Biblical Discipleship Domestic Action and Projects Apostolic Christian Church Foundation, Inc. Ohio Area Ministers Conference September 21, 2002

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Biblical DiscipleshipDomestic Action and
ProjectsApostolic Christian Church Foundation,
Inc. Ohio Area Ministers Conference September
21, 2002
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History and Current Status of Biblical
Discipleship Program
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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship

• Statement of Faith - Apostolic Christian Church
  (Nazarean)
• 15. We believe that the Great Commission of our
  Lord Jesus Christ is an invitation for everyone
  to live a life of abandonment to Him Who loved us
  and gave Himself for us - surrendering our
  personal ambitions and possessions in an
  unreserved commitment to take the proclamation of
  the Gospel throughout "all the world to every
  creature." Matthew 2819-20 Acts 18 Mark
  1615 Luke 2447 2 Corinthians 518 Luke
  1426-27,33 Luke 527-28
• Covenant of Faith - Apostolic Christian Church
  (Nazarean)
• By the help and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT, we
  endeavor
• 2. To exercise Christian care and watchfulness
  over one another 1 Corinthians 1225.
• 3. To pray with and for one another, sharing our
  burdens, sorrows and joys Galatians 612 2
  Corinthians 1226.
• 5. To guard the spiritual and scriptural purity,
  peace and prosperity of the Church and its growth
  in scriptural knowledge and godliness 2 Peter
  314 Ephesians 527.
• 9. To engage regularly in personal Bible reading
  and prayer, and to establish family devotions
  where possible John 539 Deuteronomy 67 1
  Thessalonians 517.

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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship (Continued)

• Purposes of Formation of the
  
  Apostolic Christian Church Foundation, Inc.
• 3. Service To provide exhortation and help in
  the churches as needed for the awakening and
  renewing of interest in the work of the Lord.
• 4. Education and Publications To provide the
  necessary collaboration and assistance among the
  churches for the selection and preparation of
  Bible school materials, including the financing,
  publication and distribution of proper and
  necessary literature.
• Apostolic Christian Church Foundation, Inc.
  Vision Statement
• The Apostolic Christian Church Foundation serves
  the needs of our members and churches in North
  America and around the world and assists in their
  efforts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Apostolic Christian Church Foundation, Inc.
  Mission Statement
• To provide information, programs, financial
  resources, and other services to our churches in
  North America and missionary projects around the
  world for the purpose of spreading the gospel of
  Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls.

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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship (Continued)

• WE BELIEVE A Draft Statement of Faith of the
  Apostolic Christian
  Church (Nazarean) Second Revision 1987
• In II. WORD OF GOD AND REVELATION
• We believe that all Scripture, regardless who
  the human author was, is inspired by God as men
  of God were moved by the Holy Spirit. We accept
  the Old and New Testaments as the infallible Word
  of God and the authoritative guide for the faith
  and life of Christian DISCIPLESHIP Psalm
  119105.
• In V. SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
• Saving faith involves giving oneself to Christ
  a full surrender of the will, a confident trust
  in Him, a joyful obedience to His Word as a
  faithful DISCIPLE producing fruits of a changed
  life, and a love for all.
• In VI. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TRANSFORMATION
• We believe that the Holy Spirit empowers each
  believer, fills his heart with love for all, and
  moves him to practice Christian DISCIPLESHIP
  Acts 21-21. Believers therefore attain
  maturity as they yield to Christ and obey His
  Word. In Christ the believer puts off the former
  way of life with its sinful affections and
  lusts.

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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship (Continued)

• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Nature of the
  Church
• The church is corporately the dwelling place of
  God in the Spirit, His holy temple. It is the
  visible body of those who are Christian
  DISCIPLES.
• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Mission of the
  Church
• We believe that the command of Jesus Christ is
  to preach the gospel and to make DISCIPLES of all
  nations Matthew 2818-20. This is the primary
  task of the church. It is the mission of the
  church, therefore, to demonstrate to the world
  the will of God and to witness to all people the
  saving power of God in Christ. Every member has
  the responsibility to be a witness of Christ
  through the power of the Holy Spirit and to call
  men to be reconciled to God Romans 116 Acts
  18. The church seeks to lead all people to the
  obedience of faith.
• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Discipline of
  the Church
• Believers are thereby encouraged to live a life
  of Christian DISCIPLESHIP and to progress toward
  spiritual maturity so that the church will
  glorify God in the world.

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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship (Continued)

• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Discipline of
  the Church
• We believe that the purposes of discipline are
  to lead each member to full stature in Christ, to
  reach out to those members who fall into sin, to
  clarify for all members the meaning of Christian
  DISCIPLESHIP, to promote the purity of the
  church, to counsel and support the weak and
  immature, and to maintain the good name and
  witness of the church before the world 1
  Thessalonians 511.
• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Ordinances of
  the Church
• We regard water baptism as an ordinance of
  Christ which symbolizes the burial of the old
  nature, identification with Christ in His death
  and resurrection, and the commitment to follow
  Him in a life of faithful obedience and
  DISCIPLESHIP Acts 2216 Romans 62-6 1 Peter
  32.

