equip
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equip
ISSUE TWO 2012 KINGDOM MISUNDERSTOOD THE (Part 4) equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 What to Charles Dunahoo, Coordinator of CEP expect engage: from the Editor • The Kingdom MISUNDERSTOOD (Part 4) The Body of Christ, The Next Generations ..........................4 Discipling the Entire Covenant Family Welcome to the Spring Edition of Equip to Disciple. In the three previ- enrich: ous issues we have been focusing on the Kingdom of God and His Church • Children’s & Youth plus how they relate to one another and what God has assigned to each. We Ministries ............................10 have observed the church’s role is to make kingdom disciples who can then • Equip Tip .............................11 move out into the broader kingdom, to have a godly, salt and light influence on the world • Men’s Ministries .................12 around them. The church trains those in the army, referring to the people of the church, to be endorse: equipped and prepared to live for Christ in the world. • Book Reviews ......................15 In the Winter issue we focused on developing a strategy for making kingdom disciples among the adult members of the church. Descriptions, ideas, and suggestions were made in the article. In this issue I have asked Sue Jakes, our Christian education specialist in children’s ministry, and Danny Mitchell, CEP consultant with youth and family ministries, to do the same with the youth and children’s strategy. CEP’s role in the PCA is mainly to provide training and resources for local churches to assist them in their task of disciple making. You will also find helpful ideas from Dennis Bennett, CEP Coordinator of Resources, regarding the parent’s role in the process. In addition to that you will find a helpful article by Gary Yagel, CEP consultant in men’s ministries, regarding men’s discipling. I hope our message is clear. Kingdom disciples are made primarily by and through the local church. That is the commission Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:18,19. And, when Jesus said we are to seek first the kingdom of God…the church’s role is to obey, and we do that first and foremost through discipling men, women, youth and children. Through our seminars, conferences, bookstore and video library resources, women’s and men’s ministry, as well as with our children and youth focus, we are here to serve and assist you. Making disciples is a team effort. It does take a covenant family to disciple its covenant people of all ages. Together in His Service Discipling God’s covenant people with a kingdom world and life focus provides the setting through which we minister. Coordinator. P.S. Don’t miss the book reviews! equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 equip to disciple (ISSN 1082-7714) is published by: The Committee for Christian Education and Publications of the Presbyterian Church in America,1700 North Brown Rd., Suite 102, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043. Telephone: (678) 825-1100 • Fax: (678) 825-1101 • E-Mail: cep@pcanet.org equip the editor unless otherwise noted. Publication of articles, comments, opinions, or advertising does not imply agreement or endorsement by Equip to Disciple or Christian Education and Publications of the Presbyterian Church in America. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: to disciple is provided to individual participants and supporters of CEP’s Ministry. Bulk copies are available to churches for $6 per copy for one year. To begin receiving Equip, call 1-800-283-1357. equip to disciple 1700 North Brown Rd., Suite 102, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043. © Copyright 2012 by the Christian Education Committee, PCA. All rights reserved. Material in Equip to Disciple may be reproduced with permission. Equip to Disciple requests a copy of the publication in which the reproduced article appears. COORDINATOR/EDITOR: Charles H. Dunahoo Unless noted, all Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2003 and 2001, Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All articles are written by Third-class postage paid at Montgomery, AL. Postmaster, send 3579 to: PUBLISHER: Committee for Christian Education and Publications of the Presbyterian Church in America ADVERTISING: Tim Schirm DESIGN / PRINTING: Chip Evans, Karen Pezzuti, Walker360 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People 3 equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 THE KINGDOM MISUNDERSTOOD (PART 4) Editor’s Note: If you have not read parts one, two or three in the previous editions of Equip to Disciple, or you do not have a copy of those issues, please go to the CEP website at www.pcacep.org where you will find part one entitled, The Kingdom Misunderstood, part two entitled, Should the Church Separate, Identify, Transform, or...?, and part three entitled, The Body of Christ, Shaping the Kingdom. 4 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 A Strategy for Discipling Our Children and Youth I n our Christian Education and Publications training events, we use the phrase “the whole Gospel for the whole church.” We have been asked what we mean by that, to which we have responded: Kingdom discipleship focuses on the whole truth of Scripture, and its audience is the entire church at all age levels. In Making Kingdom Disciples a New Framework, we point out that Calvin’s emphasis regarding making disciples begins at the earliest stages of a covenant person’s life. The sooner we begin to self-consciously disciple our covenant children, the easier it will be for them to see themselves as covenant children belonging to God’s kingdom and that being a Christian is not only about going to church, or personally believing in Jesus, or reading or hearing the Bible, but every day of the week in all things we are to live for Christ. He is Lord of all. As we have said many times, discipleship involves “teaching to observe all things that God has commanded” and that is connected with baptism. It involves helping our children understand who they are, as well as who God is. As we teach them by the Word and example, our prayer is that they will soon claim for themselves that reality. In the three previous issues of Equip to Disciple we have focused on: What is the kingdom? What is the church? How do they relate, and what is their respective roles in God’s sovereign plan? As the covenant family, we must obey the Lord’s command expressed in both commissions referred to in previous articles. I have asked Ms.Sue Jakes,our Christian education specialist who focuses on children’s ministry, and our youth and family consultant, Danny Mitchell, to give us their ideas about how a local church can implement a plan of disciple-making with our families, children, and youth. You will recall in the previous issue of Equip to Disciple, we made suggestions for the adult education or discipleship strategy. A Local Church Children’s Ministry Focused on Making Kingdom Disciples If nothing else will bring you to the throne of grace begging for mercy and wisdom, the responsibility of discipling children will. And the whole body of Christ has that responsibility. Before we consider each portion of our duty, we must pray that we would never hinder, but always aid, our children’s journey into and through the Kingdom. We must also pray daily for the children in our home and church, that the Spirit will work in their hearts that they might become true Jesus men and women. The most strategic place for making Kingdom disciples in the local church is in the ministry to children. Not only are the children learning and