First Steps Discipleship Training

By Resource Publications

The First Steps of Your Discipleship Journey . . .
Are More Important than You Think!

Are you seeking a strong spiritual walk? If you are willing to do some training, this course can get you there! Replicating Jesus's exciting vision, First Steps teaches six key practices to establish your faith and empower your mission! Come journey alongside others to gain a stride that will bless you for the rest of your life!

First Steps Skill Set:
- Develop a method for getting the most from your Bible
- Adopt the simple pattern of conversational prayer
- Experience the life-changing power of confessional abiding
- Take steps into deeper relationships and service
- Learn skills to touch your world with the love and message of Christ!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Jan 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781630872366

Book preview

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FIRST STEPS

Discipleship Training

Turning Newer Believers into Missional Disciples

Volume 2

Gary Comer

FIRST STEPS Discipleship Training

Turning Newer Believers into Missional Disciples, volume 2

The Missional Engagement Series

Copyright © 2014 Gary Comer. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Wipf & Stock

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

Eugene, OR 97401

www.wipfandstock.com

isbn 13: 978-1-62032-828-6

eisbn 13: 978-1-63087-236-6

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Title Page

The Missional Engagement Series

Week 1: Welcome to FIRST STEPS Discipleship Training!

Part One: The Decision for Christ

Welcome to the Family!

Week 2: The Whole Bible Narrative

Week 3: The Journey Ahead

Part Two: The Disciplines of the Christian

The Disciplines of the Christian

Week 4: Prayer

Week 5: Abiding in Christ

Week 6: Church Connection and Service

Part Three: The Directives of Christ

Week 7: Showing the Love of Christ

Week 8: Sharing the Message of Christ

Week 9: Developing Faith-Sharing Skills

Week 10: Celebrations!

The Symbols of Salvation

Addendum - F.I.R.S.T. Study Examples

Review of the Faith-Sharing Process

Resources by Gary Comer

Bibliography

The Missional Engagement Series

Volume 1

Steps to Faith

Examine Faith • Explore Questions • Encounter God

Where Inquiring Friends Become Solid Disciples

Volume 2

FIRST STEPS Discipleship Training

FIRST STEPS Discipleship Training: Leader’s Guide

Turning Newer Believers Into Missional Disciples

Volume 3

Elevate

Experience the Power of Lift

Raising Up Missional Members

Volume 4

Launch Point

Community Group Mission Guide

Moving Small Groups into Mission

Through the years, many teachers have stepped up to the plate as disciple makers. In their spirit, I am dedicating First Steps to my key teaching partner, Don Roseberry, and his amazing ministry-partnering wife, Helen. Their passion in making disciples has touched scores; their insights have made this work a chiseled and honed offering to God!

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The Missional Engagement Series

Reflected in the hub design, The Missional Engagement Series is not one-dimensional or linear, but rather, a holistic layout. Two concepts are critical. First, mission is taught in every phase. Never considered optional or ancillary, being a disciple is about being on mission for Jesus. Second, the design develops disciples progressively in stages. By this, it recognizes how Christian maturation actually occurs, needing reinforcement and refinement over time.

Threaded themes drive the curriculum in a compelling way:

These materials create habits and experiences to shape Christ-likened character and skills. Each vehicle can work independently, yet they fit within a grand design for synergistic impact.

week 1

Welcome to FIRST STEPS Discipleship Training!

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This class covers foundations to the Christian faith, and your involvement in the church. Some of you are new to our fellowship, and we welcome you into our church family! Others of you are newly in the faith, or are here to explore what the Christian faith is about. Regardless of where you are, this class will strengthen your spiritual life. We rejoice that you are here!

As the subtitle suggests, First Steps has a training focus. When Jesus met with his disciples after the resurrection, he circled back with multiple appearances over forty days, which included an extended stay in hometown Galilee. Why did he do this? The answer: He stayed for training. He knew the initial steps of his disciples would be critical to their growth and influence. At this pivotal juncture, Jesus took the time to establish their faith and empower them for mission—they would be his movement! This course replicates that same ennobling vision in you!

Have you ever trained for something? Most of us have trained professionally or recreationally in one way or another. How about a marathon? Anybody? People don’t just get up in the morning and decide to run twenty-six miles. They train. Training enables you to do what you could never do without it! We hope you are ready to use your muscles, because taking new ground—means effort! Like anything that is truly impacting, you will get out of the class what you put into it.

In the journey forward, you will be introduced to six key practices. They relate to both disciplines and directives to give you a healthy balance of input and output. With most of the key practices we do training exercises. You can relax, however. We will not put you on the spot —anymore than we need to! We just want to make sure you get it and leave with real tools. As Jesus purposed, we aim to guide you into a strong spiritual direction. If you are willing