Transformational Discipleship and Spirit Filled Resources for Discipleship

The following resources and text can be found @http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm
These resources are a result of the AG Commission on Discipleship.
These resources can be purchaed@ http://www.gospelpublishing.com/store/startitem.cfm?item=020270


Transformational Discipleship by Charles Crabtree

Recognizing the crisis facing the church in America, Crabtree gives motivating insights and practical applications for:

• Making small groups biblically sound and Sunday School classes relational
• Establishing and sustaining the ultimate church growth mode
Building faith and enthusiasm for discipleship in your church
• Creating an effective church between SundaysHardcover, 176 pages


Transformational Discipleship Teaching DVD



Item Number: 26TW0955
Transform discipleship in your church with the help of this easy-to-use teaching DVD. Transformational Discipleship comes to life as author Charles Crabtree shares his heart about discipleship and adds further insights and practical application for each of the ten chapters.

Designed for group or individual use, this DVD will spark discussion and motivate Small group leaders
Sunday School teachers - Discipleship directors - Pastoral staff 10 Sessions-10 minutes each

The New Believers Handbook
Get new believers off to a great start with this guide for the first weeks of their spiritual journey.

Short chapters share insights on topics like prayer and being filled with the Holy Spirit as well as suggested daily Bible readings from the Book of Mark.

Adapted from Now What?

A Guidebook for New Christians.


The New Believer’s Friend Handbook
Mentor’s companion book. Includes the dos and don’ts for spiritual parenting, lesson outlines for each chapter of The New Believer’s Handbook, and full text and answers to study questions.








Seven Practices for Every Follower of Jesus
In Seven Practices for Every Follower of Jesus, Thomas E. Trask gives basic disciplines believers can apply to grow in faith and personal effectiveness in helping fulfill the mission of the church.

Topics include:
Be Faithful in Prayer
Read and Study God’s Word Daily
Share Message of Christ with Nonbelievers
Depend on the Spirit in Daily Life
Continue to Grow and Disciple Others
Support Missions
Serve the Poor and Suffering

Nothing’s Too Hard for God Small Group Discussion DVD
Bring the Nothing’s Too Hard for God theme into your Sunday school, small groups, or mid- week services with our Small Group Discussion DVD hosted by Scotty Gibbons. This powerful DVD offers eight separate discussions built on the topics of forgiveness, loneliness, broken relationships, illness, fear, financial need, loss, and addiction. Each topic is depicted through true-life stories of individuals who struggled before discovering—nothing’s too hard for God. Each story is presented in a 10-14 minute video with planned pauses for discussion and group interaction. Our DVD comes with a separate CD of printable files containing questions and notes for leaders. Each story corresponds with eight campaign postcards, print ads, TV ads and Radio ads.
DVD contains 8 discussion videos and separate CD with printable notes for leaders.
DVD also includes navigation for playing testimonies only, without studio discussion segments.

Connections Small Group Studies (Downloadable)
These topical studies are the perfect way to start discussion and change lives in your church.

Each downloadable study features interactive questions, insightful notes, and inspiring points that will get your group talking.

Plus, the downloadable format offers a simple, inexpensive way to meet the needs of your small groups. $1.99 per lesson



Relationships Poster: “Love God/Love Others” (Free Downloadable)
Have you ever heard it said that discipleship is all about relationships? This visually stunning poster expresses the importance of our relationship with God and with others.

This FREE resource is available for downloading in various sizes and includes a version with Scripture (Matthew 22:36-40) and without. Can be used in a variety of ways, including websites, bulletins, newsletters, banners, posters, and more.



Discipleship Solutions Kit From brand-new believers to mature Christians, this kit offers something for everyone in your church:
• Transformational Discipleship with Teaching DVD
• The New Believer’s Handbook with Friend Handbook
• Two sample small group and Bible studies
• God’s Word for Today and Bible Reading Guide (sample backdated issues)


Small Groups and Discipleship Initiatives http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm

Discipleship is more than an important program in the church. It is the great priority found in the Great Commission. It is the ultimate proof of effective ministry and genuine church growth. It is the will of God and the desire of Jesus. It is the foundation of a stable faith and the means of rich and rewarding relationships with God and man.

The answer to all the challenges facing the church today is a Spirit-filled laity who is not ashamed of the gospel and loves the Lord 24/7. The Commission on Discipleship is committed to putting dynamic and relevant resources into the hands of every church leader. This website is the portal to all of the Assemblies of God resources for discipleship.

Small Groups – Welcome to the world of the Assemblies of God small groups! Small Groups have the potential of creating dynamic disciples through nontraditional means and ministries. This site gives church leaders wonderful ideas and resources to help address local situations, it provides opportunities to study other churches with effective small groups, and it includes a discussion forum for the exchange of discipleship and small group ideas.

Personal Bible Study and Devotions – A daily discipline with God and His Word for the purpose of gaining a greater intimacy with Christ and His truth. This may also include family devotions.