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The Apostolic Christian Churchs Historical
Position on Discipleship (Continued)

• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 1. Inner
  Nature of the Church's Mission - Ordinances of
  the Church
• It Communion is a supper of remembrance,
  celebration and praise which strengthens
  believers for true DISCIPLESHIP and service 1
  Corinthians 1123-32.
• In VII. CHURCH OF CHRIST AND MISSION - 2. Outer
  Functions of Christian DISCIPLESHIP - Christian
  Integrity - DISCIPLESHIP and Nonconformity - Love
  and Nonresistance - The Christian and the State
  ENTIRE SUBSECTION SPEAKS TO TOPIC OF
  DISCIPLESHIP.

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Timeline and History ofBiblical Discipleship
Program

• Spring 2001 Reading of His Word and Prayer for
  Gods Leading in Development of a Discipleship
  Program for our Churches
• June 2001 - All Brothers Contacted, Informative
  E-Mail Sent with Attachments, First Lesson
  Returned
• July 2001 One-Third of Initial Lessons Returned
• August 2001 - Eastern Camp Two Day Forum on
  Discipleship
• October/November 2001 - Deadline Date for Return
  of Initial Lessons
• January 2002 Final Edit of Lesson Template
  Design
• February 2002 Template Design and Draft Lessons
  Sent to Editors
• April 2002 Lessons Returned from Editors, ACCF
  National Meeting where Discipleship Program is
  Presented
• Summer 2002 Editing and Proofreading by
  Brothers, Ministers, Elder Review Board, Final
  English Language Review and Overall Program
  Review
• September 2002 Public Release of Unit A
  Essentials of the Faith Lessons

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Biblical DiscipleshipSeven-Level Review

• 1) Thirty Plus Brothers Write Initial Draft
  Lessons on Twenty-Four Topics
• 2) Unit A Lessons are Sent to Primary Editorial
  Board (Seven Brothers)
• 3) Brothers Stan Mike Review and Edit Returned
  Lessons
• 4) Lessons are Further Reviewed by Ministering
  Brothers (Secondary Editorial Board)
• 5) Lessons then are Reviewed by Elder Brother
  Review Board (Elder Brothers George Freund, Doug
  Savin, John Zeug)
• 6) English Language Edit Made by AP English
  Teacher (Sister Carolyn Beer)
• 7) Final Overall Review by Brothers Stan and Mike

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Current Status and Future Goals ofBiblical
Discipleship

• Unit A Essentials of the Faith Fully Edited,
  Complete, Ready for Use
• Unit B and C Lessons Begin Review Process (Very
  Near Future)
• Initial Promotion Presentations to Churches,
  Encourage Churches and Leadership, Help Implement
  Biblical Discipleship Program
• Advertisement (i.e. Unit A Binders to Churches,
  Ministers, Elders, Messenger article, etc.)
• Internet Pages Being Developed for ACCF Web Site
• Ohio Area Ministers Conference (Mid-September
  2002)
• Follow the Holy Spirits Leading through Prayer
  and Reading of His Word along with the Helpful
  Suggestions of Believers Internationally

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Biblical Discipleship TopicsUnit A Essentials
of the Faith

• 1) The Word of God
• 2) God the Father
• 3) Humanity and Sin
• 4) Jesus Christ
• 5) Holy Spirit
• 6) Salvation

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Biblical Discipleship TopicsUnit B Establishing
and Growing as a Believer

• 1) Water and Spirit Baptism
• 2) The Lord's Supper
• 3) Studying God's Word
• 4) Understanding the Old Testament
• 5) Hell and Eternal Punishment
• 6) Heaven and Eternal Blessing

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Biblical Discipleship TopicsUnit C Christian
Living Walking as He Walked

• 1) Worship
• 2) Prayer and Fasting
• 3) Fellowship and the Church
• 4) Using God's Gifts and Talents / Knowing Gods
  Will
• 5) Tithing and Stewardship
• 6) Evangelism

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Biblical Discipleship TopicsUnit D Advanced
Topics for the Mature Believer

• (Currently Being Developed Yet to be
  Determined)

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Afternoon Break
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Description and Composition of Biblical
Discipleship Lessons
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Introductory and Concluding Material for Biblical
Discipleship

• Foreword Comments by three-member Elder
  Brother review board after reading Unit A
  Essentials of the Faith.
• Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) Documents
  on Christian Discipleship Already discussed.
• Letter of Introduction Explanation and
  introduction to Biblical Discipleship program.
• Biblical Discipleship Commitment Intended to
  allow an opportunity for those discipling and
  being discipled to agree to make commitments to
  each other to meet on a regular basis for the
  study of Gods Word, for open and honest
  accountability among participants, for personal
  and group prayer, etc.
• Evaluation Sheet To be filled out after
  completion of Unit A Essentials of the Faith.

