S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM

S.P.i.N EVANGELISM Card

Simple Discipleship presents the newest method of sharing Christ.

There are many declining churches in the U.S. and at times the data have suggested that over 3,500 churches close each year. However, when new church starts are factored into the numbers, there is a net 500 to 800 new churches started each year. That may sound promising but the same church leaders tell us that to keep up with population growth, 13,024 new churches are needed each year. I believe that the decline of the church is two-fold: 1) Christians have not been discipled, and 2) as a result of #1 few Christians are sharing Christ and many have come to expect evangelism as only the work of ordained clergy. Where are the evangelists for Jesus?

CORPORATE EVANGELISTS

As I was researching to write this post, a friend sent me the most remarkable article concerning Microsoft Corporation. They recently made a major realignment in their corporate strategy and now have representatives in each state with the word “evangelist” in their titles:

• Developer Evangelists
• Architect Evangelists
• User Experience Evangelists
• Partner Evangelists

Consider that we now have secular corporations “stealing” and redefining words that only the church used for the last 2,000 years. The word “evangelism” comes right out of the Greek New Testament “euaggelistou” (transliterated Greek from 2 Timothy 4:5 which says “do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” The meaning of the word Christians lifted out of the Bible to describe the work of spreading the good news of the gospel of Jesus has belonged exclusively to the church to describe part of the work of the Great Commission of Jesus. It is troubling that Microsoft Corporation has more “evangelists” promoting their business than many churches combined in the 21^st century. Where are the evangelists for Jesus?

WHY S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM?

Many Christians seem to approach evangelism as if it is a non-relational rapid transactional event in which the evangelist shares a memorized program of sharing Bible verses after which the recipient instantly prays a prayer. The evangelist quickly moves to their next prospect. I realize the description is rather cold but this is one reason evangelism is not working today.

I recently read a book titled SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham. After extensive research, Rackham found that rapid transactional selling works well enough for small consumer goods and services. However, his study also found that big-ticket items require multiple-meeting relational selling and that rapid transactional selling fails to work effectively for the big-ticket items. I believe the same is true today as applied to evangelism. The 21^st century church is faced with the most educated and skeptical audience ever. The fact is that salvation is not a small-comodity-rapid-transactional decision and thus requires that the evangelist use the multiple-meeting relational sharing approach that I call S.P.i.N. Evangelism.

WHAT IS S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM?

S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM uses a multiple-meeting relational sharing approach that leads the recipient deeper toward a spiritual decision to receive Christ using a progressive question process. Rather than a “push” method which inundates the recipient with various Bible verses, S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM asks questions in a conversational way that coaches the recipient deeper toward a decision. The questions have a tendency to cause the recipient to continue thinking about their spiritual status. The beauty of the method is that the evangelist leverages the work of the Holy Spirit as the issues that are raised by the questions continue to “spin” in the mind of the recipient. As the evangelist begins to answer any questions with Bible verses, the recipient may move toward a decision for Christ. The method uses the following acronym:

SPIRITUAL SITUATION

Questions:

• What is your spiritual situation?
• What are you relying on to get you into heaven?
• How does your religion or faith assure you a place in heaven?

PROBLEM OF SIN

Questions:

• What does your belief system do with the problem of sin?
• Are you satisfied with your faith not having a remedy for your sin?
• Would you consider another option that solves your sin problem?

ETERNAL iMPACT

Questions:

• What is the implication or impact on you if you have unresolved sin when you die?
• What is the impact on you if you have resolved your sin before you die?
• The sin problem has been solved. Would you be interested?
• If I could explain how your sin problem could be solved, what would you do?
• What if you knew that your sin had a remedy that assured you a place in heaven?

SPIRITUAL NEED

Questions:

• What would your life be like if you had assurance of forgiveness of sin?
• What if you could know that you have eternal life?
• How would assurance improve your quality of life now?
• What would be the benefit in the future of assurance of salvation?
• Why is it important for you to solve this problem?
• Would you like to choose to put your faith in Jesus Christ right now?

The reader may notice that S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM addresses two issues directly—sin and its once-for-all remedy. Too many methods fail on these two points. One of the greatest failures of the modern church is the belief that we can make the gospel of Jesus non-offensive to the world.

One of the greatest failures of the modern church is the belief that we can make the gospel of Jesus non-offensive to the world.

Some cases may allow for the evangelist to lead the recipient to a decision in one meeting, but most of the time the work of the evangelist may require three or more encounters. The method is especially useful for chaplains but many others will find it effective. The challenge is that S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM employs a cultivating gardening approach—preparing, cultivating, planting, and watering. Not many modern day evangelists have developed the patience for such a process but the “payoff” could be great for Christians who learn and use such a process.

I am currently teaching S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM as I receive invitations to churches. I have developed a simple card that I use to teach the method. There are many other evangelism coaching questions that are a part of the process. The method is fluid and the evangelist takes the cues from the Holy Spirit and the recipient during the process. The evangelist may use the card as a prep tool depending on where they are in the sharing process. It is conversational because there is nothing to memorize. Sharing of faith should come from the heart and not from a memorized speech. I am writing an ebook on the method that will be available soon.

I challenge you to learn to employ S.P.i.N. EVANGELISM and report your results to me at tom@simplediscipleship.com or in the comments section below this post. I look forward to seeing a new Great Awakening in our time!

