Encouraging active discipleship in churches

1
Encouraging active discipleship in churches

• Fringe to Core

2
(No Transcript)
3
1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and
challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

• Fringe to Core

4
Stethoscope
5
A B C of church life

• Attendance
• Buildings
• Cash
• Discipleship
• Evangelism

6
Discipleship

• The challenge of Fresh Expressions.
• The challenge from Fresh Expressions.
• Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of
  men.
• Go and make disciples of all nations

7
(No Transcript)
8
This is Discipleship
9
Discipleship

• Your reactions to the video clip?

10
Discipleship

• What are the key qualities of discipleship?
• What militates against discipleship in current
  culture?
• What programmes/strategies do we have to help us
  to become and make disciples?

11
Discipleship key qualities

• Bishop Moon Hing of Malaysia
• FAT Christians
• FAITHFUL
• AVAILABLE
• TEACHABLE
• (fat in Chinese means growth and
  multiplication and prosperity)
• What, if anything, would you want to add?

12
Discipleship

• Discipleship is a response to the love and grace
  of God
• It is NOT attending my preferred style of
  service.

13
Jesus and the disciples

• D F x L

14
Jesus and the disciples

• F x L

D
C
Forgiveness
15
Discipleship

• It is Gods call to a person and Gods work in a
  person, by the Holy Spirit
• - to convict of sin John 168
• - born of the Spirit John 35-8
• - Abba, Father Romans 815,16
• - reminds of Jesus teaching John 1426
• - fruits and gifts Galatians 5 / 1 Cor 12
• It is the responsibility of that individual to
  respond to the call of God on their lives at
  every stage.
• It is the responsibility of the church and more
  mature Christians to create an environment where
  discipleship can flourish and individuals can
  grow in Christ.

16
Discipleship

• 24/7 Discipleship
• 168 hours
• -48 sleep 120
• -10 church activities 110 of work, family
  and leisure
• This Time Tomorrow
• LICC (London Institute for Contemporary
  Christianity) Imagine
• http//www.licc.org.uk/

17
1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and
challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

• Fringe to Core

18
The Changes we see
Sunday mornings
Spirituality
19
The Changes we see
Sunday mornings
20
The Changes we see
Shopping Sport Visiting family/friends Lie in
Holidays Visiting the other parent
21
The Changes we see
Spirituality
22
Belief in God or higher power
23
Belief in God
24
Builders (born 20s30s) in 2005
25
Boomers (born 40s50s) in 2005
26
Gen-Xers (born 60s70s) in 2005
27
Gen-Yers (born 80s90s) in 2015?
28

• I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but
  I don't know into what religion yet.
• David Beckham.
• He was christened in 2005 with a traditional
  Christian ceremony in a private chapel
  constructed specially in their Hertfordshire
  mansion with two Buddhist shrines at the
  entrance!

29
Teddy Bear challenge

• Church of the Sacred Teddy Bear
• Worship him for he is all hugging!
• Chesterton When people stop believing in God
  they dont believe in nothing, they believe in
  anything!

30
The Media

• Growth in TV shows on the supernatural, spiritual
  and paranormal
• Fiction supernatural, sea of souls, Buffy,
  demons, Hex, charmed, Sabrina the teenage witch,
  apparitions, treu blood, the vampire diaries
• fact..haunted homes, most haunted, healers,
  Britain's psychic challenge, documentaries on
  mediums, Pagans, teenage witches etc
• Move from Scooby Do approach where the ghosts
  are found not to exist to an approach where the
  balance is to believe in them
• Replacement of the priest with the medium,
  investigator or demon hunter.

31
Experience of fortune telling, Tarot, astrology,
psychics, palmists
32
Starting point Engel Scale

• -12 No God framework
• -11 Experience of emptiness
• -10 God framework
• -9 Vague awareness and belief in God
• -8 Wondering if God can be known
• -7 Aware of Jesus
• -6 Interested in Jesus
• -5 Experience of Christian love
• -4 Aware of the basic facts of the gospel
• -

33
Engel Scale continued

• 3 Aware of personal need
• -2 Grasp the implications of the gospel
• -1 Challenged to respond personally
• 0 Repentance and faith
• 1 Holy Spirit and baptism
• 2 Functioning member of local Church
• 3 Continuing growth in character, lifestyle
  and service
• 4 Part of Team Leadership
• -

34
The Challenge of becoming a disciple of Jesus
Christ today

• Pick n Mix
• Consumerism
• Commitment?

