Antioch Community Church Discipleship Process Hear God. Obey. Repeat. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 1 Table of Contents Antioch Discipleship Process I - Introduction (3) II - Definitions (3) III - The Reason (3) IV - The Goal (3) V - Can I Do This? (3) VI - Who Should I Disciple? (4) VII - Relationship Status? (4) VIII - How Many People Should I Disciple? (4) IX - How Long Should I Disciple Someone? (4) X - How Frequently Should We Meet? (4) XI - How Should I Disciple? (4) XII - How Do Disciples Grow? (4) XIII - What Do I Do? (5) XIV - What Do I Do Next? (6-9) Antioch Discipleship Resources Appendix A - Character of God (12) Appendix B - Identity in Christ (13) Appendix C - The Holy Spirit (14-15) Appendix D - Brokenness (16) Appendix E - Fruit of the Spirit (17) Appendix F - Interpersonal Competencies (18) Appendix G - Suggested Readings and Additional Resources (19) Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 2 ANTIOCH DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. I. Introduction This resource describes the Antioch discipleship process. We believe it is a vehicle that can move anyone towards the ultimate goal: Christ-likeness. But the vehicle is useless without fuel. Friendship with your disciple and the Holy Spirit are actually what give this vehicle power. This resource may be extensive, but it is not exhaustive. Discipling others involves knowing what to do, and knowing when to do it. Therefore, intuition and innovation are a part of the discipleship process as well. While this tool is a helpful and strategic resource, reliance on the Holy Spirit and God’s Word are always our primary compass. II. Definitions What is discipleship? A relationship where the focus is becoming Christ-like. Who is a disciple? Anyone who is learning, internalizing and reproducing Christ-likeness. Who is a discipler? Anyone who is training, modeling and coaching Christ-likeness. III. The Reason We emphasize discipleship because it is what Jesus commanded us to do (Matthew 28:18-20). Additionally, we want to be like Him*, and life-on-life discipleship is what He did. Finally, a good coach, like a good discipler, will always take a player further than a player can go on his/her own. *Why pursue Christ-likeness? It is who God created us to be... “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” Genesis 1:26. Our identity and our purpose are wrapped up in God’s original design. We come alive in our pursuit of Christ-likeness because it is our destiny to be like Him and to reflect His true nature in the Earth. Ultimately, we flourish in discipleship because we are becoming the person we were created to be. IV. The Goal What is Christ-likeness? If as disciplers we are like parents reproducing ourselves, then the following thirty Christ-like qualities are the DNA we want to transfer. They fit underneath our larger church values: Changed In His Presence, In It Together, In All The Earth. Changed In His Presence In It Together In All The Earth ❏ Wait on the Lord and Hear God’s Voice* ❏ Train and Disciple Others* ❏ Lifestyle of Evangelism* ❏ Deep Personal Relationship with Jesus* ❏ See Others the Way God Does ❏ Lifestyle of Prayer and Intercession ❏ Identity and Freedom in Christ/Inner Healing* ❏ Repentance and Forgiveness ❏ God’s Heart for the Lost, Poor, Broken and Lonely ❏ Lordship of Christ ❏ Transparency and Vulnerability ❏ God’s Heart for the Nations and Church-Planting ❏ Obey God: Bible and Spirit ❏ Commitment to the Local Church ❏ Supernatural Lifestyle ❏ Hunger for God’s Word ❏ Sacrificial Lifestyle ❏ Hunger for God’s Spirit: Filling and Gifts ❏ Faithfulness and Service ❏ Abiding in Christ: Dependence on God, Not Self ❏ Servant Leadership ❏ Brokenness, Humility, Teachability ❏ Appropriate Social Skills ❏ Holiness and Integrity ❏ Healthy Friendships with the Opposite Sex ❏ Display Fruit of the Spirit ❏ Biblical Approach Towards Dating, Marriage, Sex ❏ Disciplined Lifestyle ❏ Submit to Authority *Five Foundational Lessons ❏ Generous Steward of Time, Money, Resources V. Can I Do This? YES! Discipleship is not a gift that some people have and others don’t. It is a skill you develop. And like any other skill, the more you do it, the more proficient you become. Use this resource as a guide-rail as you learn the skill of discipleship. Additionally, the person who disciples you is a great resource, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Remember, that’s what this is all about; one person helping another person become Christ-like. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 3 VI. Who Should I Disciple? Someone who is hungry for it: Jesus discipled people who dropped everything to follow Him. Matthew 4:19-20 Someone who will reproduce it: Jesus trained his disciples to make disciples. Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2 VII. Relationship Status? Disciple: A person you are meeting with regularly. They are committed to church and becoming Christ-like. Follower: An irregular attender. Someone you are inviting to church, lifegroup, discipleship. Crowd: A person you have invited repeatedly who has not responded. A person you are believing for, long-term. VIII. How Many People Should I Disciple? Jesus had twelve disciples. He often taught them all at once or in smaller groups. We believe a good goal is to disciple at least three people. Meeting one-on-one is good for leadership development or inner healing. Meeting with two or three gives you a platform for modeling, and it maximizes your time. IX. How Long Should I Disciple Someone? Jesus’ discipleship relationships lasted about three years. We recommend one year (two semesters) to start. If a disciple is growing and you have more to give them, do another year. If a disciple has stalled, or you feel you have given them all you have, it may be time to connect them with someone new. X. How Frequently Should We Meet? Jesus lived in deep community with his disciples for three years. After those three years, his disciples had become the pillars of the New Testament church. The disciples were able to grow and develop very quickly because they were immersed in a lifestyle of walking with God. In the same way, our disciples need consistent training, modeling and coaching. We have found that weekly meetings of approximately 1-1.5 hours are a great way to establish consistency. XI. How Should I Disciple? Each of the following elements should be woven into every discipleship relationship: Training (Teacher-Student): Teaching someone how to be Christ-like. Luke 10:1-11 Modeling (Mother/Father-Daughter/Son): Showing someone how to be Christ-like. Matthew 6:9-13 Coaching (Coach-Athlete): Giving feedback/encouraging/reinforcing/challenging someone in their Christ-likeness. Luke 10:17-20 *Remember: While the discipler is leading the growth process, the emphasis of the relationship is training the disciple to depend on God. Continually help the disciple feed him/herself spiritually. Don’t give answers, help him/ her look to God for answers. XII. How Do Disciples Grow? True growth happens when a disciple goes through the following stages of development: Learning: The disciple is presented with truth for the first time. At this stage truth is real, but theoretical. Internalizing: The truth sinks deep into the heart of the disciple and becomes meaningful. At this stage, truth is not theoretical, but actual. Reproducing: The truth has become part of the way the disciple lives. At this stage, the disciple introduces truth to someone else. *Remember: A misconception about discipleship is that a disciple needs to attain a certain level of maturity before he/she can begin to reproduce. This is untrue; a disciple can learn, internalize and begin reproducing all in one day. The emphasis here is simply that deep learning produces authentic fruit. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 4 XIII. What Do I Do? Walk your disciple through the following discipleship lessons. Take your time as you move through them; the growth process shouldn’t be rushed. Some lessons can be learned in one week, while others may take more time. Listen to God and use your discernment. *Remember: God is ultimately the One who causes growth. That being said, the most important thing you can do is pray. Pray for your disciple before, during, and after discipleship meetings. 1. Define the Relationship - What is discipleship? Who is a disciple? What does discipleship time look like? Simply put, discipleship is about learning to hear and obey God. Discipleship is one friend helping another fulfill his/her God-given potential. Discipleship involves being real, sharing life, listening to God, obeying God, confessing sin, and practicing other spiritual disciplines in the context of intentional relationship. Share your story of being discipled. 2. Hear Their Story - Discipleship is not a project or program; it is a God-centered friendship. In discipleship, the relationship always comes first. For that reason, we start at the beginning. Ask, “How did you become a Christian? What is your experience with church? What are your passions/gifts? Where are you now? Bring me up to date.” Use this conversation to determine how to pray for your disciple. 