3 Discipleship Series BOOKLET

Journey Discipleship Materials
Edited by Pastor Norman S. Lao

2|Page JOURNEY DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
DISCIPLESHIP
SERIES
Contents
Lesson 1: COMMITMENT
Lesson 2: LORDSHIP
Lesson 3: INQUIRING OF THE LORD
Lesson 4: THE VOICE OF GOD
Lesson 5: FOUR WAYS OF LIVING
Lesson 6: SMALL GROUP
Lesson 7: THE CHURCH
Lesson 8: WORK
Lesson 9: SERVANT OF GOD
Lesson 10: THE SOLDIER OF GOD
Lesson 11: BLESSING OTHERS Part 1
Lesson 12: BLESSING OTHERS Part 2
Lesson 13: MULTIPLYING ONESELF

LESSON 1
“COMMITMENT”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
We wonder why there are many Christians who started well

in their relationship with the Lord, but their love for God
turned cold in the long run. Some even returned to their
former way of living which they had already surrendered to
the Lord. Others still continue to go to church, but their
hearts are already far from God. There are many possible
reasons for this, but one significant cause is their weak
commitment to Him. We will now talk about four types of
commitment discussed in the passages of Luke 9: 57-62.
I. FOUR TYPES OF COMMITMENT

1. Commitment with a Condition
□ One person said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever
you go”. Jesus’ response however was far from what
this person expected. Instead of answering, “Come so
you will be blessed”, Jesus said, “Foxes have holes
and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay his head.” Jesus implied that there is
difficulty in following Him. Is Jesus wrong in His
answer? No. He said this because he knew the heart
of this man who only wanted to follow Him because of
blessings.
□ There are many Christians who have wrong motives

for surrendering their lives to Christ. Some follow
Him because of the miracles they see (John 6:2)
while others expect material blessings in return
(John 6:26).

□ This kind of commitment is very weak because when
miracles or blessings cease, so does a person’s walk
with Christ. Even in Jesus’ time, this is the reason
why many disciples turned their backs on Him (John
6:66). Only those who really know Christ will remain in
Him up to the end (John 6:62-69).
2. Commitment after Ambitions
□ Jesus told one man, “Come, follow me” but the man
answered, “Let me first bury my father”. Jesus
commanded him “Let the dead bury their own dead,
but you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God” (Luke
9:59-60). It is possible that this man’s father was not
yet dead but was about to die, and the son wanted to
wait for the funeral before he would follow Jesus. But
Jesus told him that today is the day that he must start
serving God and not tomorrow.
□ There are people who cannot commit to God and His

ministry because they are too busy doing things for
themselves. Their usual response is, “Later after I
finish my work.” They constantly ignore what God
wants them to do. For them, God’s will is not as
important as their personal ambitions. They
promise to commit to God only when they have
already achieved their personal plans in life.
3. Partial Commitment
□ Another person again told Jesus, “I’ll follow you Lord,

but let me first go back and say goodbye to my family.
Jesus replied, No one who puts his hand on the plow
and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of
God” (Luke 9:61).
□ There are Christians who have already started sowing
for the Kingdom, but they keep looking back at the
things of this world. There are still bondages in their
lives making their testimony ineffective. These are the
black sheep in God’s family--Christians who are still
enslaved by demons and the world. They are what we
call carnal or worldly Christians. They are not willing
to give up everything for the Lord.
4. Godly Commitment
Three characteristics of a Godly commitment
a. Commitment Without Condition
17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are
no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food, though there are
no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God
my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
□ Either God will bless us or not, either He will

answer our prayers or not, either He will
prosper us or not, we will still follow and serve
Him. This is the kind of commitment Job has
(Job1:13-21).
b. Commitment to God’s Will
□ We are called to abandon our worldly desires

and commit our lives to Him and to His
purpose (Mark 8:35). When we hear His call,
we must immediately obey and follow Him.
Peter, James and John immediately left what
they are doing when Jesus called them to
follow Him (Matthew 4:18-22).
c. Commitment without Turning Back
□ Before Elisha became Elijah’s servant, he

removed everything that hinders him in
following his mentor by killing his 12 cows and
by burning his plowing tools (1 Kings 19:19-
21). Just like him, we too must destroy all
the things that hold us back in following
Jesus. We must burn all things that may
possibly entice us to turn our back against the
Lord. We must only have one ambition in this
life: to follow God wherever He leads us and
to do His work no matter how difficult it is.
This is true commitment.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1. What is your motive in following God- to give or just to
receive?
2. Among the four types of commitment, which one is yours?
3. Do you have the three qualities of a Godly commitment?
Which one do you lack?
4. What must you do so that you will be more committed to
the Lord?

LESSON 2
“LORDSHIP”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
9 andevery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of

God the Father. Philippians 2:11
The Lordship of Christ is one of the very important teachings in

the Bible. The word “Lord” is written 7, 484 times in the Bible. It
is written 618 times in the New Testament while the word “Savior”
is mentioned 55 times only. The Bible gives more weight to
Lordship. The word Lord means master, the one who decides and
enacts what he wants.
I. LORDSHIP IS IMPORTANT IN SALVATION

Salvation starts with acknowledging Christ as Lord. To confess
that Jesus is Lord means that we are committing to Him and
allowing Him to take charge of all aspects of our lives. If He is
not the Lord of everything in us, then He is not our Lord at
all. We cannot just accept Him as Savior only. The Bible says
we will be saved if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord.
9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you
will be saved. Romans 10:9
II. HIS LORDSHIP REQUIRES OBEDIENCE

Whoever accepts Jesus as Lord, he or she must do all that He
commands. Outside confession is not enough. If we profess
that He is our Lord, then His Lordship must be seen in our
obedient lives.
46
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
Luke 6:46

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father
who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
III. HIS LORDSHIP BEGINS IN THE HEART

Submitting to His Lordship does not mean running after
religious traditions. Rather, Christ’s Lordship starts in our
hearts. This means our hearts are yielded to Him. If the
confession of our mouth is real, then it must be seen in our
actions. Our declaration that Jesus is Lord starts from the inside
out.
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be
prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give
the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15a
IV. HIS LORDSHIP LASTS
Our relationship with God begins with the acceptance of His

Lordship over us. We must continue submitting to His will
for the rest of our lives. Acknowledging Him as Lord is not a
single and passing experience but a daily commitment. The
more we know Him, the more we submit and humble ourselves
before Him.
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to
live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the
faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7a
V. HIS LORDSHIP ENCOMPASSES ALL ASPECTS OF

OUR LIVES
Jesus Christ should be Lord in our:

