“…THE LORD HAS SAID TO ME, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU. ASK OF ME, AND I WILL GIVE YOU (JESUS) THE NATIONS FOR YOUR INHERITANCE, AND THE ENDS OF THE EARTH FOR YOUR POSSESSION.” PSALM 2:7,8
RDM’s Online Articles & Sermon Outlines
The Need For Discipleship
“Cultivating Discipleship” Mark 4:13-20 Introduction: The need for discipleship. Discipleship is the only method of retaining fruit. The parable of the sower is a parable about discipleship. Jesus’ teaching was on the timeline of an interested seeker, an excited believer, a distracted disciple, and a......
Has “Missional” Replaced “DiscipleMaking?
Author – Mike Breen It’s time we start being brutally honest about the missional movement that has emerged in the last 10-15 years: Chances are better than not it’s going to fail. That may seem cynical, but I’m being realistic. There is a reason so......
What Is Discipleship and How Is It Done?
Interview by John Piper Well, to the inbox. Many questions have come in this month about discipleship. What is discipleship? What is the aim of discipleship? And how is it done typically? To orient us on discipleship, what would you want to say, Pastor John?......
Videos
The Relational Discipleship Series
Relational Discipleship is a thirty-six week coaching plan for small group or one-on-one discipleship in the local church.
Relational Discipleship is designed for:
New Believers.
Those who rededicated their lives to Christ.
Those who are hungry to grow and want to be disciples of Christ.
Those who are mature believers and want to know how to disciple others.
The Matthew Discipleship Plan
Welcome to the Matthew Discipleship Plan. The MDP can be used when discipling a believer one-on-one or in small group. The plan has four levels (levels 1-3 are available now) with each level consisting of ten weekly lessons taken from the book of Matthew. Weekly assignments consist of scripture memorization, bible reading, and praying with others. These are essential components of discipleship and I would strongly encourage the discipler to require the participant to be accountable for the weekly assignments.
Why the book of Matthew? I have used many different discipleship formats over the years with each author inserting lesson topics that he or she thought was vital for discipleship. The lessons presented in the Matthew Discipleship Plan are the Word of God and came forth out of the mouth of the Jesus Himself. These are not topics that I think are important for the disciple to know, but discourses that Jesus believed His disciples should hear, understand, and apply to their lives.
Secondly, the book of Matthew cites the Old Testament more than any other Gospel. Matthew regularly presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). In the book of Matthew, Jesus is presented as a teacher greater than Moses. From the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7:27) to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 23-25:46), Jesus’ teachings can be arranged in five major blocks, echoing the five books of the Law (Genesis-Deuteronomy). Jesus is recasting the Law as the new Moses.
Undoubtedly, Matthew wanted the Jewish people to understand how the New Covenant fulfilled the Old Covenant. He wanted them to see how Jesus, the Son of God, is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets from beginning with his birth through his resurrection. I too think it is essential that we as disciples understand the person of Jesus; read, study, and memorize His words, and have a strong foundational revelation of His cross and resurrection.