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Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC. He has 20 years experience as a  pastor, and is an author, certified professional coach and coach trainer, leadership specialist, and a member Coach/Teacher/Speaker for the John Maxwell Team

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MINISTRY COMPETENCY LEADERSHIP COACHING

Simple Discipleship (SD) is not just about discipleship even though we are just about making disciples. You may know that I am the leader of SD, Tom Cocklereece, and I have a doctorate in leadership as well as twenty years in active ministry as a pastor and ministry leader. I am also an independent coach, teacher, speaker certified by the John Maxwell Team. In the next few months I am leaving my full time pastoral ministry to focus on discipleship and encouraging other pastors and ministry leaders. I now provide professional leadership coaching for ministry leaders as well as business leaders throughout the nation. However, I will continue to have a passion for helping ministers increase their abilities to serve the Lord. In fact I am working on a new book on discipleship that looks at the facets of being a disciple. Simple Discipleship offers articles on discipleship, leadership, and coaching as well as books and resources from the primary website. We have new opportunities for church leaders.

MINISTRY LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY

I have written about church leadership competencies before since I fully understand the diverse expectations placed upon pastors and ministry leaders. My doctorate focused on leadership but also on developing research tools such as assessments and surveys. To that end, I have developed a Ministry Competencies Assessment that I use to coach pastors and ministry leaders. For this there are two levels of coaching:

1. Basic Ministry Leadership Competencies Coaching- At this level, a leader will take the assessment and receive one session that is a simple report and basic coaching session of 45 minutes. The cost of this level is $74.00. To get started, click the following link: Basic Ministry Competencies Coaching
2. 360 Ministry Leadership Competencies Coaching- At this level, a leader chooses to be accountable to several other people who serve as raters. The leader and up to eight others complete the assessment. This level is for leaders who really want to rapidly improve their leadership. The individual will receive two assessments: the Diamond Leadership Assessment as well as the Ministry Leadership Assessment. The package includes the report as well as three coaching sessions of 45 minutes. The cost is $297.00. The cost for this in the corporate world would be at least $1000.00. This plan allows for weekly payments and the sessions may be stretched out as far as every two weeks. To get started, email tom@simplediscipleship.com

WHAT COMPETENCIES ARE MEASURED?

For measurement I have chosen the following competencies expected of virtually all ministry leaders regardless of the size of the church or ministry:

• General Ministry- call, evangelism, discipleship, preaching, etc.
• Pastoral Care
• Communicating for Commitment
• Achieving Missional Results
• Instills Confidence and Trust
• Demonstrates Sound Bible-Based Decision-Making
• Establishes Strategic Direction
• Cultivates Strategic Relationships
• Develops Emerging Church Leaders
• Effective Team-Building and Leading
• Establishes Strategic Operational Excellence
• Maintains Church/Ministry Financial Integrity
• Effectively Leads Change
• Effective Biblical Conflict Resolution
• Champions Life-Long Learning
• Managing Personal & Family Stress and Balance

WOW! Few careers require such a broad range of professional competency, yet every pastor and ministry leader of small and large churches and ministries must do all of these activities. The leaders of large churches and ministries may be able to hire others to do some of the activities but few leaders of small church and ministry leaders have such an opportunity. Our Ministry Leadership Competencies Coaching will help you and will pay for itself through your improvement as a leader.

SD Blessings,

Dr. Tom Cocklereece,

QUESTIONS:

1. What other ministry competency areas would you add?
2. How might a professional leadership coach help you improve your leadership skills?
3. Some say they can improve without a coach but why did they not improve already?
4. Without a coach your ministry will likely be the same next year as it is now but with a coach imagine you and your church growing.

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Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC
Author “Simple Discipleship,” contributing writer L2L Blogazine
He is an author, professional coach, and leadership specialist
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THE IMPACT OF SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP

HOW SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP CAME TO BE

Several things came together at just the right time for me to write the book, Simple Discipleship: How to Make Disciples in the 21^st Century. Indeed, my thoughts were influenced by Rainer and Geiger’s book, Simple Church but I was also in the middle of a “mastermind” group as a coach for church leaders who were developing their strategic model for ministry. The final piece was that I was developing a model for coaching leaders. Putting the three elements together and the material began to emerge. What began as a “Simple Church Plus” conference became a “do-it-yourself” book resource for church leaders to design their transformational discipleship processes. The impact is truly humbling to me.

What began as a “Simple Church Plus” conference became a “do-it-yourself” book resource for church leaders to design their transformational discipleship processes.

Church Smart Resources printed 5,000 copies in 2009. CEO David Wetzler has a policy of only publishing books that have at least a 10-year shelf life, meaning that the book will not go out of date in that period of time. The momentum of Simple Discipleship continues to grow over two years after its release.

“YOU WROTE THE BOOK TOO WELL”

In the course of conversation a ministry friend will say to me, “Oh, I have a pastor friend in another state using Simple Discipleship.” As I lament that I get reports of churches of all evangelical denominations using the material, I do not get as many calls for coaching as I expected. My friend said, “You wrote the book too well. It has a step-by-step change-management start-up process with a resource CD in the book. You gave them the “kitchen sink” for the price of one book. What did you expect?”

He is right! Many leaders read the book and map the process of implementation including how they will contextualize the logo and process for their church. Of course that is exactly what I intended. Perhaps, I had hoped they would at least need a bit more coaching. I say, “Glory to God!”

GROWING IMPACT!

The impact of Simple Discipleship continues to grow. Each week I learn of another church using the process. Church leaders all over the world are reading the Simple Discipleship blog, book, and Toolkit. I have

Simple Discipleship
Worldwide Impact

occasionally received calls from church leaders just to make sure they are not violating any copyright laws by using my logo or redesigning it for their ministry. I am always grateful for their calls and graciously give permission, although by purchasing the book, I grant it to them anyway. Want to see the impact? Go to the website for Simple Discipleship and you will see the “known” churches using the process scrolling across the page. I add others as I learn of them. Have a look at the new logo for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America  and you just might see the influence of Simple Discipleship.

