Servant Leader of Jesus the Emmanuel

Trans-Continental Ministries Inc.

orgy. SucolI, Calamba City, Laguna • Tel. No.: (049) 501-1595

Faith
lOl
Foundations
 Contents
«• God’s Assurance
2. God’s Forgiveness
3. God’s Power
4. Fellowship
5. The Word
6. Prayer
7. Witnessing,
8. Spiritual Multiplication

How to Use This Study guide

Purpose
This study is designed to help Christians glorify Jesus Christ and equip them to disciple others! K
can be used for personal study, new Christian follow-up, one on one discipleship, small group
discipleship or training seminars.

Follow-Up & Discipleship

•New Christians should be taught these lessons immediately after becoming a Christian in order
to ground them in their new found Faith. Train and challenge those you are studying with to do
this study with other people. Each time they share these lessons with another person, It will not
only help them in their Christian life, but they will also continue to grow as* they gain a greater
understanding of God’s Word!

Procedure
The Lesson
Read through each lesson, paying careful attention to all Scripture references.
Instructions, indicated by bullets, include directions to underline, drde or read specific
sections of Scripture. They help you observe and retain significant truths in the Bible!
• Answer the questions in the space provided.
• Complete all assigned applications.

"The purpose of Scripture is not simply to be informed.

but to be transformed I”
 m God’sAssurance
Introduction
If you died today, how sure are you that you have eternal life?
Put a tick / on the line below that reflects your answer.

a Not Sure a Maybe O Quite Sure O Very Sure

There are many people who have attended church for years who are stillnot absolutelycertain.
Being sure you have eternal life involves being certain of your decision to trust inJesus Chnst as
Savior! The following four truths explain this important decision.

Four Truths
1. God, Our Creator, Loves Usl
/ Circle the word that describes God’s
T o r God so loved the world attitude toward us.
that he gave his one and only Son, / Underline the phrase that explains how
that whoever believes in him shall not perish God demonstrated His Love.
but have eternal life.1’ ✓ Underline what we must do to obtain
John 3:16 Eternal life.
Cirde to whom eternal life is offered to.

God’s Love
Love is translated from the Greek word ‘Agape’ which describes a love that is spiritual more than
emotional. Where as emotional love is often self-centered, 'Agape' love values the thing loved,
and seeks its best no matter the cost to the one loving it.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: S Underline why Jesus said He came.
I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, ✓ Cirde what kind of life He wants us to
and have it to the fu ll' have.
John 10 10
 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, y Underline why Jesus said He came.
I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, y Cirde what kind of life He wants us to
and have it to the fu ll: have.
John 10:10

. 2. Our Sin Has Separated Us From Godl

*for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
S Cirde how many people have sinned.
✓ Undertine the result of sin.

Spiritual death
The penalty for our sin is death. This death is more than just our bodies dying; it is spiritual
separation from God. At our physical death, this separation becomes eternal.

The separation between sinful man and God is so vast that, no matter how “good” we may be,
we are powerless to bridge it. Doing so would be like swimming across the Padfic Ocean. No
matter how good a swimmer one might be, even the best will fail!

3. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Died On the Cross for Our Sins!

/ Cirde three things Jesus daims

•Jesus answered, 7 am the way and the truth and the life. for Himself.
No one comes to the Father except through me." S Cirde who is able to come to
John 14:6 God apart from Christ

What does Jesus mean when He daims to be “the Way"? "the Truth”? “the Life*?
 S Underline how God has
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: demonstrated His love for us
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' ✓ Circle what condition we were in
Romans 5:8 when God loved us.

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and
that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers
at the same time, most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all
he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. ”
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
Underline four things Christ did.
\ \

Cirde all the people Christ appeared alive to after rising from the dead.

Do you think all of these people could have been mistaken? Why or Why not?

4. We Must Receive Jesus Christ As Savior and Lord!

•Yet to all who received him, S Cirde the two things we must do
to those who believed in his name, to become children of God
i
he gave the right to become children of God”
John 1:12

'‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith S Cirde how we are saved.
and this not from yourselves, S Underline why God chose to
it is the gift of God not by works, save us through faith instead of
so that no one can boast. ” by works
Ephesians 2:8-9

4
Receiving Christ
If ^ t yo u^o u^ilkp 6^ 1' ^ , Christ as your Savior and trusted In Him to forgive your sins'?
decision right now! ^ou? Pra^ blowing prayer to make this all important

“Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I have sinned against You and n* * dJ ° " rf
forgiveness. Thank You for dying on the cross in my place r Y '
receive you into my life and trust in You alone as my Savior a
Your name I pray. Amen! ___ _

The phrase ‘receive Christ’ is used to describe the act of believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour, and trusting in all He has done on the cross to purchase our forgiveness.

Important
It is not the words that are important but our faith. We must trust Christ to forgive our sins
because He promised He would.

Assurance of Eternal Life

Read the following Bible passage and answer the questions below to leam how you can be
certain you have eternal life in Jesus Christ

And this is the testimony:

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He who has the Son has life:
he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe
in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have eternal life.’
1 John 5:11-13
S Cirde what God has given to us according to 1 John 5:11-13.
✓ Underline where eternal life is found
✓ Cirde what a person has rf he has Jesus Christ
✓ Cirde what a person does not have if he does not have Jesus Christ
✓ According to this passage, can a person know for sure he has eternal life'? □ Yes □ No

5
 S Underline this passage’s answer to this question.
/ Cirde who can 'know1they have eternal bfe.
✓ Do you have Christ in your life? □ Yes □ No
✓ tf yes' what else did you receive from God?
□ A perfect face and body to match.
□ Financial riches
□ Eternal life

Basis for Our Assurance

Eternal life is not based on how good we are. or how we feel, It is based on our faith in Jesus
Christ. Notice that the teaching in 1 John 5:11-13 is written to those who 'befceve in the Name of
the Son of God ! Q Romans 1:16-17

Application
We wifi dose with the same question we began, "tf you died today, are you sure you have eternal
life?’

If you are stiff not sure you have eternal life,

review 1 John 5:11-13. Discuss any questions
you may have with your Pastor, eider, smafl
group leader or Christian friend It is important
that you understand this lesson for it is the
foundation of ail the others!
I KNOW I will be in
Heaven with God " Place your faith in the faithfulness of God
Himself and the trustworthiness of His Word.
Dote The more you leam of His Word, the more you
will be able to answer any doubts with sofid
facts. Your feelings will begin to respond to the
truth of God's Word and not your
arcumstances.

