BLOG POSTING #15: PREACHING TO SPIRITUAL PARENTS

PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES

Step 4:  FOCUS ON YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (cont’d)

PREACHING TRACK: WHAT TO PREACH TO SPIRITUAL PARENTS

In our Blog Posting #14 we talked about what to preach to SPIRITUAL YOUTH.  In this posting we will talk about what to preach to SPIRITUAL PARENTS.

FOCUS: QUALITY

KEY:  LOVE

AREA OF CONFLICT: RELATIONSHIPS

MAJOR TEMPTATION: PRIDE OF LIFE

We need to view the SPIRITUAL PARENT at two levels.

LEVEL ONE is in his/her role as caregiver and nurturer of spiritual children.  Using the developmental progression of growth and maturity in human life, the SPIRITUAL PARENT STAGE may be distinguished from the first two as follows:  at the BABY STAGE a Christian needs to be cared for by someone; at the YOUTH STAGE a Christian learns to care for himself/herself; at the PARENT STAGE the Christian learns to take care of others.  To take care of others a Christian needs to develop a QUALITY OF LIFE that’s predominantly characterized by LOVE.  Naturally, love deals mostly with RELATIONSHIPS.  A major temptation at this stage is PRIDE OF LIFE in contrast to SERVANTHOOD.  Love motivates and empowers a Christian to serve others; pride motivates a person to demand from others service and obedience.

LEVEL TWO has to do with his/her deepening relationship with God.   The QUALITY in a spiritual parent’s life has to do with an area of spiritual experience implied in the description given in 1 John 2:12-14:

12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.  13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.  I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.  14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.  I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

Please note above the statement in bold letters:  “I write to you, fathers (spiritual parents), because you have known Him who is from the beginning.”  This implies the quality of an ever-deepening intimacy with God and an ever-increasing knowledge of His purposes.  Gene Tabor, my mentor, had a favorite scripture to bring this out:

Psalm 103:7: He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

Gene loved to point out that God made known to Moses “His ways”, but to the children of Israel He only made known “His acts”.  By “ways” was meant God’s character, which (because Moses knew it) helped Moses also to know what God would do.  By “acts” was meant the outward works and actions of God, which the people became aware only as they happened.  The spiritual parent is someone who is becoming more and more intimately schooled in the ways of God, in His nature and character.  As a result of this knowledge, he/she is also able to discern God’s purposes for his/her own life and in the lives of the spiritual children who look up to him/her for leadership.

What then do we preach to spiritual parents?

At level one (as pointed out above) we preach to spiritual parents on topics that will enable them to become better caregivers and nurturers of their spiritual children.  For starters, the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians is a gold mine for truths and topics that will help spiritual  parents; in this letter, Paul (the model  spiritual parent) opens up his heart and tells about things he did as a spiritual parent.  Take one passage, for example, 1 Thessalonians 2:4-12:

But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.  10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

In this brief passage, we can discover many of the qualities and activities that spiritual parents must have and do to be effective in their role.

At level two, spiritual parents need to receive teaching and preaching that will help them to know God better.  A sermon or study series on the attributes of God will greatly help spiritual parents to grow in this area.  Standard  Christian theology textbooks are good sources for such sermons or studies.  Two modern classics have ministered to God’s people in this area:  I. J. Packer’s Knowing God and A. W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy.

For an illustration, below is a Bible study I prepared as Lesson 3 of my book NewLife Book 7:

LESSON 3

THUMB:  FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD

WHEN God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, He told him, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5).

As we study about God we should remember that we are standing on holy ground; like Moses we must take off our sandals.  In other words, we must maintain the attitude of humility and worship.  The only reason we are able to study about God is because He has made Himself known in His Word, and He has made it possible for us to know Him by making us members of His family through His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:18).  He has also given us His Holy Spirit, who will enlighten us to understand what God has revealed about Himself in the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:12).  We may begin by studying five truths about God.

TRUTH 1:  GOD IS CREATOR

What is the first truth revealed about God in the Bible?  God is Creator.  (Genesis 1:1)

The Bible tells us WHO was responsible for all creation: GOD.  The Bible tells us two things about HOW creation came to be:  First,  God created everything by His Word. Second, God created everything out of nothing. 

Whenever we human beings make anything, we have to use previously existing materials.  In the beginning, there was only God, and He did not have any pre-existing material to use; He caused everything to come into existence out of nothing.  As theologians say in Latin: God created  EX NIHILO.  God SPOKE things into existence from nothing.

