Discipleship And The Evangelical Church

The Evangelical Protestant church is in the midst of a crisis—but the causes might be different than we think. In this book, Jesse Hamilton argues that the reason for the church’s growing disunity, moral and cultural confusion, and general lack of passion and power is its perpetual neglect of the fundamentals of discipleship—what it truly means to follow Jesus. Our only hope for change is to recalibrate our hearts and lives on the call of Christ and the New Testament distinctives of absolute surrender, deep and abiding holiness, the work of prayer, and engagement with the lost and needy of the world—all the things that the modern church has so often struggled to commit to. But first, the church must come to a biblical understanding of what these things actually are and how we must pursue them. Combining theological rigor with clarity of thought and simplicity of style, Discipleship and the Evangelical Church aims to reach modern Christians with the urgent message of the hour, which is nothing other than the timeless call of Christ to follow him.

The Evangelical Protestant church is in the midst of a crisis--but the causes might be different than we think. In this book, Jesse Hamilton argues that the reason for the church's growing disunity, moral and cultural confusion, and general lack of passion and power is its perpetual neglect of the fundamentals of discipleship--what it truly means to follow Jesus. Our only hope for change is to recalibrate our hearts and lives on the call of Christ and the New Testament distinctives of absolute surrender, deep and abiding holiness, the work of prayer, and engagement with the lost and needy of the world--all the things that the modern church has so often struggled to commit to. But first, the church must come to a biblical understanding of what these things actually are and how we must pursue them. Combining theological rigor with clarity of thought and simplicity of style, Discipleship and the Evangelical Church aims to reach modern Christians with the urgent message of the hour, which is nothing other than the timeless call of Christ to follow him.

When a person becomes a Christian the ongoing work of discipleship continues. The intake of sound Bible doctrine into the soul is vital in order to grow spiritually strong and mature. This is where the crucial role of the local church comes in. Every believer needs to be taught by qualified leaders (evangelists, pastor-teachers, etc.) and be ministered to by various other gifted members of the body of Christ. Christian Discipleship and the Local Church gives basic knowledge to find a good church, discover one's spiritual gift/s, and advance in the Christian life. It also equips Christians with concise and easy to read material to use when doing the life-changing work of discipling others. It can even be used for church-planting or strengthening existing churches.

Preparation For Discipleship is for those who wish to improve their understanding of the language of faith. In the process it leads the reader to a deeper awareness of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Written in easy-to-understand language, the book will be a useful resource for: individuals seeking clarity about their life as Christians new member classes for congregations pastors in teaching and preaching Contents include: What Disciples Believe: The Basics Of Our Faith How Disciples Live Out Their Faith Grasping The Message: A Series Of Summary Quizzes Jerry L. Schmalenberger is the former President of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and currently serves there as Professor of Parish Ministry. He served as a parish pastor for many years in Ohio and Iowa. He graduated from Wittenberg University and Hamma School of Theology. In 1976 he received his Doctor of Ministry degree. Schmalenberger served as Pastor Evangelist and Pastor Director of Evangelical Outreach for the ELCA. He has taught in Hong Kong, Germany. Jamaica, and Liberia.

A Gospel-Rich, Reproducible Model for Making Disciples as Jesus Intended Biblical discipleship emphasizes encouragement, repentance, and spiritual growth—essential parts of the Christian life. However, well-meaning believers often struggle to follow Jesus, unaware their views are too legalistic, licentious, or individualistic. How can churches and Christians develop a healthy, successful path to disciple-making? In this second edition of Gospel-Centered Discipleship, Jonathan Dodson presents an effective, Spirit-led model for sanctification. Reminding readers that real discipleship is imperfect yet transformational, Dodson encourages Christians to engage more authentically with others as they grow in faith. Drawing from his own failures and successes while following Jesus, Dodson defines discipleship, describes the heart of a disciple, and gives practical guidance for mentor and peer-based discipleship as Jesus intended. Revised and Expanded: Includes three new chapters and new illustrations Applicable: Shows how discipleship can be practical and gospel-centered Theological: Addresses the Holy Spirit's involvement in discipleship Foreword by Matt Chandler: Author of The Explicit Gospel

Many congregations and their leaders are discouraged about the future of the church. John Bowen's conviction is that the solution is to be found not in new programs or strategies but in a recovery of theological vision--that of Jesus and his gospel, which transforms every aspect of life. This vision restores hope in the only way realistically possible. Words like mission, discipleship, church, evangelism, renewal, and church planting are used like billiard balls--all rolling around a single table, unconnected and bouncing randomly off one another. This book pulls these ideas together into a coherent and organic whole. The gospel is the hermeneutical key for understanding each of these topics and what draws them together. Thus, chapter 1 is an exposition of the gospel (God's determination to make all things new through Jesus Christ). Chapter 2 discusses discipleship (we only understand discipleship in light of the gospel), and chapter 3 covers church (we only understand church if we understand discipleship). Chapter 4 considers culture as the arena in which the gospel is lived and talked about, and chapter 5 builds on that with a discussion of translation, not only as a missional necessity but as a ministry which itself incarnates the nature of the gospel. The remaining chapters (on evangelism, the future of ""inherited churches,"" church planting, and leadership) demonstrate how the gospel is the integration point for all. The author's hope is that church leaders--evangelical and mainline, young and old, emerging and traditional, present and future--will have a transformative ""Aha!"" moment as this gospel hypothesis unfolds.

Discipleship is eschatological in nature, because the church that makes and receives disciples is eschatological in nature. Often eschatology is thought to refer only to “last things” doctrines. However, eschatology in its broader sense encompasses the Christian view of time and the future of the world, informing both one’s evangelism and ecclesiology. Failing to relate the eschatological dimension to discipleship leaves one with an incomplete worldview, imbalanced discipleship, and eventually, a tragic inability to model the Christian way of life. By answering questions like “What time is it?” and “Where is history going?” Trevin Wax helps Christians view the past, present, and future biblically, and shapes their understanding of following Jesus.

For far too long, the church has tried to make disciples using a one-size-fits-all approach. Some churches advocate 1-on-1 discipling, others try getting everyone into a small group, while still others training through mission trips or service projects. Yet others focus all their efforts on attracting people to a large group gathering to hear biblical teaching and preaching. But does one size really fit everyone? Based on careful biblical study and years of experience making disciples in the local church, Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom have identified five key relationships where discipleship happens in our lives. In each relational context we need to understand how discipleship occurs and we need to set appropriate expectations for each context. Discipleship That Fits shows you the five key ways discipleship occurs. It looks at how Jesus made disciples and how disciples were formed in the early church. Each of the contexts is necessary at different times and in different ways as a person grows toward maturity in Christ: Public Relationships: The church gathering corporately for worship Social Relationships: Networks of smaller relationships where we engage in mission and live out our faith in community Personal Relationships: Small groups of six to sixteen people where we challenge and encourage one another on a regular basis Transparent Relationships: Close relationships of three to four where we share intimate details of our lives for accountability The Divine Relationship: Our relationship with Jesus Christ where we grow through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit Filled with examples and stories, Alex and Bobby show you how to develop discipleship practices in each relational context by sharing how Jesus did it, how the early church practiced it, and how churches are discipling people today.