The Activated Disciple

The Activated Disciple
Author: Jeff Cavins
Publisher: Ascension Press
Total Pages: 53
Release: 2018-11-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1945179724

Are you ready to take your faith to the next level? If you yearn for a life that moves beyond believing and practicing your faith, if you want to radically live your faith, if you want a more profound relationship with Jesus Christ, then it is time for you to become an activated disciple. The Foundation of discipleship is imitation. True discipleship requires such a close relationship with God that every area of your life is transformed. It is about opening yourself to God and inviting him to dwell within you, becoming holy as he is holy, loving as he is loving, disciples of Christ become the instruments God employs to transform the world. - Move beyond simply believing and practicing your faith and begin radically living it! - Overcome obstacles that keep you from being the disciple you are made to be.
- Be a positive influence and an instrument of transformation in the Church.

Discipling

Discipling
Author: Mark Dever
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2016-04-14
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 143355125X

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus instructed his followers to "make disciples of all nations." But what does this command actually entail? What does it look like for Christians to care for one another's spiritual well-being and growth? In this introduction to the basics of discipling, veteran pastor and author Mark Dever uses biblical definitions and practical examples to show how Christians can help one another become more like Christ every day. The eighth volume in the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, this short book explains how discipling should function in the context of the local church, teaching pastors and church leaders how to cultivate a culture of edification and growth in their congregations.

It Will Cost You Everything

It Will Cost You Everything
Author: Steven J. Lawson
Publisher: Christian Focus
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2021-02-19
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781527107038

Nestled in a few verses in Luke's Gospel is a Jesus who would not have been tolerated today: He was not politically correct and He certainly did not try to save people's feelings. Steven Lawson unpacks these few verses, looking at the unashamed honesty, passion, and urgency with which Jesus explains the life-long cost involved in choosing to follow Him. True Christianity is the biggest sacrifice any person ever makes ... but it is in pursuit of the most precious prize ever glimpsed.

Forming Intentional Disciples

Forming Intentional Disciples
Author: Sherry A. Weddell
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Total Pages: 179
Release: 2015-11-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1612789439

How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church. Consider these statistics for the United States. Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing. Fully 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics. The number of marriages celebrated in the Church decreased dramatically, by nearly 60 percent, between 1972 and 2010. Only 60 percent of Catholics believe in a personal God. If the Church is to reverse these trends, the evangelizers must first be evangelized-in other words, Catholics-in-the-pew must make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus before they can draw others to him. This work of discipleship lies at the heart of Forming Intentional Disciples, a book designed to help Church leaders, parish staff and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Drawing upon her fifteen years of experience with the Catherine of Siena Institute, Sherry Weddell leads readers through steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world. Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more. And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change.

Eternal Living

Eternal Living
Author: Gary W. Moon
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2014-12-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830835954

Curated by Dallas Willard's long-time colleague and friend Gary Moon, this medley of images, snapshots and "Dallas-isms" moves readers toward deeper experiences of God. Whether influenced by him as a family member, friend, professor, philosopher or reformer, contributors bring refreshing insight into his ideas, what shaped him and also his contagious theology of grace and joy.

DiscipleShift

DiscipleShift
Author: Jim Putman
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2013-04-23
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310492637

Question: What is the God-given purpose of the local church? Answer: Relational discipleship. DiscipleShift walks you through five key "shifts" that churches must make to refocus on the fundamental biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities. Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. While many of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church's God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationships with non-believers. Through biblical and professional insights, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington discuss the transformational effectiveness of making disciples and just how to do so, in practical terms. You’ll learn: The specific roles of a disciple-making pastor. The components of person-to-person discipleship. How each ministry in your church leads to discipleship. How to implement discipleship in your church. Disciple-making leaders will not produce perfect churches, but they will create effective churches.

