Page 54 - Ecclesiology Textbook Masters

spiritual needs of each of these members of the smaller group, you will then customize your discipleship
program to meet those needs. Develop or select a plan or curriculum that will best meet those needs.

Then when you meet with the small group, perhaps break it into smaller groups based on needs.
Perhaps you will have three individuals who are weak in their faith. You could tailor your instruction to
build their faith by teaching them a course in Bibliology (faith in the reliability of the Bible). Perhaps you
have others that are knowledgeable regarding the Bible but are not willing to share their faith. You
could teach them the passages to share the Plan of Salvation, have them role play the plan with each
other, then take them out and have them share this plan with the inmates in a jail service. There is NO
ONE SET plan that works universally. Discipleship is tailored to meet the needs of the disciple.

There are some basic practices that you can teach all the individuals you disciple, including the entire
group. They are:

1. God talks with you. You need to have a daily time in God’s Word. Have them read a passage, then
journal the central point of the passage in their own special journal. Assign them accountability
partners. Each week they get together, either on phone or ZOOM or personally, and share their insights
from their journal. The journal should include the central idea of the passage, and their response
personally to that idea.

2. You talk to God. You need to set aside a time to talk with God in prayer. Perhaps teach them to pray
using this anachronism:
A – Adoration. Tell God how great He is and how you worship Him.
C – Confession. Confession means to agree with God in the areas of your life that offend or
displease God and ask Him to change that in your life. Turn from those sins.
T – Thanksgiving. Give God praise for all the wonderful things in your life that He blesses you
with.
S – Supplication. Ask God to meet the needs of others and your own personal needs.

3. You talk with others. Teach them how to share their faith with others. Have them practice on one
another, then practice in every opportunity you can provide for them. Perhaps a curriculum on
Apologetics would be appropriate to boost their confidence in what to say to those who oppose them.

4. Stand for your faith. Our society is becoming more and more hostile to the things of God. As your
disciples begin to practice the first three of these basic principles, they will assuredly be confronted with
those who adamantly disagree with them. Remember, everyone has a basic need of being accepted and
respected. Standing for their faith flies in the face of meeting this basic need. They will need great
encouragement in this area, understanding that finding favor with Jesus is so much more important than
finding favor with their friends or acquaintances. The must learn to stand as unique in a world that
demands compromise.

5. Help them discover their spiritual gifts. When a person receives Christ as Savior, upon his rebirth
the Holy Spirit comes into the believer and brings with Him special spiritual gifts to empower the
believer for service. These gifts are for the edification of others, not for the believer himself. Every
person receives one of these special gifts, and perhaps multiple gifts. It should become your desire to
seek to determine with what special gift the Spirit empowered you so you can start being a blessing to
other believers.

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