Read Genesis 1:3:  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.  (See also verses 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26).  Let’s also study Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3.

Scientists have proposed all kinds of theories about the beginning of everything.  However, all their theories require that a pre-existing material must already be available to produce everything that we now find in the universe – from the smallest atom to the biggest galaxy.  In the beginning, only God had the power and wisdom to create something out of nothing.

TRUTH 2:  GOD IS SUSTAINER

The Bible reveals that God did not leave His creation to continue operating on its own without Him.  God continues to sustain and govern His creation.  From the following verses describe God's work as Sustainer.

Psalm 36:6; Isaiah 40:22,26; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3.

Note specially Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3.  These verses reveal to us that everything in the present creation is held together and kept in proper working order by the power of Jesus Christ.

The universe needs constant maintenance!  Scientists tell us that we may expect the universe to do two things, either to  fly apart, with planets and stars scattering in all directions away from one another; or to collapse upon itself, planets and stars crashing into one another into one big crunch – but it doesn't.  Why not?  Because of the power of GOD THE SUSTAINER, who keeps all things together in their proper places.

TRUTH 3:  GOD IS REDEEMER

The Bible tells us that everything was created perfect in the beginning, but something terrible happened to mar this perfection.  Humanity fell into sin, and as a result everything in creation became subject to decay and death.  God could have decided to discard the ruined creation –  people and all – and start fresh.  But against this dark background, another aspect of God's nature was revealed.  God manifested Himself not only as Creator and Sustainer, but also as Redeemer or Savior of His creation, specially as Redeemer of human beings.  Please note the name of God in the following verses:

Isaiah 44:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Jeremiah 50:34; Titus 3:4,5.

Let’s think of this truth on a personal level.  Each time we sin, God has all the right to judge and punish us instantly.  But He doesn’t.  Instead He has provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and to be restored to Himself and restored to the right path He has set for us.  This way is through His Son Jesus Christ who redeemed us – paid for our sins – on the cross.  When we believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior He forgives us our sins and gives us new life and power to live in the way God wants us to live.  We may call God our Redeemer “the God of second chances”.  He always gives us a chance to begin again.  Do you realize that you have strayed away from God?  Why don’t you ask God’s forgiveness – and begin again with Him today?

TRUTH 4:  GOD IS FATHER

The truths about God as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer are awe-inspiring.  But here is a still more awe-inspiring truth: God gives Himself to us as our FATHER!   This story is told about one U. S. president.  One day he was meeting with very important persons from different nations; all these persons were very formal and careful as they talked with the president.  But on the floor, at the foot of the president, his son was playing with his toys.  Whenever he had a little problem with his toys he tugged at his daddy’s coat tails and the president would put all his guests on hold while he attended to his son.  This story is only a faint illustration of what God wants to be to us as Father – very close, very intimate, very personal.

In the Old Testament, the Fatherhood of God was only hinted at.  In the New Testament the full blaze of the Fatherhood of God was revealed by Christ.  However, Christ’s revelation came both as Good News and Bad News.  The Bad News is that, because of sin, God's Fatherhood is no longer universal; it is conditional.  The Good News is that Christ came precisely to restore sinful man to relationship with the heavenly Father.

BAD NEWS:  Because of sin, who has become the father of sinners? John 8:44

GOOD NEWS:  How may we restore our relationship with God as our Father? John 1:12

GOD THE FATHER calls us to a Father-Child relationship.  Please study 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.

JESUS CHRIST THE SON teaches us to pray to God our Father.  Matthew 6:9

THE HOLY SPIRIT enables us to call to God in the most intimate terms. Galatians 4:6

A PERSONAL QUESTION:  Are you sure that your relationship with God as your heavenly Father has been restored?  You may have it restored by inviting Christ to come in your heart as your Lord and Savior.

TRUTH 5:  GOD IS PERFECT

God has attributes or qualities which He alone possesses in perfection.  We shall mention nine of His innumerable attributes.  Please study the following verses and meditate on each attribute that's mentioned.

