Discipleship

"A highway shall be there and it shall be called The Holy Way" Isaiah 35:8

Discipleship
Fr. Edwin Stube
Conversion
Before people can be discipled, they must be converted or born anew. Being born anew properly consists of four parts:
    Hear the Gospel proclaimed and demonstrated in the power of the Holy Spirit.
    Repent and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
    Be baptized in water.
    Be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
These four things should happen as quickly as possible. (In a natural birth, if the process is unduly prolonged the baby may die. The same is true in the spiritual realm). Often deliverance will be necessary before they can receive the Holy Spirit since they have probably been into drugs, witchcraft, other religions, immorality, or, at the least, have looked at television programs and ads.
Discipleship
New converts need immediately to be trained in the Christian faith. This process is most effectively carried out in small group fellowship with other more mature Christians.
Prayer
New converts need first of all to learn to pray. They should be encouraged to pray and sing in the Spirit (i.e., in tongues). They can do this on a continuing basis individually and also in the fellowship. This cements their relationship with the Lord and encourages spiritual growth. As they observe the older members of the fellowship manifesting the gifts of the Spirit, they learn by example. They should be encouraged to manifest the gifts of the Spirit, to worship in the Spirit, and to pray for their own needs and the needs of others. They can early on be taught to rely on the direction of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of walking in the Spirit in their daily lives.
Scripture Reading
Scripture reading, at first, is best encouraged in relation to understanding their new experience as children of God and to the problems the new converts will face. In some cases, they will be subjected to persecution. At first, we can help them look at scriptures that can help them face the problems as they arise. In time, they will be able to find their own scriptural help and can encourage one another. New converts will undoubtedly be attacked by various temptations and doubts. These also can be countered by reference to the scriptures. Questions will arise concerning the new converts’ new found faith and the activities of the Christian community and its way of life. Guidance for these things can be found in scripture. At first, we will have to point them to the scriptures that meet their needs, but quickly they should be encouraged to move out on their own. After they have experienced the applicability of scripture to life, they will be able to be led into a more systematic study of scripture.
Sanctification
We need, from the start, to stress the difference between natural and Christian culture and morality. Past sins must be dealt with by repentance and the accepting of forgiveness. We need to learn to forgive one another and earlier influences on our lives. A trip to Romans 6 or 1 John can enable them to understand and experience the importance of being dead to sin and alive to righteousness on a continuing basis. We encourage one another to let Christ be our life.
Worship
We need continually to mature and deepen our worship experiences. There are many different kinds of worship and many different moods. There is praise and thanksgiving, adoration, repentance, the travail of intercession, petition. Worship may be structured or spontaneous. charismatic or liturgical. Celebration of the Holy Communion may occur separately or in conjunction with the charismatic element. There are times of exuberance, shouting, dancing, singing of new songs; there are also deep times of silence in which there is nothing but His wonderful presence.
Ministry
Ministry grows out of prayer and worship. From the very beginning, new converts should be encouraged to minister to others. This can begin in the fellowship. They can exercise the gifts of the Spirit, pray for one another, and encourage one another. Soon, they will become confident enough to exercise the same ministry to people they meet outside. They can often learn the Lord’s ways of reaching out to people by going out with other more experienced Christians. Disciples will also need to learn about spiritual warfare and intercession.
Ministry Gifts
In time, Christians need to move into the ministry gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. The working together of the five-fold ministries listed in the Ephesians verse are particularly necessary for building up and maturing the whole body of believers. People can be set into these ministries by prophecy in the fellowship, appointment by the leadership, or consensus of the whole fellowship. There should also be a clear witness of the Spirit in the individual who is being called. Paul always connects the unity of the Body of Christ with the diverse but complementary gifts of the various members. These gifts are intended to build up the fellowship to a perfect unity and maturity in Christ.
N.B. We never outgrow our need to be disciples.

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