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Lessons Learnt:

Discipleship in the UK.

Convert Retain

Train Release

© LICC All rights reserved

‘The time has come,’ He said,

‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.’ Mark 1

‘With an increasing number of young people we are starting with almost complete ignorance of the Christian faith. We start a long way back and should expect it to take time.’

Graham Cray

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The Big

Shift

Humanity GOD

GOD

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked   or stand in the way of sinners   or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1

• Struggle, where we are at,

3 out of 4 ain’t bad.

Contact: initial point of contact.Nurture: developing the relationship after initial contact.Commitment: inviting some form of commitment.Growth: Developing understanding of Christian faith.

Four stages of

faithJohn Westerhoff

Experienced

Experienced faith: a faith that is nurtured in infancy continues to early childhood ‘an experience of primary caregivers as role models for a Christian way of life. It is important that the actions of these models of the Christian life be congruent with their words so that young children develop a sense of trust in their relationships and participate in the religious experience of their caregivers.’

Affiliated

Affiliative faith: when a child/ Christian is exposed to larger community, school, church, etc. ‘a time when children learn the stories of faith and discover what it means to be a member of a faithful community. Children see others trying to follow God’s will through the joys and challenges of their life.’

Searching

Searching faith: moving to adolescence. ‘young adults are testing their beliefs and trying on alternative perspectives of faith and identity. Their expanded experience in the world raises questions about authentic relationships, and a search for deeper meaning often calls forth service.

Owned

Owned faith: growth in faith continues in middle and older adulthood as persons come to an owned faith in which belief and action are one, as they become living witnesses to what it means to be a Christian.

‘Westerhoff’s theory described the movement from a Christian lifestyle first imposed by external authorities, such as parents or teachers, to an internalized faith that has become assimilated into identity and lifestyle.’