1.  ETERNAL (no beginning and no end) Psalm 90:1,2; Revelation 1:8

2.  OMNIPOTENT (all-powerful) Luke 1:37

3.  OMNISCIENT (all-knowing) Psalm 139:1-6

4.  OMNIPRESENT (present everywhere) Jeremiah 23:23-24; Psalm 139:7-10

5:  SOVEREIGN (controls everything)  Daniel 4:34-35; Romans 11:36

6.  LOVE (merciful and gracious) 1 John 4:8-10; Jeremiah 31:3

7.  FAITHFUL (unchanging; fulfills His promises)  Lamentations 3:22-23;  2 Corinthians 1:18-20.)

8.  HOLY (pure; does not tolerate any sin) 1 Peter 1:15-16;  Isaiah 6:3.

9.  JUST (punishes sin exactly and fairly)  Romans 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:17.

APPLICATION

How should our knowledge of God affect how we relate to Him and how we live our lives?

(a)  WORSHIP – As our CREATOR and SUSTAINER, and as One who possesses all  PERFECT ATTRIBUTES, God deserves our worship.  Revelation 4:1-11 describes how God is worshipped in heaven; please note verses 10-11. 1 Chronicles 29:10-18 is a good example of a prayer of worship.

(b)  RELATIONSHIP - As our REDEEMER and FATHER, God calls us into relationship with Him.  Are you sure you have a personal relationship with God?  John 1:12.

If you already have a relationship with God, are you living worthily before your Heavenly Father? 1 Corinthians 10:31.

MEMORIZE:   John 17:3

NOTE:  To know God better, we must also know Christ and the Holy Spirit better.  In NewLife Book 7 I also wrote the following lessons:  5 Truths about Christ, and 5 Truths about the Holy Spirit.

BLOG POSTING #14: PREACHING TO SPIRITUAL YOUTH

BLOG POSTING #14

PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES

Step 4:  FOCUS ON YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (cont’d)

PREACHING TRACK: WHAT TO PREACH TO SPIRITUAL YOUTH

In our Blog Posting #13 we talked about what to preach to SPIRITUAL BABIES.  In this posting we will talk about what to preach to SPIRITUAL YOUTH.

FOCUS: VICTORY

According to our preaching diagram, our FOCUS for this stage of SPIRITUAL YOUTH is VICTORY.  This is drawn from the scripture description of this stage in 1 John 2:13, 14:

13 … I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one….

14 … I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

Let’s note the following characteristics of the spiritual youth:

(a)  They have overcome the wicked one;

(b)  They are strong;

(c)  The word of God abides in them.

The connection between these three characteristics is obvious.  The spiritual youth is STRONG because the WORD OF GOD abides in them; as a result they have OVERCOME the wicked one.  This is the ideal picture of a Christian at the spiritual youth stage.  Our goal in preaching then is to help a BABY CHRISTIAN to grow up to the level of a YOUTH CHRISTIAN.   We need to PREACH sermons on:

(a)  The WORD OF GOD and what the Christian needs to do in order to have the Word of God ABIDE in him/her.  In the Spiritual Baby Stage we already introduced the Christian to the five ways of taking in the Word of God: hear, read, study, memorize, meditate.  In the Spiritual Youth Stage, we need to continue preaching at a deeper level on how to practice these disciplines. The goal of preaching at this stage  is expressed clearly in Colossians 3:16:  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

(b)  The Spiritual Youth must learn to overcome (gain victory) over the enemy (the wicked one).  Preaching at this stage must provide instruction on the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, and HOW of the enemy and his tactics.  Two scriptures provide powerful starting points, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.  The Old Testament scripture is obviously Genesis 3, regarding the temptation of Adam and Eve, the first representative human beings; the New Testament scripture, also obviously, is Matthew 4 (and parallel Gospel passages), regarding the temptation of Jesus, the second representative human being.  Isn’t it very revealing that in both temptations relationship to the Word of God spelled the difference between defeat (in the case of Adam and Eve who did not have God’s Word abiding in them) and victory (in the case of Jesus who had God’s Word abiding in Him)?  Isn’t it also very revealing that in both cases Satan used the three major areas of temptation: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?

(c)  Not only must the Spiritual Youth learn about the Enemy and his tactics; he/she also must learn about his/her all-sufficient, all-victorious Ally, the Holy Spirit.  At this stage he/she must know about and consistently practice the Holy Spirit-filled life.  Preaching at this stage must emphasize the person, work, and fruit of the Holy Spirit as they relate to the believer.

