First Steps Discipleship Training

Leader's Guide

Comer

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781630872915
• Topic: Théologie et religion
• Subtopic: Religion

When It Comes to Disciple Making... You Get What You Aim For!Because the church grows at the edges, discipling new believers may be one of the most important things you do! Jesus knew this. At the pivotal post-resurrection point, he took the newer-in-faith and synergized a movement. Yet the biblical example and current trends do not match--churches lack consistently in four areas: Aim: They fail to shoot for the new believer's evangelistic influence. Approach: They teach, but do not instill practices. Angle: Non-relational follow-up leads to disconnected disciples. Anticipation: Limited time did not produce lasting impact.Re-visioning, First Steps offers a fourfold course correction. Set your sights on the superior targets--and exciting results await! This guide will prepare you for the biggest assignment ever given: turn simple followers into strategic players.

1

Developing Your
Mentoring Mindset

“Direction, not intentions,
determines our destination.”

—ANDY STANLEY

Local legend had it that every year an angel would stir the water, and if you were quick enough to get in, healing would be yours. The place was filled with hopeless cases— hoping it would be their turn to get into the healing waters. One man had been an invalid for most of his thirty-eight years. Apparently, something happened along the way: perhaps a childhood accident or sudden contraction of a disease. Yet according to his own words, his handicap prevented him from entering the waters at the magical moment. He needed someone to help him. But no one ever did. Still, he remained. Waiting. Hoping.

Learning of his long lost plight, Jesus intercedes to heal him. Stumbling to his feet, the man begins walking about the city. Inescapable, the religious leaders flag him for carrying his mat on the Sabbath, a religious no-no—God forbid! From this Pharisaical tongue-lashing, we glean a valuable bit of information. This guy knows virtually nothing of who healed him. Consider what occurs next, “Later, Jesus found him at the temple” (John 5:12). First he healed him, now he finds him. Note the sequence.

Being fully aware that, despite the healing, the man remained deficient of spiritual understanding, Jesus re-encounters enabling him to put the pieces together. Jesus also has a powerful personal word, “Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” (14). As a result, “The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who made him well” (15).

Keeping your finger on this passage, let’s now transition to the blind man in John 9, whom Jesus similarly healed. The Pharisees boot the man from the synagogue, and the text says, “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him” (John 9:35). Do you see the pattern? Jesus could have just-as-well skipped town or moved on to greener ministry pastures. He could have said, “I have done the good thing by enabling his sight.” Instead, he takes time to reengage and draw an important dialogue:

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.” (John 9:35–38)

Each passage is strikingly clear: Jesus wasn’t finished until he had a worshiper.

The textual detail of both stories highlights the enormous place of follow-up. Jesus, himself, cared enough to follow-up with individuals—knowing how critical the second encounter would be. He routinely circled back. The pattern: There is the moment of healing, and then the moment of clarity. The healing is actually secondary to the knowledge of who Jesus is, and being led to follow him wholeheartedly.

I trust that you are already seeing applications. People come to church and have an experience. Or compassion ministries or groups show love in the community. It is often what happens afterwards that will make the determinable difference. You get the feeling that Jesus knew how critical the “after healing” time was. These men needed help to connect-the-dots. The fact is we can easily lose people if we do not cement their faith direction. It happens all the time.

As demonstrated by the sequence, personal follow-up is routinely necessary to establish belief. The word “believe,” used herein, relates to salvation. So the man leaves not just seeing, but with knowledge of his Savior. Some follow-up ministry is evangelistic. These unreached people will be in your classes, right under your noses. Typically, you will not know the extent of their faith formation, until you talk intimately. You will be positioned to reach, affirm and ground them, just as Jesus did.

Another pertinent passage is the hemorrhaging woman who Jesus healed by the mere touch of his garment (Mark 5:24–29). Sensing power pouring outward, he stops, looks out at the crowd, and says, “Who touched me?” The sudden halt and resultant traffic jam provokes a disciples’ huffy reaction, “You see the people crowding against you and yet you ask: ‘Who touched me?’” In the massive flow, they reckon Jesus had every right to let it go. Why bother? After all, she was healed—wasn’t she? Why was it so important to know “who” was healed?

