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Discipling Disciples

Many of us would be hard-pressed to furnish a definition of ‘discipleship’. We know it is important, but cannot quite identify its essential parts. Furthermore, although we are pleased to be counted among Jesus’ disciples, we may not feel so comfortable to be called upon to disciple others. Yet the two are inextricably linked. When we ourselves are well nourished we are not only equipped but also motivated to feed others. Below are four testimonies that illustrate how dependent we are when discipling others on the discipleship we ourselves have received from God.

Joyce Erdmann

Joyce Erdmann (800x598)
Joyce makes it a priority to reach out to women and disciple them through Bible study and by spending time with them informally.

I love the Navigators motto: “To know Christ, to make Him known and to help others do the same.” The more I get to know Christ as I grow in my relationship with Him, I see how important people are to Him and how important they should be to me too. Helping people come to faith and grow in their faith is one of the most important things I can do.

When I meet with women, I try to see where the women are spiritually and help them to grow in their faith from that point. We do a variety of things, such as Bible study, praying and talking about different issues, and all the while I am trying to love them right where they are in their walk with Christ. Often this is done over a meal or cup of coffee. Spending some ‘fun’ time together is also helpful. Of course, prayer for those I am helping is vital.

I think it’s so true that the teacher learns more than the student! In trying to help others, I see where I need to grow and change to become more like Christ. Discipling others also helps me to become more ‘other’-focused, rather than ‘self ’-focused. Also, when I am preparing to lead a Bible study I want to be well-prepared, so I take extra time to prepare and learn the study well. I’m sure I learn more than anyone in the group. In finding an answer to a spiritual question, I learn the answer and also grow from that.

Anyone can help another in his or her faith. You just need to be one little step ahead and have a heart to help others. You don’t have to be a ‘spiritual giant’. There are many good resources to help with discipleship, including Bible studies and books.

 

Kenneth Poon

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Kenneth and Clara preparing to lead the Seekers’ Class. Leading the Seekers’ Class has contributed to Kenneth’s own spiritual growth and discipleship among God’s people.

Presenting the Gospel in the Seekers’ Class has forced me to reflect on the goodness and kindness that Jesus demonstrates in my life. The true value of studying and teaching the Gospel does not lie in how it develops a teacher’s ability per se, but in the delight and joy that spring from the privilege of witnessing kingdom growth in the most unlikely of circumstances: Jesus Christ really transforms unworthy and unloving individuals such as myself to be useful for God’s redemptive work. And so the focus of the teaching – how the Gospel has the power to restore and strengthen one’s relationship with God – becomes a most joyous outflow of the process itself.

Preparing for lessons has required me to spend countless hours working on how I present ideas in the Gospel in the clearest way possible. For example, Christians often use the word ‘faith’, but non-Christians might find it difficult to understand what that word means in the context of Christianity. Furthermore, I may use jargon (‘Christian-ese’) that I don’t actually understand. I am growing to learn the importance of managing the delicate balance between enriching one’s grasp of ‘Bible-speak’ and conveying the meanings of the ideas in the Gospel in simplified terms.

 

Stephen Chan

Stephen Chan with Bobby (800x536)

As a relatively new believer, Stephen (left) has grown greatly in his faith after attending discipleship classes with Ps Bobby.

My family visited GBC for the first time around mid-May in 2013 and were warmly welcomed and taken care of as newcomers by the church pastors and members. As I had been a believer for only about a year, Pastor Bobby introduced me to the Foundation Programme for new Christians for discipleship in a small group. As there was no other newcomer who was a new Christian at the time, it became a 1-on-1 discipleship with Pastor Bobby.

The format of the class is that we follow two books. We have finished the first book Lessons on Assurance for New Christians and are now doing the second book Lessons on Christian Living for
Growing Christians.

I have benefited from this discipleship in countless ways! The following are just a few:

  • Understanding comes more quickly and easily: all I have to do is to put in some time each Sunday, but the returns are priceless as I come to know God, Jesus and the Bible better and can apply the lessons in my life.
  • It is easier to raise questions without embarrassment as Pastor Bobby is patient and knowledgeable to provide explanations and examples.
  • I have assurance in my faith and a stronger relationship with God.

 

Kit Wan Chan

Kit Wan 2 (800x800)

Kit Wan (right, seen here with her daughter Sarah) regularly attends the SDS classes and has benefited greatly from the teachings on discipleship.

When I first read in the Sunday bulletin that our church vision was to be a disciple-making church, I was not sure what it meant. I also wondered how this vision would be passed on to the congregation in practical ways.

Since then, amongst other programmes, the church has been running SDS (Sunday Discipleship Seminar) classes. Attending the classes has enriched my knowledge as I read and learn about the Bible by opening my eyes to new perspectives. I thank God for the teachers and the lessons they have prepared for the classes that have helped me understand discipleship and put it into practice.

Here are a few takeaways that I found impactful:

  • If we believe that the Bible is God speaking to us, then we must aim to understand the meaning of the text and not read our own meaning into it.
  • We must come to Scripture on our knees:

a) Listen;

b) Be humble before the eternal word of God;

c) Be honest with God and ourselves.

  • Reading the Bible is an ‘inside-out’ communicative process: God, through author → text → original audience, then us.

A verse that I pray for our church in the area of disciple-making is, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35, NIV)