The Cost of Discipleship: The Cost of Discipleship: Cultivating and Modeling Christ-Like Cultivating and Modeling Christ-Like

ChristianityChristianity

Carol T. Mitchell, Ph.D.Carol T. Mitchell, Ph.D.Christian Education Director – Morning Star Baptist ChurchChristian Education Director – Morning Star Baptist Church

Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraskacstillwaters@aol.comcstillwaters@aol.com

Urgency in this Present AgeUrgency in this Present Age

Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-2018 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is

given unto me in heaven and in earth.given unto me in heaven and in earth.19 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Ghost:

20 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.unto the end of the world. Amen.

Cultivating and Modeling Christ-like Cultivating and Modeling Christ-like ChristianityChristianity

Cultivating Christ-like Cultivating Christ-like ChristianityChristianity

Mark 4:8 Mark 4:8 ““And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang

up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”sixty, and some an hundred.”

The Cost of DiscipleshipThe Cost of Discipleship

Presentation FormatPresentation FormatMy HypothesisMy HypothesisOperational DefinitionsOperational DefinitionsOur Work as Christian Educators (Data on Us)Our Work as Christian Educators (Data on Us) (Why We Should Care?) Is there a HOLE?(Why We Should Care?) Is there a HOLE?Evidence of the UrgencyEvidence of the UrgencyCrises in an age of ModernityCrises in an age of ModernitySuggestions for Christian EducatorsSuggestions for Christian EducatorsIs it TRANSFORMING? How do you know?Is it TRANSFORMING? How do you know?

HYPOTHESISHYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis: If we are strategic and Hypothesis: If we are strategic and intentional in our Christian Education intentional in our Christian Education efforts with high expectations stated, efforts with high expectations stated, then there won’t be a Discipleship then there won’t be a Discipleship Problem.Problem.

Operational DefinitionsOperational Definitions

Disciplemaking: the process of bring people into Disciplemaking: the process of bring people into right relationship with God; and developing them to right relationship with God; and developing them to full maturity in Christ through intentional growth full maturity in Christ through intentional growth strategies, that they might multiply the entire process strategies, that they might multiply the entire process in others also. in others also.

Discipleship Problems: recruiting, training, Discipleship Problems: recruiting, training, teaching, nurturing, multiplying, transferring teaching, nurturing, multiplying, transferring content to applicationcontent to application

ARE THERE HOLES?ARE THERE HOLES?What are they?What are they?

What the Research SaysWhat the Research SaysPew Data and Barna DataPew Data and Barna Data

2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world Number of Christians quadrupled in the past 100 years Number of Christians quadrupled in the past 100 years

- 600 million (1910) to more than 2 billion in 2010 - 600 million (1910) to more than 2 billion in 2010 Christianity – largest religious group in the Christianity – largest religious group in the

world….Muslims second largestworld….Muslims second largest Faith of African-Americans Has ChangedFaith of African-Americans Has Changed Bible illiteracy on the increaseBible illiteracy on the increase More church goers move from church to churchMore church goers move from church to church

People and SeedsPeople and Seeds

SEEDSSEEDS…………soaksoak…………nick, chip, or scarifynick, chip, or scarify…………refrigerate, pre-chill, or stratifyrefrigerate, pre-chill, or stratify…………freezefreeze**We are all different**We are all different..

Understand the LandscapeUnderstand the Landscape

“ “ The reality is that learners are not empty vessels to be filled by the The reality is that learners are not empty vessels to be filled by the knowledge of the teacher. Rather, learners are more like bulbs of a knowledge of the teacher. Rather, learners are more like bulbs of a flower. The potential for their learning is already present in their flower. The potential for their learning is already present in their brains. What they need is the nurturing of caring teachers who brains. What they need is the nurturing of caring teachers who sprinkle them with all the nutrients they need to grow into the sprinkle them with all the nutrients they need to grow into the beautiful creatures God created them to become.” - Donald Griggsbeautiful creatures God created them to become.” - Donald Griggs

The Goal of DiscipleshipThe Goal of Discipleship

The Journey to Spiritual The Journey to Spiritual MaturityMaturity

Lifelong Discipleship Lifelong Discipleship Maturity in Christ Maturity in Christ

