Training
Last Updated on December 4, 2024 by Rocklyn Clarke
Contents
Overview
We want to train you! We want to help you train others!
If you don’t have a church background, you may not have a frame of reference for what we mean by “training”. If you do have a church background, you can probably attest to the following:
- You received formal training in basic Christian doctrine, including baptism.
- You received formal training in what it meant to be a member of the congregation, including giving and serving on a ministry team.
- You learned informally how to “fit in” as a church member.
- You learned informally to depend on “paid religious professionals” to do the work of ministry for you – including making disciples.
For far too many church members however there was a serious omission:
- They never learned about their own responsibility for doing the work of God’s Kingdom outside the walls of the church building.
- They never learned how to establish a safe, healthy, and effective basic Christian community for mutual support and edification.
- They never learned how to work with other brothers and sisters as a team to win people to Christ.
- They never learned how to disciple another believer.
This page is a brief description of the training that we want everyone at Life Church to receive – regardless of their past church experience. Our goal is that, within 3 years of attending Life Church, you will become competent in all of these areas.
Key Passage
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)
Key Questions
In the course of your training, you will learn how to answer these questions:
- “What is a disciple and how will I know when I’ve made one?”
- “How do I make a disciple?”
- “How long does it take to make a disciple?”
- “What’s the connection between life groups and making disciples?”
(hint: Check out the Following Jesus: Purpose page)
How To Proceed – Are you . . .
In this section we will ask you to review the list of categories below and to decide which one best describes you. Once you’ve identified your category, you will be asked to follow the identified course of action.
Which training category best describes you?
- Unsure that you are actually a Christian?
- A new Christian or someone who has decided to “start over” from scratch?
- Connected to a new Christian or someone who has decided to “start over” from scratch?
- A Christian who wants to begin making disciples?
- A Christian who is experienced in making disciples who make disciples?
- A Life Group Leader?
Now – find that same category below and pursue the designated course of action! Also, if you have a critical attitude towards evangelism and discipleship, be sure to check out ?
Training Category 1:
Unsure that you are actually a Christian?
- If you are not already a member of one of our life groups – join one! Ideally, if you came to Life Church through the invitation of one of our members, strongly consider joining his or her life group.
- Reach out to your life group leaders and to the person who invited you to let them know that you are unsure about your status with Jesus. Make sure your life group leaders know who, if anyone, invited you to Life Church.
- Follow your life group leaders’ instructions about what to do next.
Training Category 2:
A new Christian or someone who has decided to “start over” from scratch?
Each one reach one!
- If you are not already a member of one of our life groups – join one! Ideally, if you came to Life Church through the invitation of one of our members, strongly consider joining his or her life group.
- Reach out to your life group leaders to let them know your status. Make sure they know who, if anyone, invited you to Life Church.
- Ask your life group leaders to arrange for you to begin discipleship training. In most cases this will be with the person who invited you to Life Church.
Training Category 3:
Connected to a new Christian or someone who has decided to “start over” from scratch?
Each one reach one!
- Invite them to join your life group!
- Reach out to your life group leaders to let them know the new Christian to whom you are connected.
- Ask your life group leaders about taking your friend through the discipleship curriculum.
- Your life group has a life group email list and is also registered in e-Life. Make sure that your contact information is up to date in both places.
Training Category 4:
A Christian who wants to begin making disciples?
Each one reach one!
- If you are not already a member of one of our life groups – join one! Ideally, if you came to Life Church through the invitation of one of our members, strongly consider joining his or her life group.
- Read through the various areas of training on this web page.
- Identify the areas of training in which you ARE NOT proficient. Ask your life group leaders to help you identify the right training opportunity. While you are waiting for the next training class, feel free to begin working through material on your own or one on one with someone else.
- Identify the areas of training in which you are already proficient. With the help of your life group leaders, identify someone in your life group whom you can help train.
- Your life group has a life group email list and is also registered in e-Life. Make sure that your contact information is up to date in both places.
