Making Disciples Jesus' Way: A Few at a Time

A One Day Seminar

The Need for Disciple Making

What the church needs today is an ever-expanding core of self-motivated, mature followers of Jesus who can reproduce themselves in others. Yet what we often observe are shallow believers with minimal impact on the unbelieving world around us. Polls indicate that at least 50,000,000 people in the U. S. claim a "born again" experience; yet Christians seem powerless to stem the rising tide of secularism and relativism in our culture.

There appears to be something faulty about the way we have attempted to produce thoroughgoing disciples of Christ. We have substituted programs for relationships, because we have forgotten the model that Jesus gave us to "make disciples". Just as Jesus gathered a few around him and gave himself to them over a three year period, so we need to learn again to do "the Lord's work in the Lord's Way."

About the Seminar

This seminar will remind us of the model of disciple-making that was exemplified by Jesus. We will explore the strategic reasons why Jesus selected and poured his life into the twelve. Jesus' concern from the beginning of his ministry was to multiply himself so that the multitudes would have leaders to follow after His return to the Father. Jesus Himself became the curriculum that was the shaping influence of the disciples. Has Jesus' method of making disciples changed? Then why have we substituted programs for a relational approach to making disciples?

We will explore together how to take Jesus' model of disciple making and translate it a workable strategy into a church or para-church ministry. Wouldn't you love to see an increasing number of disciples of Jesus with the confidence to invest their lives in others which results in the multiplication of small, reproducible discipleship groups?

The Benefits of the Seminar

At the end of this seminar you will have:
    • Gained a passionate biblical vision for the strategic reasons Jesus gave himself to a few.
    • Learned how to establish a growing network of small, reproducing discipleship groups.
    • Examined three criteria necessary for an effective church or para-church discipleship strategy.
    • Looked at the three necessary ingredients that the Holy Spirit uses to produce transformation.
    • Explored the contrast between a program and relational approach to making disciples.
    • Practiced a simple, relational format that can be used in disciple-making.
    • Studied a very workable tool that can be used in convening a discipleship relationship and
      provides an overview of the essential content.

About the Seminar Leader

Greg Ogden is the Executive Pastor of Discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook, IL. From 1998- 2002, Greg served as Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Fuller Theological Seminary and Associate Professor of Lay Equipping and Discipleship. Prior to coming to Fuller, Greg enjoyed 24 years in pastoral ministry, primarily within Presbyterian churches, but most recently as Senior Pastor at the Saratoga Federated Church in the Silicon Valley , California . He is the author of four books: Unfinished Business Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Zondervan, 2003), Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ (InterVarsity Press, 1998), Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time ( Intervarsity Press, 2003); and with co-author, Daniel Meyer, Leadership Essentials: Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Character (InterVarsity Press, 2007). He is pleased to have been married to Lily for 38 years and has one married daughter who with her husband are practicing pediatricians in San Francisco , CA . They have just given the Ogdens their first grandchild, Claire.

 

Seminar Format

One Day, Five Hour Workshop

Morning

"Biblical Foundations: The Need, Manner and Strategy for Making Disciples"

Lunch

Afternoon

"Church or Para-Church Strategy: The Three Necessary Criteria to Produce Multi-Generational Disciple Making"

Teaching Strategy: A PowerPoint presentation which includes small group discussions and personal sharing, inductive Bible study, provocative and thoughtful questions, personal illustrations of life change, a practice session that illustrates a simple, relational approach to disciple-making. The format will be varied and fast-paced to keep the participants involved throughout the day.

Seminar Arrangements

Cost

  • To the Seminar Participant - A recommended $35 fee would include lunch and Seminar Workbook and Discipleship Essentials ($12/book supplied by the author)
  • Greg Ogden’s Honorarium: generally $1000/day.

Expectations of Seminar Host:

  1. Promote widely through the network of area churches in their denomination or association of ministries. Goal would be a minimum of 100 participants.
  2. Provide a room and equipment that can support Powerpoint presentation.
  3. Pay for Greg Ogden's honorarium, travel, food and lodging (preferably a hotel room).
  4. Set up a book table for Greg Ogden's four books: Unfinished Business(Zondervan, Transforming Discipleship, Discipleship Essentials and Leadership Essentials(InterVarsity Press) for further purchases. Purchase books directly from the author at a discount. Generally, the seminar host would buy the books from the author (who gets and author’s discount) and then resold at below retail price.
  • Transforming Discipleship: $10/book
  • Discipleship Essentials: $12/book
  • Leadership Essentials: $12/book