A prayer

Affirmation
1. Christ died on the cross for me.
2. God will receive me in heaven when I
die because He promised He would.
3. I have eternal life because I have
Suggestion for further exploration:

0
Book - The Case for Christ: A journalist's personal investigation of the
evidence for Jesus
Author: Lee Strobel

7
 God’sForgiveness
Introduction
How would you complete the following statement?

When a person becomes a Christian,...

□ only those sins that he confesses are forgiven.
□ all of his sins in the past are forgiven, but not those in the future.
□ he becomes perfect and unable to ever sin again.
□ all of our sins past, present & future are forgiven.

A problem facing all Christians is sin. In the next two lessons, we will not only learn the correct
answer to the above statement, but also God’s solution to help Christians overcome sin in their
lives!

Dealing with Sin

This study will answer four questions that will teach us how to deal with sin in our lives.

1. What is sin?
2. Who sins?
3. What is God’s solution for sin?
4. What should we do when we sin?

1. What is Sin?

The word sin translates a Greek word which means “missing the mark' or t o do wrong”. It
Kit?011 f S 8 distance between where an arrow lands and the bull's eye of the intended target.
Notice how it is used in the following Bible passage.

Romans 3:23 describes Sin as falling

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory o f God” “short of the glory of God". Sin is
Romans 3:23 Man’s failure to live up to the perfect
standard of God. We have all broken
action or in thn, m God s Perfect mora* ,aw - either in
innocent n our ^ ure to do what we know is right is sin! So there is no one
•uwini or perfect among us!

8
Sin’s Results

Cirde the word that describes the result of

"The soul who sins is the one who will die.”
sin.
Ezekiel 18:20

Do you believe people who are guilty of

violating the moral law (law of goodness or badness of human action/character) should be
punished? So does Godl Sin brings God’s judgment of death on all who are guilty of breaking
God's perfect moral law.

2. Who Sins?

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" S Circle the word that describes
Romans 3:23 who God considers a sinner.

S Underline how 1 John 1:8 & 10

“If we claim to be without sin, describes Christians who claim
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us ... they are without sin or have not
if we claim we have not sinned, sinned.
we make (God) out to be a liar and
his word has no place in our lives.
1 John 1:8,10 £3 Proverbs 20:9, Ecclesiastes 7:20

3. What is God’s Solution for Sin?

Read the Bible passages below that describe God’s solution for ain.
In Colossians 2:13-14, the apostle Paul uses an illustration from the legal profession. During his
time, convicted criminals were issued a “wntten code” which listed all the crimes they had
committed as well as their penalty sentenced by the court After fulfilling their sentence, the court
took the “written code" and stamped over it the Greek word tetelestal’, which means ‘Paid in
Full’. This was the exact word Christ used in John 19-30 when He said, “It is finished”, just
before He died on the cross!

Q
 When you were dead in your sins and
in the uncircumcision o f your sinful nature,
God made you alive with Christ.
He forgave us all our sins,
having cancelled the written code,
with its regulations,
that was against us and that stood opposed to us;
he took it away, nailing it to the cross"
Colossians 2:13-14

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, It is finished. ’

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”
John 19:30

'God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness o f God/’
2 Corinthians 5:21
/ Cirde how many of our sins God forgave (Cdossians 2:13-14.)
/ Undertne what God did with the ‘written code” that contained a list of our sins and the penalty
of death.
(By “naiBng it to the cross” God was in essence making His Son, Jesus, pay for our sins by
dying on the cross in our place. If Jesus didn't pay for our sins, we w oiid have to!)
S Cirde the phrase ‘ It is finished" in John 19-30. Write ‘Paid in Full’ above it
S Underline why God did this according to 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Could God have forgiven us without having to sacrifice His Son on the cross? Why or
why not?

The death of Jesus Christ satisfies two attributes of God. It satisfied His Holiness which
required that sin be punished, and it satisfied His love which desired man’s salvation. Through
e sacrifice of Jesus, God is able to demonstrate His love for man while maintaining His
Holiness!

What Should We Do When We Sin?

^ John 1:9 has been called "The Christian’s bar of soap” because it contains the key to
'hg with sin in our lives. This verse describes the action we must take whenever we sin.

10
4. What Should We Do When We Sin?
1 John 1:9 has been called “The Christian’s bar of soap” because it contains the key to
dealing with sin in our lives. This verse describes the action we must take whenever we sin.

✓ Circle the word that describes this action.

“If we confess our sins, The word ‘Confess’ comes from a Greek word which
(God) is faithful and just and means to agree. To confess is to agree with God that
will forgive us our sins and we have sinned! Notice also that the above verse is a
purify us from all unrighteousness: conditional statement. If we confess our sins, God will
1 John 1:9 do two things for us.

S Underline those two things.

Application
1. Pray and ask God to reveal any sins which you have not confessed to Him.
2. Confess them to God by agreeing that you have sinned. Don’t make excuses for your sins.
3. Turn away from sin and ask God to help you keep from committing them again.
4. Claim the two promises which God makes to those who confess their sins according to
1 John 1:9.
5. Thank God for His forgiveness as an expression of your faith!
6. Memorize 1 John 1:9

More Good News!

Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
Hebrews 10:17

"As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.u
Psalms 103:12

"Come now, and let us reason together, 'Says the Lord,'

Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool."
Isaiah 1:18
11
r

The Bible passages illustrate our forgiveness in 3 different ways.

• Recognizing that God knows all things, what do you think it means when it says “He will
remember our sins no more”? (Hebrews 10:17)

• How far is the east from the west? (Psalm 103:12)

How white is snow? (Isaiah 1:18)

From these verses, how complete is our forgiveness in Christ?

Suggestion for further exploration:

FAQ(freauenfly Asked Questions!

1. Q: Are ail my sins forgiven by God or just the past ones?
A: Christ died for all our sins: past, present and future.
E3 Hebrews 10:8-18

2. Q: If God has already forgiven all my sins, why then do I have to confess them toHim?
A: Confession, allows you to experience the forgiveness that is already yours inChrist Sin
breaks your fellowship with God, not your relationship with Him. Your relationship with God
as His child is based on His unconditional love for you, but your fellowship with Him depends
on your keeping an intimate walk with Him. Whereas sin destroys this intimacy, confession
restores it!