Thank you so much for committing yourself to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Again, prayerfully make the decision to do the lessons, memorize the scriptures, and to make yourself accountable to your discipler. Your life will be forever changed and you will look back someday without regret that you made the choice to become a disciple of Christ. – Randy L Ballard
Part 1 – The Sermon on the Mount
Moses gives the Law (Exodus 24:3-8) vs. The Fulfilled Law of Jesus (Matthew 5:17)
- Your Attitudes, Matthew 5:1-11
- Your Influence, Matthew 5:13-20
- Your Personal Relationships: Anger, Matthew 5:21-26
- Your Personal Relationships: Marital Faithfulness and Swearing, Matthew 5:27-37
- Your Personal Relationships: Love, Matthew 5:38-48
- Your Personal Worship, Matthew 6:1-34
- Your Judgments vs. Spiritual Discernment, Matthew 7:1-11
- Your Tests of Character (Part I), Matthew 7:12-14
- Your Tests of Character (Part II), Matthew 7:15-23
- Your Tests of Character (Part III), Matthew 7:24-27
Part 2 – Jesus’ Instructions for Discipleship
Moses appoints 70 elders (Numbers 11:16-30; Deuteronomy 31:9-13) vs Jesus sends out His Disciples for Ministry (Matthew 9:35-10:42)
- Your Authority in Christ, Matthew 9:35-38
- Principles of Evangelism, Part One, Matthew 10:5-10
- Principles of Evangelism, Part Two, Matthew 10:11-15
- Responding to Persecution, Matthew 10:16-20
- Standing Your Ground, Matthew 10:21-26
- Trusting in the Father’s Care, Matthew 10:27-31
- The Cost of Discipleship, Matthew 10:32-39
- The Reward of Discipleship, Matthew 10:40-42
Part 3 – The Parables of the Kingdom, Matthew 13:1-52
Moses gives laws for living in the promise land (Deut. 12-26) vs Instructions for Living in the Kingdom
- Introduction to the Parable (or Mysteries) of the Kingdom
- The Sower – Matthew 13:1-23
- The Wheat and Weeds – Matthew 13:24-26
- The Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31-32
- The Leaven – Matthew 13:33
- The Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44
- The Merchant and the Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13:45-46
- The Parable of the Net – Matthew 13:47-50
- The Responsibilities of a Disciple – Matthew 13:51-52
Declaration of Faith
The Declaration of Faith Discipleship Course is excellent for a church membership class, a Wednesday night adult study, a Sunday School elective on Church of God doctrine, or a small group discipleship study.
The book features ten lessons covering all fourteen Declaration of Faith articles; leader books and fill-in-the-blank student lesson books; lesson memory verses and accountability log sheets; and discussion questions that will engage everyone in the group to participate.
Weekly Lesson Topics
- THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE INSPIRATION
Verbal Inspiration of the Bible - THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
The Trinity - THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
The Birth, Death, and Ascension of Christ - THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
Repentance, Justification, Regeneration, and New Birth - THE DOCTRINES OF SANCTIFICATION AND HOLINESS
Sanctification following the New Birth; Holiness as God’s Standard for Living - THE DOCTRINE OF THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST
The Baptism as the Initial Evidence - SACRAMENTS AND ORDINANCES
Water Baptism, Divine Healing, the Lord’s Supper, and Washing of the Saints’ feet - THE DOCTRINE OF ESCHATOLOGY (END TIMES)
The Second Coming, the Rapture, and the Millennium - THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNITY FOR MAN
The Bodily Resurrection of the Righteous and the Wicked
DISCIPLER’S HANDBOOK
The Discipler’s Handbook is an effective tool to help a Christian lead a lost person to Christ and begin discipling them immediately.
Every Christian needs to be ready to make disciples. The Discipler’s Handbook will equip you to explain the plan of salvation, lead them in a sinner’s prayer, and begin discipling them immediately.
THE DISCIPLER’S HANDBOOK CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING:
- The ABC Plan of Salvation
- A Sinner’s Prayer of Repentance
- The What, Why, and How of Discipleship
- Seven Discipleship Lessons to get a New Believer Started in understanding their New Life in Christ
- Weekly Accountability Log Forms
- A Daily Bible Reading Journal Log
- Eight Suggestions for Discipling New Believers
PRAYING GOD’S WORDS
Your prayer life is about ready to get a refreshing makeover. Jesus said, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). When you pray God’s words you pray spirit and life. Praying God’s Words contains instructional articles to help you understand how and why we as believers are to pray God’s word from the scriptures. Following the articles, you will find selected Psalms that you can pray daily making your prayers more God-centered and less self-centered.
Before I started praying God’s words from the scriptures, I found myself praying the same old things using the same old words. Now I pray new things, using new words. I pray for people and situations that I wouldn’t think of on my own. My prayers are fresh, and not so redundant. My prayer is that you will experience the same as you pray God’s words using this book as your guide. Order Praying God’s Words today and start your own daily prayer revolution. – Randy
Discipleship Assessments