Where do we begin?

The big question for vision team leaders is, "Where do we begin?" Below are the steps that Trinity has taken. They are not meant for duplication, just suggestions. Please feel free to comment and let us know how you are doing.

Purpose
A good study to work through as a Discipleship/Ministries Vision team is found in the prayers of Paul. In them he gives his hopes and dreams for the churches.
Our purpose is to raise disciples for Jesus Christ

Relationships
Accountable to:

• Values and Vision
• Leadership
• Other Quadrants

Accountable for:

• Discipleship
• Training

Defining Discipleship
Each church should define what discipleship looks like. They are encouraged to look at models such as Willow Creek, Saddleback, and We Build People, but in the end, each church needs to own the definition for themselves and not short-cut the process by adopting someone else’s definition.

The Complexities of Q3
Discipleship involves looking at many types of people that enter into your church. Willow Creed identifies these as:

• Exploring Christ
• Growing in Christ
• Close to Christ
• Christ Centered

Discipleship for each of these looks very different.
The Reveal Study also identified four catalysts for change and discipleship is the process of helping people in each of these areas. They include:

• Spiritual Beliefs
• Spiritual Practices
• Activities with Others
• Service

Furthermore, in regards to discipleship, we must think:

• Systematically
• Theologically
• Holistically
• Relationally
• Missionally

The Ministries side of Q3 deals with a variety of ministries and each should be evaluated for effectiveness and relevancy.

Present Realities
The first step in vision team meetings is defining realities. This involves a variety of questions that need to be answered. Some of these are:

• Where is God currently working in the area of discipleship?
• What is your current pathway?
• What is the churches discipleship temperature?
• What are your primary ways (methodology) of helping people grow in Christ?
• What are your strengths?
• What traditions are you stuck in that are hindering your discipleship growth?
• Who are being discipled in the church?
• What are we doing right?
• What are we doing wrong?
• What are we missing?
• What do we need to keep?
• What do we need to give up?
• What is one thing that will give us lift in the next 60-90 days?
• What do we need to change immediately?
• Where are we stalled in our spiritual life?
• What do you expect of people (know, feel, do)?
• What attitudes need to change?
• What knowledge do you need to acquire?
• What skills are necessary?
• Who will go with us?
• How do you currently guide people in church?
• How do you currently help the new believer?

Vision and Dreams
Your vision team needs to define what God’s dream is for your church. Dr. Lee encourages you to ask the question, “If God gave you 25 million dollars and you knew Jesus was returning in five years, what would he be pleased with?” and “What would he not be pleased with?”
In regards to raising disciples, what are the dreams God would be pleased with?

Missional Goals

• Determine next step
• Identify present realities
• Decide on strategic methodologies
• Develop, define, evaluate fulfillment of missional goals

Suggested Pathway
Remember, these are only suggestions to get you started.

Meeting One: Purpose and Rules of Engagement

• Set rules of engagement. Reading “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” can get you started.
• State up front that you want everyone to participate. Remember that the people who have been in the church the longest need to encourage the newer people to participate. We need their voice.
• Define your purpose for meeting together
• Have everyone introduce themselves and ask about their salvation and how they were discipled.
• Find some discipleship states to create the sense of urgency. George Barna can help you here.
• Define the next year and where you want to go.
• Discuss the results of the Church Life Assessments and ask people to discuss why the rated the questions the way they did.

Meeting Two: Work with your team to define what you want a disciple to know, feel and do.

• through scripture
• through prayer
• through small group discussion
• through exercises
• through reading
  

You can read further in this blog to see the exercise we did to encourage participation.

Meeting Three: Discover present and future values (what guides the church now and what will guide the future)
An understanding of what values are is critical for this discussion.

• through assessments
• through pastoral interviews
• through reading

Meeting Four: Define current realities

• review assessment questions
• interviews
• discussion
• observation
• review church calendar
• list current discipleship offerings
• What obstacles keep this church from discipleling more people?

Meeting Five: Team building

• do an activity together
• hold a follow-up event

Meeting Six: Evaluate
What are some of the things you have accomplished so far?

• interviews
• observations (classes, small groups, programs)
• critique current systems
• critique environments

Meeting Seven: Review Current Models

• Willow Creek – Reveal
• Saddle Back
• We Grow People

Meeting Eight: Set Missional Goals

• think immediate wins
• think long term – transformation
• think strategically
• set priorities
• think SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time specific)

Meetings Nine, Ten, Eleven:
It’s all up to you. Let me know what you did and what was successful.

