tools for making disciples
TRANSCRIPT
Tools for Making DisciplesFRUITFUL MISSIONARY DISCIPLESHIP
Matthew 28:19-20
Jesus said: “Make disciples, going to 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 surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.”
Thresholds of Discipleship
(RCIA)
1 – Pre-Evangelisation
2 – Evangelisation
3 – Catechesis
4 – Mystagogia
Evidence
based!
Let’s look at
150 active
converts!
Where do
disciples
come from?
Applicable!
Thresholds of Discipleship
(Weddell)
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church (Passive)
3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change
4 – Seeking God Actively (Catechesis)
5 – Intentional Discipleship – Choosing to Follow
6 – Ministry (Using Your Charisms)
7 – Vocation (State of Life)
To evangeliseis to nudge!
Thresholds of Discipleship
1 – The Ability to TrustChrist
The Church
A Believer
Something identifiably Christian
Buzz for
examples!
Thresholds of Discipleship
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church
Share naturally how you live your faith!
Listen first, then speak
Share the Gospel Message
What’s it like to pray?
The Great Story of Jesus
1. God loves us, our lives are Good and full of meaning.
2. Jesus is the face of God’s presence among us.
3. Jesus did divine things – he healed and forgave sins!
4. Jesus embraced the Cross out of love for us.
5. Jesus overcame death, and is now alive forever.
6. We are invited to follow Jesus.
7. Our sins also can be forgiven.
8. We can accept God’s Holy Spirit, through baptism, or through repentance of past sins – this requires us to set out on a way of life that leaves something old behind.
9. Many Christians now walk the path of being disciples.
Thresholds of Discipleship
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church
3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change Be honest about your own struggles
Ask deep questions, “Where is God in this?”
Note God at work in your friend’s life
Pray for them and with them
Introduce them to Eucharistic Adoration
“Ananias Training”
now available!
“Follow a Mission with groups for
deeper catechesis, not ministries.”
Thresholds of Discipleship
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church
3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change
4 – Actively Seeking God Answer their questions
Teach them to pray
Help them relate to Parish & the Pope
Thresholds of Discipleship
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church
3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change
4 – Actively Seeking God
5 – Choosing to Follow Christ
Pop the question!
Tell me about God…
Not Church, GOD!
Atheist: doesn’t exist.
Agnostic: don’t know, or can’t say.
Impersonal: divine ‘force’ exists.
Alienated: God’s a person, we don’t connect.
Relational: God’s a person, we do connect.
… the story continues …
Get the STORY, not the LABEL.
Listen out for these:
What do you believe about God and the possibility of a relationship with God?
Are you affiliated to a religion?
What bridges of trust do you have to Christ/ians?
What threshold are you at?
“If you could ask God one question which He would promise to answer
right now, what would it be?”
Workshop Exercise
In 2s or 3s – what happened when you
shared the Gospel Message? (5 mins)
• 1 – The Ability to Trust
• 2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church
• 3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change
• 4 – Actively Seeking God
• 5 – Choosing to Follow Christ
INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP
Dynamic Catholic
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Tools for Making DisciplersFRUITFUL MISSIONARY DISCIPLESHIP
All the baptised
are called to go
and share God's
love. We are all
called to be
“missionary
disciples”.
Thresholds of Discipleship
(Weddell)
1 – The Ability to Trust
2 – Curiosity about Christ or His Church (Passive)
3 – Openness to the Possibility of Change
4 – Seeking God Actively (Catechesis)
5 – Intentional Discipleship – Choosing to Follow
6 – Ministry (Using Your Charisms)
7 – Vocation (State of Life)
GIFTS, CHARISMS & STRENGTHS
7 34
CALLED & GIFTED
Sherry Weddell was running “Called & Gifted” long before writing FID!
