Training For Latin Trainers
T4LT
Author: Ying Kai
September 2004 Version
by
Middle America & Caribbean
Regional Training Team
a.k.a. Equipo Timoteo
capacitando entrenadores: cada creyente un entrenador
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Urgency of Spreading the Gospel
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I. The Biblical Foundation – Lesson 1 For Trainers
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II. Understanding God’s Will – God loves you and wants to save
your family through you – Lesson 2 For Trainers
III. Preparing to be a Trainer – Lesson 3 For Trainers
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IV. Characteristics of Rapidly Multiplying Churches – Lesson 4 For Trainers
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V. Preparing and Sharing Your Personal Testimony – Lesson 5 For Trainers
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VI. Sharing the Gospel – Lesson 6 For Trainers
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VII. Overview of Bible Studies For New Believers – Lesson 7 For Trainers
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Bible
Bible
Bible
Bible
Bible
Bible
Bible
Bible
VIII.
Study
Study
Study
Study
Study
Study
Study
Study
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
For
For
For
For
For
For
For
For
New
New
New
New
New
New
New
New
Believers
Believers
Believers
Believers
Believers
Believers
Believers
Believers
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– Assurance of Salvation
– Preparing & Sharing Your PersonalTestimony
– How to Share the Gospel
– The God of Our Salvation
– Using God’s Word in Our Daily Devotions
- Understanding Prayer
– The Church and the Believer
– Our Privileges and Responsibilities in the
Body of Christ, the Church
Bible Study 9 For New Believers – Spreading the Gospel in the Power
of God’s Spirit
Commitment Time
Commitment Sheet
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15
18
21
24
27
29
31
How to Study the Bible – Lesson 8 For Trainers
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IX. Having a God-given vision and setting goals – Lesson 9 For Trainers
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35
36
38
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TRACK ONE for trainers
The Urgency of Spreading the Gospel
The day of the Lord’s coming is near. How much time do we have to spread the Gospel to the
world? Today, the population of the world is over 6 billion, but 2/3rd’s of the world’s
population lives in spiritual darkness. In Middle America and the Caribbean, 9 out of 10
people do not know Christ as Savior. Therefore, we need to rise up immediately to further our
spreading of the Gospel. However, this should not be merely talk, but we should have the
power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to spread the good news to the whole world. We need to
equip all believers to train others to obey the commandments of Christ and share the Gospel
with others.
I. The Biblical Foundation – Lesson 1 For Trainers
The Great Commission from Jesus; Matthew 28:18-20
After Jesus had risen, He spent 40 days teaching His disciples and encouraging them to
spread the message of salvation. In the book of Mathew, Jesus called the disciples to the
mountain in Galilee. There He gave them the Great Commission.
A. The Great Commander
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Here the risen Lord reminds us that He is the one with the highest authority in the
whole universe. He stated clearly, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me.” This means everything that we can imagine in the universe, all heaven and
earth are included. All the authority and power belongs to our heavenly Father, the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
As we think about someone having complete power and authority over us, would we not
listen to them? If we really understand his authority, then we will most definitely obey
his commands. For example, a soldier should obey his captains’ commands. Even more
authoritative are the lieutenants’ and generals’ commands. Now if the commander-inchief himself were to come and give the soldier an order, then the soldier’s obedience
will unquestionably be 100%. This soldier would not give the command a second
thought, but would obey and accomplish the task right away. Our Lord Jesus Christ
has clearly revealed to us His authority and power, so we must completely submit
ourselves to Him.
B. The Great Commission
Jesus said unto them, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.” Matthew 28:29-20
The beginning of the command is to “go” or “as you are going”. “Go” is a keyword,
because if we do not go, we will be unable to fulfill the rest of the command. We should
not just expect people will come to us; we must go to them. Friends, let us set our
hearts to go now! Once we go, we will see the path the Lord has set for us. Once we go,
we will see the many people that need Him. If we don’t go, we are being disobedient to
our Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Lord wants “disciples of all nations,” that is, everyone to be his disciples. This
means everyone is not just a believer, Christian, church member, fellowship member,
etc., but a disciple. Jesus wants everyone to become His “disciples.” A “disciple” is a
real learner, one who follows the master’s steps in order to learn everything the master
knows until the day he is able to go out alone and become a discipler or trainer.
Therefore, we cannot just lead people to be believers, church members, etc., but we
must train them to become trainers who can prepare others.
Repentance of sin and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ will result in being saved.
Biblical baptism is a very important witness to others around us. Biblical aptism is
also a step of obedience to Christ’s command, “baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.
