The greatest problems for the church are not from secular
ideologies or Atheist philosophies, or even other religions. The
real problem for the church is where it has always been. It is in
the midst or Gods people, not in the circumstances surrounding
them. The real problem is when Gods people try to do His work in
the power of the flesh rather than the power of His Spirit.
Slide 3
* The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament.
Christian is found 3 times and was first introduced to refer
precisely to the disciples in a situation where it was no longer
possible to regard them as a sect of the Jews (Acts 11:26). The New
Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for
disciples of Jesus Christ. * Dallas Willard; The Spirit of the
Disciplines V
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Slide 5
* Matthew 4:18-20 (HCSB) 18 As He was walking along the Sea of
Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his
brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they
were fishermen. 19 Follow Me, He told them, and I will make you
fish for people! 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed
Him. * Follow Me A disciple knows and follows Christ * I will make
you A disciple is being transformed by Christ * Fish for people A
disciple is committed to the mission of Christ * Jim Putman Real
Life Discipleship
Slide 6
* To be a learner and a follower of Jesus Brad Waggoner, The
Shape of Faith to Come, 2008 * A process of becoming Christ-like as
we follow Jesus Leadership & Life Development Florida Baptist
Convention * Fully surrendered to Jesus and His agenda Hawkins
& Parkinson, Move, 2011
Slide 7
Spiritual Formation Inventory In 2008, Brad J. Waggoner and his
research team looked at the beliefs and practices of 2,500 active,
church-going Protestants from across the country, basing their
analysis upon seven domains of biblical spiritual formation: 1.
Learning Truth, 2. Obeying God and Denying Self, 3. Serving God and
Others, 4. Sharing Christ, 5. Exercising Faith, 6. Seeking God, 7.
Building Relationships.
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Slide 9
Many self-professed Christians and churchgoers hold to beliefs
and perspectives that are clearly unbiblical. And that overall the
sample of churchgoers did not grow or mature over the course of a
year. Brad Waggoner (Based on research for SFI) V
Slide 10
Slide 11
2004 - Greg Hawkins, exec pastor at Willow Creek, surveyed
Willow Creek members to determine the effectiveness of WCs programs
small groups, worship, service groups, etc. with regard to Willows
Mission Statement - To turn irreligious people into fully devoted
followers of Jesus Christ. The survey results produced what Bill
Hybels calls the wake up call of my adult life
Slide 12
REVEAL has been validated by compiling data from over 280,000
individuals in more than 1,200 churches.
Slide 13
Participants were classified into 4 groups based on their
responses. 1. Exploring not yet Christians, but interested. 2.
Growing new Christians beginning to grow in faith. 3. Close to
Christ faith is taken personally and practiced consistently 4.
Centered in Christ life is characterized by Christ-like
sacrifice
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Slide 15
The Results of the Reveal study showed: that after a person
entered Stages 1 & 2, church programs did not help them love
God or love people more. Most people seemed to stall in stage 1 or
2. 1. Exploring not yet Christians, but interested. 2. Growing new
Christians beginning to grow in faith.
Slide 16
Among adults (18 or older) who claim to be Christians: * Fewer
than 1 in 5 (18%) claim to be totally committed to investing
themselves in personal spiritual development. * Just 1 in 7 (14%)
say that their faith in and relationship with God is the highest
priority in their lives. * Only 1 in 5 (20%) contend that the
single, most important decision they have ever made was to invite
Jesus Christ to forgive them and become their Savior. * Fewer than
1 in 5 (16%) believe that absolute moral truth exists and is
defined by the Bible. * Slightly more than 1 in 5 (22%) stated that
they live in a way which makes them completely dependent one
God.
Slide 17
* For at least several decades the churches of the Western
world have not made discipleship a condition of being a Christian.
One is not required to be, or to intend to be, a disciple in order
to become a Christian, and one may remain a Christian without any
signs of progress toward or in discipleship. Contemporary American
churches in particular do not require following Christ in his
example, spirit, and teachings as a condition of membership either
for entering into or continuing in fellowship of a denomination or
a local church * So far as the visible Christian institutions of
our day are concerned, discipleship is clearly optional. * Dallas
Willard The Spirit of the Disciplines