Disciples Making Disciples (eBook)

Purpose of the Book

When I began my walk with Jesus, I never envisioned how this relationship would change the course of my life. I cannot express the love, passion, delight, and commitment I have to follow Jesus and the impact that has had on so many others. I have been so blessed to have several mature disciples come alongside of me and spur me on to love Jesus and love others through the Holy Spirit within me. I am eternally grateful for those men who have discipled me and helped me follow Jesus: Dave Faris, Jim Cheshire, Marvin Vastbinder, and many others.

This book will help me come alongside you so you can grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ as you follow Him, but I also pray that it could be a valuable resource to help you disciple a new believer. As you read the personal stories and do the Bible studies in this book with other believers to help them grow as a disciple of Jesus and equip them to disciple others.

The Bible has different terms, descriptions, or names for those who follow Jesus: Disciple (Luke 14:33, Christians (Acts 11:26, 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16), Born Again (John 3:3) to name a few. I especially love the description of a follower of Jesus in Revelation 12:17b. It states that a follower of Jesus is one “who keep God’s commandments and holds to Jesus’ testimony.” The two descriptions of a follower of Jesus in this passage is one who keeps God’s commandments (Great Commandment) and who holds to the testimony of Jesus.

Holds to Jesus’ Testimony (Revelation 12:17b)

The “holds to Jesus’ testimony” in view here would be a lifestyle and words that openly acknowledge our personal experience of following Jesus Christ. In our walk with Jesus, our life should bear evidence to other people that Jesus is our Lord and is changing our lives. We testify not only by our words but also our actions. If our lives are a testimony for Jesus Christ, then they should be reflections of Christ as we “walk just like He walked.” (1 John 2:6)Our testimony is not only telling others about the gospel of Jesus Christ-His death and resurrection (Acts 4:33), and how we have professed faith in Jesus Christ and became a disciple.

I used to think that our testimony was just our personal salvation story, but it is so much more. Holding to Jesus’ testimony means we are sharing the daily stories of how Jesus is changing our life for His glory. The scriptures declare that we overcome our enemy in three ways:  “They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death.” (Revelation 12:11) The Bible says that the word of our testimony has power to overcome the evil one. The more we share the daily stories of following Jesus, the more we will see His impact upon others through us.

As I travel the country sharing the Go & Tell Ministries Evangelism Workshop and preaching on weekends, the one thing I hear consistently is that my stories of my walk with Jesus inspire, convict, and encourage others as they seek to follow Jesus. I am sharing different stories in each chapter, about my walk with Jesus to spur you on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25). I pray that these stories will encourage you in your own walk with Jesus. As Paul shared with the other believers in Corinth and Philippi, I hope this will help you walk with Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Philippians 4:9 “The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”)

Keeps God’s Commandments (Revelation 12:17b)

The other description of a follower of Jesus (Revelation 12:17b)., states that a follower of Jesus is one “who keep God’s commandments and holds to Jesus’ testimony.” A follower of Jesus is one who keeps God’s commandments (Great Commandment-Matthew 22:36-40). The Great Commandment is summed up by simply Delighting in God (“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” ) and Declaring the Gospel (“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”).

This book is broken into three sections, two that look at the Great Commandment and the third section is on the Great Commission. Each chapter contains not only a personal story related to the Great Commandment and Great Commission, but each chapter also has a Bible study. I pray that each chapter’s stories will encourage you in your walk with Jesus, and the correlating Bible study will help you grow in knowing and applying the Bible. The Bible states in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17 that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Bible Study Sections:

Each chapter has a correlating Bible study. The Bible passage has a breakdown of four sections of questions as you study the Bible passage. The four sections are named: Hook, Book, Look and Took. These four simple words were first introduced to me during my seminary days from Dr. Cora Wayland, my Christian Education professor when I attended Columbia Bible College and Seminary. She required reading the book by Lawrence Richards, entitled “Creative Bible Teaching.” (Lawrence O. Richards, “Creative Bible Teaching,” Moody Press, 1976.) These simple words help develop a life changing lesson that requires a few moments of thought when you examine a Bible passage for study.

• Hook. The first step is an open question that is designed to get the disciple’s attention. It prepares the learner to hear the word of God and guides him or her to anticipate the teaching or encouragement that is found in the lesson’s Bible passage. We are talking about Bible study, so we must get into the Book.
• Book. The second step focuses on reading the passage and providing some commentary on the actual words of scripture. It is an explanation of the text that guides the learner to understand the truth of scripture. We look at key questions concerning the text: who, what, where, when, how, and why. A life lesson must get into the Book and discover the truth of the scripture passage. The learner must take a serious look at what the text says before they apply it in their life.
• Look.  Step three is the Look or basic application of the passage. These questions guide the group to help them with how the passage applies to our daily lives. It invites the learner to personally put the lesson into their life during the coming week. How will I adjust my life? Every lesson needs a closing moment to allow the learner to decide if what they have experienced is to be life-changing. 
• Took. Fourth, a life-changing lesson must have a personal outcome. Each attendee should be challenged to decide on how to apply the biblical truth in the passage! The Took guides them to decide what they will take away from this session and place into their daily life. How should this truth impact our lives? It does require a broad scope at how the passage applies to us, but it also requires a personal exam at how it applies to me.

Ask the Five W’s Questions – who, what, where, when, and why. Asking these questions when reading a passage in Scripture is essential in unpacking the meaning of a passage, and they will aid in helping you dig deeper into the Bible. Ask, “Who?” Who are you reading about? Who was involved? Ask, “What?” What is the author talking about? What happens? Ask, “When?” When did the event happen? Ask, “Where?” Where did the story take place? Ask, “Why?” Why is the passage there? Why did it happen?

Bible Study:
The Great Commandment
Matthew 22:34-40

34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Hook:

What is the best advice your parents ever gave you? (Note: Most of the questions were taken from NavPress New Testament Lesson Maker Book)

What is the best advice you would share with your kids?

Who are the people who love you the most?

Book (Ask the Five W’s Questions):

Who heard that the Sadducees had been embarrassed by Jesus? How did they respond?

What sort of person was selected to question Jesus?

What was the Pharisee’s purpose in asking Jesus a question? Why did he ask this particular question?

How did Jesus’ answer respond to his question (See Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18)?

Look:

How are the three...