growing, but also all who are teaching Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People 5 equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 and leading are growing as disciples in the process. Most educators agree that one does not truly know anything until he teaches it, and as we teach the Word to young children we can expect it to be life-changing, not only for them, but for us. The foundation of our disciple making ministry for children should be the true teaching of the Word which conforms to what is being preached from the pulpit. Great Commission Publications’ Show Me Jesus curriculum teaches the whole counsel of God, seeing Christ in all of scripture, and trains the teachers to communicate the gospel story in every lesson. Whether this complete Bible curriculum is used in Sunday school or some other Bible instruction setting, it should be foundational in the training of the children in your church. In conjunction with the knowledge of the Word which leads us to Christ, children must be indoctrinated, understanding what they believe and why. For centuries the church has catechized her children. We must not stop now, but if we have ceased this practice, we must begin again. Very few catechism programs in the church are successful without strong parental involvement. If you have a special program intended for catechism memory, parents should be guided in their home study and memory work with their children. A kingdom disciple is not only one who knows King Jesus, but one who loves, serves, and thinks like King Jesus. How do we begin to take our children from the classical should be praying. They must watch us pray, pray with us, and then be encouraged to pray continually. Serving the family, the Body, and the community is also using their faith language. As we find each child’s gifts by exploring what they love to do, we must then give them many occasions to serve others. Children should also have the opportunity to verbally communicate what has been imparted to them. Again, we tell them all that we know, but do they really know it until they have to teach it themselves? Often times we shy away from having older children teach younger, but this is still the best training ground if they are going to be disciple-makers themselves. And isn’t this the only true measure that we have made a disciple – that they become disciple-makers themselves? Are we teaching our children to take every thought captive to Christ? Are we defining the culture through the Kingdom grid? The church and home must come together continually and ask these questions, holding one another accountable to the task of training our children by God’s Deuteronomy 6 method. We must talk of these things when we rise up. Do our families begin the day with Kingdom talk, giving God’s purpose for the day that he has made? And when we sit down, are we reading the Word at home around the meal table, discussing truth and how we apply it to all of life? And A kingdom disciple knows the King, serves the King and thinks like the King. grammar stage of their faith into the logical and rhetorical living out of what they believe? A standard component of our ministry to children must be parental training. It is the serving, giving, loving, obedient parent who will most likely produce a serving, giving, loving, obedient child. Again, this is a heart issue, but no person can see a parent’s heart better than their own child. They are blessings in this way – always reminding us of our need of saving grace. As we know and see the needs of each individual child, the church’s ministry is to ask what we can do to aid the parent in bringing the child to Christ. This is the gospel message – Jesus came down to earth, becoming man, and we must meet every child and family where they are, while knowing that our God is faithful. He is most glorified when the most difficult circumstances are overcome each day by the work of his grace. True kingdom ministry is never trying to get around a special need, but looking for the power of God to work mightily in it. As a child sees the gospel in everyday living, he must be given every opportunity to use his faith language. Children 6 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People when we walk along the way (or drive in the car), are we spending our time wisely preparing our hearts for Kingdom work, singing his songs, telling his stories? And when we lie down, do we remember his good deeds and pray for all those who we are called to remember and serve? Life is war and our children must be armed for it on every front. It is time to raise our expectations for the next generation of Kingdom disciples. But as we raise our expectations we must also raise our commitment to the task to which God has called us. Examine your home and church. Are we getting by with programs and ideas that we hope will work out in the end? Or do we have a clear vision about what we are to do and how we are to implement God’s plan for making Kingdom disciples? You can read this and be overwhelmed or overjoyed. We must be overjoyed that God would continually entrust us with his children and his promise. He will be God to our children and our children’s children. And as we obey him in his commission to make disciples by populating the world with the next generation of Christians, we must never equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 2012 be overwhelmed because he has all authority in heaven and on earth, and he is with us. A Kingdom Disciple-making Youth Ministry Most churches will at some point wrestle with the question of purpose for their ministry to the next generation. The answer to this foundational question becomes the destination point that the entirety of the youth program is moving toward. In the same way that a GPS needs the destination point in order to tell you how to get there, a youth ministry needs a desired outcome to be able to chart the best course of action. Without a well-thought out, biblicallyinformed, easily-understood purpose, your youth ministry will waste valuable time on programs that do little more than entertain the rising generation. For this reason, every church should not only do the work necessary to answer the question of purpose in ministry to youth, but it should regularly use that purpose as the lens with which the youth program is evaluated. In youth ministry,our first inclination is to judge a program by numbers. Our second inclination is to try to decide the effectiveness of what we do by determining how much fun our students had at a particular event. Unfortunately, we are often further down the list of ministry critiques before we start analyzing our program based on whether or not Kingdom disciples are being produced. It is a sad indictment for any church that would believe that their ministry to the next generation is doing its job because 100 youth went on the ski trip or they all had an awesome time at the lock-in. That is not to knock the value of these types of events in a youth program. Youth need places within the body of Christ to have fun. However, the call of the Church is to make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded. This is the basis and purpose of our ministry to rising generations. It is also the standard by which we should judge our youth programs. How does your annual trip to the slopes of Colorado help your church develop your youth as Kingdom disciples? Or, for that matter, how does helping with recreation at VBS help a teenager become a Kingdom disciple? By asking these kinds of questions, your church can more effectively use its resources to grow the next generation into a generation that seeks after the