All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20
 

WHO IS A DISCIPLE?

A follower of Jesus.

WHAT IS DISCIPLING?

Intentionally helping others follow Jesus.

WHAT IS A CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP?

When the whole church discipling the whole church is normal.

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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Discipling is not another thing we do. It is the way we do everything. More than a program or a curriculum, discipleship is the normal way we live together as a church. This is lived out in corporate and personal contexts.

CORPORATE DISCIPLESHIP

In the Great Commission, Jesus instructed his disciples to make disciples by baptizing and teaching everything that he commanded. The command to baptize means that the main context of discipleship is the local church. In a broad sense, our discipleship happens in the life of the church as we worship and serve together. Here are a few examples of how we disciple one another in this way.

Attend Sunday Morning Gathering - We encourage, exhort, and edify one another when we gather to hear from God at 10:45am. Sing whole-heartedly and loudly! Pray fervently with the church. Come ready to hear from the Word of God. Stay a while and talk to others.

Attend Sunday School Classes - These are great opportunities to build more relationships in a context of teaching and prayer. Our classes are a great opportunity for discipleship! Bring someone with you at 9:30am and plan to discuss the material after the class.

Pray - The Franconia Baptist Church Membership Directory is a tool to pray for each member of the congregation. If you don’t know the person, pray the Scripture you read that day over them. 

Initiate Hospitality - Bring others into your life. Invite a visitor, new member, or member you don’t know to your home to get to know them. Hospitality could also be initiating coffee or a lunch.

Evangelism - We want to help people follow Jesus even if they don’t know him. Look for ways to engage your neighborhood, coworkers, and friends with the gospel. Let others in the church know how they can pray for your evangelistic efforts.

Serve in a Ministry - Serving in ministry is not driven primarily by a desire to express our gifts, but to love and edify others.

PERSONAL DISCIPLING

God in His grace has not made us to walk alone in the Christian life. In one-on- one discipling relationships, two Christians of the same sex meet to study Scripture, hold one another accountable, and pray. Within this basic framework, discipling relationships may take a number of different shapes: an elder member may disciple a younger member, a more mature Christian might disciple a younger Christian, or peers in the faith might effectively disciple one another.

The discipling meetings center on discussion and application of a spiritually rich book or Bible passage and are appended by prayer. One-on-one discipling acts as a catalyst to Christian growth, helping us bear one another’s sorrows and joys.