THEOLOGY OF DISCIPLESHIP

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THEOLOGY OF DISCIPLESHIP
BY JOHN R. CIONCA, PhD
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(No Transcript)
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What Is The Church? What Does Christ Want To
Accomplish Through It?
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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
Romans 165 Believers Meeting in a
Home
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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
Romans 165 Believers Meeting in a
Home Acts 81 Believers in a
City
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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
Romans 165 Believers Meeting in a
Home Acts 81 Believers in a
City I Cor.
1619 Believers in a Larger Area

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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
Romans 165 Believers Meeting in a
Home Acts 81 Believers in a
City I Cor.
1619 Believers in a Larger Area
I Cor. 12 All
Believers on the Earth at a Given Time (The
Universal Church)
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THE WORD CHURCH DENOTES
Romans 165 Believers Meeting in a
Home Acts 81 Believers in a
City I Cor.
1619 Believers in a Larger Area
I Cor. 12 All
Believers on the Earth at a Given Time (The
Universal Church) Eph. 44
All Believers of All Times (The Invisible
Church)
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When the very elements that make up this
universe dissolve in fervent heat, only human
beings will remain. Paul had chosen to love
people rather than things.
-- Larry Richards
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Matthew 2819-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them
to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the
age.
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Our purpose is to ignite a great commission
focus fueled by a great commandment passion. --
Rick Warren
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The Goal of Ministry
Colossians 128-29
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We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor,
struggling with all his energy, which so
powerfully works in me. Colossians 128-29
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They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. All the believers were together
and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved. Acts 242-47
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They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. All the believers were together
and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved. Acts 242-47
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They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. All the believers were together
and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved. Acts 242-47
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They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. All the believers were together
and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved. Acts 242-47
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They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and
many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. All the believers were together
and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved. Acts 242-47
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A CLIMATE FOR CORPORATE WORSHIP
Congregational understanding of God, and
therefore God-Centered adoration, praise,
thanksgiving and commitment.
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AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Equipping people in biblical truth,
So that in turn, they will train others.
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A PLACE FOR SOUL-FELLOWSHIP
Corporate bonding together because of our
Common-Bond.
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A MINISTRY OF EVANGELISM
Presenting Christ to non-believers, both by word
and action.
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Gathered for Christians to Grow

• Scattered for Christians to Witness

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The Nature of the Churchs Educational Task

• Acts 242-47

The believers devote themselves to the apostles
teaching.

• Rom. 127

The gift of teaching is given for the benefits of
others

• I Cor. 1228

God appoints teachers third after apostles and
prophets.

• Gal. 66

Recipients of teaching/instruction are reminded
to share material blessing with the teacher.
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The Nature of the Churchs Educational Task

• Eph 411

God gives pastors and teachers to build up the
church.

• Phil. 49

Paul reminds the Philippians to practice what
they had learned from him.

• Col. 128

Paul informs the Colossians that, among other
things, he teaches everyone with all wisdom.

• I Thess. 41

Paul recalls that he instructed them how to live.
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The Nature of the Churchs Educational Task

• 2 Thess. 36

Paul instructs them to separate from idle
brothers who ignore his teaching.

• I Tim. 411

Paul urges Timothy to command and teach the
things in this epistle.

• 2 Tim. 22

Timothy is instructed to train reliable people
who will teach others.
Elders must hold firmly what they have been
taught.

• Titus 110

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The Nature of the Churchs Educational Task

• Hebrews 512

Many should have become teachers already.
Peter predicts that false teachers will exist
among Christians.

• 2 Peter 21

• 2 John

The lady is reminded that those who do not
continue in the teaching of Christ do not have
God.

• Jude

Readers are reminded to contend for the faith,
or teaching, entrusted to the saints.
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2 Timothy
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And what you have heard from me through many
witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be
able to teach others as well.
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THE MASSES
THE SEVENTY
THE TWELVE
JOHN JAMES PETER
JESUS
JESUS
MINISTRY
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THE MASSES
OTHERS ALSO
MANY WITNESSES
TITUS TIMOTHY SILAS
PAUL
PAULS
MINISTRY
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BELIEF
BEHAVIOR
I TIMOTHY 416
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Incarnational Teaching These commandments that I
give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about
them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you
get up. Deut. 66-7
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Incarnational Teaching He appointed twelve -
designating them as apostles - that they might be
with him and that he might send them out to
preach. Mark 314
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Incarnational Teaching When they saw the courage
of Peter and John and realized that they were
unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished
and they took note that these men had been with
Jesus. Acts 413
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Ephesians 411-13

• It was He who gave some to be apostles,
  some to be prophets, some to be evange- lists,
  and some to be pastors and teachers, to
  prepare Gods people for works of
  service, so that the body of Christ may be
  built up until we all reach unity
  in the faith and in the knowledge of
  the Son of God and become mature,
  attaining to the whole measure of the
  fullness of Christ.