Lord. Whether your church decides to continue, cancel or add a ski trip to Colorado is a decision that can be made at any point. There are any number of disciple-making reasons to decide to go, and any number of reasons that a church would decide not to. In other words, the methodology of disciplemaking in youth ministry can vary from church to church. One example that several churches in our denomination are dealing with, concerning their youth programs, has to do with summer mission trips. Traditionally, youth ministries go on a summer mission trip. There was a time that many of us felt that that the more exotic the locale, the more effective the trip would be. Getting students out of their comfort zone; so we scoured the globe for just the right comfort-stretching location. In an attempt to be missional in our “Jerusalem,” the trend over the past few years has been to look closer to home for our summer youth mission experience. Both types of trips can be effective in helping grow your students into Kingdom disciples. Your youth ministry decision-makers can make that call. The kingdom disciple-making principle here is that the youth of your church need to be engaged in outreach ministries; ideally, both global and local, but the ministry context of a particular church and available resources will drive that decision. Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People 7 equip to disciple | ISSUE TWO 201 learning what is going on in youth culture. At most, we will have three or four opportunities (Sunday school, sermon, youth group and discipleship group) each week to teach the Word to the students in our church. That is maybe four hours out of each week. This is why we must take every opportunity to teach the next generation seriously. At the same time, we need to be equipping our youth with the resources to study, understand and apply the Word on their own. Neglecting this step can cost your students dearly as they move out into the world without the ability to understand and apply the Word without someone telling them how. There are several other kingdom disciple-making principles that should be part of any youth program. Before we go further, it may be helpful to give a working definition of a Kingdom disciple. A Kingdom disciple is someone who thinks God’s thoughts after Him and applies them to all of life. That is what your church should be striving toward with its youth ministry. That is the answer to the question of purpose for next generation ministries. The next step is to think about the kingdom disciple-making principles that come from our purpose and should be part of your youth program. From these principles, your church should make its programmatic decisions. 1. Knowing the Word: 2. Teaching the Word: Every church needs to work to effectively teach the Word of God to its teenagers. Using biblically strong material like Great Commission and Publications’ So What? youth Bible studies is important. However, you also need teachers of the Word who know how to apply it to this generation of teenagers. This requires that adults be willing to spend adequate time in teaching preparation, time listening to the struggles and joys of their youth, and time Students need opportunities within the safety of the Body of Christ to teach the word of God to younger children and youth. Teaching the Word not only forces the student to learn it but also moves them into the process of becoming a disciple-maker. This is a scary thought for some churches because teenagers are… well… teenagers, and they say and do teenage things. Relax. God has been using our weakness to perfect his power since… well… adults ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Kingdom General • Cultural Mandates (all things Christ Preeminent ) • Common Grace • Creation Election • Creation of Man Special Grace (image of God) Spiritual Life • Believers & Redemption Unbelievers Reconciliation • Ethics • Morality Kingdom Special • Politics Church/Church Instruction • Math Forgiveness Word & Sacraments • Science Spiritual Disciplines • History Great Commission • Arts 3. Modeling the Word: God’s Common Grace • Family • Governments • Education • Mercy New Creation in Christ (Making Kingdom Disciples) This is so important that doing it justice in a few short sentences is not possible. The bottom line is that the next generation needs adults in their lives who will form meaningful relationships with them for extended periods of time. And here is the crazy part: youth desire relationships with adults who will listen and speak into their lives. This is not just a biblical mandate for God’s covenant people but modern-day research is saying the same thing. You can read researchers like George Barna, Christian Smith, Walt Mueller, and Chap Clark to verify the claim that was just made. The youth in your church need…YOU. 4. Living the Word: The youth in your church need to learn how to live and function in community. Youth group gatherings can be good places for this to happen. They can force Kingdom of God (in unity) 8 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People Continued on page 10 Children’s & Youth Ministry enrich MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN | students to deal with conflict, with other personalities and with the opposite sex within a structured environment. However, they need to learn to do this within the multigenerational Body of Christ as well. This means constantly isolating the youth from the rest of the church stunts their growth as functional members of the Body. 5. Spreading the Word: Youth need to be trained and have opportunity to be engaged in outreach ministry. 6. Praying the Word: Studies show that Christians stink at praying. Studies also show that we, adults, are reproducing ourselves in the next generation. If A + B = C in this case,then the next generation is not going to be known as a praying generation. Do your students know the value of praying? Have they seen it modeled within the youth program? Any point when multiple kingdom disciple-making principles are happening at once is a special youth ministry equip to disciple moment. This is often one sign that a youth ministry is thinking in terms of Kingdom disciple-making. One example of how we do this at CEP is our YXL (Youth eXcelling in Leadership) conference where all six of these principles are happening in one conference. The website www.yxl.pcacep.org has information about all three YXL conferences. Youth Sunday school is a place in the local church to re-imagine by using the kingdom-disciple paradigm. It is a time that should be more than just about knowing the Word. How many other of the principles should come into play if we just ask the question “How effective is our youth Sunday school at producing Kingdom disciples?” For a multitude of reasons, raising the next generation is not an easy call God has given to His people, but it is a critical call. At the same time, it is a call that we should delight in helping to fulfill. Perhaps the greatest delight is that the call comes to the whole Covenant Community, not just a handful of brave volunteers or paid staff in your church. It is only when we join together as God’s people that will we most effectively grow the next generation into Kingdom disciples. May God find us to be faithful stewards of this call! e The Church...that is the theme of at Covenant College this year, July 9-14, 2012. Are there students in your church who show leadership potential who you would like to invest in and send to YXL? During the week we will explore with the YXL students these 3 questions: • What is the Church? • What is your role in the Church? • What is