Discipleship Training Manual

Leader's Guide

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 The Bridge Church
“Making disciples who make disciples”

“make disciples of all the

nations...teaching them to observe
all that I commanded you”
-- Jesus Christ

“The things which you have heard

from me in the presence of many
witnesses, entrust these to faithful
men who will be able to teach
others also.”
-- The Apostle Paul

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 “making disciples who make disciples”
[Link]

Introduction
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with
you always, even to the end of the age.” -- Jesus Christ (Mt.28:18-20)

Jesus spoke the words above to His disciples just days after He had risen from the dead.
We commonly call these words “The Great Commission.” In this charge, Jesus
commands all His people of all time to their great task - that of making disciples. If you
have committed to begin to train a new believer how to follow Jesus Christ,
congratulations! You have made a decision that will have eternal ramifications. There is
no more important decision in this life that we can make than to pour our lives into
others to see them becoming godly believers who are able to reproduce themselves.

One word of caution though - you need to choose a faithful man/woman to pour your
life into (2 Tim. 2:2). Our life is too short and our time too limited to invest great
amounts of time into others who are not faithful. That means that we will choose to
work with those that will take this training seriously, complete assignments, and obey
God’s Word. If we begin to work with someone who turns out to be an unfaithful
person, we may need to tell them that until they are really serious about living as a
disciple we will need to stop meeting together regularly. In the meantime we can
continue to meet with them from time to time and encourage them, until they are ready
to make that commitment.

In order to be effective in bringing others to maturity, we must embody the truths that
we are teaching. In other words, we must be an example to this new believer of what we
want him to become. Paul said in Philippians 4:9, “The things you have learned and

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received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be
with you.” Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his
master” (Mt. 10:23-24). A life of dedicated service to Jesus Christ is more caught than
taught. Jesus didn’t say, “Listen to Me, and I’ll make you fishers of men.” Rather, He
said, “Follow Me, and I’ll make you fishers of men.” Jesus taught His disciples, not just
by telling, but also by showing, as they lived with Him for three years.

If we want our younger discipling partner to memorize Scripture, then he needs to see
us memorizing Scripture. If we want Him to witness to others, then we need to be
witnessing to others. If we want him to confess his sin and repent when he has sinned,
he needs to see us doing the same. If we want him to be a committed member of a local
church, we need to model that for him. You see what I mean? Therefore, it is imperative
that we build a friendship with the person we are working with, and spend time with
him/her in our home, and in his/her home, and do things together other than just our
weekly sessions. As much as possible, we want to emulate Jesus in how He trained His
disciples.

You will notice that the process of making disciples includes “teaching them to observe
all that I commanded you.” Becoming a Christian is more than just believing the right
truths about God. It also involves a reshaping of the entire person into the image of
Jesus Christ. In this Discipleship Training Manual, we will be majoring on the
commands that Jesus gave us. When it is necessary to understand a particular truth
from God’s Word, in order to obey one of these commands, we will take time to delve
into that truth. For example, one of Jesus’ commands was to “repent and believe in the
gospel.” Well, in order to obey this command, we need to first understand what the
gospel is. Furthermore, having repented and believed in the gospel, assurance of
salvation should naturally follow. Thus, we have devoted a session to both The Gospel
and Assurance of Salvation, even though neither have to do with a command of Jesus
Christ.

Throughout this discipleship process, we will need to emphasize to our younger partner
that God’s goal is for him/her to also become a reproducing disciple; that he/she will be
pouring their life into someone else in the near future, in much the same way that you
are pouring your life into theirs.

Strive to be consistent and faithful in meeting with your partner. If you begin to make
excuses as to why you can’t meet, it will send them the signal that these sessions are not
a priority for you, and needn’t be for them either.

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Before you go any further, go to [Link] and
read or listen to “Born To Reproduce” by Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators.
The message was recorded in 1955, just a few weeks before his death. Dawson had a
great dream of seeing disciples multiplied through individual coaching. This one on one
mentoring will require much sacrifice and commitment, but will reap rich spiritual
benefits in your life and the life of those you work with. You will need to be on your
guard against Satan and his attacks as well, because he will do whatever he can to try to
stop you from this great work.

In each of the following studies there will be an Introduction, a Bible Study, some Steps
To Take, and Scripture to memorize. We encourage you to read the material before you
come, answer the questions, and memorize the passage of Scripture beforehand in order
to be spiritually prepared to help your discipling partner. Also, pray diligently for
him/her often, as they will be embarking on a life-changing spiritual journey.

May God bless your life tremendously as you take these steps of obedience to Him!

Copyright © 2013 by The Bridge

All Scripture quotations in this book are from the New American Standard Bible ©
1995.

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 Table Of Contents
Module 1 - Pursuing Christ Page
1. The Gospel 9
2. Repentance and Faith 14
3. Assurance of Salvation 19
4. Abiding in the Word - Pt. 1 24
5. Abiding in the Word - Pt. 2 32
6. Prayer 37

Module 2 - Loving God

7. The Attributes of God - Pt. 1 44
8. The Attributes of God - Pt. 2 51
9. Delighting in God 57
10. Obeying Jesus 62
11. Overcoming Temptation 66
12. Walking by the Spirit 71

Module 3 - Cultivating Godliness

13. Practicing the One-Anothers 77
14. Committing to the Local Church 81
15. The Use of Time 86
16. Money and Possessions 91
17. Humility 96
18. Forgiveness 101

Module 4 - Making Disciples

19. Fasting 106
20. Spiritual Gifts 113
21. Evangelism 118
22. The Cost of Discipleship 124
23. Disciples Making Disciples 129
24. Catching a World Vision 134

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 Module 1

Pursuing Christ

1. The Gospel
2. Repentance and Faith
3. Assurance of Salvation
4. Abiding in the Word - Pt. 1
5. Abiding in the Word - Pt. 2
6. Prayer

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 Session 1
The Gospel

“Avoid a sugared gospel... seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and
wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And
when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As
the rain soaks into the ground, so pray to the Lord to let His gospel soak into your
soul.” -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

In Mark 1:15 Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the gospel.” When Jesus Christ calls a person to follow Him, the
very first command He issues is to repent and believe in the gospel. There is no true
conversion where there is no repentance and faith in Christ, who is the embodiment of
the gospel.

BIBLE STUDY

In the next series of Scriptures we will examine the condition of the unsaved person.

The Bad News

1. Read Genesis 5:1-3.

7. What was man’s moral condition when God created him? Compare Eccl. 7:29.
“He was made upright by God, in God’s own image and likeness.”
8. When Adam fathered his children, whose likeness and image were they born in?
“Adam’s children were born in his own likeness and image which was fallen and
corrupt because of sin.”

2. Read Genesis 6:5.

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 ● Describe in your own words the condition of man before God destroyed the earth
with a flood. “He was very wicked; so much so that his entire heart, thoughts and
intentions were always evil.”
● Do you think men today are any different than those in Genesis 6? Why or why
not? “I think men have always been basically the same because they have all
descended from Adam in his fallen condition.”

3. Read Isaiah 64:6.

● Circle the word “all” in your Bible. What does that word tell us? Are there any
exceptions? “No”
● What are all his righteous deeds like? “filthy garments”
● Why do you think God sees all his righteous deeds like a filthy garment?
“Because even the good things we do are still tainted with sin, selfishness, and
wrong motives.”

4. Read Jeremiah 17:9.

● What is the condition of the unsaved man’s heart? “It is more deceitful than all
else and desperately sick.”
● When lost people say, “I’ll be all right. God knows my heart”, should that fact
bring comfort or alarm to them? “It should cause us alarm, because our hearts
are not pure in His sight, but rather are deceitful and sick.”

5. Read Ephesians 2:1-3.

● Before we became Christians, what was our spiritual condition (vs. 1)? “We were
spiritually dead in our sins”
● How did we relate to the sinful world? “We lived according to the world’s values”
● How did we relate to Satan (the prince of the power of the air)? “We did Satan’s
will, even though we were not aware we were doing it.”
● What did we do regarding our flesh (our corrupt fallen nature)? “We lived in and
indulged our lusts.”
● What were we by nature (by physical birth)? “children of wrath”

6. Summarize what you have learned about man’s condition.

“All people are wicked and sinful in their thoughts, hearts, and intentions. We have
derived our sinful nature from Adam. Even our best deeds are tainted with sin and
are filthy in God’s sight. Before conversion we are cut off from God in a state of
spiritual death, being influenced and led along by the world, Satan, and our flesh,
and were under God’s wrath.”

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 The Good News

1. How do the following Scriptures identify the gospel?

Mark 1:1 “the gospel of Jesus Christ”
Mark 1:14 “the gospel of God”
Matt. 4:23 “the gospel of the kingdom”
Acts 20:24 “the gospel of the grace of God”
2 Cor. 4:4 “the gospel of the glory of Christ”
Eph. 1:13 “the gospel of your salvation”
Eph. 6:15 “the gospel of peace”
1 Tim. 1:11 “the glorious gospel of the blessed God”

Summarize what all these identifying phrases teach us about the gospel?
“They show that the good news of the gospel concerns what God has done through
Jesus Christ to bring us into His kingdom, lavish His grace and glory on us, and
grant us salvation, and peace.”

2. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-3.

● When Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians, how did they respond?
“They received it, and were currently standing in it.”
● If we hold fast the gospel, what will be the result?
“We will be saved.”
● Paul uses the word “preached” in verse 1 and 2. What word does he switch to in
verse 3 as a synonym? “delivered”
● What priority does the gospel hold? “first importance”
● What are the three primary elements of the gospel (vs. 3-4)?
“Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day”
● Why did Christ die (vs. 3)? “for our sins”

3. Read Romans 1:1-4.

● What was Paul set apart for? “the gospel of God”
● How was the gospel promised before Jesus came into the world? “through God’s
prophets in the holy Scriptures”
● What is the gospel all about (vs. 3)? “It concerns God’s Son”
● When Jesus Christ became a man, He possessed both a divine nature and a
human nature. Which nature was Paul referring to in vs. 3? “His human nature
(according to the flesh)”
● Which nature was Paul referring to in vs. 4? “His divine nature (who was
declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead)”

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4. Read Romans 1:16-17.
● What was Paul not ashamed of? “the gospel”
● Why was he not ashamed of it? “because it is the power of God for salvation”
● Who can be saved by the gospel? “everyone who believes, the Jew and the
Gentile”
● What is revealed in the gospel? “the righteousness of God - that is, the perfect
righteousness of God is granted sinners who trust Christ”
● How does a person receive the righteousness of God? “he believes (16); by faith
(17)”

5. Read Romans 3:19-24.

● Who needs the righteousness of Christ put to their account according to 3:19-20,
23? “All the world; all flesh”
● When we believe in Jesus Christ, God imputes the righteousness of God to us.
What is the Biblical word for this transaction (Rom. 3:24)? “justified”
● According to Rom. 3:24, upon what basis does God justify sinners? “His grace”
● Do you view the words “gift” and “grace” in verse 24 as good news? Why or why
not? “Absolutely! Because we are saved by grace and not the works of the Law
relieves me of the unbearable burden of having to do enough and somehow be
good enough for God to accept and pardon me!”

6. Read 2 Corinthians 5:21.

● According to this verse, did Jesus know any sin? “No - He knew no sin”
● Why do you think it was necessary for us to have a sinless Savior? “Because if
Jesus was a sinner, His death could only pay for His own sin. Because He was
sinless, His death could pay for the sins of others.”
● What did God make Jesus to be? When do you think that took place? “God made
Jesus to be sin for us. I think that took place when He was dying on the cross.”
● Why did God do that? “so that we might become the righteousness of God in
Him”

According to this passage of Scripture, there was a Great Exchange that took place
when Christ died on the cross.
● What was put to Christ’s account? “our sin”
● What was put to our account? “His righteousness”
● Do you consider this good news? Why? “It’s glorious news because all my sin can
be completely removed and I can stand in the perfect righteousness of God,

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 accepted by Him forever, based on what He has accomplished, not on what I
must accomplish!”

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take some time to pray with your discipling partner and thank God for His gospel by
which you are saved.

2. The next time you fall into temptation and sin, remember that Christ has already
paid for all your sins, past, present, and future. Therefore, confess and forsake your
sin before the Lord, and then rejoice that you are fully and perfectly forgiven in spite
of your sins and shortcomings. Refuse to try to “pay God back” for sinning, but
instead rely on the fact that your sins are all forgiven through Christ.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

2 Corinthians 5:21 - “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 2 Cor. 5:21. Work on this verse until you can repeat it word for word. You
might write this verse out on a card and keep it in your pocket, or tape it to your
computer monitor. Repeat the verse out loud several times a day until you know it by
heart.
2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.
3. Spend time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you have
read.

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 Session 2
Repentance and Faith

“On Christ, and what He has done, my soul hangs for time and eternity. And if
your soul also hangs there, it will be saved as surely as mine shall be. And if you are
lost trusting in Christ, I will be lost with you and will go to hell with you. I must
do so, for I have nothing else to rely upon but the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, lived, died, was buried, rose again, went to heaven, and still lives and pleads
for sinners at the right hand of God.” -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

Having seen in our last study what the gospel is all about, let’s return to Jesus’
command in Mark 1:15, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” We have seen that the
gospel is glorious news because it tells of what incredible things God has done for
sinners in danger of perishing. But just how does a person actually enter into the
blessings promised in the gospel? The answer is through repentance and faith. In this
study we will explore the Biblical teaching on these responses to the proclamation of the
gospel.

BIBLE STUDY

Repentance

1. Look up the word “repent” in an English dictionary, and a Bible

dictionary and write out their definitions below.
[Link] gives this definition:
1. to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be
conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed by of ): He
repented after his thoughtless act.
2. to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the
better; be penitent.
verb (used with object)

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3. to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one'sinjustice to
another.
4. to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.

Unger’s Bible Dictionary gives this definition: “Repentance: in the theological and ethical sense
a fundamental and thorough change in the hearts of men from sin and toward God.”

2. What do the following Scriptures teach about the importance of

repentance?
Luke 5:32 “Jesus came for the very purpose of calling sinners to repentance”
Luke 24:46-47 “if we do not repent, we can not receive forgiveness of sins”
Luke 15:7 “repentance causes joy in heaven”
Acts 3:19 “if we repent, our sins will be wiped away and times of refreshing will come
from the presence of the Lord”
Acts 17:30-31 “If we do not repent, we will stand before God on Judgment Day
unsaved”
2 Peter 3:9 “If we do not repent, we will perish.”

3. What do the following Scriptures teach us about what repentance

includes?
Acts 3:19 “it includes returning to God”
Acts 26:20 “it includes turning to God”
2 Cor. 7:9-10 “it includes being made sorrowful”

4. Read the following Scriptures and write down what they teach about
what sin is.
Rom. 14:23 “it is whatever is not from faith”
James 4:17 “it is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it”
1 Jn. 3:4 “it is lawlessness”
1 Jn. 5:17 “it is unrighteousness”

5. Read 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

9. According to verse 25, where does repentance originate from? “God must grant
it”
● What word in verse 25 reveals to us that God is free to grant repentance or not?
“perhaps”
● What two things does repentance lead to (vs. 25-26)? “the knowledge of the
truth, and escaping from the snare of the devil”

6. Read Acts 5:31 and Acts 11:18.

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 ● Why do some people repent when they hear the gospel? “because God grants
them the will and ability to repent”
● What blessings stated in these two verses are accompanied by repentance ?
“forgiveness of sins, and life”

7. Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-10.

● Is it possible to have a false repentance? “yes, there is a sorrow of the world that
does not lead to salvation according to vs. 10”
● What does Paul say the sorrow of the world leads to? “death”

8. Read Mt. 27:3-5.

● How was Judas’ remorse different from gospel repentance that leads to life? “it
led only to despair, rather than to faith in Christ who bore our sins”
● What was missing in his repentance? “Faith in Christ, the Savior of sinners. If
our sorrow for sin does not lead us to trust in Christ for forgiveness it is not
gospel repentance.”

Faith

Although we speak of repentance and faith as two different responses to the gospel,
actually they are just two different sides of the same coin. Repentance is turning from
sin. Faith is turning to Christ. If I was speaking face to face with Jim, and had my back
to Bob, in order to turn to Bob, I would have to turn from Jim. It’s the same with faith
and repentance. In order for a person to turn to Christ, he must turn from sin. You can’t
really repent without faith, and you can’t really believe without repentance.

1. Read Hebrews 11:1.

● What is faith? “It is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things
not seen.”

2. What do the following Scriptures teach about the importance of faith?

What are we unable to be, do, or have if we do not have faith?
Mark 16:15-16 “Without faith we can’t be saved”
John 8:24 “Without faith we can’t die free from our sins”
Acts 15:9 “Without faith our hearts can’t be cleansed”
Acts 26:18 “Without faith we can’t receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance”
Rom. 4:5 “Without faith we can’t have righteousness credited to us”
Rom. 5:1 “Without faith we can’t be justified or have peace with God”

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 Gal. 3:2,14 “Without faith we can’t receive the Spirit”
Gal. 3:26 “Without faith we can’t become sons of God”
Eph. 3:12 “Without faith we can’t have boldness and confident access to God”
Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith we can’t please God”
1 Jn. 5:4 “Without faith we can’t overcome the world”

3. Read Ephesians 2:8-9.

● What are we saved by? “grace”
● What are we saved through? “faith”
● Why do you think God saves sinners in this way (vs. 9)? “So that we could never
boast about earning our salvation, but instead give all the glory to God”

4. Read John 6:44,65.

● What is Jesus teaching here? “He’s teaching that we can’t have faith in Christ
unless God draws us and grants that faith to us”
● If you are trusting completely in Jesus Christ, where did your faith come from?
(compare Acts 18:27; Phil. 1:29; Rom.10:17) “It came from God’s free grace as we
heard the gospel”

5. Read John 3:18.

● Will God hold people responsible who do not believe in Jesus Christ? “Yes, we
are already judged if we don’t believe in Christ”

6. Read James 2:14-26.

● Is there a kind of faith that some people possess that will not save them (vs.14-
17)? Compare 1 Cor. 15:1-2. “Yes”
● If so, what is non-saving faith characterized by? “It is the kind of faith that a
person has who says they believe, but their faith does not produce good works”
● Do demons believe in God? Does their faith save them? “Yes they believe but it
only causes them to shudder in terror thinking of their ultimate destruction”
● What must our faith produce in order for us to consider it the kind that saves? “It
must produce good works, obedience, and corresponding action to be considered
genuine”

STEPS TO TAKE

1. If you have never repented of your sins and put your whole trust in Jesus Christ to
save you, do it now. The Bible says “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be

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 saved” (Rom. 10:13). You may want to call on the Lord with your discipling partner,
or do it when you can be alone with Him. The important thing is to confess and
forsake the sinful life you have been living, and trust in Christ to grant you His
righteousness and forgive your sins because of His payment for sin on the cross.

