Discipleship Resources

Get resources for T4T/reproducing discipleship and for nurturing discipleship.

Nurturing Discipleship

Every believer should grow as a disciple of Christ. Such growth has three dimensions, which we can summarize as knowing, being, and doing:

Knowing: God, His Word, and His plan for all nations
Being: Conformed to the image of His Son
Doing: Glorifying God through life and ministry

Our Lord tells us we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This document helps us to do that. We encourage everyone at Desiring God Community Church to read the details of these dimensions, and identify components to focus on in the months ahead. We encourage you to spur one another on through partnering with others at DGCC or at likeminded area churches through focusing together on certain components: Reading and discussing a book together, sharing the Gospel together, discipling a new believer together. We pray that in this way we may fulfill Ephesians 4:15-16:

We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

This document is a draft, and may be revised in the months ahead. But please use it now as a guide for the God-glorifying growth that we long to see among us.

For those considering cross-cultural missions, there are additional components to fulfill under each of the three dimensions. Please discuss these components with a Cross Cultural Missions team member or an elder.

Note that all links below are to free resources. Books that are not linked are available for purchase through the standard bookstores.

Three Dimensions of Growing as a Disciple

Dimension 1: KNOWING: God, His Word, and His Plan for All Nations

Components

The Storyline of the Bible

Suggested Resources:

Creation to Culmination: A Summary of the Bible’s Storyline

The God Who is There by D.A. Carson (audio, video)
Inductive Bible Study Methods

Suggested Resources

How to Read Your Bible, online class at biblicaltraining.org taught by George Guthrie
Theology

Suggested Resources

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

The Pleasures of God by John Piper (DGCC Study Guide Available)
Missions

Suggested Resources

Perspectives on the World Missions Movement course

Let the Nations Be Glad
Christian Hedonism and Discouragement

Suggested Resources

When I Don't Desire God by John Piper (DGCC Study Guide available)
Marriage and Singleness
Suggested Resources

Teaching Notes on Marriage and Family by Coty and Beth Pinckney

The Goodness of Singleness audio sermon by Fred Balbuena
One of these two books:
- The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
- This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
Worldview

Suggested Resources

New Testament Worldview by Vern Poythress, Chapter 3 in Revolutions in Worldview, edited by Andrew Hoffecker
Key DGCC Teaching
- What is God's Plan for Church Leadership? (6 sermons) audio text
- The Lord Added to Their Number Daily Those Who Were Being Saved
- What Changed At Pentecost?
- The Gospel for Two-Year-Olds - Like You!
- The Grace of Giving (audio text)

Dimension 2: BEING: Conformed to the Image of His Son

Components

Understand the Goal

Suggested Resources

Qualitative Measures of Spiritual Maturity
Create a plan for regular devotional life: Prayer, Bible study, memorization: personal and family

Suggested Resources

The Bible Unity Reading Plan
The Shorter Bible Unity Reading Plan
Regular attendance at churchwide services and meetings
Regular involvement in a small group
Becoming a reproducting disciple

Suggested Resources

T4T/Reproducing Discipleship Seminar

What Jesus Started: Joining the Movement, Changing the World by Steve Addison
Develop Biblically sound skills in transforming interpersonal conflict

Suggested Resources

The Peacemaker by Ken Sande

Resolving Everyday Conflict by Kevin Johnson and Ken Sande
Develop Biblically sound skills in transforming spiritual conflict

Suggested Resources

Spiritual Warfare, online class at biblicaltraining.org taught by Gerry Breshears

Dimension 3: DOING: Glorifying God Through Life and Ministry

Components

Practice T4T/Reproducing Discipleship

Share your story and disciple others regularly
Serve your family
Serve the body of Christ through ministry and giving
Serve your colleagues/employer
Serve your community/city/country
Serve the nations
Develop action points in the areas relevant for where you are in life in discussion with an elder, mentor, or small group leader

Draft 4/12/2013, links updated 9/6/2018