1. The Cost of Discipleship: Cultivating and Modeling Christ-Like Christianity Carol T. Mitchell, Ph.D. Carol T. Mitchell, Ph.D. Christian Education Director – Morning Star Baptist Church Omaha, Nebraska cstillwaters@aol.com

2. Urgency in this Present Age Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

3. Cultivating and Modeling Christ-like Christianity

4. Cultivating Christ-like Christianity Mark 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

5. The Cost of Discipleship Presentation Format My Hypothesis Operational Definitions Our Work as Christian Educators (Data on Us) (Why We Should Care?) Is there a HOLE? (Why We Should Care?) Is there a HOLE? Evidence of the Urgency Crises in an age of Modernity Suggestions for Christian Educators Is it TRANSFORMING? How do you know?

6. HYPOTHESIS Hypothesis: If we are strategic and intentional in our Christian Education efforts with high expectations stated, then there wont be a Discipleship Problem. Hypothesis: If we are strategic and intentional in our Christian Education efforts with high expectations stated, then there wont be a Discipleship Problem.

7. Operational Definitions Disciplemaking: the process of bring people into right relationship with God; and developing them to full maturity in Christ through intentional growth strategies, that they might multiply the entire process in others also. Disciplemaking: the process of bring people into right relationship with God; and developing them to full maturity in Christ through intentional growth strategies, that they might multiply the entire process in others also. Discipleship Problems: recruiting, training, teaching, nurturing, multiplying, transferring content to application Discipleship Problems: recruiting, training, teaching, nurturing, multiplying, transferring content to application

8. ARE THERE HOLES? What are they?

9. What the Research Says Pew Data and Barna Data 2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world 2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world Number of Christians quadrupled in the past 100 years - 600 million (1910) to more than 2 billion in 2010 Number of Christians quadrupled in the past 100 years - 600 million (1910) to more than 2 billion in 2010 Christianity – largest religious group in the world….Muslims second largest Christianity – largest religious group in the world….Muslims second largest Faith of African-Americans Has Changed Faith of African-Americans Has Changed Bible illiteracy on the increase Bible illiteracy on the increase More church goers move from church to church More church goers move from church to church

10. People and Seeds SEEDS……soak ……nick, chip, or scarify ……refrigerate, pre-chill, or stratify ……freeze **We are all different.

11. Understand the Landscape The reality is that learners are not empty vessels to be filled by the knowledge of the teacher. Rather, learners are more like bulbs of a flower. The potential for their learning is already present in their brains. What they need is the nurturing of caring teachers who sprinkle them with all the nutrients they need to grow into the beautiful creatures God created them to become. - Donald Griggs The reality is that learners are not empty vessels to be filled by the knowledge of the teacher. Rather, learners are more like bulbs of a flower. The potential for their learning is already present in their brains. What they need is the nurturing of caring teachers who sprinkle them with all the nutrients they need to grow into the beautiful creatures God created them to become. - Donald Griggs

12. The Goal of Discipleship

13. The Journey to Spiritual Maturity Lifelong Discipleship Maturity in Christ Born Pre-Evangelism Evangelism BORN AGAIN Growth in Christ

14. Cultivating and Modeling Christ- like Christianity ULTIMATE PURPOSE IN LIFE Knowing, Loving, Serving God Educational Goals Educational Methods Developing into the image of Dynamic interaction between Christ. Evangelism and the Bible, the Spirit, other Character development. People, and life. Educational Programs Specific activities which promote CHRISTLIKENESS in interactions with the Bible, other learners and life situations.

15. THE EVIDENCE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY God gives the increase. God gives the increase. The Holy Spirit transforms!

16. 21 st Century Strategies 1.Move from spiritual exhortations to spiritual direction. 2. Move from single level discipling to multi level discipling. 3.Move from program oriented to person oriented discipling. 4.Move from classroom discipling to real world discipling. 5.Move from superficial conformity to value- change.

17. 21 st Century Strategies 6. Move from theological content to theological contemplation. 6. Move from theological content to theological contemplation. 7. Move from ministry management to life management. 7. Move from ministry management to life management. ~ E. Chan ~ E. Chan

18. Bibliography David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian – What a New Generation Really ThinksAbout Christianity…and Why It Matters, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books) 2008. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian – What a New Generation Really ThinksAbout Christianity…and Why It Matters, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books) 2008. A Change in the Kingdom, in Minister Donns. Jobe, Sr., The Christian Education Informer, Vol. 60, No. 3, Summer 2008, (Nashville, TN: Sunday School Publishing Board) p 44-47. A Change in the Kingdom, in Minister Donns. Jobe, Sr., The Christian Education Informer, Vol. 60, No. 3, Summer 2008, (Nashville, TN: Sunday School Publishing Board) p 44-47. H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, (New York: Harper Collins Publishers) 2001. H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, (New York: Harper Collins Publishers) 2001. Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman, When Generations Collide, (New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers) 2005. Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman, When Generations Collide, (New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers) 2005. Dinesh DSouza, Whats So Great About Christianity, (Carol Stream, Illinois, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 2007. Dinesh DSouza, Whats So Great About Christianity, (Carol Stream, Illinois, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 2007.

19. Bibliography Lois Lebar, Education That Is Christian, 1995. Lois Lebar, Education That Is Christian, 1995. John Barna, Seven Tribes of Faith, 2009. John Barna, Seven Tribes of Faith, 2009. Finley Edge, Teaching for Results, (Nashville, Tennessee) 1999. Finley Edge, Teaching for Results, (Nashville, Tennessee) 1999. Jillian Straus, Unhooked Generation, (New York, New York: Hyperion) 2006. Jillian Straus, Unhooked Generation, (New York, New York: Hyperion) 2006. Reggie McNeal, The Present Future- Six Tough Questions for the Church, (San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass), 2008 Reggie McNeal, The Present Future- Six Tough Questions for the Church, (San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass), 2008 John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan) 2006 John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan) 2006

20. The Cost of Discipleship Copy of Presentation will be available on the Connectional Christian Educations Website – www.ameced.com