How does evangelism relate to discipleship? In today’s Seven Minute Seminary, Dr. Andrew C. Thompson explains that Christian evangelism goes beyond proclamation and should be understood as a rite of initiation and entering into the means of grace.
We’re accustomed to hearing both about the mission and the identity of God’s church; the empowerment for mission and for holiness by the Holy Spirit. What if both aspects are inseparable parts of Christian vocation? Chris Green suggests a way to think about Spirit baptism with biblical integrity and in a way that does justice to Christ’s example.
This wraps up our series on Wesley’s sermons for the time being. Listen in on Steve Martyn and Ken Collins as they host a series preaching through John Wesley’s sermons, arranged topically according to the Order of Salvation. This week, enjoy “Self-Denial” (Luke 9:23). Check back every Sunday for a new sermon.
Finally, the question must be asked, “What is a disciple?” For those early Christians, being a disciple was really quite simple. It meant that they were becoming more and more like Christ in every single aspect of their lives. Read the final entry in Steve Bruns’ series on discipleship.
It was here, in Holy Communion, that the Church saw fully and completely what the potential cost of discipleship entailed: death. And yet it was literal good news, because despite his death, Jesus Christ was currently present with them in this very act of Holy Communion. Read more from Steve Bruns’ series on the early church and discipleship.
Today we tend to think of Scripture for discipleship primarily in terms of individual Bible Study, but in the early church—which had no complete Bible—Scripture use was much more multivalent. Read more from Steve Bruns as he continues his series on discipleship.
Whatever your primary discipleship environment is (Sunday school, small group, huddle, etc.), you need to begin to ask: What is your checklist? If you do not have one, how will you determine if your present environment is healthy and working to its God given capacity to further the kingdom of God?
How people pray greatly impacts what they believe. The early Church taught its people prayers and how to pray so that their faith would be correct and intact. It was one of the ways the Church discipled its people and encouraged them in their spiritual life and growth. Read more from Steven Bruns as he continues his series on discipleship in the early church.
Since the early Church didn’t have a New Testament, how did they make disciples? In today’s article, Steve Bruns reveals that the corporate worship service itself was when Christians were discipled in a general way and had access to Old Testament Scriptures, which were authoritative texts for the Church.
Why does doctrine matter? In this Seven Minute Seminary, Dr. William Abraham explains that, contrary to popular belief, doctrine doesn’t stand in opposition to personal spiritual experience, nor Christian humanitarian action in the world. Rather, it is the vital task of articulating who the God is that we encounter in the gospel.
Before we can begin to make disciples, we must first come to terms with what the church is. What does it mean to be and join the church? Ancient Christians had an answer, and it pointed to the Nicene Creed: “We believe in one, holy, catholic, apostolic Church.” Read more from Steve Bruns as he continues in his series on discipleship and the church.
Far from being the less gospel-centered ministry in the local church, Jeremy Steele argues that youth ministry is usually the exemplary model of incarnation and contextualization. Read today’s post as a response to last week’s article, “Why Youth Ministry is a Misnomer.”