Training Category 5:
A Christian who is experienced in making disciples who make disciples?
Each one teach one!
- If you are not already a member of one of our life groups – join one! Ideally, if you came to Life Church through the invitation of one of our members, strongly consider joining his or her life group.
- Read through the various areas of training on this web page.
- Identify the areas of training in which you ARE NOT proficient. Ask your life group leaders to help you identify the right training opportunity. While you are waiting for the next training class, feel free to begin working through material on your own or one on one with someone else.
- Identify the areas of training in which you are already proficient. With the help of your life group leaders, identify someone in your life group whom you can help train.
- Your life group has a life group email list and is also registered in e-Life. Make sure that your contact information is up to date in both places.
Training Category 6:
A Life Group Leader?
Teach each one to reach one and teach each one to teach one!
- Make sure that your life group is meeting weekly and that they are on a path to have at least some of those meetings take place away from the church building and for at least 90 minutes.
- Read through the various areas of training on this web page.
- You and your assistant life group leader should meet with each of your life group members to determine what training they should receive and/or what training they should be prepared to help provide.
- Your life group has a life group email list and is also registered in e-Life. Make sure that your members’ contact information is up to date in both places.
OK – Before you start working on the training components below, let’s make sure you have the right attitude towards evangelism.
Training Category 7:
Critical of Evangelism Efforts?
Do you have a critical attitude towards evangelism and discipleship because of problematic practices in past church experiences?
Remember the story of the Church in Ephesus from Revelation 2:
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:1-7 (NIV)
Although they were proud of their track record for recognizing problematic ministry leaders, Jesus declares that this church had forsaken the love they had at first. What should characterize the “love we had at first”?
- John 14:15-31 – Obey Jesus’ commands.
- John 21:15-22 – Feed Jesus’ sheep.
It is also important to remember these words from Paul:
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
Philippians 1:12-18 (NIV)
Paul didn’t let the problems with the way others were preaching the Gospel become the focus of his attention. He rejoiced that the Gospel was being preached and he kept on doing the work of the Kingdom!
Now that you’ve read this far your next step is to visit, call, text, or email someone! Don’t settle for passively “lurking” on this web site. If you can’t figure out which of the above categories applies to you, ask one of the pastors for help.
Disciple-Making Skills
Discipleship Lesson 1: Overview
Our goal is to establish safe, healthy, effective life groups that produce disciples who make disciples leading to multiplication.
Here are the skills we need to build a robust system that produces disciples:
Personal Skills
Life Group Skills
Harvest Skills |
This Big Blueprint diagram below shows you how the skills on the left fit together with our discipleship activity.
Click on the diagram for an expanded view. For a more interactive version of the diagram check out the Big Blueprint Page. |
These disciple-making skills are the focus of training areas that we’ve incorporated into our Following Jesus discipleship curriculum.
Disciples change the world around them!
Discipleship Lesson 2: Detail
What follows is a detailed explanation of each skill including, in most cases, a link to the relevant training material. The best way to become competent at each skill is to find a partner from your life group and work together on the various skills. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate leadership in pursuing Kingdom work. Life group leaders should take the lead in establishing these partnerships.
Leadership Levels
What leadership level are you functioning at now? Are you a wanderer, a follower, an achiever, or a leader? What level would you like to function at? Check out this brief video:
Sam Chand: The 4 Levels of People You Need to Understand – YouTube (00:03:18)
Tools
Here are some tools that you may find helpful as you develop your disciple-making skills:
You may use the following sheet to set goals and/or track your progress (print as many as you need):
Life Church Training Planner
At the end we have included a survey that you can use to assess your progress with our training:
Skip to Training Survey
Foundation
Frequent Connections With Unchurched People
The foundation for our relational evangelism strategy is to promote frequent connections between followers of Jesus and non-believers. At Life Church, although we welcome visitors to our Sunday services, we place a much greater emphasis on inviting people to visit our social events and our life groups.
