This volume includes a fully annotated translation and Arabic critical edition of one of the earliest surviving Ismaili Shi'i writings, by the Yemeni author Ja'far Ibn Mansur al-Yaman. In addition to being a key source for pre-Fatimid Ismaili history, "The Master and the Disciple" is important as the most elaborate example of the narrated dramatic dialogue form in Arabic literature. The work also illustrates the processes by which early esoteric Shi'i ideas and institutions eventually contributed to the evolution of more familiar forms of Sufism in the Islamic West.
In the postcolonial era, Arab societies have been ruled by a variety of authoritarian regimes. Focusing on his native Morocco, Abdellah Hammoudi explores the ideological and cultural foundations of this persistent authoritarianism. Building on the work of Foucault, Hammoudi argues that at the heart of Moroccan culture lies a paradigm of authority that juxtaposes absolute authority against absolute submission. Rooted in Islamic mysticism, this paradigm can be observed in the drama of mystic initiation, with its fundamental dialectic between Master and Disciple; in conflict with other cultural forms, and reelaborated in colonial and postcolonial circumstances, it informs all major aspects of Moroccan personal, political, and gender relations. Its influence is so pervasive and so firmly embedded that it ultimately legitimizes the authoritarian structure of power. Hammoudi contends that as long as the Master-Disciple dialectic remains the dominant paradigm of power relations, male authoritarianism will prevail as the dominant political form. "Connecting political domination to gift exchange, ritual initiation, social loyalty, and gender reversals, Master and Disciple is nothing less than a thoroughgoing revision of our understanding of authoritarian rule in Morocco and in the Arab world in general."—Clifford Geertz, Institute for Advanced Study
Lu Zhou wakes up to become the world's most powerful and oldest villainous Patriarch, and finds that he has nine notorious disciples who are full of evil. His eldest disciple is the leader of the Nether Sect with thousands of minions, and his second disciple—Sword Devil—always slaughters others at the slightest disagreement... Without his cultivation base, how will he handle these evil disciples? His eldest disciple, Yu Zhenghai, said, "I've never had a rival in my life, and no one but Master can make me bow my head." His seventh disciple, Si Wuya, said, "We can't eat or sleep in peace as long as the Master is not dead!" ... His ninth disciple, Yuan'er, said, "I'll remember what Master said and be a good person."
Discipleship is fundamental to the Christian experience. Jesus called and trained his disciples and commissioned them to go and make disciples of others (Matthew 28:19-20). That command compels Christians today and is the primary task of the Church. This course is designed to help you fulfill Christ's call to -come and follow me- (Matthew 16:24). These 34 lessons provide the foundational beliefs and behaviors of a mature disciple. Even though this course was created for new Christians, those who have not been intentionally discipled will grow through these lessons. You can use this as a foundation for your own personal Bible study or better yet, study with another Christian or in a group of fellow believers to grow in your knowledge of the Bible and live as mature disciples of Jesus.
In the aftermath of the waves of discipleship programs that have swept over the church in the last 30 years, clergy, and laypersons alike are more confused than ever about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What should a disciple of Jesus look and act like today? What is the relationship between discipleship and salvation, between discipleship and sanctification, between discipleship and ministry? How were disciples of Jesus different from other disciples in the ancient world? How did the early church carry out Jesus' agenda in "making disciples of all the nations"? In Following the Master, Michael J. Wilkins addresses these and many other questions that perplex the church today- not by offering another discipleship program or manual but by presenting a comprehensive biblical theology of discipleship. Following the Master compares other forms of master-disciple relationships in existence in the ancient Judaism and Greco-Roman world, traces Jesus' steps as he called and developed disciples, and Mediterranean world as it followed Jesus' command to make disciples. Following the Master lays the groundwork necessary for developing biblical discipleship ministries in the church, on the mission field, and in parachurch ministries. It is essential reading for all pastors, students, and Christian workers.
Long-term pastor and radio host Don Hawkins explains how the twenty-first-century tool of Christian Life Coaching can facilitate Jesus’s first-century mandate to make disciples. Based on Jesus’s prayer in John 17, this book explores and applies the six steps the Lord carries out to guide His followers. Master Discipleship Today is a practical how-to manual for pastors group leaders, and individual Christians who want to lead others to a closer walk with Christ and further their own growth in the faith.
When the first disciples went out into all the world to spread the gospel, they didn't just make converts--they made more disciples, people who would grow in the faith and then go out to make disciples as well. Their world was a lot like ours, filled with skeptics, idolatry, and opposition, but also with hurting people whom God had already prepared to hear, learn, and be transformed. In the pattern of his bestselling book The Master Plan of Evangelism, author Robert E. Coleman offers a close examination of how Jesus made disciples and how his followers did the same throughout the book of Acts. Coleman then shows how to apply these methods to the modern church, which creates actual sustained church growth rather than simply a temporary boost in numbers. Pastors, church leaders, and those involved in teaching and discipling believers will find this book to be an invaluable resource to equip the saints, build fellowship, and grow their ministry.
Follow the Master: How Jesus Made Disciples encourages Christians to make disciples by following Jesus' example by understanding the things Jesus taught and the way he trained his disciples.
If you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ—really, truly serious—a discipleship group can help you achieve that goal. Jesus established this model for us by forming and leading the first discipleship group—and it worked. The men who emerged from that group took the gospel to the world and ultimately laid down their lives for Christ. Discipleship groups can create an atmosphere for fellowship, encouragement, and accountability—building an environment where God can work. In Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples, Robby Gallaty presents a practical, easy-to-implement system for growing in one's faith. This guide offers a manual for making disciples, addressing the what, why, where, and how of discipleship. D-Groups, as Gallaty calls them, can teach you and others how to grow your relationship with God, how to defend your faith, and how to guide others in their relationships with God. Growing Up provides you with an interactive manual and resource for creating and working with discipleship groups, allowing you to gain positive information both for yourself and for others as you learn how to help others become better disciples for Christ.
