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THE UNITED STATES -- A DISCIPLED NATION

A Call To - THE WORK OF TEACHING OBEDIENCE

DISCIPLING MYSELF

1. I will pray every day for a discipled nation in this generation. I will work with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength in the mission of this grandest of all causes.

2. I will read at least one chapter of God's truth every day and work to apply it in my life.

3. I will take a personal inventory of the blatant and subtle sin in my life that I may instantly know when it occurs and thereby enter into a state of righteousness through confession and repentance.

4. I will develop a forgiving spirit, never permitting pride, selfishness, or vanity to prevent me from being the first to say, "I'm sorry."

5. I will submit to the authority of truth, seeking to be mentored by elders, pastors, or any Christian teaching biblical truth in wisdom and love.

6. I will not be intellectually lazy, but will work to understand the times and know what Christians must do. I will subscribe to challenging publications both secular and Christian.

7. I will continually express my gratitude to my heavenly Father for His goodness and mercy.

8. I will constantly hold before me the biblical truth that the Central Purpose of a Christian life is to be an obedient disciple and to make disciples by teaching obedience of all that Jesus commanded us.

9. I will be engaged in prayer through the day and submit to a regular discipline of fasting as the Spirit of the Lord leads me.

 

DISCIPLING MY FAMILY

1. I will pray and work toward the goal that each member of my family is becoming an obedient disciple, engaged in teaching obedience of all Jesus' commandments.

2. I will encourage each member of my family to read at least one chapter of God's truth daily and frequently do it together as family.

3. I will observe the discipline of praying before every meal as a family, thanking God for His food and asking His blessing on it.

4. I will honor and speak to the truth that among the greatest things parents can do for their children is to faithfully love one another and display it in their communication and actions. I will never let vanity, selfishness, or pride prevent me from being the first to say, "I'm sorry." This act of loving repentance heals the wounds of anger and emotional anguish.

5. I will teach and honor the biblical truth that children are to respectfully obey their parents and parents are not to exasperate their children.

6. I will encourage prayer together as a family before every major undertaking, during every family crisis, when major decisions are contemplated, and whenever any member of our family is hurting.

7. I will always make myself available for prayer or Bible study discussion, or whenever a family member wishes the privacy of more intimate dialogue.

8. I will always work for the unity and preservation of our family because I know the divine institution of marriage and family life is among the greatest blessings of the human experience.

 

DISCIPLING MY CONGREGATION

1. I will pray every day for the discipling effectiveness [teaching obedience of Jesus' commandments] of our congregation, its pastor, and all the believers who participate in its ministry.

2. I will support and encourage our pastor in his/her focus on Jesus' central mission for the congregation defined by Him in Mt. 28:18-20. "Make disciples by teaching obedience of all I have commanded you."

3. I will encourage our congregation leaders to conduct a SWOT analysis [Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats] related to our congregation's discipling mission. This will enable us to:

» Emphasize the effective use of our strengths in the work of our discipling mission.

» Understand our discipling weaknesses and work to overcome them.

» Understand our discipling opportunities and focus our strengths and gifts in these areas.

» Understand the plans and strategies of the evil one so we can work in righteousness and obedience to overcome his defenses and thwart his intentions.

4. I will strive to be engaged in discipling at least one other person in our congregation at all times.

5. I will support the idea that every small group in the congregation must be organized for the end purpose of teaching obedience of Jesus' commandments; that Bible study without the effective, productive teaching of obedience is unbiblical.

6. I will work to guide the spiritual energies of our congregation to be focused on organized efforts to disciple individuals, families, congregation and neighborhood.

7. I will encourage an emphasis on the need for righteousness in the life of every believer. I will teach the need for an inventory of blatant and subtle sin in our lives so we can do the work of discipling from a state of righteousness with no unconfessed sin in our lives.

8. I will encourage the use of modern methods for identifying personal giftedness so spiritual gifts may be recognized and used with discipling power.

9. I will support pastoral prayer during every worship service for the United States - a discipled nation in this generation.

10. I will support and participate in the discipling ministry of a Church Writing Group.

11. I will support the formation of a group from our congregation to study and perform the necessary work to provide services and sustenance for the needy. As government downsizes the role in welfare by turning this responsibility over to the private sector, congregations are mandated by Jesus Christ to come forward and obediently fill this gap. Momentous discipling opportunities exist in this expression of Christ's love.

12. I will support the formation of a small group in our congregation to carry out research to determine the most effective discipling materials available. These would be materials suitable for discipling self, family, congregation, and neighborhood.

 

DISCIPLING MY NEIGHBORHOOD

1. I will pray every day for spiritual guidance in defining and doing the work of discipling our neighborhood.

2. I will begin by being a personal example of a discipled and obedient Christian.

3. I will work to meet the special needs of the underprivileged and society's outcasts lovingly teaching obedience to Jesus' commandments in the process.

4. I will bring a loving, caring presence to the elderly, the sick, the orphans, and those in prison, always teaching obedience in the process.

5. I will subscribe to the local newspaper to be informed of the issues and present God's truth in teaching obedience through letters to the editor, guest editorials, and book reviews; thereby using this public medium available to every Christian to make disciples of thousands in our neighborhood.

6. I will pray for and befriend all those in authority so I may teach obedience of Jesus' commandments.

7. I will participate in local responsibilities such as school boards, PTA, local government, news distribution, entertainment and the arts so I may teach obedience of all Jesus commanded.

8. I will start with my neighbors, those who live next door to me, that I may teach them obedience of all Jesus commands us to do.