The Lord also wants us to teach others to obey all that he has commanded us. This is a
vital part of making disciples. To “make disciples” is not complete unless it leads them
to a life of obeying Jesus’ commandments. In turn, as they obey what Jesus
commands, they too will come full circle to make disciples. The trainees will become
trainers.
One final yet important aspect of this command is that Jesus promises to be with us “to
the very end of the age” as we obediently go and make disciples. He is our King that
leads out in the battle, not expecting his soldiers to fight alone.
C. The Great Challenge
Once we recognize the rapid multiplication style and method, we should start our
training work immediately, resulting in each person we encounter to be transformed
into a “trainer.” We are not doing leadership training, nor are we training disciples; we
are preparing reliable disciples to be “trainers.” This comes from 2 Timothy 2:2 where
Paul speaks to Timothy, saying “and the things you have heard me say in the presence
of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
We can see the Lord’s will in this, which is to save everyone, starting within one’s own
family. God is concerned about you and wants to use you to bring your whole family to
salvation.
D. Why should we respond?
In our world, we recognize at least 4 different pleas to go share the gospel.
1. The challenge from above – this is Jesus’ command.
a. He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Mark 16:15
b. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for
us? Isaiah 6:8
c. We see that throughout the ages the Lord had been calling out for those who
would “go” and preach the good news.
2. The challenge from below – the plea that comes from the souls that are suffering in
hell.
a. When both the rich man and Lazarus died, the rich man went to hell and Lazarus
went to Abraham’s side.
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b. “The rich man said to Abraham ‘I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s
house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come
to this place of torment.’” Luke 16:27 - 28
c. Do we hear the plea of those that are suffering in hell to go to those who still have
a chance while they are on earth before the Lord’s return?
3. The challenge from inside – the call that comes from within every one of Jesus’
disciples.
a. From the moment Paul believed in Christ, he felt God’s call within him to go and
preach the gospel.
b. He said, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to
preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a
reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.” 1
Corinthians 9:16-17
c. Every one of Jesus’ disciples should be like Paul – we should all sense God’s call
to go and share the gospel from the moment we come to know Christ.
4. The challenge from outside – the calling from Macedonia.
a. “During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging
him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’” Acts 16:9
b. Once Paul got his calling from the outside, he brought the gospel from Asia to
Europe. Later on, we see that the gospel is spread from Europe to North America,
and finally throughout the world. But there is much yet to be done. Latin
America is beginning to answer the Macedonian call.
Therefore, each and every one of us should be capable of recognizing these 4 challenges,
compelling us to go and preach the gospel.
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II. Understanding God’s Will – God loves you and wants to save your family through you
– Lesson 2 For Trainers
Below are examples of people God used to reach their families and those around them.
A. NOAH - Genesis 6, 7, 8 (6:18)
1. In spite of all the wickedness of mankind, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
God commanded him to build an ark to save himself, his family and the earth’s
animals.
2. At a minimum: Noah saved his own family. At the very least we should witness to our
own family so that they can be saved.
B. LOT - Genesis 19 (19:16)
1. God was going to destroy the city but saved Lot and his family.
2. A messenger of God told Lot to find anyone else related to him in the city and get
them out so that they could be saved from the destruction.
3. Although Lot’s own sons-in-law laughed God saved Lot, his wife and his two
daughters.
C. RAHAB – Joshua 2 (2:17-20)
1. She provided protection for the two spies.
2. God spared her whole family.
D. DEMON POSSESSED MAN – Mark 5 (5:12-20)
1. The man was healed by Jesus and wanted to follow Jesus.
2. Jesus sent him to share the good news with his family.
3. He then witnessed to people all over the ten cities of the Decapolis.
E. CORNELIUS – Acts 10 (10:24)
1. A man of reputation and position seeks after God.
2. After seeing a vision he sends for Peter.
3. He influences his whole household – family and friends.
F. LYDIA – Acts 16 (16:11-15)
1. She was a business person who responded to the gospel.
2. Immediately she led her family to Christ.
G. JAILER AT PHILIPPI – Acts 16 (16:22-34)
1. Adversary to the gospel before being saved.
2. Heard the gospel and immediately put his faith in Jesus.
3. Immediately brought Paul & Silas to share with his family and they believed.
4. The jailer and his entire family were baptized the same night.
H. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
1. God also cares about you and wants to save your entire family through you.
2. What steps can you take to make this possible?
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III. Preparing to be a Trainer – Lesson 3 For Trainers
With your group work through the following suggestions for building a faithful life.