35
1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and
challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

• Fringe to Core

36
1. What has helped you to grow in your spiritual
life?2. If you were developing a discipleship
programme what would you put in it?

• Fringe to Core

37
Resources we have more resources than we have
ever had.

• Fringe to Core

Strategies there is no one method which will
be effective for everyone.
38
(No Transcript)
39
Everybody Welcome

• Discover making the church more visible
• Experience making the premises more inviting
• Experience a welcoming God and his welcoming
  people
• Belonging to the church community

40
Belonging to the church community
W2W
Process

• From their church to my church
• Personal Friendship
• Community Life
• Christian Nurture
• Pastoral Care
• Christian Service

41
Personal Friendship
W2W
Belong
Process

• I dont want a friendly church. I want a church
  where I can make friends.
• Glue!
• How easy is it to make friends in your church?

42
Community Life
W2W
Belong
Process

• What events in your church can new people be
  invited to?

43
Community Life
W2W
Belong
Process

• Personal invite to social events
• Newcomers Events
• Welcome Booklet
• Church trips and weekends
• Emotional, social, and spiritual needs start
  being met

44
Christian Nurture
W2W
Belong
Process

• We dont want people to simply attend church. We
  want them to come to faith in Christ and grow in
  faith.

45
Pastoral Care

• If I was trying out a new church, Id be tempted
  to go for three or four weeks and then go missing
  and see if anyone noticed or did anything about
  it.

46
Pastoral Care

• Safety nets
• pew pastors
• alphabetical groupings
• attendance registers
• Congregational pastors
• Small Groups
• Care Networks

47
Christian Service
W2W
Belong
Process

• Give em a job to do straight away, that will
  keep them!
• Dont give em a job straight away, thatll scare
  them off!

48
Christian Service
W2W
Belong
Process

• Probationary period, or pounced on?
• A culture of every member ministry.
• Stepping on toes.
• Finding a place of service and contributing.

49
Resources we have more resources than we have
ever had.

• Fringe to Core

Strategies there is no one method which will
be effective for everyone.
50
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Personal Resources
• Web based
• Now a Christian
• Word Live
• Pray as you go.
• Foundations 21
• Paper based
• Bible reading notes
• Community of St Chad
• Books

51
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Now a Christian
• Sign up for a FREE email every day for five weeks
  that will help you to make your own decisions
  about the difference that having a Christian
  faith will make to your life.
• EXPLORE how being a Christian will change your
  outlook on life.
• THINK from the privacy of your own home about how
  being a Christian makes a difference.
• SHARE your own thoughts about life and faith.
• READ about the experiences of others who may
  share your views and questions, or may see things
  differently.
• BEGIN a journey of exploration and take your
  first steps as a follower of Jesus Christ.

52
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Word Live Scripture Union

53
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Pray as you go Jesuits.

54
Individuals Small groups One to one support
Christians serious about their
faith Disconnected Christians New Christians Busy
leaders
55
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Personal Resources
• Web based
• Now a Christian
• Word Live
• Pray as you go.
• Foundations 21
• Paper based
• Bible reading notes
• Community of St Chad
• Books

56
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Group Resources
• Nurture courses
• Beyond nurture
• Small groups
• Community of St Chad
• Training Resources
• Following On
• Diocesan Training Courses, Bishops Certificate
  (Living Faith), Pathways to Ministry etc.

57
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Nurture Courses
• Alpha
• Believe
• Christianity Explained
• Christianity Explored
• Emmaus
• Essence
• Knowing God Better
• Now a Christian
• Simply Christianity
• Start!