2. Discuss with your discipling partner what kinds of things you can begin to do this
week to express your faith in Jesus Christ. When you have come up with some ideas,
pray together for the Lord to lead you in showing your faith in tangible weays.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Acts 17:30-31, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now
declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day
in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has
appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Acts 17:30-31 and Eph. 2:8-9. Work on these verses until you can repeat
them word for word.
2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.
3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

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 Session 3
Assurance of Salvation

There is a great difference between presumption and full assurance. Full assurance is
reasonable—it is based on solid ground. Presumption takes for granted and with
brazen face pronounces that to be its own to which it has no right whatever. Beware,
I pray you, of presuming that you are saved. If with your heart you trust in Jesus,
then are you saved. But if you merely say, “I trust in Jesus,” it does not save you. If
your heart is renewed, if you shall hate the things that you did once love, and love
the things that you did once hate. If you have really repented. If there is a thorough
change of mind in you. If you are born again—then have you reason to rejoice—but
if there is no vital change, no inward godliness—if there is no love to God, no
prayer, no work of the Holy Spirit, then your saying, “I am saved,” is but your own
assertion. It may delude, but it will not deliver you. -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
INTRODUCTION

“How can I be sure I’m a Christian?” I’m sure you would agree with me that there are
few questions that are as vital as this one. But how can someone ever be sure that they
are saved? If I were to ask you to prove to me that you are married, you could do it in
one of three ways. First, you could show me your marriage license. The license is an
objective statement, signed by witnesses, that you were married to such and such on a
particular date. Second, you could introduce me to your wife and children. Third, you
could just smile and say, “I know that I know that I know that I’m married!”

Now if you showed me your marriage license but never showed me your wife and kids, I
would start to get a bit suspicious. I might think to myself, “I bet he just forged that
license!” Or, if you introduced me to your wife and kids, but after going down to the
courthouse I couldn’t find any marriage license on record, I would probably conclude
that you weren’t married at all, but just living together. Or, if you went around with a
big silly grin on your face declaring “I know that I know that I know that I’m married”,
but no one could find your license or wife and kids, they’d probably say, “He’s crazy!
Lock him up!” To be able to prove that are married, you need to be able to display all
three witnesses. So too, there are three witnesses that testify whether we are saved: the
truth of God’s Word (corresponding to the marriage license), the signs of eternal life

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(corresponding to the wife and kids), and the witness of the Holy Spirit (corresponding
to the inner conviction).

BIBLE STUDY

The Promises of God’s Word

1. Read John 3:16.

10. What does God promise to the person who believes in Jesus Christ? “eternal life”

2. Read John 5:24.

● What does God promise to the person who hears God’s Word and believes it?
“that he has eternal life, will not come into judgment, and has passed out of death
into life”

3. Read Romans 10:9-10.

● What does God promise to the person who confesses Jesus as Lord and believes
in his heart that God raised Him from the dead? “you will be saved”

4. Read Numbers 23:19.

● What attributes of God are mentioned in this text? “the truthfulness and
faithfulness of God”
● According to this passage, will God keep His promises? “Absolutely! We can
count on it!”

If you meet a person that tells you that they are a Christian, and are constantly quoting
John 3:16, but lives in sin with no fruit of the Holy Spirit being produced in their life,
you have probably met a lost person who has deceived himself into thinking that he is
saved. We need more than simply the objective promises of God’s Word to grant us
assurance. We also need to see the signs of eternal life.

The Signs of Eternal Life

1. Read 1 John 5:13.

● Why did John write the letter of 1 John? “that believers might know that they
have eternal life”

2. Read 1 John 1:6; 1:8; 1:10; 2:4; 2:9; and 4:20.

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 ● What do these Scriptures teach is not a reliable sign that a person possesses
eternal life? “the mere profession that one is saved”

The first thing that paramedics do when they approach an accident is check the injured
person for vital signs, such as whether he/she has a heartbeat or is breathing. Even so,
we must check ourselves to see whether we possess the vital signs of eternal life.

3. Read 1 John 2:3-5.

● How can we know that we have come to know Him and are in Him? “if we keep
His commandments”

4. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34.

● What covenant is being described in this passage (vs. 31)? “the New Covenant”
● Under the New Covenant, what will God do with His law (vs. 33)? “He will put it
within us, and write it on our hearts”
● What do you think it means for God to write His law on our heart? How is this
different from God writing His law on tablets of stone? “it means that He causes
us to delight in it and desire to do it, instead of merely feeling we ought to do it
because it is our duty”

5. Read 1 John 3:9.

● What is a truly born again person unable to do? “practice sin”
● What do you think it means to “practice sin”? “It means to continue on in sin as a
habitual lifestyle like he used to live before he was converted; to live in sin
without true repentance.”
● Does this mean that a Christian is sinless (1 Jn. 1:8,10; 2:1)? “Absolutely not!”
● What kind of a life will a true Christian live? “a life of repentance”

6. Read 1 John 3:14.

● What vital sign of eternal life is found in this verse? “love for the brethren”
● What does love for the brethren look like (1 Jn. 3:16-18)? “laying down our lives
for them, including giving our money and possessions to help them”

7. Read 2 Cor. 5:17.

● What is true about every person who is in Christ? “he is a new creature”

____________________________________________________

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 ● What do you think this verse means by “a new creature”? “it means that this
person has been recreated by God’s grace and power into a brand new person on
the inside - a person who has been born again”
● According to this verse, would you expect much to change if you were truly
converted to Christ? “yes, I would expect a great change to take place!”

8. Read Ezekiel 36:26-27.

● What happens to our hearts when God saves us? “he takes out our old hearts of
stone and gives us a new heart of flesh”
● Have you experienced the affections of your heart change toward God, His Word,
His people, and His will? Explain. _______________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

The Witness of the Spirit

1. Read Romans 8:15-16.

● What does the Spirit testify with? “our spirits”
● What truth does the Spirit testify to? “that we are children of God”
● What does this witness of the Spirit cause us to do (vs. 15)? “cry out to God,
Abba! Father!”
● Has this experiential reality ever taken place in your life? Explain.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take time right now to discuss with your discipling partner whether you possess
these three forms of assurance: The Promises of the Word, The Signs of Eternal
Life, and The Witness of the Spirit. Acknowledge to your discipling partner if you are
unsure whether you possess the signs of eternal life or the witness of the Spirit.
Perhaps he/she will be able to bring some objectivity that you might lack.

2. One caution - too much self-examination can be dangerous, by leading to excessive

doubts and fears. A true believer is painfully aware of his shortcomings. The true
Christian is the most sensitive of his lack of obedience, opposition to sin, love of the

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 brethren, overcoming the world, and love for God. Therefore, be sure to balance the
assurance that comes from the signs of eternal life, with the promises of the Word,
and the witness of the Spirit.

3. If you find that you possess these forms of assurance, stop and thank God with your
discipling partner for giving you assurance that you are indeed saved. Resolve to stay
close to Jesus so that your assurance does not diminish over time.

4. If through examining your life, you realize that you are not a Christian at all, set
about repenting of your sins in earnest, and call on God for mercy (Is. 55:6-7).
Continue to seek the Lord until these three forms of assurance are yours.

5. Recite Acts 17:30-31 and Eph. 2:8-9 to your discipling partner.

6. Continue to review the verses you have already memorized so that you don’t forget
them.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

1 John 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Rom. 8:15-16, 1 Jn. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:17.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 1 John 5:13. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

4. Memorize the New Testament books in order, and be prepared to recite them to your
discipling partner.

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 Session 4
Abiding in the Word - Pt. 1

“The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the
doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are
binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise,
believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to
support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the
pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is
restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our
good is its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the
heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of
wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be
opened in the judgement, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest
responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with
its sacred contents.”
-- Author unknown

INTRODUCTION

Jesus said in John 8:31, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.”
To “abide in Jesus’ word” is to continue to hear it for the purpose of obeying it. As a new
Christian it is essential that you cultivate the godly habit of taking in God’s Word on a
regular and consistent basis.

1 Peter 1:23 tells us, “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but
imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.” Then again, 1 Peter
2:2 says, “like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may
grow in respect to salvation.” Not only does God use His Word to cause us to be born
again, but He also uses it to cause us to grow in respect to our salvation. In our sessions
on abiding in the Word, we are going to examine five different ways we can receive
God’s Word: hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating.

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BIBLE STUDY

Hearing God’s Word

1. Read the following Scriptures and record what is true of those who hear
and do/believe God’s Word.
11. Luke 8:21 “they are Jesus’ mothers and brothers”
12. Luke 11:28 “they are blessed”
13. Romans 10:17 “they may receive faith”
14. 1 Thess. 2:13 “God’s word will perform its work in them”

2. From the above Scriptures, do you think a Christian should stay home
from church and just read the Bible privately? No!

Reading God’s Word

1. Read the following references: Matthew 12:3,5; 19:4; 22:31; Mk. 12:26.
What did Jesus expect them to do with God’s Word? “Read it.”

2. Read Mt. 4:4. How much of God’s Word did Jesus assume we would read
and live on? “Every word that proceeds from God’s mouth”

3. What is promised to those who read the words of the book of

Revelation? “A blessing”

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“I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on that happy shore.
God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from
heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give
me the Book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of
one book.” -- John Wesley
3. Read Job 23:12. How valuable did Job esteem God’s Word to be in his
life? “more valuable than his necessary food”. Are you willing to begin today
to esteem God’s Word as Job did? ____________________

4. Do you take time each day to read a portion of God’s Word? _________
If not, will you commit to begin today? ________________________

Studying God’s Word

1. Read Ezra 7:10.

● Why did Ezra study God’s Law? “to practice it, and teach it”

2. Read 2 Timothy 2:15.

● What must we be in order to present ourselves approved to God as a workman
who does not need to be ashamed? “diligent”
● What must we do with the Word in order to not be ashamed before the Lord?
“handle it accurately”

3. Read carefully the chart below and become acquainted with the books of
the Bible and what kind of literature they are. If you have questions, ask
your discipling partner.

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The Bible at a Glance

How To Study The Bible

Perhaps the following acrostic may prove helpful to you as you begin to study the Bible.

B Be Absorbed In The Text

I Identify The Central Idea
B Build An Outline
L Look For Repeated Words and Phrases

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E Examine The Context

S See the Connecting Words

T The 5 W’s
U Utilize Study Tools
D Determine the Plain Meaning of the Text
Y Your Life

Be Absorbed In The Text: The first thing to do when studying a passage is to read it
over and over until you have seen everything you can see in it. Be like a little boy
sucking on an orange until there is not one more drop of juice left. Lay down and soak
in the text.

Identify The Central Idea: After reading the passage many times, seek to identify
the one primary central idea in the passage. If you were to boil this passage down to its
irreducible minimum, what would that one dominant thought be? This central idea will
become the title for your passage.

Build An Outline: Use your central ideas as the title for the passage, and then seek to
find the natural divisions within the passage, making sure that each division relates to
your central idea.

Look For Repeated Words and Phrases: As you are reading through the passage,
circle or highlight all the words that occur several times in the passage. For example, in
John 15:1-7, you would mark “vine”, “branch”, “abide” and “fruit”.

Examine The Context: The old adage is very true – “A text without a context is a
pretext for error.” Make sure you read what comes before and what comes after your
passage. Seek to understand the author’s flow of thought, and what place your passage
has in his overall argument.

See The Connecting Words: Notice all the connecting words like “for”, “but”, “and”,
“therefore”, “just as”, “in order that”, “because”, “so then”, “however”, “or”. Each of
these words has a distinct function within a sentence, and noticing it can break open its
meaning to you.

The 5 Ws: Ask your text the 5 W questions – Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Jot
down the answers you find from the text.

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Utilize Study Tools: Using a concordance, Bible dictionary, cross-references, various
translations and commentaries can enable you to obtain more information on the
passage your are studying. Don’t rush to commentaries quickly in this process or you
will deprive yourself of the joy of discovering insights for yourself. Many study tools can
be accessed for free online. One such place is [Link].

Determine the Plain and Natural Meaning of the Text: The old adage is still
true, “If the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.” We should not look for
some deep allegorical meaning in the text, but rather be content with the plain meaning
which appears on the surface of Scripture. Strive to determine the meaning of the
original author to his readers.

Your Life: The Bible was not given to make sinners smarter, but to transform their
lives. Your job in studying the Bible is not done until you have applied the truths you
discover to your own life. Apply the SPECK method: Are there Sins to avoid,
Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey, or Knowledge to gain
from the text?

In case you are wondering how to outline a passage of Scripture, here is an example of
an outline from 2 Timothy 1:9-10:

Central Idea: The Gospel of God’s Salvation

1. The Application of our Salvation: “called us with a holy calling”

2. The Basis of our Salvation: “not according to our works, but according to
His own grace”
3. The Sovereignty of our Salvation: “His own purpose... which was granted
us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”
4. The Accomplishment of our Salvation: “but now has been revealed by the
appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus.”
5. The Results of our Salvation: “who abolished death and brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel.”

Don’t worry if you are not able to do every one of the steps outlined above. Right
now you are just exploring the passage of Scripture slowly. Take time to enjoy
discovering the riches of God’s Word. Don’t become overwhelmed with all of this -
just look at it as an opportunity to enjoy getting to know God. If you just don’t have
enough time to do all of the above, do what you can. The point is not to check off a
list of things you have completed, but to actually commune with the living God.

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STEPS TO TAKE

1. Commit to being present when your local church gathers to hear the preaching of the
Word of God.

2. Form a plan for your own reading of God’s Word. Choose a book of the Bible, and
read straight through from beginning to end. You might choose to read a chapter or
more a day, or just read as much as you can with your available time. Avoid playing
Bible Roulette (this is where you just open the Bible at random, and read wherever
your eyes fall on the page). Choose a time and a place when you will not be
interrupted or distracted. It is often a good idea to read the Word early in your day
before you start tackling other duties that must be accomplished. Discuss your ideas
with your discipling partner.

3. Recite 1 John 5:13 to your discipling partner. Recite the other verses you have
memorized as well.

4. Recite the books of the New Testament in order to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who
does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Rom. 10:17; Job 23:12; 2 Tim. 3:16.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:15. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

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3. Make sure you are present when your church meets this week so that you can hear
God’s Word preached and take notes of the sermon. Spend some time each day
reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you have read.

4. On one or more days this coming week, choose a passage of the Bible you would like
to study. It might be best to limit yourself initially to just a paragraph. With a pen
and notebook, begin to record your findings from this passage of Scripture as you go
through the 10 steps outlined above in the acrostic BIBLE STUDY.

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 Session 5
Abiding in the Word - Pt. 2

“My mind being now more open and enlarged, I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my
knees, laying aside all other books and praying over, if possible, every line and word. This
proved meat indeed and drink indeed to my soul. I daily received fresh life, light and power
from above. I got more true knowledge from reading the Book of God in one month than I
could ever have acquired from all the writings of men.” -- George Whitefield

INTRODUCTION

In our last session we explored the ideas of hearing, reading, and studying God’s Word.
Well, in this session we are going to continue to discuss how we can enrich our lives
with God’s Word by memorizing it and meditating on it.

BIBLE STUDY

Memorizing God’s Word

By now, you have memorized several verses of Scripture, and have learned by first hand
experience how valuable it is to be able to recall God’s Word to your mind at any time.

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1. Read the following Scriptures, and record the benefits that accompany
memorizing Scripture:
15. 2 Cor. 3:18 “we are transformed into the image of Christ”
16. Ps. 119:9,11 “we keep our way pure; we don’t sin against Him”
17. Ps. 119:97 “we are able to meditate throughout the day”
18. Prov. 22:17-19 “our faith will be strengthened”
19. Record any additional benefits you can think of: “we will be able to share the
gospel with unbelievers when we don’t have a Bible; we will be able to encourage
and counsel believers at any time”

Many people complain that they are just not able to memorize God’s Word. They feel
their minds just do not have that capacity. However, have they memorized their
address, phone number, names of family members, birth date, social security number,
route to take to work, etc.? Of course! The truth is that if we apply ourselves, we can all
commit God’s Word to memory. Let’s suppose a wealthy billionaire agreed to pay you
$1,000 for every verse you memorized in the next week. How do you think you would
do? Do you suppose your ability to memorize Scripture might just improve a little with
that motivation? Well, surely if money can motivate us, the spiritual good of our souls
and others should motivate us even more!

So, how do we memorize God’s Word? Let me give some practical suggestions.
● Choose a text. As you are working through this Discipleship Training Manul with
your partner, you will have assigned verses of Scripture taken from various
places in the Bible. Later, you may want to memorize a paragraph, chapter, or
whole book of the Bible straight through. Both approaches have wonderful
benefits.
● Write out the verse on a piece of paper or an index card. Read the verse out loud
several times until you can repeat it without looking at it. Type out the verse and
see if you can type it out perfectly. Pull out your card when you exercise, go for a
walk, are in a line at the bank or post office and review your verse. It usually
takes about 100 repetitions before we really get a verse down solid.
● You might type up your verse and use it as the wallpaper on your computer or
smartphone. You might write your verse on your bathroom mirror, or write down
the first letter of each word of the verse on a card. You could also pin up your
verse in a place where you know you will be each day, like the kitchen sink, so
that you can memorize while you do the dishes. You might make up a little song
with the words of the verse you are memorizing.

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In all your memorizing, remember that the goal is not to see how many verses you can
memorize. That will lead only to spiritual pride. The goal is store God’s Word in your
heart so that you can commune with God and serve Him throughout the day.

Meditating on God’s Word

There are many forms of meditation being utilized today. In some forms, the objective is
to empty the mind, or to chant a word or mantra. However, the Scriptures advocate
meditating on Scripture. Biblical meditation is thinking deeply about the meaning of
God’s Word and its application to your life. It is like what a cow does when it chews its
cud. The cow brings up previously digested food from one of its four stomachs, to more
chewing. Meditation can be likened to a craftsman who takes a good, long look at a
dazzling jewel, turning it from angle to angle, and polishing the diamond to view all its
beauty. Reading the Bible is like one dip of a tea bag in hot water. Meditation is like
letting that tea bag soak into the water until all the rich flavor is extracted.

1. Read Joshua 1:8.

● What was Joshua not to let depart from his mouth? “the book of the Law”
● How often was Joshua to meditate on it? “day and night”
● Why was Joshua to meditate on the Law? “so that he would be careful to do all
that is written in it”
● What would be the result of his meditation? “he would be prosperous and
successful”

2. Read Psalm 1:1-3.

● How does the blessed man regard God’s law (vs. 2)? “he delights in it”
● What does he do with it? “meditates on it day and night”
● What will meditation produce in his life? “fruitfulness and soul prosperity”

3. Read Psalm 39:3.

● When did the fire burn within his heart? “while he was musing (meditating)”

Soon after his conversion, Jonathan Edwards wrote the following:

“I seemed often to see so much light exhibited by every sentence, and such a refreshing
food communicated, that I could not get along in reading; often dwelling long on one
sentence to see the wonders contained in it, and yet almost every sentence seemed to

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be full of wonders.” -- Jonathan Edwards
So, how do you meditate? Let me offer some practical suggestions from the vowels of
the alphabet AEIOU.

Ask questions about the passage:

Emphasize various words:
In your own words (paraphrase).
Other passages (cross-references).
Use the passage (application).

For example, let’s say we are meditating on John 3:16.

Ask questions about the passage: You might ask “Who does God love?”
“How did God show His love?” “What will those who believe in Christ receive?”
Emphasize: Read the verse over and over emphasizing a different word each
time. The first time you might emphasize, “For God so loved the world.” The next time,
“For God so loved the world.” The next time it would be “For God so loved the world.”
In your own words: You might paraphrase this verse like this: “God loves this
world so much that He gave the greatest gift imaginable - Jesus Christ - so that those
who believe won’t perish in hell, but instead live with God forever in heaven.”
Other passages: Look up cross-references in the margin of your Bible. For
example, you might look up Romans 5:8 as a cross-reference for “God so loved the
world” in order to throw additional light on the passage you are meditating on.
Use the passage: Determine how this passage applies to your life. You might
ask, “what does this passage mean for me?” In order to do this you can use the SPECK
method -
1. Is there a SIN for me to avoid?
2. Is there a PROMISE for me to claim?
3. Is there an EXAMPLE for me to follow? or not follow?
4. Is there a COMMAND for me to obey?
5. Is there any other KNOWLEDGE I should pursue?

