Although much has been written about P-12 teaching from a biblical perspective, this study focuses on Christ's relationships with a diverse group of individuals: wealthy and poor, women and men, unschooled and well-educated, loud and quiet, influential and powerless, those whom Jesus knew well and those who were strangers to him, those of his own faith and culture as well as those outside of it. These individuals are remarkably similar to the students we teach in our public and private school classrooms today. Each interaction between Jesus and an individual focuses on what we can learn from the student and Jesus as well as what we, as teachers, can apply in our profession. As in our own practice, some students learned their lessons well; others failed. For some, we are uncertain when or if they achieved Jesus' objective for them. Whether we are novices or experienced educators, we can learn through these instructive relationships how to be teachers who follow Jesus' example in seeing our students' potential, holistically caring for them, and ultimately having a positive impact on their lives. Through exploring these biblical relationships, we can gain a better understanding of how to teach like Christ's disciple.

Gain an understanding of basic Christian beliefs and monitor your spiritual growth using six key markers.

Are you ready to take your faith to the next level? If you yearn for a life that moves beyond believing and practicing your faith, if you want to radically live your faith, if you want a more profound relationship with Jesus Christ, then it is time for you to become an activated disciple. The Foundation of discipleship is imitation. True discipleship requires such a close relationship with God that every area of your life is transformed. It is about opening yourself to God and inviting him to dwell within you, becoming holy as he is holy, loving as he is loving, disciples of Christ become the instruments God employs to transform the world. - Move beyond simply believing and practicing your faith and begin radically living it! - Overcome obstacles that keep you from being the disciple you are made to be.
- Be a positive influence and an instrument of transformation in the Church.

While there are many books written about Christian discipleship, there are not nearly enough books on discipleship that primarily expound the Bible itself. The Apostle John wrote three letters, however, with the main purpose of helping disciples to grow. That You May Know: A Primer on Christian Discipleship is an enriching study that will lead you through John's teaching on following Jesus as a disciple. This book is more than a commentary and more than a topical book on the subject of Christian discipleship. Instead, this is a primer on Christian discipleship written as a careful reading of God's word in 1, 2 & 3 John. It's ideal for your own individual devotional reading or as a helpful resource for your group Bible study. What others are saying about That You May Know: "Whether you are a new believer or a seasoned saint, you will benefit greatly from reading this book. It does exactly what a Bible commentary should do--enlighten, encourage, and enrich--and it does so in a manner that is clear, wise, and practical." --Warren W. Wiersbe, Former Pastor of the Moody Church, Chicago, IL "Pastor Gerber marries thorough exegetical study with a loving pastoral tone in this very helpful primer on discipleship. He carries the reader along with him to a deeper understanding of the word of God, the promises God makes to his children, and what it means to be a disciples of Jesus." --Parker Johnson, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Brewton, AL

Question: What is the God-given purpose of the local church? Answer: Relational discipleship. DiscipleShift walks you through five key "shifts" that churches must make to refocus on the fundamental biblical mission of discipleship. These intentional changes will attract the world and empower your church members to be salt and light in their communities. Over the last thirty years, many influential church leaders and church planters in America have adopted various models for reaching unchurched people. While many of these approaches have merit, something is still missing, something even more fundamental to the mission of the church: discipleship. Making disciples—helping people to trust and follow Jesus—is the church's God-given mandate. Devoted disciples attract people outside the church because of the change others see in their Christ-like lives. And discipleship empowers Christians to be more like Christ as they intentionally develop relationships with non-believers. Through biblical and professional insights, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington discuss the transformational effectiveness of making disciples and just how to do so, in practical terms. You’ll learn: The specific roles of a disciple-making pastor. The components of person-to-person discipleship. How each ministry in your church leads to discipleship. How to implement discipleship in your church. Disciple-making leaders will not produce perfect churches, but they will create effective churches.

"Much ink and many pages have been devoted to all of the missional issues facing the Western church today. As our culture becomes more post-Christian with each passing day, we are all realizing that what has worked in the past is no longer working, that we are far less effective for the Kingdom than we were even 10 years ago. But we would suggest it isn’t because we don’t know what the Great Commission states or the imperatives of the Gospel, or that our church services just aren’t getting it done. It’s because we are in the midst of a discipleship crisis in the Western church. The people sitting in our pews are rarely becoming like the people we read about in Scripture. They may come to a worship service, join a small group or even tithe, but their lives just don’t seem to look like Jesus’ life. The truth of the matter is that we don’t have a missional problem or leadership problem in the Western church. We have a discipleship problem. If we make disciples like Jesus made them, we’ll never have a problem finding leaders or seeing new people coming to faith. The central issue is that we have no idea how to make disciples who can do the things that Jesus did for the reasons Jesus did them. Building a Discipling Culture is the product of more than 25 years of hands-on discipleship practice in a post-Christian context that has turned into a worldwide discipling movement, dealing specifically with how to make the types of missional disciples Jesus spoke of. We all want to make disciples. Most of us are unsure how to do it. Dallas Willard put it this way: 'Every church needs to be able to answer two questions. One, do we have a plan for making disciples? Two, does our plan work?' For most of our church communities, we have a plan, but the plan isn’t working. If you find yourself in this situation, this book is for you." -- Publisher's description.