Pre-Conversion Discipleship – The process of intentionally establishing relationships with pre-converts in order to lead them to Christ. It views discipleship as a process, not an event; with each step that brings someone closer to becoming "a fully devoted follower of Christ" part of that process.

New Convert Care – An intentional ministry of linking spiritual mothers and fathers with babes in Christ for the purpose of spiritual guidance and protection of a new believer’s life.
http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm

We Build People – A values-driven philosophy (not a program) designed to help the pastor, his leadership team and the local congregation to respond to Christ’s call to "make disciples."
http://discipleship.ag.org/Discipleship/index.cfm

Making Disciples: Tools to Get Going in 2008

2008 is a year of new beginnings. You may have earnestly desired to make diciples but may have given up for one reason or another. You may have a program in place but desire to see greater results. I recommend reading Barna's book first and then look over the rest and pick the one that seems to fit your interest and needs.

In a previous post on my Equippers Network Blog http://equippersnetwork.blogpot.com/ I wrote an article titled 'What Does Success Look Like In Your Church?' Since each church has it's own story and distinctives your discipleship progam will have a different look and feel but the common elements that make passionate effective disciples will be much the same.

I want to challenge you to take the next step in being obedient to the great commission and "Make Disciples of all nations and people groups."

Below is a short list of books to help bring about a proper worldview and ideas for accomplishing our assignment to make disciples of all nations in Matthew 28:20 and to equip them to fulfill God's will by doing the work of the ministry, building up the body of Christ and bring them into maturity in the full measure of Christ as described in Ephesians 4:11-14.


1. Becoming a Healthy Disciple:
Ten Traits of a Vital Christian by Stephen A. Macchia

Are you becoming a healthy disciple? Discipleship is a life-long apprenticeship with the Master, Jesus Christ. He does not expect perfection, only heart and skill development. Becoming a Healthy Disciple outlines ten traits that will help you grow as a Christian. Stephen Macchia looks to John as a human example of a life lived close to Christ. He cites John's Gospel as well as the experiences of himself and others to bring the traits of discipleship into modern context and help you develop them in your own life.



2. Discipleship Essentials
A Guide for Building Your Life in Christ By
Greg Ogden

"Jesus had a big enough vision to think small. Focusing on a few did not limit his influence. Rather, it expanded it! Discipleship Essentials will help you influence others as Jesus did--by investing wholeheartedly in a few."
http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=1169



3. Transforming Discipleship
Making Disciples a Few at a Time By Greg Ogden

"Biblical, practical and tremendously effective, Transforming Discipleship provides the insights and philosophy of ministry behind Ogden's earlier work, Discipleship Essentials. Together, these ground-breaking books have the potential to transform how your church transforms the lives of its people."
http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=2388



4. Disciplemakers' Handbook
Helping People Grow in ChristEdited by Alice Fryling

"What does a healthy discipling relationship look like? What do you do together? In order to answer these and other questions, Alice Fryling gathered a team of experienced disciplemakers. Together they give us practical help in such areas as overcoming our fears about discipling others, beginning a discipling relationship, how to be a friend, learning how people change, modeling the Christian life, using Scripture in disciplemaking, how to help a friend who hurts, and helping others share their faith."
http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=1266

5. The Passionate Church
Lifeshapes Series
Author: Mike Breen, Walt Kallestad

"Church, for many pastors and leaders, has become increasingly difficult. Things that used to work, don't work anymore. The landscape of Church and culture have changed beyond recognition. Pastors everywhere wonder—Is surviving all we can hope for? Is this really Church the way Jesus intended?"
http://www.cookministries.com/catalog/index.cfm


6. Growing True Disciples by George Barna

"How are we doing in discipleship today? In this analysis of American Christians and Protestant churches in relation to discipleship, you will discover many insights into what we're doing, how we're doing, where we're going, and what new directions we might take to enhance the disciple-making ministry of the Church."
http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Resource&ResourceID=55




7. The Training of the TwelveBy: A.B. Bruce
Published by Kregel Publications / 2000.

" Jesus knew his disciples' training was crucial to the success of his ministry. Equip your church for effective service by using the Master's proven principles! Offering a dynamic model for leadership and discipleship, Bruce's timeless classic encourages leaders and laypeople to develop their gifts for God's kingdom by growing in prayer, faith, self-sacrifice, holiness, and more. 576 pages, softcover from Kregel. "



8. The Complete Book of Discipleship
On Being and Making Followers of Christ
by Bill Hull

The Complete Book of Discipleship is the definitive A-to-Z resource on discipleship for every Christian. It pulls together into one convenient, comprehensive volume relevant topics related to spiritual growth, transformation, spiritual disciplines, and discipleship in the local church and beyond. Best of all, it’s produced by The Navigators, the internationally respected organization with more than seventy years of practical discipleship ministry experience. Well organized, fully indexed, and readily accessible, The Complete Book of Discipleship will help you gain a wealth of insight from experts in the field, whether by reading it cover to cover or by finding immediate answers to specific questions.
http://www.navpress.com/Store/Product/1576838978.html
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This is a place to start and to develop a true discipleship program so that success in your church will look like Jesus!