Originally Posted by nahkoe (Post 663699)

I think my church has this down. :)

I owe them a lot for that too.

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 663701)

The very fact that we have new converts does say a little bit about how the regular services have moved away from foundational, one foot in front of the other, this will help you tomorrow in the real world kind of teaching.

Originally Posted by scotty (Post 663704)

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 663703)

Yes ma'am... your church does a rare job on teaching. A very rare job.

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663688)

The absence of posts to this thread is one of the reasons that we lose as many members as we gain in many Apostolic assemblies.

Discipling...what is that?

Blessings, Rhoni

Originally Posted by nahkoe (Post 663713)

It's not just the teaching, although I definitely agree that I appreciate that very, very much.

It's the emails exchanged with my pastor, the hours and hours on the telephone going over the same stupid things, knowing that he'd give everything if that's what someone needed (and being on the receiving end of that has been life changing for me). It's the tears in his eyes when we've talked about some things (my kids this summer, some things I'm struggling with right now). It's knowing I don't have to explain my past, but I'm free to if I want to, and he never discounts it. It's knowing that he, and others in the congregation, would do anything to hold me up until I can stand on my own two feet. *This* is probably the key. They would do, and are doing, and have done, ANYTHING to get me from where I was to where I'm going. I have never before in my life experienced love like this, and it's changed my life. They believed God loved me and cared for me before I could even begin to fathom the possibility.

The teaching? Yeah, that's been my key to relationship with God. But all the rest of it kept me here long enough for that relationship to start growing.

Originally Posted by mizpeh (Post 663728)

Nahkoe, would you define discipleship as leading by example. Showing Christ in us to newborn babes so they can follow the more mature in Christ as they follow the teachings of the Master?

Originally Posted by scotty (Post 663693)

We have a class for new converts on Wenesday nights that last about a month and teaches about what they recieved, the importance of baptism as a next step, gifts of the spirit and how to grow in the spirit. They are assigned to a "Life Connections" group which meets once a month. If a lady, she is given a "prayer sister" who will become her best friend and source for answers and support.

Discipling is just as important as bringing them in. I often wonder and worry if we will have to give account for those we brought to HIM and then allowed the world to take back.

New converts should continue to be a burden on our hearts until they become a blessing in our lives.

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 663701)

Great thread Rhoni...

Our churches revolve around the spirit.

WHOoooooooooooooooooooo the spirit moved last night. That is the measure of a good service.

If a preacher is going to be in demanded... he had BETTER be a high spirited one because that is our drug of choice. That is what we want. We want the high of the spirit.

But the high of the spirit does not help you when you put one foot in front of the other tomorrow. It is the teaching of the word.

And I'm not talking about that YOU CAN DO IT... GOD IS GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN... JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO... RUN AROUND THIS CHURCH IF YOU WANT A BLESSING kinda stuff either.

I am talking about teaching that deals with our attitudes... the way we interact with others... TEACHING FROM THE BIBLE about the ways that we dress ourselves and conduct ourselves (Yelling for an hour about why you are going to go to hell for doing this or that is NOT teaching.) Of course teaching many of these things from the Bible is difficult since some of it isn't in there so yelling for an hour how you are going to hell is about all they've got.

The very fact that we have new converts does say a little bit about how the regular services have moved away from foundational, one foot in front of the other, this will help you tomorrow in the real world kind of teaching.

We want to get drunk... we don't want to learn something new.

We want to hoop and holler... we don't want to find a new way we can change who we are into more of what He is.

When the Religion Lite no longer does it for them and they can't pretend that wallering on the floor for half an hour didn't really change the battles they were facing inside they decide that THEY must not have want it takes and they go away.

The interesting thing is that a couple of months without any hooping and hollering assuming that this is accompanied with a couple of months of solid teachings about what the word of God has to say about the most basic things in life might just bring about revival. I'm not against hooping and hollerin'... I just think we need a time of refocus.

