DISCIPLESHIP & DISCIPLESHIP & LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP

Deborah M. Gill, Ph.D.Deborah M. Gill, Ph.D.Commissioner, Commission of DiscipleshipCommissioner, Commission of DiscipleshipNational Director, Division of Christian EducationNational Director, Division of Christian EducationAssemblies of God, U.S.A.Assemblies of God, U.S.A.

THE GREAT COMMISSIONTHE GREAT COMMISSION

• Evangelism (just the Evangelism (just the firstfirst part) part)

THE GREAT COMMISSIONTHE GREAT COMMISSION

• Evangelism (just the Evangelism (just the firstfirst part) part)• Discipleship (the Discipleship (the true goal)true goal)

• BECOMING Disciples, BECOMING Disciples, MAKING Disciples MAKING Disciples• Personal TRANSFORMATION, Personal TRANSFORMATION, Perpetual REPLICATION Perpetual REPLICATION

3 Discipleship Descriptions3 Discipleship Descriptions• • A LIFELONG LIFESTYLEA LIFELONG LIFESTYLE

A CONTINUUM.

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Sp

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3 Discipleship Descriptions3 Discipleship Descriptions• • THE “RIGHT STUFF” GENETICALLYTHE “RIGHT STUFF” GENETICALLY

A CYCLE.

EvangelismEvangelism

NurtureNurture

DiscipleshipDiscipleship

3 Discipleship Descriptions3 Discipleship Descriptions• • A NORMATIVE CULTUREA NORMATIVE CULTURE

A SPIRAL.

EvangelismEvangelism

NurtureNurture

Ministry MentoringMinistry Mentoring

Leadership CoachingLeadership Coaching

Spiritual FormationSpiritual Formation

Discipleship DiagnosisDiscipleship Diagnosis• • PROBLEMS ONPROBLEMS ON THE THE LOCALLOCAL LEVEL LEVEL

Glorious, Mature,Glorious, Mature,Effective ChurchEffective Church

Ineffective ChurchIneffective Church

Ignorant ChurchIgnorant Church

xxGAPS IN THE CONTINUUM

Discipleship Diagnosis Discipleship Diagnosis • • PROBLEMS ON PROBLEMS ON THE THE PERSONALPERSONAL LEVEL LEVEL

EvangelismEvangelism

NurtureNurture

DiscipleshipDiscipleship

xINCOMPLETED CYCLE

xxFailure to Failure to ReproduceReproduce& Multiply& Multiply

EvangelismEvangelism

NurtureNurture

Leadership CoachingLeadership Coaching

Spiritual FormationSpiritual Formation

BROKEN SPIRAL

xx

x• The Growth Rate of the ChurchThe Growth Rate of the Church Globally has Slowed this Decade Globally has Slowed this Decade• Some Great Evangelistic Some Great Evangelistic Harvests have lacked Retention Harvests have lacked Retention• Some Veteran Leaders Are NotSome Veteran Leaders Are Not Finishing, or Finishing Well Finishing, or Finishing Well• Some Emerging Ministers areSome Emerging Ministers are Not Being Empowered Not Being Empowered• Some “Sin” Statistics of the Some “Sin” Statistics of the Church Match those of the Church Match those of the WorldWorldx

Discipleship Diagnosis Discipleship Diagnosis • • PROBLEMS PROBLEMS OVER ALLOVER ALL

Ministry MentoringMinistry Mentoringx

Discipleship DiagnosisDiscipleship DiagnosisProblemProblem• LACK OF LACK OF DISCIPLESHIPDISCIPLESHIP

CauseCause• THE MISSING COMPONENTTHE MISSING COMPONENT• DISCIPLERSDISCIPLERS

CureCure• CONVERTING THE CULTURECONVERTING THE CULTURE• RE-EXCAVATING THE FOUNDATIONRE-EXCAVATING THE FOUNDATION• GENETIC ENGINEERINGGENETIC ENGINEERING• LIVING THE LIFE AS LIVING THE LIFE AS DISCIPLERSDISCIPLERS

Discipleship PrescriptionDiscipleship Prescription

PrescriptionPrescription• LEVERAGE YOUR LEADERSHIPLEVERAGE YOUR LEADERSHIP• BECOME A BECOME A DISCIPLERDISCIPLER

An AnalogyAn Analogy• ADULT STEM CELLSADULT STEM CELLS• ““correctly programmed stem cells go directly correctly programmed stem cells go directly

to damaged areas, cure the underlying to damaged areas, cure the underlying disease and repair the damage already done.”disease and repair the damage already done.”

Discipleship PrescriptionDiscipleship Prescription

PrescriptionPrescription

• What would have to What would have to changechange in in

order to invest myself order to invest myself

intentionally in a lifelong lifestyle intentionally in a lifelong lifestyle

of discipleship?of discipleship?

Discipleship & Leadership:Discipleship & Leadership:The Gift of Light The Gift of Light

through our Relationships,through our Relationships, A Personal TestimonyA Personal Testimony

. . From programsto peer to peer!

How I Got Hooked How I Got Hooked on Relational Evangelism on Relational Evangelism and Discipleshipand Discipleship

. I pray you’ll be too!

• Paradigm ShiftParadigm Shift• My StoryMy Story (intentional (intentional investments in relational investments in relational evangelism and evangelism and discipleship)discipleship)

At Level #1:At Level #1:

Relational EvangelismRelational Evangelism

Living

the Life!

At Level #2:At Level #2:

Relational NurtureRelational Nurture

Living

the Life!

At Level #3:At Level #3:

Spiritual FormationSpiritual Formation

Living

the Life!

At Level #4:At Level #4:

Mentoring in MinistryMentoring in Ministry

Living

the Life!

At Level #5:At Level #5:

Coaching in LeadershipCoaching in Leadership

Living

the Life!

Self Assessment:Self Assessment:• • Where am I involved onWhere am I involved on

each level of the spiral? each level of the spiral?

• How can I leverage my leadership • How can I leverage my leadership

more intentionally? more intentionally?

Living

the Life!

Discipleship PrognosisDiscipleship Prognosis

To be Christ’s DiscipleTo be Christ’s Disciple

• What What willwill I change in order to I change in order to

invest myself intentionally in a invest myself intentionally in a

lifelong lifestyle of discipleship?lifelong lifestyle of discipleship?