The answer is Jesus knew “follow-up” created “followership.” And making followers is what he came to do! (He didn’t come to draw crowds, heal people, or register a reportable number). Notice how meaningful this act was to her. By calling her out, she falls forth to her knees publicly professing to be the one. Jesus then affirms her faith, assuring the new relationship not merely by the physical healing but by his word. She got more than a healing—now she had his promise!1

Contrast this with when we announce numbers coming to Christ. Did we stop as Jesus did and ask: Who was touched by God’s Spirit? What are their names? What are their stories? Where are they in the church? This woman was no number; she was a person who just experienced something meaningful beyond her comprehension. This same gravity is true for everyone new in faith! Like Jesus, we must stop and honor them. Their course-altering decision should be noticed. By recognizing them personally, we can affirm their standing, and draw forth a disciple.

In the Epistles

The straightforward propositional style of the New Testament letters emphasizes the import of grounding new believers. In Colossians two, Paul writes,

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Col 2:6–8)

The two concepts: “rooted” and “no one takes you captive” imply anchoring. The work we do in the formulating phase of a new Christian’s life becomes the seedbed for spiritual growth, and a spiritual protection plan against getting pulled off course or sucked into false teaching.

Post Resurrection

A final example is paramount. Three days after the crucifixion there is the resurrection event, and numerous “after resurrection” appearances. Luke details that Jesus’s post-resurrection ministry occurred over a forty-day period. What is he doing? This might initially sound strange to you, but he is essentially following up new believers. The Twelve spent three years walking with him, and still did not “get it.” Peter denied. Thomas doubted. They all were disillusioned by his sudden death! Days later, Jesus had to convince them of his resurrection, being rocked by its reality! (Luke 24:36–44). They may have been followers, but even the Twelve, were not yet believers in the full Christian sense.

So, in a moment of clarity for his closest disciples and a broader group of as many as five hundred disciples, Jesus follows them up, instructing them through nine resurrection appearances, which included an extended stay in Galilee where it all began (Acts 1:1–3). This same pattern, you will replicate, within this class! During the pivotal time, he “opens their minds” to the Scriptures showing the full plan of God, his vision for the message to go out to the world through them, and how they would receive heavenly power to complete it (Luke 24:45–49). With great intention, he grounded and equipped them to become his movement. The book of Acts reflects the results to his investment. In the post-resurrection age of the gospel, this should be our vision.

Follow-up Vision:
“To establish in faith and empower for mission.”

Some might say, “Wait a minute. Do not young believers need years of walking with Christ under their belts before they engage in mission? What if they say something wrong?” Let’s not think this of new Christians. Jesus fully trusted his freshly green disciples with his mission, and so should we. The Bible restrains new believers from becoming upfront teachers or elders, but not messengers. The ministry of reconciliation to God is given to all (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18–19).

We should not underestimate the influence potential of new believers either—certainly, not because of sin. The un-reputable woman at the well exudes her enthusiasm and an entire village comes to see him. Did God stop her because of her ongoing relationship issues? No way!

Nor should we think them not smart enough. The newly healed blind man, the first apologist, refutes with simple logic the false conclusions of the Pharisees. His reasoning is profound in pointing to Jesus (John 9:25–33). The truth is, new believers are plenty smart, and have all they need to be evangelists. We should seek their full participation! Their fresh encounter with Christ has qualified them for mission. In the spirit of Acts 1:8, when the Holy Spirit comes upon them they have his full divine power!

Summary of Biblical Follow-Up Principles

The overarching biblical principle is: Follow-up makes followers. Jesus himself circled back with people showing the importance of the after decision encounters. From our biblical study, consider four summarizing principles:

1. Honor their decision.

When someone responds to a ...