Recently I received a call from a physician in Alabama who had purchased Simple Discipleship at a used book store. He understood that the target of the book was church leaders and wanted to know if I had resources for small groups. Of course I informed him of The Disciple-Maker’s Toolkit. The point is that the book is beginning to spark interest in applying a transformational discipleship process to small groups. In fact, that was my original intent. The Simple Discipleship process does not work well unless it is driven through the Sunday school and small groups. Church leaders are enabled to launch a Great Commission Resurgence or discipleship revolution in their churches using the process. One caveat: DON’T ALLOW THE PROCESS TO BE THE FOCUS. USE THE PROCESS TO LEAD TO TRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLE-MAKING! Use the process in new churches, church planting, turnaround churches, and for church revitalization.

Is your church using the Simple Discipleship process? Send me some information and I continue to be available for conferences to introduce the process or to coach you and your leaders to launch a discipleship revolution in your church.

DON’T ALLOW THE PROCESS TO BE THE FOCUS. USE THE PROCESS TO LEAD TO TRANSFORMATIONAL DISCIPLE-MAKING!

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Questions:

1. What process does your church use to make disciple-makers?
2. Have other resources you have read provide a step-by-step guide?
3. Are the change-management steps embedded in the process useful?
4. Are you frustrated with books about discipleship that discuss the need for discipleship and the problems that fail to offer practical solutions?

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Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC. He is a pastor, author, professional coach, leadership specialist, and is a member Coach/Teacher/Speaker for the John Maxwell Team

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RUB A DUB DUB, PLUNGE AND SCRUB

SYNOPSIS: Christians are not immune to unemployment and social isolation due to hygiene issues which have nothing to do with faith and discipleship. However, some might conclude a lack of hygiene on the outside as being reflective of a similar condition on the inside. Yes Jesus was most concerned about the inside but since the body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit” the outside should also reflect the best a person can give. (This article was first published on RENOVA Coaching.)

In the movie Far and Away, Tom Cruise playing the part of a young Irishman named Joseph Donnelly, travels to the United States with Shannon Christie played by Nichole Kidman. Their intent is to get a new start and find land in their new country. In one scene Joseph has bragged about how quickly he has finished cleaning his laundry while Shannon clearly does not know how to clean her clothes. Joseph proceeds to show her how by taking a garment, placing it on a washboard, and plunging it into the soapy water and scrubbing it on the washboard. As he demonstrates the technique he tells Shannon, “You plunge and scrub, plunge and scrub, and if it still is not clean then…you plunge and scrub and plunge and scrub.” Later in the movie Shannon demonstrates the technique to her mother who is not used to doing her own laundry.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV) 

As a professional life coach and disciplist I have recently had the opportunity to work with some young adults who, like Shannon Christie in the movie Far and Away either do not know the virtues of personal hygiene or are too lazy to apply the principles. It is particularly troubling as some of these young adults were certainly taught the rudimentary methods of bathing, brushing their teeth, and washing their clothes by their parents but the sitcom Friends left a greater impression. It is true that we live in a time when narcissism rules but if you expect to get a job and keep it or have a meaningful relationship with someone, then perhaps you need to get back to the basics.

As a teacher I have been known to begin my classes with a quiz of five well chosen questions, so which of the answers below as related to clothing is the correct answer?

1. Throw the garment against the wall and if and when it falls to the floor it is okay to wear.
2. Clothes, including underwear, can be worn at least ten times before washing them.
3. As long as I take a shower, clothes off the floor are a reasonable choice.
4. I can skip the shower as long as I use body spray and deodorant.
5. I shower or bathe once a day and wear clean clothes that have not been worn more than twice between washings.

GROSS! I hope you know the right answer because if I have to tell you then you have a problem. It is indeed odd that this issue must be addressed but with such dysfunction in families and society, it is needed. If you have interviewed high school AND college graduates for employment lately then you might agree. I went to traffic court a couple of years ago, and I was amazed at what people wore to court. In fact the judge told one woman to come back to court the next week because she was scantily dressed in something that was entirely too small. He refused to hear her case until she was dressed more modestly.

²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.  Matthew 23:25-26 (NKJV) 

I interviewed one young man on several occasions and it was likely that he had bathed but body odor was evident on his clothes. Another young man almost gassed me with his bad breath. It would seem that these are common sense issues but not anymore. If you follow the following guidelines then if you don’t get the job or keep it, your loss will not be due to a lack of personal hygiene.

HYGEINE 101

1. Shower or bathe daily…with soap. Maybe you are trying to be like the Europeans or a water conservationist but the question is, “Do you want the job and/or relationship or not?” When washing yourself give attention to underarms, feet, and private parts. (I didn’t think I would ever need to write that so plainly, but times have changed.)
2. Use deodorant, body spray, and cologne conservatively. Not too much and not as a substitute for a shower or bath. I guarantee that others can smell body odor through Channel #9 and you don’t need to add your own personal spice to Old Spice.
3. Guys, trim your nails and clean the gunk out from under them. A female interviewer will notice.
4. Do something with that hair. Don’t go to an interview or to work with bed hair or unwashed flakey hair. Also, be careful about giving yourself a quick trim. One young man I knew decided to give himself a haircut and looked like he was on chemotherapy.
5. Guys, depending on the job or potential job, shave or groom your beard and mustache. Also, nose hair is not the in thing for most job interviewers and supers.
6. Brush your teeth and use mouthwash. If you eat garlic, or ramps for my Appalachian readers, some parsley oil such as Breath-Assure will neutralize the odiferous herbs. A couple Tic-Tacs can also help but you probably don’t want the rhythmical rattle of a Tic-Tac package in your pocket. I like to just take a few with me every day just for good measure.
7. God gave humans two eyebrows but nature sometimes gives some people just one. You might want to make sure you have two but be careful not to eliminate one or both.
8. Wear underwear! Years ago when I joined the U.S. Navy and had a “group physical” I was amazed at the number of guys that did not wear underwear. It’s not clean and the practice does nothing to keep your clothes clean if you know what I mean.
9. Perhaps you like your tattoo but it may not win points with an interview as a new business executive or manager in training. Cover it up. Better yet…don’t get one! I know that mine is an ultra conservative position on this one but do you want the job or not?
10. Wear clean clothes. If they have been worn once already, do the smell-test. The problem is that individuals cannot always sense their own odors…but everybody else can. You may use some discretion as related to clothing in some cases. If you are going to work around the house, then that pair of jeans that you have worn twice might be okay. However, err on the clean side. Remember to dress appropriately to the job or occasion. It is usually better to over dress slightly than to under dress.
11. Wear clean socks. Some people wear socks once and put them back in the drawer to wear again. Not cool.
12. Because bacteria particularly like to colonize shoes, it’s a good idea to spray them occasionally with a product for the purpose that kills the organisms and neutralizes foot odor. It also might be a good idea to clean and polish your shoes if appropriate.