1. Relationship
Our respect of Him must be greater than any important

person in our lives. We must obey Him above others. Jesus
said that if we have to compare our love for him and our
love to our family, the latter is so reduced to the point of
hatred.
26"Ifanyone comes to me and does not hate his father and
mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—
yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. Luke
14:26
2. Self
We must love God above ourselves. It is not we who are in

charge but He. We must not anymore make decisions
against His will. Our decision then is to walk in His plans
for us.
26"Ifanyone comes to me and does not hate his father and
mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—
yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And
anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot
be my disciple. Luke: 14:26-27
3. Money
We must love God above the material things in this world.
There are many Christians who fell because of love of
money, so they departed from the faith and experienced
much sorrow (1 Timothy 6:10).
33In the same way, any of you who does not give up
everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33
10 | P a g e J O U R N E Y D I S C I P L E S H I P S E R I E S
□ A true believer denies the self so that Christ
becomes the Lord of his or her life. Apostle Paul
lived this truth. He said, “I have been crucified with
Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me”
(Galatians 2:20).
APPLICATION:
1. What aspect in your life where Christ is not yet the Lord
(relationship, money, time, self)? Are you ready to
surrender it to Him?
2. What happens when Jesus takes charge of our lives?
(discuss Gal. 2:20)
20I
have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me.
Galatians 2:20
3. How do you assess if money has become your master

instead of Jesus Christ?
LESSON 3
“INQUIRING OF THE LORD”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
The Bible says that God gives grace to the humble, but he rejects
the proud (James 4:6). God is against the proud.
WHAT IS PRIDE?
The First Proud Creation
The first of God’s creation who had pride is the one of the
chief angels of God--Lucifer (Ezekiel 28:12-17). Because of
his splendor and wisdom, he wanted to become like God
(Isaiah 14:12-14). So he rebelled against God bringing with
him 1/3 of all the angels in heaven (Revelations 12:4). They are
all living now independent of God. This is pride- to live for the
self. Pride is living separately from God. Pride started in the
heart of Lucifer who became the devil.
Adam Became Proud
The devil tempted the first man to disobey God, enticing that
man to become like God (Genesis 3:4-5) and live
independently. (Only Almighty God who is the creator of all
things is the one who is independent because He does not rely
with anyone). When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he really
became independent from God. The first sin of man is pride. It
is going after what the self wants and not what God wants.
Just like God, man already has his own basis of measuring
what is right and what is wrong according to what he thinks
(Genesis 3:22). He is already living apart from God, just like
the devil. Indeed, he is independent from God, but he is in
bondage to the power of the devil (2 Corinthians 4:4;
Ephesians 2:2).
Pride Was Passed On to All People
Because Adam did not repent, this wicked attitude was passed
on to his descendants (Romans 5:12). A sinful man is lost in
the will of God, so he directs his own life (Isaiah 53:6). He
relies on his own ability, wisdom, knowledge and experience.
He is filled with pride. Proud people believe that there is God,
but they lived only for themselves. They think they are so great
that they do not anymore trust God. Worse, others believe and
preach that they are even god. A proud man trusts himself
instead of God.
CURSED IS THE ONE WHO RELIES ON MAN’S

STRENGTH
“5 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts
in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart
turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the
wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will
dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where
no one lives.” Jeremiah 17:5-6
Destruction happens to a person who trusts in his or her own

strength or another’s. We must understand that we were not
created to be alone, but to be with God. Cursed is the creation
separated from the Creator.
BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO TRUSTS GOD

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose
confidence is in him. 8He will be like a tree planted by the
water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear
when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no
worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8
A MAN WHO TRUSTS GOD CONSTANTLY SEEKS HIM
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and
he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
A proud person depends on his or her wisdom, but a person

who trusts God always seeks Him. A humble person does not
do ungodly things, so he or she constantly inquires of God.
This person sees God as the one who constantly guides.
Finding out God’s will before making decisions is a sign of a
humble heart. (We do not need to inquire of God whether we
do or not the things He already commanded in the Bible as well
as our responsibilities to ourselves, family, work, church,
community and nation). We need to do things with the wisdom
and ability from God.
THE PRINCIPLE OF LISTENING BEFORE DOING
This principle was practiced by David when he was still living

on earth. He was called “the man after God’s own heart”. It is
true that David had many weaknesses and failures, but we can
see from the Bible that he had trained himself to seek God first
before he carried out decisions (1 Samuel 23: 3-5; 30:8).
Because of his principle of listening to God before doing
things, he always won against his enemies.
Jesus also followed the same principle during Hs time on earth.

He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can nothing by Himself;
He can only do what He sees His Father is doing, because
whatever the Father does, the Son also does” (John 5:19). The
needs around Him did not compel Jesus to do the things He
did, but what the Spirit of the Father urged Him to do (John
14:10). Jesus would not do anything except if it was the
Father’s will. He did not rely upon Himself but on the Father
who loved Him (John 5:20).
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM GOD
Jesus is our model on how to live life on earth (1 John 2:6). We

need to listen and recognize God’s voice for us to effectively
do His will. We must understand that no matter how noble are
the things we do, they are still dead works if they are not God’s
will. We need to be clothed with humility by seeking God in all
our important decisions. We must give time to listen to the
Holy Spirit because He leads us to victory, prosperity and
success.
APPLICATION:
1. Have you sought God in your decision-making? In what
way?
2. Do you have time to listen to God’s voice that directs you?
3. Is there pride in your life?
LESSON 4
“THE VOICE OF GOD”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
I. GOD WANTS TO TALK TO US
The Bible says God wants to have a relationship with the

people He created in His own image. He spoke both to the
people in the Old and New Testament. He has revealed His
character, ways, and will. Our God is alive and He remains the
same forever (Malachi 3:6). If so, He continues to speak to us
today like He did in the past. He invites us to personally listen
to His voice. His commandment to the seven churches in
Revelation, which was to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit,
is the same command for us today, “He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches!” (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29;
3:6, 13, 22).
II. WE CAN HEAR GOD
If God wants us to hear Him, this means that He also gives us

the ability to hear His voice. Since we are one with Christ, a
new spirit has replaced our old self (Ezekiel 36:26). Therefore
we can already hear His voice because we have spiritual ears
(Rev 2:7). All God’s children can hear the voice of the Holy
Spirit (Romans 8:14, 6) in the same manner the sheep can
recognize the voice of the shepherd.
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27
III. WHY DO WE NEED TO HEAR GOD?
1. To deepen our relationship with God
Without communication, a relationship cannot be intimate.
We understand that prayer is not only talking to God but
also hearing from Him. There are times when we are the
ones who talk to Him, and there are times when we simply
listen. Prophet Isaiah talked about his daily experiences of
hearing from God, “He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught” (Isaiah
50:4b). Isaiah’s relationship with God is strong because he
listened to His voice.
2. To be able to obey God and do His perfect will

4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of
them, and his sheep follow him because they know his
voice. John 10:4
17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the
Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:17
3. To receive knowledge on the secret things of God

