Lesson 6: The Cost Effectiveness of Training a New Disciple

Introduction Completed 6 lessons, now, 6 more to go. If you don’t remember anything from this series, do not forget this lesson. Meaning of cost effectiveness. Example: planting trees in a garden city. Nothing benefits a congregation as much as the training of new disciples. Neglect it to our peril.

1. A growing church needs new blood A. Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. B. Acts 5:14 - And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. C. Ephesians 6:4 - And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

2. Let’s treasure our prospects A. James 2:2-4 - For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? B. Matthew 23:15 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. C. Acts 9:13 - Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. 1. A growing church needs new blood

3. New disciples are eager to learn A. Ecclesiastes 12:1 - Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. B. Matthew 11: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. C. Acts 17:11 - These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 1. A growing church needs new blood 2. We need to treasure our prospects

4. They have many unconverted prospects A. John 4:39 - And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. B. Acts 10:24 - And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. C. Acts 16: And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 1. A growing church needs new blood 2. We need to treasure our prospects 3. New disciples are eager to learn

5. Ways to train new disciples 1. A growing church needs new blood 2. We need to treasure our prospects 3. New disciples are eager to learn 4. New disciples have many unconverted prospects A. Ensure that he is initiated into a small group or Care team. This will give him the love, friendship and encouragement of a small group - Ecclesiastes 4: Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up... And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. B. Go through in a class or one-on-one study, a course for new converts - 2 Timothy 2:15 -Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. C. Take him along as an apprentice in your Christian services - Philemon 1: I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me.

Discussion Questions 1. Do you agree that training a new disciple is the most cost effective work of the church? What are other cost effective activities? 2. Are there new disciples or inactive members that need to be trained? Can you list some? Will you reach out to one of them this week? ><