Foundations of Christian Discipleship

Know Christ. Grow in Faith. Make Disciples.

What does it really mean to follow Jesus?

For many Christians, that question is harder to answer than it should be.

Maybe you believe in Jesus, but you still feel lost when you open your Bible. Maybe you have heard sermons for years but don't know how to study Scripture for yourself. Maybe you have questions about your faith, your purpose, or how a Christian should live in a world that seems to be changing every day.

Foundations of Christian Discipleship was created to help.

This is a one-year, 24-session journey designed to help ordinary people become strong, faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

You don't need a Bible college education. You don't need to know Greek or Hebrew. And you don't need to pretend you have all the answers.

Bring your Bible.

Bring your questions.

And come ready to learn.

We Start With Jesus

Discipleship is more than collecting Bible facts.

Jesus said:

“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Mark 1:17 

That is where our journey begins.

During the year, we will learn who Jesus is, what He has done for us, what the gospel means, and what it looks like to actually follow Him.

We will talk about grace, salvation, prayer, temptation, obedience, the Holy Spirit, the church, Christian character, relationships, family, work, suffering, spiritual warfare, and much more.

But we won't rush.

We will build one truth upon another.

Learn How to Study the Bible for Yourself

One of the biggest goals of this program is to help you become comfortable opening the Bible and studying it for yourself.

We begin simply.

Read the passage.

Look carefully at what it says.

Ask questions.

As the year continues, you will gradually learn how to ask six important questions:

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

You will learn why the history, culture, people, places, and customs of the Bible matter.

You will learn an important principle:

The Bible was written for us, but it was not originally written to us.

Before asking, “What does this verse mean to me?” we learn to ask what God was communicating through the biblical writer to the people who first received those words.

Then we can understand how that same truth should shape our lives today.

Eventually, you will learn how to use Bible dictionaries, maps, cross-references, translation comparisons, commentaries, and basic Greek and Hebrew study tools responsibly.

But the tools never become the teacher.

We read the Bible first. We study its setting and context second. We use outside tools third.

The goal is not to make you dependent upon your mentor.

The goal is to teach you how to study God's Word faithfully for yourself.

Learn How to Live as a Christian in the Real World

Following Jesus doesn't stop when we close our Bibles.

Our faith affects the way we live.

That means we are willing to talk honestly about the difficult issues Christians face today.

We will study what Scripture teaches about marriage, sexuality, pornography, sex outside marriage, living together outside marriage, homosexuality, questions surrounding gender and identity, biblical manhood, family responsibilities, work, money, forgiveness, integrity, and servant leadership.

For men, we will spend time learning what it means to lead like Jesus.

Biblical leadership is not about controlling people or proving how tough you are.

Jesus showed us something very different.

He served.

He washed feet.

He told the truth.

He protected people.

He sacrificed.

And ultimately, He gave Himself for us.

We want to help develop men who take responsibility, keep their word, love their families, practice self-control, admit when they are wrong, serve others, stand for truth, and faithfully follow Jesus.

Learn to Stand Firm Without Living in Fear

The Bible also teaches that spiritual evil is real.

We will talk honestly about Satan, spiritual warfare, false teaching, the occult, divination, mediums, witchcraft, astrology used for spiritual guidance, attempts to contact the dead, and other forms of counterfeit spirituality.

But we are not going to spend the year looking for demons behind every corner.

We will learn to be careful.

We will learn to test claims.

We will learn the difference between biblical spiritual warfare and fear, rumors, superstition, and sensationalism.

Most importantly, we will remember that Satan is not God's equal.

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Our confidence is not found in becoming experts on darkness. Our confidence is found in knowing Christ, knowing His Word, praying faithfully, walking in obedience, and standing firm in Him.

Ask the Questions You've Been Afraid to Ask

This is not a place where you are expected to pretend.

If you don't understand something, ask.

If something in the Bible troubles you, let's talk about it.

If you have been taught something your entire life and aren't sure whether the Bible actually teaches it, let's open Scripture together.

You will never be embarrassed for not knowing an answer.

We are here to learn.

And sometimes one of the most important things a Christian can say is:

“I don't know. Let's look at what the Bible says.”

From Student to Disciple-Maker

There is another reason this program lasts an entire year.

We aren't only preparing you for the next Bible study.

We want to prepare you for the next person.

As the months go by, your mentor will gradually give you more responsibility for studying Scripture. By the end of the year, you will prepare and share a Bible study of your own.

Then comes the bigger challenge.

Take what you have learned and help someone else.

Paul told Timothy:

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

That is the vision.

Disciples making disciples who make disciples.

One person faithfully investing in another.

Your Journey

Over the course of 24 sessions, you will move through a simple path:

Meet Jesus.

Understand the gospel.

Learn the Bible's story.

Learn how to study Scripture.

Walk with God.

Live faithfully with God's people.

Learn to stand firm.

Help someone else follow Christ.

You won't finish the year knowing everything about the Bible.

Neither will your mentor.

That's not the goal.

The goal is that one year from now, you know Jesus better than you do today. You understand His Word more clearly. You know how to open your Bible and study it carefully. You are becoming more faithful in the way you live. And you are better prepared to help someone else begin the same journey.

Jesus is still calling people today:

“Follow Me.”

The question is what we will do with His invitation.