Discipleship: Growth Track
Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir
Focus: We love Jesus by being his disciples that make disciples.
What do we do?
How do we do it?
Where are you?
What do we do?
Our mission given to us from Jesus is to go and live lives of ’Winning the lost, making disciples, and training leaders that establish Christ honoring churches that multiply in the city of Chicago and the nations.“
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
“Observe” can be translated ”obey”
2 Corinthians 4:5
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake”
“Servants” can be translated “slaves”
We win the lost, make disciples, and train leaders that plant churches utilizing the 3 C’s below:
1. Christ (Winning the lost)
We worship Jesus Christ at the center of everything we do. (1 Cor 3:11, Acts 4:12, John 3:16)
1 Cor 3:11
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[a] by which we must be saved.”
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2. Community (Making disciples)
We share life together in community. (Acts 2:42-47)
Acts 2:42-47
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
3. Culture (Training Leaders)
Be empowered as ambassadors for Christ in every area of influence. (Matthew 13:31-3; 5:13-16)
Matthew 13:31-33
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Mathew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Multiply (To establish Christ honoring churches that multiply in Chicago and the nations)
Go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19, 2 Timothy 2:2
2 Timothy 2:2
2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,[a] who will be able to teach others also.
Reflect and Discuss
When and how did you respond to the call to discipleship?
How do we do it?
We walk as disciples of Jesus by obeying Him. We make disciples through relationships. As we take others with us around the Growth Track we will fulfill our mission!
* ENGAGE culture and community
Goal: Preach The Gospel
Method: Become all things to all people 1 Corinthians 9:22
Result: Lost are found and heaven parties Luke 15:1-7
Tools/Environments: The God Test, One 2 One app, Community Groups, Church Services, Evangelism Events
1 Cor 9:22
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
Luke 15:1-7
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
* ESTABLISH biblical foundations
Goal: Establish in the Faith, the Word, Prayer, and Church
Method: Build through devotion Matthew 7:24-27
Result: Rock solid foundation on Jesus Christ 1 Cor 3:10
Tools/Environments: The Purple Book, Community Groups, Prayer and Worship Meetings
Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
* EQUIP believers to minister (serve)
Goal: Equip in basic ministry skills
Method: Follow, study and practice
Result: Equipped, Growing in maturity, the Body of Christ Is built up Ephesians 4:11-13, Matthew 4:19
Tools/Environments: Community Groups, Making Disciples Training, Evangelism Events, Spiritual Gifts Training
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers,[b] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Mathew 4:19
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”[a]
* EMPOWER disciples to make disciples
Goal: Make disciples with confidence and competence
Method: Take someone around the Growth Track 2 Tim 2:2
Result: You mature and the great commission progresses
Tools/Environments: Community Groups, Ministry Team, Leadership 215
2 Timothy 2:2
2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,[a] who will be able to teach others also.
Reflect and Discuss
How are you actively and intentionally engaging your culture and community?
Who helped you establish foundations when you first started following Jesus? How did they help?
You will mature as you minister. What excuses in the past have you used to prove that you were not ready to minister?
Are you ok with mistakes? Why or why not?
Where are you?
The truth is that we will mature as we minister. Failure is part of God’s growth track.
Jesus promises to ‘make us’ fishers of men. You are not alone. Jesus promises to be with us as we go.
There are aspects of joy and peace that we will not experience until we begin fishing with Jesus.
The body of Christ is built up as each part does it’s part. It is absolutely essential that we all engage in the discipleship making process with our unique giftings. When we do, the church will grow in maturity and size.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers,12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 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.
Reflect and Discuss
Are you doing your part so that the body of Christ can be built up?
Pray and Act
Surrender to the call to fish for men. Progress in the growth tracks as Jesus helps you
Second City Church - Associate Pastor: Cole Parleir 2021