The list could go on but these are the very basics. Add more in the comments section.

Perhaps you are saying, “Why do I have to do all those things to get a job?” While you may not agree, your perspective employer is looking for an employee who will project the image THEY want. While hiring you is about you, it’s also about them. They are looking to see (and smell) if you are a good fit. Will you project their desired image and will customers and coworkers want to be around you? The BIG question is, DO YOU WANT THE JOB OR NOT?

Life is limiting enough without limiting one’s choices because of poor hygiene.

 

QUESTIONS:

Is there a young adult that you know who might benefit by reading this article? Do you have some “tasteful” suggestions to add for males and females regarding hygiene? Do you have an interesting or funny story about hygiene as related to interviewing or hiring? Please post “tasteful” comments that will add to the discussion.

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Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC
He is a pastor, author, professional coach, leadership specialist, and is

a member Coach/Teacher/Speaker for the John Maxwell Team

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NAME YOUR GREMLIN: Scaredy Gremlin

Scaredy Gremlin

One way you can get out of your way is to name your gremlin. A gremlin in this sense is a self-defeating behavior that reappears in life, work, and relationships that prevents you from achieving a new level of success. Like in the movie by the same name, gremlins usually are latent and easy to live with until they are activated by external or internal factors, either past, present, or perceived future. Naming them can help you to be aware of your self-defeating behavior so you may make intentional decisions that are edifying and rewarding to all involved. The introductory article to this series is at Get Out of Your Own Way.

Another devastating gremlin that prevents people from reaching their full potential is Scaredy. Have you ever met someone who has a reputation for quitting or they seldom finish a commitment. Most of the time, they never even get started because they contemplate the fear of failure so much that they fall into the habit of avoiding commitment. A sign of Scaredy Gremlin is persistent procrastination which is no more than claiming a value without acting on it. The individual has said yes but their actions say no. This dichotomy is reflected in the intense conflict the individual feels leading up to making the commitment. One might see this gremlin as the “Runaway Bride syndrome.” He feeds on fear and anxiety and the higher level of these makes him happy.

The remedy for Scaredy Gremlin is to make commitments…and keep them—doing the opposite of that which one’s emotions would lead in this case. As with people who do not suffer from the inability to commit, it is not a blind commitment to anything and everything. Instead, the individual should follow the following course:

1. Admit that you struggle with commitment or the lack thereof.
2. Partner with a trusted accountability partner who will walk with you through your journey to overcome this gremlin.
3. Make some intentional small commitments one at a time. These might relate to things to which the individual has a strong feeling. Maybe it would be doing one-day volunteer work for a not for profit organization. Another possibility is to join a small hobby or study group knowing that an eventual speaking presentation may be expected. These experiences should be increasingly difficult and be of mutual benefit.
4. Rely on the accountability partner whenScaredy Gremlin begins to present himself. Be prepared for the internal suggestions:
   • You don’t feel well.
   • You aren’t really helping anybody.
   • You’re never going to overcome this problem.
   • You can’t finish anything.

…and so on. The accountability partner should offer encouragement and dialogue to counter such expected internal conflict

Finish strong! Celebrate when you complete the commitment. Remember that there are some commitments that have no end, but should be celebrated on anniversaries and at major achievements.

Remember that the best weapon against the various gremlins is to name them and counter them usually with the opposite action to which they push.

QUESTIONS:

1. What would be the opposite action you might take to counteract your gremlin?
2. Have you established a circle of accountability friends to help you overcome your gremlin?
3. How may you help someone else overcome their gremlins?

_______________

Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC
He is a pastor, author, professional coach, leadership specialist, and is a member Coach/Teacher/Speaker for the John Maxwell Team

Email | LinkedIn | Twitter | Web | Blog | Book | Coaching

HOW TO GET RID OF YOUR GREMLINS: Blamer

NAME THEM AND CLAIM THEM TO GET RID OF THEM

One way you can get out of your way is to name your gremlin. A gremlin in this sense is a self-defeating behavior that reappears in life, work, and relationships that prevents you from achieving a new level of success. Like in the movie by the same name, gremlins usually are latent and easy to live with until they are activated by external or internal factors, either past, present, or perceived future. Naming them can help you to be aware of your self-defeating behavior so you may make intentional decisions that are edifying and rewarding to all involved. The introductory article to this series is Get Out of Your Own Way.

 

BLAMING is a passive-aggressive form of bullying others.

