Paul's Discipleship Strategy

Paul's Discipleship strategy was very very intense.  That is why it was also so effective.  One of the many passages where he expresses that strategy is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-19 where he expresses his deep affection for the Thessalonian believers. Actually I am pretty sure that if Paul read the title of my blog it would seem so foreign to him to call this a 'strategy' because it was so personal to him. That is the label we put on it in the modern era. All our attempts to disciple people into the life of Christ are, and have failed. We have for the most part relegated the discipleship life to what we as a church do on Sundays.  This would never have been able to fit into the practice of Paul. He could not have even have come close to accomplishing what he describes in this passage on Sundays. I have heard from a mentor and friend that a very famous preacher said that "discipleship happens for him during his sermons on Sundays"! I also heard from this same mentor that a youth pastor had been 'let go' recently after 10 years at a large church, and was devastated.  He was devastated because youth ministry is the ministry in churches, in my experience, that comes closest to what Paul talks about here.  In youth ministry over time you get really close to people in your desire to minister to them.  This has been my experience at least.  As I read and exegeted Paul's experience or 'strategy', if we have to call it that, of discipleship it blew me away how little of those things I actually did while discipleing students for the past 8 years. But in doing only some of them that is why it was still that hard to leave my most recent church like I did two weeks ago. because when you show a deep affection, your job then as a pastor becomes so personal it is not a job anymore.  Please read the following passage here and my notes of the things that Paul implemented with the Thessalonian believers and ask, Does my discipleship strategy line up with his...

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed-God is witness- nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost. But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while-in person, not in spirit-were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. For we wanted to come to you-I, Paul, more than once-and yet Satan hindered us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:1-19 NASB)

Here is a list of the things he did while among the Thessalonians:

1. Suffering (for the Gospel)

2. Boldness (in the Gospel)

3. Opposition (He faced Opposition to the Gospel)

4. Exhortation (A deep pleading to obey the Gospel)

5. Approved (He was deeply called by God) 

6. Entrusted (He was entrusted with the gospel and He entrusted them also with the sacred Gospel)

7. Speak to please God not men (Paul always sought to please Jesus through reliance on Him)

8. Non-flattering speech (He did not seek to flatter the Thessalonians but was in their face)

9. Non-greedy (He sought to never be a burden on them)

10. Non-glory seeking (He sought only God and His glory)

11. Gentle (as a nursing mother)

12. Affectionate

13. Labor (Faithfully labored among them)

14. Hardship (Faced great hardship for the gospel and them)

15. Proclaimed (Fearlessly)

16. Devoutly (He was devout so they could see holiness in action)

17. Uprightly (not just a holy life but he avoided things that could be construed as not being right)

18. Blamelessly (and walked a blameless life in Christ in front of them)

19. Exhorting (as a father does his children: Notice he made it personal by seeing himself as their mother and father Just a bit personal huh?)

20. Encouraging (as a father does his children)

21. Imploring (as a father does his children)

22. Constantly thanked God when the word was received (I am terribly poor at this! He rejoiced)

23. Connected in the spirit (He saw distance from them as an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to connect them deeper in Christ!)

24. Eagerness to see each other (How many times are we so eager to see each other that you can hardly stand the time when you are not together)

25. Enduring suffering (He endured suffering for them to get a glimpse into the sufferings of Christ)

26. Disciples are hope, joy, and crown of exultation in the presence of Jesus at His coming (Do I really think of the students that I have discipled over the years as my crown of exultation (rejoicing) when I stand before Jesus on the day of his return?)

If we are honest we are probably fall woefully short of this standard of discipleship that Paul gives here. Let us repent of our inadequacy. Let us run to Jesus the perfect discipler and "fisher of men", and ask Him to make us desperate for Him and His way of affection, boldness, suffering, gentleness, Holiness, and rejoicing that He lived in, and now lives in for us!

Here are a few other passages in 1 Thessalonians that I gleaned on how Paul felt about the Thessalonians. You can peruse then and ask God to change our heart for people and become the "Fishers of Men" that Jesus would have us become!

