Adult Bible Study Guide Jan Feb Mar 2014

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Discipleship Dan Solis, Principal Contributor

Discipleship Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Disciples and Scripture Discipling Through Metaphor Discipleship and Prayer Discipling Children Discipling the Sick Discipling the “Ordinary” Jesus and the Social Outcasts With the Rich and Famous Discipling the Powerful Discipling the Nations Discipling Spiritual Leaders Harvest and the Harvesters The Cost of Discipleship

Discipleship Our Goal We will look at discipleship as the process by which we become followers of Jesus and, as such, better soul-winners.

Discipleship Lesson 11, March 15 Discipling Spiritual Leaders

Discipling Spiritual Leaders Key Text Lucas 6: 12, 13 NKJV “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He choose twelve whom He also named apostles. ”

Discipling Spiritual Leaders Initial Words The disciple’s preparation for leadership certainly involved the receiving of knowledge, but spiritual growth was uppermost. They needed an experience in the things of God, of faith, of hardship, of sanctification, and of self-sacrifice, along with an intellectual understanding of doctrine and theology. Jesus gave them both.

Discipling Spiritual Leaders Quick Look 1. Where Leadership Begins (Luke 6: 12 -16) 2. What Leadership Needs (John 16: 13) 3. Why Leadership Succeeds (Zephaniah 2: 3)

Discipling Spiritual Leaders 1. Where Leadership Begins Luke 6: 12, 13 MSG “At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles. ”

1. Where Leadership Begins The Process Christ’s earthly sojourn was relatively brief. Therefore, the training of disciple-makers was imperative. Whom should He select? How many should He choose? Christ understood that leadership was cultivated effectively within small groups, not mass-produced through lectureships.

1. Where Leadership Begins The Process Choosing effectively required advanced wisdom. Jesus approached His heavenly Father through prayer to acquire this wisdom. Likewise, prayer should precede the selection of leadership candidates in twenty-first-century disciple-making.

1. Where Leadership Begins The Process Having chosen twelve, Jesus designated them apostles—His representatives invested with spiritual authority. The twelve shouldered the largest responsibilities and, therefore, required the most extensive training and commitment. Later, Jesus would commission a larger group of seventy-two.

Discipling Spiritual Leaders 2. What Leadership Needs John 16: 13 NKJV “ ‘However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but what ever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ’ ”

2. What Leadership Needs Knowledge and Experience Biblical knowledge coupled together with God’s Divine Spirit form the spiritual combination that transforms individuals and societies. The disciple-maker must strive for both of them in faith and study. Christianity is not an irrational faith.

2. What Leadership Needs Knowledge and Experience Nevertheless, certain elements within Christianity have elevated emotion, feeling, and experience above knowledge. Obedience and adherence to specific truths are deemed relatively unimportant; emotion and religious excitement become the measuring stick for spiritual genuineness.

2. What Leadership Needs Knowledge and Experience without knowledge becomes a supercharged missile without direction. Conversely, knowledge without experience becomes lifeless and oftentimes legalistic. True Christian leaders understood the need to cultivate both, not only in themselves but in those they disciple.

2. What Leadership Needs Knowledge and Experience Disciple-makers should disseminate doctrine and teachings without regard to popularity or convenience. God expects them to patiently guide infant converts into an everexpanding understanding and appreciation for the life-changing truths of Christianity—especially the truth of the three angels’ messages.

Discipling Spiritual Leaders 3. Why Leadership Succeeds Zephaniah 2: 3 NKJV “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger. ”

3. Why Leadership Succeeds The Early Leaders Passing by the self-righteous teachers, the Master chose humble, unlearned men to proclaim the truths that were to move the world. “That they might have success…they were to be given the power of the Holy Spirit. Not by human might or…wisdom was the gospel to be proclaimed, but by the power of God. ”—AA 17

3. Why Leadership Succeeds The Early Leaders Christ selected leaders whose weaknesses were overshadowed by His strength because they completely depended upon Him. They outshined the Pharisees where it counted: transparency, humility, dependence, and authenticity. How crucial that all of us, display such characteristics.

Discipling Spiritual Leaders Final Words “As Christ’s representatives the apostles were to make a decided impression on the world. … The wonderful teaching of the apostles, their words of courage and trust, would assure all that it was not in their own power that they worked, but in the power of Christ. ” —The Acts of the Apostles 22, 23.