 

It is likely that you have known someone who has the gremlin named “Blamer,” that is, they seem to always blame somebody or something for their failure. They rarely accept responsibility for anything and even when they do, their statement usually includes some measure of blaming. If Blamer is your gremlin, you need to know two things: 1) you are sabotaging your success and relationships, and 2) your future opportunities will gradually diminish. If this is what you want out of life then keep Blamer as your pet and feed him well with criticism of others at every opportunity. On the other hand, if you desire to improve your relationships and increase future opportunities, always be aware of your latent blaming potential and critical spirit. Then,…stop,…accept responsibility,…and do your best with no excuses (another gremlin). You will enjoy improved relationships and more opportunities. However, you may need to get to the heart of the matter.

GREMLINS LOVE UNRESOLVED ISSUES!

Blaming is often disguised as unhealthy guilt that has never been resolved. Remember that when you point to others there are three fingers pointing back to you—four if your thumb is double-jointed. Ask yourself several questions:

1. Has there been a cataclysmic event in my life that provides me with an unending well of anger and resentment?
2. Have others ever told you that you are always critical or blaming?
3. Do you see accepting responsibility and admitting your failings a weakness?
4. Do you repeatedly share blame stories with family and friends? You may find that it’s like a fish story in which the fault blamed on others get bigger with each telling.

I like what Rick Warren teaches in his well known book The Purpose-Driven Life: “Don’t get bitter but choose to get better.”  Forgiveness of others and self is the remedy.

SD Blessings,

Dr. Tom Cocklereece, The Disciplist

This article is a revision of a previous post on my coaching blog site RENOVA Coaching

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Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC. He is a pastor, author, professional coach, leadership specialist, and is a member Coach/Teacher/Speaker for the John Maxwell Team

Email | LinkedIn | Twitter | Web | Blog | Book | Coaching

HOW TO HAVE A DAILY WORSHIP TIME

10 STEPS TO A DAILY WORSHIP TIME

CAUTION: Reading and applying the teachings in this article may be hazardous to your secular life. You could experience a spiritual awakening and renewal that will transform your life. Follow these principles at your own risk.

This post is a section from The Disciple-Maker’s Toolkit by Dr. Tom Cocklereece. As of July 14, 2011 pre-orders are being received.

Disciple Coaches should use this guide among the first steps to encourage increased spiritual vitality with the coachee. Expect accountability by asking good questions each week related to the daily worship time of the coachee.

Often called prayer time, quiet time, devotional time, meditation, or private worship, having a consistent daily worship time is THE one most important activity you can do to increase and maintain your spiritual growth and vitality. You will note that all four batteries of questions on the Simple Discipleship Spiritual Vitality Assessment includes one statement relating to having a daily worship time that includes bible reading. There are two big reasons why daily private worship is so important:

1)      Intimacy with God: The Lord desires his disciples to be close to him. Genesis 32 includes a story about Jacob who experienced life transforming worship. Through his life Jacob had seemingly experience a superficial relationship with God but on this occasion he refused to let go of the Lord until he received a blessing. That is the kind of intimacy God desires of his disciples!

2)      Human nature: Our humanity breeds forgetfulness when it comes to spiritual things. James 1:22-25 indicates that a disciple can look into the mirror of God’s word, walk away, and immediately forget his or her appearance before God, which leads to a failure to apply the teachings of the Bible.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (NKJV)

UNDERSTANDING PRIVATE WORSHIP

Meditation: It is important to make a distinction between Christian meditation and other forms of religious meditation:

Christian meditation involves “filling one’s mind” with Bible verses, prayer thoughts, and the presence and power of God. Remarkably, this activity is spiritually revitalizing and physically relaxing at the same time. Christian meditation also carries the idea of chewing on a bit of food thoroughly to obtain full nourishment from it. The Hebrew word “hg#h#””” (hegeh) has the idea of a lion growling in satisfaction over food. Christian meditation is a major opportunity for disciples to access the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to tear down evil spiritual strongholds within their own lives.

On the other hand, eastern religious meditation calls for one to “empty one’s mind” in order to achieve a relaxed state. Some practices of eastern meditation such as yoga involve subtle forms of idolatry.

Fasting: Fasting is the discipline of going without food for a period of time. Many Bible characters including Jesus fasted from food, water, and/or wine for a prescribed length of time such as 40 days. A 40 day fast is difficult and may be harmful to your health. Fasts of a shorter duration are also recorded in Scripture such as one day until sundown (Judges 20:26), and seven days (1 Samuel 31:13). The practice of fasting can be an important part of the prayer life of disciples, as it intensifies the experience of intimacy with God. However, strong caution must be expressed to those with overriding health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and other problems. Ask your physician about fasting before attempting the spiritual discipline. DO NOT FAST if you have been warned that it could be harmful to your health and life.

For some people a partial or modified fast may be as useful as a total fast while reducing some of the discomfort and danger to one’s health.

The quality of your public worship depends directly on the frequency, intensity, and intimacy of your daily worship.

Journaling: This discipline is often practiced as a temporary or ongoing part of private worship. It may assist in focusing one’s worship, increasing confidence in praying, building faith, and tracking effectiveness. Journaling is not the same as keeping a diary. Record the following items:

• Date and time
• Location- (home, Marietta, GA, back patio)
• Bible reading reference
• Impressions from God
• Your response and plan of action
• Special issues of concern
• Three prayer requests; leave space to record when and how God answers

These are intended as guideline, so modify the instructions as much or as little as desired.

STEPS TO PRIVATE WORSHIP

This guide provides valuable steps that can transform your life.