The spirit has become the main focus when, interestingly enough, the spirit is given to us to give us the power to live the WORD. The spirit is an engine... raw power.. good stuff. But the word is the transmission. It is what the engine was built for... and without it the engine is nothing more than a show of power with no forward movement to show for it.

When there is a reviving of the word within us... there is no greater definition of revival. When the word touches people where they live and changes their very lives... retention is not a problem. Space is.

Whoda thunk it.

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 663714)

Uh, this statement is quite a stretch.

Maybe its because there are not many people on line?

Originally Posted by nahkoe (Post 663735)

I was going to say maybe and started typing...but then I noticed something. I hate to be so picky, but I think it matters.

It's about the more mature following and pursuing God with everything within them. It's about them striving to know God more.

If my pastor is actually thinking about the disciplining that he's doing, I definitely don't see it. (I might need to discuss this topic with him someday) He's passionately pursuing God and the result of that is that people can't help but see God in his actions and hear God in his words.

IMO, it's not about showing Christ..it's about pursuing Him. The more time you spend with Him, the more you know Him, the more you love Him, the more you're going to be like Him and the more someone looking at you is going to see God...and not you.

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663749)

Heather,

The way your church discipled you is how my mother used to disciple others. You cannot hear the message until your basic necessities are provided for, which is; food, clothing, and shelter. When a person cares enough to open their pocketbook , time, and energy into helping a person get on their feet enough to help themselves, then your word has been listened to and worthy to be looked into further. A prayer partner/mentor/teacher that walks along side you and guides you and even helps you up when you fall is a soulwinner, wise, and honorable discipler.

God is really good at assigning tasks and leading persons into your life for this very reason. Trust God.

Blessings, Rhoni

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 663751)

Tell on sister... A major priority that seldom even gets a second thought...

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663745)

Bro. Phelps,

This is probably true but the gossip and judgemental threads were up and going so I thought maybe it would draw those here who really have a the spirit of grace, soul winning, and discipleship at heart. Like you:santathumb
Respectfully,
Rhoni

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 663762)

I appreciate that, I strongly agree with your premise.

I was on early this morning, and didn't see any "gossip" threads going strong, however. It was pretty quiet all around.

Originally Posted by Innocuous (Post 663544)

A study was conducted once on Billy Graham Crusade converts. When they came forward they were asked to characterize the person who brought them to Christ as preacher, teacher, or friend. Five years later they were asked if they were still active Christians. 95% of those who characterized their 'soul winner' as a preacher said they no longer attended church, 85% of those who came via a 'teacher' were not, but 90% of those who said a 'friend' won them were still faithful. Discipling works.

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663765)

LOL. The thread was started yesterday.
:christmasfire

Have a blessed day,
Rhoni

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 663781)

I understand. I was just referencing the comment you made at 6:50 am today.

But, no biggie, you may be on to something here!

In all seriousness, many of the churches I've been involved in, and I'm sad to say even the churches I've pastored, have been very light on discipleship.

It's almost as tho we expect people to come in, get saved, and absorb all of our standards and our commitment thru osmosis!

Some do, but many don't.

Even in my current secular job, I fall in to the trap of "I'm too busy to teach someone, they'll just have to learn on their own". And, it seldom works!

Investing your time into good people is never time wasted, even though it takes you away from tasks that you perceive to be urgent.

And, in the long run, the more people you spend time training, the more people there are to help share the load and allow the leader to free up his time for more outreach and discipleship!

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 663781)

I understand. I was just referencing the comment you made at 6:50 am today.

But, no biggie, you may be on to something here!

In all seriousness, many of the churches I've been involved in, and I'm sad to say even the churches I've pastored, have been very light on discipleship.

It's almost as tho we expect people to come in, get saved, and absorb all of our standards and our commitment thru osmosis!

Some do, but many don't.

