SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP SYNOPSIS

A SIMPLE CHURCH DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS

Simple Discipleship (SD) is a process for leading and motivating Christians to greater spiritual maturity and participation. It is a return to biblical and organic transformational discipleship. SD reflects Jesus’ model of discipleship, providing adequate instruction and emphasizing practical hands-on experience. Only in this manner do the essential values of the Christian faith become core values of followers of Christ. Simple Discipleship is not a program added on to others. Instead, it should serve as a framework for all of a church’s ministries. It is a non-denominational missional church ministry process that empowers the church membership, creating synergy and growth at three levels—individual, Sunday school/small group, and congregational.

INCLUDES A CONGREGATIONAL BALANCED SCORECARD

Simple Discipleship was the first (November 2009) to provide a functional reproducible balanced scorecard for church leaders. Using the 360 Survey (Spiritual Vitality Assessment), leaders may assess the spiritual vitality of their church and measure the church’s Community Missional Footprint. Simple Discipleship provides measurements of attendance and participation across four essential ministry values or dimensions—Worship (connect), Word (grow), Ministry (serve), and Missions (go). The four primary values are built around a visual of the cross with each “quadrant” representing one of the four primary dimensions of ministry. Each primary value domain includes embedded biblical expectations or behaviors of true growing disciples of Christ. Simple Discipleship functions as a framework for the ministries of the local church and provides as much or as little structure as the leadership may desire.

PART 1 EXPLAINS THE SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS

Part 1 explains the various elements of Simple Discipleship and their relationships to one another. Chapters 2 and 3 present a description of the SD components, while chapter 4 provides the biblical foundation for the process and associated expectations. Chapter 5 discusses a self evaluation survey that provides measurements for the SD process. Chapter 5 provides ideas for SD for family and children’s ministry. Chapter 7 is a discipleship innovation for SD as principles of coaching for transformational change are integrated into evangelism, new Christian spiritual formation, life coaching, and leadership training. Chapter 8 includes visual models that will help readers more easily grasp the new way of thinking about discipleship and how the process is related to values, coaching, strategy, and change management. The chapter on visual models also serves as a bridge from what SD is to how to apply SD.

PART 2 PROVIDES A STEP BY STEP STARTUP GUIDE

Part 2 is comprised of chapters 9 through 13, which serve as a systematic implementation guide for SD, but these chapters also incorporate principles of change management that are essential to success. SD graphics, forms, reports, and other items are provided in the appendix and on the resource CD which is included in the back of the book.

Simple Discipleship: How to Make Disciples in the 21^st Century will change how your church makes disciples and will provide the needed tools to redesign your detached programs into an effective disciple-making process.

Use The Disciple-Maker’s Toolkit for to drive the disciple-making DNA into the church culture. The Toolkit is available in a Leader Edition for Christian discipleship coaches, Sunday school leaders, and small group leaders. The Learner Edition is available for laymen.

Other Information

Publisher: ChurchSmart Resources, 3830 Ohio Ave., Saint Charles, IL 60174

Pages: 235 paperback

• ISBN-10: 1889638870
• ISBN-13: 978-1889638874

Release Date: November 2009

For further information contact: Tom Cocklereece at 404-229-3383 or drthomreece@bellsouth.net

Order Information:

Simple Discipleship website:         http://www.simplediscipleship.com

Church Smart Resources (publisher)    http://www.churchsmart.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SD

Amazon.com  http://www.amazon.com/dp/1889638870