Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

SHEPHERDING PEOPLE

A STORY:
Recently at church there was an unusual event unfolding. A Christmas backdrop with trees and presents were on the stage. Some people were dressed to look like Santa Claus. Little Minions were present and dressed up. The kids loved it. We had pictures. It felt like we were in the mall. The amazing thing was that people just loved it. All these people were getting pictures with their families, A different emotion was stirred. It was moving to see that there were so many people of different ethnic backgrounds that had never connected with others in the church before. The question was asked “Who is shepherding these people?”

This brought a memory of one the verses of Scripture in Matthew 9:35-39.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Matthew 9:35-39:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What did Jesus see in the crowds he walked among?
2. What emotions do you see in Jesus’ heart?
3. What has been your experience of being with shepherd-less people?
4. What did Jesus ask the disciples to do?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. How can we personally become involved in answering that prayer?
6. What steps can you take to become a laborer?

MORE DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
1 Peter 5:1-5:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What is the responsibility of a shepherd?
2. What of these responsibilities do you feel competent in?
3. Which ones need work?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
4. Which one would you like to work on first?
5. What would be a step you could take to grow in that area?
6. When do you want to get started?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

RAISING UP A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS:
What do you want to give your life to? What has helped you to develop a vision for multiplication?

A STORY:
At a conference in North Carolina a verse was shared about multiplying your life. We were urged to have a vision of multiplication. I remember being impacted by the vision of seeing my life count in the life of one man for the next years of life that God has given me. It has been 47 years since I wrote down that vision. I can recall many years of this time where God gave me a man to pour my life into. My vision was a generational vision. How do you go about building a generational vision into your life? Only God knows for sure where all these folks add in their multiplication. I am grateful to see how this vision and scripture has guided my life. How can you ensure that vision is in you and the people you disciple?

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
2 Timothy 2:2:

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What did you discover in these verses as the key to generational thinking?
2. How many generations do you see in this verse?
3. Who was it that God used to disciple the Apostle Paul?
4. Where does it fit for us to take seriously the things we have learned and give them away?
5. What kind of people are we looking for to give God’s word to?
6. What should be the responsibility of those who we teach?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
7. How will you ensure that there is a disciple making conviction in the people you pass your teaching into?
8. What steps can you take to improve this generational thinking?
9. What will you pray for future generations?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

DISCIPLE MAKING:
What is the picture you have in your heart of a disciple? What have you found are the best ways to help others become a disciple?

A STORY:
“It will take 7 years for you to become a solid disciple maker,” clarified the disciple maker to his young protégé. The young disciple wanted it to happen faster. Jesus, the model disciple maker took three years to pour his life into his disciples. This resulted in these men becoming the foundation of the church. And even in that time some did not do well as disciple makers. From Acts 6:7 we can see that the disciples multiplied. The question to ask is to see where one is as a maker of disciples, a laborer, a shepherd of people in God’s family. How can one grow in this area? Let’s look at Jesus ‘s last words to his disciples.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Matthew 28:18-20:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What are the key components of Jesus’ last words to his disciples?
2. What does it mean to have all authority?
3. How does that impact you?
4. What does it mean to make disciples of all the nations?
5. How do you see your part in this?
6. Where does baptizing and teaching fit into this imperative of making disciples?
7. How does Jesus’ continued presence make this imperative possible?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
8. Of the key components, which one is strongest and in your thinking?
9. Which component is not a deeply imbedded in your heart and action?
10. What would be one step we could take to focus on that?
11. When will you want to start working on that?

Tools to help this process can be found in the Navigators 2-7 series.

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

SPIRITUAL PARENTING AND BEING WITH THE LOST:
What have been your most meaningful relationships with those who have not decided to follow Jesus? What have been your prayers for that person?

A STORY:
As someone wants to grow in competence in spiritual parenting, a great example of this in the life of the Apostle Paul. He parented these Thessalonian believers like a mom and dad. At a conference on disciple making a workshop was made available. The training was for people to study the 2nd chapter of I Thessalonians and look for the qualities of a spiritual parent. This study lays the foundation of how a maturing believer can think about parenting new believers and more mature believers. Let’s look at this section of the Bible.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
1 Thessalonians 2:1-11:

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed— God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What did you observe about the actions of the apostle Paul or the spiritual parent?
2. What did you see as his motivation?
3. What metaphor did he use in his writings?
4. What comes to your mind as you think of a nursing mother?
5. What comes to your mind as you think of a father…imploring and encouraging?
6. From Verse 8 what is at the core of spiritual parenting?
7. In Verse 8 how do we position ourselves with people who do not know Christ

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
8. What would be area that you would desire to grow in Spiritual parenting?
9. How would you take steps to make this growth?
10. What can you pray?
11. Who will start providing parenting for?
12. What would be your first step?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

FOLLOWING UP WITH NEW BELIEVERS:
What has been your experience in following up with a new believer? What were the pluses and minuses of that experience?