the role of the Church in the Kingdom? Our belief at CEP is that Christ loves His Bride and if we claim to love and follow Christ then we should love the Bride as well. With the Lord’s blessing, we hope to help YXL students do just that during our week together, through the teaching of the Word and through leadership activities. Who should attend: Students in grades 9-12 who show leadership potential. Cost: $425/student (before June 1st). We also need leaders. Website to visit: www.yxl.pcacep.org (YXL camps are also held in Pennsylvania and Colorado). Would your church consider sponsoring a student or leader to attend YXL? Please let your students know about YXL! 1010 equip to disciple | issue two 2012 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip tip equip to disciple | MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN How We Teach and How They Learn – Part 13 The Family That…Deuteronomy “6s” Together On this night, let’s say it is Monday; there are rules which must be followed: Rule One - we eat at an agreed time. Clean-up can either be done right after dinner if the kids are involved, or it can wait until after the young ones are in bed. Games – this is a wonderful way to spend time together. It can also be used to discuss topics like godly ethics or money management when playing a game such as Monopoly or Careers. Most games are played to be won. But what if the objective of the game were to see who could be the most helpful to someone else or the most philanthropic? Included in the evening could be Bible and/or catechism memory and explanation. I remember using Susan & Richie Hunt’s Big Truths for Little Kids, and even though our kids were older when they came to live with us, it was an effective teaching tool. Sue Jakes gave me this idea: If your church is using GCP curriculum in SS there is a family time idea in the toddler, preschool, and early elementary take-home paper every week. If you don’t use the specific idea, it would be a great time to have each child report on the SS lesson. Your church pays for those take-home papers for a reason – so that the Bible truths will find their way into the family’s life and conversation during the next week. Focus on the Family has a series of books available to help with the teaching and fun times, called the Family Night Tool Chest dealing with holidays, basic Christian beliefs, Ten Commandments, Proverbs, and wisdom life skills. If your family is doing something you think other families might like to try, email me the details, and I will either list them in the next Equip or post them on our website and let you know in the next issue where you can find these helps. We are a connectional denomination, and this is one way we can help each other stay connected. My email is dbennett@pcanet.org. It is sad to admit this, but the Mormons are far ahead of us on this. Every Monday night, in every Mormon home, they are meeting to have fun and learn the ways of their non-Christian cult. We can do so much better. Will you? e Family Ministries If your schedule is anything like mine, there is little time left over. However, when I am honest with myself and my schedule, there always seems to be time to do what I want. The Levites in the OT were appointed to be the teachers in Israel. Elders do this in the NT along with those who have the gift of teaching. All three are told specifically to teach adults. The only instructions God gives for teaching the children are given to their parents. Because of all that invades our lives on a daily basis, we just don’t seem to have the time to set aside for teaching our children. But there may be a way we can do something, at least to start. How about making a family decision to set apart one night a week, preferably the same night each week? This day must become sacred and special to all and only the most critical interruption will be allowed to break this pledge. Because of all that invades our lives on a daily basis, we just don’t seem to have the time to set aside for teaching our children. Rule Two – the TV and computer are off limits! This will be hard for some, but all addictions must be conquered. Rule Three – plan to have fun! This is a night for the family to spend together, enjoying each other’s company, regardless of the ages of the children. This is not a night for a two-hour Bible study. However, a study or devotional time should be a regular part of the evening, as we always want the children to see Christ as the center of everything we do, be it Bible study or fun. The length of the evening depends on the ages of the children and how engaged they get in the discussion. — Dennis Bennett, Coordinator of Resources Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | issue two 2012 11 enrich MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN | Men’s Ministry W Where Do I Find More Disciplers For My Men? By Gary Yagel 12 equip to disciple | issue two 2012 hat pastor has not asked himself this question? What ruling elder has not wished he had more time to spend with the men under his care? What church leader hasn’t recognized the truth that if the church could better disciple its men, everyone—wives, children, the church, the community, the culture— would benefit? Most of us have seen first-hand the benefits of one-on-one discipleship. I saw a brother that God allowed me to lead to Christ go off to Penn State and grow enormously through his involvement with the Navigators. My wife, also, was discipled by the Navigators during her time at Virginia Tech. The power of the multiplication model of discipleship is undeniable. In Dawson Trotman’s booklet, Born to Reproduce, he points out that if a Christian led someone to faith every 6 months and trained that new Christian to do the same, the whole world would be evangelized in 15 ½ years! This mentoring / multiplication methodology was formative in my early thinking about discipleship. To “disciple” someone was synonymous with “mentoring” them, and I saw the power of the multiplication principle proved by the effectiveness of the Navigator ministry around the world. I began to see this mentor/multiplication methodology as normative for the church. After all, didn’t Jesus “disciple” the twelve and then expect them to “disciple” younger believers? Doesn’t 2 Timothy 2:2 teach this multiplication principle, “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also?” I set out as a church planter with the goal of discipling my elders, expecting them to turn around and disciple those equip to disciple under their care. Despite having great elders, this approach totally failed. I did meet with my elders one-on-one, but they were not “disciplers” as I was using the term. In subsequent years I have worked with hundreds of PCA churches (in my role as men’s ministry coach) and though there may be exceptions, I have yet to see the mentor/multiplication model that works so well in the Navigators, work in the local church. Perhaps this model is the normative model of discipleship for the church, and we are just not working it properly or not committed enough to it, or both. But, could it be that we need to rethink what the normative biblical model is for discipleship? What was Jesus’ discipleship methodology? Certainly he mentored the twelve. But there is no record that he had lunch with just Peter on Monday, with just James on Tuesday, or just John on Wednesday. His discipleship methodology was to call his disciples to be a part of a band of brothers. The book of Acts does not reveal a record of church growth in which each of the twelve chose two or three men to “disciple” for awhile, who then each discipled another few men. Paul did have