10butGod has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit
searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1
Corinthians 2:10
III. GOD’S WAYS OF SPEAKING TO US
The Bible cites many instances of how God speaks to us. Let
us discuss seven ways He communicates to His children who
have received His Spirit (Romans 8:15).
1. Bible - God speaks to our lives through the Bible. While

reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit gives us living words that
personally speak to us. Called the “rhema words”, they are
very sharp that they pierce the heart and soul (Hebrews
4:12). (To understand this fully, read Lesson 4 Maturity
Series of Equipping the Saints 1).
2. Inner voice - Because the Holy Spirit is already inside us,
we can hear His voice (1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:14).
3. Peace of God - there are times when God leads us by a

sense of peace in our spirits. The Holy Spirit gives us
exceptional peace as a sign that our decision is of God
(Colossians 3:15).
4. Vision - Sometimes God gives a picture in our minds

which He will use to talk about something to us (Acts 10:9-
13).
5. Dream - God also speaks to us through a dream, just as He

did with Joseph (Matthew 1:20).
6. Spiritual Leaders - God also uses people, especially

Godly leaders, to speak to us (Hebrews 13:17). It is
therefore important for us to respect our church leaders (1
Thessalonians 5:12-13).
7. Circumstances - God can also use situations to reveal His

message, like what happened to Jonah (Jonah 1:12).
IV. HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD
Not all voices are of God, no matter how loud or clear it is.
There are voices that belong to deceptive spirits (1Timothy
4:1). We need to test if the voice we hear is of God, man or the
devil. The voice must be…
1. Biblical
□ The voice must not contradict the principles in the Bible.

The message of the voice is confirmed in the Scriptures.
The Bible is the measure on how we judge the voice (2
Timothy 3:16-17).
2. Exalts Jesus
□ If the voice we hear exalts a person, group or ministry more

than Jesus Himself, this voice does not belong to God. The
Holy Spirit exalts Jesus Christ only and no one else (1
Corinthians 12:3).
3. Gives Inner Witness
□ The voice of God gives inner peace (Colossians 3:15) but

the voice of the enemy brings sorrow and confusion
(Psalms 55:2-3).
4. Brings Confirmation
□ The Bible says that every matter should be established by

two or three witnesses (Matthew 18:16). If we hear a voice,
especially if it pertains to important decisions, we need to
share it to others, especially the spiritual leaders, for
confirmation if it is of God or not.
V. THREE HINDRANCES WHY WE CAN’T HEAR FROM

GOD
1. Worldliness
A Christian chained to worldly things can hardly hear the

voice of God. What this person can hear is the sinful nature and
evil spirits that push him or her to wickedness. If we want to
hear God, we need to repent from sins that bind us. We need to
remove the hindrances in our spiritual ears to be able to hear
God clearly.
2. Unbelief
All in God’s Kingdom operate through faith. We are saved

through faith (Ephesians 2:8). We are called to walk in faith (2
Corinthians 5:7). We receive in faith (Mark 11:24). Through
faith we can please Him (Hebrews 11:6). The same is true with
our communication with God. We need to have faith that He
speaks to us if we call upon Him (Jeremiah 33:3; Proverbs 3:5-
6). We also need faith to accept that what we hear is from Him,
and not from our selves only (1 Samuel 3:4-10).
3. Busyness
Busyness is the main reason why we can’t hear from God.

Many Christians still believe that God still speaks to us today;
however, they have no time to listen. They are filled with so
many activities, but they don’t prioritize God. In their prayers,
it is always they that speak. We need to give time to listen to
Him, just like Mary so that we won’t be filled with worry and
weariness like what happened to Martha (Luke 10:38-42).
VI. GOD SPEAKS AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL

SITUATIONS
We are called to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This

means constant communication with God. Our Heavenly
Father desires to speak to His children. God is really a
conversationalist because He wants a living relationship with
us.
VII. WE CAN HEAR ANYWHERE AND ANY TIME
If we have a strong relationship with God, we can hear from
Him anywhere even if we have not asked for it. This is what
happened to Phillip (Acts 8:26-30), Ananias (Acts 9:10-17,
Peter 10:9-11), Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2) and Paul (Acts
16:6-10) to name a few in the book of Acts. As long as our
relationship with God is right, then we can tune in to His voice.
APPLICATION:
1. Have you heard God’s voice? Is it always or rarely?

2. Which among the three hindrances on hearing His voice is
found in you?
3. Do we really need to hear from God in making big
decisions? Why?
LESSON 5
“FOUR WAYS OF LIVING”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
There are four ways how one can live his or her life here on earth.
Among the four, three of these are faulty because they are not what
God intends for us. All the people in this world manage their lives
according to any of these four.
1. TO WASTE LIFE
1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering
around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of
the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats
with them." 3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose
one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and
go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Luke 15:1-4
□ There are people who have wasted their strength, wealth

and time just like the son we have read in the above
passage. They are caught in different vices in the world.
Their money and time are wasted with useless activities
like drunkenness, substance abuse, gambling, illicit sex and
other wicked things. They are chained by many sins. These
people are not only wasting their lives but also bring harm
to their future and families. Their lives are very
troublesome because they are living in darkness. Sinfulness
brings us to misery, just like what happened to the younger
son in the parable. It is time to wake up and return to our
Heavenly Father in order to gain new life.
2. TO LIVE FOR ONE’S SELF

19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was
laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and
longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the
dogs came and licked his sores. Luke 16:19-21
□ The rich man in this passage sinned against God. His sin is
not because he is rich or living comfortably. His sin is his
indifference to the needy around him.
□ Many people, whether rich or poor, have this fault:

indifference to the needs of others. God called them “goats”
(Matthew 25:32, 41-45). They do not know how to care for
others; worse they use others for their personal gain. They
even want to use God to achieve their ambitions and self-
interests.
□ Their vision is to get rich and glorify themselves, but they

have no time to prosper spiritually. In a parable, Jesus
mentioned about this type of person whom He called
“fool”, Luke 12:16-21:
16And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain
rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself,
'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my
barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my
grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have
plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life
easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him,
'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from
you. Then who will get what you have prepared for
yourself?' 21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores
up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
3. TO LIVE FOR EARTHLY GOALS

1Brothers,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for the
Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about
them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not
based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the
righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish
their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
Romans 10:1-3
□ The above passage shows Apostle Paul praying to God for

the salvation of his fellow Jews. Their zealous service to
God was in vain because it was not based on the truth.
They did not know God’s righteous ways so they depended
on human effort (Romans 10:3).
□ This third type of people has concern and service for the
needy. The problem, however, lies in their earthly motive.
Their motive in serving others is to glorify self and not
God. Their ways are in conflict to God’s principles in the
Bible. Their goal is to uplift their group, doctrines or
leaders. This kind of worship is dead in God’s sight even if
it looks pleasant to others.
4. TO LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD’S PLAN

