The book is helpful in 2 ways. A. The believer can and will grow spiritually by taking on the sessions, 1 at a time, to learn what it means to follow Jesus. B. It's a guide to help a disciple-maker take a disciple through it step-by-step, so that they fulfill stages of follow-up and beginning discipleship. The result: someone who has been encouraged in nearly every dimension of spiritual growth.
Most of us would answer 'No' when asked if we were like Jesus. So how do we become more like Jesus? John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and this companion guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His disciples. As he offers teaching on the practice of discipleship and the responsibility of being a disciple, readers will be stretched in their thinking and encouraged in their journey. With Scripture studies, reflection questions, and areas for writing down thoughts, this companion guide will help you internalize what God's Word identifies as marks of a true Christian. Perfect for individual study, small groups, or the classroom.
This ground-breaking resource challenges and equips Christians to think and act biblically and compassionately in matters of sexuality. Sexual abuse, sex addiction, gender confusion, brokenness, and shame plague today's world, and people are seeking clarity and hope. By contesting long-held cultural paradigms, this book equips you to see how sexuality is rooted in the broader context of God's heart and His work for us on earth. It provides a framework from which to understand the big picture of sexual challenges and wholeness, and helps you recognize that every sexual question is ultimately a spiritual one. It shifts the paradigm from combating sexual problems to confidently proclaiming and modeling the road to sacred sexuality. Instead of arguing with the world about what's right and wrong about sexual choices, this practical resource equips you to share the love and grace of Jesus as you encounter the pain of sexual brokenness--your own or someone else's.
Authentic discipleship is a step-by-step method for achieving Christian spiritual maturity. It is a Bible-based process using 2 Peter chapter 1 as its source. The Apostle Peter reveals the process at the end of his life where he is expressing his concern for the spiritual well-being of his flock. The process reveals the actual expectations of the Lord for the spiritual development of Christian people for ministry and how to accomplish it. The people were first called Christians at Antioch because they followed the teachings of Christ. The term was meant to be derogatory but was never considered so by them. They not only followed Him but also actually intended to allow the Living Savior to express Himself through them even as John the Baptist cried out, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The more "Christlike" we can become, the greater our discipleship is realized. It is the aim of this book to help Christians, who so desire, to realize their goal as the Lord permits.
Question: What is the God-given purpose of the local church? Answer: Relational discipleship. DiscipleShift walks you through five key "shifts" that churches must make to refocus on the fundamental biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities. Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. While many of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church's God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationships with non-believers. Through biblical and professional insights, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington discuss the transformational effectiveness of making disciples and just how to do so, in practical terms. You’ll learn: The specific roles of a disciple-making pastor. The components of person-to-person discipleship. How each ministry in your church leads to discipleship. How to implement discipleship in your church. Disciple-making leaders will not produce perfect churches, but they will create effective churches.
"DON'T read this book if you want to remain comfortable! Eric challenges us to consider what Biblical discipleship looks like based on what Jesus did. Eric writes this book with the integrity of a man who is not merely theorizing about the way things ought to be, rather he is describing what is actually happening as he builds Biblical disciples in the context of the inner city. This book is soundly Biblical, challenging and practical. This book is about building disciples not programs." Roger Hershey, Campus Crusade For Christ "It is a joy to highly commend to all Discipleship Defined, for it is exactly the prescription that is needed for the Church to regain much of our lost effectiveness. "Discipleship Defined" has carefully described, yet without programming it into a rigid system, how to go about this challenging task." Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., President Emeritus Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary "Eric Russ gives us some very straight forward thinking about discipleship, a topic widely misunderstood and undervalued. Moving away from piety-driven discipleship, Russ points us toward a holistic, Christ-centered way of following Jesus." Jonathan Dodson, Lead Pastor Austin City Life, Austin, TX. "Eric has a healthy obsession about strong discipleship, and it shows in a gracious way in this guidebook for muscular commitment. Can you be obsessed and still have a gracious spirit? Eric does, and so does this book!" Knute Larson, Senior Pastor The Chapel, Akron, OH (1983-2009) Eric Russ is lead pastor of Mack Avenue Community Church in Detroit, Michigan. He is married to Sara and has four children. For more information visit www.discipleshipdefined.com or www.mackave.com.
Hans Bayer places Mark's gospel in its biblical context and explores the dynamic relationship between Jesus and his disciples--a process in which Jesus radically transforms them from self-dependent to God-dependent, beginning with their hearts.
Christ commanded the church to make disciples, to produce people who love and obey God, bear fruit, and live with joy. The crisis at the heart of the church is that we often pay lip service to making disciples, but we seldom put much effort behind doing it. For the pastor who is ready to put words into action, The Disciple-Making Pastor offers the inspiration and practical know-how to do so. Bill Hull shows pastors the obstacles they will face, what disciples really look like, the pastor's role in producing them, and the practices that lead to positive change. He also offers a six-step coaching process to help new disciples grow in commitment and obedience and practical ideas to integrate disciple making into the fabric of the church.
In an update of the groundbreaking original title, Dr. Juli Slattery illuminates the power of women in marriage, with an emphasis on the uniqueness of a woman’s capacity to build intimacy. What do you do if your husband won’t get a job? When you don’t like the way he's parenting the kids? How do you know when to stand up to a controlling husband—or if you’ve become a controlling or manipulative wife? Many women feel lost in their marriages. They don't know what to do with their disappointment, when to ask for help, or what it looks like to let go of the need to control. Yet, God has given women incredible power in marriage—but they have to learn how to use it. In a complete rewrite of her bestselling book, Finding the Hero in Your Husband, psychologist Dr. Juli Slattery gently guides women to see how their attempts to manage or fix the messiness of marriage may actually undermine the very connection they want to build. As you read this book, you will: See how disappointment in marriage isn’t the end of intimacy, but an opportunity to build true intimacy that will go the distance. Learn to use your relational power in a way that builds intimacy—instead of sabotaging it. Recognize the ways you unknowingly sabotage intimacy by using your power to take over in marriage. Understand what biblical submission isn’t and be empowered to step into the influence and responsibility you have within marriage. Solidly grounded in biblical truth, Juli covers topics such as work, home life, conflict, and intimacy. As a mentor and friend, she offers explanations of God’s design, healthy expectations, and relatable applications that women of faith can practice to influence their marriage and deepen their relationship with God. Ultimately, Finding the Hero in Your Husband, Revisited, will help a wife more clearly see and encourage the hero within her husband by examining her own heart.
