Discipleship Across the Discipleship Across the LifespanLifespan

Trinity International University

Class #4a

Agree or Disagree?Agree or Disagree?

Practice makes PerfectPractice makes Permanent

Agree or Disagree?Agree or Disagree?

Experience is the best teacherEvaluated

The primary test of a teacher is…

What you do

What yourstudents do

Recent assignments have focused upon what YOU do as a learner…

• Bible Study

• Prayer & Worship

• Evangelism & Service

• Giving of Time & Resources

How have these assignments had a practical effect in your life?

James 1:23-24 For if anyone is a hearer of the

word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face

in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what

kind of person he was.

As a general rule, don’t teach your students that which they can learn

for themselves

• When time is a factor

• When the student is a beginner

• When there is danger of damage

There are several Exceptions:There are several Exceptions:

Early childhood influencesEarly childhood influences

From your interviews, what did you see about the impact of such

influences toward spiritual maturity?

Early childhood influencesEarly childhood influences

How does your local church allow and/or encourage these kinds of

encounters?

Small Group ExerciseSmall Group Exercise

List the people who have been influential in your life

Describe in your groups the models they portrayed to impact

your life

Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory

How does a child learn socially acceptable behavior?

Two Models of Education

Teacher gives information to student

Student follows group example

Socialization ModelSocialization ModelInstructional ModelInstructional Model

A traditional method A natural method

Student listens to what teacher SAYS

Student sees how teacher LIVES

Can be detached Personal by nature

Emphasis on knowledge

Emphasis on real life and faith

Two Types of Behavioral Models

• Symbolic Model

Two Types of Behavioral Models

• Symbolic Model

• Exemplary Model– Parents– Teachers– Youth leaders– Pastors

Two Types of Behavioral Models

What can we do in the church to increase the effectiveness of such socialization

learning opportunities?

Negative Aspects of Socialization as a Negative Aspects of Socialization as a Ministry ModelMinistry Model

• People can imitate behavior and not know God

• Socialization is weak in communicating propositional truth

• Socialization focuses on experience, not on absolute truth

Downs, Page 162-ff

How valid are these

concerns?

The mind cannot contain

what the seat

cannot endure

If you are paralyzed at one end, there is a good chance you are also paralyzed

at the other.

― Howard Hendricks