A STORY:
When a young sailor came to his first ship, he prayed that God would give him a man (He wanted to see someone become new believer that he could nurture and help him grow and mature). God provided a man for this sailor when he encountered another sailor who was going to commit suicide. The attempted suicide was due to the immoral actions he had done. He was experiencing deep guilt in his life. After time spent with him in the Bible, he decided to not jump off the ship. He agreed to read the Bible and by faith he began his journey as a new believer. The spiritually strong sailor saw his responsibility was to help the new believer to grow to maturity. It was a great joy for the sailor to pour his life into the new believer and to see him grow deeper in love with Jesus. Where in the Bible do we see an example of this?

The book of I Thessalonians is a follow up letter to the new believers in Thessalonica after Paul had visited there. Observe some of what he wrote and see what steps one can take in their own competence in these areas.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-7:

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. Who was following up the new believers?
2. What were the key things that they remembered about the new believers?
3. What comes to your mind when you think of a Work of Faith?
4. What comes to you mind when you think of a labor of love?
5. What impresses you about the place of endurance inspired by hope?
6. How did the gospel message come to these new believers?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
7. How do you insure your follow up words are coming with power?
8. How do you insure that your follow up words are coming with deep conviction?
9. How does your modeling affect the whole process?
10. What would be your desire in growing in this area of following up new believers?
11. What would be your first step?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

HOW DO I DO LIFE TO LIFE RELATIONSHIPS?:
What has been your most meaningful life-to-life relationship? What made that possible?

What is Man to Man (M2M)? This is an expression representing one person connecting with another person to share their lives and insights with one another. Usually this mean there is a person who has matured further in their spiritual life and has the intent to pass that experience and knowledge of the word of God to the other person. It implies that the other person is open to that relationship and is teachable.

A STORY:
I can remember with my mentor and disciple, Paul Drake, would take time to walk with me and share his daily experience in Christ. He shared his family, his victories, and defeats. He understood the value of Man-to-man relationships. I have treasured the time my wife has received as another woman shared her life with her in a life-to-life way. What scriptures model this and how do I coach this into someone?

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
2 Timothy 3:10-16:

10 “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What did you discover about the model that Paul provided for Timothy?
2. What impressed you as you read the items that Paul refers to that he did with Timothy?
3. What is so important about the place of sharing your life?
4. How have you experienced life to life relationships where someone spent intentional time with you?
5. What was the value you gained from such experience?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
6. If you have not experienced this, what would you like to do in action and prayer?
7. What could you do to prepare yourself to provide life to life training with someone else?
8. When will you get started in this?

MORE DIGGING IN THE BIBLE:
2 Timothy 2:2:

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What model do you see here?
2. What does this verse teach about Paul’s value system?
3. How can this affect your values?
4. Where do generations fit into the place of life to life or Man to Man?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. What would be the first steps you need to do to give your life away in a person-to-person model?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

LEADERSHIP AND WORKING WITH A TEAM:
What has been your most successful team experience? What were the elements that made it succeed?

A STORY:
Teamwork demands great attention in churches, businesses, family, sports teams and many other areas. Why is this so important? Recently a ministry leader asked for help in building teamwork in his team of faithful workers. Certain things were breaking down in the execution of the ministry. People were losing trust in each other. Teammates were not being heard. Commitment was at an all-time low. There was no accountability. It was unclear how to measure the success of the ministry. He wanted to know how to correct poor teamwork. some passages of Scripture to guide us.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Philippians 2:1-2:

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What are the prerequisites to teamwork from verse one?
2. Why do you think these are so important?
3. In verse two what are the elements of team work?
4. How do you see your team becoming of the same mind?
5. How do you see your team working building the same love?
6. What will it take for your team to be united in spirit? (Desire)
7. How will your team move to be intent on one purpose? (Being of one spirit and mind)

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
8. From these qualities of teamwork which one does your team need to work on first?
9. What would be a specific step for you to take?
10. What steps will you take to do this?
11. When will you execute this step?

A great book to read on this topic is Patrick Lencioni’s, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING:
What have you accomplished in your life that required planning? What is your process of decision making?

A STORY:
Sally came into the coaching session frustrated because she felt so out of control. There seemed to be more things demanding her time that she could accomplish. She questioned “Is there a way to live without so much demand and control? Can I be free to do the most important things in my life. The coach suggested that they look at the following Scriptures:

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Proverbs 24:3-4 (Living Bible):

“Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What observations do you make from this passage?
2. What are the three key issues that we deal with in planning and decision making?
3. What does it take to get wise planning?
4. What does it mean to have common sense?
5. How do we go about keeping abreast of the facts?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY: 6. How can you incorporate these three items in your life management?
7. What will you do for wise planning?
8. How will you process things using common sense?
9. What steps can you take to keep abreast of the facts?
10. What will be your desired future?
11. What is your first step?

MORE DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Proverbs 16:9: “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. How will you bring God into your planning process and decision making?
2. What will be your criteria of what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to?
3. How will you communicate that?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
4. What actual step do you need to take here?
5. When will you initiate these steps?