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I
send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I.
Send me!" Isaiah 6:8
□ The fourth type of living is to submit to God’s will so that

His plan be fulfilled on earth. This is what the Prophet
Isaiah did in his time. He said, “Here I am. Send me.”
We need to abandon all hindrances to our faith and

surrender our selves to God, so He can effectively use us
for His purposes (2 Timothy 2:21). We can only achieve
true freedom if we allow ourselves to be of God’s disposal.
True satisfaction is found in the center of God’s perfect
will.
APPLICATION:
1. Among the four ways of living, which one do you practice?
2. Are you ready to deny your earthly desires in order to obey
God’s call?
LESSON 6
“SMALL GROUP”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
One habit we must keep doing is to get together with fellow

believers. Fellowship is needed so we will not stray from God and
remain in Him until Jesus returns. The Bible says:
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you
see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25
TWO PLACES FOR GATHERING
There were two places where the believers in the New

Testament gathered. One was in the temple (big group) and the
other one was in the home (small group).
46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with
glad and sincere hearts, Acts 2:46
42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house,
they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news
that Jesus is the Christ.[a] Acts 5:42
SMALL GROUPS AT HOME
Many Christians today only see each other on Sundays. All the
gatherings they attend are only big meetings. Though this is not
wrong, this is not enough. There are important things we can
gain from small meetings that are not found in big gatherings.
We can see in the Bible that the Christians constantly met at
their homes.
20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that
would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from
house to house. Acts 20:20
5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear
friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the
province of Asia. Romans 16:5
19The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings.
Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so
does the church that meets at their house. 1 Corinthians 16:19
15Givemy greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to
Nympha and the church in her house. Colossians 4:15
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To
Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2to Apphia our
sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that
meets in your home: Philemon 1-2
THE PURPOSES OF THE SMALL GROUP
Our small group gathering which we call “cell group” or “Bible

study” has a purpose, otherwise it is a dead group. We will
now discuss four purposes of the small group.
1. Evangelism - Through a small group located in a

community, the unsaved can know God. Bringing the lost
to the Lord is the main purpose of the cell group. Without
this vision, the group will eventually die. All members of
the cell group must have compassion to the people around
them who have not yet received salvation. We need to
invite these people to our group so they too will be born
again.
2. Discipleship - The purpose of the cell group is not only to

save the lost but also to cultivate the faith of those who are
young in the Lord. In the small group, every individual can
be taught how to mature in their Christian lives. In the
small group too, there is newness of attitudes and habits.
3. Edification - There is strengthening of one another in the

cell group. There are times when a Christian becomes
weak, but he or she can receive encouragement from
Christian friends. Everyone is being looked after in a small
group.
4. Raising of Leaders - Because of the many souls to be

saved and discipled, there is a need for more laborers. The
cell group then is the best place to raise new leaders. In the
cell group, each member is being equipped to become a
leader. Each member then must see himself or herself as
having a potential of a leader who will soon be in charge of
his or her own cell group. It is therefore important for all
Christians to attend trainings given by the local church to
all members for them to become effective leaders.
ACTIVITIES IN THE CELL GROUP
1. Welcome - This is the time of knowing and making friends

among the group. This is also the time of listening to
testimonies and thanksgiving. (person to person)
2. Worship - This is the time of worshipping God through

songs. (person to God)
3. Word - This is the time when we allow God to speak to us

through the Bible. We use lessons in order to have a clear
step-by-step approach of receiving God’s word. (God to
person)
4. Work - This the time of planning and praying for people
who are not yet in the Lord and in the cell group. (person
to person)
APPLICATION:
1. How has the cell group helped you? Name three.

2. Do you desire to lead your own cell group when the time
comes?
LESSON 7
“THE CHURCH”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
18AndI tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build
my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it.[c]
Matthew 16:18b
I. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD

“CHURCH”?
□ The word “Church” in Greek is “ekklesia” which means “the

called out ones” in English. We are the church because in
Christ, we are called from death to everlasting life, from sin to
righteousness, and from the hands of the devil to the family of
God. The Church is not the building but the people who are
walking in the light of Christ.
II. WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE PART OF THE CHURCH?

47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the
Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:47b
□ We can read from the above passage that people who got saved
were added to the early Church. This means that one needs to
be saved to be among God’s people. We don’t join a church
to be saved; rather we have to be saved first before we can be
part of the church.
□ In what way can we be saved? Only Jesus Christ can save us,
and there is no other way. Only through faith in Him can we
receive salvation (Acts 16:30-31). Through the blood of Christ,
we are saved from our sins and become one with God and His
family called the church (Acts 20:28). If we are saved, then we
are part of the group who are “called”.
□ Jesus Christ is the door of the church of God (John 10:9). We
don’t join the church to be one in Christ, instead we need to be
united with Christ first before we join His people. We need to
be one with the Head of the church who is Christ before we
become part of the “body of Christ”.
III. WHERE CAN WE USE THE WORD “CHURCH”?
There are two ways the word “church” is used among Christians.
1. This can be used to mean all people who are part of the
body of Christ. This is the universal church made up of all
Christians. This is the body referred by Jesus Christ when
He said, “…I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18).
This is also the church described in the Bible as the body of
Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). All God’s children called from
darkness into light belong to this church (Colossians 1:13-
14; 1 Peter 2:9-10).
2. Church can also be used to mean the Christians who are

only part of the whole of God’s people. This term can be
used for Christians who gather in small groups (Romans
16:5), for one local church (Matthew 18:17; 1 Timothy
3:5), and for all believers in one place (Acts 8:3; 20:28, 1
Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1).
IV. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE

UNIVERSAL CHURCH AND THE LOCAL CHURCH?
1. The universal church is the whole body of Christ while the

local church is just a part of it. All Christians in the world
are part of the universal church.
2. The local church is led by people placed there by God
(Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4) but the universal church is
governed only by the Head who is Jesus Christ (Ephesians
1:22).
3. The local church is the visible church while the universal
church is the invisible one. The universal church is
manifested through the local churches.
A. ARE ALL LOCAL CHURCHES PART OF THE

UNIVERSAL CHURCH?
□ No. Just like the fact that false servants of Christ exist,
so do false local churches. Not all churches that
proclaim God are part of the universal church. There
are many false churches around us.
B. HOW TO IDENTIFY A TRUE LOCAL CHURCH?
There are five signs of a true local church:
1. Jesus is the Savior
□ In the true church of Jesus Christ, the free gift of

salvation is experienced by all members. The members
live in Christ and are sure of eternal life after death
(Philippians 1:21). They also preach the message of
salvation to all who are still unsaved (Acts 5:42).
□ In the false church, most of the members and even the

leaders have no assurance of salvation. They strive hard
to be saved through good works. They have not
received “grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. Only Jesus is Lifted Up
□ In the true church where the Holy Spirit dwells, Jesus

Christ is the only one lifted up (1 Corinthians 12:3) and
not any person or any group. Jesus Christ is
acknowledged as the one who became flesh as a
sacrifice for our sins. He is the center of worship and
praise. He is the God and leader of the church.
3. Jesus Lives and Moves
□ A true church experiences the Living Presence of God.