his Timothy; certainly mentoring is appropriate and wise. But the evidence does not support the premise that a mentoring/multiplication model was the normative method for “making disciples” as we are commanded to do in Matthew 28. It must also be pointed out that 2 Timothy 2:2 “and that which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be able to teach others also” does not support the mentoring/ multiplication method of discipleship as normative either. This verse is not talking about Paul’s one-on-one time Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN (band of brothers or sisters) or a Jonathan and David type of relationship. Second, the topic of discussion is truth. The meeting agenda is applying the truth of Scripture to everyday life. That is what Jesus said disciples do…”teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20). A further aspect of speaking the truth is being transparent, honest with one another. Such below-the-surface connection requires the growth of trust within the group. The third component is the developing of a bond of love. Undergirding the honest application of Scripture to each person’s life is a growing love for one another. It is in the context of this real connection that the numerous one-another commands of Scripture are best lived out: Men’s Ministry discipling Timothy (a PRIVATE matter)—but about ensuring that sound teaching continue in the church at a time when the New Testament had not yet been completed. Paul’s focus is his PUBLIC TEACHING, “that which you’ve heard from me in the presence of many witnesses—not his PRIVATE DISCIPLESHIP meetings with Timothy. Paul wants the content of his teaching, i.e. the gospel, passed on “to reliable men who are able to teach (not disciple) others.” If the normative process for discipleship is not the mentoring/multiplication model, what is? Paul reveals it to us in his letter to the Ephesians, his letter that is most focused on the normative life of the church. “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (4:15-16). The normative biblical discipleship process by which the members of the body grow into Christ is to get each member connected in Christ’s body so that they are speaking the truth to one another in love. There are three vital parts to this normative discipleship process. First the group dynamics must promote the speaking of every person. The group for connection may, on some occasions be large, where the teaching elder uses his gifts to proclaim the Word; but there must also be a small enough connection that each member participates. The emphasis in this text on every member connection cannot be denied. Thus, what is in view is a small group connection enrich What was Jesus’ discipleship methodology? encourage one another, stir one another up to love and good deeds, admonish one another, confess your sins to one another, etc. The normative process for making disciples is to get members regularly connected below the surface to discuss the application of Scripture to their everyday lives, being connected to the body through a genuine Continued on page 14 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | issue two 2012 13 Men’s Ministry enrich MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN | bond of love. Now it is clear why the Navigator’s mentoring/ multiplication method is so powerful. It does exactly what Eph. 4:15-16 says builds up the body! It gets men with men or women with women connected in a bond of love to regularly discuss how Scripture applies to life. That is what makes the mentoring/multiplication method of discipleship so powerful. So, we must praise God for those who are called to mentor and turn them loose in the body to use their gifts! But Eph. 4:15-16 does not imply that the connections in the body that build it up are older Christian/younger Christian or that groups are expected as groups to multiply. The goal of church leadership is not to find enough “disciplers” to mentor each man or woman in the body. It is to get each member of the body connected to the other members where they are regularly “speaking the truth to one another in love.” In men’s ministry we are finding this understanding of the discipleship process to be enormously freeing. Instead of trying to find enough “disciplers” for all the men, more and more churches are challenging their men to forge bonds of equip to disciple brotherhood for encouragement and strength with a Christian friend or two and giving them the tools to help them. The result is that the men are “discipling each other.” What is ironic is that right now in the PCA hundreds of older Christian men who would never respond to a request to be a “discipler” are connecting with younger men in these “Forging Bonds of Brotherhood”groups, where real discipleship is happening. (To find out about these tools look for Forging Bonds of Brotherhood at the PCA bookstore or email me at gyagel@ forgingbonds.org.) Where do I find more disciplers for my men? Could it be that they are right under our noses in our congregations and that our goal must be getting all our men regularly connecting below the surface with some other brothers? Could it be that the normative discipleship process is not Bill discipling Fred, but Christ, himself, continuing to disciple his people—through his body? e Gary Yagel is a consultant for CEP focusing on men’s ministry. 2012 YOUTH AND CHILDRENS CONFERENCE September 15, 2012 THE COVE - Ashville, NC January 15-17, 2013 COVENANT SEMINARY - St. Louis, MO Discipling God’s Covenant People vision THE WHOLE GOSPEL TO THE WHOLE CHURCH “…teaching them all that I have commanded you.” Christian Education and Publications Discipling God’s Covenant People GREAT COMMISSION TM P U B L I C AT I O N S endorse equip to disciple | BOOK REVIEWS The Doctrine of the Christian Life, John Frame, P&R Publishing, 2008, 1069 pages, $ 33.58 (#8990) Frame’s treatment of the law of God, particularly the ten laws, will be welcomed by the serious Christian who wants to obey His Lord and King If there is one book that you should possess, read, study, use as background resource for preaching and teaching on the Christian life, this is the book. This is the third volume in a series of four by John Frame. For years I have included the writings of John Frame on my must read list. He thinks from a wholistic world and life view regarding the Kingdom of God. As the title suggests, this book deals with Christian ethics. And, who better than Frame to write about that topic. He points out, as he writes about Christian ethics, the threefold perspectives regarding ethics and Christian living. First there is the normative perspective, followed by the cultural or situational perspective and then followed up by what he calls the existential perspective, referring to our daily living the Christian life. We are aware that Christianity, particularly reformed and evangelical Christianity, is struggling with the very topics included in this book, things like: the kingdom of God, law and grace or law and the gospel, justification and sanctification, the sufficiency and authority of Scripture, culture, and the role of the church within the kingdom. While sharing with Frame a one kingdom perspective and seeing God as sovereign over all of life and realizing that all truth is God’s truth, I find this book full of substantive content in dealing with these issues. Frame does not hesitate to set forth his understanding and convictions in a way that does not pull any punches, yet he does so in a fair and balanced manner. Even with those with whom he disagrees, he speaks fairly and with a Christian spirit. Frame’s treatment of the law of