MORE DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Ephesians 5:16: “So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools; be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What is the biggest step of wisdom you need to take?
2. How will you determine if it is a wise decision?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
3. What is the step you need to take?
4. What will you do next?
5. How will you evaluate if it is the right step?
6. What adjustments will you make then?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Growing in Competence

HEART, VISION, and KNOWHOW:
What is your picture of successful spiritual parenting? How have you seen it work?

A STORY:
I SEEM TO START A PROJECT OR MISSION BUT I GET BOGGED DOWN AND STOP. Recently in the Northwest several young men decided they wanted to climb Mt. Hood. This snow-covered mountain is 12,000 feet high and has many stories of failures in conquering the mountain. When they asked others to join them, many declined. It was evident they did not have a HEART to do it. Others wanted to but could not get a VISION of where to go and where the path was. The final item that discouraged some of the climbers was the lack of tools and KNOW HOW to get through the ice and get to the top. The climbers that combined all three of these items were successful. I met one fellow who had climbed the mountain 21 times.

Over the years, it has seemed critical, if we wanted to do anything significant, that it needed three things to make it happen. The first was heart or desire, the second was vision or the ability to see the end, and the third was having the knowhow or resources to accomplish it. Use these questions to coach someone in this area. What is stopping you from reaching your end goal.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE – HEART:
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV): 23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What is on your heart in regard to the project or mission you want to accomplish?
2. Where did this desire come from?
3. What Scriptural ideas have shaped your heart in this direction?
4. What happens to cause your heart to get side-tracked in this task?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. What can you do to guard your heart and to help you pursue your passion?
6. What is it in your walk with God that will confirm your heart desire?
7. What steps can you take to keep your heart filled with passion??
8. What will be your desired outcome and when?

MORE DIGGING IN THE BIBLE – VISION:
Proverbs 29:18 (NIV): 18 “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. What do you see happening in your life in the next 3-5 years?
2. What does it mean to have revelation or vision?
3. How does wisdom help us in vision?
4. How do you clarify this vision?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. What steps can you take to put in place your vivid description for the future?
6. What can you to do to envision 1 year, 3 years and 5 years into the future?
7. When will you take time to work on this?
8. When the vision is complete, can you write how three steps to take to move toward this vision?

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Ephesians 1:16-17 (NIV):

16 “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

MY VISION IS UNCLEAR. I CAN’T SEE WHERE I AM GOING:

ANOTHER STORY:

George was grappling with understanding how to get in tune with God’s vision. He wanted to know God better but was not sure of the next steps. He asked his coach, “How can I have clarity of vision and understand where I fit into God’s plan? How can I know God better?” The coach referred him to Eph. 1:15-16. The coach said, “George I am going to pray this verse for you.” George went home and meditated on this passage. His coach asked him the following questions after reading the passage to help him with clarity:

DISCOVERY AND DISCUSSION:
1. Look at this passage and tell me two things that we should pray for ourselves and others?
2. What does it mean to have a spirit of wisdom?
3. Are there other verses that give us help in understanding this?
4. What does it mean to have a spirit of revelation?
5. What will be the results of these two things in our lives?
6. What would knowing God more deeply mean to you?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
7. On a scale of 1-10 where are you in going deeper with God?
8. Based on that assessment, what could you do to go deeper?
9. How would this prayer be of help in your daily life for you and others?
10. When will you put this into practice?

THE STORY CONTINUES:
Then on the next coaching session George asked, “How can I see God more clearly?” The coach referred to our spiritual eyes and the importance of opening our eyes to see better. He referred him to the verse below.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Now let’s look at verse 18-23 of Ephesians 1:

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he
exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not
only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who
fills everything in every way.

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What does it mean when the author uses the phrase, the “eyes of my heart”?
2. What are the three things he wants us to see?
3. Which of these do you see yourself having clear heart vision for?
4. What would you like to focus on? Calling, Inheritance, or Power?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. What study can you do to understand this focus more?
6. What will be your prayer for this day?
7. What can I do to help you gain clearer vision?
8. When will you take steps to put this prayer into your life?
9. How will you know that the eyes of your heart have been opened?

MORE DIGGING IN THE BIBLE – KNOWHOW:
For all three of these key concepts to work together, you will need the final item. This is know how, or having someone with you who has the know how. This is the place for skills, tools, and resources that will help you accomplish the mission. One example of just such a skill is how Jesus taught his disciple to pray. This is an example of knowhow.
Jesus’s Teaching on Prayer Luke 11:1:

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What do you learn about knowhow from the Lord’s prayer?
2. What resources and know did Jesus give his disciples in the area of prayer?
3. Now that you have a heart and a vision, what know how, tools, or resources are needed to execute the tasks that will reach your vision?
4. What kind of experience have you used in implementing these knowhow tools?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
5. What kind of training or modeling will you need to implement?
6. When will you pursue this training?
7. Who can be of help to you
8. What steps can I take to hold you accountable for these actions?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com