Charisms are given us for ministry to others
Became much rarer between AD 348 and AD 386
All have the right and duty to exercise charisms (Iuvenescit Ecclesia 2016)
They often manifest 1-2 years after deep personal conversion
Often prompted by an opportunity to bless someone
Can’t be used for evil but can be self-serving and muddled
Most people have 2-5 charisms – where your ministry “flows” effortlessly
There are founding, group and individual charisms
Seven Kinds of Individual Charisms
Pastoral (encouragement, hospitality, mercy)
Communications (evangelism, prophecy, teaching)
Organizational (administration, leadership, service)
Lifestyle (celibacy, missionary calling, voluntary poverty)
Healing (healing ministry, intercessory prayer)
Understanding (knowledge, wisdom)
Creative (music, writing, crafts)
CALLED & GIFTED PROCESS
Introductory Workshop
Spiritual Gifts Inventory – indicative, not definitive!
“Quick and dirty” indication of a starting point
One-on-one interview & discernment
Listen to your experience, look for signs of charisms
How does this “charism” interact with your relationship with God?
Experimentation & small group discernment
Experiment 2 hours per week for 2 months!
Meet others and reflect!
Where have you blessed others? Who sought your ministry?
“Pastors with a passion for evangelization
almost always felt isolated among their
brother priests and were considered to
be mavericks in their diocese.”
… and laity in their parishes!
Word on Fire Movement
Christ at the Centre
Evangelizing the Culture
Using New Media
Connected to Saints & Heroes
Gospel as “Yes” to Life and Love
Beauty as a key Path to God
Priests and Lay Collaborate
Podcasts to encourage disciple(r)s
Courses to make disciplers
3 courses
7, 7 & 6
sessions
ChristLife.org
Courses to make disciplers
1 course
Spread over 6,
9 or 18 sessions
RelitTraining.com
SeekersTeams.com
NewEvangelization.ca
Tools for Missionary Parishes:
Divine Renovation (Engage!)FRUITFUL MISSIONARY DISCIPLESHIP
St Benedict’s, Nova Scotia, CanadaThree years after implementing
an engagement-based strategy
at Saint Benedict, the number
of adults in programs of
evangelization and faith
formation has tripled.
The number of parishioners in
ministry has doubled, and the
weekly collection has doubled -
the overall number of
parishioners in the pews has not
grown, though there has been
significant turnover.
The St Benedict Story
May 2010 – St Benedict’s opens – 3 amalgamating parishes closed
August 2010 – Mallon becomes Parish Priest of 2000 worshippers
160 parishioners (8%) immediately sign up for Alpha
Spring 2013 – parish agrees “Vision Statement”
Saint Benedict Parish is a healthy and growing faith community that brings people to
Christ, forms disciples and sends them out to transform the world. Every member is
committed to worship, to grow, to serve, to connect and to give.
September 2014 – Divine Renovation published. 40% of parishioners
“engaged”
October 2017 – First “Divine Renovation UK” conference
Divine Renovation Books
10 Principles
Sunday Mass must be the best possible experience
Excellent hospitality – clean venue, greeters, unhurried, explain for guests
Excellent music – including praise & worship; use of visual technology
Excellent preaching – some humour, clear pithy message; in series!
Build community – Massgoers connect by praying for one another.
State expectations – what does it mean to be a member of this parish?
Let volunteers minister according to their strengths
“Connect Groups” fortnightly – 25-30 people who are Alpha graduates
Dependence upon the power and presence of the Holy Spirit
A culture of inviting people to “come and see”!
The Game Plan
50% new leaders
every course!
No one leads
Alpha for more
than 2 years!
Connect Group leaders
are pastored by the core
team and spot talent for
ministries.
Temporary and topical.
Everyone should take
part in one each year!
Divine Renovation Resources
The Leadership Team
“Bring your team”
Priest Plus One can be enough
Dynamic Catholic Resources
Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic (2012) by Matthew Kelly
Typically in the USA, 7% of Catholics do 80% of the giving and volunteering.
Dynamic Catholics pray (Kelly offers 7 starter tips)
Dynamic Catholics study their faith – free book programme!
Dynamic Catholics give generously (challenges towards tithing)
Dynamic Catholics gently promote the Catholic Faith
– deflecting criticism, invite friends to church, sharing books & CDs.
What is the one step that would make a real difference right now?
Holiness is “becoming the best person I can be” (given Godly goodness!)
Fruit: “Let’s give away world-class Catholic resources for parishes to use!”
