Ep. 126 Good and Not As Good Discipleship Practices

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Shows Main Idea – There is a historical way of doing discipleship taught in the New Testament and a new modern way that adapts better to how we want to live. Though the new way is popular and fits our fast-paced life, it’s a bad idea for soul care.

Show Notes

You may want to read:

• A Crazy Idea For Sanctification: the Local Church
• Is Your Church a Preaching Center or a Discipleship Community?
• Three Keys That Will Make Your Small Group Dynamic

Outline

1. I had a friend from another church who wanted me to disciple him. I said that I wouldn’t do that.
2. These problems apply to isolated one-to-one discipleship and counseling contexts
3. The new sub-biblical discipleship model
   1. Artificial context, not real-world
   2. They are all structured (you must schedule it) while missing the spontaneous moments: doing life together E.g., We “run into each other” downtown where we can connect as part of our ongoing care for each other
   1. Lacking other helpful contexts, e.g., small group, cooking out, families together, local church
   2. A one-sided story without spouse or friends
   3. We don’t do life together
   4. Too often we go through a book rather than making it more personal: he is a “letter”
   5. Singular purpose for a relationship: Uni-directional counsel Always talking about his problems Rarely reciprocal; he needs to help me too. No contexts for other relational opportunities.
4. A better model:
   1. Many contexts for data gathering
   2. Serious and fun times
   3. More of the body can participate
   4. Possibility for reciprocal soul care
   5. It releases the body according to individual gifting
   6. Unleashes all the “one another” passages in the New Testament. (See graphic below.)
5. Biblical requirements
   1. You must be passionate about the great commission
   2. You must love God’s Word
   3. You must have a high view of the local church
   4. You must love people
   5. You must have a lack of self-interest (Philippians 2:3-4)
   6. You must be intentional (peripheral vision)
   7. You must carry people on your heart–Hebrews 10:24: “And let us CONSIDER how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

One Another

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).