The twenty-first century Church has the same Holy Spirit power and many more modern-day resources than the first century Church, yet the first century Church had greater success in making disciples. Why? They followed the plan Jesus gave them, and He blessed it. But the more worldly progress we've made, the more we've deviated from Jesus's plan by choosing programs, entertainment, and socials with only surface-level encounters. We neglect to make a connection with the lost, and they see no real commitment from the church. So they come and go as we continue to meet and plan more programs. To end the cycle, we must go and make disciples as Jesus taught--investing our lives in the lives of others. Do you long to live the Great Commission and make disciples, but you're not sure how? In Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple, Ellie Littleton offers biblical examples and concepts that break down the hard work of discipleship into sixteen thought-provoking lessons. So go and make disciples. "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8 niv). "As the Lord's earthly ministry got under way, He began by making disciples and never stopped until He ascended into heaven. Had the disciples not followed His example, we would not be disciples of Jesus today. As Ellie's pastor, I've seen her live out the principles she teaches in this book. I highly recommend this book to all Christians, so we can all follow Jesus's command to make disciples." --Rev. David Warren, South Shelby Baptist Church, Shelby, Alabama

Enjoy this classic content from the Beth Moore library for the first time or as a refresher to your faith. It is the same great Bible study with a new look! You Are Christ's Beloved John the apostle must have thought he had seen everything. Having been with Jesus all the years of His ministry, John witnessed more miracles than he could count, saw more displays of power than he could comprehend, and experienced more love than he could fathom. John was there when Jesus turned the water to wine, offered living Water to the woman at the well, yielded to His Father's will in the garden of Gethsemane, and gave His life on a Roman cross. And one unforgettable morning young John outran Peter to his Savior's empty tomb. Yet God had more in store for the Son of Thunder. As the other disciples were martyred one by one, John remained to write his sublime Gospel proclaiming Jesus' identity as the eternal Word of God. In his three letters John left a legacy of divine love to ignite the passion of future believers. And while exiled on Patmos, John recorded His risen Lord's glorious revelation of victory and hope. John referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Just as Christ took John on a lifelong journey into the depths of His love, He will do the same for you. The Bridegroom's love is unmatched and inexhaustible, and He is waiting to lavish it on you, His beloved. Features: Eleven teaching sessions available approximately one hour in length each session Classic, original teaching by Beth Moore Leader Guide available as free PDF on LifeWay.com/BelovedDisciple Personal Study to be completed between the 11 group sessions Benefits: Learn about the Beloved Disciple, John, and his life as a follower of Jesus. Discover John's legacy of love as you study God's Word. Find the heart of the Bridegroom for His Bride, the church, and for you.

A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CULTIVATING SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION-IN THE WAYS OF JESUSFor those who long for real transformation and hunger to experience God's goodness in a way that changes their daily experience of life, author Brandon Cook offers a guide for authentic transformation in Christ. With 52 readings, you can read this over the course of a year or at your own pace, individually or in a small group. Learning to Live and Love Like Jesus will help you understand what transformation is and how it actually happens. At the heart of this book, you will see how Christian discipleship is about living for others in new ways and being empowered to love as Jesus loves. Cook applies his experience working for several transformational Christian ministries and from pastoring a local church for over a decade, where he learned how to help people relate to God, self, and others in whole and healthy ways. Having wrestled for over 20 years with the challenges of sustainable character formation, he has written this "long-soaking" resource-one that takes time to sink in, yet produces genuine life change. Search no longer for a practical roadmap of transformation. If transformation has felt inaccessible or too "mystical" for you, and if you're looking for a resource to ground your life in Christian discipleship, read this book from The Bonhoeffer Project's co-founder. It will help you engage God through practices and habits that have the potential to change your life. You'll walk away with a fresh sense of God's presence, hope that leads to new possibilities, and a vibrant sense of purpose and mission in the world.