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take time right now to meditate on Joshua 1:8 with your discipling partner by
following the guidelines mentioned above.

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2. Make a conscious commitment to continue to memorize Scripture regularly for the
good of your soul and the benefit of others.

3. Recite 2 Timothy 2:15 to your discipling partner. Recite the other verses you have
memorized as well.

4. Recite the books of the New Testament in order to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is
written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have
success.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Psalm 119: 9,11; Ps. 1:1-3.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Joshua 1:8. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.

2. Memorize the books of the Old Testament in order.

3. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

4. Make sure you are present when your church meets this week so that you can hear
God’s Word preached and take notes of the sermon. Spend some time each day
reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you have read.

5. After you have read a passage in the Bible, spend some time meditating on it, and
jotting down your reflections in a journal. Share your thoughts with your discipling
partner when you meet next.

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 Session 6
Prayer

“It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at
night. Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas which tell you,
"Wait a little while. I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or that." Such
thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs which so hold our attention and
involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day.”
-- Martin Luther

"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness."
-- Martin Luther.

"The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty
wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and
disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will
answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'"
-- Hudson Taylor

"You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that
does not pray." -- Matthew Henry

INTRODUCTION

Without a doubt, the two most vital practices for every Christian to maintain
communion with God are the Word of God and prayer. Having discussed abiding in
God’s Word in the last 2 sessions, let’s turn our attention now to prayer. Prayer is one
of the most vital and precious aspects of the Christian life. For by it, mountains are
thrown into the sea, the vilest of men are made right with a Holy God and the weakest
and smallest of men are made strong and mighty. The goal of this session is for you to
discover what the Scriptures teach about how we should pray, why we should pray, and
then encourage you in the joy and blessings of prayer.

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For those in Christ, prayer is something we must learn to do. Our entire lives up until
our new birth have been in rebellion to God. We were not able to have, nor did we desire
any saving relationship with Him. But now we have been brought near and reconciled
with our majestic and holy God through Jesus Christ. As a result, we now have access to
Him in prayer. Prayer is a most wonderful and blessed privilege that every Christian
should joyfully participate in regularly. Prayer in its most basic form is communing with
God.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Mt. 6:9. The Lords' Prayer is often called the "model prayer." This
is because Jesus tells us "to pray in this way." If we take our Lord's
advice, we should take the principles of this prayer and apply them to
our own prayer lives.
20. What title does Jesus use in addressing God (compare Mt. 7:11 and Rom. 1:7)?
Father
21. What does this say about our relationship with Him and how we can approach
Him in prayer (compare Eph. 3:12)? He loves us, cares for us, and we can
approach Him boldly at any time.
22. Using a dictionary, look up the word “hallowed”. What importance is Jesus
giving to the Father’s name? The utmost importance! His name is holy, set apart
from any other name!

2. Read Mt. 6:10.

● What is the first thing Jesus teaches us to pray for? His kingdom to come.
● What do you think it would look like for God’s kingdom to come on the earth?
Sinners would be being converted, and immature believers would be maturing
and making disciples of others.
● From this verse should we conclude that the point of prayer is to get our will
done (compare 1 John 5:14-15 and Luke 22:42)? Absolutely not! The point of
prayer is to get God’s will done on the earth.
● Knowing that God is good, what can we expect from His will (compare Rom.
8:28-29)? It will be for our good, and work towards making us like Jesus Christ.
● If we are putting God's will before our own, how might this affect what we pray
for? We will be concerned in prayer to discover and pray for those things that
God desires to take place, rather than just praying selfishly for what we would
like to take place.

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3. Read Mt. 6:11
● What does asking God for “today’s bread” and not tomorrow’s teach you? That
we need to be primarily concerned with immediate needs, and trust God for
future needs.
● What does this simple petition say about our dependence upon God? How should
this view affect our prayers? This petition teaches us that we are absolutely
dependant upon God for everything, material and spiritual, and should cause us
to rely entirely on Him for all things.
● God does not promise us riches or great prosperity in this life. What does this
petition suggest we should prayer for? We should be praying that God will give
us what we need, not necessarily everything we want.

4. Read Mt. 6:12

● What did Jesus teach us to pray for in this verse? Forgiveness for our sins.
● Why do you think a believer would continue to ask for forgiveness of sins?
Because his fellowship with God has been interrupted by his sin, and he wants
fellowship with God to be restored. When a believer is saved, all his sins, past,
present, and future are blotted out legally in God’s sight (Heb. 10:14). However,
sin in his life can cause a breach of fellowship between him and God. Therefore, a
believer needs to confess his sin and ask for forgiveness to be restored to
fellowship with God.
● What does 1 John 1:9 teach us God will do when we confess our sins to Him? He
will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

5. Read Mt. 6:13.

● What does this verse teach about our dependence upon God? It teaches that we
are absolutely dependent on God in order to overcome temptation and sin.
● What does it teach about human weakness? It teaches that in ourselves we are
very weak and prone to wander and sucuumb to temptation, and desperately
need God’s help to refrain from sin.

Notice how the prayer is divided, the first half is prayer for God and Him to be glorified,
while the second half is about us and our needs before Him. What does this suggest
about our priority in prayer? Our priority in prayer should be to see God’s interests
come to pass.

6. What do the following Scriptures teach us about how we should pray?

● James 1:6-7; Mk. 11:24 When we pray we should not doubt.
● 1 Thessalonians 5:17 We should pray without ceasing.

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 ● Colossians 4:2; Rom.12:12 We should be devoted to prayer.
● Colossians 4:12 We should labor earnestly in prayer.
● Luke 11:5-8 We should pray persistently, and not give up.
● Hebrews 4:16 We should draw near in prayer confidently.
● Philippians 4:6 We should pray with thanksgiving.
● 1 John 5:14-15 We should pray for those things that are the will of God.
● How do these verses challenge you regarding your own prayer life?

7. What attributes of God do the following Scriptures reveal we should

know and plead for in prayer?
● Genesis 18:22-26 The righteousness of God as a judge.
● Exodus 32:11-14 The truthfulness, faithfulness, and graciousness of God as a
covenant-keeping God.
● Matthew 7:7-11 The love and kindness of God as father.

8. Read Luke 5:16; 6:12; and Mt. 14:23. If we look to Jesus as our example
in prayer, how will it shape our own prayer lives? We will desire to be in
prayer with Him often. We won’t look at prayer as a burden but as a joy.

9. What do the following Scriptures teach us about who we should pray

for?
● Ephesians 6:18 All the saints.
● 1 Timothy 2:1-2 All men, including kings and those in authority.
● James 5:16 One another in the church.

10. What do the following Scriptures teach us about why God may not
answer our prayers?
● 1 Peter 3:7 A husband is not treating his wife with understanding and respect.
● James 1:6 We pray with doubts.
● James 4:2-3 Either we don’t ask, or we ask with the selfish motives
● Psalm 66:18 We regard wickedness in our heart.
● Proverbs 15:29 We are wicked (unsaved).

11. What do the following Scriptures teach about how we should not pray?
● Matthew 6:5-6 To be seen by men.
● Matthew 6:7 Using meaningless repetition.

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 Praying Through Scripture

John Piper has written, “in the Christian life … prayer and the Word are connected in
such a way that if you disconnect them, both die. The Word of God inspires prayer, it
informs prayer and it incarnates prayer.”

Praying through Scripture is a very helpful tool to fuel and inspire prayer. The idea is to
read over a passage of Scripture and pray over the truths presented in it. For example,
the Lord’s Prayer begins with “Our Father.” One could contemplate how wonderful it is
that we know God as our Father and how compassionate and gracious He is to us. This
then could turn into a prayer of praise and thanksgiving that we have such a loving and
caring God for our Father. We could continue through the Lord’s Prayer and pray
accordingly. However, we don’t need to limit ourselves to just the Lord’s Prayer. The
Psalms are bursting forth with emotive petitions to God. The Prophets thunder forth
His attributes like justice, wisdom, mercy and wrath that should elicit our praise. The
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) ring forth with truth about Jesus and His
shed blood upon the cross. The epistles (letters to churches) declare the truths and
doctrines of our salvation and our mighty Redeemer. All of these texts are ready for you
to meditate upon thm and turn into prayer with a heart hungry for God.

One simple plan is for every day of the month, to pray through five different psalms. For
example, on the 1st day of a month, you could pray through Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, or 121.
On the 23rd day of a month, you could pray through Psalm 23, 53, 83, 113, or 143.

For a free online booklet of hundreds of scriptures to pray through see:

[Link]

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner what your prayer life is like right now, and how
you would like it to change. Ask him/her for ideas and suggestions.

2. Take some time with your discipling partner to pray through some Scripture. Even if
it seems a bit awkward at first, try to follow your partner’s example, and take a turn
praying through Scripture with him/her.

3. Discuss with your discipling partner how your Scripture memorization and
meditation went last week.

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4. Recite Joshua 1:8 to your discipling partner. Recite the other verses you have
memorized as well.

5. Recite the books of the Old Testament from Genesis ito Job in order to your
discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Mt. 6:9-13 “Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your
name. `Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. `Give us
this day our daily bread. `And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors. `And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.´”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:18.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Mt. 6:9-13. Although this is a longer section than usual, it should not be
too tough because it is so familiar. Work on this verse until you can repeat it
perfectly.

2. Memorize the books of the Old Testament in order from Psalms to Malachi.

3. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

4. Spend some time this week praying through various psalms, using the day of the
month as your guide.

5. Jot down in a prayer journal any insights from your time of praying through
Scripture. Also jot down people and situations you want to be praying about.

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 Module 2

Loving God

7. The Attributes of God - Pt. 1

8. The Attributes of God - Pt. 2
9. Delighting in God
10. Obeying Jesus
11. Overcoming Temptation
12. Walking By The Spirit

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 Session 7
The Attributes of God - Pt. 1

“God must speak to us before we have any liberty to speak to him. He must disclose
to us who he is before we can offer him what we are in acceptable worship. The
worship of God is always a response to the Word of God. Scripture wonderfully
directs and enriches our worship.”
-- John Stott

INTRODUCTION

Jesus said in John 4:23-24, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks
to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit
and truth.” Here Jesus emphasizes that worship of God must be in spirit and truth, in
heart and in head, with affections and intellect. In other words, if we are to worship God
we must know Him and love Him.

In the next two sessions we will focus our attention on knowing God by exploring His
attributes. In one sense we will never be able to know God full in this life, because He is
an infinite being and unfathomable in His ways. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and
unfathomable His ways!” (Rom. 11:33). Yet, by diligently searching the Scriptures we
can know Him better and better. The Christian must be prepared to grow in His
knowledge of God through diligent study for the rest of His life.

BIBLE STUDY

God is One

1. Read Deut. 6:4; Is. 43:10; 1 Tim. 2:5.

23. What do all these Scriptures teach about the being of God? “There is only one
God”

God is a Trinity

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1. Read 1 Cor. 8:6; John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:2. According to these verses, who is
the Father? “The Father is God”

2. How do each of the following Scriptures identify Jesus Christ?

● John 1:1 “Jesus is God”
● John 1:18 “Jesus is the only begotten God”
● John 20:28 “Jesus is Thomas’ Lord and his God”
● Rom. 9:5 “Jesus is God blessed forever”
● Phil. 2:6 “Jesus existed in the form of God”
● Col. 1:15 “Jesus is the image of the invisible God”
● Col. 2:9 “Jesus is the fulness of Deity in bodily form”
● Titus 2:13 “Jesus is our great God and Savior”
● Heb. 1:3 “Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His
nature”
● Heb. 1:8 “Jesus is God”

3. How do each of the following Scriptures identify the Holy Spirit?

● Acts 5:3-4 “Because Ananias was said to lie to the Holy Spirit, and then said to lie
to God, the Holy Spirit is God”
● 1 Cor. 3:16 and 1 Cor. 6:19 “because the church is both the temple of God and the
temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is God”

4. Read Mt. 28:19.

● How many persons are we to be baptized into? “Three - the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit”
● How many names are we to be baptized into? “One - the name (singular)”

5. Read 2 Cor. 13:14.

● Which person is mentioned first in this verse? “the Lord Jesus Christ - indicating
that He is no less equal than God the Father”
● Would it be right to mention the Son and the Spirit in a benediction to the church
like this with God the Father if they were not equal with Him? “No, this would be
blasphemous”

6. Read Mark 1:9-11.

● Record what unique activity the Father, Son, and Spirit are doing in this passage.
“the Father is speaking from heaven, the Son is coming up out of the waters of
baptism, and the Spirit is descending on Him”

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There are several errors we must avoid in understanding the nature of God.

1. God is not one person who reveals Himself under different names or forms, but
three different persons. Sometimes this error is found by saying that God is like the
same man who is known by Sweetheart to his wife, Daddy to his children, and boss
to his employees. This error is called Modalism.

2. God is not three gods but one. This error is called Polytheism.

3. Jesus Christ is not a created being and the Holy Spirit is not an inanimate force. This
error is called Arianism. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons who are distinguishable
from one another, and yet they share the same divine essence and perfections.

God is Creator and Sustainer

1. Read Genesis 1:1 and Isaiah 40:28. Since God is the Creator of all things,
what implications does that have for your life? “Since He gave me life. I am
responsible to honor, obey, and worship Him. I will have to give an account to Him
of what I have done with my life on Judgment Day.”

2. What do the following Scriptures reveal about God’s activity?

● Col. 1:17 “He holds all things together”
● Heb. 1:3 “He upholds all things by the word of His power”
● Acts 17:25,28 “He gives life and breath and all things, and in Him we live and
move and exist”

3. What are the implications for you that God sustains His creation every
moment? “I am absolutely dependent every moment of my life on God to continue
to cause my heart to beat, and my mind to function. He deserves all praise for every
moment that I continue to live. Apart from His will I could not continue to live.”

God is Eternal, Self-Existent and Unchanging

1. Read Ps. 90:2. What does this verse teach us about God? “God has had no
beginning and will never come to an end.”

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2. Read Ex. 3:14.
● What is God’s name revealed here? “I AM”
● What does that name teach us? “This name teaches us that God is the eternally
self-existent One, who lives outside of time”

3. Read Acts 17:24-25. What do these verses teach us about God? “God does
not need anyone or anything; instead all of His creatures need Him”

4. Read Malachi 3:6. What do we learn about God here? “God’s essential
nature never changes”

5. What are the practical implications for your life that you can draw from
God’s eternality, self-existence, and unchanging character? “Because God
is eternal, if I am united to Him, my life will never end. Because God is self-existent
and needs nothing, I can never give anything to Him that He must repay. Rather I
am always in His debt. Because God is unchanging I can rest and rejoice in my
salvation, knowing that God’s holy and righteous nature will never change so that He
becomes cruel and evil.”

God Is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient

1. Read Genesis 17:1 and Jer. 32:17. How much power does God possess?
“He has all power. He is almighty”

2. Read 1 Kings 8:27 and Ps. 139:7-10. What do they teach us about God?
“God is everywhere throughout His universe at the same time. There is no place
where God does not dwell.”

3. Read Ps. 147:5, Is. 40:28, and Is. 46:9-10. What do they reveal about
God? “God’s understanding is infinite and inscrutable. He knows everything that
will ever take place and has known it from before the beginning of time.”

4. What are the practical implications for your life that you can draw from
God’s omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience? “God’s omnipotence
teaches me to trust Him to accomplish all His will. His omnipresence informs me that
He sees everything I do and that I can’t hide anything from Him, so I must pursue
holiness. His omniscience brings me comfort because, though I don’t know what the
future holds, I know Who holds the future.”

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 God is Holy

The root meaning of the word holy is “to be set apart.” When we say that God is holy, we are
saying that He is utterly set apart from everything in His creation. God is essentially
different from everything He has made. There is a greater difference between God and the
most magnificent archangel that stands in His presence, than between that archangel and a
cockroach. God is truly incomparable! Further, God does not decide to be holy. He is holy.
It is part of His essential nature. For God to be unholy, He would have to cease to be God.
Not only is God unique among all His creation, He is also separate from everything that is
sinful.

1. Read Isaiah 6:1-5.

● Describe what Isaiah saw in vs. 1-2? “he saw the Lord sitting on His throne high
and exalted.”
● What attribute of God were the angels calling out to one another? “His holiness”
● Why do you think they repeated it three times? “For emphasis to show how
important it was”
● What was Isaiah’s response to this vision (vs. 5)? “he felt completely ruined and
undone by his own sin when seen in comparison with God’s holiness”

2. Read Isaiah 57:15.

● What is true about God’s name? “It is holy”
● How is God described in the first part of this verse? “He is high and exalted and
dwells on a high and holy place”
● What does this description communicate to you about the holiness of God? “He
is completely separate from and higher than anything He has made”

3. What does God’s holy nature cause Him to do?

● Ps. 5:4-6 “remove the boastful and evil person; hate all who do iniquity; destroy
those who speak falsehood; abhor the man of bloodshed and deceit”
● Ps. 11:5 “hate the one who loves violence”
● Prov. 6:16-19 “hate all kinds of evil”

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 ● Heb. 1:9 “love righteousness and hate lawlessness”

4. How do you think you should respond to God’s holiness? “I should pursue
holiness, fight sin in my life wherever I find it, and cry to God to work in me to make
me like Jesus Christ.”

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take time right now to praise God with your discipling partner for those attributes of
God that appear most precious to you at this time. If you are in a private place, sing a
song of praise that extols some of these qualities of God. Respond to who God is in
prayer together.

2. Recite 1 John 5:13 to your discipling partner.

3. Continue to review the verses you have already memorized so that you don’t forget
them.

4. Recite the books of the New Testament to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Deut. 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: John 4:23-24; Psalm 139.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Deut. 6:4-5. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

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4. Review the attributes of God you learned from this study, recalling what each
attribute reveals to you about Him.

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 Session 8
The Attributes of God - Pt. 2

“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our
proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to
heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant
accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children,
or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the
enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun.
These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the
ocean.” -- Jonathan Edwards

INTRODUCTION

In our last discipling session we studied God as the One who is Creator, Sustainer, Self-
Existent, Eternal, Unchanging, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and Holy. Now,
we are going to explore some more of His attributes for the purpose of finding our
delight and satisfaction in Him alone.

God is Wrathful and Just

The wrath of God is His righteous anger provoked by sin. There are actually more
references in Scripture to God’s wrath, fury, and anger, than to His love and tenderness.
Since God is infinitely holy and righteous, everything opposed to His righteousness,
must of necessity provoke His wrath.

1. What do the following Scriptures teach about God’s wrath?

24. John 3:36 “It abides on those who do not obey Jesus Christ”
25. Rom. 2:5-8 “those who have stubborn and unrepentant hearts are storing up
wrath for themselves which will be released on the Day of Judgment”
26. Rom. 5:9 “we can be saved from it through Christ’s death”
27. Eph. 5:5-6 “it will come upon people who are immoral, covetous, and idolaters”
28. Rev. 14:10-11 “God will mix His wrath in full strength and will pour it out on
sinners forever resulting in everlasting conscious torment!”

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The justice of God is that attribute of God whereby He gives to every man exactly what
he deserves and punishes all transgression, wherever He finds it. God never has or ever
will do any wrong to His creatures. Thomas Watson: “The wicked will drink an ocean
of wrath, but not sip one drop of injustice.”