Build a faithful life by:
A. Offering your life daily to God. Romans 12:1-2; Luke 9:23
B. Being a soldier of God. 2 Timothy 2:3-4
C. Acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s protection and power. John 17:12; Acts 1:8
D. Maintaining a life of praise and worship. Mark 12:30
E. Having a life full of prayer. Acts 1:14; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6
Teach the trainers to have a life full of prayer. Praying is essential to serving God. It is
also the trainer’s main source of power. See Bible study 2 – Understanding Prayer.
F. Putting on the armor of God. Romans 13:12; Ephesians 6:10-18
God’s soldiers must put on their armor every single day. This armor is not to be put on
only once but to be put on each day so that the Devil’s every attack and schemes can be
defeated.
G. Walking in the fullness of Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
Teach them the importance of the filling of the Holy Spirit so that they will be open to
the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives (fruit, gifts, evangelism).
H. Living a life full of praise in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Every trainer should understand the importance of giving thanks in all situations.
Regardless of problems encountered, whether good or bad, successful or not, praise
ought to be given to God for giving praise is respecting God’s authority.
I. Showing a positive attitude through your gratitude. Philippians 4:12-13
Every situation must be viewed positively at all times and encouragement should be
given to his trainees, for one positive word can be the foundation of their faith and
courage.
J. Spreading the Gospel. Ephesians 6:19; 2 Thessalonians 3:1, 2;
Trainers should pray for: open doors; boldness to speak; rapid spread of the Gospel;
and protection from evil and wicked men.
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IV. Characteristics of Rapidly Multiplying Churches – Lesson 4 For Trainers
Time is running out as Jesus’ second coming is drawing near. We must use the most efficient
and fastest methods of sharing the gospel to see God reap the harvest of souls. The following
information is offered in order to better explain churches that rapidly multiply.
A. Definition of a New Testament church:
A local church is a group of baptized believers covenanted together into community by
the Holy Spirit for the purpose of worship, fellowship, witness, nurture, and ministry.
1. Meet regularly for worship, fellowship, mutual support, and ministry.
2. Proclaim Christ to unbelievers and disciple believers.
3. Organize and administer their affairs, choosing their leadership (who may or may not
be paid, trained, ordained, or one of the members of the group).
4. Administer the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
B. A rapidly multiplying church . . .
1. is a modern expression of a New Testament church.
2. is well grounded in the Scriptures as its sole guide in faith and practice
3. is highly evangelistic and is driven by a passion to win the lost
4. sees discipleship as obedience based and not knowledge based
5. sees every believer as a minister (servant-leader)
6. seeks to train every believer to be a trainer, who trains others to be mature
reproducing Christians; multigenerational - 2 Timothy 2:2
7. is guided by lay leadership under the direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit
8. makes its own decisions based upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit and is not
dependent upon outside influences to make decisions
9. financially supports all activities and ministries with its own tithes and offerings and
is not dependent upon outside influences for resources
10. sees itself as the local expression of the body of Christ and ministers to the needs of
its community
11. fulfills all of the ordinances of the Church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and
is not dependent upon outside influences to fulfill scriptural mandates
C. Rapid growth in the book of Acts
Acts 2:41 “Those who accepted his message were baptized and about three thousand
were added to their number that day.”
Acts 2:47b “ …And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Acts 4:4 “But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to
about five thousand.”
Acts 8:4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”
Acts 12:24 “But the word of God continued to increase and spread.”
Acts 13:49 “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
Acts 19:20 “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.””
The Apostle Paul prayed the following in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 “Finally, brothers, pray for
us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with
you.”
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D. Taking a closer look at rapid growth in the book of Acts
1. What does the term “rapid growth” mean to you?
2. If you were to have rapid growth in your church, what would it look like? How would
you describe it?
3. Do you agree with the statement that there was rapid growth of churches that
multiplied in the Book of Acts? (Yes or No) What does the Bible say?
4. Do you see rapid growth in other evangelical churches? (Yes or No)
If your answer is “yes”, exactly where are you seeing that kind of rapid growth? (for
example, What is the name of the church and where is it located?)
5. Are we reaching the goal of planting multiplying churches in the way that we are
doing it right now? (Yes or No)
6. What group of people do you have a vision for reaching with the Gospel? (“Everyone”
is not an acceptable answer. Please, be specific. For instance, “the middle class
people in our neighborhood” or “the people who work in the Children’s Hospital”, or
“the people that live in the refugee camps”, or “a specific ethnic group in our city or
town” would be better answers.)