10 Principles
Sunday Mass must be the best possible experience
Excellent hospitality – clean venue, greeters, unhurried, explain for guests
Excellent music – including praise & worship; use of visual technology
Excellent preaching – some humour, clear pithy message; in series!
Build community – Massgoers connect by praying for one another.
State expectations – what does it mean to be a member of this parish?
Let volunteers minister according to their strengths
“Connect Groups” fortnightly – 25-30 people who are Alpha graduates
Dependence upon the power and presence of the Holy Spirit
A culture of inviting people to “come and see”!
Gallup Tools
What are you good at?
What do you love to do?
What do you dream of
doing for God, given
unlimited resources?
The St Gerard Majella Story
46% Actively Engaged
12% Actively Disengaged
$2,000,000 surplus
34% Actively Engaged
22% Actively Disengaged
$500,000 debt
Give 1% more financially
Volunteer to your strengths
The St Philip Evans Story
Oct/Nov 2016 – Sion Parish Mission. 40-50 of 300 regular worshippers attend
Jan 2017 – Launch Connect (25) and Alpha. About 30 people start –
10 team from outside parish, 10 team/curious within parish, 10 seekers
Spring 2017 – preach about the six expectations –worship, volunteer, connect, explore, invite, invest
April 2017 – two people clearly touched by Holy Spirit Day;
key parishioners feel they can’t run Alpha again without outside help
September 2017 – form a Parish Leadership Team;
one member attends DR18 in Twickenham with me
April 2018 – Alpha running again, 12 total including Glenwood Church
St Philip Evans Parish – our expectations
Gallup Tools
What are you good at?
What do you love to do?
What do you dream of
doing for God, given
unlimited resources?
Tools for Missionary Parishes:
Rebuilt & 244 OthersFRUITFUL MISSIONARY DISCIPLESHIP
Nativity, Timonium MD
At the start: 1,500 worshippers
Mission statement:
Welcome the lost
and grow disciples.
Implemented.
Result: 4,000 worshippers
The Rebuilt Story
Both arrived in affluent Timonium in the late 90s and spent 5 years “meeting demands”…
The church continued to decline. 1600 worshippers.
Crisis! (triggered by free food complaint)
2003: “What can Protestant megachurches teach us?”
Lent 2004: only 1/3 of 600 regulars accept “Purpose Driven” message
Advent 2004: Declaration of aim to be a healthy, growing, church for others
2005: first attempt at Small Groups
2008: Small Groups take off
2013: At time of publication, 4000 worshippers.
Why Rebuilt?
Everything re-tooled with a view to welcoming the lost…
40-something middle class Dads
What needs adjusting?
Parking
Childcare
Preaching
Music style
Expect hostility and resistance to change. Growth by attrition!
10 Principles
Sunday Mass must be the best possible experience – seeker friendly
Excellent hospitality – greeters, child-friendly
Excellent music – including praise & worship; use of visual technology
Excellent preaching – humour, clear message; in series; for life-change!
Build community – Massgoers connect by praying for one another.
State expectations – outward-looking vision statement
Volunteers well-managed and affirmed
Small Groups of 6-10
Dependence upon the power and presence of the Holy Spirit
A culture of inviting people to “come and see”!
Tithing (by steps – raise givers)
Restoration (global aid)
Purpose Driven
Worship
Fellowship
Discipleship
Ministry
Mission
Worship
Connect
Grow
Serve
Invitational
Give
Hymns
Hospitality
Disciple!
Volunteers
The lost!
Worship
Connect
Explore
Volunteer
Invite
Invest
Intentional
InteractionsSmall (6-10)
or Connect
(~25) Groups
Superb
SundaysHospitality
Hymns
Homily
Evident
ExpectationsOn outreach?
Engagement?
Listening,
Learning
LeadersPastor &
Team
Vibrant
VolunteersAffirmed
Farmed
Using Strengths
I’m not the Parish Priest! What can I do?
Share the good news of parish growth with your Parish Priest
Ask what his vision for the parish is
Offer to help him start a “leadership team”
Non-Threatening: Listen, then speak!
If you can’t help your current parish, is it where God wants you?
Take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment
Do a few things well!