WoW 141: On guiding principles of discipleship

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Words of Wisdom 141 on Guiding

Principles of Discipleship.

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Recently, a mature godly woman asked

me how she could disciple someone.

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She had been attending a wonderful church

for many years, but realized she had

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never really been taught how to disciple.

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Here are a few thoughts.

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Discipleship is loving someone into loving

God, so they can become more like Christ.

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Discipleship is a

relationship, not a program.

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It requires intentional time,

patience, and genuine care.

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First and foremost, discipling

others flows out of your

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own discipleship to Christ.

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Here are some guiding principles to

help you prioritize what to focus on

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and how to approach discipling others.

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The six guiding principles

of discipleship.

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Think of these principles as invitations

on how to live a life of flourishing.

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1.

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Pursue presence.

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God is the source of all, especially

your life and your power to overcome sin.

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The more you abide in God, the

more you will become like Him.

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Seek continual conversation

with the Spirit.

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Continually have communion with Christ.

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Meditate, memorize, and study the

Bible and hide it deeply in your heart.

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Seek the truth in all things.

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Sin disconnects us from

ourselves and our values.

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The more present you are, the more you

are able to think, love, and live well.

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Presence is fundamental to experiencing

all forms of virtue and flourishing.

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From intimacy, creativity, patience,

goodness, contentment, and self control.

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Deep presence is essential.

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Two, joyfully surrender.

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Seek to live in a state of surrender

to God and His will for your life.

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Aim only to know and do

God's will with love.

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Help each other surrender spiritual

strongholds to God and pursue virtue

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as they follow God's guidance.

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Surrender to others in humility, so

that you might not be a stumbling

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block to their experience in God.

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Three.

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Intentionally reflect.

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Ask questions to deepen reflection and

surrender their will and life to God.

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Learning head knowledge is never enough.

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A discipleship community helps you

apply the truth to your own life.

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Embrace slowness, stillness, and silence

to empower your reflection practice.

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Study and learn together with curiosity.

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Your best thinking comes from God.

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Your ideas are incredibly important

and need to be taken very seriously.

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Study, repeat, and reflect on

God's truths and how they can

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be carried out in your life.

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Learn and remember new ideas so you

can experience a better way of living.

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4.

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Embodied worship.

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Our bodies are the temples of the

Holy Spirit and as embodied spirits

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we are to take care of our bodies.

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We were intentionally created

with physical bodies and

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should not ignore that fact.

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Worship should not exclusively exist in

the spiritual realm, but in the physical.

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So honor God with your body

in every imaginable way.

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Discipleship extends to the entire human

experience, from pursuing physical health

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and prioritizing movement, to caring for

the environment and stewarding the time,

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energy, skills, objects, assets, and

resources that God has entrusted to you.

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God is a creator.

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and invites you to follow Him

as a creator in His kingdom.

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Pursue excellence in your work.

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Make work your craft.

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Whether your focus is on parenting

or advancing your career, work with

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excellence in a way that honors the Lord.

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With gratitude and responsibility,

care for the physical world you

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live in and everything in it.

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Prioritize creating and

experiencing beauty.

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5.

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Courageously connect.

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Connect often.

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Pray together to connect

to God and his power.

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Connect with others with curiosity.

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Choose vulnerability, for it is the

strength of all trusting relationships.

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Give and receive confession of your sins

and strongholds to God and those in your

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discipleship community, and to those you

have harmed as soon as you discover them.

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Focusing first on honesty through

confession and engaging skilled

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discipleship will weaken selfishness,

dishonesty, and dishonesty.

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Isolation and fear.

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Pursue mastery in how you

listen, speak, and love others.

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The deeper the connection, the

more you reflect God's love.

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Be trustworthy, reliable, and forgiving.

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Listen deeply and give

guidance for how to follow God.

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Focus on growing and practicing the

skills of the spiritual disciplines

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alone and together so you can experience

God's transforming love and power.

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Six.

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Generously serve.

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Make the purpose of your

days to serve others.

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The more you focus on loving and

serving others with generosity, the

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more your life will take on meaning

and the more resilient you will become.

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Become great in humble service.

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Pursue mastery in serving and discipling

others to love and follow Christ.

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Great service comes

through great sacrifice.

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Pursue discipline and simplicity

to free yourself to serve.

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Meet together, ask questions, listen

deeply, pray, make love, your aim.

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Quotes.

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You are sent into this world to believe

in yourself as God's chosen one, and

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then to help your brothers and sisters

know that they are also beloved sons and

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daughters of God who belong together.

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By Henry Nowen, in his

book, Finding my way home.

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A Creative Minority is a Christian

community in a web of stubbornly loyal

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relationships knotted together in

a living network of persons who are

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committed to practicing the way of Jesus

together for the renewal of the world.

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By John Tyson, in his

book, A Creative Minority.

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Questions.

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To what degree is making

disciples a priority in your life?

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Tell me the story of

your spiritual journey.

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When did you come to

know God and His love?

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How did you experience God's love?

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Or not experience His love in your

family life growing up as a child?

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How is God guiding you in this season?

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What questions are you asking God?

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Use these questions as journal prompts

and to guide your prayers this week.

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End note.

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Apprentice to Jesus.

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Become like your master

through making disciples.

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Grow God's kingdom of love.

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Live wisely.

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Josh