7. Can you give an estimate of the number of people who belong to that group?
8. How many evangelical churches are there in that group?
9. What are the methods being used to plant churches within that group? (for example,
evangelistic meetings, cell groups, etc.)
10. If you could see your wildest dreams for this group come true, how would you
describe this group after receiving the Gospel? What would it look like?
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11. What does the group look like right now. Describe what they are like now.
12. What should the group be like with Christ? Although this isn’t a reality until the
group come to Christ, what should the group be like? (For example, as Christian, the
people in this group don’t have problems with alcohol now, they stopped sacrificing
to idols, the men don’t beat their wives anymore, they work now and bring home their
pay, buying shoes for their children, etc.)
13. What is the difference between the actual reality of the group and the reality that
should be (in Christ)?
14. How long will it take to change the actual reality of those people to the reality that
God wants for them?
15. Your conclusions:
Note: If we don’t do missions correctly, the lost will never hear the Good News. (Romans
10:13-15)
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V. Preparing and Sharing Your Personal Testimony – Lesson 5 For Trainers
A. Why should you share your personal testimony?
1. Joy comes from being obedient and bearing fruit. John 14:21-26; 15:1-17
2. The new believer will find satisfaction in following the biblical pattern of the book of
Acts by starting new groups. Acts 2:41-47
3. When the trainee can become a trainer then he or she will experience greater joy, as
his trainees become trainers. 2 Timothy 2:2; an example can be used here of an
average parent: they would want their children to marry and have children of their
own so that they can experience the joy of having grandchildren.
B. For further study in preparing and sharing your personal testimony see Bible Study 2
For Trainers
VI. Sharing the Gospel – Lesson 6 For Trainers
See Bible Study 3 For New Believers
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VII. Overview of Bible Studies For New Believers – Lesson 7 For Trainers
Bible Study 1 For New Believers – Assurance of Salvation
I am so very happy that you are interested in knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord! The
Bible says that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the way of salvation. He is the
ultimate truth. In Him we find the way to true and eternal life!
1. Let us see what God says about our need for salvation and His provision for us.
A. The Most High God created us and will one day judge us. Acts 17:24, 29-31
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
B. What is the result of sin? Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23a
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
C. What will happen to us, if we do not repent and receive forgiveness?
Romans 2:5
“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up
wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be
revealed.”
D. Although our sins offend God, He loves us and has given Jesus for us.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
E. When people try to come to God on their own, why do they fail? Ephesians 2:8-9
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______________________________________________________________________________________
F. How does God draw us to Himself? I Peter 3:18
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______________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can we come to Jesus as Savior and Lord?
A. Jesus paid the price fully for your salvation when He died on the cross. You receive
salvation through repentance – turning away from your sins against God – and faith.
1. Has Jesus paid completely for your sins?
____Yes ____No
2. Have you done what you need to do? (repent and believe in - that is trust in Jesus?)
____Yes ____No
3. Would you like to call upon Jesus to save you right now in prayers?
If you have faith in Jesus alone as your Savior, then you are saved!
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B. Wait……are you sure that you are saved? If you were to die right now do you believe
you would go to be with Jesus?
____Yes ____No
C. What does Jesus promise to those who follow Him? John 10:28
______________________________________________________________________________________
D. Eternal life means more than that you will live forever in heaven. It also means knowing
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ personally. It means we are able to live a life
of holiness, righteousness, and strength. It means that God’s promises to His children
are ours! We will forever receive the blessings of God.
3. Do you know for sure?
A. Do you know you have been saved?
____Yes ____No
B. Do you know you have received eternal life? ____Yes ____No
C. Conclusion:
___ I have been saved
___ I have not been saved
___ I still don’t know
4. Saved people are changed people.
A. If anyone is in Christ, he is a _____________, the old ____________, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17
B. “The new” shows up in our attitudes and behavior. Have you experienced some of the
following things?
___ inner peace
___ awareness of sin
___ ability to defeat sin
___ feeling God’s love
___ desire to read the Bible
___ compassion for others
___ peace of having been forgiven
____ desire to please the Lord Jesus
5. If you sin again, will God still forgive you? 1 John 1:9-2:2
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Please joyfully fill in your “spiritual birth certificate”.
SPIRITUAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE
On ____(day) _____(mo) _____(year) I believed on Jesus Christ as my Savior. He forgave
my sin, became my Lord, and took control of my life. Now I have become a child of
God, and become a new creation. I have begun a new life.