3. Q: What if I still feel guilty even after confessing?

A: Any guilt remaining after genuine confession is not from God. Satan, our accuser, delights
in keeping us on a guilt trip to keep us serving God!
£D Job 1:1-11, Zechariah 3:1, Revelation 2:9-10

4. Q: Why should I confess my sins regularly?

A: Regular confession of our sins keeps our fellowship with God open and fresh. It also
keeps our heart sensitive to God’s Spirit Continual sin hardens the heart toward God.
£3 Psalm 66:18
12
5. Q: What about restitution? . ..
A: If your sin has hurt others, you should ask their forgiveness, and make restitution
necessary. ,
LD Matthew 5:23-24

6. Q: How often should I confess my sins?

A: As mentioned above, 1 John 1:9 is the “Christian’s bar of soap". Just as you wash yourself
with real soap as often as necessary, so should you confess as often as necessary? Confess
your sins as soon as God convicts you of them. Any delay allows Satan the opportunity to
gain a "foothold” in our lives.
GJ Ephesians 4:26-27

13
 0* God'sPower
Introduction
How would you complete the following? The most essential ingredient to living the Christian life is
t o ...
□ fill your heart and mind with Scripture.
□ pray as much as you are able.
□ attend Christian meetings for inspiration.
□ get involved in ministry.
□ choose to do what is right and Godly
□ none of the above.

Each of the above choices are important to living the Christian life, but none of them qualifies as
the “most essential” because all fail to adequately deal with the primary obstacle Christians must
overcome. This obstacle not only makes the Christian life difficult to live, but impossible to live! In
this lesson, we will learn about God’s provision to overcome this problem!

Why We Can’t Live the Christian Life

The primary obstacle that hinders Christians is the sin nature. Contrary to the belief that we are
all bom innocent, Scripture teaches that we do not become sinners, but that we are already bom
sinners. Consider the following written by King David, whom God described as a “man after my
own heart".

From the moment we were conceived,

*Surely I was sinful at birth, we were already damaged with a fatal
sinful from the time my mother conceived me." flaw ... an inherited condition which
Psalm 51:5 makes sinning part of our very nature!

If we are sinful at birth, where then do you think sin comes from? G3 Psalm 58:3, Job
15:14, Romans 5:12

14
 Read how the following Scriptures describe the problem.

uThere is no one righteous, not even one;

there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
There is no one who does good, not even one.”
Romans 3:10-12
“(Jesus said) 'For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft,
murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these
evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean’.”
Mark 7:21-23
“the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those
controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God”
Romans 8:7-8

Because of our sinful nature, no matter how many Scriptures we know, no matter how often we
pray, no matter how many inspirational meetings we attend, no matter how involved we are in
ministry, or no matter how strong our will to do right, our best efforts will fail because they do not
deal with the main problem! When done in our own strength, these activities simply produce
spiritual pride! But God has provided a solution for us!

God’s Solution
God’s solution to our sin nature is to give us a new nature! He did this by putting His Holy Spirit in
us at the moment we received Jesus Christ!

Read the following Scriptures that describe this miracle.____________________ _______ ____

uJesus answered, 7 tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is bom of
water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit You should not
be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be bom again1:
John 3:5-7

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has comer
2 Corinthians 5:17

“to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness:
Ephesians 4:23-24
S Circle the words in the above passages that refer to our new nature. God’s Spirit imparts
God’s nature and power in us!
15
 Religion vs Christianity
Many religions teach that we must conform ourselves to a standard of spiritual principles or laws
in order to reach perfection. Christianity teaches that man is incapable of transforming himself.
What is needed is a totally new life!

S Cirde three things God gives to

■/ will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I us in Ezekiel 36:26-2.
will remove from you your heart of stone and give you / Underline two things which
a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and result when God puts His Spirit
move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep in us.
my laws.” y* Cirde what we receive when
Ezekiel 36:26-27 the Holy Spirit comes on us in
Acts 1:8. (The word “power*
‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes here means “the ability to carry
on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, out a task.") God’s Spirit gives
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the us the desire (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
world.” and the power (Acts 1:8) to do
Acts 1:8 His will!

What is significant about the phrases "heart of stone” and “heart of flesh"
C2 Colossians 3:10

God’s Spirit in Us
The desire in you to please God is the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart. It is evidence of the
new nature you inherited when you were bom again by God’s Spirit.

Read Philippians 2:13 'For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him,
from The Living Bible. and then helping you do what he wants ”
Philippians 2:13 (TLB)

L 16
Applying God’s Solution
SPIRITUAL
BIRTH

HOLY SPIRIT PHYSICAL

OEATH
ETERNITY
PHYSICAL
BIRTH

The above diagram illustrates our situation as Christians. We are bom into this world with a ‘sin
nature’. But the moment we trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness, we are “bom again” with a
‘new nature’, which is not only the new me, but the real me! The sin nature or old me, can never
please God and does not even want to, but our new nature not only desires to please God, but is
able to by the power of the Holy Spirit. CQ Romans 7:22, Philippians 2:13

Notice that the Christian’s sin nature will cease at the moment of death, while our new nature will
continue for eternity! The challenge we face in this life is the battle between these two natures to
rule in our minds, our hearts and our bodies. They are at war within us! The good news is that
this struggle is temporary (shaded area)! Once we are free of the sin nature, our New Nature will
be unhindered to do all that God desires! E3 Galatians 5:16-17

Can you recall incidents in your life when your new nature and sin nature battled within
you?

It is important to understand that the key to victory is God’s Spirit within us. Only by allowing His
Spirit to live through us will we experience God’s will and power in us! (see Philippians 2:13)

Be Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 teaches us how to apply God’s provision to overcome sin.

✓ Circle what we are to do with the Spirit

“Do not get drunk on wine,
which leads to debauchery. The word “filled" means to be filled to the full! A person
Instead be filled with the Spirit." “filled with the Spirit” leaves no room for the sin nature to
Ephesians 5:18 control his life! The following properties of the verb Tilled”
help us to understand and apply it.

17
Command: This verb teaches that we are “filled with the Spirit” by an act of our will! God is not
asking us to be filled with his Spirit if we feel like it. God is commanding us to be filled. No matter
how we fe e l... no matter what our circumstances, we can choose to be filled and allow God to
rule in our lives!

God’s Work: This verb also indicates that it is God who fills us. We simply make ourselves
available to Him! As we yield our lives to God, His Spirit empowers us with His desire and ability!

Present Tense: Finally, this vert commands us to continually allow God’s Holy Spirit to fill us -
moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. No breaks and no allowance for the sin nature to
reign!