(d)  Another way to differentiate the focus for the spiritual baby stage from the focus for the spiritual youth stage is as follows: the focus of the baby stage is primarily JUSTIFICATION; the focus of the youth stage (as well as the parent stage) is SANCTIFICATION.  Sermons on justification deal with the basics of the Gospel and salvation; sermons on sanctification deal with the essentials of practical holy Christian living.  We may describe these two truths (justification and sanctification) as “lenses”.  When we use these two “lenses” to examine the apostolic epistles (both Pauline and general) to the churches, we will discover abundant texts and topics from which we can preach on either justification or sanctification.  For example, Paul’s letter to the Romans divides roughly into GOSPEL & JUSTIFICATION TRUTHS (chapters 1-5) and SANCTIFICATION TRUTHS (chapters 6-8, 12-16).  In many of the epistles we will find texts regarding the Word of God and regarding Satan and his tactics and how to overcome him.

KEY: HOPE

AREA OF CONFLICT: VALUES

MAJOR TEMPTATION: LUST OF THE EYES

For the spiritual youth stage, sermons for reproof, correction, and training will revolve around hope, values, and the lust of the eyes.  We define lust of the eyes as the uncontrolled desire to be seen (admired) or to covet things that we see as valuable.  One key scripture that exposes the root and essence of this temptation is Matthew 6:19-24:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Another key scripture is Philippians 3:17-21:

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

To put the issue bluntly:  For whom and for what are we living – God or Mammon, the kingdom of God or this transient world?  Put in this way, you can see that essentially the spiritual youth will struggle with his/her COMMITMENT, which will determine his/her PRIORITIES.  You can also see why HOPE is the virtue that strikes at the root of this issue, because hope anchors the Christian’s commitment in heaven, not on earth.

At the spiritual youth stage you will need to preach a lot of sermons to REPROVE Christians (make them stop loving this world), to CORRECT Christians (show them the way out of loving this world), and to TRAIN them in righteousness (how to start loving and serving God and His kingdom and righteousness first).  Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians provide a lot of texts and topics for reproof, correction,  and training, sermons that will help spiritual youth Christians to have God’s Word abide in them, to be strong, and to overcome the wicked one.

SEXUAL PURITY

We need to point out one fierce battleground for the spiritual youth, especially those who are literally in their physical age of youth.  The apostle Paul warned his protégé Timothy about this:

2 Timothy 2:22: Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Bible commentators believe that at this time of writing Timothy was already a mature church leader, possibly close to forty years old, certainly no longer an adolescent or young adult.  But Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to warn him against the pitfall of youthful lusts.  This implies that no one ever gets too old to become immune to this temptation, as many sad and tragic real life stories prove; so many supposedly mature, even highly visible Christian leaders have fallen in this area.  But most especially the adolescents and young adults. 

Hence, we need to emphasize the need to preach and teach strongly and regularly on how to gain victory in this area. 

NOTE:  In  our next blog posting we will talk about what to preach to SPIRITUAL PARENTS.

BLOG #13: FOCUS ON TARGET AUDIENCE (cont'd)

BLOG #13

PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES

Step 4:  FOCUS ON YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (cont’d)

PREACHING TRACK

In Blog #11 we said: Here the TEACHING TRACK is foundational.  The PREACHING TRACK assists as a trouble-shooter. But note:  All preaching involves teaching, and all teaching involves preaching.  But for the purposes of this study, we make the following distinction:

TEACHING gives the timeless Word; PREACHING gives the timely Word.  TEACHING aims to impart God’s Word progressively from Genesis to Revelation; PREACHING chooses specific texts and truths to expound and apply to the current needs of the congregation.  TEACHING serves the regular menu for healthy Christians who are developing normally; PREACHING serves a special menu that provides the nutriments needed at critical stages of development.  

Again, we may illustrate the difference as follows:  Teaching (horizontal arrow) instructs God’s people consecutively, progressively and systematically from Genesis to Revelation.  Preaching (vertical arrows) brings out truths from anywhere in God’s revelation in the Bible to meet the current needs of God’s people and to equip them to deal with their present circumstances.

(Sorry.  Diagram is supposed to be inserted here, but I'm having a problem uploading it.  Diagram shows one long horizontal arrow, representing TEACHING; above the horizontal arrow are short vertical arrows, representing PREACHING.)

Our diagram provides a guideline as to what we need to preach on, as we focus on our target audience.  We simply need to ask questions such as:  What do I need to preach on when I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL BABIES?  When I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL YOUTH?  When I’m speaking to SPIRITUAL PARENTS?

Please note that our diagram shows four general topics for preaching:

·      Focus

·      Key

·      Area of Conflict

·      Major Temptation

These topics arise out of 1 John 5:12-17:

1 John 2:12-17:  12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.   I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.   I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.   I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

BABY CHRISTIANS

Let’s look at the four topics as they relate to BABY CHRISTIANS.