Signature:
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We can celebrate because you have been born into God’s family! You have become a child
of God. From now on you have a new relationship with God and may receive all He has
promised His children
7. Memorize: 1 John 5:12
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God, does not have life.”
8. Assignment: The first thing that you should do is share this good news with those around
you. When you receive this great salvation your life will be full of joy and peace. This week
tell at least three of your family members or friends what you have heard and learned
today.
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Bible Study 2 For New Believers – Preparing and Sharing Your Personal Testimony
A. Why should you share your faith?
- Joy comes from being obedient and bearing fruit (John 15:1-8)
- The new believer will find satisfaction by following the Biblical pattern of rapid
multiplication in the Book of Acts.
B. Training other people in the Biblical principle of “multigenerational training” is as
simple as “2-2-2” (2 Timothy 2:2).
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust
to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2
The principle of “multigenerational training” has the potential of impacting “every nation,
tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9) with the message of salvation and the rapid
planting of many multiplying churches.
Activity: To personalize the potential of the multiplication principle in our personal
ministry, do the following:
Begin making a list of all the people you know that don’t believe in Jesus as their Lord and
Savior (that is, make a list of all the unsaved people that you know.) They might be family
members, fellow workers, fellow students, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, social
contacts or people that you have contact with each day. Begin with a list of 10 names of
unsaved people that you know and continue adding names each week.
100 UNSAVED PEOPLE THAT I KNOW
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Of this list, draw a circle around the names of 5 people. You will visit these 5 people next
week and teach them Bible Study # 1. Later on you will share your faith with them by:
1. Sharing your personal testimony with them.
2. Sharing the Gospel message with them.
C. PREPARING AND SHARING YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY
You might say, “I have never done this. I don’t know anything about sharing my
personal testimony, much less the Gospel. I’m not a preacher!”
For this reason, we are presenting you a guide to help you write your personal
testimony, using a simple outline to organize your personal story. The personal
testimony of the Apostle Paul is a good example:
1. What my life was like before I became a Christian. (Acts 26:4-11)
2. How I heard the Gospel and how I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. (Acts
26:12-18)
3. What is my life like now that I am a Christian? (Acts 26:19-23)
Using this outline as a guide for telling your spiritual history, prepare your testimony
on the following page. Telling your testimony should not take more than 3 to 4
minutes, maximum. You don’t need to include all the details of your life. The key is to
choose the outstanding events that will help others understand what God has done in
your life and what He can do for them. You need to focus on the most useful
information to share with the non-Christian. Avoid using “religious vocabulary” that
they will not understand. Be practical, simple and humble. Prepare your testimony
from the non-Christian’s point of view.
MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY
1. (What my life was like before I became a Christian.)
2. (How I heard the Gospel and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.)
3. (What my life is like now that I am a Chrisian.)
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4. (Share a favorite verse that has a connection to your testimony. Also, think of a way
you can relate your testimony to the personal you are talking to. Your testimony
becomes a bridge between you and them. You might say, “Have you ever felt like you
had no purpose in life, like I did?”)
5. When you have prepared your testimony, share it in your group.
a. Read your testimony out loud 2 times.
b. Practice reading your testimony with your group and ask others for suggestions as
to how you can improve it. Don’t be offended by helpful criticism. Make notes of
their suggestions and make the changes in your testimony, if it will make it better.
c. Rewrite your testimony and read it out loud 10 times.
d. Share your testimony in the group 3 times out loud without notes.
e. Share your testimony with two other people in your group without notes.
NOW YOU ARE READY TO VISIT THOSE 5 PEOPLE ON YOUR LIST THIS WEEK AND
SHARE YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY WITH THEM!
Remember: Your personal testimony is your spiritual history. You are not preaching, but
rather you are telling your story. Share it with confidence, peace, and joy. We don’t have
problems talking to others about a new tool we have or a new recipe. We should speak with
the same enthusiasm when we tell about what Jesus has done in our lives. Avoid words that
only church people will understand. This is your personal story of how God has saved you
and it should make sense to the non-Christian. Your personal testimony is your tool for
sharing the Gospel. No one can refute what you say. Share it with love and a sincere heart.
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Bible Study 3 For New Believers – How to Share the Gospel
There are people on your list of names that will never hear the Gospel, unless you tell them
about Jesus. Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew
4:19) The Apostle Paul asks us in Romans 10:13-14, “…Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved. How then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them?” You, therefore, have the responsibility of taking the Gospel to
all the inhabitants of the world in which you live, beginning with the people closest to you and
also those you don’t know well. Don’t wait for another person to tell them about Jesus, just
because you think they are better prepared. You are the person that God wants to use to take
His Word to the lost people of this world.