The Lost Art of Disciple Making

The Lost Art of Disciple Making
Author: LeRoy Eims
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2009-07-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310832063

"Every believer in Jesus Christ deserves the opportunity of personal nurture and development." says LeRoy Eims. But all too often the opportunity isn't there. We neglect the young Christian in our whirl of programs, church services, and fellowship groups. And we neglect to raise up workers and leaders who can disciple young believers into mature and fruitful Christians. In simple, practical, and biblical terms, LeRoy Eims revives the lost art of disciple making. He explains: - How the early church discipled new Christians - How to meet the basic needs of a growing Christian - How to spot and train potential workers - How to develop mature, godly leaders "True growth takes time and tears and love and patience," Eims states. There is no instant maturity. This book examines the growth process in the life of a Christian and considers what nurture and guidance it takes to develop spiritually qualified workers in the church.

That You May Know

That You May Know
Author: Jacob Gerber
Publisher: 19baskets, Incorporated
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2014-10-02
Genre:
ISBN: 9780692292631

While there are many books written about Christian discipleship, there are not nearly enough books on discipleship that primarily expound the Bible itself. The Apostle John wrote three letters, however, with the main purpose of helping disciples to grow. That You May Know: A Primer on Christian Discipleship is an enriching study that will lead you through John's teaching on following Jesus as a disciple. This book is more than a commentary and more than a topical book on the subject of Christian discipleship. Instead, this is a primer on Christian discipleship written as a careful reading of God's word in 1, 2 & 3 John. It's ideal for your own individual devotional reading or as a helpful resource for your group Bible study. What others are saying about That You May Know: "Whether you are a new believer or a seasoned saint, you will benefit greatly from reading this book. It does exactly what a Bible commentary should do--enlighten, encourage, and enrich--and it does so in a manner that is clear, wise, and practical." --Warren W. Wiersbe, Former Pastor of the Moody Church, Chicago, IL "Pastor Gerber marries thorough exegetical study with a loving pastoral tone in this very helpful primer on discipleship. He carries the reader along with him to a deeper understanding of the word of God, the promises God makes to his children, and what it means to be a disciples of Jesus." --Parker Johnson, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Brewton, AL

Are You a Christian Or a Disciple?

Are You a Christian Or a Disciple?
Author: Edward N. Gross
Publisher: Xulon Press
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2014-03-28
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781629523491

"The title Are You a Christian or a Disciple? boldly addresses a question that has ultimate implications for every Christ Follower, and which God seems to be pushing into the center of today's global "Christian" conversation. Well researched and presented, this book is going to challenge thinking about what it means to be a disciple-- nothing less than a fully devoted follower of Jesus! Ed Gross has given the church a very timely, provocative, and practical resource!" Jerry Trousdale - author of the best-selling book: Miraculous Movements: How Hundreds of Thousands of Muslims are Falling in Love with Jesus "With an authentic love for the church and a rigorous commitment to Biblical study, Ed takes on the task of showing us how we have lost the true meaning of discipleship, replacing it with a comfortable-living brand of Christianity that ignores how Jesus taught his disciples to be and to make disciples. This book may challenge long held notions of effective evangelism, missions, ministry, and discipleship. I've seen, in several places around the world, the 1st century brand of explosive disciple-making that Ed talks about. Can it happen here? That may depend on how we respond to the question, Are You a Christian or a Disciple?" - Dr. Dave Hunt - VP Disciple Making Movements in the Americas - CityTeam International "When Ed preaches, he preaches even to the point of tears. In this book Dr. Gross passionately pleads that you, I, the whole church will take the Word of God at face value, particularly Jesus' command to make disciples." Dr. Robert Styer, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, Director of the Comprehensive Science Program, Villanova University Edward N Gross (DMis-Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is Coordinator of Strategic Alliances with CityNet Ministries in Philadelphia, PA. He has served in missions, church planting, pastoral ministry and theological education in the USA and abroad. He teaches at Back to the Bible Training College in South Africa. Ed has been married to his wife Debby for 37 years.