How can we be sure God will fill us with His Holy Spirit?
Because He said He would, and God does not lie! £0 Titus 1:2
Read His Promise below.

y* Circle the attitude we should have

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
when we approach God.
that if we ask anything according to His will,
y Underline what kind of request
He hears us.
God hears.
And if we know that he hears - whatever we ask -
S Underline the result when God
we know that we have what we asked of Him.”
hears our Prayer.
1 John 5:14-15

Praying for God’s Will

1 John 5:14 can be applied whenever we pray for anything according to God’s will. We can be
confident God will answer that prayer because He promised He would!

1. Is it God’s will for us to be filled with His Spirit? □ Yes □ No

2. If we ask God to fill us with His Spirit, will He hear us □ Yes □ No
3. If we know God will hear us, can we be sure we are filled? □ Yes □ No

Application
The following steps can help us experience God’s power continually:
1. Confess - Not being filled to the full with God’s Spirit is sin. Confess this to God and
claim His forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)

2. Be Filled with the Holy Spirit - Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit! Allow Him to
reign in your mind, your heart and your body!

18
 “Dear God, forgive me for allowing sin to rule in my life. I now yield my heart, my
mind and my body to You, and ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I want
YOU to reign in my life! Thank you, LORD, for hearing and answering my prayer!
In Jesus’ name. Amen."

Suggestion for further exploration:

God centred resources from the ministry of John Piper -
Listen to MP3 teaching sermons
httD://www.desirinqood.orQ/ResourceLibrarv/$ermons/BvTopic/

19
 Fellowship
Introduction
A baby is born. Ten years later, they are still the same size and maturity when they were bom!
Your immediate reaction is:

□ "Wow! He’s still so cute!”

□ "Well ...I guess some babies grow slower than others. ”
□ “Get this kid to a doctor... NOW!”

It doesn’t take a doctor to figure out that the baby in our story is not normal. Normal babies grow
and mature. It is abnormal not to!

When God placed His Holy Spirit in you at the moment you trusted Christ for forgiveness, you
were “bom again” spiritually. Instantly you became a member of God’s eternal family, a “new
creation" in Christ, created to grow to maturity and destined to glorify Christ through your life.
Q 1 Peter 1:23, John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 6:18,1 Peter 2:2

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18

The next four lessons will teach you principles that will help you establish a lifestyle that will
promote spiritual growth in your Christian life. As in the physical world, growth takes time, and
attaining spiritual maturity requires patience. But if you will discipline your life and apply these
principles, spiritual growth will be the inevitable supernatural outcome!

“Strength in numbers!”
The first principle to ensure spiritual growth is to establish strong relationships with other growing
Christians.

On fire for Jesus!

Even as coals burn hotter longer when piled together, in the same way Christians who join
together in spiritual fellowship will stoke one another’s faith in God, and inflame each other’s love
for Him! Here are a few reasons why we should join ourselves together in Christian fellowship.
20
Encouragement
S Underline what we are not to do.
“Let us not give up meeting together, f Cirde the words “give up”. The words mean to
as some are in the habit of doing, “completely abandon” or “utterly forsake".
but let us encourage one another and Christians are forbidden to forsake meeting
all the more together. Giving up" is not an option!
as you see the Day approaching.” ✓ Underline what action we are to do.
Hebrews 10:25 Cirde the word “encourage".

The word 'encourage' is the translation of a Greek

word that means “to call alongside”, and presents the beautiful picture of a person encouraging
another while walking side by side together. We often find it easier to criticize, or shame, or judge
another person who does not measure up to our standards, but God asks us to encourage, to
stand alongside, those who are wavering.

“Never give up!” Sir Winston Churchill

Shortly after the end of world war II, Sir Winston Churchill, who had just led England as Prime
Minister through its finest hour during the war, was invited to speak to a gathering eager to hear
his words of wisdom. Known for his eloquence and wit, the audience was prepared to be treated
to a feast of words. They sat in rapt attention as the great orator strolled to the podium and, like a
drum beat, repeatedly exhorted the crowd, “Never give up, never give up, Never give up!" After
several minutes and the final cadence, he turned and took his seat before a stunned crowd.

Inspiration
y 5 Cirde the word that describes what we should
not be.
“Do not be misled: y Cirde the word that describes the effect of “bad
Bad company corrupts good character.1’ company" on “good character”.
1 Corinthian 15:33
The word “corrupt” means to defile or destroy.
The word “misled” means to be led astray from
the truth! We find this admonition throughout the Bible, perhaps because we have a habit of
thinking we know the way, even after God has told us the correct way!

Life is full of examples of Christians who chose to remain with bad company only to find their
faith corrupted. £□ Matthew 24:4, Proverbs 13:20, 2 Peter 2:17-22

In what specific ways does bad company corrupt good character?

21
 In what ways can good company inspire good character?

“Do not be misled!" We will become like the company we keep! If our goal is to grow
spiritually and become a mature Christian, then we must spend time with Christians who are
growing spiritually to maturity!

Restoration
Have you ever found yourself in trouble and needing help, but unable to find someone to call?
Nothing is more frustrating and dangerous! Like getting caught in a strong ocean current,
Christians can find themselves being swept away by sin’s temptations. Fortunate is the Christian
who has a spiritual friend who will not hesitate to jump in and rescue him from danger!

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, / Circle what can happen to the

you who are spiritual unsuspecting Christian. The word “caught"
should restore him gently:* means to be trapped by surprise.
Galatians 6:1a S Underline what “spiritual’ Christians (those
filled with the Holy Spirit) are to do with
their fellow Christians caught by sin.
y* Circle the word that describes how they are to restore their fellow Christians. Too often we
can be harsh and judgmental with other Christians caught in sin, but here we are exhorted to
be gentle.

Gentle: The word “gentle” is a translation of the same Greek word from which “meek” is
translated. A person who is “meek" is one who is humble toward God. This humility comes from
the realization that God is the creator and we are simply the creation! This keeps us from the
pride that would hinder us from helping other Christians caught in sin!

Satan Our Adversary

When you became a Christian, Satan became your enemy. He continually schemes to entrap
you in sin. C3 Corinthians 2:11, Ephesians 6:11-12,1 Peter 5:8

Think back on sins you regularly commit. Can you see how Satan may have entrapped
you into committing them?

