BLOG #9: TRAINING

BLOG #9

PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES

Step 3:  PROCLAIM A CLEAR MESSAGE (cont’d)

AN APPROACH TO TRAINING

Applying Christ’s "With Him" Principle in Mark 3:14, effective training involves six steps.  For easy recall, we may place these steps in our hand:

· LITTLE FINGER – STEP 1:  Information - "Tell him what"

· RING FINGER – STEP 2:  Motivation - "Tell him why"

· MIDDLE FINGER – STEP 3:  Demonstration - "Show him how"

· POINTING FINGER – STEP 4:  Duplication - "Get him started"

· THUMB – STEP 5:  Supervision - "Keep him going"

·    PALM – STEP 6:  Multiplication - "Let him teach someone else"

How do we actually put these steps into practice? Please study the example below.

LITTLE FINGER - STEP 1: INFORMATION: TELL HIM WHAT.

The first step in training your disciple to do any of the discipleship skills is INFORMATION: tell him WHAT he needs to know.  We place this on your little finger.

For example, I want to train Mario to witness by using the Gospel Hand.  I tell him, "Mario, as a Christian you need to witness for Christ.  One method you may use is the Gospel Hand."

This step, INFORMATION, is placed on the little finger because when you use only this step of telling people what to do, they will never learn to do it.  Though INFORMATION is a necessary step, like the little finger, it is the weakest step.

RING FINGER – STEP 2:  MOTIVATION: TELL HIM WHY.

People learn when they are motivated; they are motivated when they see a compelling reason why they should do something.  Hence, the second step in training is MOTIVATION: tell him WHY he should learn to do something.  We place this step on the ring finger.

I motivate Mario by giving him reasons why.  I may say something like this, "Mario, do you know why you need to witness for Christ?  Let's look at three reasons from the Bible.  First, God commands you to do it; let's read Matthew 28:18-20.  Second, your experience should motivate you to do it; let's read Acts 4:20.  Third, the need of others demand that you do it; let's read Revelation 20:15."

Note:  Steps 1 and 2 may be done during the first session with your disciple.  In addition, during this first session, you may spend time making a prospect list of your disciple's friends and relatives, and setting up a tentative schedule when to visit these prospects.

MIDDLE FINGER – STEP 3:  DEMONSTRATION: SHOW HIM HOW.

Real training begins with the third step, DEMONSTRATION, whereby you actually show your disciple HOW to witness, using the Gospel Hand presentation (or any equivalent presentation).  This was Christ's principle of training His disciples, and some have called this the WITH HIM PRINCIPLE (Mark 3:14-15).  Before Christ sent His disciples to do the work, He first trained them by keeping them with Him to observe how He did the work.

This step of DEMONSTRATION is done in two phases:

Phase One: I will take Mario with me when I go witnessing.  He will do nothing except to be with me and observe me while I do the witnessing.  I will take him with me at least two or three times as an observer.

Phase Two: After I have taken him at least two or three times as an observer, I will set a day when we will use the technique called Role Playing.  I train Mario to witness through role playing, in which, first, I play the role of the Christian and he plays the role of the non-Christian; and then we reverse roles.

For example, I tell Mario, "Let’s practice witnessing, using the Gospel Hand.  I am the Christian; you pretend to be the non-Christian."  I go ahead and present the Gospel Hand as simply and as clearly as Mario can understand it, making sure that he gets the main points and the transitions between the points.  Then we reverse roles; he will play the Christian, I play the non-Christian.  He will present the Gospel Hand step by step, and I will make suggestions or corrections as he goes along.  We will practice role-playing until he is able to present the Gospel Hand to me with a measure of confidence.    Then we are ready to go on to the fourth step.

POINTING FINGER – STEP 4:  DUPLICATION: GET HIM STARTED.

The fourth step on your pointing finger is DUPLICATION: get him started.  Getting started is the most difficult of all, so you need to make it as easy and pleasant as possible.  Train your disciple to witness one portion at a time. 

For example, during our first outing, I may say to Mario, "When we witness to your friend Ed, I will begin the conversation and I will present the first point, God's Love; then I will turn over the conversation to you by telling Ed that you will explain the second point, Man's Problem.  Then I will pick up the conversation again and finish the entire presentation."  Before the actual day of witnessing, I will rehearse Mario to make sure he knows his part of the presentation.

During our second outing, I will still do the introduction and the first point, Mario will take the second and third points, and I finish the presentation. 

During the succeeding outings, Mario will take more and more points of the presentation until I am doing only the introduction and the conclusion.  Then the day will come when Mario will do the whole thing from beginning to end, with me as a silent prayer partner.

With some disciples you may not need to take as many outings; they may already be ready and able to present the Gospel hand at the first try.  The important thing is to train a disciple according to his readiness and ability.

One reminder:  When you assign a part of the presentation, let your disciple do it without your assistance; allow him to "sink or swim", even if he has to struggle through it.  The only exception is, if he becomes suddenly dumb or confused.

Another reminder:  Always commend your disciple for his job when you are already by yourselves.  Then, after the commendation, give him the necessary suggestions on how to improve his presentation.  Always give encouragement to your disciple.

THUMB – STEP 5: SUPERVISION: KEEP HIM GOING.

On your thumb we put the fifth step: SUPERVISION: keep him going.  How do you keep your disciple to go on in the practice of a skill he has learned?

1. You yourself must keep on going, and he must see and know that a certain skill, like witnessing, is part of your daily lifestyle.  This is called pacesetting on your part.

2. Give opportunity for testimony time when the group gets together.  Ask for testimonies of their experiences in the practice of the discipleship skills (not only witnessing but other skills as well, such as Scripture Memory, prayer, etc.)

3. Regularly schedule projects in which certain skills will be exercised.  For example, witnessing days; or day in prayer; or Scripture Memory review contest.

4. The greatest motivation to keep going is provided by the final step in training.

PALM: STEP 6 - MULTIPLICATION: “LET HIM TEACH SOMEONE ELSE”.

We place this step on your palm.  When you get this far, training your disciple to train another, you may be sure that he has grasped the skill you have taught him.  To accomplish this step, you will have to assist and equip him to repeat the process of training someone else following the Training Hand.  At this stage you help your disciple most by being an equipper, encourager, and co-laborer with him.  The challenge for you, when you begin to train a disciple, is not to stop until have accomplished Step 6.