1. Preparation:  Before you begin having a daily worship time, gather your Bible, a blank journal and a pen, placing them in the place where you will spend your devotional time. It may be best to have your private worship in the same place every day.
2. Time of Day: My rule of thumb is, “What works for you? Many Scriptures suggest that the morning is the best time to enjoy a daily worship time (Ps 5:3; 59:16; 88:13)  Of course there is biblical evidence of having a private worship time at any time of the day or night (Gen 32:24-30; Ex 3:1-6; 1 Chr 4:9-10; 1 Sam 3:1-15; Ps 55:17; Matt 1:18-25; Acts 16:24-25; Rev 1:9-11).
3. Bible Reading: God speaks through His word, the Bible. You may not hear him speak as a person but you may have impressions. Daily living tends to condition people to be unable to discern, understand, or distinguish these impressions, so it may require the consistent practice of a daily worship time. It is best to read through a Bible book or even the whole Bible during daily worship times. Read one to three chapters each day. However, the focus of daily worship time is not Bible study.
4. Bible Memory, Marking, and Meditation: Find one verse in your reading each day that you may meditate on through the day. You may choose to mark or memorize verses that you find important.
5. Prayer: You may choose to use model prayers as a guide such as the Lord’s Prayer in Mt 6:9-13. You may use the ACTS prayer model: A=adoration, C=confession, T=thanksgiving, and S=supplications (requests). Another model prayer is the hand model.

Pinky Promise Prayer: The first prayer anyone should pray is for salvation. With the hand prayer model, you can make a pinky promise prayer to God. It sounds elementary, but young people certainly understand it. It is a prayer confession and invitation for salvation by Jesus Christ. You must receive Christ BEFORE he will hear your other prayers. Of course, God hears all of the prayers of children who have not reached a point of accountability and understanding of sin (Dt 1:39; Is 7:16).

Disciple Coaches may use the Pinky Promise Prayer  as a means of witnessing to young people.

The daily hand prayer: This prayer is illustrated with your hand. As you hold your hand in front of your heart with your thumb closest to you, number each finger as illustrated.

1)      Pray for those closest to you

2)      Pray for those who point the way for you

3)      Government leaders

4)      Those who are sick, the poor, the defenseless, and persecuted.

5)      Yourself

These are simple prayer models but do what works for you and be sure to grow in prayer by using your own words.

6. Devotional Aides: You may use a daily devotional resource whether it is a book for the purpose or internet lesson. However, these may become the focus and can be distracting from the real purpose of daily worship. In fact, internet based devotionals often become substitutes for quality time spent with God. Reading a quick devotional delivered to your iPhone or droid is more like a drug than genuine devotional time with God. It makes you think you spent time with God but without the benefits. It is often too easy to become distracted by the sound notification of new emails. There is the tendency to interrupt your worship time by checking your emails for just a minute which often leads to more clicks of the mouse. They can become part of the same daily noise that prevents one from hearing God’s still small voice. Some useful devotional aides are:

• My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
• Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren
• Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa
• Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Spiritual Growth by Kenneth Boa
• Online Bible apps and devotionals such as: In Touch daily-devotional

7. Duration: The duration of your daily worship time will depend greatly on how much time you have without distractions and the cares of life and work. There will be times when your time will be short…10 minutes, and there will be times when you will get lost in prayer…30 minutes or more.

8. Listen: When you have finished praying—don’t get up and leave quickly. Instead, give yourself some time for the Lord to give you understanding or an impression. Remember that the Lord will never lead you to break either of the two Great Commandments—1) Love God above all, and 2) Love people including your enemies.

9. Be Consistent: Establishing a daily worship time requires consistency. Time, place, process, and length of time factor into developing a consistent and enjoyable experience. Human behavior experts tell us that it takes 21 to 30 days to break a habit or establish a new one. The Bible indicates a 40 day period of consistency may be required to establish transformational behaviors. Prophets and leaders fasted and prayed for 40 days, and God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent which suggests that period of time to change their behavior (Dt 9:25;1 Ki 19:8;  Jon 3:4). The point is that you must not skip a day as you are establishing a daily worship time. If you skip a day then start the count over again.

Disciple Coaches should ask accountability questions to encourage consistency in daily worship times. i.e. “Out of the last 7 days, how many days did you have a daily private worship time?” “Please share some things you have written in your journal.”

10. Journal: Using the guidelines on journaling listed at the beginning of this section, journal your experience. Remember to go back in your journal and record when and how God answers a prayer concern. Recording answered prayer is a faith builder! If the place and time are recorded, the worshipper is able to virtually go back in time and experience the same feelings of the past whether good or bad. The experience is powerful and transformational.

——————–

QUESTIONS:

1. What practices or steps would you add to the daily worship experience?
2. How has God impressed or spoken to you as a direct result of your private worship experience?
3. Do you fast occasionally as a part of your private worship time? If so, how often and describe your process and experience.
4. Do you journal? If so, describe how it helps your private worship experience.

SD Blessings,

Dr. Tom Cocklereece, The Disciplist

——————–
Dr. Tom Cocklereece is CEO of RENOVA Coaching and Consulting, LLC
Author “Simple Discipleship,” contributing writer L2L Blogazine
He is a pastor, an author, professional coach, and leadership specialist
Email | LinkedIn | Twitter | Web | Blog | Book | Coaching Site

Simple Discipleship and Christian Coaching

Simple Discipleship 2009

“I WAS COACHING WHEN COACHING WASN’T COOL”

Until recently the word coaching was connected to some area of sports, but that has changed. Today the term “coaching” is applied to many areas of everyday life. In the secular realm one may hire a life, executive, business, wellness, etiquette, marriage, spiritual, and of course, sports coach. However, the church has been slow to move toward this popular method of equipping. In 2001 Gary Collins expressed concern that while coaching was the “hottest” new profession in America, virtually no churches were using it (Christian Coaching, 15). In 2003 Reggie McNeal recommended that churches provide life coaching for spiritual formation (The Present Future, 77). It is now 2010, and only a few churches provide any kind of structured coaching ministry. I believe churches should establish Christian coaching ministries as a means of equipping for spiritual formation and life. Christian coaching ministries should be in the discipleship “department” and not a part of the counseling ministry. The problem is that not many church leaders know where to start as they start a Christian coaching ministry but it is easier that you might think. Much of Christian coaching involves one on one interaction with which most pastors are familiar. I commonly say, “I was coaching when coaching wasn’t cool” to illustrate that pastors have been coaching since the birth of the church. Simple Discipleship provides the ministry leader with an overall plan for discipleship and uses Christian coaching as a primary vehicle.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COACHING, COUNSELING, AND MENTORING?