Discipleship Lesson 3: Individual Skills
Your next step is to review the various personal, life group, and harvest skills detailed below!
Personal Skills
Personal Skill 1:
Prayer & Spiritual Warfare
(This training is covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum. Part of it is covered in Focus on the Message. Other parts will eventually be covered in Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
Without prayer, we will not accomplish much of anything for God’s Kingdom. Whenever you engage in Kingdom work, the enemy and his forces align themselves to oppose you. They must be overcome through spiritual warfare. Your life group leaders will help you develop in this area. You will find some helpful information here. Plan to review it with your life group leaders:
- Following Jesus: Focus on the Message – Matthew 6
- Lesson 2 – Acts of Righteousness: Prayer
- Life Church Counseling Page
- Spiritual Warfare & Deliverance
Personal Skill 2:
Being filled with the Holy Spirit
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
Jesus promised his disciples that they would receive power to be his witnesses after the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). We want every believer to experience this power so that they can effectively represent the Lord to the world around them.
Your life group leaders will help you enter into this experience.
Personal Skill 3:
Reading and/or Listening to the Bible
(This training is covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Focus on the Message.)
We want to train you to read/listen to the Bible and to put it into practice in your life. Your life group leaders will help you with this. Plan to review the following material with them:
Personal Skill 4:
Building a Safe, Healthy, and Effective Life Group
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
Life Groups are a fundamental part of Life Church!
The following 3 key components of our ministry are based on life group participation in conjunction with participation in our Sunday services:
- personal spiritual growth (i.e. becoming like Jesus)
- supporting other members
- winning new people to Christ and forming disciples
Life groups are essential for achieving these goals!
We want to train you to promote safe, healthy, and effective life groups and we want you to train others to do the same. Your life group leaders will help you learn to do what they do in leading and growing your life group. Plan to review the following material with them:
Personal Skill 5:
Sharing Your Personal Testimony
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up.)
Jesus has called us to be his witnesses. In order to be a witness, you need to be prepared to let people know what you’ve experienced with Jesus.
Your life group leaders will help you develop your personal testimony. Plan to review the following material with them:
Life Group Skills
Life Group Skill 1:
Prayer & Spiritual Warfare
(This training is covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum. Part of it is covered in Focus on the Message. Other parts will eventually be covered in Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
In addition to the prayer teaching covered under “Personal Preparation” above, life groups need to set aside time for the members to pray for one another and for their families and friends. They also need to pray consistently for the people that God has called them to reach for the Kingdom. Plan to review the following material:
Life Group Skill 2:
Reading and/or Listening to the Bible
(This training is covered in the following components of our Following Jesus curriculum: Focus on the Message and Family Up.)
In addition to your personal spiritual life, it is important for each life group to read/listen to the Bible and learn to put it into practice together. The Word section of each life group meeting is devoted to reviewing the Bible passages taught in the Sunday sermon and working together to understand them and put them into practice. Plan to review the following material together:
Life Group Skill 3:
Identifying an Accessible Pool of Unchurched People
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up.)
If you’re going to make disciples, you’re going to have to spend time with people who don’t yet follow Jesus. Most people will be most effective in winning people with whom they’ve developed a relationship. Relationships develop best when you have frequent opportunities to interact. What groups or networks are accessible to you with whom you can interact on a regular basis? Here are some potential examples:
- community or neighborhood organizations
- co-workers
- student groups on campus
- unions or other professional organizations
- bowling league
- sports teams
You will work with your life group as a team to identify the unchurched people that you can reach. Plan to review the following material with them:
Good News: Building Relationships
Life Group Skill 4:
Developing Practical Ways to Start Spiritual Conversations
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
We need to be able to overcome our reluctance to start spiritual conversations with people. Your life group leaders will help you develop in this area. Plan to review the following material with them:
Beyond Awkward (be sure to checkout the “Free Web Course” link at the top of the page)
Good News: Evangelistic Conversations
Life Group Skill 5:
Hosting Regular Activities For Unchurched People
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up.)