Born

Pre-Evangelism

Evangelism

BORN AGAIN

Growth in Christ

Cultivating and Modeling Christ-Cultivating and Modeling Christ-like Christianitylike ChristianityULTIMATE PURPOSE IN LIFEULTIMATE PURPOSE IN LIFE

Knowing, Loving, Serving GodKnowing, Loving, Serving God

Educational Goals Educational MethodsEducational Goals Educational MethodsDeveloping into the image of Dynamic interaction betweenDeveloping into the image of Dynamic interaction betweenChrist. Evangelism and the Bible, the Spirit, other Christ. Evangelism and the Bible, the Spirit, other Character development. People, and life.Character development. People, and life.

Educational ProgramsEducational ProgramsSpecific activities which promoteSpecific activities which promoteCHRISTLIKENESS in interactionsCHRISTLIKENESS in interactionswith the Bible, other learners andwith the Bible, other learners and

life situationslife situations..

THE EVIDENCE OF THE EVIDENCE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITYSPIRITUAL MATURITY

God gives the increase.God gives the increase.The Holy Spirit transforms!The Holy Spirit transforms!

2121stst Century Strategies Century Strategies

1.1. Move from spiritual exhortations to spiritual Move from spiritual exhortations to spiritual direction.direction.

2.2. Move from single level discipling to multi level Move from single level discipling to multi level discipling.discipling.

3.3. Move from program oriented to person oriented Move from program oriented to person oriented discipling.discipling.

4.4. Move from classroom discipling to real world Move from classroom discipling to real world discipling.discipling.

5.5. Move from superficial conformity to value-change.Move from superficial conformity to value-change.

2121stst Century Strategies Century Strategies

6. Move from theological content to 6. Move from theological content to theological contemplation.theological contemplation.

7. Move from ministry management to life 7. Move from ministry management to life management.management.

~ E. Chan~ E. Chan

BibliographyBibliography David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian – David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian – What a New Generation What a New Generation

Really ThinksReally Thinks About Christianity…and Why It MattersAbout Christianity…and Why It Matters, (Grand Rapids, , (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books) 2008.Michigan: Baker Books) 2008.

““A Change in the Kingdom,” in Minister Donns. Jobe, Sr., The Christian A Change in the Kingdom,” in Minister Donns. Jobe, Sr., The Christian Education Informer, Vol. 60, No. 3 , Summer 2008, (Nashville, TN: Education Informer, Vol. 60, No. 3 , Summer 2008, (Nashville, TN: Sunday School Publishing Board) p 44-47.Sunday School Publishing Board) p 44-47.

H. Richard Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, (New York: Christ and Culture, (New York: Harper Collins Harper Collins Publishers) 2001.Publishers) 2001.

Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman, Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman, When Generations Collide, When Generations Collide, (New (New York, New York:York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers) 2005. Harper Collins Publishers) 2005.

Dinesh D’Souza, Dinesh D’Souza, What’s So Great About Christianity, (Carol Stream, Illinois, What’s So Great About Christianity, (Carol Stream, Illinois, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 2007.Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 2007.

BibliographyBibliography

Lois Lebar, Lois Lebar, Education That Is ChristianEducation That Is Christian, 1995., 1995.

John Barna, John Barna, Seven Tribes of FaithSeven Tribes of Faith, 2009., 2009.

Finley Edge, Finley Edge, Teaching for ResultsTeaching for Results, (Nashville, Tennessee) 1999., (Nashville, Tennessee) 1999.

Jillian Straus, Jillian Straus, Unhooked GenerationUnhooked Generation , (New York, New York: , (New York, New York: Hyperion) 2006.Hyperion) 2006.

Reggie McNeal, Reggie McNeal, The Present Future- Six Tough Questions for the The Present Future- Six Tough Questions for the ChurchChurch, (San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass), 2008 , (San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass), 2008

John Stott, John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today, Issues Facing Christians Today, (Grand Rapids, MI: (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan) 2006Zondervan) 2006

The Cost of DiscipleshipThe Cost of Discipleship

Copy of Presentation will be available on the Connectional Christian Education’s Website – www.ameced.com