2. The 5 C’s of Discipleship

3. didn't you understand? - God
What part of  
"Thou Shalt Not . . ." 
  didn't you understand?                                - God 
In 1998, an advertising company in Houston developed a creative ad campaign using billboards with sayings attributed to God. The “God says” billboards were an instant success and spread all over the country, leading to a second series of billboards in Here are a few of my favorites…

4. My way is the highway.                                - God 

5. Don’t make me come down there. - God

6. The real Supreme Court meets up here. - God

7. Your Life
If your life story was put on a billboard, how would it read?
Let me ask another question…If you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

8. 18 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
MATT 28:18-20

9.  20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
You probably already know this passage as The Great Commission.
GREAT COMMISSION

10. The process… discipleship.
God’s goal for our lives… to become fully devoted disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The process… discipleship.

11. How do you spell discipleship?
Tonight I want to share with you five areas of life transformation which I believe are required if we are to move toward being the devoted followers of Christ that God desires. I’ve summarized them in 5 C’s, and the first is…

12. Communion Defined: being in an intimate relationship with God
Focus: Knowing God better
Key Word: Relationship
In the Gospel accounts, Jesus issues the invitation to be a disciple with two simple words, “Follow me.” The first element of becoming a true disciple is Communion.

13. We know what’s on God’s heart
Results:
We know what’s on God’s heart
We hear and recognize His voice more clearly
He has our full attention
How to make it happen:
Spend time with God
Without the element of Communion with God, the other Cs of discipleship are meaningless.
Time…have you ever spent time with couples who have been married for 50 years or more. They know each other better than anyone else. It’s almost as if they can read each others’ minds…but not quite. That closeness has been developed over time. It’s not automatic, but grows with intentional, intimate time together.

14. Character Defined: who you are when no one else is around
Focus: Developing Christlike inner qualities
Key Words: Righteousness & holiness
A person’s character affects everything they do.

15. Can’t fake character. It’s an “inside job”
“You shall be holy, for I the Lord, your God, am holy.” Peter 1:16
It’s an “inside job”
You can’t fake character…eventually it will show up in the things you do.
1 Peter 1:16 – Unfortunately, in our day and time, we have associated holiness with outward actions. The emphasis on Character reminds us that discipleship is an “inside job.” This goes against all the practices of our western culture, where everything is measured by size, performance, impressiveness, and public recognition. Development of character is not meant for spectators. It is a deliberate, progressive, intentional process of becoming the person God intended you to be – from the inside out.

16. The Beatitudes
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger
MATTHEW 5:3-9
Without mentioning character by name, Jesus taught a timeless lesson on Character in Matthew 5…what we refer to as the Beatitudes.

17. and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied
 and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
MATTHEW 5:3-9

18. Character is not about doing…it’s about being.

19. Competence Defined: using life skills to serve God and others
Focus: Growing in biblical lifestyle
Key Words: Ministry, Life skills
Only after we begin drawing close to God in Communion and submit ourselves to Him for the development of Character, can we move on to the next C…COMPETENCE

20. Two Process for Developing Competence
Skills learned before practicing them
Skills learned while practicing them
As you read the Gospels and the Book of Acts, you find two processes for developing Competence: things learned before practicing them and they learned things while practicing them (we call this OJT – on the job training).
There are some things you simply cannot learn out of a book. Take parenting, for instance. Although there are many wonderful classes, studies, seminars, and conferences on Christian parenting, they can only go so far. Much of your competence as a Christian parent is learned while in the act of parenting. And I speak from experience! It doesn’t end when your kids leave home.

21. Lessons in Godly Competence: Do the right things
Do things right…from a biblical perspective
The difference between cultural competence & biblical competence
This area of Competence covers a lot of ground: your work life, wedded life, family life…even how to shop for a car Biblically. True disciples refrain from compartmentalizing their spiritual life and the rest of their life…it’s all spiritual.

22. Calling Defined: response to God’s leading to serve Him
Focus: Finding my place of ministry
Key Words: Responsibility & privilege (to serve)
If you search the New Testament and see the lives of people changed by the grace of God, you find many references to Christians being the body of Christ, working together to accomplish God’s purposes, and finding a place of service to God, the church, and others. That leads us to the fourth C…CALLING.

23. Matthew 4:21 “Call” = Invite Know how God has gifted you
Calling points:
Matthew 4: “Call” = Invite
Know how God has gifted you
Be willing to serve (servant’s heart) – “Here am I, send me.”
Be willing to be equipped for service
Now, don’t let the word “Call” scare you off. We tend to limit the application of this term to Pastors and other Vocational Ministers, Missionaries, and Professional Christians. The Greek word for call in Matthew 4:21 actually means simply “invite.” Christ invites us to join him and find our place of service.

24. Community Defined: growing in relationship to others in God’s family
Focus: Building up the Body of Christ
Key Word: Fellowship
Disciples do not operate as lone rangers. Being a devoted follower of Christ means we need to get along with other Christians.

25. Requirements of true Fellowship: Time (with others)
Openness (toward others)
Trust (of God and others)
Commitment (to each other)
As Baptists, we’re good at this Fellowship thing. At least we think we are. The Greek word for Fellowship was Koinonia, which carries a deeper meaning than we typically assign to fellowship. It doesn’t mean coffee and donuts, SS socials, or church potlucks exclusively. Instead, it implies close, intimate relationships.

26. “True community is developed through an interdependence on each other for growth, development, maturity, & trust.”

27. Communion Character Competence Calling Community
So, God desires us to all become disciples, but we must develop in each of these five areas…
Community