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The neighborhood bar is possibly the best
counterfeit there is to the fellowship Christ
wants to give His church. Its an imitation,
dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather
than reality, but it is a permissive, accepting,
and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It
is democratic. You can tell people secrets and
they usually dont tell others or even want to.
The bar flourishes not because most people are
alcoholics, but because God has put into the
human heart the desire to know and be known, to
love and be loved. . . -Churck Swindoll,
Dropping Your Guard, 128
Gorman, Julie A. Community That is Christian A
Handbook on Small Groups. Wheaton, IL Vicotr
Books, 1993.
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CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY

• Giving honor to one another Rom. 1210
• Living harmoniously with one another Rom. 1216
• Admonishing one another Rom. 1514
• Waiting for each other I Cor. 1133
• Demonstrating equal care for one another I Cor.
  1225
• Serving one another Gal. 513
• Bearing burdens of each other Gal. 62
• Giving comfort to one another I Thess. 511

Gorman, Julie A. Community That is Christian A
Handbook on Small Groups. Wheaton, IL Victor
Books, 1993.
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CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY

• Building up each other I Thess. 511
• Maintaining peace with each other I Thess. 513
• Doing good to one another I Thess 515
• Lovingly bearing with each other Eph. 42
• Being subject to each other Eph. 521
• Forgiving one another Col. 313
• Confessing to and praying for each other James
  516
• Exhibiting hospitality to each other I Peter 49

Gorman, Julie A. Community That is Christian A
Handbook on Small Groups. Wheaton, IL Victor
Books, 1993.
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What I am at any given moment in the process
of my becoming a person, will be determined by
my relationships with those who love me or
refuse to love me, with those I love or refuse
to love. -John Powell, Why I Am Afraid to Tell
You Who I Am?, 43
Gorman, Julie A. Community That is Christian A
Handbook on Small Groups. Wheaton, IL Vicotr
Books, 1993.
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One needs community not just to share
affliction, but just as much to share joy. You
need community precisely because the old one has
gone. Community is now something you choose and
not something you are formed into or fated to.
And the need for it becomes greater as the old
certainties are gone. -Peter Drucker
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It is in community that I am most challenged to
grow up in Jesus Christ. It is easier to be holy
alone. I do not lose my identity when in
community-I find it. I am uniquely me in the
presence of others who need me to complement and
fulfill the total picture we become together.
Neither of us takes on the others identity.
Together we become what we could not become
alone. It is Gods unique plan that such be so.
Julie A. Gorman, Close Encounters-The Real
Thing, Christian Education Journal. Scripture
Press Ministries, XIII3 (Spring 1993).
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Persons today hunger for intimacy. They long for
someone to know and accept them as they are.
They fear being known and judged. They want to
be in a relationship where they can trust, where
others will be committed to them when they are
least desirable. They long to be esteemed as
individuals. . . .
Julie A. gorman, Close Encounters-The Real
Thing, Christian Education Journal. Scripture
Press Ministries, XIII3 (Spring 1993).
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. . .As in so many biblical principles the
fulfillment is found in the seemingly opposite.
Individual distinctiveness is only truly valued
within the context of a group where it is seen as
unique. Character qualities are esteemed when
they are brought out of us in relation to others.
. . .
Julie A. gorman, Close Encounters-The Real
Thing, Christian Education Journal. Scripture
Press Ministries, XIII3 (Spring 1993).
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. . . (Patience arises and is enhanced when
others create cause for impatience and an
individual expresses the balancing chord of
patience to nurture others through those
circumstances.) We are most fulfilled as
individuals not by flying solo, but by taking our
place within the community and making a
contribution that is uniquely us.
Julie A. gorman, Close Encounters-The Real
Thing, Christian Education Journal. Scripture
Press Ministries, XIII3 (Spring 1993).
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GROUP RELATIONSHIPS
Building relationships is a Christian purpose,
and sometimes its all that the people on the
fringe will give you. -David Stark