FOCUS: SECURITY

1 John 2:12, 13:  I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake …  I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

From the above description of the spiritual baby we deduce that the focus of preaching/teaching to the spiritual baby is SECURITY, which is related to forgiveness of sins and knowledge of the Father.   Sermon topics for Baby Christians on SECURITY may include the following:

·      Assurance of Salvation

·      Assurance of Victory over Temptations

·      Assurance of Forgiveness

·      Assurance of Answered Prayer

·      Daily Devotional Time (Quiet Time)

·      Fellowship with Other Christians

Another key verse for SPIRITUAL BABIES is 1 Peter 2:2:

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.

Sermon topics for Baby Christians on the WORD OF GOD may include the following:

·      A Brief, Panoramic Survey of the Bible

·      Five Ways of Receiving God’s Word: Hear, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate

·      The Importance of God’s Word as Food (Milk) for Spiritual Growth

·      Obeying and Applying God’s Word

·      Two Kinds of Hearers of God’s Word (Matthew 7:24-27)

KEY: FAITH

AREA OF CONFLICT: BASIC NEEDS

MAJOR TEMPTATION: LUST OF THE FLESH

The three topics above are all related.  More than at any other stage of the spiritual journey, it is at the BABY STAGE that a Christian struggles with the basic needs of life and with the major temptation of lust of the flesh, which arises out of those needs.  And FAITH is the key quality to develop in the Baby Christian, because it is faith that will help him/her to deal with basic needs and with the lust of the flesh.

Matthew 6:25-34 provides the essential message for Baby Christians regarding the three topics above.  The message centers on this truth:  GOD YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS JEHOVAH-JIREH, THE LORD YOUR PROVIDER.  This truth may also be expressed as JESUS YOUR SHEPHERD WILL ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF YOU.  Below are some scripture passages that you may preach from:

·      1 Kings 17:1-16 – God provides in times of famine.

·      Psalm 23 – Our Shepherd provides for all our needs.

·      Psalm 103 –  God’s Material and Spiritual Blessings.

·      John 2:1-11 – Jesus will help us when our resources run out.

·      Philippians 4:19 – God will supply our needs, not wants.

·      James 1:5 – God gives the needed wisdom to live the Christian life.

·      Philippians 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:7 – How to overcome worry.

·      Hebrews 13:5, 6 – God will never forsake us.

·      Mark 4:1-20 – How to overcome Satan’s temptations regarding the lusts and cares and worries of this life.

NOTE:  In our next posting, we will explore preaching topics for YOUTH CHRISTIANS.

BLOG #12: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

BLOG #12

PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES

Step 4:  FOCUS ON  YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (cont'd)

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

NEWLIFE DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING MANUAL

A manual is a brief guidebook that's easily carried in one's hand.  This discipleship manual is not only a book that you carry in your hand.  This manual will put on your palms and fingers important discipleship truths, taught through hand illustrations, that will equip you to participate in the greatest work -- becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and helping others to do the same.

In the Bible, God often refers to His hands.  The Lord Jesus gives the most beautiful reference to the divine hands: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:27-29, NIV).

What a wonderful promise!  In the almighty hands of the Father and the Son we Christians are safe and secure – forever!  Our salvation does not depend on our holding on to God.  Our salvation is securely grounded on the truth that God holds on to us with a grip that won't let go.

Does this mean that we fold our hands and do nothing but wait for heaven? Unfortunately, many Christians hold this wrong idea in their minds.

To the contrary, because we are secure in God's hands we should work vigorously with our hands!  Paul captures this graphically in Philippians 3:12:  "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

Christ took hold of us -- grasped us with His hands -- for a purpose.  Now, we are challenged to take hold of -- to grasp with our hands -- Christ's purpose until it is perfectly fulfilled in our lives.

To take hold of Christ's purpose, the Christian must have strong hands.  This discipleship training manual will strengthen your spiritual hands at every stage of your Christian growth.

STAGES OF GROWTH

There are three stages of Christian growth, according to 1 John 2:12-14: "I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.  I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.  I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one."