Resources:

Will Hawkins, Reveal
Will Hawkins, Follow Me
Bill Hull, Choose the Life
Bob Roberts, The Multiplying Church
Thom Rainer, Simple Church
Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Tim Enloe, Want More (self published www.enloeministries.org)
David Kinnaman, UnChristian
David Kinnaman, “Attendees to Disciples”, Ministries Today, http://www.ministrytodaymag.com/display.php?id=14015
Christianity Today 2008, “Building a Culture of Discipleship” www.BuildingChurchLeaders.com>

From Attendees to Disciples

David Kinnaman writes in Ministries Today that ninety million people attend church - but most of them merely 'dabble' in Christianity. His research shows that "true, lasting spiritual transformation is very rare in churches today." He goes on to discuss three factors preventing dicipleship from happening as it should. They are:
1. Dischipleship by definition is hard work. It is much easier to settle for life-as-usual.
2. Most churches have lost touch with how to measure discipleship. Attendance, volunteerism, and small group participation does not necessarily mean a person is growing in Christ.
3. We often think our churches are making disciples because we have programs.

George Barna's book, Think Like Jesus, says that only one out of eleven churchgoers possess a holistic biblical perspective. That means that very few people process reality in a biblical way.

What are the solutions? Kinnaman concludes:
1. Clearly articulate the goal and process of discipleship.
2. Create segnificant indicators of spiritual growth.
3. Determine to help people grow in systematic, rather than random ways.
4. Invest heavily in children and families.
5. Continually ask yourself tough questions about discipleship.

Where does this leave us at Trinity?
First, it is great to know that we have determined to do something about making disciples. It does take a lot of effort and work, but we have started down a great path.
Second, it is important for us to think systematically about discipleship. Again, what do we want the end product to be and how do we get there? We need a framework that makes sense and engages people in becoming more and more like our Lord.

Serving Him,
Keith

Shamelessly Addicted

Pastor Lee McFarland pastors a church in Surprise Arizona. It is the fastest growing Assembly of God church in America. After planting the church nine years ago with 100 people, the church is now over 6,000. The God story of this church is incredible. Yesterday I had opportunity to be at a conference that he was speaking at. He said one thing that really struck me, “I am shamelessly addicted to seeing transformed lives.” Now that is powerful! I was humbled as I prayed, “God, I am not there yet. In fact, I think I am shamefully addicted to me and my own selfishness.” I get so caught up in what I need and want that I forget why I entered the ministry.

What is the desire of our team? What drives us to do what we do? Is it to have a nice programmatic system, or to see lives transformed? I think it would be good for all of us to get real honest about our motivations.

Lord, check us. See if there be any wicked way in us. Cleanse us from selfishness and let us see through your eyes. Break our hearts with the things that break your heart.

Serving Together,
Pastor Keith

Makes Sense to Me

I really like that idea. I am very into organization and structure so that makes sense to me. Discipleship needs to start out with a good foundation of Christian basics. Just like at college, Freshman always begin with basic core courses and then add electives and advanced courses as they mature in their study. But, how do we use this focus on the book learning of discipleship (study of Christian principles and the Word) and mesh it with the life application, are you a living disciple and not just can recall the Bible and talk about it in a class?

Kimberly Lego

Terry Ewell said...

About 5 or 6 years ago Trinity had in place a curriculum of adult education. The analogy was made to baseball with the idea that a person would take 1 class in each of 4 categories and "run the bases." With changes of pastors overseeing the adult education this idea fell by the wayside.

Creating a tiered approach to education makes a lot of sense. Classes and curriculum could be tailored to the needs of the students.

The biggest problem, however, is with access. Not everyone can make a Wednesday evening or a Sunday morning, for example, so any sort of curriculum will need to have some flexibility built into it. I think that video taping classes, streaming videos, recorded teachings offer many possibilities for asynchronous (not at the same time) education. For instance, a person with a long commute could listen to a recorded teaching.

A multilayered, multidimensional approach may be the best way to help our congregation develop in their walk in Christ:

+1 to 1 discipleship
+small groups (supplied videos or teaching series)
+Sunday and Wednesday classes
+Online helps and links at the Trinity Web site
+Check out materials: CDs, tapes, DVDs, books
+Teaching and encouragement from the pulpit
+Seminars on campus

