Brave New Discipleship: Cultivating Scripture-driven Christians in a Culture-driven World

by Max Anders

Overview

Brave New Discipleship presents a new and comprehensive discipleship model for Christians living in a culture that has grown increasingly hostile to spirituality. This book is a toolkit of biblically sound ways to grow and strengthen your church.

We live in a social climate that tries to force spirituality to take a backseat to cultural demands. We see this in the way technology has made it easy to access any kind of moral degradation. We see this in the deteriorating ethical landscape of popular culture, from unrestrained violence to open explorations of deviant lifestyles.

Many young Christians see this as normal. In response to this, Christians—and especially the church at large—need a holistic discipleship strategy that addresses all areas of life to meet the new challenges of a radically shifting and secular modern world.

Max Anders will help you and your church integrate the best of modern educational research to guide the most effective discipleship strategy possible. Using strong biblical principles, Brave New Discipleship,

• Explores the seven spiritual responsibilities, or 'marks,' of a Christian.
• Describes the three educational goals in a Christian's life that lead to spiritual growth.
• Explains and employs a set of knowledge, lifestyle, and ministry skill methods that impact the Christian's life and walk with Christ.

Throughout, Anders explores Scripture and sheds light on what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable for modern ministry.

Features include:

• Memory exercises to help the reader absorb a summary of what he or she has read.
• Understanding exercises to help the reader put into his own words what he or she has read, to be sure he grasps the truth.
• Application exercises to allow the reader to apply the truth to his or her personal life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780718030643
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	02/17/2015
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Dr. Max Anders is the author of over 25 books, including the bestselling 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, and is the creator and general editor of the 32-volume Holman Bible Commentary series. He has taught on the college and seminary level and is a veteran pastor. Max provides resources and discipleship strategies at www.maxanders.com to help people grow spiritually.

Table of Contents

How to Get the Most from This Book ix

Introduction: The Brave New World of the twenty-first century requires a Brave New Discipleship strategy to meet the new demands xi

Chapter 1 Discipleship in the Twenty-First Century Presents Unprecedented Challenges 1

The pervasiveness of electronic communication presents a multipronged challenge to the cultivation of a vital inner life, creating new demands for discipleship.

Chapter 2 We Become What We Behold 9

We automatically become like what we put into our minds and what we allow our minds to dwell on. Therefore, we must strategically guard our minds.

Chapter 3 Modern Culture Requires a Holistic Discipleship Strategy 23

Cultural opposition to Christianity places historic demands on our discipleship strategy requiring that we target each of a Christian's seven spiritual responsibilities.

Chapter 4 Mark No. 1: A Complete Christian Worships God Individually 33

A rich Christian experience requires a vital inner life. Therefore, the complete Christian cultivates his inner life, setting aside some time each day for individual worship, praying, and meditating throughout the day and dedicating each activity as an act of worship to God.

Chapter 5 Mark No. 2: A Complete Christian Worships God Corporately 45

The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. Therefore, a complete Christian worships God with other Christians and integrates his entire life with other Christians.

Chapter 6 Mark No. 3: A Complete Christian Grows in Biblical Knowledge 55

Knowledge is not everything, but everything rests on knowledge. Therefore, the complete Christian masters the Bible so well that the Bible masters him.

Chapter 7 Mark No. 4: A Complete Christian Grows in a Christlike Lifestyle 65

A Christian is measured not primarily by what he knows or what he does, but by who he is. Therefore, a complete Christian commits to being conformed to the character image of Christ.

Chapter 8 Mark No. 5: A Complete Christian Grows in Ministry Skills 79

God gives each person a job to do and gifts to do it with. Therefore, a complete Christian discovers and uses his spiritual gifts and shares his faith with others.

Chapter 9 Mark No. 6: A Complete Christian Impacts the Church 89

Christians are family and should care for one another. Therefore, u complete Christian uses his time, talent, and treasure for the welfare of the church and other Christians.

Chapter 10 Mark No. 7: A Complete Christian Impacts the World 99

Because God loved the world and gave Himself for it, so should we. Therefore, a complete Christian serves the world through evangelism and humanitarianism.

Chapter 11 The Seven Ministries of a Complete Church 109

The seven marks of a complete Christian mandate, by default, seven ministries of a complete church.

Chapter 12 The Three Spiritual Growth Goals 115

There are three, and only three, educational goals leading to spiritual growth.

Chapter 13 Knowledge Methods Must Match Knowledge Goals 127

To help a Christian master what he needs to know, knowledge methods must be used.

Chapter 14 Lifestyle Methods Must Match Lifestyle Goals 143

To help a Christian master what he needs to be, lifestyle methods must be used.

Chapter 15 Ministry Skill Methods Must Match Ministry Skill Goals 153

To help a Christian master what he needs to do, ministry skill methods must be used.

Chapter 16 Capitalizing on How the Mind Works 159

The core issue in experiencing lifestyle change is mental renewal.

Chapter 17 Leading the Way 175

Disciplers set the spiritual high-water mark for those they disciple.

Appendix A Brave New Discipleship for the Church 193

Appendix B Brave New Discipleship for Christian Schools and Homeschools 207

Appendix C Brave New Discipleship Curriculum 215

Appendix D Use of Media vs. People in Discipleship 217

Notes 221