There are changes that can be seen in the lives of the
members. The fruits of the Holy Spirit can be
recognized among many (Galatians 5:22-23). They can
also always experience miracles as a result of God’s
Living Presence in their midst (Acts 2:43; 3:1-10; 4:31;
5:12-16; 6:8).
□ In the false churches, there are no positive changes in

the lives of the members; rather they are chained by
many vices and sins. Their meetings are dry and
lifeless. They have religion but no relationship with the
Living God. They know God only in their minds, but
they have no personal experience with Him.
4. All of God’s Words are Followed
□ A true church follows all the commands and principles

of the Bible. The Bible is the ultimate authority all the
members believe and follow (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The
members are taught to trust the Scriptures as the light in
their paths (Psalm 119:105). They see the Bible as the
word of God and not as of man. The Bible is above the
church. Whatever the Bible says, they follow.
□ In the false church, the principles and thoughts of man

are given more value than the Bible. Though they
believe the Bible, they select what principles they want
to accepts as the ones coming from God. Moreover,
what they accept are those they like only. They see the
Bible as under the authority of the church. They believe
that the church leader is the final authority who
must be followed.
5. God is Worshipped in Spirit and In Truth (John 4:23-24)
□ Worship in the true church is founded on the “spirit and

truth” (John 4:23-24). This means that the worship
comes from the heart and guided by the Spirit, and the
conduct of worship is Biblical.
□ False churches worship through tradition. They do

religious acts because they are used to them. Their
worship is not heartfelt because they don’t understand
much what they are doing (Matthew 15:8). Also, many
of their ways are based on human principles (Matthew
15:9).
V. DO WE NEED TO BE PART OF THE TRUE CHURCH?
□ We must be! Just as we need a good home to become

“normal” persons, we also need a good “spiritual home” to
become “normal” Christians. There are many of God’s children
who are still immature even if they have been with Him for a
long time because they are not planted in a living, strong and
flourishing local church. They are planted in dead groups and
religions where the Holy Spirit cannot be found and the Word
is not completely preached.
VI. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING PLANTED IN

THE TRUE CHURCH?
1. We are established - Because of God’s Presence, we

receive rest and peace (Haggai 2:9).
2. We are taken cared of - Because the leader of the local
church has real concern for all the members, then we are
taken cared of.
3. We grow and change - Because the group belongs to God,

there is life and complete spiritual nourishment. These lead
us to a life of constant growth and fruitfulness (Read
Psalms 92:12-14).
4. We can endure - Because of God, righteous leaders with

real concern, and loving fellow members, we can keep
going with Him.
5. We can be used by God - A real church teaches and

equips its members so they can respond to God’s call for
ministry.
APPLICATION:
1. What new things have you learned in this lesson? Give two.
2. Can you say that the local church where you attend is a true
and living church?
3. What’s the relationship with our obedience to God and our
being planted in a true church?
LESSON 8
“WORK”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had

recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius
had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and
worked with them. 4Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue,

trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5When Silas and Timothy
came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to
preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. [a]
Acts 18:2-5
We can read from above verses that Apostle Paul made tents for
the whole week except for the rest day when preached in the
synagogues. Before his financial help from Macedonia arrived, he
worked so that he could support himself and his ministry. One has
to understand the real value of work. We will now discuss three
things why it is important to work.
IF WE WORK….
1. Our needs will be met

14Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is
good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and
not live unproductive lives. Titus 3:14
□ God blesses the work of our hands (Deuteronomy 28:8,

12). Through good income, we can provide for our daily
needs, and we don’t have to rely on others in order to
survive. King David said that he has already become old,
but he has not seen a righteous person forgotten by God
and his children begging for food (Psalms 37:25-26). A
diligent person will not go hungry (Proverbs 10:4; 12:11;
14:23).
2. We become good examples to others

8nor did w56e eat anyone’s food without paying for it, On the
contrary, we worked night and day. Laboring and toiling so
that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not
because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to
make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we
were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work,
he shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:8-10
□ A lazy person, aside from suffering much, will not also be a

good example to others. The Bible does not encourage
laziness, in fact Apostle Peter said, “If a man will not work,
he shall not eat”.
3. We become effective in serving God

2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who
had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because
Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to
see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he
stayed and worked with them. 4Every Sabbath he reasoned in
the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks Acts 18:2-4
□ Work is not a hindrance in our service to the Lord; rather it

is an instrument of an effective service to God. We work so
we can serve God. Our purpose in working is to support
ourselves, family and ministry. We can make our work a
support system in doing God’s will of saving and changing
others, like what Apostle Paul did (Acts18:2-4).
□ Our work must not be a wall but a bridge in accomplishing
God’s call for us. If our work stops us from serving God,
then we should look for another job. Or maybe, we just
need a proper time management to balance quality time for
our family, work and ministry. We have to ask the Holy
Spirit to help us set our priorities right because God does
not give us work that hinders His call in our lives.
4. We can help the needy

8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in
all things at all times, having all that you need, you will
abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
□ Through work we can provide for our needs as well as the

needs of others. God commands us to help the poor and
needy (Matthew 26:35-45; James 1:27). However, how can
we help them if we ourselves do not have enough income?
How can we prosper if we don’t work?
□ God intends us to be the lender and not the borrower

(Deuteronomy 28:12). God wants us to prosper financially
so we can help those who have needs. It is not right for us
to ask only for ourselves and our family. Too much money
becomes wrong when our heart and motive for asking are
not right with God.
□ When we help the needy, the Holy Spirit guides us in doing

so. We are not called to provide for all the needs in this
world but only those commanded by God. Only what God
says, then we must do. We must make sure that when we
help others, they should not become lazy or “parasites”.
There are times when we give fish, but there is also a time
to help others how to fish.
5. We can support ministries of the Lord

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be
food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty,
"and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and
pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough
for it. Malachi 3:10a
□ If we have good jobs, then we can give much to the local

church through our tithes and offerings. If we have big
income, we can also support God’s missionaries through
our special offerings, just like what the Philippians gave to
Apostle Paul (Philippians 4:14-18).
TWO TYPES OF WORK
1. Working for others (employee)

Advantages of being an employee
a. Stable daily wage
b. Stable monthly income
2. Working for one’s self (self-employed)