Exploring faith courses Glad you asked Puzzling
Questions Quest Table Talk Y Course Locally-based
courses Adventure Just Looking Life Matters
58
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• Beyond Nurture
• Alpha
• Faith Track, Bible Track, Life Track.
• Challenging Lifestyle
• God at Work
• A Life Worth Living
• Others
• Discipleship Explored
• Living Faith (Tom Wright)
• Emmaus
• Knowing God Better (x2)
• Life to the Full

59
Small Groups
60
Closing the Back Door Discipleship and
Spirituality

• COMMUNITY OF ST CHAD Rhythms of Grace
• Walk with me and work with me watch how I do
  it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
  Matthew 1128 Eugene Peterson
•  Rhythm One By Gods grace, I will seek to be
  transformed by Him into the likeness of Christ.
•  Rhythm Two By Gods grace, I will be open to
  the presence, guidance and power of the Holy
  Spirit.
•  Rhythm Three By Gods grace, I will set aside
  time for worship, prayer and spiritual reading.
•  Rhythm Four By Gods grace, I will endeavour to
  be a gracious presence in the world, serving
  others and working for justice in human
  relationships and society.
•  Rhythm Five By Gods grace, I will sensitively
  share my faith with others.

61
(No Transcript)
62
Following On

• One2Four
• Everybody Welcome
• Closing the Back Door
• 14 other courses to help you and your church be
  healthy and growing
• Mission Shaped Introduction, Five Rhythms of
  Grace, Gifts Exercise, Lost for Words,
  Transforming your community, Working with older
  people, Learning in the Third Age, Key,
  Connecting with Schools, Journeys in Prayer,
  Healing Ministry, Caring for Gods World, World
  Mission.

63
Fringe to Core

• Essential Ingredients
• Individual example role models
• Challenging teaching
• Testimonies
• Intentional questions
• Invitation to more
• Milestones and stepping stones.
• baptism, communion, confirmation, crisis.

64

• Families and Messy
• Messy Xtra (Deeper Mess, Mini-Mess)
• Parenting Course
• Questions children ask (rather than Alpha)
• Dads and tots/Dads and Lads
• Prayer stations (Jesus Deck, Psalm Reading,
  tracts)
• Resources for Families porous faith - grace at
  meals, bedtime stories, take home sheets and
  activities, DVDs.
• Kingdom activities social action, Compassion
• Messy Team growing by joining and doing

65
Discipleship

• Luke 5
• The invitation come is to us all.
• Matthew 28.
• Go and Lo.
• Its the Lo that makes the impossible mandate
  possible.

66
(No Transcript)
67
Fringe to Core analysis of what already happens
example of a local church in West Bromwich

• One-offs
• Open Air
• Memorials, Christmas and Easter
• Website
• Regular
• Social afternoon and Lunch Club
• Cake and Chat
• Men Aloud
• Socials
• School gate, assemblies, governors, services.
• Kids Club
• Messy Church

68
Fringe to Core stepping stones and pathways

• Considerations
• What Stepping Stones are appropriate? What are
  they to faith, or Sunday church?
• Do we bring them to church or bring church to
  them.
• The volunteer helpers in these activities can
  also be experiencing deepening, discipleship not
  just the participants.
• Two broad paths
• Deepen the discipleship of the event itself (not
  always appropriate or possible).
• Complement the event with other activities and
  groups.

69
Fringe to Core

• Stephen Lindridge identifies in discipleship four
  steams of human nature
• community (belong),
• understanding (believe),
• kingdom action (behave)
• spiritual experience (bless).

70
Fringe to Core

• Path One (deepen the discipleship of the event
  itself)
• Posters and messages about faith and church.
• Individuals available to share faith in one to
  ones.
• Can this event become church? (Fresh
  Expression)
• Opportunities for exploration or response
• Jesus Deck. Psalm Reading. Prayer requests
  (prayer board). Leaflets and tracts (good ones!)
• Its all about personal relationships and
  personal invitation.

71
Fringe to Core

• Path Two.
• Posters and leaflets to other events.
• Special Services.
• Nurture Course you may need an ongoing
  programme.
• Growth Groups.

72
Contacts to Disciples

• Both Paths
• Ways for individuals to follow up enquiry on
  their own Now a Christian. Foundations 21.
• Resources for families family prayer, bible
  reading see Messy Church web site.
• Activities focussing on kingdom concerns social
  action on a kingdom issue, local or supporting an
  orphan overseas, or.
• P.S. WE disciple others both inside the church
  and wherever we are. Paul Imitate me as I
  imitate Christ! (1 Corinthians 111)

73
(No Transcript)
74
discipleship

• a journey, not a crisis event

75
discipleship
Belief
Belong
Behave
Blessing
76
some ideas

• include an explicitly Christian dimension from an
  early stage
• include a more general spiritual dimension from
  an early stage
• create opportunities to form a separate
  discipleship group