Customer Reviews

Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ

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The philosophy/theology behind this workbook is in Ogden's Transformed Discipleship - a must read for leaders considering using this workbook. The workbook is excellent, covering the basics. But a caution is necessary. If it is treated like a Sunday School, fill-in-the-blanks, assignment, transformation is unlikely. Read the questions carefully. Reflect on them. Ask God to reveal to you how to answer from your heart. If you do, you will become a disciple. Living out Christianity is not "purpose" driven but "process" driven: Matt 28:19-20 declares the process is "make disciples" . . . this workbook is the teaching component of that. Go, now, make disciples.

Excellent resource for new believers and the many of us who have accumulated head knowledge but not awareness of our personal discipleship -- great tool.

I've seen my students leaders barf on various kinds of discipleship "materials" over the years. This is the only discipleship "stuff" that they have really loved and been impressed by (re: because it's well written & and written at a college-level). I love it because it's lead foot is "making disciples" ...it's got the right DNA.

Daniel Curran
The Bay Area Campus Ministry * Campus Crusade for Christ

After years of various approaches to disicplemaking, I was so excited to first read Greg Ogden's "Transforming Discipleship" which then led me to this work, "Discipleship Essentials," a 24 week curriculum for disciplemaking. Our church is using it in groups of three or four who upon completion prayerfully enlist their own "triad" to go through the material with. It can take as long as a year, but for the first time we are seeing genuine multiplication take place. Get both books and get started today!

I have used this workbook with men one on one; in a triad; and in a group of four. In all three groups the participants have enjoyed the study, the group time, and have gone on to make more disciples by using the book to disciple others. As a pastor and life Coach I have used this tool for a few years now, and still think it's the best tool to get Christians together and grounded in the Christian basics - theologically, philosophically, and with a Christo-centric focus for all of life.

In Ogden's own words he says he designed this discipleship workbook as a tool to accomplish these three elements to create a climate for the Holy Spirit to bring accelerated growth:

1) "The first element is the unchanging truth of God's word" (each chapter contains a core truth based on a memory verse, and includes an inductive bible study with discussion questions based on the passage for study, discussion, and application).

2) "The second element in the Holy Spirit's laboratory is transparent relationships...Transformation occurs when we grapple with the truth of God's Word in the context of transparent relationships. It is a biblical axiom that the Holy Spirit will have free sway in our lives to the extent to which we open ourselves up to one another. Honesty with God is not sufficient. We give God permission to reshape our lives when we risk self-evaluation and confession to others. We can't grow in Christ by ourselves. We are people made for community" (each chapter has a selected reading after the inductive Bible study on the topic of discussion - these selections are short and very good).

3) "The third element that creates the climate for transformation is mutual accountability...Accountability means giving your discipling partners authority to call you to keep the commitments you have made to one another."

The book includes 25 Chapters and takes about 2-4 hours to work through between the lesson and discussion time (it goes faster if everyone works on their lesson first - my recommendation). Here is how the lessons are arranged:

Part One: Growing Up In Christ (C1 Making Disciples; C2 Being a Disciple; C3 Quiet Time; C4 Bible Study; C5 Prayer; and C6 Worship)

Part Two: Understanding the Message of Christ (C7 The Three-Person God; C8 Made in God's Image; C9 Sin; C10 Grace; C11 Redemption; C12 Justification; C13 Adoption)

Part Three: Becoming Like Christ (C14 Filled with the Holy Spirit; C15 Fruit of the Holy Spirit; C16 Trust; C17 Love; C18 Justice; C19 Witness)

Part Four: Serving Christ (C20 The Church; C21 Ministry Gifts; C22 Spiritual Warfare; C23 Walking in Obedience; C24 Sharing the Wealth; C25 Money - and the Appendix on Building a Discipleship Ministry)

In meeting with several different groups (and counting) I have found all three of the above elements taking place. This book fosters deep theological discussion, fosters healthy accountability, and leads to numerous new Christ-like habits that benefit the individuals in the discipleship group, and the lives that they touch on a daily basis. I have seen more effective discipleship multiplication using this workbook than any other tool I've tried. I highly recommend it!

I am using this book in a small group study with established church members ranging in age from late 20's to early 80's. So far it has held their interest, the first study to have done so in seven years of ministry. The theology is well-balanced with a strong evangelical undertone.

I'm two months into Discipleship Essentials with two other men, and I'm already seeing amazing results. This is by far the most effective approach to disciple making that I have ever experienced. It has revolutionized my ministry and given me a do-able, long-term strategy for training leaders and growing our local church. I also highly recommend reading Ogden's Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time before launching your own discipleship group.

Greg has spent a lot of time creating study ideas for sessions with disciples. This is a practical curriculum for disciplemaking involving engagement with scripture, discussion, and issues to pray for. It's a book I would recommend for people looking for study ideas.
-Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring Others Into Spiritual Maturity And Leadership

As a pastor, it can be frustrating to have leaders in the church that can quote all the Bible verses and answer all the questions yet lack any amount of spiritual depth. There must be a transfer of biblical material from the head to the heart. This book shows ways that pastors can help make that transfer possible.

It is also a book that challenges pastors too. Could it be that some of the problem in the church is that we, as pastors, have our own heads full but hearts emtpy? We can use a little transferring too!

Greg Ogden emphasizes the long-term relationship involved with serious discipleship. To him, it's neither a short nor easy program that can be accomplished without dedication and commitment. The book includes chapters focused on the basics of Christianity that will help the disciple grow deep roots to withstand anything. Each section is formatted in an attractive and approachable manner that equips the Christian for every good work.