Advantages of being self-employed
a. There is a possibility for our income to greatly
increase
b. We can do what want since we are the boss
c. We can enlarge our business
d. We are the one in-charge with our time
WAYS TO FIND THE RIGHT JOB:

1. Make right our relationship with God (Romans 12:1-2).
2. Realize what are the things we desire or want to do (Psalms
37:4)
3. See what we have in our hands-ability and skill
(Deuteronomy 8:18).
4. Listen to God’s guidance and see what opportunities He is
opening for us (Proverbs 3:5-6; Revelations 3:7).
WARNINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE WORKING
1. Watch out that we don’t fall into the danger of loving

money (1 Timothy 6:10).
2. Watch out that we don’t stray from our service to God
(Matthew 6:24).
3. Watch out also that we don’t take our jobs for granted for
the sake of the ministry. If our support is taken from us, so
is our ministry. We need to maintain a balanced life. We
need to put God first, family second, work third and the
ministry follows. Why must work be above the ministry?
As mentioned earlier, work is the support system of the
ministry so it must be prioritized first.
FOUR TYPES OF MEMBERS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
1. One who has money because of work but has no ministry

2. One who has ministry but not money because there is no
work
3. One who has no money and no ministry
4. One who has both money and ministry
APPLICATION:
1. Cite three things that speak to you in this lesson? Why?

2. Among the four types of members in the church, which one
are you? Among the four, which one is right?
LESSON 9
“SERVANT OF GOD”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who,

being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the
very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-
8
RECEIVE THE MIND OF CHRIST
We are commanded to receive the mind of Christ (v. 5)

because our minds have been bombarded with the principles of
this world. Through the media, we receive many false beliefs
and doctrines. Even in our homes, schools, government and
traditional churches, we receive teachings in conflict with the
Bible. There are many good things we enjoy in these
institutions, but there are also plenty of garbage there that can
destroy us. This is mainly the reason why we are called to
renew our minds in Christ (Romans 12:2).
GOD WHO HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME A

SERVANT
Philippians 2:6-8 tell us that Jesus Christ did not use His power
as God, instead he became man. He was a person who received
the attitude of a servant. He said that He came not to be served
but to serve (Matthew 20:28). All His activities were in
accordance to the Father’s will (John 15: 19-20). The mind of
Christ when He came to earth was set on obeying the Father’s
will-to save the whole world (John 3:16; Luke 19:10). He
served by dying on the cross to redeem the sins of the world
and to save all sinners (John 1:29). He was the only one worthy
to pay for our sins because He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21;
1 Peter 2:22). He humbled Himself and became the instrument
and servant of the Father.
A TRUE CHILD OF GOD SERVES
We who are also children of God must become servants. We

don’t serve to become God’s children, rather, because we are
His children (through faith in Jesus Christ), then we serve our
Heavenly Father. We are called to daily deny ourselves and
carry our own cross (Luke 9:23). The cross represents our
individual responsibilities in God’s Kingdom. We are entrusted
to carry on the work of Jesus in calvary (Luke 24:47). We are
the ones to implement what He finished in calvary.
DIAKONO OR DOULOS
One mark of a mature Christian is neither how long he or she

has known the Lord nor his or her knowledge of the Bible but
the person’s capacity to carry out responsibilities in the
ministry. All mature Christians naturally serve God. There are
two Greek words for the word “servant”-- diakono or doulos. A
Christian who serves can either be these two.
WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DIAKONO AND

A DOULOS?
1. Diakono - a Christian who serves God according to how he

or she wants to serve Him. This Christian chooses what he
or she can serve to the body of Christ. Many times the
Diakono looks at what can be received in return for the
service. He or she wants to be praised for all his or her
good deeds. All servants of God started as a Diakono.
2. Doulos - a servant of God who denies the self in the desire

to follow only the will of God. He or she is not anymore
interested with praises or rewards. As long as he or she
pleases the Master, the Doulos is already satisfied. A
doulos freely binds himself or herself to the Master. His or
her life and honor is in the Master Himself.
THE SERVANT OF GOD

(Exodus 5-6)
2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But
in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.
Exodus 21:2
Four things about a servant:
1. Servanthood is a result of the servant’s great love to the

Master. Our service to God is not forced but it stems from
the heart. This is the result of our great love to Him who
redeemed us from the punishment of our sins (Galatians
2:20). We love Him because we know that He first loved us
(1 John 4:19).
2. A servant only serves in the family of the Master. The

home of the Master is also the servant’s home. This means
that the servant does not need to build his own home and
family. All his services are centered in God’s family
(Haggai 1:2-9).
3. A servant listens and obeys only the voice of the Master.

The ear of the servant will be pierced by the Master to
symbolize that the servant will listen only to Him. A true
servant of God does not anymore follow the self, others or
even situations. His or her spiritual ears belong to God
alone. The servant’s desire is to obey God’s will in all
situations and all times (Ephesians 5:15-17; Romans 12:2;
James 4:13-15).
4. A servant serves for the rest of his or her life. Once the
servant’s ear has been pierced, he remains a servant for the
rest of his life. A doulos is God’s servant forever. There is
no retirement in God’s service. We must serve God until
Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
APPLICATION:
1. What do you call a son or a daughter who has no concern

for the family of God?
2. Have you received the mind of Christ when He came to
earth for our behalf?
3. Are you ready to be His servant? Are you ready to obey
anything He calls you to do?
4. Are the things you do focused on the progress of God’s
family?
LESSON 10
“THE SOLDIER OF GOD”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron,
the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD,
and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years
old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 2 Samuel
5:3-4
Why did God’s King enlarge in the time of King David?
1. God was in the life of David
2. David obeyed the call of God
3. There were noble soldiers behind David
What kind of people approached David and became noble
soldiers?
2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented
gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four
hundred men were with him. 1 Samuel 22:2
1. Problematic people
2. People in debt
3. Discontented people
□ We must not see ourselves as who we are now, but we must

focus on what God can do for us in the future!
Characteristics of David’s three most mighty men:
1. Josheb-Basshebeth
8 These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-
Basshebeth, [a] a Tahkemonite, [b] was chief of the Three; he
raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed [c]
in one encounter. 2 Samuel 23:8
□ Passionately used what he had no matter how
insignificant
Josheb-Bashebeth killed 800 enemies using only a single
weapon in one fight. God wants to use whatever we have no
matter how small it seems. Can God use a Christian who has
only one verse to save 800 souls? Yes indeed! No matter how
small our weapon is, it can still accomplish much.
The devil’s strategy is to magnify our lack and weaknesses and

hide our strengths. The truth is we have received so much from
the Father because of Christ who is with us. The Bible says,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
2. Eleazar
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of
the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the
Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim [a] for battle. Then the
men of Israel retreated, 10 but he stood his ground and struck
down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the
sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The
troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. 2 Samuel
23:9-10
□ Stands firm in the midst of many problems

