1. The Context for Discipleship:
Re-Integrating Faith, Community, and Mission

2. Our Goal
“We hope to provide a philosophy, or context from which to understand discipleship, one which is rooted in scripture and also in our Wesleyan heritage.”
p. 1

3. What is the flow or pattern of discipleship?
What should be the content of discipleship?
How should we define and measure our effectiveness?
How do we devise an effective system for discipleship for our local church?
What are some helpful models and resources?

4. Discipleship is Christ-formation

5. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . ” Matthew 22:37
Love God

6. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . ” Matthew 22:37
Love God
Love your neighbor
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39

7. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . ” Matthew 22:37
A new
commandment
I give
you . . .”
Love God
Love your neighbor
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39

8. Love God Love God Love each other Love your neighbor
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . ” Matthew 22:37
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . ” Matthew 22:37
A new
commandment
I give
you . .
Love God
Love God
“Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34
Love each other
Love your neighbor
Love your neighbor
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39

9. How do we know it was a new command?

10. How do we know it was a new command?
Jesus said so.

11. How do we know it was a new command?
Jesus said so.
He clarified the circle.

12. How do we know it was a new command?
Jesus said so.
He clarified the circle.
He raised the bar.

14. Human wholeness
The freedom to give and receive love from God and from each other . . .

15. Human wholeness
The freedom to give and receive love from God and from each other and then extend that love to a lost and broken world.

16. Up
An Economy of Love In
Out

17. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

18. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to
receive and
give love
to God. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

19. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to
receive and
give love
to each
other. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

20. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to love
the least
and the
lost. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

21. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to
receive from
and give
love to
God
together. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

22. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to love
the least and
the lost
together. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

23. Up Up Up/In Up/Out In In In/Out Out Out
Information,
practices, and
experiences that
enable us to help
a lost world
receive
from and
give
love to
God. Up Up
Up/In
Up/Out In In
In/Out
Out
Out

24. Up Ecclesia “the called out ones” Out Apostolous “the sent ones”
In Koinonia “the called together ones”
Out Apostolous “the sent ones”

25. The Dis-Integration of the ChurchUp In
Out

26. The Dis-Integration of the ChurchUp In
Out

27. B.T. Roberts
New School Methodism
1857

28. “Christianity is a Religion of Beneficence Rather Than Devotion”
Editors
The Advocate
May 14, 1857

29. A growing
majority in the
U.S. Up
Out In

30. 77% of the U.S. population claims affinity with the Christian faith.
George Gallup

31. 77% of the U.S. population claims affinity with the Christian faith.
George Gallup
Less than 20% of Americans worship and fellowship regularly with a body of believers.
Rebecca Barnes and Lindy Lowry
7 Startling Facts: An Up Close
Look at Church Attendance in America.

32. Evangelism Up In Out Evangelism, discipleship,
and assimilation, call people
into all three circles. Up
Evangelism In
Out

33. Evangelism =
Discipleship =
Assimilation Up In
Out

34. A Free Methodist Annual Conference

35. A Free Methodist Annual Conference
5,296 Conversions from

36. A Free Methodist Annual Conference
5,296 Conversions from
14% decline in morning worship attendance during that same period.

37. “I will not strike a blow in any place where I cannot follow the blow
John Wesley

38. “I am more and more convinced that the devil himself desires nothing more than this, that the people of any place be half awakened, and then left to themselves to fall asleep again.”
Journal
March 13, 1743

39. “My brother Wesley acted wisely
“My brother Wesley acted wisely. The souls that were awakened under his ministry he joined in class, and thus preserved the fruit of his labors. This I neglected and my people are a rope of sand.”
George Whitefield

40. People enter through any one of the circles.Up
Evangelism In
Out

41. Tameka’s
Story Up In
Out

42. Up In
Out
Maria’s
Story

43. Up In
Out
Bill’s
Story

44. is to draw them into the other two circles.
Discipleship
is to draw them into the other two circles. Up In
Out

45. Discipling
Tameka Up In
Out

46. Discipling
Maria Up In
Out

47. Up
Discipling
Bill In
Out

48. Whenever someone enters one of the three circles, and someone in the church notices, discipleship can begin.

49. What is the flow or pattern of discipleship?
What should be the content of discipleship?
How should we define and measure our effectiveness?
How do we devise an effective system for discipleship for our local church?
What are some helpful models and resources?