Making Disciples For the 21st Century Dr. G. Earl Knight Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventist EVANGELISM SEMINAR

Making DisciplesFor the 21st Century

Dr. G. Earl KnightGreater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventist

EVANGELISM SEMINAREVANGELISM SEMINAR

The Great Commission :: The Great Commission :: Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20

“All authority (power) has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to

observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the

age.”

Who is a Disciple?Who is a Disciple?

• One who forsakes all to follow Jesus. James Montgomery Boice, Christ call to Discipleship, 13.

• One who is willing to be taught, a learner.

Discipleship involves commitment. It involves identification with Christ in His shameful death. Discipleship involves renunciation of oneself… It involves sacrifice for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“It involves surrendering one’s own will and one’s own rights to his life

and acknowledging that Jesus Christ has the right to be obeyed, the right to rule. Our Lord said that if a man is not willing to forsake all that he has, he cannot be His disciple.”

J. Dwight, Design for Discipleship, 18-19

A disciple is one who responds in faith and

obedience to the gracious call of Jesus. Being a

disciple is a lifelong process of dying to self while

allowing Jesus Christ to come alive in us.”

Disciple - Mathetes Disciple - Mathetes (Greek) (Greek)

Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials, 24

“Discipling is an intentional relationship in which we walk

alongside other disciples in order to encourage, equip, and

challenge one another in love to grow toward maturity in Christ.

This includes equipping the disciple to teachothers as well.”

Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essential, 17

To be a disciple is to be living in relationship with the One who is

discipling you. In this relationship one is to be constantly learning more about the person, while at the same time living in subjection to Him. The word does not

suggest a rapid conversion to the person, but a slow process by which one

is made into a disciple..

Discipleship is the process by Discipleship is the process by which one is led to accept which one is led to accept

Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, fully committed to a lifelong fully committed to a lifelong

learning relationship and learning relationship and growing towards maturity in growing towards maturity in

Christ. This includes equipping Christ. This includes equipping the disciples to make disciples the disciples to make disciples

of others.of others.

The Biblical Picture of Discipleship

Make Disciples Who…

GO

TEAC

H

BAPTIZE

REPRODUCE

Qualifications of a Disciple

• Surrendered to the Lordship of Christ

• Love and Concern for people

• Holiness

• Open and Transparent

• Committed Prayer Life

God’s Plan for GrowingA Healthy Congregation

And Moses' father- in- law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people

that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself

alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou

mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and

shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Exodus 18:17-23

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

Exodus 18:21-23

Division for Effectiveness

Groups:10001005010

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and

the same day there were added unto them about three

thousand souls.

NURTUREThe new believers

“continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrines”.

Acts 2:41

1Small Groups Four

Functions

2Small Groups Four

Functions

WORSHIPIn response to God’s creative works and in goodness towards His

people we lift up His name in praise and thanksgiving. We worship Him because

He is worthy.

3Small Groups Four

Functions

COMMUNITYA small group setting

that brings the members together will

result in a closer community within the

body of Christ.

Small Groups Four Functions

4 MISSIONA small group must guard against

becoming inward. Without outreach the group becomes stagnated and

insipid. As we reach inward to maintain our own selves and others within the fold, we must reach out to

bring others within the fold; we must reach out to save others from

the pitfalls of sin.

Ellen White on Small Ellen White on Small GroupsGroups

“The Sabbath School should be one of the greatest instrumentalities, and most

effectual in bringing souls to Christ.”

Testimonies Vol 7, p. 21

Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 11

“The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort has been

presented to me by One who cannot err.”

“The Sabbath School if rightly conducted, is one of

God’s great instrumentalities to bring

souls to a knowledge of the truth.”

Ellen White on Small Ellen White on Small GroupsGroups

Counsels on Stewardship, p. 115

“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the

people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their

good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their

needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them ‘Follow Me’.”

Following Christ’s MethodFollowing Christ’s Method

Welfare Ministry, p. 60

The emphasis in this group setting is on sharing experiences

of what God has done in their lives and praying for a closer

walk with God.

Types of GroupsTypes of Groups

Sharing/Prayer Group

The main focus of this group is the study of Scripture and to seek how

to apply the Scriptures to their lives. Many of the Bible study groups follow the inductive Bible study method in understanding and

applying the Scriptures.


Bible Study Group

This group emphasizes fellowship. There are members in our

churches that are in need of real fellowship, especially newly-

baptized ones or those who are newly-transferred from other

churches.


Nurture Group

A support group focuses on assisting individuals who have

particular needs. These individuals have felt needs and need to

receive healing, love and warmth. Examples of these needs are single

parenting, death, drug abuse, alcohol recovery and divorce.


Support Group

A group of people who for various circumstances meet in a home rather than in a church

for worship and fellowship. This group may have all the

trappings of a church service.


Home Fellowship Group

The emphasis of this group is employing the members’ talents or gifts in the building of the church spiritually and numerically. This group must be students of the

Word and diligent spoke-persons for Jesus Christ.