We need activities that can promote deepening relationships between followers of Jesus and unchurched people. Our Sunday services are designed primarily to build up followers of Jesus – not impart Gospel truth to non-followers. We need to be able to conduct activities that are more suitable for this type of relationship building. Ideally these activities should be frequent enough to support the development of friendships. This means that they should be “turn-key”. The planning and preparation should be simple enough that the events can be launched weekly or at least monthly.
These activities all provide some combination of relationship building, community generation, and exploration of Christianity, but they will often have a primary emphasis:
- Building Relationships
- Games Night
- Change the World Night
- Generating Community
- Life Group Meetings
- Exploring the Christianity
- Alpha Classes (invite people you’ve encountered through your life groups’s other outreach activities)
You will work with your life group as a team to plan and carry out outreach activities. Plan to review the following material with them:
Good News: Building Relationships
Harvest Skills
Harvest Skill 1:
Prayer & Spiritual Warfare
(This training is covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum. Part of it is covered in Focus on the Message. Other parts will eventually be covered in Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
It is a wonderful thing when a person has moved through the first four of the Five Thresholds (trusting a Christian, curiosity, openness to change, seeking), and is ready to follow Jesus. Before we celebrate however, we need to cover the soon-to-be Christian in prayer and bind those demonic forces that want to hinder his/her entrance into the Kingdom.
Harvest Skill 2:
Leading Someone to Christ
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up.)
Our goal, as we engage in evangelism, is for the person we’ve befriended to actually become a follower of Jesus. Once you’ve established that the person is ready to make that decision you need to guide them into that commitment. After they’ve made that commitment we transition to discipleship.
Here is the sequence:
- Phase 1 – Evangelism (5 Thresholds, etc.)
- Phase 2 – Lead someone to Christ (i.e. conversion – this is really Threshold #5 from Phase 1)
- Phase 3 – Discipleship (7 “F”s Following Jesus Curriculum)
Your life group leaders will help you learn to lead someone to Christ. Plan to review the following material with them:
Good News: Leading Someone To Christ
Harvest Skill 3:
Group Discipleship Training
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Focus on the Message and Family Up.)
From time to time you will likely participate in or even lead a group that is working through our discipleship material.
Your life group leaders will help you determine when and how to participate.
Harvest Skill 4:
Getting a Believer filled with the Holy Spirit
(This training will eventually be covered in various components of our Following Jesus curriculum – principally Family Up and Flow in the Spirit.)
Jesus promised his disciples that they would receive power to be his witnesses after the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:8). We want every believer to experience this power so that they can effectively represent the Lord to the world around them.
Your life group leaders will help you learn to lead others into this experience.
Harvest Skill 5:
Discipling Another Believer
The following components of our Following Jesus discipleship curriculum are designed to be used either one-on-one or as a class when discipling a new believer:
After someone makes a commitment to follow Jesus he/she will need to be discipled. This will normally take place in the context of a life group. As a part of their life group covenant, members should explicitly commit to being available to help disciple new people who become part of the group.
Our discipleship curriculum can be found here:
Following Jesus
The first component of this curriculum is:
Focus On the Message
In this discipleship component a life group member takes a new believer through the Gospel of Matthew.
Discipleship Lesson 4:
Change Your World
Disciples can “go where the pain is” and make a difference. By prayerfully and humbly listening and loving those around them, they allow God to use them to bring healing and transformation to the people whose lives they touch.
God wants us to:
Discipleship Lesson 5:
Training Assessment Tool
We have developed a training survey to help you assess your progress. Try it out here:
Resources
Here are some resources to help you gain proficiency with these discipleship ingredients:
Life Church Personal Mastery YouTube List
Topics covered include:
- Developing habits
Here are some Following Jesus resource pages:
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