• "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor," (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4 NASB)

• "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words". (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4, 14-18 NASB)

• "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 NASB)

• "But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 NASB)

Here is a quick video of what it might cost us to be a disciple and a disciplemaker of Christ.

FEARLESS: STEPHEN

Fearless: Stephen (Acts 6-7)



Stephen is an example of fearlessness to us today because of three attributes he exhibited in His life and Martyrdom

1. Stephen Was Not Afraid to Serve (he served anyone and everyone)

"Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them." (Acts 6:5-6 NLT)

We have had for the past year a Youth Ministry Intern at Creekside who has served our Church selflessly and he has accomplished some amazing things in Service to the Lord. These are just a few of the things Abe Kuhn has done for Creekside while he was here...
1. Youth ministry meetings Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday 2. The landing Celebrate Recovery youth program on Fridays 3. Cox elementary after-school tutoring 4. Organized and helped with monthly youth outreaches 5. Set up and broken down chairs at least 160 times for our church meetings 6. Painted the lines in the parking lot so Creeksiders know where to park 7. Been in charge of the working order of the youth center and improved it in many ways. 8. Been trained in theology and Christian living by reading one book a month. 9. Helped overhaul our youth website 10. Helped plan and execute a successful houseboat camp and English camp in Germany.
11. Spoke to our youth 6 or 7 times 12. But more than all he has done is who he is that touches us. A young man who loves the Lord and is consistently grateful for the opportunity to serve him. Abe we have become so grateful for the opportunity to have had you in our lives for this year. And to have you as a friend from now on. Abe is definitely an example to us of Stephen and his desire to serve the Body of Christ.

2. Stephen Was Filled With the Holy Spirit (and faith)

"Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith)." (Acts 6:5 NLT) "Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people." (Acts 6:8 NLT)

Sin is what hinders the filling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God is how the filling of the Spirit is maintained. Ephesians 5:18 commands that we be filled with the Spirit; however, it is not only praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit that accomplishes the filling. Our obedience to God's commands allows the Spirit freedom to work within us. Because we are still infected with sin, it is impossible to be filled with the Spirit all of the time. When we sin, we should immediately confess it to God and renew our commitment to being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.

3. Stephen Was Completely Bold (in the face of lies and persecution)

When I was a middle school intern after college I had a middle schooler named Michael. He was my bold and say anything middle schooler. One time we were on a rafting and camping trip. We were all in a 15 passenger van together. I know, it's crazy, a van full of middle schoolers! We were traveling down a windy dirt road along a beautiful river. Other people thought it was beautiful too. As we came around a bend in the road straight ahead of us was a couple having sex on a rock right in the middle of the river! At that moment I was desperately hoping that no one had seen these people, but alas it was too obvious and Michael shouted to the entire van "OH MY GOSH LOOK THOSE PEOPLE ARE HAVING SEX!" Chaos ensued on our van of middle schoolers. and for the next hours everybody was talking about it, and there was nothing I could do to diffuse the situation. Michael was very bold but a bad bold not a good bold. Stephen was bold and the right type of bold. He was bold for our Lord. Let's look at some things that he said. "None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke." (Acts 6:10 NLT) "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!" (Acts 7:51 NLT) "Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered." (Acts 7:52 NLT) "You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels." (Acts 7:53 NLT) While Stephen was being stoned by the Sanhedrin this is what happened "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, 'Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!'"(Acts 7:55-56 NLT)

"Jesus was standing on the right hand of God--Why "standing," and not sitting, the posture in which the glorified Saviour is elsewhere represented? Clearly, to express the eager interest with which He watched from the skies the scene in that council chamber, and the full tide of His Spirit which He was at that moment engaged in pouring into the heart of His heroic witness, till it beamed in radiance from his very countenance."
(Title: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary
Author: Jamieson, Robert, Fausset, Andrew Robert, Brown, David
Copyright: JFB, E-text version from www.ccel.org.)

As Stephen was Martyred for the faith, Jesus received him into heaven with a standing ovation, and we can know he embraced Him and said "Well done good and faithful servant, now enter my rest." Will we seek to be fearless and only strive to please the audience of one, and one day hear him say, "well done good and faithful servant, now enter my rest."