Terry

Tuesday Recap

Tuesday was awesome. Each member was engaged in passionate conversation about what a disciple is what a preferred discipleship future looked like for Trinity.
As a recap, we began the time by pairing off the members and having them draw an outline of one person on 8 ft. butcher paper. At the head, we were asked to reflect on our reading and blogging and come up with everything that a disciple of Jesus should know. At the heart, we were to write everything a disciple should feel. Finally, at the hands and feet, we were to write everything a disciple should do. This was fun for the team, but also very enlightening as each team made a presentation. Here are some of the results:
A disciple should know how to worship, how to study and apply God’s Word, salvation, God’s plan/purpose for them, repentance, forgiveness, love, acceptance, doctrine, other Christians, who Jesus is as savior, friend, deliverer, counselor, and the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection
A disciple should feel and experience God’s presence, connection to the body/sense of belonging, growth, healing, joy, love, acceptance, peace, passion, doing “right” things, and the power and presence of the Holy Spirit
The actions of a disciple are fellowship, prayer, witnessing, studying God’s word, giving, serving, reaching out to others, living like Jesus, selfless actions, good works.
Our long term goal is to develop a process whereby every person who attends Trinity will have the opportunity to continue to grow personally in Christ with the ultimate goal of serving the body in their giftedness and discipleing others. We will also have a plan for identifying, recruiting and developing new teachers. Our short term specific goal is that by January we will have clearly defined a discipleship path.
Serving Him,
Pastor Keith

Discipleship University

We have had a lot of great comments lately. I really appreciate your efforts. You are great. I hope you get a chance to read everyone's input.

Here is a question for you: What if discipleship at Trinity looked like a university - you know, core courses along with some electives? We could track everyone's progress. Afterwards there would be Master's level courses with hands on training for the next generation of leaders. Finally, we could have another layer for our top leaders in the church. This would assure us that everyone learns the core and stays involved in life-long learning.

Hey, it's a thought. Any comments?

Serving Him,
Pastor Keith

The Church as Field or Force - Bonnie

I have just finished some study time and am contemplating church of the field and church of the force. Historically, we have been a church of the field, not through an error on our part really, the growth of Trinity from 250 active members to 1,200 with varying needs of the people caused that to happen and so many of "us" had a concept of what church should be. To be a disciple - to love unconditionally - that is really what it takes to be a disciple - to love without "the I need to receive back" thought pattern. how do we achieve that - by self-examination where are we - age wise? pattern wise? and then by reading his word, meditating, and realizing that each day we need to die to self. Now, during the course of our own evaluation, then how do we move into the body with that thought pattern so that the members of the body minister.

Some will develop by example and then we need to be better communicators between the areas of ministry. Also, we want our children to be part of the body then the body should be part of the children's ministry at times - e.g. for example a children's front porch service in the sanctuary once in a while and just as it would be done in the children's church. One thing that struck home with me is that we often times are "too concerned" about things being just "so" and what would people think if we actually sang a children's song or did something " a little childish" - but perhaps we would be working as one body recognizing that we all are at different levels. Or the teenagers - not just sitting in a section on Sunday mornings but taking up the offering - greeting some people - seeing a 17 year old standing at a door with a 45 to 60 year old - all part of ministering -and so as part of discipleship, we minister the love of Jesus.Well, I am up to chapter six and will over the next several days finish the book.

Definition of a Disciple - Pastor Griz

A disciple is someone who believes in and follows/lives like - Jesus (we are talking a Christian context right?) in a personal relationship that aligns itself with the teachings of the Bible.Considering that 9 out of 10 young people (93 percent) consider themselves to be Christian by the age 13... Of those who say they are Christian, only 4 percent would say:*They have made an important personal commitment to Jesus Christ and believe they will have eternal life solely because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior*Affirm the accuracy of all biblical teachings*Have a personal responsibility to share their faith*Believe that they are unable to attain eternal salvation except through the grace of God through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection*Believe in the nature of God as the creator and sustainer of all that exists*Believe in the existence of Satan (God’s enemy) is a real being*Taken from George Barna, Transforming children into Spiritual Champions, Regal Books Ventura, CA 2003 pp. 33-34I’d say if the majority of Trinity’s young people were discipled to believe like this we would have some kind of awesome church! Sending out missionaries, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists etc....

Comments on Chapter 9 by Terry

Page 1. Several aspects of the “no cost, free gift” and “event theology” hit home with me. As I observe my life and those saints around me I notice that little emphasis is placed upon sacrifice, study, diligence, and work in the faith. Our Christian lives resemble a series of experiences rather than a pattern of growth. We speak of this great event or that thing that happened or this new system. “You should go hear speaker X, s/he will change your life.” “This X series is wonderful.” “You have to be a part of the X Crusade.” Rarely do I hear people speaking of growth in their lives through Bible study, prayer, disciplined sacrifices—ME INCLUDED.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s concept of “cheap grace” comes to mind as well. By “cheap grace” Bonhoeffer meant grace without contrition or repentance, grace without obligation, grace without discipleship. He fully understood that grace cannot be earned but it is freely received. However, Bonhoeffer points out that grace without commitment results in a weak and ineffective disciple. James puts it this way, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:20) That’s pretty blunt, especially for Americans. It is too easy to think “I give a little in the offering plate, attend church, and that’s just right for me.” What are the ways that God wants to lead us in our culture as disciples so that we are not conformed to the pattern of thinking in our world (Rom. 12:1-2)?