In the midst of a heated battle, only Eleazar did not retreat
among David’s men, so God gave them victory. Let the
problems retreat but not us. There is no problem that can
destroy us unless we allow it. We must not retreat. We must
keep on!
Why some left the ministry?
i. Fear- fear of failure, fear of men and fear of more
responsibilities
ii. Conflict and misunderstanding with fellow servants
iii. Disillusionment and confusion with the church system
iv. Discouragement and lukewarmness
v. Lack of trust with the leader of the group
No matter what happens, we must not turn our backs on God’s

call. We need to be like Paul who said, “…I was not
disobedient to the vision from heaven” (Acts 26:19).
□ Ready to sacrifice his life for the master

Eleazar did not run for his life because He defended his leader
David. He was ready to die for his master. The worst thing is
for the soldier to kill the master instead! We can praise
Shem and Japhet, the sons of Noah who covered the nakedness
of their father but not Ham who took advantage of his father’s
weakness (Genesis 9:18-23). Children who defend their Father
are blessed but those who don’t are cursed (Genesis 9:24-27).
3. Shammah
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When
the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a
field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. 12 But
Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended
it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought
about a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:11-12
□ Has a sense of ownership of his work

Shammah did not leave the field planted with beans when the
Philistines banded there. He considered it as his own because
he was the one who planted the field. We need to recognize
that it is God and not just someone who called us for the
ministry. God entrusted us with such responsibility, and we
must give our lives for it.
□ Has a sense of accountability
The comrades of Shammah ran when the Philistines came
because they did not understand that they were entrusted with
the field. Whatever would happen to it, they would be held
accountable. If we know that God has assigned us for a certain
task, we work hard to produce fruits.
We must not hide away our God-given talents; instead we must

use them to succeed. In the Day of Judgment, what we want to
hear from our Master are the words, “Well done though good
and faithful servant. Because you can be entrusted with little, I
will entrust you with much” and not the words, “Useless and
lazy servant! Throw this worthless servant outside, into the
darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
(Matthew 25: 14-30).
APPLICATION:
1. Give two things you learn in this lesson. Discuss

2. What do you call a soldier who has no concern over his or
her responsibilities?
3. Do you accept that you are God’s soldier called to
implement His Kingdom and will on earth? (2 Timothy
2:3-4)
LESSON 11
“BLESSING OTHERS”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
Our blessings in Christ are not only for ourselves but also for those
are not yet saved. God saved us first so that those who are still lost
will also be saved. We are blessed so we can become blessings.
How can we bless others?
1. HOLINESS
12
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they
accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12
□ Through our changed lives, we can bless people who

surround us. Because of our oneness with the branch
(Jesus), we can bear fruits of the Holy Spirit (John 15:5;
Galatians 5:22-23). Our godly living is our most effective
message to the unsaved that Christ is here and He is
with us. Before we can preach the good news, it must be
first seen in our lives.
2. FRIENDSHIP
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a
slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I
became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I
became like one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not
having the law I became like one not having the law (though I
am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to
win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to
win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all
possible means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:19-22
□ Apostle Paul knew how to deal with different people to
effectively bring them to Christ. He knew how to relate
with all people, whether religious or sinner, strong or weak.
This does not mean though that he also sinned to win the
sinners. The Bible clearly states that he lived victoriously
against sins and temptations (1 Thessalonians 2:10;
Galatians 2:20). What he did was to befriend the sinners.
Even Jesus Christ in his time did not avoid sinners, but he
related with them that they might be saved (Matthew 9:10-
12). He was called the “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34). We
are called “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14;
Ephesians 5:8). The light does not run away from the
darkness, rather it goes to those in darkness that they
may be enlightened!
3. SERVICE
16Inthe same way, let your light shine before men, that they
may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
□ One way to effectively bless others is to serve them. Many

people want to be served. But our Lord Jesus Christ left us
with an example that it is better for us to serve than to be
served (John 13:13-17; Matthew 20:28). A pure religion
takes care of the needy (James 1:27; Galatians 2:10). To
serve others is to minister to their needs whether
physical, financial, emotional, mental or spiritual. If we
serve someone, we are touching this person’s heart making
it possible for him or her to be open to the good news.
4. TESTIMONY
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
□ All of God’s children have something to say on how God is

so good in their lives. Each Christian has a testimony. This
testimony must be shared to others so they too will be
blessed. Wherever Apostle Paul went, he always testified
what he was like before he knew God, how did he
encounter God and how he was changed by God (Acts 22:
2-21; 26:2-23). These three, 1) our past, 2) how we met
Jesus Christ and 3) who we are in Christ now are very
important details we must include in sharing our testimony.
A Christian with a personal experience with the Lord
cannot stop testifying to others (Acts 4:19-20).
5. EVANGELISM
15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the
good news to all creation. Mark 16:15
□ Evangelism is bringing the free gift of salvation in Jesus

Christ to the unsaved. This is God’s commandment (Mark
16:15; Luke 24:46-47) obediently followed by the early
church (Acts 5:42) and must still be followed by all
Christians today. A true disciple is not only committed to
his or her relationship with God but also in spreading the
good news to the lost (Mark 8:35).
APPLICATION:
1. Among the five ways of blessing others, which one you
want to start doing?
2. What is the meaning of “don’t be equally yoke with the
unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6: 14)? Does this mean that we
must not befriend the sinners?
3. Is it possible for a true disciple to commit to his or
relationship with God but not to the Great Commission of
saving others?
LESSON 12
“MULTIPLYING ONESELF”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed
them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of
the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Genesis 1:27-28
i. God’s Intention and Plan
God made us in His own so we can understand Him. He

wanted to relate with us. God is not understood by His other
creations (animals, fish, birds, vegetation, etc.) because they
were not made in God’s image. Only man and woman are
made in the likeness of God. He or she can understand God,
and God can understand him or her. God did not intend for
Adam and Eve to be His only offspring, but He desired to have
many more. So He commanded them to bear many children to
fill the whole earth.
ii. The Devil Twisted God’s Plan
The devil cannot touch God, but he can hurt God by destroying
His plans. He deceived the first woman and used her to tempt
the first man (Genesis 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 2: 14). This was where
the devil succeeded in driving man away from the plan and
glory of God.
iii. The Result of Sin in the First Man
When man sinned against God, his relationship with Him was
cut off and his relationship with the devil started (1 John 3:8).
The Spirit of God left him and evil spirits dwelt inside him
(Matthew 12:43-45). The blessings of God departed and the
curse arrived. The authority that God gave to man was lost, so
worldly things dominated him. The image of God in him was
lost, and the characteristics of the devil overtook him (John
8:37-44).
iv. Sinners Dominate the Earth
Sin was passed on to all people after the first man and woman
sinned (Romans 5:12). People who were supposed to be God’s
children became the children of the devil (1 John 3:10). It is
true that all people came from God but because of sin, all
people became slaves of evil spirits (Ephesians 2:2). Because
of what Adam did, Satan became the god of this world fallen
into darkness (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). Instead of
God’s children taking charge of the whole earth, the children of
the devil inhabited it. The wicked spread in the whole world
(Galatians 3:22).
v. Jesus Came to Defeat the Devil and Save His Creation
Jesus came to destroy the work of the enemy (1 John 3:8; Acts
10:38). He preached everywhere that the Kingdom of Heaven
is already on earth (Matthew 4:17). He spread the power of the
Kingdom through miracles. He went to the cross to defeat
death and strip darkness of its power (Colossians 2:15). There
in the cross He took upon Himself the punishment of our sins
that we may gain freedom.
vi. Jesus’ Strategy of Regaining the Nations
When God wanted His children to multiply in the world, He

