The purpose of this manual is to begin fulfilling Christ’s mission. It is clear that Jesus sent his disciples to make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things that He had commanded them.
Those who make disciples are authorized by Jesus Christ, because He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth:
“Jesus came to them and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you… ’”
(Matthew 28:18–20).
In simple terms, a disciple is a follower, a student; someone who learns from another. In more complex terms, a disciple is someone who accepts and helps spread another's doctrines, as happens, for example, in Christianity.
There are several ways to become a disciple. One way is to spend time with a mentor or mature Christian who teaches by his own living and doing. This is how Jesus taught his disciples.
He prayed, ate, walked by the sea, and taught object lessons about life. He told stories (called parables ) and applied them to their daily lives.
We recommend that each disciple (in this case, you!) find a mature Christian friend, relative, or teacher to invest time with.
Another way to be a disciple is to learn in a classroom setting from a book like this one. We encourage you to take this course and apply it to your life.
However, we believe that the best way to form disciples is for the teacher and the student to live life close to each other, mentor and apprentice, and at the same time, take this course (or one similar). Meeting weekly for an hour or more will provide the opportunity to spend time together, talking about the biblical principles that will help the disciple to be established in the Lord.
An 8-lesson teacher's manual with instructions for the teacher indicating
when to read the Scriptures aloud, when to emphasize an important point, and when to turn the page of the poster board. The instructions are in blue font.
A participant manual with 8 lessons, with some blanks and answers on the card. This is for you to fill out your own manual and take personal notes.
A 40-page colored card, for the teacher to share the lesson in a personal way.
Within each lesson, we suggest a scripture to memorize during the week. It is important for the disciple to begin the practice of memorizing Scripture as soon as possible (See Psalm 119:11).
The following eight lessons consist of practical, easy-to-follow outlines, sometimes presented step-by-step.
The concepts are based on biblical principles.
Each lesson contains:
