Discipleship%20Across%20the%20Lifespan

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Discipleship Across the Lifespan

• Trinity International University

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And the things which you have heard from me in
the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to
faithful men, who will be able to teach others
also (2 Timothy 22).
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Consider your student
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Characteristics of Learning Across the Lifespan

• Age Appropriate Discipleship

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Toddlers 2 Year Olds

• Imitators
• Experimenters
• Learning language skills
• Learning through relationships
• Self-contained (not involved in groups)

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Preschool (3-5 Years Old)

• Questioners
• Able to focus on one thing at a time
• Sensory learners
• More physically adept than toddlers
• Group learners
• Roaming learners

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Early Elementary Children

• Roleplayers Dramatists
• Hands-on creators
• Concrete thinkers
• Learning to read

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Upper Elementary Children

• Emphasis on group membership
• Ability to analyze facts intentions
• Logical thinking
• Love for facts
• Cooperation with common group goals

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Middle Schoolers

• Profound emphasis on peer relationships
• Physical changes (physical and internal)
• Gradual shift from concrete to abstract thinking
• Ability to reflect on ones own thoughts actions

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High Schoolers

• In search for and establishing of a personal
  identity
• Profound influence of peers
• Continuing shift toward abstract thinking

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Young Adults

• Questioning values and beliefs
• Life goals
• Vocational concerns

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Faith Parenting
Faith Teaching

• Developing faith kids by helping them learn and
  apply the Bible to their lives

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Faith Parenting
Faith Teaching

• Where are the areas of responsibility in
  developing disciples?

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Principle of Content

• The content of teaching must support its
  application

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Principle of Context

• Christian education strategies?at church and
  home?must address the fullest context of the
  students life.

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Principle of Focus
The focus of Group Teaching
The focus of Individual Discipleship

• Groups of individuals

A individual
General Target
Unique Target
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Cycle of Need
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Principle of Maturation

• Each disciple will mature in a unique way, not in
  lockstep with other disciples.

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Principle of Humanity

• The goal of Christian teaching is to put a human
  voice to Gods Word and a human model to Gods
  ways.

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Principle of Appropriateness

• Biblical teaching must be

• Age-appropriate

• Developmentally-appropriate

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Personal and Church Assessment

• How have these principles been exhibited in my
  own spiritual life?
• How have they been manifested in the life of my
  church and/or ministry?

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What is Social Science?

• The study of the way people
• Think
• Interact
• Live

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A Dynamic Relationship between

• Social Science

Theology
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How Do They Relate?

• Social Science

Science as master over Theology?
Theology
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GOD

• A Great Divide

Mankind
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GODis the source ofREVLATION

• Creation

Word
A Great Divide
Human Inquiry
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GODis the source ofREVLATION

• Creation

Word
Reality
A Great Divide
Social Science
Theology
Epistemology
Human Inquiry
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GODis the source ofREVLATION
Secular?
Sacred?

• Creation

Word
Reality
A Great Divide
Social Science
Theology
Epistemology
Human Inquiry
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Hebrews 116

• And without faith it is impossible to please
  Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He
  is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek
  Him.

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The Nature of Faith

• Intellectual Acknowledgment (Mind)
• Relational Assent (Emotions)
• Volitional Commitment (Will)
• A surrender of the soul, recognized as guilty, to
  the Lordship of Christ
• A reception of Christ as the source of pardon and
  spiritual life

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How do you know if real faith exists?

• The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the
  sound of it, but do not know where it comes from
  and where it is going so is everyone who is born
  of the Spirit. (John 38)

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From where does faith come?
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Romans 123

• For through the grace given to me I say to every
  man among you not to think more highly of himself
  than he ought to think but to think so as to
  have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each
  a measure of faith.

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John 644-45

• No one can come to Me, unless the Father who
  sent Me draws him and I will raise him up on the
  last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And
  they shall all be taught of God. Everyone who
  has heard and learned from the Father, comes to
  Me.

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James 15-6

• But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of
  God, who gives to all men generously and without
  reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let
  him ask in faith without any doubting, for the
  one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven
  and tossed by the wind.

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Mark 922-24

• But if You can do anything, take pity on us and
  help us! 23 And Jesus said to him, If You
  can! All things are possible to him who
  believes.
• 24 Immediately the boys father cried out and
  began saying, I do believe help my unbelief.

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