started with only two people-Adam and Eve. When the devil
opposed Him, His goal and strategy remained the same- to
multiply His children through a small group. Before Jesus
went to the cross, he took enough time to produce 12 disciples
(Mark 3:13-15). Jesus came to save the whole world, and His
strategy was to raise and equip strong disciples. They were
very committed believers who would continue what their
Master started (Matthew 24:14).
vii. All Believers are Called to Become Disciples
It is not enough that we are saved. It is very important that the

image of God in us stolen by the devil be returned (2
Corinthians 3:18). We need to be disciples of Christ. This
means that we must live out the teachings of Jesus Christ (John
8:31) that we may be like Him. This is what the Father intends
us to be (Romans 8:29). A disciple is a copy of his or her
Teacher who is Jesus Christ.
viii. All Disciples Need a Spiritual Father
All are called to be under a “spiritual father” to become a

mature Christian. This is the relationship of Joshua to Moses
(Exodus 33:11), Elisha to Elijah (2 Kings 2:2) Paul to Barnabas
(Acts 11:25-26), Timothy to Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 2:2), and
Mark to Peter (1 Peter 5:13). No one will become a disciple if
he or she will not submit to a discipler.
ix. All Christians are Called to Make Disciples
Jesus left this earth with a commandment to His disciples to

make more disciples who will also make some more disciples.
This process will go on and on until all nations will be filled
with them.
x. Through Us, God’s Offspring will Increase
God did not only call us to grow mature in Him, but we also
need to give birth (evangelism) and raise many disciples. A
disciple is like Jesus Christ, and God wants many disciples
through us. Just as we follow Christ, let us also encourage
others to follow us, like what Apostle Paul said, “…imitate me
as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
xi. A True Disciple Will Yield Many More Disciples
A true disciple will bear spiritual children (John 4:1-2). This is

the mark of a mature believer of Christ. Only a mature
Christian can persuade others to grow. We cannot lead young
Christians to spiritual journeys we ourselves have not walked
through. We can only share truths that we ourselves have
experienced and lived out.
xii. The Spirit of the Father is in Us
What we need in order to raise disciples in not our spiritual

gifts, but the Spirit of the Father inside us. Jesus became an
effective discipler in His time because of the Holy Spirit in His
life (John 14:7-10). Discipleship is a process of caring,
equipping and fathering others. Fathering is the will of the
Father through the Holy Spirit to work in us for the sake of
others. Through the giving of our time to our disciples, our
Heavenly Father can work in their lives so they may change,
grow and walk to His call in their lives. This is what Jesus did
in His time.
APPLICATION:
1. What happens to a child without a Father to take care of

him or her?
2. Are you ready to submit to a spiritual father or discipler?
3. Are you ready to make disciples just like Jesus whom you
follow?

3 Discipleship Series BOOKLET

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3 Discipleship Series BOOKLET

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Journey Discipleship Materials

Edited by Pastor Norman S. Lao

Lesson 3: INQUIRING OF THE LORD

Lesson 4: THE VOICE OF GOD

Lesson 5: FOUR WAYS OF LIVING

Lesson 6: SMALL GROUP

Lesson 7: THE CHURCH

Lesson 9: SERVANT OF GOD

Lesson 10: THE SOLDIER OF GOD

Lesson 11: BLESSING OTHERS Part 1

Lesson 12: BLESSING OTHERS Part 2

Lesson 13: MULTIPLYING ONESELF

3|Page JOURNEY DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

We wonder why there are many Christians who started well

I. FOUR TYPES OF COMMITMENT

□ There are many Christians who have wrong motives

4|Page JOURNEY DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

2. Commitment after Ambitions

□ There are people who cannot commit to God and His

□ Another person again told Jesus, “I’ll follow you Lord,

□ Either God will bless us or not, either He will

b. Commitment to God’s Will

□ We are called to abandon our worldly desires

c. Commitment without Turning Back

□ Before Elisha became Elijah’s servant, he

7|Page JOURNEY DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

9 andevery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of

The Lordship of Christ is one of the very important teachings in

I. LORDSHIP IS IMPORTANT IN SALVATION

II. HIS LORDSHIP REQUIRES OBEDIENCE

8|Page JOURNEY DISCIPLESHIP SERIES

III. HIS LORDSHIP BEGINS IN THE HEART

IV. HIS LORDSHIP LASTS

Our relationship with God begins with the acceptance of His

V. HIS LORDSHIP ENCOMPASSES ALL ASPECTS OF

Jesus Christ should be Lord in our:

Our respect of Him must be greater than any important

We must love God above ourselves. It is not we who are in

3. How do you assess if money has become your master

The First Proud Creation

Adam Became Proud

CURSED IS THE ONE WHO RELIES ON MAN’S

Destruction happens to a person who trusts in his or her own

BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO TRUSTS GOD

A MAN WHO TRUSTS GOD CONSTANTLY SEEKS HIM

A proud person depends on his or her wisdom, but a person

THE PRINCIPLE OF LISTENING BEFORE DOING

This principle was practiced by David when he was still living

Jesus also followed the same principle during Hs time on earth.

Jesus is our model on how to live life on earth (1 John 2:6). We

I. GOD WANTS TO TALK TO US

The Bible says God wants to have a relationship with the

II. WE CAN HEAR GOD

If God wants us to hear Him, this means that He also gives us

III. WHY DO WE NEED TO HEAR GOD?

1. To deepen our relationship with God

2. To be able to obey God and do His perfect will

3. To receive knowledge on the secret things of God

III. GOD’S WAYS OF SPEAKING TO US

1. Bible - God speaks to our lives through the Bible. While

3. Peace of God - there are times when God leads us by a

4. Vision - Sometimes God gives a picture in our minds

5. Dream - God also speaks to us through a dream, just as He

6. Spiritual Leaders - God also uses people, especially