I was quite struck by Lee’s writings on selection for discipleship. Disciples self select and then disciples are chosen. To an extent we have these two selection processes at Trinity, but are we doing enough? Should we be changing what we do?

Both selection processes cost something. They will take a new commitment, more time, more expense, and giving up of something else.

Self Selection:

Do we have ample opportunities for people to self-select ways in which they will learn more about God and grow in their faith?

Are there opportunities for children, for young adults, for those who work during Trinity class times, for those who cannot get away from their homes due to illness, for busy parents, etc.

Selection by others:

Do we in place selection of disciples for further growth and ministry?

Who makes that selection and when or how are they made?

How are people chosen for ministry positions?

How are those in ministry positions aided in their spiritual growth?

Terry

From Angela

Pastor Keith,

I really enjoyed our session tonight. And, I like the path we are heading down. I like to see immediate goals, short-term goals, long-term goals and the ultimate goal. As I mentioned at the end of the session , I strongly believe the quadrants will overlap, work hand-in-hand and, in some cases, be dependant on one another. For example, we can create and develop a discipline and/or curriculum, but one's spiritual life must be "healthy" and ready to produce. I think it would do me a world of good to know what the spiritual life quadrant is doing to promote healthy spiritual life. I need to see the big picture and I need to see how things relate. Our output will only be enhanced by the cooperative efforts of other quadrants. It is more important for me to SEE what is being done than just to KNOW that it is being done.

I also feel strongly about having a plan of action. I would love for us to get to a place where we can evaluate our current discipleship programs/methods. If we look at what we do now, it should help guide us in the direction we need to go. Is there anything that Dr. Lee has created that we could use to evaluate what we currently offer? Does he have anything that shows what a healthy discipleship plan should include? In order to complete an evaluation, we would need something to compare it to. What is the "model" discipleship program? Small groups seem to be flourishing right now. However, I sometimes wonder what the parameters/requirements are for someone who would like to lead a small group. Are there any parameters/requirements? I love that we have a ton of small groups, but are we going for quantity or quality? I know of someone who wanted to start a small group and was immediately granted permission to do so. Since this is a leadership role, what do we do to ensure that what is being taught is what we want to be taught? Do we ever audit the person leading the group? I know for Children's Ministries, background checks are completed, we are asked if we were abused as children, etc. I realize this is for the protection of our children because it is obvious that we do not want a predator working in Children's Ministries. However, do we conduct any time of checks on those leading small groups? I think it is equally important to know the leader is in a healthy condition whether they are leading a child or an adult.

Also, in thinking about creating a discipleship "unit" (e.g., curriculum, plan of action, etc.) at Trinity....is there something that already exists that we can use as a model and customize it for Trinity? Would that help us get to point "B" quicker? How do we know that what we produce will be a comprehensive and complete work? Will we be having it audited and/or compared to something that already exists or by an expert in the field?

I think we have several obstacles to overcome when dealing with discipleship. Taking a look at what exists, creating/structuring/establishing/filling in the holes....whatever terminology is appropriate.....to facilitate the end product of a discipleship "unit" that is functional and effective for Trinity. Then, we need to have the resources in place that get the word out and let folks know what we have to offer. So, basically, we need to (1) figure out what needs to be done, (2) do it, and then (3) tell folks what we can do. I noticed the group tonight has a lack of confidence and assurance in our current offerings. In part, it seemed it was because they'd experienced themselves. Also, perhaps because they don't know what is even available. Communicating what we have to offer is a battle all in itself and it certainly is a never-ending task.

God bless,
Angela Le

What does Discipleship Look Like?

Hey Team,
What a great day we had! The picnic was great. The food was great. The fellowship was great. The weather was great. And best of all, we were able to meet great new friends. (However, I could have done without loosing the pastor's volleyball tornament. I think it was fixed.)

Anyway, thanks to all who made the day special. I can see why "Doing Life Together" is more than a slogan, it is a mantra.

Well, most of the people I talk to ask me what it is I am going to be doing at Trinity. When I mention the aspect of discipleship, it seems there is a big agreement that there needs to be a more focused effort in this area. Although our team has a responsibility to examine discipleship and ministries, I think it would be prudent for us to focus on one area at a time.

So... here are two questions to ask ourselves:
1. What is a disciple? I mean a true disciple. In other words, what is our goal?
2. If Trinity was known best for its discipleship, what would that look like? What would we be doing?

It would be great to hear your thoughts on this. Let's dream together.

Have a great Labor Day (don't work to hard),
Pastor Keith