99
 What can you do to avoid being caught in habitual sins?

Application
1. Meet regularly with other Christians who desire to grow in their faith. (Acts 2:44-47)
(Small groups)

2. Join a church that honours God and teaches His Word, and attend faithfully. (Hebrews
10:25)

3. Become involved in your church’s ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

4. Support your church’s ministry financially through regular giving. (Galatians 6:6;
Timothy 5:17; 2 Corinthians 9:7)

Suggestion for further exploration

WHAT IS TITHING?
Money is necessary to accomplish God’s work in this world. The leaders of
BICF seek God’s direction for ministry every year. A budget is then prepared to
v\ > # achieve these goals. We as the BICF family look to God to support this budget
so we can accomplish the ministry the Lord has given us. Every member
needs to give their time, talents, and treasures for the Lord’s work to advance.

The Bible says everything belongs to God. "The earth is the LORD’S and
everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24.1). Whatever we
have is ‘on loan’ from Him. We are stewards of His gifts and will one day give
an accounting of our faithfulness. Tithing ("a tenth part) is clearly taught in both
Old and New Testaments. It was paid by Abraham (Genesis 14.20) and
affirmed by Jesus (Matthew 23.23). Giving our tithe to God is the starting point.
The Bible teaches our giving to God should be:

Sacrificial — Paul says the Macedonians, “gave as much as they were able and
even beyond their ability" (2 Cor. 8:3). They gave even when it meant a
sacrifice in their lifestyle. Biblical giving involves great cost (2 Sam. 24:24).

23
Responsible — Christians are to give “according to their ability" (Acts 11:29).
There are seasons to economic life. There are responsibilities to our families
and to our debts. Over time we hope the amount we can give will steadily grow.

Joyful - Paul asked for money in this way: “I am not commanding yousbut I
want to test the sincerity of your love... for you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he became poor, so that through his
poverty you might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:8-9). The difference between
moralists (those who think God accepts them for their good works) and
Christians (those who know they are sinners saved purely through God’s grace)
Is that Christians give freely and generously as they have received from God.

Systematic - Paul directed the Corinthians to set aside a portion of their wealth
each week (1 Cor. 16:2).

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TITHES AND OFFERINGS

While tithes are the basics of Christian Stewardship, offerings are gifts made
above and beyond the scriptural tithe. Throughout the year, you may learn of
financial needs (disaster relief, scholarship, missions etc) to which you feel led
by God to contribute toward such additional offerings. Different churches in
different settings use different methods of collection - bags passed, boxes
placed on tables, members walking up in front and dropping gifts in plates,
offering bags, direct bank credit, credit cards donations etc.

What is the Importance of the Lord's supper 7 Christian Communion?

http://www.qotquestions.ora/communion-Christian.html

Sermons on tithing or giving by John Piper (MP3)

http://www.desirinqqod.orQ/Search/?search=Givinq+Tithinq&submit.x=0&submity=_0

Are you in a small group yet?

It’s your home away from home. Go to our small groups website for more info
.http://www.bicf.org/component/content/article/85
 TheWord
Introduction
How long do you think we can survive without eating?

□ 1 days □ 10 days □ 20 days □ 40 days □ 60 days □ 100 days

If you ticked ‘1 d a /, I can see you’ve never missed a meal in your life! No, it’s not even 10 or 20
days. We can survive 40 days without food, but after that, our bodies begin to starve and death
is not far off. Just as our physical bodies need food to grow and survive, even so, our spirits need
to be fed as well. Notice how the metaphor(image) of “milk” and “solid food” are used in Scripture.

“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need y Underline what
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over Hebrews 5:12
again. You need milk, not solid food! means by the
Hebrews 5:12 metaphor milk,
y Circle how we are
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you to “crave pure
may grow up in your salvation,” spiritual milk” in 1
1 Peter 2:2 Peter 2:2.

In this lesson, you will leam:

1. The source of the Word
2. The purpose of the Word
3. The power of the Word
4. The application of the Word

25
1) The Source of the Word

•All Scripture is God-breathed and S Circle the source of Scripture

is useful for teaching, ✓ Circle how much of Scripture is from God.
rebuking,
correcting and The Greek word translated God-breathed is used no
training in righteousness, where else in the New Testament Though the word
so that the man o f God does not explain how Scripture was given to us, it does
may be thoroughly equipped indicate the supernatural and divine origin of it!
for every good work. ” This verse teaches that every Scripture in the Bible
2 Timothy 3:16-17 originates from God!

2) The Purpose of the Word

■All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work"
2 Timothy 3:16-17

S Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and write the four ways Scripture is useful to us in the blanks below:

__________________ ► instructing us in the truth God

__________________ ► convicting us of the truth of God
__________________ ► restoring us to the truth of God
__________________ ► teaching us how to live the truth of God.

S Underline the result of these four activities of the Word in our lives.
S Cirde how many good works we will be equipped for.

3) The Power of the Word

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’9
Ephesians 6:17

26
 Underline how the “word of God" is described in Ephesians 6:17. The “word of God" is the only
offensive weapon listed in Ephesians 6:10-17 which describes the Armour of God. The
Christian who leams how to wield it can defeat his spiritual enemies. Unfortunately, many
Christians, ignorant of God's Word, wield something more like a pocket knife than a sword!

Why do you think the Word of God is described as the sword of the Spirit?
LU Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:1-11

> 4) The Application of the Word

Memorization
is simple if done in steps. Read the verse 3 times.
Write the verse 3 times.
Recite the verse from memory 3 times.
Review every day regularly for the next 10 days.

Psalm 119 is the great anthem to the Word of God, containing exhortations every Christian
should read!

7 have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
Psaim 119:11
/ Underline what we should do with God’s Word.
The word “hidden” means “to hide or to treasure”. God’s Word should be hidden in our hearts
because it is something treasured! The word “heart” refers to our “mind, soul, conscience,
emotions, passions, will and desires". In other words, memorizing the Word is not just an
intellectual exercise, but one that includes the entire person!

How does hiding God’s Word in our hearts keep us from sinning?

27
 Meditation

‘Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers:
Psalm 1:1-3
/ Cirde the one word in Psalm 1 that describes the person who keeps himself from the wicked,
sinners and mockers.
✓ Underline where this person finds his “delight”?
/ Underline what he does with God’s Word.
S Underline what this person is compared to.
S Cirde the result of this person’s lifestyle.

Why is the tree a good illustration of someone who delights in God’s Word?

Meditating on God’s Word involves deliberately contemplating a passage over and over again,
absorbing all the spiritual nutrients in it! One way is to:

□ Recite a Verse over and over in your mind. Then...