A. Building a Bridge
If you are sharing with a person that you don’t know well, you first need to build a bridge
from the secular to the spiritual. Begin talking about things you have in common (family,
common interests, sports, etc.) until you feel comfortable. You have now earned the right
to talk about spiritual things. If this is a person you already know, you don’t need to win
their confidence. Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, ask them about their spiritual
life.
B. The Spiritual Question
If you don’t know the person very well, you can ask them a question like: “Do you go to
church anywhere?” It doesn’t matter how they answer because you have opened the door
to talk about spiritual things.
Other questions that you might ask are:
“Do you have any spiritual beliefs?”
“If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven? Why?”
“How can we know for sure if we are going to Heaven or going to Hell?
(Write the question that you are going to use in the space below.)
C. Say: “The majority of people believe that they are good people - not real good, and not real
bad. There are more than 2,000 religions in the world and it’s hard to know which way is
the right way. Since Heaven belongs to God, it’s logical to hear what God says about His
standard for entering into Heaven. How can we know if we are sufficiently good enough or
sufficiently religious enough to go to Heaven? The Ten Commandments are God’s
standard for showing us if we are right with God or not.
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17)
1. You shall have no other gods before Me. (Does God have first place in your life?)
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol… (Have you made God into what you want
Him to be? An idol is any thing or person that we substitute for God.)
3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God… (Are you guilty of ever
taking the holy Name of God in vain by saying, “Oh, my God” or “Oh, God” and using
God’s Name as a common expression or curse word?)
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Is the Lord’s Day just another day
to go shopping, traveling or playing sports?)
5. Honor your father and your mother… (It doesn’t matter if you are an adult or a
child.)
6. You shall not murder. (Jesus said that to hate another is the same as murdering
them physically.)
7. You shall not commit adultery. (Christ said, “But I tell you that anyone who looks
at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”)
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8. You shall not steal. (The value of the stolen object doesn’t matter. If you stole 10
cents or $1,000, if what you have stolen belongs to someone else (big or small), it is
stealing. People steal cheap things, expensive things, even time from their employer.)
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (No lying. There is no
such thing as a “ little white lie”. In God’s sight, a lie is a lie and a lie is sin.)
10. You shall not covet… (To covet is to want for yourself something that belongs to
someone else. A person who covets cannot be happy until they own something that
belongs to someone else.)
It is interesting that the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church does not include the
Second Commandment prohibiting the worship of idols, and they make two
commandments out of the Tenth Commandment (You shall not covet). For them, the
Ninth Commandment reads: “ You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not
covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or
anything that belongs to your neighbor,” and the Tenth Commandment becomes: “ You
shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (The Catechism of the Roman
Catholic Church, pp. 686-690)
How could any one of us say that we are innocent, that we have never disobeyed any of the
Ten Commandments? We are all guilty, because we have all sinned. If you have stolen
anything, even once, or told even one lie; or looked at a woman with lust; then that makes
us a lying, adulterous, thief! If we break only one of the commandments, we are guilty of
breaking them all. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is
guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10) If we disobey God and sin in any way, we deserve
the punishment of God in hell for eternity. Sin separates us from God eternally. “The
wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of
men who suppress the truth by their wickedness…” Romans 1:18
D. THE ROMAN ROAD (A PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL USING ONLY THE BOOK OF
ROMANS)
After helping the non-Christian understand that we are all sinners, then use the following
five references from the Book of Romans to lead them to accept Christ as their Savior and
Lord. It is a good idea to mark your Bible and ask the listener to read each reference out
loud (if they are literate) and ask them what it means to them. If they don’t know, ask
them to read it again.
1. Romans 3:23 - Man’s need for salvation.
a. What is man’s spiritual problem?
b. Who has sinned?
c. What is sin?
2. Romans 6:23 - The results of sin.
a. What is the wage/penalty of sin?
b. Who will receive this wage/penalty?
c. What is God’s plan for man’s salvation?
3. Romans 5:8 - Christ died to pay the penalty for sin and rose again to give new life.
a. When did God love us?
b. How did He pay for our sin?
c. How did He save us and give us new life?
4. Romans 10:9-10 - How can a person receive this salvation God offers?
a. What two things must a person do to be saved?
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b. What does it mean to believe?
c. What does it mean to call Jesus your Lord?