3. Wait on the Lord and Hear God’s Voice - The Christian life is all about relationship with God. Relationships are built on frequent and honest communication. Therefore praying to, listening to, and hearing from God is how real relationship with Him happens. John 10:1-4; Exodus 33:11; Psalm 5:3; Psalm 130:5-6. Ask God, “What do you think of me? What do you like about me?” Action Point: Wait on God everyday this week. Report back what He speaks. 4. Deep Personal Relationship With Jesus - If we are to know God truly and love God deeply, we must spend time with Him daily. Luke 5:16. Time with God involves worship, thanking God, trusting God, Bible Study, waiting on and hearing from God. Look at the ‘Character of God’ worksheet and ‘FaceTime’ packet. Model spending time with God. Action Point: Spend time with God everyday this week. Report back how it went. 5. Identity and Freedom in Christ/Inner Healing - Painful moments in life cause us to believe lies about ourselves. The cure is learning to see ourselves the way God does. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Show your disciple the ‘Identity in Christ’ worksheet. Look at the sheet to see which truths are most meaningful. Ask God, “who do You say I am?” Action Point: Continue to ask God about your true identity. Speak it to yourself everyday. Report back how it went. 6. Lifestyle of Evangelism - Telling others about Jesus is the natural overflow of our joy in Jesus. Philemon 1:6. Teach Romans 6:23, bridge diagram, 2 min. testimony, and treasure hunting. Model evangelism by treasure hunting and sharing the full gospel. Action Point: Share the full gospel with at least one person this week. Report back how it went. 7. Making Disciples - Being Christ-like involves training and discipling others. God’s purposes are accomplished as the life of Jesus is multiplied and reproduced. Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:2. Give your disciple a copy of the discipleship bookmark and teach him/her the process. Encourage your disciple that obedience - not knowledge - is the mark of spiritual maturity. Ask God, “Is there someone you would like me to disciple?” Action Point: Continue to ask God about who you should disciple. Initiate with the person. Report back. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 5 XIV. What Do I Do Next? With your disciple, pray and ask the Lord about which Christ-like quality to focus on next. Use the resources below to continue the process. *Remember: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. Lordship of Christ - Lordship is about surrender - it is about giving Jesus complete authority in our lives. Lordship is when we give Jesus ultimate say on both our identity and our purpose. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 16:24-25. Challenge your disciple to relinquish his/her dreams and fears to God. Ask God, “Search my heart, and show me where I haven’t given you complete control.” Encourage him/her to believe that what God has for us is better than what we can make for ourselves. Action Point: Continue to lay down your fears and dreams. Ask God to give you His dreams and purposes for your life. Report back what He speaks. Obey God: Bible and Spirit - Jesus says that if we are to truly love Him, we must obey Him. Therefore, loving God with our heart, soul, mind and strength is equal to obeying Him in every area of life. Complete obedience is both obeying God’s word and obeying God’s voice. Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:15. Ask your disciple about what God has been speaking or teaching him/her from the Bible. Ask your disciple about personal obedience. Ask God, “What are you calling me to do? How can I obey you today?” Action Point: Ask the Lord everyday this week, “How can I obey you today?” Practice your obedience. Report back how it went. Hunger for God’s Word - The Word of God is our foundation for knowing God. God’s Word reveals to us His nature, His ways, His likeness. The Bible serves as our anchor and our plumb-line: it provides stability when life gets hard and it helps us remain in the truth. The Bible is both authoritative and applicable. Psalm 119; Matthew 4:4. Read a passage of Scripture together. Ask and answer the questions, “Who is God? What does God do? Who is man? What does man do? What is God saying? How can I obey?” Action Point: Read the Bible everyday this week. Write the answers to the questions above in a journal. Report back what you learned. Hunger for God’s Spirit: Filling and Gifts - When Jesus commissioned His disciples, He instructed them to stay in Jerusalem until they had been baptized in the gift from the Father... the Holy Spirit. In the same way, we are powerless to fulfill our commission without the filling of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1-4; Acts 4:31; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Corinthians 14. Spend time worshipping together. Look at the ‘Holy Spirit’ worksheet. Lay hands on your disciple and pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Take the ‘Spiritual Gift Assessment.’ Action Point: The filling of the Holy Spirit is not a one-time occurrence but a continual lifelong pursuit. Ask for the filling of the Spirit everyday this week. Report back. Abiding in Christ: Dependence on God, Not Self - In God, we can do much. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. John 5:19; John 15:1-5. Talk about depending on God for all things at all times. Teach your disciple how to pray with a heart attitude of dependence. Ask God, “Are there any areas of my life where I depend on myself and not you? Show me how much I really need You.” Action Point: Practice praying prayers of dependence. When you find yourself becoming independent, repent and ask God to help you. Report back. Brokenness, Humility, Teachability - Humility is about making much of God, not ourselves. Humility recognizes that God is the source of everything good in our life. Humility precedes spiritual growth because humble people realize how much there is to learn. God uses humble people to do great things because humble people give God the credit. 1 Peter 5:5-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7. Look at the ‘Brokenness’ worksheet by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Identify any manifestations of pride and underlying beliefs. Ask God, “Expose pride in me so that I can repent of it.” Pray to be made humble like Jesus. Action Point: Pray daily for God to break the pride in you and to replace it with genuine humility. Use the worksheet to practice your humility. Report back. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 6 Holiness and Integrity - To be holy means to be pure and clean and set apart. We pursue holiness because God is holy, and we are called to be like Him. Integrity is about being authentically Christ-like both inside and out, regardless of who is watching. 1 Peter 1:14-16; Matthew 23:25-28. Talk about thought life, social life, sexual purity, language, entertainment. Share how God has freed you from past sin. Ask God, “How much of what I do is so that I can be seen by others? How much of what I do is simply because I want to be like you?” Action Point: Pray for God’s grace in areas of weakness. Practice holiness by making good choices this week. Study Jesus’s integrity in the gospels. Report back. Display Fruit of the Spirit - The fruit of the Spirit is a litmus test: it distinguishes us as having a deep abiding relationship with Jesus. Fruit demonstrates that we are properly connected to God and are properly reflecting who God is. Matthew 7:17-20; Galatians 5:19-25. Look at the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ worksheet. Identify areas of growth and the circumstances/relationships that provoke bad fruit. Pray for more depth and more of the Spirit. Action Point: Pray daily for fruit to be exhibited in your life. Practice your fruit, especially in difficult circumstances. Report back how it went. Disciplined Lifestyle - A disciplined lifestyle helps us make God and His purposes our top priority. It enables us to give most of our time to the things that matter most. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Read Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Listen to Mike Bickle’s “Power of a Focused Life.” Show your disciple how you spend your time. Ask God, “My life is yours. How do you want me to spend my time?” Help your disciple create a daily schedule based on what God speaks. Action Point: Follow your schedule this week. Aim for consistency, not perfection. Report back how it went. Generous Steward of Time, Money, Resources - The things we have are not our own. They belong to God and He has temporarily entrusted them to us. Our job is to be faithful with them - generously allocating them to bless others and extend God’s Kingdom. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Matthew 6:19-21. Read Randy Alcorn’s ‘The Treasure Principle.’ Ask, “Do you tithe?” Ask God, “What are ways I can bless others with my time, money, resources?” Action Point: Continue to pray about ways you can be generous with what you’ve been given. Obey what God speaks. Report back. See Others the Way God Does - To be an authentically loving and accepting community, we need to believe the best about each other. We do this by learning to see each other the way God does. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. Ask, “Do you find yourself having a critical or fault-finding spirit?” Ask God, “Help me to see people the way you do.” Teach your disciple how to encourage instead of criticize. Action Point: Ask God for an encouragement to share with someone else. Share it with them. Report back how it went. Repentance and Forgiveness - Repentance is about acknowledging personal sin, admitting it before God and others, and turning away from it. Forgiveness is about extending grace and love to those who have wronged us. Luke 17:3-4; Colossians 3:12-14. Ask God, “Is there anyone in my life I need to forgive? Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness?” Repent of refusing to forgive others. Action Point: Go to those you’ve hurt and ask for forgiveness. Ask God to help you forgive those you need to forgive. If necessary, go to them and forgive them. Report back how it went. Transparency and Vulnerability - If we keep our sin and shortcomings hidden in darkness, we will never experience true freedom. Being vulnerable and transparent is what invites God’s light to penetrate our hearts and set us free. James 5:16; 1 John 1:5-9. Ask, “Is there sin in your life that you feel too ashamed to confess to anyone else?” Teach your disciple how the enemy aims to keep people alienated and in darkness. Invite your disciple to confess to you. Be loving and compassionate. Extend God’s forgiveness. Pray with your disciple. Action Point: Stay in the light. Remain vulnerable with your closest friends. Report back how your week went regarding sin. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 7 Commitment to the Local Church - Jesus is the hope of the world. And God established the church to give that hope away. God designed the church to be what no other organization can be: an agent of holistic transformation in the Earth. Acts 2:42-47. Challenge your disciple to be committed to a local church. Challenge him/her to be committed to a Lifegroup. Ask God, “Which group of people have you called me to walk with? What part do you want me to play in my local church?” Action Point: Continue to pray about your local church and the role you play there. Report back. Sacrificial Lifestyle - We are commanded to love others as ourselves. Jesus’ atoning sacrifice shows us what that really looks like. Matthew 22:36-39; John 15:12-13. Ask God, “Am I overly protective of my time, money, things? Is there anyone you want me to go above and beyond for this week?” Challenge your disciple to sacrifice something this week for someone else’s benefit. Share personal stories of sacrificial living: roommates, spouses, etc. Action Point: Continue to pray about loving sacrificially. Obey what God speaks. Report back how it went. Faithfulness and Service - God does not reward talent - He rewards faithfulness. Matthew 25:14-30. Challenge your disciple to serve in an area of the church, even if it is not where he/she is gifted. Share personal stories about service. Model service by inviting your disciple to help you in the area you serve. Action Point: Continue to pray about where you can serve. Contact someone to volunteer. Report back. Servant Leadership - Leadership is not about getting others to serve you. Leadership is about serving others so that they can flourish and succeed in God. In God’s Kingdom, true greatness is about laying your life down for others. Philippians 2:3-8; Matthew 23:11-12; Luke 22:24-26. Read J. Oswald Sanders’ “Spiritual Leadership.” If your disciple feels called to leadership, serving another leader is the best place for him/her to start. Ask God, “Is there a leader in the church I can support and serve?” Share personal stories about serving another leader. Share Biblical story - Joseph. Action Point: Continue to pray about who you should serve. Begin the journey by offering your service. Report back. Appropriate Social Skills - God intends for us to be mature and complete in Christ, lacking nothing. This type of maturity is holistic: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and social. Encourage your disciple that the goal is not to be perfect, but simply humble, warm, sincere, and kind. Look at the ‘Interpersonal Competencies’ worksheet. Ask, “Are there any social skills you feel you need to grow in?” Challenge your disciple in areas you’ve observed social weakness. Action Point: Pray and ask God to help you this week. Practice your social skills with friends. Start a conversation with someone new at church. Report back. Healthy Friendships with the Opposite Sex - As brothers and sisters in the family of God, it is important for us to learn how to appropriately love each other and spur each other on towards God. Hebrews 10:24-25; Hebrews 13:1. Listen to Carl Gulley’s ‘Relational Remedy: Guys & Girls.’ Talk about appropriate boundaries. Challenge your disciple to see things not in terms of what is permissible, but in terms of what is most beneficial. Share personal failures and successes in this area. Action Point: Ask God, “How can I best love, encourage and serve my brothers/sisters?” Practice at Lifegroup and church this week. Report back how it went. Biblical Approach Towards Dating, Marriage, Sex - Many things can be said about marriage. The truth is, God designed marriage. Therefore, we must look to Him in order to understand what marriage is meant to be. Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7. Listen to Carl Gulley’s ‘Relational Remedy: Dating.’ Read ‘Sacred Marriage,’ by Gary Thomas. Listen to Tommy Nelson’s ‘Love Song’ series. If he/she is interested in dating, ask God, “Do you want me to be dating right now? Is this the person you want me to date?” If your disciple is dating/engaged/married, challenge him/her to seek counsel from a married couple on staff. Action Point: Continue to ask God about dating. Read the Bible. Seek counsel. Read books. Listen to Sermons. Report back what God speaks. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 8 Submit to Authority - Submitting to the leaders God has put in our life is a way of submitting to God Himself. Submission is not restriction, it’s protection. Hebrews 13:17. Share Biblical stories - David and Saul (1 Samuel 24 and 1 Samuel 26) Moses and Korah (Numbers 16). Ask God, “Is there any way I have not been submitting to my authorities? How can I better support them?” Challenge your disciple if you’ve noticed hints of rebellion. Action Point: Continue to pray about your heart attitude towards your leaders. If necessary, repent. Practice encouraging your leaders this week. Report back. Lifestyle of Prayer and Intercession - Prayer acknowledges God as the One who has everything we need. Prayer acknowledges God as the One who can do all things. Prayer is the work of ministry; people who pray worry less and accomplish more. 2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 6:5-13; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14-15. Model prayer by bringing your disciple with you to Early Morning Prayer or Pre-Church Prayer. Teach your disciple about praying in the secret place. Fast and pray together for a day. Prayer-walk together around campus or neighborhoods. Model intercession by praying for lost friends and family members. Action Point: Pray daily for lost family members and friends. Consider attending Early Morning Prayer or prayer-walking regularly. Report back. God’s Heart for the Lost, Poor, Broken, and Lonely - Jesus did not come for the healthy; he came for the sick. He came for the broken and hurting because the broken and hurting recognize how much they need Him. Luke 4:14-20; Matthew 9:9-12. Read ‘Compelled by Love,’ by Heidi Baker. Pray to God, “Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Help me see people the way you do.” Teach your disciple that beneath a rough exterior is someone needing love. Model evangelism among the homeless. Action Point: Continue asking God to give you His heart. Pray for the broken people you know. Buy a meal for someone who is homeless. Report back. God’s Heart for the Nations and Church Planting - It has always been God’s intention to bless the nations of the Earth. Ultimately, the everlasting Kingdom will be represented by people from every tribe, nation and tongue. Genesis 12:1-3; Revelation 5:8-10; Revelation 7:9-10. Pray to God, “Help me to love the nations the way you do.” Spend time together praying for the nations. Challenge your disciple to go to a World Mandate Conference. Challenge your disciple to go on a short-term overseas trip. Action Point: Pray for a nation every day this week. Pray about World Mandate or a short-term trip. Report back how it went. Supernatural Lifestyle - Jesus commanded his disciples to do supernatural things. He even said that we would do greater things than He did. God uses miracles to show people who He is and how much He loves them. Matthew 9:35-36; Matthew 10:1,7-8; John 14:11-12; Acts 1:8. Read the Gospels and the book of Acts together. Read ‘When Heaven Invades Earth,’ by Bill Johnson. Pray together for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Model a supernatural lifestyle by treasure hunting and praying for the sick. Challenge your disciple to participate in outreaches. Action Point: Pray daily for God to fill you with His Spirit. Pray for at least one person to be healed this week. Report back how it went. Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 9 Keep It Simple: Hear God. Obey. Repeat. 10