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Composition of a Biblical Discipleship Lesson

• Preparation To prepare for the lesson with
  memory passage, what is to be studied, and the
  main Scriptures to be read as a starting point.
• Main Reading A full text article written and
  edited by Brothers within the Apostolic Christian
  Church on a particular Bible-based topic.
• Workbook To provide a place where the student
  can take notes, study and answer questions tied
  to the Main Reading.
• Completion To make sure the student has
  completed the lesson and has a complete, working
  knowledge of the lessons tenets as well as
  evidence of the principle being firmly
  established in their daily life before moving on
  to the next lesson.

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Implementation and Summation of Biblical
Discipleship Program
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Initial Implementation Suggestions for Biblical
Discipleship

• Strong support from Church Leadership
• Local Church Biblical Discipleship representative
  selected
• Church announcements and bulletin board posts,
  build enthusiasm
• Local Church leadership sets program goals,
  develops survey
• Church Leadership and Biblical Discipleship
  representative prayerfully select Biblical
  Discipleship group leaders
• One-day train the trainer session for group
  leaders
• Hold Implementation Meeting at local Church
• Church Leadership / Biblical Discipleship
  representative / group leaders determines group
  composition
• Develop mechanism to track disciplers and
  disciplees
• Begin initial Church cycle of Biblical
  Discipleship groups

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Ongoing Implementation Suggestions for Biblical
Discipleship

• Ongoing (quarterly?) announcements by Church
  leadership to encourage new groups to start,
  share testimonies of Gods grace and working
  within the groups (success stories), keep
  enthusiasm high and share need for Biblical
  Discipleship program
• Semi-annual meeting of Church leadership,
  Biblical Discipleship Church leader and all group
  leaders share what has worked, what hasnt
  worked, pray with and for each other, report
  challenges and brainstorm improved techniques,
  improved phrasing in materials, etc.
• Once students graduate, they are encouraged and
  counted on to start another group.

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Biblical DiscipleshipNot Intended to (Things to
Avoid)

• Increase Load on Brethren, Fragments Families and
  Relationships, etc.
• Weaken Structure of the Local and National
  Church Should Not Blur Distinction between
  Elders, Ministers and Brethren
• Create Religious Elite in Discipleship, Christ
  Clearly Warns Against This (Matthew 238-12)
• Focus Only on New Converts
• Create Copies of Ourselves

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Biblical DiscipleshipProper Goals of a
Discipleship Program

• 1) Firm grounding in biblical knowledge and
  Christian theology
• 2) Thoroughly furnish and equip Christians in the
  ministries which belong too all believers
  universally a) reading the Word b) prayer c)
  worship d) churchmanship e) witnessing f)
  stewardship g) holy living. Focus on
  commitments to Christian stability (holiness,
  sanctification, growth in Christ) through
  devotional depth, knowledge of His Word and
  disciplined, sacrificial patterns of living
• 3) Means to a) discover and use our
  gifts/talents and b) determine and understand
  Gods will
• 4) Develop deeper concern for all people
  (especially the lost) and increase skill in a)
  interpersonal relationships and b) influencing
  the unconverted towards Christ

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What are the odds?

• Biblical Discipleship - nice idea, but can it
  practically be done in our Churches?
• Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
  believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do
  also and greater works than these shall he do
  because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye
  shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
  Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall
  ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John
  1412-14)
• "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye
  cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit
  of truth, is come, he will guide you into all
  truth for he shall not speak of himself but
  whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak
  and he will shew you things to come. (John
  1612-13)
• "Sanctify them through thy truth thy word is
  truth. (John 1717)

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Gods Call to Teach and Preach

• And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
  power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go
  ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
  them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
  and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe
  all things whatsoever I have commanded you and,
  lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of
  the world. Amen. (Matthew 2818-20)
• And they continued stedfastly in the apostles
  doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of
  bread, and in prayers. (Acts 242)
• And daily in the temple, and in every house,
  they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus
  Christ. (Acts 542)
• And the things that thou hast heard of me among
  many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful
  men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2
  Timothy 22)

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Gods Call to Christian Discipleship

• Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth
  sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them
  that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the
  name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a
  great house there are not only vessels of gold
  and of silver, but also of wood and of earth and
  some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man
  therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a
  vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the
  master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
  (2 Timothy 219-21)
• And hereby we do know that we know him, if we
  keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him,
  and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and
  the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his
  word, in him verily is the love of God perfected
  hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith
  he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk,
  even as he walked. (1 John 23-6)

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Gods Call to Christian Discipleship

• For this cause we also, since the day we heard
  it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire
  that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his
  will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
  pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and
  increasing in the knowledge of God Strengthened
  with all might, according to his glorious power,
  unto all patience and longsuffering with
  joyfulness. (Colossians 19-11)
• Let us draw near with a true heart in full
  assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
  from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed
  with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession
  of our faith without wavering (for he is
  faithful that promised) And let us consider one
  another to provoke unto love and to good works
  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
  together, as the manner of some is but exhorting
  one another and so much the more, as ye see the
  day approaching. (Hebrews 1022-25)

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Open Discussion and Questions and Answers on
Biblical Discipleship