2. What do you learn about God’s justice from the following Scriptures?
● Ex. 34:7 “He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”
● Deut. 32:3-4 “All God’s ways are just. He is without any injustice.”
● Ps. 89:14 “It is the foundation of His throne.”
● Mt. 13:41-42 “It will result in the lawless being thrown into a furnace of fire in
which there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
● Heb. 10:26-27; 30-31 “It will result in judgment and a fury of a fire which will
consume the adversaries, as well as God’s vengeance and falling into the hands of
the living God.”
● Rev. 20:11-15 “It will cause all whose names are not written in the book of life to
be cast into the lake of fire.”

God is Love

The love of God is that divine attribute that moves Him to freely give Himself to others
for their good.

1. Read 1 John 4:8,16.

● According to these verses, who is God? “Love”
● How is this truth different from saying that God possesses love? “Love is not
something God possesses. It is who He is by nature. If He were to cease to love
He would have to cease to be God.”

2. What do the following Scriptures teach regarding God’s goodness to all

His creatures?
● Ps. 145:9,15-16 “His goodness is seen in giving His creatures food.”
● Mt. 5:44-45 “God’s goodness is seen in causing the sun to rise on the evil and the
good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
● Acts 14:16-17 “God’s goodness is seen in giving rains and fruitful seasons in order
to satisfy men with food and gladness.”

3. Read Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8 and 1 Jn. 4:10. What is the greatest expression
of God’s love for sinners? “the cross of Jesus Christ”

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 ● If a person is looking for evidence of God’s love for him, where should he look?
“The cross!”

4. What does God’s love prompt Him to do for believers?

● Jer. 31:3 “draws them with lovingkindness”
● Rom. 8:35-39 “makes sure that they are never separated from His love”
● Eph. 1:4-5 “predestines them to be adopted as sons”
● Eph. 2:4-5 “makes them alive together with Christ”
● 2 Thess. 2:13 “chooses them for salvation”
● 1 John 3:1 “calls them sons of God”
● Rev. 3:19 “reproves and disciplines them”

God is Merciful and Gracious

God’s mercy and grace have much in common, but they are not the same thing. You
might explain the difference like this: “mercy is not getting what you deserve; grace is
getting what you don’t deserve.” Mercy is the ready inclination of God to relieve the
misery of His fallen creatures.

1. What do the following Scriptures teach about God’s mercy?

● Rom. 9:15-18 “He has mercy on whoever He wants. His sovereign mercy is the
reason any are saved.”
● Titus 3:5 “It is what saves us.”
● 1 Pet. 1:3 “It prompts God to cause us to be born again.”
● 1 Pet. 2:9-10 “It prompts God to call us out of darkness into His marvelous light
and make us His people.”

The grace of God has been defined as “the eternal and absolute free favor of God
manifested in the bestowal of spiritual and eternal blessings to the guilty and
unworthy”. A helpful acronym for GRACE is “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

2. Read the following Scriptures and record what you learn about the
characteristics of God’s grace.
● Acts 20:24 “It is associated with the gospel.”
● Rom. 6:14 “It reigns in the believer’s life.”
● Rom. 11:6 “It is absolutely opposed to works.”
● 2 Tim. 1:9 “It was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”
● James 4:6 “It is given to the humble.”

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3. Now read the following Scriptures and record what you learn about the
effects of God’s grace.
● Acts 15:11 “It causes us to be saved.”
● Gal. 1:6 “It causes us to be called.”
● Rom. 3:24 “It causes us to be justified.”
● Acts 18:27 “It causes us to believe.”
● 2 Cor. 4:15 “It causes us to give thanks.”
● Eph. 3:7-8 “It causes us to receive a ministry.”
● Rom. 12:6-8 “It causes us to receive spiritual gifts.”
● 2 Cor. 8:1-4 “It causes us to give generously.”
● Heb. 13:9 “It causes our hearts to be strengthened.”
● 2 Thess. 2:16 “It causes us to have eternal comfort and good hope.”

God is Truthful and Faithful

1. Read Num. 23:19; Ps. 119:160; Jn. 17:17; and Heb. 6:18. Summarize
below what you have discovered about God’s truth. “God is absolutely
truthful in everything He says. It is impossible for Him to lie.”

2. Read the following Scriptures and summarize what you learn about
God’s faithfulness: Ps. 119:75; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:23-24. “God is
faithful to afflict us, provide a way of escape from temptations, and sanctify us.”

God is Sovereign

The sovereignty of God is His absolute freedom to do as He pleases, and His absolute
control over the actions of all His creatures.

1. Read Ps. 103:19, Dan. 4:35 and Eph. 1:11. How extensive is God’s
sovereignty? “God’s sovereignty is absolute over all things.”

2. From the following Scriptures, what areas is God sovereign over?

● Is. 40:26 “the stars and heavenly bodies”
● Job 1:12; Luke 22:31 “Satan”
● Prov. 21:1 “earthly rulers”
● Prov. 21:31 “military victories”
● Gen. 29:31; 1 Sam. 1:4-5 “bearing children”
● Prov. 16:33 “every decision”
● Ps. 75:6-7 “whether we are lifted up or put down”

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 ● 1 Cor. 12:7 “spiritual gifts”
● Ps. 139:16 “the day of our death”
● Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:20-21 “the things we do which are pleasing in His sight”
● Gen. 50:20 “the evil actions of men”
● Acts 13:48; Rom. 9:22-24; 2 Thess. 2:13-14 “our eternal salvation”

Next to each attribute, write one application that you can make for your
life:
● Just: “Because God is just I should have a healthy fear of Him who can cast both
body and soul into hell.”
● Wrathful: “Because God is angry with sin, I should also have a righteous anger
towards sin and injustice.”
● Love: “Because God is love, as His child I should manifest a true love towards all
men.”
● Merciful “Because God is merciful, I should show mercy and forgive those who
wrong me.”
● Gracious: “Because God is gracious, I should magnify Him for His undeserved
kindness.”
● Truthful: “Because God is truthful, I should believe everything He has said.”
● Faithful: “Because God is faithful, I should trust Him to perform His promises.”
● Sovereign: “Because God is sovereign, I should never despair of anyone being
saved.”

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take time right now to praise and worship God for who He has revealed Himself to
be in all His perfections. If possible, include a song of praise.

2. Recite Deut. 6:4-5 to your discipling partner. See if you can recite some of your
previously learned verses to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Exodus 34:6-7, “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD,
The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and
that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

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Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Is. 6:1-5; Ps. 103:19.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Ex. 34:6-7. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.

2. Continue to review the verses you have already memorized so that you don’t forget
them.

3. Memorize the books of the Old Testament in order.

4. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

5. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

6. Review the attributes of God you learned from this study, recalling what each
attribute reveals to you about Him.

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 Session 9
Delighting In God

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. -- John Piper
“Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing
and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not
there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to
get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God.
If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel.” --
John Piper

INTRODUCTION

Having studied the attributes of God, we could very easily make the mistake of thinking
that our pursuit of God is merely intellectual, devoid of the affections of the heart.
Nothing could be further from the truth! The truth is that God wants us to find Him to
be our greatest treasure and the supreme satisfaction of our souls.

All of the things we do in the Christian life - reading and studying Scripture, prayer,
fasting, being involved in a local church, spreading the gospel - are never to be done as
some kind of distasteful duty which we must do because we are supposed to. No, a
thousand times no! God wants us to experience Him in all these things as the delight
and satisfier of our souls. When a person is saved, God grants him/her spiritual taste
buds which love to feed on Christ.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read the following Scriptures, and record what you learn about how
Jesus related to His Father?
29. Luke 5:16 “He felt a need to commune with His Father so would often slip away
to pray”
30. Luke 10:21 “He rejoiced greatly in the Spirit, and praised His Father. He seems to
take joy in His relationship with the Father & Spirit.”

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 31. John 4:34 “He had a great desire to do His Father’s will and accomplish His
Father’s work. It energized and strengthened Him likes food does to our bodies.”
32. John 17:24-26 “He had a love relationship with His Father and knew Him before
the foundation of the world.”
33. Ps. 40:7-8; compare Heb.10:5-7 “He delighted to do His Father’s will because His
law was in His heart.”

2. Do you think God would have us follow Christ’s example in how He

related to His Father? Why? “Yes, because He is our example in living for God”

3. Read the following Scriptures and record what God has done in the New
Birth to enable us to delight in God.
● Jeremiah 31:33 “He has put His law within us, and written it on our heart”
● Ezekiel 36:26 “He has removed our heart of stone and given us a heart of flesh.”
● 2 Cor. 4:3-6 “He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ”

4. Read Psalm 16:11

● Where is fulness of joy to be found? “In God’s presence”
● What will we discover at God’s right hand? “pleasures forever”
● Have you ever experienced this? Please explain. ____________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

5. Read Psalm 37:4

● What command do we find in this verse? “to delight in the Lord”
● What promise is connected to this command? “He will give us the desires of our
heart”
● What kind of heart desires do you think a person would have who delights
himself in the Lord? “desires to please and glorify God”

6. Read Psalm 100.

● How should we relate to God (vs.1-2)? “in joy and gladness”
● How can we express our joy in God (vs.4)? “by thanking, praising, and blessing
Him”
● What 3 truths about God should cause our joy and praise? “He is good, His
lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is to all generations.”

7. Read the following Scriptures and record what God’s people delight in.

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 ● Nehemiah 1:11 “God’s name - they delight to revere it”
● Psalm 16:3 “God’s saints - His people”
● Psalm 94:19 “God’s consolations”
● Psalm 111:2 “God’s works”
● Psalm 119:35 “God’s commandments”
● Isaiah 58:2 “God’s nearness”
● Jeremiah 15:16 “God’s words”

8. Read Mt. 13:44.

● What does Jesus say the treasure represents in this parable? “the kingdom of
heaven”
● What must the man in the parable do to obtain the treasure? “sell all that he has”
● Does the man consider it a great sacrifice to sell all he has to buy the treasure?
What is his attitude? Why does he feel this way? “No, he does it out of joy
because He values the treasure far more than everything else he has. It is the
same with us. We value being part of God’s kingdom far more than anything else
so are willing to turn loose of anything that would keep us out of His kingdom.”

9. Read Philippians 3:7-8.

● What change took place in Paul’s heart since he was converted? “he no longer
valued what he used to. Now he valued Christ far more than any of the things he
used to prize.”
● What words does Paul use to describe how he views knowing Christ? “surpassing
value”

10. Read Philippians 4:4.

● What are we commanded to do in this verse? “rejoice in the Lord”
● How often are we to do it? “always”
● What is our rejoicing to be in? “the Lord”

11. Read 1 Peter 1:8.

● Even though believers can’t see God, what three things are true of them? “they
love Him, believe in Him, and greatly rejoice in Him”
● How does Peter describe our joy? “joy inexpressible and full of glory”
● Have you ever experienced this? If so, what were the circumstances surrounding
it? ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

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12. Read 1 Peter 2:1-2.
● What does God want us to long for? “God’s Word”
● What does the word “long” mean? “to crave for; a strong desire”
● Why should we long for it? “because it is the means by which we grow in respect
to our salvation”
● What must we be willing to do in order to long for it (vs. 1)? “turn from and
forsake sin”

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner how little or how much you delight in, take
pleasure in, rejoice in, and value Jesus Christ. When do you find yourself delighting
in Him most? When do you find yourself delighting in Him less?

2. Discuss with your discipling partner what steps you want to take this week to
increase your joy in God.

3. Recite Ex. 34:6-7 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received while memorizing it.

3. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

4. Recite the books of the Old Testament to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Deut. 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: John 4:23-24; Psalm 139.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 37:4. Work on these verses until you can repeat
them perfectly. Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

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2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

4. Seek your joy in God this week. Do not be content with heartless duty. Seek to
find your delight in Him.

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 Session 10
Obeying Jesus

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth,
and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these
things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than
enough for us.”
-- David Platt

INTRODUCTION

In this Session we are going to focus on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and how each
disciple of Christ must respond to Him. The title “Lord” means Master. A disciple’s
relationship to his Lord is similar to a slave’s relationship to his master. Because Jesus
Christ is Lord, He must be obeyed in every area of life. Christ has made His will known
in the Scriptures, and it is as we obey the Word of God that we obey Christ. In fact
Jesus commanded His people to teach every disciple to obey everything that He had
commanded them (Mt. 28:19).

It is important to remember that our obedience to Christ is not the root of our salvation,
but rather the fruit of our salvation. We cannot earn or deserve salvation by obeying
Christ. In fact, we can not ever truly obey Christ from the heart until He has first saved
us and given us new life. However, obedience to Christ is an evidence that He has saved
us by His grace.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Luke 6:46-49.

• What contradiction is Jesus pointing out in vs. 46? The contradiction of saying
that Jesus is Lord, but not doing what He says.
• If someone calls Christ Lord, does it follow that He is His Lord? No, anyone can
say anything, but only a true disciple surrenders to Jesus Christ as Lord.
• What do you think the great storm mentioned in vs.48 & 49 refers to? The Final
Judgment

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 • What do you think the house represents in these verses? Our life lived before God
which will be judged
• What is true of all those who survive this Great Storm? They have heard and
acted on Jesus’ words
• What is true of all those whose house is destroyed in this Great Storm? They
heard Jesus’ words but didn’t act on them

2. Read Mt. 7:21-23.

• What does Jesus say is not a guarantee that we will enter the kingdom of heaven?
Merely calling Jesus Lord
• According to Jesus, who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Those who do the will
of the Father
• Will there be only a few who are fooled into thinking they will enter the kingdom
of heaven when they are instead cast out of His presence? No, there will be many
• What will those whom Christ casts away be putting their confidence in on that
great Judgment Day? The religious things they have done
• Instead of doing the will of the Father in vs. 21, what will characterize those who
are lost (vs.23)? Lawlessness

3. Read Luke 8:19-21.

• Who are those Jesus considered His mother and brothers? Those who hear the
Word of God and do it
• According to Jesus, is it sufficient to merely hear God’s Word? No, we must do it

4. Read John 14:15,21.

• What causes a disciple to obey Jesus? Love for Christ
• What promise does Jesus give those who keeps His commandments? He will be
loved by the Father and Jesus will love him and disclose Himself to him

5. Read John 3:36.

• What will true belief in the Son cause a person to do? Obey Christ

6. Read 1 John 2:3-6.

• How can someone know that he has come to know Jesus? By keeping His
commandments
• What is true about the person who claims to know Jesus, but doesn’t keep His
commandments? He is a liar
• What is true of the person who keeps Christ’s Word (vs.5)? God’s love has been
perfected in him

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 • How should a disciple of Jesus live (vs.6)? Like Jesus

7. Read 1 John 3:9.

• What is true of a person who has been born of God? He doesn’t practice sin
• Why can’t a born again believer practice sin? Because God’s seed abides in him
• What do you think “God’s seed” refers to? The new life within him produced by
the Holy Spirit

8. Read Rom. 10:9.

• According to this verse, what must a person do in order to be saved? Confess
Jesus as Lord
• What do you think it would look like for a person to live as though Jesus were
his/her Lord? He/she would willingly surrender their will to His, search the
Scriptures to learn what is pleasing in His sight, and diligently seek to obey His
commandments

9. According to the Scripture that we have studied, can a person be saved

who is not willing for Jesus to be Lord of his life? No

10. Do you think we will ever perfectly obey Christ in this life? Why or why
not? No, we all stumble in many ways, because our flesh struggles against the Spirit

11. Is Jesus Christ your Lord? Have you surrendered your life to Him and
are actively seeking to do His will?

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner any areas of your life that you have difficulty
surrendering to Christ. What has He told you to do that you are resisting? Pray with
your discipling partner for the help and power of the Holy Spirit to obey Christ in
those difficult areas.

2. Since obedience flows from love to Jesus, discuss with your discipling partner what
you can do this week to increase your love for Him.

3. Recite Ps. 16:11 and 37:4 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights
you received while memorizing it.

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4. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Mt. 7:21-23, “"Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,´ will enter the kingdom of
heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me
on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out
demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?´ And then I will declare to them, `I
never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.´

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Luke 6:45; John 14:15,21

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Mt. 7:231-23. Work on these verses until you can repeat them perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read.

4. Focus on obedience to Christ’s commands, this week especially those you find
difficult. If you find yourself struggling during the week, call your discipleship
partner and pray together.

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 Session 11
Overcoming Temptation

“We have no sufficient strength of our own. All our sufficiency is of God. We should
stir up ourselves to resist temptations in a reliance upon God's all-sufficiency and the
omnipotence of his might.”
-- Matthew Henry

“Let our hearts admit, "I am poor and weak. Satan is too subtle, too cunning, too
powerful; he watches constantly for advantages over my soul. The world presses in
upon me with all sorts of pressures, pleas, and pretences. My own corruption is
violent, tumultuous, enticing, and entangling. As it conceives sin, it wars within me
and against me. Occasions and opportunities for temptation are innumerable. No
wonder I do not know how deeply involved I have been with sin. Therefore, on God
alone will I rely for my keeping. I will continually look to Him.”
-- John Owen

INTRODUCTION

Even though we may have surrendered our lives to Jesus as Lord, and are sincere and
earnest about walking a way which is pleasing to Him, we will still face many
temptations in life. Unless we are careful, we can sucuumb to these temptations and fall
into sin. In this Session we are going to look at the subject of sinful temptations, and
how we can overcome them by God’s grace. There are several weapons God has given us
to enable us to overcome temptation. In this Session we will focus on the weapons of
Faith, the Word of God, and Prayer.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read James 1:13-14.

34. Where does temptation come from? Our own lust
35. Can we ever hold God responsible for our sin? Absolutely not because He never
tempts us to sin

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2. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13.
● According to this verse, are we unique in the particular temptations we face? No,
our temptations are common to man
● What will God not allow to happen to us? To be tempted beyond what we are
able
● What will God provide for us when we are tempted? A way of escape that we can
endure the temptation

In order for sin to take place there must be both Desire and Opportunity. If a man lives
in a home where there are cabinets filled with alcohol, but has no desire to drink, he will
not commit the sin of drunkenness. Likewise, if he wants to drink, but can’t get any
alcohol, he will not commit the sin of drunkenness. One “way of escape” from
temptation is to make sure we do not have opportunity to commit a particular sin.
Therefore, the person who has a problem with drinking might make sure no alcohol is
brought into his home, as well as avoiding spending time with friends that will offer him
a drink. A young couple might decide not to spend time alone where they may be
tempted to compromise their sexual purity. On the other hand, the Lord, in some cases,
removes the desire a sinful activity. Some new Christians are sometimes completely
delivered from the desire for drugs and alcohol as soon as they are born again, even
though they were addicted to these substances beforehand. However, there will
probably be many situations in your life where you will have to choose another way of
escape, because the desire and opportunity are still present. What are some weapons at
our disposal to use against temptation?

