Dave Early and Rod Dempsey define the three stages of discipleship as declaration, development and deployment. The first stage, declaration is “to arrive at a place of committed belief.” These represent the new believers and as infants need to be fed the milk of Christianity so they do not abandon the faith. The second stage, development is “focusing on the importance of immersion, abandonment, and apprenticeship into ministry.” This stage requires the believer to acquire much knowledge. Moreover, this stage necessitates the believer to start separating from the worldly desires towards spiritual growth and maturity.
The third stage, deployment is “calling disciples to intentional global commissioning.” This represents going out in …show more content…
One day, the assistant pastor asked me why I did not attend the Men’s group meetings. I replied, “Because, they are at the pizza place and since I am a bit overweight it is not the place for me to be.” I told him, I would go if it were at the church. He replied, “Well no one goes if it is at the church.” I was absolutely, incredulous. I tried to explain to him about the eight-hundred gorilla in the room but it did not reach him. My friends and I organized a prayer meeting for four weeks at the church, a simple hour to hour and half of praying. It was well announced. We averaged about six people outside our group out of a church of three-hundred. Secondly, I come from a business background complete with the MBA. When I hear the phrases such as action plans, mission statements, visions, metrics, and the mysteries of multiplication , all these are nothing new to me. I utilize these things in business. However, the attraction to Christianity is the Word and Jesus Christ. The Bible commands us to give answer as Peter states,
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (1 Peter 3:15-16, ESV).
In Acts of the Apostles, Paul and others are described doing the
The third stage, deployment is “calling disciples to intentional global commissioning.” This represents going out in …show more content…
One day, the assistant pastor asked me why I did not attend the Men’s group meetings. I replied, “Because, they are at the pizza place and since I am a bit overweight it is not the place for me to be.” I told him, I would go if it were at the church. He replied, “Well no one goes if it is at the church.” I was absolutely, incredulous. I tried to explain to him about the eight-hundred gorilla in the room but it did not reach him. My friends and I organized a prayer meeting for four weeks at the church, a simple hour to hour and half of praying. It was well announced. We averaged about six people outside our group out of a church of three-hundred. Secondly, I come from a business background complete with the MBA. When I hear the phrases such as action plans, mission statements, visions, metrics, and the mysteries of multiplication , all these are nothing new to me. I utilize these things in business. However, the attraction to Christianity is the Word and Jesus Christ. The Bible commands us to give answer as Peter states,
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (1 Peter 3:15-16, ESV).
In Acts of the Apostles, Paul and others are described doing the