CDM Archive

Discipleship Ministries of the PCA

Teachers/Disciplers

What Does It Mean To Follow Jesus?

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When I was fifteen years old, I had a life changing experience. However, I’m not sure exactly what happened. Billy Graham came to town. It was one of those early crusades. He and his team were in St. Louis for about three weeks. Good thing for me. It was a week or more before I was willing to attend with my family. That was the first time I ever remember hearing the Gospel.

I grew up in the church. I didn’t like it, but I went, at least to Sunday school. But I was a trouble-maker. One teacher thought I was retarded. I may be the only kid in history to flunk Sunday school. My friend and I needed to be separated. We fought too much.

I joined the church. There were weeks of classes children had to attend. I learned the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments. We learned the Lord’s Prayer. The pastor made a big thing out of that because he wanted us to say “which” instead of “who.” Amazing…the little things we remember. But I have no recollection of ever hearing the Gospel.

There could be at least two reasons for that:

1. It wasn’t presented. Maybe some in the church didn’t believe it or, at least, didn’t clearly understand it. It’s also possible that those teachers and leaders (including the pastor) assumed we knew the Gospel. Don’t skip over this! You may be in a church committed to the Bible and have any number of people (children and adults) who don’t really understand what it means to believe in Jesus.

2. The Holy Spirit didn’t tune me in. Because I say I didn’t hear the Gospel does not necessarily mean it wasn’t presented. It may have been pre

Five Steps to Discipling Others

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By Russ Korth. Discipleship always includes discipline. Both terms stem from the same root word. But people can be disciplined without being disciples. For example, they may faithfully complete Bible studies without allowing the Word to change their lives. But you, as a spiritual leader, must help people become disciples through their disciplines. Here are five steps to help you dis

“Good is bad . . . and bad is good!”

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By Bob Sweet. Sounds like doublespeak? Perhaps, but bear with me a moment, please. We all have our perceptions of what is good; God, motherhood, the flag, apple pie, pay day, plenty of money, health, easy times, for example. Likewise, we have our perceptions of what is bad; the Devil, abortion, rutabagas, bills, lack of money, sickness, hard times, and so on.

Now some of the “good” things listed above truly are good. No question about it! And some of “the bad” really are bad. But can it be that some of the things we consider “good” may not be good – at least for us? And some of the “bad,” could they be good for us? By now, you are getting my drift. Our percep

When God Directs the Play

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By Kathryn Farris. Bacilia was home when she saw two men approaching. The children were tending the sheep and goats up on the mountainside; and her husband Isidore was in Baja, California, working. Two men, strangers to Bacilia, walked down the trail toward her house in Yosondua, Mexico. She peeped through a crack where the mud chinking had fallen out and confirmed her fears. They were indeed coming to her house. She squelched her natural tendency to withdraw and stepped outside. Too timid to face the men, she looked down at her bare feet and a soft voice said, “Too ni ini, taa.” “Good afternoon.”

She sensed that these men were different–kinder somehow. They called themselves her “her-manos” or brothers in Christ. True, her husband Isidoro had learned of Christ while working on Bible translation with the North American who lived nearby, and at one time she and Isidoro professed to be Christians and had even been baptized – but their lives remained unchanged.

She strained to catch what these men were saying. They spoke Spanish, not her native Mixtec language. She depended on Isidoro or the children to be her ears and mouth when she had to converse in Spanish. Today she was on her own and she listened intensely. “A film – her house – tonight – invite others.” She hoped she had understood.

Intrigued with the idea of seeing a film, some