5. Ask if the person to whom you are witnessing would like to become a follower of Jesus.
Pray with him/her to accept the gift of eternal life and to commit his/her life to God.
You can use this model prayer and they can repeat each part, out loud, with you, phrase
by phrase:
Eternal Father…Eternal Father,
I have sinned against You…I have sinned against You.
Please forgive me of all my sin…Please forgive me of all my sin.
Come into my heart and make me Your son/daughter…Come into my heart and make
me Your son/daughter.
I receive Your forgiveness of all my sins…I receive Your forgiveness of all my sins.
I receive Your free gift of eternal life…I receive Your free gift of eternal life.
Thank You for saving me…Thank You for saving me.
I ask this in Jesus’ Name…I ask this in Jesus’ Name.
Amen…Amen.
6. Romans 10:13- The security of your salvation.
a. What does this verse promise?
b. What did you just do?
c. What did God just do for you?
Now pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for their decision to accept Christ as their Lord and
Savior and for the fact that God will keep His promise to save them.
“Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
The trainer will then give them the first Bible Study for New Believers and make an
appointment to meet the following week.)
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Bible Study 4 For New Believers – The God of Our Salvation
A. God – His attributes
There is one and only one true and living God. He is a personal being who is intelligent and
spiritual. God is the Creator of all things and is infinite in holiness and all other
perfections. God is all-powerful and all knowing. His perfect knowledge extends to all
things, past, present, and future. All mankind owes Him the highest love, reverence, and
obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Spirit. All
three persons of the Trinity have distinct attributes but are of one essence.
1. What do Isaiah 57:15, Lamentations 5:19, 1 Timothy 1:17, and Revelation 1:8 say about
God being self-existent, eternal, and inhabiting eternity? ________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 say about God’s character, nature, or purpose
not changing? _______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What does Psalm 139:7-12 say about God being present in all His power at every point
of space and in every moment of time? ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. What do Genesis 1:1 and Isaiah 57:15 say about God being superior to space and not
being confined to or limited by space? ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
5. What do Job 38-39 and Romans 11:33-36 say about God being all knowing and
everywhere at one and the same time, both in time and space, and knowing everything
simultaneously? _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
6. What do Genesis 17:1, 18:25, and Job 42:2 say about God being all powerful? He is
unlimited in power to do anything that is not inconsistent with His nature and purpose.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. The Trinity is revealed in the baptism of Christ. Read Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11,
and Luke 3:21-22.
B. God the Father
God as Father reigns over all creation as a loving and caring Creator and care-taker. As an
all powerful, all knowing, and all wise God, He is the Father in truth to those who become
children of God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. God as Father works faithfully in
us to make us into the people He wants us to be. He has begun His work by saving us and
making us His children. He will continue His work through our whole lives.
1. What does Genesis 1:1 and 2:7 say about God being the Creator? ______________________
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______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What does Jeremiah 31:3 say about God caring for you and others? “The Lord appeared
to us in the past, saying, ‘I have __________________ you with an everlasting love,
therefore I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’ ”
3. How has God shown His love for you?
1 John 3:16 _________________________________________________________________________
1 John 4:9 __________________________________________________________________________
1 John 3:1 __________________________________________________________________________
4. In Luke 15:11-24, Jesus talks about a father’s love for his son. Can you see the
similarities between the father in this story and God? _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Jesus spoke to God as Father. Read John 17:1-26. What is the relationship between
God the Father and Jesus? For what does Jesus ask? ________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
6. For what does the Paul thank God? Philippians 1:2-5 _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why is Paul confident? Philippians 1:6 ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
C. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of
the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of
God, taking upon Himself human nature. Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross
to redeem mankind from sin. He was raised from the dead by the power of God and
appeared to His disciples. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand
of God where He is the One Mediator between God and man. Jesus is fully divine and fully
human. He
1. What do the following verses say regarding the Word of God, the second person of the
Trinity? John 1:1-5, 12-14 ____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Who is Jesus Christ? Mark 1:1, 3:11 ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Read the story of the Jesus being conceived by the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:26-38
4. What do the following verses say about Jesus, the Son of God? Hebrews 1:1-3 _________
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______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Who is the mediator between God and man? 1 Timothy 2:5 ___________________________
6. Why should we boldly approach the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in
time of need? Hebrews 4:14-16 ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
D. God the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the divine Spirit of God who inspired holy men of God to write the
Scriptures. The Holy Spirit exalts Christ, convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
The Holy Spirit leads believers into truth and confirms in their spirits that they are children
of God whereby they call God Father. The believer is baptized into one Spirit upon
receiving Christ. The Holy Spirit seals the believer until the day of final redemption. He
empowers the Church to worship and serve God.