Since Simple Discipleship was released in November, 2009, some readers have had difficulty grasping the concept of Christian coaching as compared to traditional teaching methods. So what is the difference between coaching, counseling, and mentoring as applied to discipleship or spiritual growth?

• Coaching forms a partnership that seeks to empower and equip the coachee to achieve greater competence and growth in areas they desire. The coachee is essentially healthy and able to work with the coach to develop a plan for growth.
• Counseling usually involves some area of disorder, pathology, or dysfunction that essentially disables the counselee in one or more areas of life. The counselor tends to set the agenda and plan for counseling.
• Mentoring, as with many traditional teaching approaches, begins with a clear and set agenda for the mentee or protege. The mentor tends to serve as a supervisor of the training by sort of looking over the shoulder of the protege.

CHRISTIAN COACHING FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

The focus of the Simple Discipleship process is to move people from where they are to their next stage of spiritual growth. The Christian coaching aspect includes four levels of Christian coaching that church leaders may employ:

• Simple Evangelism- teaches and trains every member from children, youth, and adults in the church a simple way to share their faith.
• New Life Coaching- one-to-one spiritual foundation coaching on the primary values and expectations of Simple Discipleship and/or the church. The goal is to provide a bridge from pre-Christian life to being part of the church family. A positive bond is formed between the coach and new Christian that becomes an enduring relationship.
• Christian Life Coaching- Churches that are serious about forming a Christian coaching ministry may provide life coaching and Christian formation teaching in a one-to-one format that empowers them. The life coaching aspect is important in our society in which many familial norms that once provided life skills are minimal at best.
• Christian Leadership Coaching- This also is a one-to-one coaching relationship between a trained and respected leader and one being trained for leadership service.

THE SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP CHRISTIAN COACHING MODEL

Simple Discipleship provides an overall plan for church-based discipleship along with chapters that give insight into how to start a Christian coaching ministry. Using the Simple Discipleship Coaching Model a coach may lead a Christian of any level of maturity to greater spiritual growth. It is a values-based growth model, which is most effective as the coach seeks to identify and differentiate the real core values as opposed to aspirational or extrinsic values. People do what they truly believe. For instance, people who say they believe it is their duty to share their faith, but cannot recall when they did so, do not really value sharing their faith. The coach seeks to help the coachee see himself as he really is, define what needs to change, set goals for change, and then empower change. Simple Discipleship coaching aligns real values to life beginning with the heart, head, hands, and habits- a model made popular by Ken Blanchard in Lead Like Jesus. However, SD develops the LLJ model further and applies it to the cross.

I have used values-based coaching with executives, health-care personnel, and others to lead them to achieve greater balance, function, and profitability in life. I have also used the SD values-based coaching process to move people to greater spiritual maturity. Without fail, every person with whom I have worked who “did the homework” achieved their goals and more. Encourage your church to learn more about Christian coaching for spiritual growth and ministry development.

Simple Discipleship: How to Make Disciples in the 21^st Century was published and released by Church Smart Resources in November 2009. It is not a self-published book.

To learn more about Simple Discipleship and to order the book, follow the link below:

http://www.simplediscipleship.com

Blessings,

Dr. Tom Cocklereece

The Top 10 SIMPLE DISCIPLESHIP Weblog Articles- 2008/09

Simple Discipleship 2009

I have been writing articles for this blog site for just over a year and I am pleased and surprised at the response. There are 224 readers of this blog on a regular basis. I know that does not sound like a huge success, but it is exciting for me. I have endeavored to offer articles that do not simply provide information about my book and process called Simple Discipleship, but I desire to write articles that are on the crest of the wave as related to leadership, coaching, discipleship, church organizational development, church management, and organizational change. I realize my next article is overdue in the series “The Twelve Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Church” but I have been extremely busy getting ready for the release of the book and big launch of the Simple Discipleship ministry. In the meantime I thought it might be good to offer the top 10 blog titles from this last year, as many readers came on board more recently. Here are the top 10 for the past 12 months.I will be republishing these in the next few days.

1. The ten articles consist of a variety of the subjects listed previously with one exception: the top article “Why Don’t Smart People Get Jesus?” was written by a guest blogger and was her thoughts on a sermon. Interestingly, many misunderstand the message of the article. It is not saying that Christians are not smart or that people should not use their knowledge and reasoning as related to religion. It is only an observation that sometimes we allow our own stereotypes, thinking, and intelligence get in the way of new knowledge, perspective, and perhaps enlightenment. For many who promoted and read the article, their presupposition was to begin and end with their own point of view—namely that God does not exist. They walked into the trap of their own limited view and thus confirmed Rachel’s point. The award for the most popular article in the last 12 months on this weblog goes to Rachel Fox! Here is the link to that article: https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/why-don%E2%80%99t-smart-people-get-jesus-by-guest-writer-rachel-fox/
2. The second most popular article deals with one of my passions—that of personal, executive, and life coaching. Many churches could and should start a Christian coaching ministry as a spiritual formation ministry as compared to counseling. Coaching works and it is not what many think it is. I was watching a movie on TBS recently and during the commercial breaks there was a segment of a life-coaching vignette with a shallow-minded life coach talking with her client about some pretty silly things. The coaching I have done is respectfully confrontive and constructive to significant issues. Some of this article is a part of my new book to be released in October 2009. Here is the link for the second most popular article: https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/start-a-christian-coaching-ministry/