God, particularly the ten laws, will be welcomed by the serious Christian who wants to obey His Lord and King. He explains how we relate to the law of God i.e. to show us our sins, then to lead us to Christ, and after we are in Christ, how the law becomes God’s Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People standard for our living the Christian life, not to win God’s favor unto salvation and acceptance, but as the way he wants us to live in order to obey, serve, and please him. I think of one example: chapter 32: “The Fifth Commandment: Family, Church, and State,” followed by chapter 33 on the fifth law, entitled “Man and Woman.” I particularly appreciate his section “Christ and Culture.” As Christians we do not live in a vacuum which requires that we have to be able to understand our environment in order to apply our theology to daily Christian living. What is culture? How do Christians relate to culture? What about the church and culture? These are some of the topics that make this book a treasure and commentary on the Christian life. The last section of the book reveals his overarching desire, “Personal Spiritual Maturity.” Though Frame is a philosopher and theologian par excellence, he writes with the heart of a pastor concerned for his people to live the Christian life, according to God’s standard. His triperspectival view of the Christian life, (normative, situational, and existential), blends together all three areas into one wholistic view of living the Christian life: loving God, loving one another, and walking in CATECHISM: Catechism for Young Children: Daniel Farren Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church Stafford, VA Michael Ervin Daniel Leaman Kacy Peters Abigail Plaia New Life in Christ Church Fredericksburg, VA Casey Partee Noah Moore Ruth Moore Westminster Presbyterian Church Clinton, SC Gordon Stewart Brown Mary Taylor Jackson Trinity Presbyterian Church Asheville, NC equip to disciple | issue two 2012 15 endorse equip to disciple | BOOK REVIEWS obedience as we progress in our sanctification. Frame will challenge you to think biblically and theologically from a “Calvinistically Reformed” context. Consistent with Equip to Disicple’s philosophy, Frame helps us to underscore the importance of the church’s role in making kingdom disciples thus enabling them to live in the broader kingdom without attempting to transform things like our workplace into a church, yet at the same time having a clear Christian impact on the culture around us. Once again the old saying comes forth with the challenge,“how to be in the world but not of the world.” e The PCA’s Campus Ministry at a Glance: RUF is located in 56 Presbyteries in 36 states. Located in 4 countries outside of the US We have grown from 1 ministry in 1972 to 140 in 2011. Salvation Belongs To The Lord, John M. Frame, P&R Publishing, 2006, 282 pages, $18.24 (#9287) Here is a book that you must read, preach, and teach. We have reviewed this in a previous issue of Equip to Disciple, but due to its present importance, we are reprinting it with slight editing because it is a good companion to the Doctrine of the Christian Life book also reviewed in this issue. John Frame has produced another outstanding kingdom-building book. It is an introduction to systematic theology. Before you disregard it as just another theology book, remember from Frame’s other books, he views theology as life and life as theology. Even though he says this is a book for beginners in theology, it challenges us to think more biblically. He writes for a college-level audience which I believe would also include new seminarians. Salvation Belongs to The Lord is unique as it challenges those engaged in full-time teaching and preaching, it is very readable for others in the church. He says this is not a part of his Theology of Lordship series, but I believe it should be read before the others in that series. In this book Frame gives us the big picture of the Sovereign God and his Lordship over all things, including the church and salvation. Understanding the big picture of God’s truth and reality will enable us to handle the details more effectively. This is a timely book in that studying doctrine, at least in a systematic way, is not very popular. It is a time when thinking with intentional precision is needed. Systematics is a pedagogical device to help us understand more of God and his Word as it relates the parts to the whole and ties the teachings of the Bible together. Frame is right when he says, “the Bible is not a miscellaneous collection of ideas but a coherent, consistent system of truth in which major doctrines depend on one another.” I believe that is why it is difficult for people to know how to think biblically 800.283.1357 or visit www.cepbookstore.com 16 equip to disciple | issue two 2012 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People Salvation Belongs to The Lord is unique as it challenges those engaged in full-time teaching and preaching, it is very readable for others in the church. endorse equip to disciple | BOOK REVIEWS because they cannot always connect the dots in the Scriptures. This book will enable the reader and student to do that better and more practically than many others that have been written. Part one lays the foundation for what he writes about in his Lordship series books. It is about the Sovereign and Triune God, His Word, His Son, and His Holy Spirit. Part two deals with the ordo salutis, order of salvation, thus the title. He opens up the doctrines of grace, including the means of grace. He also treats the topic of the church and kingdom clearly. For example, while the Reformers listed three marks of the true visible church, Frame suggests several others should be part of that list: love among the brothers and sisters, worship, and the Great Commission are some of his examples. As usual, Frame gives good insights into the government of the church. His conclusion on the “Nature of the Church”challenges us to remember that “the well-being of the church has more to do with the work of the Spirit than with the form of government.” His section on the Church and Kingdom is also helpful. For example, he says that God’s kingdom is synonymous with God’s sovereignty. “The church consists of those who have been conquered by God’s saving power, who are now enlisted in the warfare of God’s kingdom against the kingdom of Satan…The church is the headquarters of the kingdom of God, the base from which God’s dominion extends and expands”(page 249). He uses the term “missional church” to underscore the church’s task in making kingdom disciples. He highlights three elements that make up the missional church--worship, nurture, and witness. I would encourage you to read, study, and discuss this book in order to assist churches in their making kingdom disciples curriculum. Dr. William Edgar, professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, made a descriptive comment on the cover of the book, “We can be grateful for such a powerful and clear exposition of the whole range of theology. It is at once vigorously orthodox and sweetly pastoral.” e True Enlightenment, From Natural Chance to Personal Creator, Volume 1, 2011, Carl W. Wilson, Andragathia Books, 606 pages, $36.00 (#8530 paperback) For those who know Carl W. Wilson, you know him as a committed Christian, a scholar, a practitioner, and one who has developed a keen interest in the modern hard sciences since the 1500’s This first of a two volume set should be on the reading list of every Christian, especially living at a time when modern science, while having accomplished good things, operates from a humanistic philosophy that has