□ Emphasize a different word each time to absorb the contribution of that word’s
meaning to the meaning of the verse as a whole.

Application
"Do not merely listen to the Word, S Underline what people who “merely listen to the
and so deceive yourselves. Word” do to themselves.
Do what it says: S Underline what we should do with the Word instead.
James 1:22

How do we deceive ourselves if we merely listen to the Word?

28
Below are Five Applications from God’s Word expressed in the acronym -

W ien you read, memorize or meditate on God's Word, see if there are any

Sins to Confess

Promises to Claim
Attitudes or Actions to Adopt or Avoid

Commands to Obey

Examples to Follow

Without looking at this sheet, recite the 5 principles from the acronym SPACE.

We began this lesson thinking about how often we needed to eat to survive. Just as we need
daily nourishment for a healthy body, even so, we need a daily intake of God’s Word to ensure a
healthy spiritual life. Too many Christians only hear God’s Word once a week on Sundays. Make
it a habit to read, memorize, meditate and apply God’s W ord... EVERY DAY!

Q Matthew 12:50, Luke 6:46, James 1:22-25

Suggestion for further exploration:

Daily Bible Verse -
Sign up to receive a Bible verse daily in your mailbox
http: //www. christnotes. orq/em aii. pho

Daily Devotionals -

n Listen to Saddleback Church Drive Time (MP3) -

http://www.saddleback.com/MediaCenter/DriveTime/Defaijtt asp*

The Discipleship Ministry - more fantastic lessons to continue your growth

All free from http://www.biblestudvcd.cQm/

Daily Devotionals -
Subscribe to RBC Ministries - http://www.ourdailvioumev.ora/tQriay/
29
 i Prayer
Introduction
Let’s perform a test. Take three deep breaths and hold the last one. Now how long can you go
without breathing? A few days? Of course not! Not even a few hours! The longest humans can
last without air is a few minutes at best.

Prayer is like that. Prayer is to our spiritual lives as air is to our physical. It is what energizes our
new nature and refreshes our soul. Without it, our Christian lives become spiritually stagnant.
Why? Because...

“Prayer is the one activity that brings us into an encounter with the Living God!”

. You can be involved in every kind of Christian activity without being empowered by the Holy
Spirit, except prayer. Someone shares that prayer alone requires you be right with God because
it is a “man to God encounter”!

Four aspects of prayer - expressed in the acronym

Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication

Adoration
The word Adoration means to worship or to praise.

Worship
The Hebrew word translated 'worship’ in Psalm 29:2 means to ‘bow down’ or ‘to prostrate
oneself. It describes the attitude of worship. In Psalm 100:2, the word worship is a translation of
another Hebrew word. Here it means to 'serve' or to ‘work1. This verse describes the action of
worship.
Jesus brings both attitude and action together in Luke 4:8! (Worship the Lord your God and serve
Him only)
30
Praise
The psalmist in Psalm 106:2 uses a common literary tool by expressing the same idea in two
different ways.

“Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? S Underline the equivalent thought to “show
Who can show forth all his praise?” forth all his praise”. To praise God then is
Psalm 106:2 to proclaim His “mighty acts”.

List some “mighty acts" God has done in your life.

1.

2.

3.

Read David’s prayer of praise below.

“Yours, 0 LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, 0 LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as
head over all. Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands
are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and
praise your glorious name."
1 Chronicles 29:11-13
S Circle each characteristic David attributes to God.
S Underline David’s response to God.

Application
Praise God for each item in YOUR list of God’s mighty acts. Give Him thanks and praise His
glorious Name!

Confession
Another important aspect of prayer is the confession of our sins. Read the following Scriptures on
confession.

31
 "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
Psalm 66:18

0Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, '/ will confess my transgressions to the LORD’
-and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32:5

(‘ Iniquity = sin, transgression = wrongdoing)

S Underline what happens if we cherish sin in our hearts. This verse teaches that there is a
relationship between sin and prayer. Sin short circuits our fellowship with God, and keeps Him
from hearing our prayers.
S Underline what the psalmist acknowledges before God in Psalm 32:5?
S Underline God’s response.

Read the confession of David after he committed adultery with Bathsheba found in Psalm 51
below.

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my
sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at
birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
''Create in me a pure heart, 0 God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy
of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Psalm 51:2-5, 10 & 12
S Underline the four things David asks God to do for him at the end of the passage.

Genuine confession results in a desire to obey God. Notice that after acknowledging his sins to
God, David prays that God would give him an obedient heart.

Thanksgiving
A third aspect to prayer is giving thanks.

S Circle in which circumstances we are to

give thanks (Thessalonians 5:18)
“Give thanks in all circumstances, ✓ Underline why we must give thanks.
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

The verb ‘give thanks’ is a command. God requires that, as an act of our wills, we give thanks in
all circumstances. Romans 8:28 below explains why we can do this.
32
 ✓ Underline the reason we can give
thanks in all circumstances.
■And we know that in all things S Circle how many things God is able to
God works for the good of those who love him, work for our good. This verse teaches
who have been called according to his purpose that no matter what happens in our
Romans 8:28 lives, God is able to use all things,
good or bad, for our good!

Knowing this, can we genuinely give thanks in all things? □ Yes □ No

How does God use “bad” experiences for our benefit?

The Sovereignty of God

“The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy. Being infinitely
elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of heaven and earth. Subject to
none, influenced by none, absolutely independent; God does as He pleases, only as He pleases,
always as He pleases. None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him.” Attributes of God by Arthur
Pink Isaiah 46:10, Daniel 4:35, Ephesians 1:11

Application
Spend time in prayer right now thanking God for all the things He is allowing in your life, good or
bad, knowing that He is absolutely able to use everything for your benefit. Giving thanks to God
demonstrates our faith!

Supplication
Supplication is the bringing of our requests to God. Too often, we become worried and forget the
one person who can help!

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, S Underline what it teaches about
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, being anxious.
present your requests to God. S Circle the word that describes
And the peace of God, what things we can ask God for.
which transcends all understanding, S Underline the result of bringing
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." our requests to God.
Philippians 4:6

33
 What are the two opposite emotions mentioned?

Have you ever wondered why some of our prayer requests are not answered?
The Scriptures below explains why.

W ie n you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend
what you get on your pleasures."
James 4:3

T his is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will,
he hears us And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we
asked of him.”
1 John 5:14-15

m
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given
you.”
John 15:7

‘If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Matthew 21:22
S Underline why we sometimes don’t receive what we ask for in James 4:3.
S Circle what James means by ‘wrong motives’.
✓ Underline the condition for answered prayers in 1 John 5:14-15.
S Underline the condition for answered prayers in John 15:7.
/ Underline the condition for answered prayers in Matthew 21:22.