1. Read Romans 6:1-14.

● What is a Christian’s relationship to sin? Why is it that we are not to continue in
sin now that we have been born again (6:1-2)? A Christian is dead to sin, and
thus can’t continue practicing sin
● What is the word Paul uses in verse 5 to describe our baptism into Christ? United
● Therefore, is Paul speaking about water baptism in vs.3-4? No, he’s speaking
about our union to Christ
● What kind of baptism is he talking about? See 1 Cor. 12:13. Being baptized by the
Spirit into the body of Christ
● What happened to our “old self” (6:6)? What was the result of this (6:6-7)? It was
crucified with Him. It resulted in our body of sin being done away with so that we
are no longer slaves to sin
● What are we commanded to do in vs. 11? What is this command based on? We
are commanded to consider the truth that we are dead to sin and alive to God in

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 Christ. This command is based on the fact that we are united to Christ in His
death and resurrection
● Because we have died with Christ to sin, and have risen with Him to God, what
must we now do (12-13)? We must refuse to let sin reign in our mortal bodies,
and go on presenting the members of our body to sin, but instead present
ourselves to God and our members as instruments of righteousness

One of the chief weapons in our arsenal against temptation and sin is faith in what God
has done for us in Christ. The Word of God declares plainly that we have died to sin and
risen to newness of life in Christ. We must “consider” this. This means we must reckon
it to be true, even when it doesn’t feel true in our experience. Romans 6:1-14 is really
telling us that our relationship to sin has forever changed. We used to be like a private
in the Army under a cruel and demanding drill sargent. We were under his authority,
and had to everything he told us to do. However, if you were discharged from the Army,
but happened to see this same sargent in civilian life, you would be under no obligation
to do anything he told you to do. Likewise, although we were slaves to sin before we
came to know Christ, now we have been delivered from sin’s dominion, and no longer
have to obey its lusts. If we sin now, it is because we choose to, not because we have to.
To successfully resist temptation we must believe what God has said about us and
reckon it to be true in our daily lives.

2. Read Mt. 4:1-11.

● How did Jesus respond to Satan every time he tempted Him to sin? He quoted
the Word of God
● Do you think Jesus had a bunch of Old Testament scrolls that He was reading to
Satan? If not, how was He able to quote Scripture? How can this help you in
your fight against temptation? (Ps.119:9,11) No, he had memorized God’s Word.
We need to memorize Scripture so that we can recall it at the moment of
temptation

3. Read Luke 22:39-46.

● According to Jesus, what can we do to avoid entering into temptation (vs.40,46)?
Pray

4. Read Mt. 26:41.

● What two things are we told to do that we might not enter into temptation? Keep
watching and praying
● Why is it so important for us to do this (vs. 41b)? Because our flesh is so weak

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5. Read Eph. 6:10-18.
● What is our shield in our battle against Satan? Faith
● What is our sword? The Word of God
● How must we wield our shield and sword in the battle (vs.18)? Prayer

6. What are the 3 primary weapons God has given us to battle against
temptation? Faith, The Word of God, and Prayer

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner the areas of your life in which you face the
strongest temptations and what you can do when those temptations arise next.

2. Discuss with your discipling partner what specific verses of Scripture would best
apply to your specific temptations. Begin to memorize choice verses of Scripture that
can aid you in your battle with sin.

3. Recite Mt. 7:21-23 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received while memorizing it.

4. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to
man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are
able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able
to endure it.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Mt. 26:41.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13. Work on this verse until you can repeat it
perfectly. Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

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2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what
you have read. If you are having a difficult time deciding what portion of Scripture to
read, study, and meditate on, get some ideas from your discipling partner.

4. Practice using the weapons of faith, the Word and prayer in your fight against
temptation this week. When you meet with your discipling partner next week, share
with him/her how it went.

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 Session 12
Walking By The Spirit

“Read whatever chapter of scripture you will, and be ever so delighted with it - yet it
will leave you as poor, as empty and unchanged as it found you unless it has turned
you wholly and solely to the Spirit of God, and brought you into full union with and
dependence upon him.”
-- William Law

“...the mechanics of a Spirit-filled life do not provide for a spasmodic filling that is,
the Christian is not filled only when doing service such as preaching or teaching, but
the Christian who is living a normal life of moment by moment yieldedness to God
experiences a moment by moment fullness of the Spirit. No Christian can do with less
and at the same time live a victorious life.”
-- Kenneth Wuest

“Breath in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy
Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love
but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard
me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.”
-- Augustine

“Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind or
chariots without steeds. Like branches without sap, we are withered. Like coals
without fire, we are useless. As an offering without the sacrificial flame, we are
unaccepted.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

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Having discussed how we can successfully deal with temptation in our last Session, we
still need to study the part the Holy Spirit plays in our growth in holiness. Truly, apart
from His ongoing empowering, we will never make progress in our Christian lives.
Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we learn to walk by the Spirit.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Galatians 5:16-24.

36. What do we need to do in order to avoid carrying out the desire of the flesh (16)?
Walk by the Spirit
37. Does our flesh desire the same thing as the Holy Spirit (17)? No, the desires of
the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition to one another
38. Summarize in your own words what the flesh produces in our life (19-21)? Sin of
every conceivable variety
39. What does the Spirit produce in our lives (22-23)? The character of Jesus Christ
40. What do you think it means to “live by the Spirit” (25)? It means to live by the
invigorating, energizing, empowering work of the Holy Spirit in our lives
41. What do those who have been made alive spiritually by the work of the Spirit
need to do (25)? They need to walk by the Spirit - order their lives according to
the will and power of the Spirit.

2. Read Galatians 6:8.

● What will happen if we “sow to our own flesh”? He will reap corruption
● What will happen if we “sow to the Spirit”? We will reap eternal life
● What do you think it means to “sow to the Spirit?” It means that we labor for,
invest in, and cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It would
include regular intake of God’s Word, meditating on it, memorizing it, prayer,
fellowship, fasting, etc.

3. Read Romans 8:3-9.

● What will walking by the Spirit enable the Christian to do (3-4)? It will enable the
Christian to fulfill the requirement of the Law
● What do you think Paul means by “those who are according to the flesh” (5)?
Paul is talking about unregenerate men, who do not possess the indwelling Holy
Spirit. He makes this clear in verse 9 when he says, “However, you are not in the
flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

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 ● What do you think he means by “those who are according to the Spirit” (5)?
Those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, have been born of the Spirit, and have
been given a new spiritual nature.
● What is the difference between those who are according to the flesh and those
who are according to the Spirit (5-8)? They differ in what they set their minds on
(the flesh or the Spirit),and the outcome of this (death or life and peace).
● Can a person be a Christian and not have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside him (9)?
Absolutely not!
● Is a Christian “in the flesh” (9)? No, he is “in the Spirit.”
● How can a Christian put to death the deeds of the body (13)? He can only do it
“by the Spirit”; as he depends upon the power of the Spirit.
● What does the Holy Spirit lead Christians to do (14)? Hint: Notice the word “for”
which begins vs. 14. The Holy Spirit leads Christians to put to death the deeds of
the body; he leads believers to mortify sin in their lives wherever they find it.

4. Read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

● Where does the Holy Spirit dwell (19)? In the believer’s body.
● What practical significance does this have for our lives (19-20)? Since the Holy
Spirit lives within us, we must glorify God in our bodies. He will not permit us to
go on living in sin, but will convict us and chastise us.

5. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18.

● Who does the transforming work in a Christian’s life? The Holy Spirit
● What is the believer’s responsibility in order to be transformed? He must
continually behold the glory of the Lord; that is, he must continually let the word
of Christ dwell in him richly. The Word and the Spirit work together not only in
regeneration, but also in sanctification.

6. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

● What is the will of God (3)? Our sanctification.
● What aspect of sanctification is Paul thinking of specifically (3)? He is thinking of
the believer being set apart and separated from sexual immorality.
● For what purpose does God give His Spirit to us (8)? God gives His Spirit to us to
make us holy.

7. Read Ephesians 5:18-20.

● What is the negative command (18)? Don’t get drunk with wine.
● What is the positive command (18)? Be filled with the Spirit.

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 ● Can you think of any ways in which drunkeness is like being filled with the Spirit
(18)? Drunkenness is like being filled with the Spirit in that we come under the
influence and power of both of them.
● A literal rendering of Eph. 5:18 would be “be being kept filled with the Spirit.” It
speaks of an ongoing continuous reality. What kinds of things do you think we
might do that would prevent this from happening in our lives? Lack of prayer,
intake of Scripture, conscious dependence upon God, and deliberate sin.
● What kinds of things are likely to take place in our lives when we are filled with
the Spirit (19-21)? We will be encouraging and teaching one another, singing to
the Lord, giving thanks to God, and submitting to one another.

8. Read Colossians 3:16-17.

● Notice the close parallel between this passage of Scripture and Ephesians 5:18-
21. What has Paul substituted here for “be filled with the Spirit”? Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly.
● What does that teach you about how you can be filled with the Spirit? Regularly
and consistently read, meditate and memorize God’s Word in order to cooperate
with the work of the Spirit in your life.

To be filled with the Spirit, basically means to be controlled by the Spirit, in much the
same way that a drunk man is controlled by alcohol. In fact, we even refer to alcohol
sometimes as “spirits”. As Christians we must make a conscious decision to yield to the
Holy Spirit and allow Him to control our life. If all of a sudden your cat started barking
and chasing cars, you might conclude that the spirit of a dog has somehow gotten into
your cat! Likewise, when a sinner begins to pursue holiness from the heart, and desires
to glorify Christ, you know that the Holy Spirit is at work within him. In Ephesians
4:28-32 we discover that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, by things like stealing,
unwholesome speech, and ungodly attitudes toward others. Therefore, in order to keep
being filled with the Spirit, we must confess and repent of sin, and yield to Christ as
Lord each moment.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner how you can be filled with the Spirit throughout
the day, especially when your flesh naturally rises up to take control.

2. Determine that if you find yourself acting out of the flesh this week, you will confess
and repent of your sin, and ask your Father to fill you with the Holy Spirit (Luke

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 11:13). Also determine that you will let the word of Christ dwell richly within you so
that you may be kept filled with the Spirit.

4. Recite 1 Corinthians 10:13 to your discipling partner.

5. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Galatians 5:16, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of
the flesh.”

Ephesians 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled
with the Spirit.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Rom. 8:13; 2 Cor. 3:18.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Gal. 5:16 and Eph. 5:18. Work on these verses until you can repeat them
perfectly. Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read. If you are having a difficult time deciding what portion of Scripture to
read, study, and meditate on, get some ideas from your discipling partner.

4. Try to develop the habit of turning immediately to the Spirit of God when you
realize your flesh is manifesting itself in ugly, sinful ways.

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 Module 3

Cultivating Godliness

13. Obeying the One-Anothers

14. Committing to the Local Church
15. The Use of Time
16. Money and Possessions
17. Humility
18. Forgiveness

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 Session 13
Obeying The One-Anothers

“Now no man is a Christian who does not love Christians. He, who being in the
church, is not of its heart and soul, is but an intruder in the family.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

“Christians, you are to love one another, not because of the gain which you get from
one another, but rather because of the good which you can do to one another.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

“The real test of a saint is not one's willingness to preach the gospel, but one's
willingness to do something like washing the disciples' feet - that is, being willing to
do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything
to God.”
-- Oswald Chambers

INTRODUCTION

One of the vital aspects of the Christian life is living out our mutual ministry to one
another within the body of Christ. The Reformers referred to this doctrine as “The
Priesthood of All Believers.” They meant by this, that ministry to others is not the sole
responsibility only of the “ordained clergy.” Rather, every Christian is responsible to
minister to others the grace he/she has been given by Christ.

BIBLE STUDY

1. What is our responsibility toward others within the church? Give a short
example of how you might live this “one-another” out in your life.
42. Romans 12:10a “Be devoted to one another.”
43. Romans 12:10b “Give preference to one another in honor.”
44. Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another.”
45. Romans 13:8 “Love one another.”

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 ● Romans 14:19 “Build up one another”
● Romans 15:7 “Accept one another”
● Romans 15:14 “Admonish one another”
● Romans 16:16 “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
● 1 Cor. 12:25 “have the same care for one another”
● Gal. 5:13 “through love serve one another”
● Eph. 4:2 “show tolerance for one another in love”
● Eph. 4:32 “be kind to one another, forgiving each other”
● Eph. 5:21 “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ”
● Phil. 2:3 “regard one another as more important than yourselves”
● Col. 3:13 “bear with one another”
● 1 Thess. 4:18 “comfort one another”
● 1 Thess. 5:11 “encourage one another and build up one another”
● 1 Thess. 5:13 “Live in peace with one another.”
● 1 Thess. 5:15 “Always seek after that which is good for one another and for all
people.”
● Hebrews 10:24 “stimulate one another to love and good deeds”
● James 5:16 “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another”
● 1 Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without complaint”
● 1 Peter 4:10 “employ your gift in serving one another”
● 1 Peter 5:5 “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”

2. What must your involvement in the local church be like in order for you
to obey these commands? Will it require just a casual relationship or a
strong commitment? It will require a strong commitment.

3. What does each of the following Scriptures teach as to how we must not
relate to one another?
● Romans 14:13 “Let us not judge one another”
● Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one
another”
● Col. 3:9 “Do not lie to one another”
● James 4:11 “Do not speak against one another”
● James 5:9 “Do not complain against one another”
What do all of these Scriptures teach us about the reality of what relating to one
another in the body of Christ will be like? It will be difficult. There will be
temptations to judge, envy, challenge, lie, speak against, and complain against one
another. We must resist these temptations in the power of the Spirit.

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 4. Analyze the various New Testament commands you listed under
Question #1 above. Which of these commands are you actively pursuing
obedience to?

_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

5. Which of those commands are you currently ignoring or neglecting in

your life?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

6. What decision will you make today to begin to actively these

commands?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner any steps you need to take to be fully committed
to the local church and obey the one-anothers.

2. Recite Galatians 5:16 and Ephesians 5:18 to your discipling partner.

3. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even
as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you
are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Heb. 3:13; Gal. 5:13.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

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1. Memorize John 13:34-35. Work on these verses until you can repeat them perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read. Also seek to study a portion of the Scriptures each week. If you are having
a difficult time deciding what portion of Scripture to read, study, and meditate on,
get some ideas from your discipling partner.

4. Decide today to make serving the brothers and sisters in your local church a priority
in your life and then seek to implement that commitment in some specific ways this
week.

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 Session 14
Committing To The Local Church

“You are no lover of Christ if you do not love His children. As soon as ever the
heart is given to the Master of the house, it is given to the children of the house.
Love Christ and you will soon love all that love Him...

I am told that Christians do not love each other. I am very sorry if that be true, but
I rather doubt it, for I suspect that those who do not love each other are not
Christians…

Will you follow the wicked policy of separating your own personal interests from
those of your Redeemer and his church? If so your ship is wrecked before it leaves the
harbour. You are no child of God if this principle holds the mastery over you. Your
salvation lies not in your separation from Christ and his church, but in your union
with them. Over the sea of life there is no passing in safety but in the vessel which
carries your Lord and his disciples…

If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never
have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should
have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a
member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

In this session, we are going to examine the Biblical teaching on commitment to a local
church. Although it is common for believers to “float” around between various churches
and never make a serious commitment to any of them, this is not what we find in
Scripture. Obedience to the Biblical teaching about commitment to a local church
includes submitting to spiritual leaders, restoring those who fall into sin, and
supporting the mission of the church.

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BIBLE STUDY

Submitting To Spiritual Leaders

1. Read 1 Thess. 5:12-13.

46. What are the responsibilities of the leaders of the church mentioned in this
passage? To diligently labor among and have charge over the members of the
church.
47. What are the responsibilities of the members of the church mentioned in this
passage? To appreciate and esteem very highly in love the leaders of the church.
To live in peace with others in the church, including the leaders.

2. Read Hebrews 13:7,17

● What are the responsibilities of the leaders of the church mentioned in these
verses? To lead, speak the word of God, exercise faith, and watch over the souls
of those in the church.
● What are the responsibilities of the members of the church mentioned in these
verses? To remember the leaders, consider the result of their conduct, imitate
their faith, obey them, and submit to them.
● Why are the members of the church to obey and submit to their leaders? Because
they keep watch over their souls and must give an account, but if they will obey
and submit, the leaders will be able to do their job with joy and not with grief.

Restoring Believers Who Have Fallen Into Sin

1. Read Matthew 18:15-17.

● When are we to get involved in restoring a believer who has fallen into sin?
(Compare Gal. 6:1). When he sins or is caught in a trespass
● What is the first step to restoring them? Go and show him his fault in private
● If he/she listens to you, what happens? The process stops, because you have won
your brother
● If he/she does not listen to you, what is the next step? Take 1 or 2 more with you
and show him his fault
● Why is it important to have two or three witnesses at this step? So that every fact
may be confirmed - either the facts concerning his sin he is not repentant of, or
the fact that once reproved he is or is not repentant

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 ● If he/she does not listen to the two or three witnesses, what is to happen? Tell it
to the church - it is to become public knowledge within the committed members
of the church
● What must the church do? Speak to the erring brother urging to repent
● If he/she does not listen to the church, what must the church do? Refuse to
associate with him/her.
● In the 1st century, how would a Jew treat a Gentile and a tax collector? They
would have nothing to do with them.

2. Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.

● What was the problem in the church at Corinth that needed to be dealt with (vs.
1)? A man was having sexual relations with his father’s wife.
● How had the church responded to this problem (vs. 2)? They simply allowed it to
continue. They did not mourn over this man’s sin. Instead they were arrogant
about how tolerant they were.
● What will happen if the open practicing of sin is not dealt with in the church
(vs.6)? It will function like leaven, spreading throughout the whole church.
● What are some sins that a professing Christian must be disciplined for (vs.11)?
Sexual immorality, covetousness, idolatry, reviling, drunkenness, swindling
● What was Paul’s solution to the problem (vs. 9-13)? They were not to associate
with him - not even to eat with him.

3. Read Romans 16:17 and Titus 3:10.

● How must the church respond to a person who causes divisions in the church
and will not repent? Turn away from and reject him/her

Supporting The Mission Of The Church

1. Read Mt. 28:18-20.

● According to Jesus Christ, what is the mission of the church? To make disciples
of all the nations
● How should you be involved in accomplishing that mission? Preaching the
gospel, baptizing, and then teaching new converts how to obey Jesus in all things.

STEPS TO TAKE

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1. Have you made a commitment to a specific local church where you can live out the
New Testament commands to submit to spiritual leaders, restore fallen believers,
and support the mission of the church by becoming a member of that church? If not,
discuss with your discipling partner how you can make that commitment.

2. Discuss with your discipling partner how you can submit to and support the
leader(s) of your local church, even when you disagree with a decision they have
made.

3. Is there a professing Christian in your church that is living in unrepentant sin? If so,
discuss with your discipling partner how you should respond.

4. Discuss with your discipling partner how you are doing at supporting the mission of
your local church financially and at being involved in its evangelistic outreaches.

5. Recite John 13:34-35 to your discipling partner. Recite a few of your other verses.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over
your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with
grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Mt. 18:15-17.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Heb. 13:17. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Practice the spiritual disciplines of reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating

on Scripture, as well as prayer.

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4. If you have not done so, contact the Pastor(s) of your local church this week to
find out how you can make a commitment to your local church.

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 Session 15
The Use Of Time

“Time is precious because:

1) A happy or miserable eternity depends on the good or ill improvement of it;
2) It is very short. The scarcity of any commodity occasions men to set a higher
value upon it. Time is so short, and the work which we have to do in it is so
great, that we have none of it to spare. The work which we have to do to prepare
for eternity, must be done in time, or it never can be done.
3) We are uncertain of its continuance;
4) When it is past, it can't be recovered.”
-- Jonathan Edwards

“I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus
of life, between two boundless oceans.”
-- John Wesley

“Heaven will pay for any loss we may suffer to gain it; but nothing can pay for the
loss of heaven.”
-- Richard Baxter

“The great weight of eternity hangs upon the small wire of time.”
--Thomas Brooks

INTRODUCTION

There are few things more important for someone who wants his life to count for
eternity, than a disciplined use of his time. Jonathan Edwards was absolutely right,
“Time is so short, and the work we have to do in it is so great, that we have none of it to
spare.” If you are going to mature into a godly and faithful disciple, you must learn to
discipline your use of time for the glory of God.

