Discipleship Across the Lifespan

Discipleship Across the Lifespan Trinity International University

What is Teaching? Christian education is “the ministry of bringing believers to maturity in Jesus Christ” (Downs, Pg 16). The facilitation of learning

Is there a difference between… Discipleship Teaching

What does the Old Testament teach about teaching? 26 And it will come about when your children will say to you, “What does this rite mean to you?” 27 that you shall say, “It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.” And the people bowed low and worshiped (Exodus 12:26-27).

What does the Old Testament teach about teaching? 18 You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19 And you shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates… (Deuteronomy 11:18-20)

Proverbs 1:8-9 8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, And do not forsake your mother's teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, And ornaments about your neck.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. Choose your rut carefully; you’ll be in it for the next 20 miles

“My purpose is to establish the centrality of teaching as a means of establishing people to grow in their faith as Christians” ― Perry Downs, Pg 24, Teaching for Spiritual Growth Divide into groups of 3 to discuss & share Is teaching central? How has Downs accomplished his purpose in his chapter on Teaching in the Old & New Testaments? Does Faith Development depend on teaching? Why or why not?

Group Assignment(Remain in Groups of 3) Discuss the models of teaching from the early church as seen in Acts & the Epistles Compile some implications for the churches’ ministries today. How much time do churches today spend in teaching? What would entail and optimum balance?

Jesus as a Teacher God had only One Son and He was a Teacher • Incarnational Teaching • Teaching in the language of the hearer • Experiencing the life of the hearer • Speaking to both the felt needs and the real needs of the hearer

Jesus as a Teacher God had only One Son and He was a Teacher Small Group Assignment What are some of the methods of teaching that were used by Jesus?

“I adopt” Adoption Application “I Try” Speculation “I think” Approval “I Like” Simple Recall “I Remember” Stieneker & Bell’s Taxonomy

Teaching Methods of Jesus Parables & Storytelling • Parables serve to illustrate • Parables serve to conceal

Matthew 13:10-13 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 And He answered and said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Teaching Methods of Jesus Parables & Storytelling • Parables serve to illustrate • Parables serve to conceal • Parables fly under the radar of our defenses • Parables capture the imagination

Allegory Teaching Methods of Jesus • Simile: It is like a mustard seed (Luke • 13:19) • Metaphor: I am the door (John 10:9) • An allegory is an extended metaphor What is the difference between an allegory versus a parable?

John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Teaching Methods of Jesus Question & Answer • A question gets everyone’s attention • A question needs little introduction • A question is sometimes a smoke screen for a deeper question • A question can sometimes be answered by the questioner • When in a group, make sure everyone hears & understands the question

Matthew 16:13-14 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:15-16 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

Teaching Methods of Jesus Humor • The nature of humor • Middle Eastern humor versus American humor …if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you (John 8:55)

kuna,rion Rather than kuwn [Kuon] [Kunarion] Matthew 15:25-27 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

John 4:14-16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

Teaching Methods of Jesus Visual Aids At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-4)

Teaching Methods of Jesus Teaching by Example • He told us how to pray and He prayed • He told us how to forgive and He forgave • He told us how to give and He gave Himself • He told us how to love and He demonstrated His love for us

Jesus in the School of Discipleship Taken from Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism • Selection of a few • Men willing to learn • Concentration on a few • The masses not neglected

Jesus in the School of Discipleship Taken from Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism • Selection of a few • Association • Consecration • “Take My yoke upon you” (Mt 11:29) • Count the cost • The way of the cross

Jesus in the School of Discipleship Taken from Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism • Selection of a few • Association • Consecration • Demonstration • Delegation • Supervision • Reproduction

Discipleship Across the Lifespan