\Nhy does God establish conditions for answered prayers?

34
For Whom Should We Pray
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
godliness and holiness."
1 Timothy 2:1

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind,
be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints ”
Ephesians 6:18
S Cirde ail the people we are to pray for in the verses above.

When the apostle Paul wrote 1Timothy 2:1, the governing authority was the Roman
Emperor Caesar. How do you pray for governing authorities that you may not agree with?

What is the value of confessing our sins to each other?

Application
Spend a few minutes praying for all the people the LORD brings to your mind.

_ ^ _ ' m■

Suggestion for further exploration:

Title: Sacred Pathways
Author: Gary Thomas
Everyone has their own unique way of approaching God. Learn how to
improve your devotional, quiet-time, and personal-worship life with God.

/fnv i I Lift My Eyes Ministry-

WJ Learn how to develop an effective personal prayer life and move into Christian
intercession, http7/psalm121.ca/prayer.html

35
 7 Witnessing
Introduction
What would you say is the greatest threat to Christianity?

□ Ungodly people.
□ Our culture.
□ Antagonistic governments.
□ Indifference (lack of concern)

Someone has perceptively suggested th a t...

“The greatest threat to Christianity is Christians trying to sneak into heaven without ever
sharing their faith.”

Why do you think many Christians do not share their faith?

One of the great privileges we have as God’s children is the authority and privilege to invite
others to be reconciled with God! There is no greater decision people can make than trusting
Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. In this lesson, we will learn five ways to share our
faith in Christ with others.

Sharing our faith, or witnessing, is one of the most important factors in growing as a Christian. It
keeps our faith fresh and exciting as we watch others being transformed by a miracle fromGod!
But we need to remember the following to be effective witnesses for Christ:

1. Be Available: Yield your life to God. God uses available servants.

2. Be Prayerful: Ask God to lead you to people to share with. Pray that God will make them
open to His Word!

3. Be Filled with the Spirit: Only God can bring others to Himself. Our part is simply to be
filled with His Holy Spirit and allow Him to share His love with others through us!
John 6:44
36
1) Sharing Christ With Your Testimony
We may not know much about the Bible or theology, but all of us are experts in our own lives.
Although people may not be Interested In hearing what we have done for God, they are
interested in hearing what God has done for usl Our testimony is the story of what Christ has
done in our lives! Use the following outline to prepare your testimony.
£3 Acts 26:1-29 (Paul’s testimony to King Agrippa)

Preparing Your Testimony

S Pray before you develop your testimony and ask God to give you His story to tell.
S Write out your testimony and look for a theme that will tie it together.
A Develop your testimony along that theme following the outline at left.

1. Your life Before Christ: Share specifically about an area of your life in which Christ changed
you. Resist the temptation to dwell on how bad you were

2. How You Came to Know Christ: Explain clearly how you heard about Christ, and how you
made the decision to trust in Him for forgiveness. This will help the person you are sharing
with hear a dear presentation of how to know Christ in your testimony!

3. Your Life After Receiving Christ: Share how Christ changed you in the area of your life
mentioned above.

2) Sharing Our Faith with Pictures

1 2 3

God our creator Our sin has separated us Jesus Christ died on
loves us and offers from God and his life. the cross for our sins.
us eternal life Man is unable to bridge Through Him alone,
this gap on his own can we experience
God's love and life

37
D ra w just one picture and simply add to it as you share. (You do not have to draw three separate
pictures.)

The gospel can be quickly and easily drawn using simple stick pictures. After completing the
pictures, use the final one to illustrate how we must choose to come to God through faith in
Jesus Christ who is the bridge. This is an excellent way to share Christ with children!

3) Sharing Our Faith After a Presentation (video, drama, movie)

After reading, seeing or hearing a gospel presentation through a booklet, video, drama, movie,
tape, etc., use the following four questions to introduce the Gospel.

1. What did you think about the (booklet, video, concert, etc.)?

2. Did it make sense to you?

3. Have you ever trusted Christ to forgive your sins as presented by the (booklet, video,
drama, concert, etc.)?

4. You would like to wouldn’t you? (note - positive leading question)

Recite these four questions without looking at them.

03 Romans 1:16

4) Sharing Our Faith With a Booklet

There are a wide variety of booklets available, but each contains the same message - How to
find eternal Life in Jesus Christ. Described below is a method developed by Campus Crusade for
Christ, or use BICF’s evangelism booklet.

Benefits

1. Easy: Booklets make witnessing easier by indudingthe essentialtruths of the gospel,

as well as a prayer to help a person trust in Christ.

2. Clear: Booklets present the gospel in a logicalmanner, usually infour statements

supported by Scripture.

3. Small: Booklets are easy to carry wherever we go.

38
 4. Concise: Booklets usually take only 10-15 minutes to read.

5. Givable: Booklets can be left with people we share with, so that they can read them
later. Many people have come to Christ this way

6. Transferable: Booklets can be passed from one person to another several times.

Introducing the Booklet

The biggest obstacle to overcome is introducing the subject of Christ to others. It is always best
to relate the gospel to a need in the person's life. Here are some ways you can introduce a
booklet in order to share it with them:

1. “The message contained in this booklet has helped me more than anything else. May I
share it with you?”

2. “Has anyone ever shared with you how you can know God in a personal way? This
booklet explains how. May I share it with you?”

3. “If you died right now, would you be absolutely sure you will be in heaven? This booklet
shares how you can be. May I share it with you?” (Note: not so suitable for Asians)

Presenting the Booklet

1. Hold the booklet steady between both of you. Make sure the person you are sharing
with is able to see the pages easily.

2. Maintain the person’s attention by pointing to relevant words or illustrations as you

read. Sometimes it helps to fold the pages back to ensure you are both on the same
page.

3. Simply read through the booklet! Resist the temptation to add to the message of the
booklet. This often only confuses the person you are sharing with, and can lengthen the
time needed considerably.

5) Sharing Our Faith With Prayer

Although many people are hesitant to talk about God, most people are happy to have you pray
for them. This opens up a great opportunity to share Christ with others.

Offer to pray for the needs of friends, co-workers, acquaintances, neighbors, etc Pray that God
draws them to Himself and look for opportunities to share Christ with them as God provides.
39
 / Keep a journal of prayer requests and answers. Record the dates the requests were
received and answered.