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BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Ephesians 5:15-17.

● What does God call us to do with our time (vs.16)? Make the most of it - Redeem
it - Buy it back.
● What will we be characterized by if we do this (vs.15)? Wisdom
● What is making the most of our time equated with in verse 17?
The Will of the Lord.

2. Read James 4:14.

● What does James compare our lives to?
A vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
● When we are unsure how long we will have something (our spouse, job, home,
etc.) how do we value it?
We value it much more greatly than something that we are sure to have for a long
time.

3. Read 1 Peter 1:17

● How does Peter describe the length of our lives?
The time of your stay on earth.
● How are we to live out the length of our lives?
In the fear of God.
● Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Time is precious because a happy or miserable
eternity depends on the improvement of it.” Do you agree or disagree with that
statement? Why?
I agree because our future eternal state is dependent on what we do with our time
in this life.

4. There are many things that, if we lose, we may still get back (house, job,
fortune, etc.). Is that true with our time? How should that affect our
estimation of time? No, once time has passed, we can never get it back.

5. Read Psalm 90:10-12.

● How does the Psalmist describe the length of our lives (vs.10)?
70 or 80 years
● Does the Psalmist view this as a long or short time? What in the text leads you to
that conclusion?

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 A short time - he says “soon it is gone”
● What should we do in light of the brevity of life (vs.12)?
We should pray God would teach us to number our days so that we would present
to Him a heart of wisdom.
● When a commodity of something is scarce (rubies, gold, diamonds, food, etc.)
how does our valuation of it change?
We value it much more greatly.
● How then should we value the time we have upon this earth?
We should assign it an infinite value.

6. Read 1 Cor. 6:19-20.

● Who do we belong to? Why?
God, because we have been bought by the blood of Christ.
● Therefore, how must we live in light of that truth?
We must glorify God in our body.
● What does this passage have to say about how we should use our time?
We should use our time to glorify God.

7. Read John 9:4-5.

● What did Jesus mean by “as long as it is day”? What did He mean by “night is
coming”? Compare vs.5.
Day = while I am in this world. Night = after I leave this world.
● What did Jesus say He and His disciples must do in light of the fact that night is
coming when no one can work?
They must do the works of God.
● What significance does the word “must” have in this sentence?
Jesus considered this as absolutely essential, not an option to consider.

8. Read 1 Cor. 15:58.

● In light of the fact that we are hastening toward eternity (1 Cor.15:51-57), how
then should we spend our time (vs.58)?
Always abounding in the work of the Lord.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Judging by the way you spend your time, how valuable do you really believe your
time on earth is?
_______________________________________________________

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2. If you were planning a trip through the desert on a camel, and only had a limited
amount of water you could take on the trip, and didn’t know if it would run out
before you made it to your destination, how would you value that water? How does
that illustration apply to how we should value and invest our time?
_______________________________________________________

3. What would you think of someone who every morning took a $20 bill out of his
wallet, struck a match, and burned it up? What should we think of ourselves when
we deliberately squander away precious time that God has given us?
__________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

4. How do you think people now in hell consider the time they squandered on earth?
How much would they be willing to give to get that time back?
__________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

5. Read 2 Cor. 5:10. Do you believe we will have to give an account to God for how we
used our time? Why or why not? Compare Mt. 12:36-37.
__________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Identify the biggest time time wasters in your life. Discuss with your discipling
partner how you can begin to use your time in a way that glorifies God. Ask your
discipling partner to ask you how you are doing with this next week.

2. If you resist the temptation to waste your time on unimportant and inconsequential
things, you will find that you have a lot more time in your day. Discuss with your
discipling partner what kinds of things you can spend your time on that will glorify
God.

3. Recite Hebrews 13:17 to your discipling partner. Recite a few of your other verses.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

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1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the
Lord.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Ephesians 5:15-17.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 1 Cor. 15:58. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Practice the spiritual disciplines of reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating

on Scripture, as well as prayer.

4. Each day jot down on a piece of paper the most important things you need to do for
that day and place each of them in their true order of importance. Then set about
accomplishing each one in order. Resist the temptation to do something else, until
these things are completed. If you don’t complete all of them, just transfer the
uncompleted tasks to tomorrow’s list. Try this for the next week.

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 Session 16
Money and Possessions

“Money never stays with me. It would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands
as soon as possible, lest it should find its way into my heart.”
-- John Wesley

“God can have our money and not have our hearts, but He cannot have our hearts
without having our money.”
-- R. Kent Hughes

“The less I spent on myself and the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and
blessing did my soul become.”
-- Hudson Taylor

“God prospers us, not to raise our standard of living, but our standard of giving.”
-- Randy Alcorn

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”
-- Jim Elliott

INTRODUCTION

Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables of Jesus deal with money. One out of ten verses in
the New Testament deals with that subject. Scripture offers about five hundred verses
on prayer, fewer than five hundred on faith, and over two thousand on money. In fact,
15% of everything Jesus said relates to the topic of money and possessions - more than
His teaching on heaven and hell combined! Obedience to Jesus Christ demands that we
learn to use our money and possessions according to His will in a way that glorifies
Him.

BIBLE STUDY

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1. Read Luke 19:1-10.
● What did Jesus see in Zacheus’ life that made him say “Today salvation has come
to this house” (vs.8-9)? In other words, what was the outward observable
evidence of Zacheus’ salvation? The fact that he was going to use his money and
possessions to relieve the suffering of the poor and pay back anyone that he had
defrauded. His use of money proved his true conversion!

2. Read Luke 18:18-25.

● Did this rich young ruler obey Jesus’ command to sell all and follow him? Do you
think he was saved? What was the outward evidence that he was not saved?
No, he didn’t obey. He was not converted. His unwillingness to worship Christ
instead of money proved he was not saved.

3. Read Luke 3:9-14.

● What does Jesus say we must bring forth in order to escape judgment (vs.9)?
Fruits in keeping with repentance.
48. What three groups of people does Jesus address in vs.10-14?
The multitude, the tax-collectors, and the soldiers.
● What do all His instructions about the fruit they must bring forth have in
common?
In every instance, Jesus explained fruit in keeping with repentance as the way
they used their money and possessions.

4. Read Mt. 25:14-30.

● Jesus speaks about three different slaves. Who do they represent? They represent
us - Christians.
● Whose money/ possessions were they to use? What ramifications does that have
for our lives? They used the Master’s money/possessions. All that we have is not
ours, but God’s. We are simply His money & possessions in the way He wants.
● What does the Master do when he comes back (vs.19)? How does that apply to
us? He settles accounts with them. He requires them to answer for how they have
used his money. It will be the same with us. We will have to give an account as to
how we have used God’s money/possessions when Christ returns.

5. Read Mt. 6:19-21.

● According to Jesus, why shouldn’t we store up for ourselves treasures on earth?
Because treasures we store up on earth won’t last.

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 ● Imagine you are living at the end of the Civil War and are living in the South,
even though you are a Northerner. You plan to move home as soon as the war is
over. While in the South you have accumulated lots of Confederate currency.
However, you know for a fact that the North is going to win the war and the end
is imminent. What would you do with your Confederate money? Why? Would it
be smart or stupid to store up Confederate money? How does that apply to our
lives?
You would cash in your Confederate currency for U.S. currency, and keep only
enough Confederate currency to meet your short-term needs. It would be
extremely stupid to store up Confederate money knowing you couldn’t use it
shortly. We too, should store up as much of our treasures in heaven where they
will reap eternal dividends, and keep just as much as we need for our current
needs.
● What does Jesus command us to do in vs.20? Store up for ourselves treasures in
heaven.
● What significance does the little phrase “for yourselves” in vs.20 have? Its
significance is that when we invest our wealth in the kingdom of God, we are
actually promoting our own best interests.

According to Jesus Christ, we can’t take our wealth with us, but we can send it on ahead.
Anything we try to hang on to here will be lost, but all that we put into God’s hands will
be ours for eternity. If we give instead of keep, if we invest in the eternal instead of in
the temporal, we store up treasures in heaven that will never stop paying dividends.
Whatever treasures we store up on earth will be left behind when we leave. Whatever
treasures we store up in heaven will be waiting for us when we arrive.

Suppose I offered you one thousand dollars today to spend however you wanted, or
offered you ten million dollars one year from now and that amount every after that,
what would you choose? Only a fool would take the thousand dollars today. When we
grab on to something that will last only a moment, forgoing something far more
valuable that we could enjoy later for much longer, we are not just making the wrong
decision. We are making a foolish decision.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between an owner and a steward? Consult a dictionary.

_______________________________________________________

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2. When you make spending decisions, do you think like an owner, or like God’s money
manager?
_______________________________________________________

3. Before making spending decisions, do you remind yourself that it is God’s money,
and ask Him if this is how He wants His money spent?
________________________________________________________

4. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily
toward his treasures. To him death is gain. He who spends his life moving away from
his treasures has reason to despair. He who spends his life moving toward his
treasures has reason to rejoice. Are you despairing or rejoicing?
_________________________________________________________

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Talk with your discipling partner about how you are currently using your money and
possessions, and how much you are currently giving to others and for the work of
God. Discuss how you can be a more faithful steward, lay up more treasures for
yourself in heaven, and experience more joy from giving.

2. Recite 1 Cor. 15:58 to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or
steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: 2 Cor. 9:6-7.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Mt. 6:19-21. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

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2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines of reading, studying, memorizing, and

meditating on Scripture, as well as prayer.

4. Come up with a written plan on how you will faithfully use your money and
possessions for God’s glory.

Some of the material for this session was adapted from The Treasure Principle, Randy
Alcorn, 2001, Multnomah Publishers.

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 Session 17
Humility

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.”

-- Anonymous

“There are but two objects that I have ever desired for these forty years to behold; the
one is my own vileness; and the other is, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ:
and I have always thought that they should be viewed together; just as Aaron
confessed all the sins of all Israel whilst he put them on the head of the scapegoat…
Repentance is in every view so desirable, so necessary, so suited to honor God, that I
seek that above all. The tender heart, the broken and contrite spirit, are to me far
above all the joys that I could ever hope for in this vale of tears. I long to be in my
proper place, my hand on my mouth, and my mouth in the dust. . . . I feel this to
be safe ground. Here I cannot err. . . . I am sure that whatever God may
despise . . . He will not despise the broken and contrite heart.”
-- Charles Simeon

“The best definition of humility I ever heard was this: to think rightly of ourselves.
When you are half an inch above the ground, you are that half-inch too high. Your
place is to be nothing.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

Of all the graces, humility is one of the most attractive. A proud, arrogant person drives
people away, while a humble servant of Christ attracts others. As you grow as a disciple
of Jesus Christ, it is imperative that you also grow in humility. Having a spirit of
humility is the opposite of having a spirit of self-importance. Humility enables a disciple
to have a teachable spirit. If you are going to follow Christ, you must be humble.

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Otherwise, your pride will make you unteachable, and you will never learn from Christ
and others.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Look up the definition of “humility” in a dictionary. What does it mean?

the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people

2. Read Mt. 20:20-28.

● Why were the 10 indignant with James and John (20:24)?
Because they were seeking to exalt themselves over them

● What did Jesus say was the usual way the world operates regarding authority?
They operate on a top down basis, lording it over and exercising authority over
those underneath them

● In contrast to that, how is the church supposed to function?

The leaders are supposed to humble themselves as servants, rather than seeking
to be exalted by the church

● What kind of example did Jesus Christ set for us (20:28)? How did He
demonstrate humility?
Jesus came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many

3. Read Phil. 2:3-11.

● What is humility the opposite of (vs.3)? Selfishness or empty conceit

● What does humility look like when it is exercised in the church (vs.3-4)? People
regard one another as more important than themselves and they don’t just
consider their own personal interests, but also the interests of others

● How did Jesus manifest humility (vs.5-8)? He didn’t cling to His rights as God
but emptied Himself of His exalted position, took the form of a bond-servant,
and obeyed the Father even to the point of death on a cross

● How did God respond to Jesus’ amazing display of humility (vs.9-11)?

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 God highly exalted Christ and gave Him the name which is above every name
making sure that every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is
Lord

4. Read James 4:6-10.

● What is God’s response to the proud? He is opposed to the proud

● What is God’s response to the humble? He gives grace to the humble

● How should we manifest humility in relation to God (vs.7)?

We should submit to Him

● What will God do if we humble ourselves before Him? (vs.10)

He will exalt us

5. Read James 1:21.

● According to this verse, how are we to exercise humility?
By receiving God’s Word which is implanted in our souls

● What do you think that looks like?

It would include hearing the preaching of the Word with a heart eager to submit
to it and obey it, even when difficult
6. Read the following passages and jot down what you learn about how we
are to exercise humility:
● Rom.12:3 we should not think more highly of ourself than we ought, but should
consider what faith and gifts God has given us
● Ps. 115:1 we should ascribe all the glory for the good that happens through us to
God who enabled us to do the good
● John 13:1-5; 12-17 we should willingly serve others doing the least desirable jobs
● Romans 7:18 acknowledging that there is nothing good in us but what the Lord
does in us

Humility is a beautiful character quality. It is wrought in us by the power of the Holy

Spirit. Just as Jesus was humble in heart (Mt. 11:29), so too are all of His followers. This
humility manifests itself in unselfishness, considering the needs of others, giving up our
personal “rights”, serving others, submitting to God and His Word, and ascribing all the
good in our lives to God. However, our problem is that we are naturally proud and
selfish. We may want to be humble, but all too often find that we are really proud. How
can we change from being proud and selfish to being humble and unselfish?

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7. Read the following Scriptures and jot down how we can begin to
manifest humility in our lives.
● Is. 6:1-5 Meditate on God’s perfect holiness and our own sinfulness in
comparison
● Luke 18:9-14 Engage in deep heartfelt repentance because of our sin
● Prov. 28:13 Confess and forsake our sin
● 2 Cor. 3:18 Spend time beholding the glory of the Lord in worship and the Word

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Take some time to consider your life and pinpoint one or two areas of pride. Confess
these to your discipling partner. Commit to pray for one another in this area.

2. Memorize Phil. 2:3-5. This week when you find yourself slipping back into
responding in pride instead of humility, recite that verse to yourself, and turn it into
prayer to God.

3. Seek to discover a situation in which you can serve others and put them before
yourself. Discuss this with your discipling partner. Commit to implementing that
idea this week.

2. Recite Mt. 6:19-21 to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Philippians 2:3-5, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility
of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out
for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in
yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: James 4:10.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

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1. Memorize Phil. 2:3-5. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines of reading, studying, memorizing, and

meditating on Scripture, as well as prayer.

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 Session 18
Forgiveness

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the
inexcusable in you.”
-- C. S. Lewis

“Whenever I see myself before God and realize something of what my blessed Lord
has done for me at Calvary, I am ready to forgive anybody anything. I cannot
withhold it. I do not even want to withhold it.”
-- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“No prayers can be heard which do not come from a forgiving heart.”
-- J. C. Ryle

“You are nothing better than deceitful hypocrites if you harbor in your minds a
single unforgiving thought. There are some sins which may be in the heart, and yet
you may be saved. But you cannot be saved unless you are forgiving. If we do not
choose to forgive, we choose to be damned.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

It is absolutely essential that followers of Christ forgive those who sin against them. The
basic idea of forgiveness is “to release a debt.” In other words, if we consider all the evil
actions of those who wrong us as a debt they owe us, to forgive them is to cancel that
debt, so they are released from ever having to pay us back.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Matthew 6:9-15.

• How does Jesus teach us we are to pray for our own forgiveness (vs.12)?

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 We are to pray that God would forgive us just as we have forgiven others!

● What does Jesus mean in verses 14-15? Is Jesus teaching that a person will
obtain salvation if they forgive others? Consult Eph. 2:8-9 and Titus 3:4-7.
Jesus can’t be teaching that we are saved by forgiving others, for that would
contradict other plain teachings of Scripture which teach we are saved by grace
through faith. Our salvation has nothing to do with us. It is accomplished by
Christ alone, and granted to us as a gift. Jesus is either teaching that our
relationship with Him (parental forgiveness, not judicial forgiveness) will suffer
if we do not forgive others, or He is teaching that someone who has experienced
God’s forgiveness will evidence that by forgiving others. In other words, our
forgiveness of others is the fruit, not the root of our own forgiveness by God.

● How important is it for us to forgive others, according to Jesus?

It is vital! It will affect your relationship with Him, and is one of the necessary
evidences that you have become a Christian.

2. Read Matthew 18:21-35.

● How often must we forgive someone who sins against us? What did Jesus mean
by saying “up to seventy times seven”?
We must forgive another up to seventy times seven. Jesus was deliberately
exaggerating, using an impossibly high number, in order to make the point that
there is no limit to the number of times we must forgive someone else.

● Who does the servant who owed 10,000 talents to his king represent in this
parable (vs.24)?
He represents us.

● Who does the slave who owed the servant 100 denarii represent?
He represents the person who has sinned against us.

● What is the point of this parable (vs.32-35)?

The point is that if God has forgiven us, we must forgive others who have
wronged us, especially considering that their debt to us pales in consideration of
our debt to God.

● What should you meditate on the next time you need to forgive someone?
I should meditate on how great my sins are in the sight of God, and how He has
freely forgiven them all.

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3. Read Ephesians 4:30 - 5:2.
● According to vs. 32, what should you consider when you know you need to
forgive someone?
I should consider how God in Christ has forgiven me, and then seek to forgive
others in the same way.

● What evil fruits are likely to be in your life, if you refuse to forgive others (vs.31)?
Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice.

● What will a spirit of unforgiveness in your life do to the Holy Spirit who dwells in
you (vs.30)?
A spirit of unforgiveness will grieve the Holy Spirit.

PRACTICAL QUESTIONS TO PONDER

● Do you think that we are only obligated to forgive those who apologize to us or
repent, because God only forgives those who repent (Rom.2:5)? Or do you believe
we should forgive all who wrong us? Why do you believe the way you do?
I believe we must forgive all men. God is in a whole category than us. He is perfectly
holy, and omniscient, able to read the hearts of men. We are sinful, fallen, and have
limited knowledge, unable to read the hearts and motives of others. Thus, we must
freely forgive others of their wrongs against us whether we know they have repented
or not.

2. Does God’s command for us to forgive us mean we must forget that it ever
happened, or trust the person to the same extent in the future? For example, if a
family relative had been sexually abusing your small child, though you must forgive
him, would you trust that family member to be alone with your child? Give reasons
for why you believe as you do.
Forgiving does not mean that we have no memory of the wrong ever happening. Nor
does it mean that we should trust the offender to the same extent in the future. We
must use godly wisdom and prudence in all such matters. It does mean we must
release that person from the debt we think they owe to us.

STEPS TO TAKE

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1. Take some time to think and pray about whether there is anyone that has done harm
to you that you have not forgiven. If so, confess these situations to your discipling
partner. Pray together, releasing that person from any debt to you before God.

2. Memorize Eph. 4:32.

3. Recite Phil. 2:3-5 to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as
God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Matthew 6:14-15.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Eph. 4:32. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly. Remember
to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Continue to cultivate the spiritual disciplines of reading, studying, memorizing, and

meditating on Scripture, as well as prayer. Seek to do these disciplines as a means to
enjoy and delight in God, not as raw duties to be endured. Look at these studies as a
way for you to develop your loving, obedient relationship with God.

