soldiers of the cross, they demonstrated who Christ really is, and how He working through them allowed them to accomplish mighty works to the astonishment of the people, and to the glory of God. They actually lived Christ as they ministered among them. It is very important that we adopt this principle, thereby showing the world that we are identifying ourselves with our Lord and Savior.