Children, young men, fathers. In more general terms, every Christian goes through three spiritual stages: BABY, YOUTH, and PARENT.  This discipleship training manual will teach and train Christians to use their spiritual hands during each of these stages.  Hence, the outline of this course is as follows:

BOOK ONE

BABY RIGHT HAND:  THE GOSPEL

1.  Thumb:  God's Love

2.  Pointing Finger:  Man's Problem

3.  Middle Finger:  Christ is the Answer

4.  Ring Finger:  Christ's Invitation

5.  Little Finger:  Man's Decision

6.  Palm:  The Christian's Assurance

EVANGELISTIC BIBLE STUDIES

FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

BOOK TWO

BABY LEFT HAND:  NEEDS OF A SPIRITUAL BABY

1.  Thumb:  Prayer - I

2.  Pointing Finger:  Word of God - I

3.  Middle Finger:  Forgiveness

4.  Ring Finger:  Family of God

5.  Little Finger:  Testimony

6.  Palm:  Indwelling Holy Spirit

BOOK THREE

YOUTH LEFT HAND: NEEDS OF A SPIRITUAL YOUTH

1.  Thumb:  Prayer - II

2.  Pointing Finger:  Word of God - II

3.  Middle Finger:  Cross

4.  Ring Finger:  Body of Christ

5.  Little Finger:  Witnessing

6.  Palm:  Holy Spirit-Filled Life

BOOK FOUR

BAPTISM AND CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

The Importance of B-A-P-T-I-S-M

Thumb: Believe

Pointing Finger:  Accept, Prove

Middle Finger: Testify

Ring Finger: Instruct

Little Finger: Stewardship

Palm: Membership

BOOK FIVE

YOUTH RIGHT HAND: KEYS TO VICTORY

1.  Thumb:  Body

2.  Pointing Finger:  Mind

3.  Middle Finger:  Emotion

4.  Ring Finger:  Will

5.  Little Finger:  Armor of God

6.  Palm:  The Exchanged Life

BOOK SIX

PARENT LEFT HAND: NEEDS OF A SPIRITUAL PARENT

1.  Thumb: Prayer - III

2.  Pointing Finger: Word – III (Expanded in Book Eight)

3.  Middle Finger:  Stewardship

4.  Ring Finger:  Bride of Christ

5.  Little Finger:  World Mission

6.  Palm:  Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Expanded in Book Nine)

BOOK SEVEN

PARENT RIGHT HAND: Foundations for Ministry

1.  Thumb: The Spirit in Ministry

2.  Pointing Finger:  The Word in Ministry

3.  Middle Finger:  Prayer in Ministry

4.  Ring Finger:  Modeling in Ministry

5.  Little Finger:  Trials in Ministry

6.  Palm:  Goal & Process of Ministry

BOOK EIGHT

BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

1.  Palm:  TRUTHS ABOUT THE BIBLE

2.  Thumb:  TRUTHS ABOUT GOD

3.  Pointing Finger: TRUTHS ABOUT CREATION

4.  Middle Finger: TRUTHS ABOUT SIN AND SALVATION

5.  Ring Finger: TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHURCH

6.  Little Finger:  TRUTHS ABOUT LAST THINGS

BOOK NINE

SPIRITUAL GIFTS:

DISCOVERING, DEVELOPING, DEPLOYING

1.  Four Wonderful Truths

2.  What are Spiritual Gifts?

3.  Gifts for Serving

4.  Gifts for Teaching

5.  Gifts for Leading

6.  Basic Ministries

7.  Developing and Deploying your Gifts

8.  Affirming Your Gifts and Ministry

9.  NewLife Church Planting Strategy

BOOK TEN

CHI UPSILON

SPECIAL TRAINING FOR YOUTH

1.  CHI and UPSILON are letters from the Greek alphabet.

(a)  CHI (shaped like the English letter X, pronounced like CH) is the first letter of the name of Christ in Greek: CHRISTOS

(b)  UPSILON (shaped like the English letter Y but equivalent to the English letter U) is the first letter in the Greek word UPSISTOS (pronounced [H]UPSISTOS), which means ABOVE ALL.

2.  CHI UPSILON is a Bible study course designed to help Christians, specially young people, to put CHRISTOS [H]UPSISTOS – CHRIST ABOVE ALL – in every area of their life.  When a person receives Christ as Savior and Lord, this commitment is symbolized  by superimposing the letters CHI (X) and UPSILON (Y) on the circle of life; thus dividing the circle of life into SEVEN AREAS (please see diagram below):

·       GOD

·       SELF

·       PARENTS

·       FRIENDS

·       SPECIAL FRIEND

·       PURPOSE

·       SUCCESS