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 Module 4

Making Disciples

19. Fasting
20. Spiritual Gifts
21. Evangelism
22. The Cost of Discipleship
23. Disciples Making Disciples
24. Catching A World Vision

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 Session 19
Fasting

“Do you have a hunger for God? If we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation
of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is
because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with
small things, and there is no room for the great. If we are full of what the world
offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul's appetite for God.
Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is the path of pleasant pain
called fasting… That's what I think fasting is at heart. It's an intensification of
prayer. It's a physical explanation point at the end of the sentence, "We hunger for
you to come in power." It's a cry with your body, "I really mean it, Lord! This
much, I hunger for you.". . .The absence of fasting is the measure of our contentment
with the absence of Christ.”
-- John Piper

“If you say "I will fast when God lays it on my heart," you never will. You are too
cold and indifferent to take the yoke upon you.”
-- D. L. Moody

INTRODUCTION

By far, fasting is the most difficult and neglected Biblical practice in most believers’
lives, at least here in the United States. That is truly amazing, considering that the Bible
mentions fasting more often than something as important as baptism (fasting is
mentioned 77 times, while baptism is mentioned 75 times). No doubt, the reason we
dislike fasting and don’t practice it very much is because it cuts against the grain of our
fleshly, self-indulgent lifestyles.

In this session we want to explore the reasons for and benefits of fasting. The reason we
included a session on Fasting in the Module on Making Disciples is because in order to
aggressively extend the kingdom of God we must be willing to do battle with the enemy
by using those weapons our Lord has given us, including fasting and prayer. Arthur

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Wallis, author of God’s Chosen Fast has written, “In giving us the privilege of fasting
as well as praying, God has added a powerful weapon to our spiritual armory. In her
folly and ignorance the Church has largely looked upon it as obsolete. She has thrown
it down in some dark corner to rust, and there it has lain forgotten for centuries. An
hour of impending crisis for the Church and the world demands its recovery.” Let’s
not neglect any weapon which our Lord has given us to fight the good fight of faith.

BIBLE STUDY

1. What does it mean to fast? If you are unsure, look up its meaning in a
dictionary. 1) to abstain from all food; 2. to eat only sparingly or of certain kinds
of food, especially as a religious observance.

2. What do the following Scriptures reveal about whether Jesus envisioned

fasting as part of a disciple’s life?
49. Mt. 6:16-18 (compare 6:2 and 6:5) “Jesus said, when you fast, not if you fast.”
50. Mt. 9:14-15 “Jesus said, “then My disciples will fast.”

3. In order to get a comprehensive Biblical view of fasting, we are going to

survey the major portions of God’s Word on fasting from beginning to
end. Read the following Scriptures and record 1) who is fasting; 2) what
he was fasting from; 3) what he was fasting for; and 4) how long he
fasted.
● Deut. 9:9
Who? - Moses.
What from? All food and drink.
What for? Unclear. Perhaps because being in the immediate presence of God, he
neither needed nor desired food or drink.
How long? 40 days and nights. This was a supernatural fast which we can not
duplicate unless the Lord were to miraculously sustain us.

● Judges 20:24-28
Who? All the sons of Israel
What from? Not stated.
What for? Mourning for slaughter of dead. Prayer for victory over enemies.
How long? Part of a day - until evening

● 1 Sam. 7:1-6

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 Who? The sons of Israel
What from? Not stated
What for? As an expression of repentance from idolatry
How long? That day

● 2 Sam. 12:15-20 (read 2 Sam. 11:1-12:14 for context of the story)

Who? David
What from? All food
What for? Praying for healing for sick child
How long? 7 days

● 2 Chron. 20:1-4 (also read 20:5-25 to see how the story ends)
Who? All the inhabitants of Judah (southern kingdom)
What from? Not stated
What for? Victory over enemies
How long? Not stated

● Ezra 10:1-6
Who? Ezra
What from? Bread or water
What for? Mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles
How long? Not stated

● Esther 4:16 (if you are unfamiliar with this story, read 1:1 - 4:15 to gain context)
Who? All the Jews in Susa
What from? Any food or drink
What for? For Esther because she was going to approach the King on behalf of
her people
How long? 3 Days and Nights

● Is. 58:1-7
Who? God’s people and the House of Jacob
What from? Not stated
What for? God wanted it to be to humble themselves, to loosen the bonds of
wickedness, let the oppressed go free, break every yoke, divide the bread with the
hungry, bring the homeless poor into the house, and clothe the naked
How long? Not stated

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● Daniel 10:1-14 (esp. vs.3)
Who? Daniel
What from? Any tasty food, meat, wine, or use ointment
What for? He was mourning (2), humbling himself before God (12), and setting
himself to understand the vision (12)
How long? three weeks

● Joel 2:12-17
Who? The nation of Israel (solemn assembly, congregation)
What from? Not stated
What for? As an expression of repentance (rend your hearts, mourning, weeping)
How long? Not stated

● Jonah 3:5-9 (if you are unaware of this story, read 1:1 - 3:4 as context)
Who? All the people of Nineveh
What from? All food or drink
What for? To cry to God to relent and withdraw His burning anger so they would
not perish
How long? Not stated

● Mt. 4:1-11
Who? Jesus
What from? All food (doesn’t mention He became thirsty - vs.2)
What for? Preparation for His ministry
How long? 40 days

● Luke 2:36-38
Who? Anna the prophetess
What from? Not stated
What for? fellowship with God
How long? Continually

● Acts 9:1-9
Who? Saul
What from? All food and drink
What for? Not stated, but may have to do with seeking the Lord after Christ was
revealed to him

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 How long? 3 days

● Acts 13:1-3
Who? Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul
What from? Not stated
What for? To minister to the Lord originally; then for the success of the first
missionary venture
How long? Not stated

● Acts 14:19-23
Who? Paul and Barnabas
What from? Not stated
What for? Wisdom from God as to who to appoint as Elders
How long? Not stated

4. Summarize what the Bible says about the person(s) who fasted.
It could be an individual, a small missionary team, a leadership team of a church, or
an entire nation.

5. Summarize what the Bible teaches about what various people fasted
from.
It could be from certain kinds of foods like tasty food, wine and meat, or it could be
from all food but not water, or it could be from all food and drink.

6. Summarize what the Bible teaches about the purpose(s) of fasting.

Mourning for dead, victory over enemies, to express repentance, physical healing,
mourning for sin of people, for the success of the Queen when she was to intercede
on behalf of the Jewish people, social justice, ministering to the poor, wisdom to
understand a vision, to express fervency of desire that God would relent from His
burning anger and not destroy them, preparation for ministry, fellowship with God,
to minister to the Lord, for the success and progress of the gospel, and wisdom to
know who to appoint as Elders.

7. Summarize what the Bible teaches about the length of fasts.

From part of a day to 40 days.
8. What should accompany fasting? (See Mt.17:21; Luke 2:37; Luke 5:33;
Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23) prayer

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STEPS TO TAKE

1. Set a day, with the help of your discipling partner, on which you will fast and pray
for something definite. If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor about
whether you may fast. Determine on the day you fast, to dedicate this day especially
to God and spend more time with Him in prayer than you usually do. You might
want to meet with your discipling partner for prayer together on this day. You might
also decide to fast every so often, perhaps once a month. Discuss this with your
discipling partner.

2. Recite Psalm 16:11 and 37:4 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any
insights you received while memorizing it.

3. Recite some of the other verses you have memorized to your discipling partner.

4. Recite the books of the Bible in order to your discipling partner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Mt. 6:16-18, “And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do,
for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you,
they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your
face so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize Mt. 6:16-18. Work on these verses until you can repeat them perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session. Seek to find delight and joy in your studies as
you learn of God and His will for you, rather than simply do it so that you can check
it off your To Do list.

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3. Spend some time each day reading the Scriptures and talking to God about what you
have read. Strive to make this a habit of your life. Usually, it is best to do this in the
morning, before your other responsibilities.

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 Session 20
Spiritual Gifts

“A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any
ministry of the church”
-- Wayne Grudem

“Whatever spiritual gifts we have, they are not our own to use as we please; they are
only entrusted to us that we may employ them to help our fellow-Christians.”
-- Charles Spurgeon

INTRODUCTION

Spiritual gifts are God’s enablements to help believers serve others and bring Him glory.
They can be looked on as divine tools to help us do the will of the Father. Some believers
are cessationists - that is, they believe that some of the more supernatural gifts like
healing, tongues, and prophecy have ceased after the death of the apostles. Other
Christians are continuationists, believing that all of the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians
12-14 are still available to the church today. In this study, we will take the
continuationist position, and encourage the disciple to look to God in expectation and
trust for whatever He wants to do in and through him.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read 1 Peter 4:10-11.

● How many believers have been given one or more spiritual gifts?
All believers.
● What are we supposed to do with our spiritual gifts?
Employ them; put them to work.
● What title does Peter give Christians in vs.10? What does that title mean?
Stewards. A steward is a servant who serves his master by managing his affairs
and/or resources for him. He must give an account to him for how he has done
this.

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 ● Peter divides spiritual gifts into two categories. What are those categories?
Serving gifts and speaking gifts.
● What should be our main, overarching concern in the use of spiritual gifts?
that God is glorified

2. Read 1 Cor. 12:1-11.

● Why does God give various manifestations of the Spirit (vs.7)?
For the common good.
● Upon what basis do believers receive their spiritual gifts (vs.11)?
The Sovereign Spirit distributes these gifts to us as He wills.

3. Read Rom. 12:3-8

● What kind of an attitude should believers have towards one another (vs.3)?
We should have an attitude of humility and honesty toward one another.
● What truths about the body of Christ do you see in verses 4 & 5?
1) The body of Christ is one; 2) the body of Christ is comprised of many
members; 3) all the members of the body do not have the same function.
● What must we do with our spiritual gifts (vs.6)?
Exercise them. They are like a muscle that we need to continually exercise in
order to be able to use them at maximum capacity.

4. Read 1 Cor. 14:1-5.

● What is different about prophecy from the other spiritual gifts (vs.1)?
It appears to be that gift which we should desire above all the rest.
● Who is the one who prophesies speaking to? Who is the one who is speaking in
tongues speaking to (Vs. 2-3)?
The one who prophesies speaks to men; the one who speaks in a tongue speaks to
God.
● Will the interpretation of a tongue be directed to men or God?
It will be directed to God.
● What are the three results we can expect from a prophecy?
Edification, exhortation, and consolation.
● Is the gift of tongues or prophecy more important when the church gathers
(Vs.5,18-19)? Where and when should we primarily use the gift of tongues?
Prophecy is more important. Most of the time tongues will be used in our own
private devotional relationship with God.

Spiritual Gifts Defined

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Below is a short and simple definition of each spiritual gift. Read each of them with your
discipling partner, and discuss whether the Lord may have given you that particular gift
or not.

Prophecy: “reporting something that God has spontaneously brought to mind.”

Service: “the Spirit-prompted desire and ability to give one self to the service of
others.”

Teaching: “the ability to explain Scripture and apply it to people’s lives.”

Exhortation: “the ability to urge others to a godly course of action.”

Giving: “the ability and desire to generate and distribute wealth in order to support
the poor, missions, and the various ministries of the local church.”

Leading: “the ability to provide leadership and vision to the local church.”

Mercy: “the ability to provide emotional and practical help to the suffering.”

As you read through the simple definition of those gifts, did you identify any of them
that you think you may have? These gifts are sometimes called motivational gifts,
because the person who has them is motivated by a strong desire to use them to
strengthen others.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

The word of wisdom: “the ability to give wisdom so that a godly decision can be
made.” Example: Acts 15:1-29.

The word of knowledge: “the ability to receive divine knowledge of some fact that
would be impossible otherwise.” Example: Mt. 17:27.

Faith: “the supernatural ability to believe God to do miraculous works.” Example:

John 11:38-44

Gifts of Healing: “the ability to pray for the sick so that they recover.” Example:
Mark 2:32-34

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Effecting of Miracles: “the ability to manifest God’s mighty power to accomplish His
will.” Example: Luke 8:22-25; 9:12-17.

The Distinguishing of Spirits: “the ability to recognize the influence of the Holy
Spirit or demonic spirits in a person.” It may also refer to “the ability discern whether a
prophecy is from God or not.” Example: Acts 16:16-18; 1 Cor. 14:29.

Tongues: “the ability to pray to or praise God in syllables not understood by the
speaker.”

The Interpretation of Tongues: “the ability to interpret and report a message given
to the church in tongues. Since tongues are addressed to God, the interpretation of
tongues will also be addressed to God, not to men.”

The gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12 are sometimes referred to as the
miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Discuss with your discipling partner these gifts and
whether the Lord may have given you any of them.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Having taken time to discuss with your discipling partner what gift(s) the Lord may
have given you, seek to determine how He would desire you use them for His glory.
In what context or settings can you best use your Spirit-empowered gifts? Decide
what you will do to be faithful in the stewardship of the gift(s) the Lord has given
you.

2. Confess to your discipling partner if you have been unfaithful in the exercise of your
spiritual gift(s). Memorize Phil. 2:3-5. This week when you find yourself slipping
back into responding in pride instead of humility, recite that verse to yourself, and
turn it into prayer to God.

3. Recite Mt. 6:16-18 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received as you committed that passage to memory.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

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1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: 1 Cor. 12:7, 11.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

1. Memorize 1 Peter 4:10. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines you have learned in this training
manual. However, seek to cultivate these disciplines in your life, not merely as a duty
to be performed, but as fellowship with God to be enjoyed!

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 Session 21
Evangelism

“When Christians evangelize, they are not engaging in some harmless and pleasant
pastime. They are engaging in a fearful struggle, the issues of which are eternal.”
-- Leon Morris

“To refuse to evangelize is as sinful as to commit adultery or murder.”

-- John Blanchard

“Evangelism in the New Testament sense is the vocation of every believer and there
is therefore something radically wrong when we imply that personal evangelism is
the province of those who have the time and/or inclination to take special courses
and learn special techniques.”
-- Roland Allen

“The church has nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this
work. It is not your business to speak so many times, but to save souls as many souls
as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.”
-- John Wesley

“Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we
are called to be and do.”
-- Robert Coleman

“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side
of hell.”
-- David Platt

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INTRODUCTION

A maturing disciple will pray and labor to bring others to Christ. Having become the
recipient of matchless grace, he longs that others would experience it as well. He longs
that Christ will be glorified by others bowing at His feet and worshipping Him as Lord.
The desire for others to come to Christ is a spiritual instinct found within the heart of
every born again child of God. However, personal evangelism must be cultivated as a
discipline because we often find it very difficult to do.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Mark 1:17.

● What did Jesus call Simon and Andrew to do?
To follow Him.
● What did Jesus promise to do for them? How does that make you feel?
He promised to make them become fishers of men.

2. Read Mark 16:15-16.

● When Jesus commissioned His eleven apostles, who did He command them to
preach to?
All creation - everyone!
● What was to be the subject matter of their preaching?
They were to preach the gospel.

3. Read Mt. 28:18-20.

● Do you think that bringing lost sinners to faith in Christ was included in the
Great Commission given here, or is Jesus merely calling them to help believers
mature in their faith? Why do you answer that way (vs. 19)?
Jesus is commanding His disciples to bring men and women to faith in Christ.
We know that because we are to baptize them, which we would only do after they
had come to faith.
● Do you think this commission is only for the original eleven apostles? Look
closely at verse 20, and find two different reasons this cannot be.
This commission must be for every Christian throughout the ages because 1)
Jesus says that He will be with us always, even to the end of the age, implying
this work would continue in every age; and 2) He tells us to teach new disciples
to do everything He had commanded them. Well, He had just commanded them
to make disciples. Thus every disciple is commanded to make disciples.

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4. Read Acts 1:8.
● What did Jesus say would happen when the Holy Spirit came on His disciples?
They would receive power.
● What would happen as a result?
They would be His witnesses everywhere.
● What can we conclude will be the result of a Spirit-filled life?
A life where we bear witness for Jesus Christ.

5. Read Col. 4:5-6.

● Who are the “outsiders” in vs. 5?
They are the lost - those outside the church of Christ.
● How should we relate to them?
______________________________________________________

6. Read 2 Thess.1:6-9.
● What will happen to those friends, or family, or neighbors that we know that do
not obey the gospel (vs.8-9)?
Christ will take vengeance on them, and they will pay the penalty of eternal
destruction.

Practical Ways To Engage In Evangelism

There are many practical ways to evangelize.

● Tract Evangelism: one easy way is to carry Biblical evangelistic tracts and
pamphlets with you at all times. Wherever you go, distribute them to others. You
can give them to the employee at the check-out counter at the grocery store or
the gas station. You can leave them at restaurants or in public restrooms. You can
even use them to start discussions about God and Christ.
● Friendship Evangelism: another way to reach out to lost people is to show an
interest in people, getting to know them, so that you will have the opportunity to
share Christ with them. Invite friends, or neighbors, or family over to your home
for dinner or dessert. In conversation, share openly and candidly with them
about what God has done for you in Christ, as various topics naturally arise. You
might also organize an open house, or a block party, or have a pancake breakfast,
and invite your neighbors over for the purpose of seeing them come to Christ.

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 ● Contact Evangelism: another way to bring the gospel to lost people is to
simply go out to a public place where people naturally congregate (parks, bus
stations, laundromats, school campuses, etc.) for the purpose of speaking to
them about Christ. Bring tracts with you. You might use a spiritual belief survey
as a way of starting your conversation. Seek to share the gospel with those you
speak to.
● Bible Study Evangelism: invite non-Christians to attend an Investigative
Bible Study, in which they can read and examine what the Bible says for
themselves. You can have individual lessons on the Bible, God, Man, Jesus, and
Our Response. The beauty of this kind of evangelism is that you can develop a
relationship with the people you are reaching out to over time, so that trust is
developed by the end of your study. It also gives the non-Christian more time to
be exposed to the Word of God.
● Invitational Evangelism: this is probably the easiest method of evangelism,
but is important nonetheless. In this kind of evangelism, we simply invite our
friend or neighbor to come to church, or a special event. If they agree, make sure
you either drive with them, or meet them at the door, and sit next to them. When
the event is over, look for opportunities to ask them their thoughts on the
message given. Continue to pray for them, that the seed of the gospel would be
planted in their hearts and bring forth fruit.

A Simple Method to Share The Gospel

Many Christians want to share their faith but feel inept. When the time comes to
proclaim Christ, they can’t remember where to start or what to say. If you can simply
remember 4 words: God - Man - Jesus - Response, you can share the gospel with
others. If you only have five or ten minutes, you can use this outline to briefly but
clearly explain the good news to others.

God: Explain that God is holy, just, and sovereign. Because He is holy, He hates sin.
Because He is just, He must punish sin. Because He is sovereign, He can do whatever
He wants, and is answerable to no one. (Ex. 15:11; Is. 6:1-5; Rom.12:19; Ps.115:3)

Man: Explain that man is fallen and corrupt, and hopelessly and helplessly lost. He
does not possess a righteousness by which He can stand before God. He is undone and
will perish eternally in hell, unless he is saved. (Rom.3:9-20; Eph. 2:1-3; Mt.13:47-50)

Jesus: Explain that Jesus Christ is God and Man in one person. He was sent by His
Father to provide free salvation for a perishing world. He accomplished this salvation by

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living a perfectly righteous life, which He will credit to all who trust Him, and then
dying to pay the penalty for sin. Further, three days later, He rose from the dead,
proving that God had accepted His sacrifice for sin. (Jn. 1:1,14; 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1
Pet.3:18; Rom.4:26)

Response: Explain that this gift of salvation can only be received by a person who sees
his lost and undone sinful condition, and repents (forsakes) his sin, and trusts fully in
Christ alone to save him. (Prov.28:13; Mk. 1:15; Phil.3:9; Eph.2:8-9)

Review this outline until you have mastered it and commit to memory several different
Scriptures, so that you can share the gospel wherever you are.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. We have seen in Scripture that evangelism is something that every Christian should
be involved in, in one way or another. Make plans with your discipling partner to
reach out to lost people in one of the ways outlined above. If possible, do this
together with your discipling partner. Pray before and after this event. Then discuss
with each other what took place, and how you can be more effective at proclaiming
Christ in the future.