3. The past 12 months has seen upheavals in the economy and political realms. I wrote about some of these things and offered some thoughts on their impact on the churches. My predictions have proved accurate that many churches were not ready for the Great Recession and are still suffering. Also, many churches are losing their opportunities for relevant ministry an to help hurting people in new ways. The reaction of churches has been to scale-back ministries, terminate ministers, and cut budgets. Of course when churches cut budgets, it is usually ministries that could revitalize the church—a big catch 22. https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/economic-crisis-is-the-church-ready/
4. An article that continues to get significant attention is about the decline in the Southern Baptist Convention churches. This has been hotly debated in the last few months. The response of the leadership seems to be: “There is nothing wrong. We just need more evangelism.” Read https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/baptist-church-decline-balance-both-sides-of-the-great-commission/

5. For several years I have had the opportunity to attend the Catalyst Conference sponsored by Andy Stanley’s church. There are usually over 12,000 people there soaking up the wisdom. Last year Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great spoke. I offered some insights: https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/good-to-great-insights-from-jim-collins-catalyst-2008/
6. Last year I read a business book titled Ten Commandments for Business Failure and it sparked my writer’s imagination. I decided to write a series of similar articles from the perspective of the church. It was a very successful series. Many of you read the primary or lead article, but you may find the other articles in the series interesting. https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/ten-commandments-for-church-failure/

7. At number 7 for the year was an article that built on #4 listed above and expounded on the Southern Baptist Convention resolution calling for a Great Commission Resurgence. This article is rising to the top fast since I wrote it in June 2009 and it is already up to #7 of 60. I affirm the GCR, but again, calling for more evangelism in churches that have many converts instead of disciples is like asking 3^rd graders to run for elective office in the U.S. Senate (although they might do a better job—maybe that analogy does not work—but I think you get my point).  Many Christians in the churches are not sure-footed in their faith enough to do more evangelism, and that fact is deeply troubling in light of the story of the Samaritan woman in The Gospel of John chapter four. We must overcome a major hurdle—many Christians in the pews, chairs, or bleachers think it is the pastor and staff’s job to do outreach, mission, ministry, and evangelism. Unless the churches address the problem of making disciples instead of converts, the GCR will soon be a forgotten initiative. :<( https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/the-hole-in-the-great-commission-resurgence/

8. At #8 is another coaching article and some of these concepts are in my book Simple Discipleship. The article differentiates the three concepts of mentoring, counseling, and coaching. There are also some insights into leadership coaching. https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/the-power-of-coaching/

9. At #9 there is another article calling for not just a change in how churches do discipleship, but a revolution! Considering that six of the top ten articles deal specifically with changing how churches should do discipleship suggests there may be a lot of agreement out there. Let’s get the discipleship revolution started. https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/we-need-a-discipleship-revolution/

10. Number 10 is at the heart of Simple Discipleship as it presents the key diagnostic questions again regarding effective disciple-making. Is your church using a process? Most do not—even the ones that are growing. They are sort of in the sweet spot of their life cycle. Maintaining a disciple-making process will lengthen the life-cycle and even begin a new S-curve in the life of the church. Read more: https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/the-twelve-most-important-questions-you-will-ever-ask-about-your-church-6-what-process-does-your-church-use-to-make-disciples/

I hope you enjoy reading through some of these articles that you may have missed. As soon as my book releases, I should be able to get back to providing new articles on leadership, discipleship, and coaching.

SD Blessings,

Dr. Tom Cocklereece

Simple Christianity

 

New SD Logo

I have spent 2½ years praying, developing, studying, applying, and writing Simple Discipleship because I was long convinced that churches do not major on nor do they have a process to make disciples. Many churches make disciples by happenstance instead of on purpose through a process. I just read the report on spiritual growth commissioned by the Willow Creek Community Church titled Reveal: Where Are You? I am glad I wrote most of Simple Discipleship: A Process for Making Disciples before I read the report, as I came to similar conclusions myself, and without the expense to which they went. However, my approach to a solution to the need for making disciples is different from theirs, and simpler. There is a reason for “simple.”

 Christianity is bleeding followers instead of making disciples, as many are initially attracted to Christ, but are soon disillusioned by the complexity of the Christian faith as reflected in many churches. People are attracted to simplicity, and that may be why so many are interested in eastern religions. They offer simplicity, but no salvation or forgiveness and are intolerant of exclusivity of salvation only through Jesus Christ.

 I arrived at several conclusions that led me to develop Simple Discipleship:

1. Churches are not effective at making disciples.
   
2. The many programs and activities provided by churches do not translate into spiritual growth of people.
   
3. Independent programs and events do not function as a process for disciple-making.
   
4. Discipled Christians are better evangelists.
   
5. Spiritual growth and life-coaching is the greatest innovation that addresses problems 1-4.
   

There is one more problem: Churches are resistant to changing how they have always done things, even if what they are doing is not working. They now have three options:

1. Do church discipleship the way they always have done it.
   
2. Try more programs that make people less motivated for the next program that comes along.
   
3. Implement Simple Discipleship.
   

Jesus did not intend for disciple-making to be complex any more than he wants us to make church and ministry complex. We need simplicity. Simple Discipleship provides simple church characteristics of clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. SD has additional designed characteristics of scalability, multi-use, measurability, and balance. There are others, but these are primary. Unique features include four levels of spiritual life coaching: Simple Evangelism, New Life Christian Coaching, Christian Life Coaching, and Leadership Development Coaching. These provide for a coaching matrix and a bridge to other spiritual growth opportunities in the church.

 

I look forward to working with associations and churches to implement Simple Discipleship.

SD Blessings!

Dr. Tom Cocklereece