And Make Disciples of All NationsDiscipleMakers Class

DiscipleMakersClass One

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded

you. And I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

- Jesus Christ

Three Main Pillars of DiscipleMakers

• Class 1: Conversion, Purposeful Question Wedge

• Class 2: Seeking God, Word• Class 3: Jesus and Discipleship• Class 4: Sin• Class 5: The Cross and Grace• Class 6: Repentance• Class 7: Salvation• Class 8: Holy Spirit & Church

Class Schedule

Conversion

• Today we speak of “conversion” of an unbeliever, due to key texts in the Latin Bible.

• Repent, then, and turn (converto in Latin Vulgate) to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19)

• I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds (Acts 26:20)

• They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1Thess 1:9)

“Conversion”

• But HOW does an unbeliever repent and turn? HOW is someone converted to Christ?

• Consider Scripture’s remarkable description of this Before & After Transformation…

Conversion – HOW?

• So HOW does Christ take someone – who is dead in sin– and make them alive in Him?

• HOW can we get through if they are– Dead in your transgressions and sin (Eph. 2:1)

– objects of wrath(Eph. 2:3)– futile in their thinking (Eph. 4:17)– darkened in their understanding (Eph. 4:18)

• HOW can the Scriptures reach our friends when “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel”(2 Cor. 4:4)?!?

Conversion – HOW?

Conversion

Before After

Convicts

John 16:8-11...The Holy Spirit Convicts the World

Conversion

ConvictsMetanoia

RighteousnessJudgment

Sin •BAPTISED•Forgiveness•Holy Spirit

•Church

Purposeful Questions

• How do you ask someone to study the Bible?

• How do you begin a Bible study with a seeker?

• Do you know why you are studying the topic you suggested?

The Power of Questions

Do •Find out about their current relationship with God (Relgious affiliations and goals)•Ask for permission to share your faith with them•Disclose that the study is intended to discuss matters of life & doctrine•Ask if other Christians may join in

1. Asking a Seeker to StudyDon’t •Ever employ any “bait and switch tactics”

•Arrive with Shining Like Stars or “processed notes”

•Surprise them in any way at the study - participants, time needed, topic of study, etc.

• Do you know why you are studying the particular Scriptures you chose to employ?

• Does your friend know why he/she is studying these Scriptures?

• Can you crystallize the aim of each GTG study in words (HINT: Each study usually has a dual aim to: 1. expose any misconceptions about “___,” and 2. inspire the seeker to Biblically pursue “____.”)

• Every scripture you study should help you achieve one or both of these aims.

• At the end of a particular study, you should expect God’s Word to achieve both aims.

2. So What’s Your AIM?

• You develop a seeker who is dependent upon you for reading the Bible

• The seeker misses the thrill of “getting it”

• You risk appearing arrogant• You are definitely lazy (it’s easier to

preach than asking great questions)• You are more in the dark about the

seeker’s heart

The Pitfall of Preaching the Study

• Peter the Preacher: “A fisher of men is someone who catches men for Jesus.”

• Mark the Manipulator: “Isn’t it obvious that fishing for men means catching men for Jesus?”

• Vague Victoria: “So what do you think that all means?”

• Limited Linda: “Do you know what it means to fish for men?”

Studying Mark 1:17

• Jesus asked over 300 questions/ answered 3!• Purposeful Questions are empowering to the

Seeker because it causes him/her to think / Learn to get Bible themselves

• It breeds both excitement about and confidence in the usefulness of Scripture

• “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

• Proverb 20:5 “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” Purposeful Questions draw this out.

3. Power of Purposeful Questions

• Disciple the heart of the seeker with gentleness and respect

• Progress to the heart following the “What – How – Why” approach (Interpretation– Application – Contemplation)

• Never lose focus of the aim of the study as you examine each Scripture

• Don’t procrastinate or avoid confrontation under the guise of “gentleness”

4. Purposeful Questions Get to the Heart

The Purposeful Question Wedge

Interpretation

Application

Contem-plation

What…?

How…?

Why…?

• Interpretation: “What does it mean to seek something “first?”

• Application: “How are you going to make God’s Kingdom the first priority in your life?”

• Contemplation: “Why do want to take such steps for God?”

The Wedge: An ApplicationMatthew 6:33 “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

• A passage of Scripture cannot mean now what it could not have meant then

• Begin with the THERE and THEN to establish the interpretation for the HERE and NOW

• Building on the example of Matthew 6:33… interpretation questions would ask:– “What is the ‘Kingdom of God’ to the ears of

Jesus’ hearers? What does it mean to you?”– “What is ‘Righteousness’ to Jesus’ audience?

What does Righteousness mean to you?”– “What’s the difference between ‘seeking His

Kingdom’ and ‘seeking His Kingdom first’?”

The Wedge: Interpretation Questions

• Having established the meaning of the text, it’s now time to apply the principle of the text to a seeker’s pursuit of God

• Encourage the seeker to imagine (vividly) his application of the Scripture, for example:– “How will tomorrow be different if you spend it seeking

God’s kingdom and righteousness First?”– “What will your prayer life look like this week if you seek

first His Kingdom?”– “What will your Bible study look like this week if you

seek first His Kingdom?”– “Describe your fellowship and worship this week if you

seek first His Kingdom.”• (notice that not all Application Questions begin

with “How”)

The Wedge: Application Questions

• At this point, the Wedge comes to a very sharp point

• Contemplation Questions probe the deeper motivations of the heart

• Good Contemplation Questions expose what we really value and why we value it:– “Why have you put God and His Kingdom on the

back burner while you have pursued your career?”

– “Why does your boyfriend come first rather than God’s Kingdom?”

– “Why do you value academic success over spiritual success?”

The Wedge: Contemplation Questions

• Never fail to plan… arrogance and laziness cannot be accepted

• Crystallize your AIM for choosing these Scriptures• Ask questions to determine any preconceptions

about the topic with your friend (how else will you know to clear up misconceptions – never assume!)

• Ask questions to draw out the depths of your friend’s heart on the topic

• “Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.”

• Proverbs 22:17-18 NIV

Purposeful Question Worksheet

• Review the Guard the Gospel studies of Seeking God & Word of God

• Complete PQW for Seeking God & Word studies

• DM Graduate?...Conversion/ PQ/ Seek & Word(Quiz 10th March)

• Reach out and ask someone NEW to study the Bible with you - you’ll be ready to help them soon enough! You can’t be a DiscipleMakers if you don’t reach out and offer to help seekers with the Bible

• Visit www.commonwealthacademy.ca

Preparing for Class Two

And Make Disciples of All NationsDiscipleMakers ClassEnd of Class One