taken it away from the truth of God in many, many instances. In a brief amount of space, knowing how to give you a good picture of this book and its value to Christian scholarship is not an easy task. It is Wilson’s Magnus Opus. If you have read his other books, whether it be on discipleship, doctrine of man, Christian education, or cultural apologetics, you know of his great burden and desire to glorify God in all of his writings and ministry. Written well, and very readable, it covers a great amount of material that will serve as an invaluable resource. I would say that it would be worth having this book if you only read the introduction and chapter 32 which summarizes much of what he has documented throughout the book. One sample of what you will find in the book, “The conflict is between true disciples of God in the church and the false religions conceived by natural sinful men to solve man’s problems by one world political government lead by one humanist. Democracy that once worked under a faith in a common biblical God in America and the West is now subject to humanism based on pride, greed, and lust. It seems postmodern anti-church leaders are ready to sacrifice America and the West for a chance at a man-made U. N. world government.” That is a hard-hitting statement, but Wilson backs it up throughout the book. While modern science has attempted to leave God out of the picture, as Christians we know One sample of what you will find in the book, “The conflict is between true disciples of God in the church and the false religions conceived by natural sinful men to solve man’s problems by one world political government lead by one humanist.” 800.283.1357 or visit www.cepbookstore.com Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | issue two 2012 17 endorse equip to disciple | BOOK toREVIEWS MEN | WOMEN | YOUTH | CHILDREN | equip disciple it was our faith and belief in God that actually gave rise to modern science; yet over the years man has followed the usual pattern of taking the things of God and attributing them to sinful man. For example: we know the claim that modern science only deals with facts and observations, not theology and philosophy. We also know as Wilson makes clear, the fallacy of making that into a total truth without admitting that modern science operates on a faith based philosophy. It was that very tension that sparked Michael Polanyi to move from science to philosophy. Wilson has taken the time in this book to help us move beyond modern science to consider the history of science and the changes in science’s philosophy. He points out with references how even those associated with modern science did not have a true sense or grasp of the history of science, consequently leading them further away from a God foundation for all truth. Wilson further writes, “A primary purpose of this two-volume history of science is to inform Christians, since the perversions were developed and maintained as a result of the natural sin bias of men who think they can be ‘wise as God.’ This book seeks to develop through history the work of the enemy in leading men astray, even well known men in the field of science. He makes clear that the book is not “anti-science,” but rather it is an attempt to highlight throughout the pages and unbiased science that honors the Creator God as the source of all that is truly scientific. He contends that the churches today have weakened because they have not stood for and clearly proclaimed Christ as the the Creator and Re-Creator which tends to cause a blindness to the truth. Wilson, while painting a discouraging picture for America and the West, holds out hope that if the churches and other institutions of learning will return to the truth of Christ as Creator and Re-Creator and seek to carry out the great commission, we could expect a revival of biblical truth throughout. I encourage you to invest in this book and make it your aim to read it, mark it, and use it with your children, in the discipleship in the churches, and other educational institutions. e Giving Up Gimmicks: Reclaiming Youth Ministry From An Entertainment Culture, Brian Cosby, P&R Publishing, 192 pages, $9.48 (#11375) It seems like there is a never ending stream of youth ministry books being published. You can find books on topics ranging from how to plan good youth retreats to how to avoid having your youth program sued. What you could not find in youth ministry books, until recently, were serious attempts to put youth ministry issues and models into a theological framework. It may be in reaction to several years of negative research concerning the effectiveness of youth ministry that have caused this new wave of youth ministry books to find their way onto shelves in Christian bookstores. Whatever the reason, I am glad to see this movement from a reliance on proof texts to validate youth ministry to a desire to develop a theology of youth ministry based on the whole counsel of God taking place. It is within this new spate of books that Brian Cosby’s Giving Up Gimmicks: Reclaiming Youth Ministry From An Entertainment Culture finds itself positioned. Many a youth ministry book has languished in the publishing wasteland because it lacks the content to separate itself from the myriad of books on the same topic. Thankfully, Giving Up Gimmicks does not suffer from that issue. In fact, I believe that it is the depth of the content of this book that separates it above the fray. Perhaps this quote taken from Appendix A sums up best what Cosby has been able to achieve with the writing of Giving Up Gimmicks,“The aim of this book has been to offer a plea for youth pastors, youth leaders, and parents to reclaim or (possibly) to discover a model of youth ministry focused on the Word of God, prayer, sacraments, service and grace-centered community.” Building on what he has coined a “Means of Grace” ministry model, Cosby develops not only a theologically reformed framework for youth ministry but he connects the reader to church history as he builds his case. Interspersed throughout the book 800.283.1357 or visit www.cepbookstore.com 18 equip to disciple | issue two 2012 Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People “The aim of this book has been to offer a plea for youth pastors, youth leaders, and parents to reclaim or (possibly) to discover a model of youth ministry focused on the Word of God, prayer, sacraments, service and grace-centered community.” endorse equip to disciple | BOOK REVIEWS are real life youth ministry examples and practical applications for the youth program in your church. If you come to this book, as I did, with an understanding that the Means of Grace are the Word,the sacraments,and prayer then you will most likely be especially interested in Cosby’s thoughts on why service and community should also be considered Means of Grace. Whether or not you end up agreeing with him on those points, Cosby’s treatment of service and community as Means of Grace is well-handled and thought-provoking, especially in the context of youth ministry. My final analysis of Giving Up Gimmicks is that this book should be read by anyone connected with youth ministry in the local church. I found great value (even in the places that I disagreed) in Brian Cosby’s insights throughout the book. Because he is asking the right questions, using God’s Word as the starting point for the answers and has put into practice his theories in the cauldron of local church youth ministry, I believe Giving Up Gimmicks: Reclaiming Youth Ministry From An Entertainment Culture can help most local churches who believe that there is something more to youth ministry than pizza parties and