Even in my current secular job, I fall in to the trap of "I'm too busy to teach someone, they'll just have to learn on their own". And, it seldom works!

Investing your time into good people is never time wasted, even though it takes you away from tasks that you perceive to be urgent.

And, in the long run, the more people you spend time training, the more people there are to help share the load and allow the leader to free up his time for more outreach and discipleship!

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 663712)

Since we have to send people away to another room to receive new convert class that would appear to be in agreement with what I am saying.

It would not be a sure fire indicator... in the least... because there are things such as the plan of salvation etc that one would do well to ground these new converts in...

But the idea that we need to send them to another room to receive this teaching seems to continue that statement with the thought that the reason we take them in THERE is because it isn't going to be happen in HERE.

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663740)

Scotty,

Sounds like you are a Pastor with his heart on the pulse of the church. I totally agree with you here.:santathumb

Respectfully,
Rhoni

Originally Posted by scotty (Post 663833)

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ine=1186885427

WHAAOOOOOOOOOO SISTER !!!!!!

:stop:stop:stop:stop:stop:stop:stop



http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...p_hat_md_c.gif



Ummmmmmm I'm NOT a preacher, pastor, associate pastor, bishop, youth pastor, evangalist, minister nor do I currently hold any position with in the church that remotely deals with teaching, advising, instructing nor even voicing of personal opinion......







But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night ! :gotcha

Originally Posted by shag (Post 663854)

I'm very glad U started this thread Rhoni. I am looking forward to reading it, and trying to soak up ideas to retain folks. I believe that many churches have fallen short in this area. I feel it is because of a combination of reasons of which I am the 1st to admit guiltiness and shortcoming. Too slothful when it comes to 1 on 1 evangelism, and not enuff time spent in the lives/meeting the needs of new converts. I also feel like the churches have preached Acts 2:38, standards, shoutdown, and Deut. 6:4 so much (in my "world") that "we" havent taken the time to train people of the "covenant relationship" with Christ. For better and worse.....thru all. We need 1 God, Jesus name baptism, and Holyghost, modesty etc.. but, We also need people know more than that, like what is covenant relationship w/ Christ. Heb.6 going on into perfection... I'm out of time to post right now, just wanted to let U know I'm looking forward to learning from this thread. Thanks for starting it.

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 663860)

There are things each of us can learn from each other through experience, trainning, and relationship to Jesus Christ. It is an area that lay leaders, saints and pastors need more awareness and training in.

Blessings, Rhoni

Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 663868)

I spent several years in the engineering business while in the ministry, but all of my time was in the automotive tooling field - designing, building and installing automotive assembly lines.

When I was laid off in 1999, I went into the ministry full time until 2005.

When I resigned the church, I spent some time recruiting engineers, and I placed several engineers with the company that now employs me, Jacobs Engineering.

Well, long story short, Jacobs offered me a job with their company, supporting Kellogg's.

I explained that I didn't have an engineering degree, and had absolutely NO food and beverage experience, but they liked my management skills and hired me anyway.

On my first day, my boss said, "I can give you two options - I can hand you this huge procedure manual to read for a month, or I can give you a project to manage, and look over your shoulder and guide you".

I said, "Give me the project!!!!!!!"

I was fortunate, because he mentored me while I was actually working on a project, instead of making me sit at a desk for month and read documentation that I didn't even really understand yet.

My point is that many churches have "new converts training", but it mainly consists of sitting in class rooms, trying to absorb a ton of information, but not being allowed to actually "DO" anything in the church until they've completed a certain number of courses, which by the way, usually takes weeks or months.

I realize that most Apostolic churches have standards that must be met before one can be involved in platform ministry, but I still think we would retain many more people if we actually let them get involved SOMEWHERE in our churches right off the bat, and just look over their shoulder.

THey may make mistakes along the way, and they may not look like the more seasoned saints, but a mature congregation will understand and nurture the new converts thru their foibles and follies.