2. Talk to your discipling partner about coming up with a plan so that you will regularly
be involved in evangelism, instead of just every once in a while.

3. Recite 1 Pet. 4:10 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received as you committed that passage to memory.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who
has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be
condemned.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Mark 1:17; Acts 1:8.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

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1. Memorize Mark 16:15-16. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Pray and ask God to show you how you can spread the gospel to others. Then obey
Him.

4. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines you have learned in this training
manual. However, seek to cultivate these disciplines in your life, not merely as a duty
to be performed, but as fellowship with God to be enjoyed!

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 Session 22
The Cost of Discipleship

“It costs to follow Jesus Christ, but it costs more not to.”
-- Anonymous Author

“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth,
and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these
things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than
enough for us.”
-- David Platt

INTRODUCTION

Although Christ and His salvation are offered to sinners freely, the moment we put our
faith in Christ we are vitally united to Him, and His Spirit permanently indwells us.
That means that He will begin the work of conforming us to Christ. This work begins the
instant we are justified by grace through faith, and it will continue for the rest of our
life. Therefore, in a very real sense we can say “salvation is free, but a life of discipleship
will cost you everything you’ve got.”

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read Luke 14:25-26.

● Who is Jesus speaking to here? Was He speaking to those who were already
converted, in order to bring them up to a second level of Christian experience? Or
was He speaking to unbelievers who needed to be saved?

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 Jesus is speaking to the large crowds who would have consisted of every
conceivable kind of person. There would have been some in the crowd who were
just curious, others who wanted physical healing, and others who were sincerely
interested in His message. Most of these people were unbelievers needing to be
saved.
● What are the 3 things someone must be willing to do in order to be one of Jesus’
disciples (9:26,27,33)? Hate his own family and his own life; 2) carry his own
cross and come after Jesus; and 3) give all his own possessions.
● What do you think Jesus meant by “hating” our father, mother, wife, children,
brothers and sisters? Compare Mt. 10:37
It means to love his family less than Jesus. Christ must have our unswerving
allegiance, over every other human relationship.
● Was Jesus content with followers who were not committed to Him?
Absolutely not. He said they could not be His disciples.
● What is the principle Jesus is teaching in verse 26?
Christ must be our supreme love.

2. Read Luke 14:27.

● What did it mean to carry your cross in Jesus’ day?
It meant you were going to die. You were on a one-way trip and weren’t coming
back.
● How would you apply Jesus’ teaching in verse 27 to your life? What is He
requiring you to do in order to be His disciple?
Jesus is requiring that we die to our old lives of sin and follow Him wherever He
leads, no matter the suffering or cost.

3. Read Luke 14:28-32.

● In these two stories about a man building a tower or a king going out to battle,
what is Jesus teaching?
He is teaching that even men of the world, before engaging in some kind of
enterprise, whether building a tower or fighting an enemy, will carefully consider
what it will cost to complete the enterprise, and whether he has the resources
necessary to complete it.
● How would you apply His teaching in our evangelism today?
When we preach the gospel, we need to tell lost people what it will cost them, and
have them seriously consider whether they are willing to pay the price of
discipleship.

4. Read Luke 14:33.

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 ● What do you think Jesus meant by “giving all your own possessions”? Do we find
in the rest of the New Testament the requirement to literally give away all our
money and possessions when we become Christians?
In the New Testament epistles we never read that it is a requirement for a
disciple to give away all His possessions (Eph.4:28; 1 Tim. 6:17-19). Thus, this
requirement in verse 33 must mean that we must renounce personal rights to
ownership of all our possessions, and understand that it all really belongs to
Christ and must be used in the way He directs.

5. Read Luke 9:23-24.

● What three things must a person do who wants to come after Jesus?
Deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him.
● Are these requirements for everyone or just those radically committed Christians
who want to follow Him all the way?
They are for everyone. Vs. 23 says, “He was saying to THEM ALL.”
● How does Jesus rephrase denying yourself and taking up your cross in verse 24?
In vs. 24 he rephrases it to “whoever loses his life for My sake.”

6. Read Luke 9:57-62. In this passage Jesus address 3 Would-Be Disciples.

In each case, Jesus sees something in their life that is hindering them
from fully following the Master.
● What mistake was this first would-be disciple making (9:57-58)? How would you
apply this lesson to your life?
He was too quick and [Link] probably had a romantic idea of what it
would be to follow Jesus. He had not counted the cost of following Jesus. He did
not realize the hardships of life he would have to be willing to embrace.
● What mistake was the second would-be disciple making (9:59-60)? How would
you apply this lesson to your life? (Note: this would-be disciple’s father may not
have even been dead yet. He may be saying that He would follow Christ once His
father had died, and He had shown His last respects to Him. Jesus’ response
probably amounts to something like this: “Allow the spiritually dead to bury the
physically dead. As for you, be indispensable. Give your life to doing what only a
truly saved man can do. Go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom and salvation
of God through His Son.”)
He put his father’s needs before the Lord’s command.
● What mistake was the third would-be disciple making (9:61-62)? Had any of
these three guys submitted their lives to Christ as Lord? What is the Holy Spirit
teaching us through this situation?

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 He was making the mistake of exposing himself to the strong temptation to turn
back from his commitment to follow Jesus by going home to his family. No, none
of them had surrendered to Christ as Lord. The Holy Spirit is teaching that we
must unconditionally surrender to Christ as Lord if we will ever be one of His
disciples.

7. How would you summarize what is required of a disciple of Jesus Christ?

What areas in your life do you need to labor to bring into submission to
the will of Christ?
A disciple of Jesus must love Christ supremely with an unswerving allegiance, be
willing to endure whatever hardships or sufferings are necessary, renounce personal
ownership of his possessions, die to his old evil ways, and surrender unconditionally
to Christ as his Lord and Master.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Jesus taught that a potential disciple needs to count the cost of following Him.
Discuss with your discipling partner the cost of following Jesus, and how willing you
are to embrace the life of discipleship.

2. Talk to your discipling partner about those areas of your life in which you find it
especially difficult to submit to Christ’s will. Commit to pray for one another in these
areas.

3. Recite Mk. 16:15-16 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received as you committed that passage to memory.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Luke 9:23, “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he
must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Luke 14:26-27; Luke 14:33.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

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1. Memorize Luke 9:23. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly. Remember
to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Pray and ask God to help you submit yourself fully to Christ as Lord, no matter how
difficult it is or how costly it becomes.

4. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines you have learned in this training
manual. However, seek to cultivate these disciplines in your life, not merely as a duty
to be performed, but as fellowship with God to be enjoyed!

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 Session 23
Disciples Making Disciples

“Discipling men and women is the priority around which our lives should be
oriented.”
-- Robert Coleman

“Having called his men, Jesus made a practice of being with them. This was the
essence of his training program—just letting his disciples follow him.”
-- Robert Coleman

“We must decide where we want our ministry to count – in the momentary
applause of popular recognition or in the reproduction of our lives in a few chosen
people who will carry on our work after we have gone . ”
-- Robert Coleman

“If we will invest in the lives of a few at a time with the intent to reproduce and
multiply, we will make ripples that will extend beyond our line of sight.”
-- Karl Johnson

INTRODUCTION

If you have diligently pursued the lessons in this Discipleship Training Manual, and
sought to apply them to your life, you are being shaped into a true disciple of Jesus
Christ. However, the purpose of your life is not simply to become a disciple. It is also for
you to make disciples. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He left this message ringing in
the eleven apostles’ ears, “Go and make disciples of all the nations.” The purpose of this
lesson is to inspire and train you to give your life to making disciples. It is the most
important thing you can do with your life!

BIBLE STUDY

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1. Read Matthew 28:18-20. The words “Go”, “baptizing”, and “teaching”
are participles. The main driving verb of the Great Commission is “make
disciples.”
● What is the primary mission that Jesus Christ has given His church until the end
of the age?
To make disciples.
● What are we supposed to be teaching new converts?
To observe everything that Jesus has commanded.
● Since Jesus commanded the eleven to “make disciples”, does teaching new
converts to “observe all that I commanded you” include the duty for them to
make disciples?
Absolutely!
● Can we be an obedient follower of Christ, without giving our life to making
disciples?
Absolutely not!

2. Read 2 Timothy 2:2.

● Identify the four generations in this verse through which God’s truth is passed
down?
Paul, Timothy, faithful men, others.
● Was Paul’s discipleship strategy to disciple as many individuals as he could, or to
make disciples who would make disciples?
His strategy was to make disciples who would make other disciples.
● Does God want you to be content with merely learning truth, or does He want
you also to be passing that truth on to others?
He wants me to be passing truth on to others.

Spiritual Multiplication

If Eve were to bear a child every year from the time she was 20 years old until the time
she was 920 years old, she could conceivably bear 900 children. But if Eve had many
children who each had many children, in 900 years there could be several million
people born on the earth. Let’s say you and your spouse are able to bear 10 children.
Now, that’s a lot of children by today’s standards. But if every one of your children were
born sterile, those 10 children would be an example of addition. If, however, every one
of your children had more children, who had more children, this would be an example
of multiplication. The very first command God gave man in Genesis 1:28 was to “be

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fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” God’s will is that we do the same thing in the
spiritual realm.

When a baby is born into the world, God’s normal plan is for it to grow to maturity, be
joined to another in marriage, and then reproduce by bringing other babies into the
world. Likewise, it is God’s plan and desire for every person who is born again into His
family to reproduce and multiply. Spiritual reproduction and multiplication is not just a
work for Pastors and Church Leaders to be involved in. It is something every child of
God should give himself to.

3. Read Mark 3:13-15.

● What does Jesus do in verse 13?
He chooses the twelve.
● What are the two reasons that Jesus appointed the 12?
To be with Him and then to send them out to preach and cast out demons.
● What were the twelve supposed to do before they went out and preached and cast
out demons?
Just be with Jesus.
● How would the twelve benefit from simply being with Jesus?
They would learn, among other things, how Jesus prayed, exercised faith, found
His joy in His Father, exercised authority over demons, trusted His Father for His
needs.

4. Read Mark 6:7-13.

● What did Jesus send the twelve out to do? How does that correspond with what
they had been watching Jesus doing?
He sent them out to preach, heal, and cast out demons, the exact same three
things that they had been watching Jesus do for some time.

5. Read Mark 6:30.

● After the twelve had gathered with Jesus after their mission, what did they do?
They reported to Him everything they had done and taught.
● How do you suppose Jesus responded?
He probably gave encouragement, and counsel and instruction as to how they
could be more effective in ministry in the future.

6. How would you identify the steps that Jesus took as He made disciples?
He prayed that God would show Him who He should disciple, He chose them, He
modeled life and ministry before them, He commissioned them and sent them out,

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 He listened to their reports and counseled them as to greater effectiveness, and then
He charged them to make disciples of all the nations. We could summarize it like
this:
Selection - Association - Demonstration - Delegation - Supervision - Reproduction.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. The very first thing that Jesus did in the disciple-making process was prayer. He
spent the whole night in prayer to God before He chose the twelve (Lk. 6:12).
Commit to begin praying by yourself and with your discipling parter that God would
show you who you can begin pouring your life into. You should look for people that
have a strong interest and desire either to become a Christian or to grow in their
Christian life.

2. When God directs you to one or more people that you believe He wants you to work
with, begin to spend time with them like Jesus did with the twelve. This may be a
weekly extended lunch time, or it may be an evening together at your home. The
important thing is to begin spending time together for the purpose of modeling the
Christian life and spiritual values. You may take them through this Discipleship
Training Manual, and become their discipling partner. As you begin to work with
another person, check in with your discipling partner from time to time for advice,
counsel, and encouragement. Your goal will be to raise up another disciple to the
point where they are discipling someone else.

3. Recite Luke 9:23 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights you
received as you committed that passage to memory.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

2 Timothy 2:2, “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me,
he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Mark 3:13-15.

BEFORE YOUR NEXT SESSION

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1. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:2. Work on this verse until you can repeat it perfectly.
Remember to recite the reference as well as the content of the verse.

2. Read through your next study and answer the questions. If you have questions or
become confused, write your questions down so that you can discuss them with your
discipling partner at your next session.

3. Pray and ask God to help you find someone to pour your life into, and when He does,
begin to meet with him/her regularly.

4. Continue to develop the spiritual disciplines you have learned in this training
manual. However, seek to cultivate these disciplines in your life, not merely as a duty
to be performed, but as fellowship with God to be enjoyed!

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 Session 24
Catching A World Vision

“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more
intensely missionary we become.”
-- Henry Martyn, Missionary to India and Persia

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
-- Jim Elliot, Missionary martyr and Missionary to the Auca Indians of Ecuador

“If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission

by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?”
-- David Livingstone, Missionary to Africa

“No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has
not heard it once.”
-- Oswald J. Smith

“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful

worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has
an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations.
Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His
name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose.”
-- John Piper

“Go, send, or disobey.”

-- John Piper

"The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time."

-- Carl F. H. Henry

INTRODUCTION

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In this final lesson we are going to look at the responsibility of every disciple to further
the cause of the kingdom of Jesus Christ around the world. There are approximately
16,500 different people groups in the world. The latest estimates suggest that
approximately 6,900 people groups are considered unreached. That means over 41% of
the world’s people groups have no indigenous community of believing Christians able to
evangelize the rest of their people group. It is estimated that 2.9 billion people make up
these 6,900 people groups. The vast majority of unreached people groups are in the
10/40 window and less than 10% of all missionary work is done among them.

So, what do we mean by a “people group”? A people group is an ethno-linguistic group

with a common self-identity that is shared by the various members. For strategic
purposes it is the largest group within which the Gospel can spread without
encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance.

Ultimately what all this means is that believers who have the knowledge of the gospel
have a moral responsibility to do what they can to reach those who don’t. The purpose
of this study is to awaken you to the great need to get the gospel to every people group of
the world and motivate you to either go yourself, or send someone in your place.

BIBLE STUDY

1. Read the following Scriptures and identify where God has called His
people to go and seek to reach with the gospel:
Mt. 28:18-20 all the nations
Mk. 16:15-16 all creation
Lk. 24:46-47 all the nations
Acts 1:8 the remotest part of the earth

2. Read Romans 15:20-21.

● Where did Paul aspire to preach the gospel?
Where Christ was not already named.
● Why did he want to preach the gospel there?
So that he would not build on another man’s foundation.

3. Read Romans 15:22-28.

● Where does Paul intend to go after he visits the saints in Rome?
to Spain.
● What does that tell you about Paul’s heart?

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 It tells me that he was always thinking and dreaming of how he could bring the
gospel to places where it had not already come.

4. Read Romans 10:12-15.

● There are 5 steps in the salvation of the heathen given in this passage. Outline
those steps in reverse order.
Someone is Sent - That Person Preaches - People Hear - Some Believe - Those
who Believe Call on the Name of the Lord and are Saved.
● According to this passage, would you argue that the heathen who die without
ever hearing the gospel will be saved or lost? Explain your reasoning.
They will be lost.

5. Read Revelation 5:9-10.

● According to this new song sung in heaven, why is Christ worthy to take the book
and break its seals?
Because He was slain and purchased for God men from every tribe and tongue
and people and nation.
● How were these people saved and brought into Christ’s church?
They must have been saved and added to the church through someone preaching,
witnessing, or explaining the gospel to them (Acts 2:37-41).

Are Those Who Have Never Heard The Gospel Saved Or Lost?

This has been a point of controversy that Christians have differed on for many
centuries. It must be admitted that if the heathen who have never heard the gospel will
be saved, it would be cruel for God to send missionaries to them. When a missionary
comes to a foreign people, usually some, if not most of that people reject the gospel.
According to the reasoning that those who have never heard the gospel are saved, if God
had never sent missionaries among these people, they would have all been saved. But
now, having heard the gospel, and rejected it, many will be damned for all eternity. Was
Christ’s intent in sending His church to the ends of the earth with the gospel to damn
some people who would have been saved? Surely not! Surely it was His intention to save
some who would have been damned. If the heathen will be saved without the gospel,
why would Jesus Christ send His people to them, at great personal sacrifice, some to
pay with their own lives, spending millions of dollars, to people who don’t need to be
saved?! Surely, the reason Christ has given the church orders to get the gospel into every
people group of the world is because all mankind are sinners and in danger of eternal

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damnation, and the gospel is the only message which can bring about their recovery
from eternal ruin.

So, what can we do to bring the gospel to the rest of the world?

● Become a missionary. God may be calling you to give your life to bringing the
gospel to a different people group than your own. If you think that might be the
case, seriously consider seeking to reach an unreached people group.
● If you don’t believe God has called you to go to the mission field yourself, at the
very least you need to be involved in supporting those who are there. This means
that you regularly pray for the work of missionaries around the world, and you
regularly give financially to support the work that they are doing. Another
option, considering that there are so many Christians here in the United States,
and so few in other parts of the world, is to relocate to a different part of the
world where you can use your witness for Christ to impact people who may never
hear the gospel. In this scenario, you may not technically be a missionary since
you would have a full-time secular job, but you would still be seeking to bring the
gospel to the people around you.

Thought Questions:

● Has God ever given you a strong desire to bring the gospel to people of a
different culture and language? If so, perhaps He is calling you into missions
work. If that is the case, begin to learn more about missionary work to prepare
for the future. You might talk to your Pastor to get counsel and advice on how
you can best prepare for the life of a missionary.
● Are you currently praying for any specific missionaries around the world? Are
you currently giving financially to support any missions work? If not, begin this
week. There are many fine missions agencies doing a wonderful work in bringing
the gospel to the lost. Two agencies you might consider supporting are Gospel
For Asia, and HeartCry Missionary Society.

STEPS TO TAKE

1. Discuss with your discipling partner your thoughts about how you should become
involved in getting the gospel to unreached people groups around the world. Come
up with a plan together that you can begin to implement this week.

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2. Recite 2 Timothy 2:2 to your discipling partner. Share with him/her any insights
you received as you committed that passage to memory.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION

Romans 10:13-15, “for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe
in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How
will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of
those who bring good news of good things!”

Additional Scripture you may want to memorize: Revelation 5:9-10

Congratulations! You have completed these 24 lessons on becoming a

disciple of Jesus Christ. However, don’t allow the things you have learned to
become mere head knowledge. The things you have learned in this course will only
benefit you if you continue to apply them to your life! So, continue to implement and
grow in the things you have learned. Continue to commit to the spiritual disciplines of
prayer, bible reading, meditation, and memorization. Continue to practice fasting.
Continue to evangelize, disciple others, give to the work of God, and do your part in
seeing the gospel go to the ends of the earth.

Remember, this course of studies was intended to help you get to the point where you
are actually making disciples. So, pray that God would send you someone that you can
pour your life into. Let that person know at the outset that you expect them to pour their
life into someone else who will pour their life into someone else who will… you get the
point! May God richly bless you as you continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the
presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and
now and forever. Amen.” - (Jude 24-25)

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