Outreach Group

The EmpoweredThe Empowered

DisciplesDisciples

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Empowered DisciplesThe Empowered Disciples

Acts 1:8

“When Pentecost came to the Apostolic church, three thousand souls were converted in a single day, and the

assurance has been given us that the time is coming when there will be as

many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the

disciples had received the Holy Spirit.”

Divine Power NeededDivine Power Needed

Review and Herald, June 29, 1905

“When we bring our hearts into unity with Christ, and our lives

into harmony with His work, the Spirit that fell on the disciples

on the day of Pentecost will fall on us.”

Testimonies for the Church VIII, p. 246

“The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women

comprising our church membership rally to the

work, and unite their efforts with those of ministers and

church officers.”Gospel Workers, p. 352

Lay Involvement is Lay Involvement is EssentialEssential

“Preaching is a small part of the work to be done for the

salvation of souls. God’s Spirit convicts sinners of the truth,

and He places them in the arms of the church. The ministers

may do their part, but they can never perform the work that the

church should do.”

Testimonies IV, p. 69

“The best help ministers can give the members of our churches is not

sermonizing, but planning work for them. Give each one something to do for others.

Help all to see that as receivers of the grace of Christ, they are under obligation to work for Him. And let all be taught how to work. Especially should those who are newly come to the faith be educated to become laborers together with God.”

Lay Involvement is Lay Involvement is EssentialEssential

Testimonies IX, p. 82

“One of the most effective ways in which light can be communicated is by

private, personal effort. In the home circle, at your neighbor’s fireside, at

the bedside of the sick, in a quiet way you may read the Scriptures and speak

a word for Jesus and the truth. Thus you may sow precious seed that will

spring up and bring forth fruit.”

The EffectivenessThe Effectivenessof Personal Evangelismof Personal Evangelism

Testimonies VI, p. 428-429

1. Love for people

2. Coming close to the people

3. Making the proper approach

4. Preparation

5. Presenting the study

6. Getting the decision

Six Keys to SuccessfulSix Keys to SuccessfulPersonal EvangelismPersonal Evangelism

The Oikos Factor

How new disciples are made:How new disciples are made:

Mark 5:19“Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done

for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”

OIKOS :: Immediate and extended family

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy

house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his

house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house,

he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”

The Oikos FactorThe Oikos FactorActs 16:31-34

• Oikos members are receptive

• Oikos relationships allows for natural sharing

• Oikos relationships effectively assimilate new converts

• Oikos relationships tend to win entire families

• Oikos relationships provide new contacts

Why the Oikos?Why the Oikos?

Natural Network

• Family relationships and responsibilities

• The influence of Christian people

• A church visit – the program, special events

• A search for community

• A personal crisis

Why People JoinWhy People JoinTHE CHURCHTHE CHURCH

The ministry of the leaders of the church must focus on equipping other Christians to serve.

Eight Quality CharacteristicsEight Quality Characteristicsin Natural Church in Natural Church

DevelopmentDevelopmentEmpowering Leadership

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and

teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of

Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11-12

1


DevelopmentDevelopmentGift Oriented Ministry2 When Christians serve in

their area of giftedness they generally function less in their own strength and more in the power of the Holy Spirit.


DevelopmentDevelopmentFunctional Structures3 Structures must serve

the mission of the church.

Mark 2:27“And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”


DevelopmentDevelopmentInspiring Worship Service4

1 Timothy 5:16-19

The worship service of the church must inspire the members. It is the Holy Spirit that inspires

people.


DevelopmentDevelopmentPassionate Spirituality5 The spiritual life of the

members must be characterized by prayer, enthusiasm and boldness.

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;continuing instant in prayer.”

Romans 12:11-12


DevelopmentDevelopmentHolistic Small Group6Acts 2:46-47

“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having

favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

The multiplication of small groups is the most

important principle in church growth.


DevelopmentDevelopmentNeed Oriented Evangelism

71 Corinthians 9:20-22“And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Our evangelistic methods must address the needs of those we are seeking to

reach.


DevelopmentDevelopmentLoving Relationship8

John 13:34-35

The relationship of the members of the church must be

characterized by love and affection.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are

my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

The Completed CycleThe Completed Cycleof Disciple-makingof Disciple-making

• People should immediately be placed in a small caring group. The small group setting is the best place to nurture discipleship.

• People must enter the church with the understanding that Christ has called them into ministry. They must view their baptism as an ordination into ministry and not just a symbol of forgiveness for sin.

Integration of New MembersIntegration of New Members

• People must be led to discover their spiritual gifts.

• People immediately must be led to identify their extended family and begin the disciple-making process within the networks that have been opened by their coming to Christ.

• People must be taught not to depend upon the visitation or sermons from an ordained, salaried pastor as the source of their spiritual life. They must be taught to develop their own study program.

Integration of New MembersIntegration of New Members

THE END!

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Making Disciples For the 21st Century Dr. G. Earl Knight Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventist EVANGELISM SEMINAR