A Pray diligently for each request expecting God to work in people’s lives!

y* Find out if God is answering your prayers and look for opportunities to share His love!

Application
1. Review each of the above ways to share your faith and practice each one. G3 1 Peter 3:15

2. Pray and ask God to show you people who need to hear about God’s forgiveness in Jesus
Christ, then make a list of the names God brings to mind.

3. Pray for each person daily asking God to draw them to Himself.

4. Take advantage of every opportunity God gives you and share Christ in the power of the
Holy Spirit. Colossians 4:5

5. Be available to share with people you meet through the day. You never know when God has
set up a divine appointment for you to share with someone!

6. Always remember that it is God who brings people to Himself ~ not our techniques or charm.
Be continually filled with God’s Spirit and expect God to use you!

A(\
 Spiritual Multiplication
How would you answer the following?
Why am I here Instead of in heaven?
□ Because my home in heaven is not finished yet.
□ Because I must not be good enough yet.
□ Because God is having second thoughts about me.
□ None of the above.

The reason we are here instead of in Heaven is to fulfill Jesus' final command to all Christians.
Lk) John 4:34, John 17:4, Acts 20:24

Read Jesus’ final command below.

Then Jesus came to them and said,

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disdples of all nations,
baptising them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission

Christ's final instructions to His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 above is commonly called “The
Great Commission" because in it Jesus commissions them to take the Gospel to the world. The
main verb in this command is “make disciples".

Three other verbs that connect to the main verb explain how this is to be accomplished. See if
you can find them. S Circle each one on the scripture verses above (Matt 28:18-20).

Go you can’t reach people for Christ unless you go to them.

This vert implies that God assumes we will go.
/ Cirde where we are to go according to Christ’s commission.
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 Baptising word ‘baptize' symbolizes the cleansing and new Identity Christians
have in Christ when they place their faith In Him.
f Underline Into what new Identity are Christians to be baptized In

Teaching making disciples involves teaching.

✓Underline what we are to teach new disciples.

Why does Jesus begin the Great Commission with the declaration 'all authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me? (11 John 17:2

The Plan
Where do you start when you're trying to “make disciples of all nations”? Acts 1:8 gives us the
plan to follow.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and ✓ Underline three
you will be my witnesses geographic areas
in Jerusalem, and where we are to be
in all Judea and Samaria, and Christ’s witnesses.
to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

Jerusalem - the city of Jerusalem represents the disciples’ home,

(ie. their family, friends, home town/city)

Judea & Samaria - these two provinces represent the surrounding

area. (ie. State, Province or Country.)

Ends of the Earth - this includes everyone else to be reached with

the Gospel ~ to the farthest reaches of the earth, (all nations)

We can all witness to people in our Jerusalem, as well as work with other Christians to reach
everyone in our Judea & Samaria. But to reach the ends of the earth requires Christians to go
and live among the people in other nations. Every Christian should be willing to go, but even if
we do not, we must all support those who do go, with our prayers and finances!

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 JJ Where is your Jerusalem?

Where is your Judea & Samaria?

How do you plan to reach the ends of the earth’?

The Strategy - Discipleship

Now that we know our mission is to make disciples of all nations, the question is 'How?’. The
Discipleship Process, developed by Campus Crusade for Christ, is outlined in Matthew 28:18-

2. BUILD
People in |
Christ V
1. WIN 1 “teaching”
_ _ <
3. SIND
People to !
People for
Christ
"go & baptize* Christ 1
“obey everything 1
have commanded you"

How does teaching disciples to obey everything Christ has commanded us result in them
winning and building others for Christ?

The Discipleship Process results in growing numbers of Christians becoming involved in

discipleship as they are built up and sent out for Christ. This results in “Spiritual Multiplication”.

Spiritual Multiplication
The principle of Spiritual Multiplication is found in 2 Timothy 2:2.
w

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses
entrust(hand over) to reliable men
who will also be qualified to teach others ”
2 Timothy 2:2
S Underline what we are to do with the things we are taught.
S Underline what 'reliable men’ are supposed to do with what they have learned.

Spiritual Multiplication is diagramed at right

Notice that each succeeding generation grows as those
who have learned now teach others. This is the magic of
Spiritual Multiplication.

Spiritual Addition
Winning people to Christ but never building them up or
sending them out to Win and Build others.

Spiritual Multiplication
Continually winning, building and sending others to Win,
Build and Send still others

If we are to reach the world, we must move from Spiritual Addition to Spiritual Multiplication!

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 1
The Chart
The chart represents how many people are reached for Christ by the end of a year. Notice that
by continually discipling 1 person every six months, who will then continue discipling others, it is
possible to reach the entire world in only 16 years! Through Spiritual Multiplication, one person
can reach the entire World!

Compare the numerical results

Spiritual Addition Year Spiritual Multiplication

(Reach 100 people for Christ each day) (Win, build & send one person every 6 months)

(th o u san d ) 36,000 1 4

72,000 2 16
108,000 3 64
144,000 4 256
180,000 6 1 ,0 24 (th o u san d )
216,000 6 4,069
252,000 7 16,384
288,000 8 66,636
324,000 9 262,144
360,000 10 1,048,576 (m illio n)

One Person CAN M ake a Difference!

God Wants YOU To Be That Person!

A Significant Life
If you have ever wanted to do something significant with your life, you will not find a more
significant work than winning, building and sending people for Christ. Your efforts will not only
result in abundant lives, but eternal lives!

Commit yourself to be part of God’s movement to reach the world for Christ by completing the
discipleship covenant on the following page.

Suggestion fo r fu rth er exploration:

The G lo bal n e tw o rk -
Free online resources (books & video)in many languages for reaching the
world - http://www.alobalreach.org/

R eachin g In ternation als -

Movem ent to reach international student, provide a lot of good tools and helps
that will empower you in your ministry
http://w w w .reachinainternationals.com /

Bible questions answered

Frequently asked faith questions and answers
http.//w w w.gotquestions.ora/
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 O u r V is io n
We are God’s Equipped,
end-time disciple makers,
becoming a blessing to others
maw*■

O U R M IS S IO N
To glorify God through raising up equipped,
end-time disciple makers by pulling down the
spirit of pride and experiencing the manifested
presence of God

C E N T R A L TASK
To raise up role models and advancers
of disciple making.

Servant Leader of Jesus the Emmanuel

Trans-Continental Ministries Inc.