games. Danny Mitchell, CEP Youth and Family consultant. e As Good As It Gets, Stephen M. Clark, Wipf & Stock, 315 pages, $31.68 (#11351) Honestly, I had never delved into the Song of Songs prior to reading Stephen Clark’s book As Good as It Gets. Now I stand amazed at the depth and richness of how God reveals himself in the “lyrics” of this song. References to the book have always been more on the subject of love, which is certainly there, but the author makes the words come alive as he directs our attention to what love means in our relationships with each other, in friendships, in community, and in the broad scope of our lives as we relate to God and man. This was my first time reading a commentary processing the thoughts behind the words in the Song of Songs, and it proved to be a very enlightening experience. Clark presents his commentary in the form of daily devotions, breaking the song into fifty days of guiding us through human emotions we face in life and relationships. The author speaks of the beauty and passion found in the pages while seeking to discover the meaning it has for all of life: identity, community, transformation, dignity, just to name a few. The reader is taken on a journey through, as Clark says,“…a garden steeped in passion, a place filled with this tantalizing thing called love—always nearly in grasp, forever slipping through our fingers, but never left forgotten once it is found.” This book helps us be at home in relationships and takes us to the very core of God’s love. We are given what the author feels is the key to the book which is affirmation. He explains, “It may take time for this to revolutionize the way that we relate to others, but until it does, we will find ourselves alone, embattled, and unready to love and be loved.“ He goes on to say, “…in love we are transformed, and in loving we become lifetransforming.” As Good as It Gets is a commentary but uniquely done, capturing the essence of the meaning behind the words while drawing out the far-reaching implications of what God intends to teach us. Reviewed by: Allan McLean, CEP Staff e The reader is taken on a journey through, as Clark says, “…a garden steeped in passion, a place filled with this tantalizing thing called love—always nearly in grasp, forever slipping through our fingers, but never left forgotten once it is found.” Additional book reviews can be found at: equip.pcacep.org Click “Book Reviews” in left-hand sidebar. 800.283.1357 or visit www.cepbookstore.com Christian Education and Publications | Discipling God’s Covenant People equip to disciple | issue two 2012 19 We’ve E•x•p•a•n•d•e•d Our Study Resources! CEP’s mission is focused on two major things, training for leaders and teachers, and resources. The following is a list of publications produced by CEP since the last General Assembly. CEP’s approach to both training and resources are designed to focus on things that are first unique to the PCA, and second, biblically reformed. Among the list to follow, you will recognize both new titles as well as updated titles from CEP’s host of materials designed to be used in local churches. • Ron Gleason’s Westminster Shorter Catechism Study Guide •Titus – Bennett and Poole •Challenge of the Eldership – Donald J. MacNair •Studies in the Confession of Faith – Jeanne Patterson •Parables – The Timeless Teachings of Jesus – Rachel Delaney and Ruth Lorah •James, revised – Deb Sink •The Other Side of Christmas – Dennis Bennett and Vicki Poole •Silence, God Working: Studies in the Last of the Minor Prophets (Habakkuk-Malachi) – Alice Poyner The CEP Bookstore is a central place for finding resources for local churches. Not only does it carry its own materials and publications, but it is a source for finding the best books available for making kingdom disciples. The CEP staff helps churches and individuals know what is available and can recommended CEP’s other resources. Through the bookstore you can find good materials at competitive prices with personal attention from our staff. Explore Scripture, Culture, and Faith— and Grow A collaborative work from professors at Westminster, Reformed, and Covenant Theological Seminaries. “Engages the discussion of the doctrine of Scripture, offering keen and relevant insight into its current issues.” —Alistair Begg 208 pages | paper | $17.99 Is popular culture sinful or an imperfect reflection of God’s creativity? Turnau helps us understand popular culture from a biblical perspective, why Christian approaches often fail, and how to engage popular culture’s challenges. “There is nothing remotely like it in print today.” —Dr. William Edgar, Professor of Apologetics, Westminster Seminary 368 pages | paper | $19.99 The GOSPEL for REAL LIFE series The Gospel for Real Life booklet series by the Association of Biblical Counselors applies the timeless hope of Christ to the unique struggles of modern believers. “I am grateful for ABC’s work of letting the Gospel bear it’s weight on these real life sorrows and pains.” —Matt Chandler $4.99 each Buy from the PCA Bookstore www.cepbookstore.com 1 (800) 631-0094 | www.prpbooks.com Simplify your giving by establishing an… ADVISE & CONSULT FUND ...and then relax! Establishing an Advise & Consult Fund (a donor advised fund) is easy, convenient and provides you with a tax efficient way of giving to your church and favorite Christian ministries. It will simplify your charitable giving, allowing you more time to spend with your family and to pursue your many other interests. Relax; we’ll do most of the work for you! The Advise & Consult Fund: • simplifies your giving—one gift can fund multiple distributions to ministries • enables you to take a current year tax deduction whenever you fund the account, even though distributions from it may be made months or even years later • can be funded with stocks, mutual funds, cash and real estate • eliminates capital gains taxes when you gift appreciated assets • allows you to offset taxable income from taxable events • is flexible to accomplish unique gifting arrangements To learn more about or to establish an Advise & Consult Fund... Call 800.700.3221 Visit www.pcafoundation.com Email pcaf@pcanet.org The Advise & Consult Fund can be used to: • make all your regular gifts to your church and Christian ministries • schedule automatic recurring distributions • make anonymous distributions • support missionaries • fund mission trips, even your own family’s • save for future ministry projects • establish matching challenge programs • make testamentary gifts to ministries © 2010 PCA Foundation, Inc., Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #275 MONTGOMERY, AL Presbyterian Church in America Christian Education & Publications 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 102 Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 New Youth Bible Studies Relating Faith to Life & Life to Faith Challenge Teens to Take Ownership of their Faith in Jesus Christ! TOOLS YOU NEED TO LEAD: lesson plans * Flexible format * Q&A devotional journal * Student presentation * PowerPoint Bible background * Thorough * Online resources and support See available studies and download free lessons at www.sowhatstudies.org Have questions? 877.300.8884 Interested in showing children the story of God’s redemption—from beginning to end? The Show Me Jesus curriculum teaches toddlers to teens how God demonstrates his redemptive plan through Jesus. Learn more at www.gcp.org GCP is the publishing ministry of the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Committee for Christian Education & Publications of the Presbyterian Church in America. © 2012 Great Commission Publications, Suwanee, GA 30024-3897