Elements Essential To
Revitalization
Bruce Raley
Director Church Education Ministry
Our Lord’s Final Command
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I
am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20
BASIC
ASSUMPTION
All churches can be more
effective in carrying out their
Kingdom work…improving a
Kingdom focus.
QUESTION ?
What do you think God
wants to do in every
church?
Commonalities…and Distinct Differences
NUMERICAL GROWTH: The lost
being saved
SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION:
The saved becoming more like
Christ
MINISTRY EXPANSION: The saved
being involved in ministry
KINGDOM ADVANCE: The saved
being involved in missions
What prevents your
church from doing what it
should and experiencing
what God wants to do?
An effective disciplemaking process
ALWAYS begins with
the leadership.
Paul’s Example
1 Corinthians 4:16
1 Corinthians 11:1
Ephesians 5:1
1 Thessalonians 1:6-7
Disciple-making guides
people to be transformed
into Christlikeness so
they think and act like
Christ.
A
God’s
Plumb
Line
Amos 7:8
B
TRENDS
Impacting the Disciplemaking Ministry of the
Church
Moving from a scorecard of simply bodies, budgets and
buildings to also including intangible measurements.
Society has moved past a “post-Christian” culture to a “preChristian” culture.
Transition of paradigms:
Believe – Behave – Belong
to
Belong – Believe – Behave
Society is no longer a melting pot, but now mosaic.
Growing demand for process in discipleship.
Church leaders are trying to define “family ministry”. There is a
shift from ministry at church to ministry at home.
Shift in moving from group training to individual or within
small groups of people.
How many apples?
Offensive vs Defensive
Discipleship
What is discipleship?
1. Discipleship is not information.
2. Discipleship is not behavior modification.
3. Discipleship is transformation.
True discipleship always goes
after the heart – not behavior.
Realities
1.Discipleship takes places best
in the context of relationships.
2.Relationships develop within
smaller groups.
3.A group is composed of two or
more individuals.
Bruce Raley
Lost & Me
Other Christians & Me
My Family & Me
Worship
God &
Me
Open
Group
Marriage
Daily in
the Word
Closed
Group
Parenting
On-going
Group
Short-term
Group
One-on-One
(Mentoring, Coaching
Church Group Ministry Discipleship
8 Attributes of Discipleship
 Bible Engagement
 Obeying God and Denying Self
 Serving God and Others
 Sharing Christ
 Exercising Faith
 Seeking God
 Building Relationships
 Unashamed
Truth
Leaders
Posture
Truth
 Gospel
Truth
 Identity
 Discipline
Leaders
Posture
Posture
Truth
 Weakness
 Interdependence
 Outward Focus
Leaders
Posture
Leaders
 Indispensible
Truth
quality
 Godly leaders
applying truth
Leaders
Posture
Start New Groups
Form a circle
The Word of God is
the focal point of life
transformational
groups
Barriers must be
overcome
Time and location no
longer define groups
Need for Sunday and
weekday groups
Catalysts are essential
for the creation of new
groups
New groups are created
proactively
Organization attendance
will increase
approximately 10 for
every new adult groups
properly started.
HOPE!
 More people accepting Christ and
being baptized
 More people maturing in Christ
 More people engaged in ministry
 More people giving to kingdom
causes
Every church begins at least
one new Sunday School class
each year … one group for
every hundred people in
attendance.
Watch For The Breaks in the Sandbar
And what you have heard from me in
the presence of many witnesses,
commit to faithful men who will be
able to teach others also.
- 2 Timothy 2:2 (HCSB)