1. What does Jesus teach about the Holy Spirit? John 16:8-11 ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What will the Holy Spirit do in relation to Jesus? John 16:13-15 _______________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer? Romans 8:13-16;
Ephesians 5:18 _______________________________________________________________________
4. What happens to a believer upon receiving Christ? Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians
12:13 ________________________________________________________________________________
5. How does the Holy Spirit help a believer in witnessing? Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 13:3
______________________________________________________________________________________
E. Memorize: Ephesians 2:4-5
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ
even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”
F. Assignment:
1) As you study the Bible in your daily devotions this week, look specifically for ways that
God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2) In your notebook make a list of ways that God has revealed Himself to you. Review that
list in your prayer time and thank God specifically for being your Heavenly Father.
3) Share this study with your Group of 5.
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Bible Study 5 For New Believers – Using God’s Word in Our Daily Devotions
To really know a person you need to have regular contact with them. In the same way, if you
want to have a close relationship with God, you need to daily “set a time” just for God. We
want to “set a time” for a daily devotion. “Daily devotions” are daily prayer and Bible reading.
1. The Parts of Daily Devotions
A. Prayer: talking with God
B. Bible Study: hearing from God as He speaks to me through His Word, the Bible.
1. God’s Word is eternal. 1 Peter 1:24-25
2. God’s Word is inspired. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
3. God’s Word is the sole authority. 2 Peter 1:19-21
4. God’s Word is the written record of His revealing Himself to mankind. John 20:30-31
5. God’s Word is a guide for our life. Psalms 119:9-11, 105
2. Purposes of Devotions
A. To worship God
B. To have fellowship with God
C. To grow in knowledge of God
D. To receive guidance from God - I welcome His Lordship over my life! I want to receive
His direction and act upon it. I want to hear His Word and do it.
3. What attitudes do we see in the Psalms toward God and His Word:
Psalm 42:1-2 ____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Psalm 119:147-148 ______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Examples from the Bible
Verse
Psalm 5:3
Person
King David
Time
Morning
Place
Not known
Activity
Asking/waiting
Daniel 6:10
Mark 1:35
From the examples above, what applications to your life can you make in terms of spending
time with God? ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Suggestions and materials for your personal devotions:
A. Collect needed materials –
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1) Bible – the Word of God is the most important thing!
2) Pen and Notebook - Write down the Bible passage you read and then write down
what you learned from the reading. Meditate on the verse. Write down your
thoughts, what you sense God is saying to you, and how you should apply this
passage to your life. Remember: don’t change what the Bible says to fit your life;
change your life to fit what the Bible says.
B. Determine a set time - the time when you can most consistently meet alone with God.
C. Determine a set place - a place where you can meet with God without being disturbed.
D. Make a definite plan – First read through the book of Luke in the New Testament. Then
read through the book of Acts in the New Testament. Proceed at your own pace.
Meditate and pray over the Scripture using the suggestions above.
6. A pattern you may choose to follow:
A. Prepare:
-- Sit quietly for a moment or two. Think of, and wait upon, God.
-- Confess your sins: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
-- Confess your need for God’s guidance: “Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18
B. Seek God: -- Read a portion of Scripture.
-- Meditate on what it teaches you about God or yourself.
-- From the Bible passage, write down the truth you’ve learned, or the
command to obey, or the prayer to pray.
-- Write down how you intend to obey the teaching of the Bible passage.
-- Pray about the Bible truth you’ve learned.
C. Obey:
-- Obey the Bible teaching.
-- Share with others what you have learned.
7. Be faithful in having your daily devotions.
Sometimes it will be easy. Sometimes it will be difficult. Persevere in having your daily
devotions. Make this meeting with God a top priority in your daily life.
A. You must decide and make a personal commitment to meet daily with God.
B. If you have a daily time with God, you will grow in your spiritual life.
C. While Jesus was on this earth He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness…” Matthew 6:33. You can take before God everything that you encounter
in this world. There is nothing too small or too big for Him.
C. One of God’s main purposes is for you to enjoy Him and be satisfied in Him. As you
praise and worship and hear from God, you will learn that He satisfies your deepest
longings.
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8. Make a definite commitment to have daily devotions.
A. Discuss now with the person leading you through this lesson your plan:
1. When will you start? ______________________
2. What time will you have devotions? ______________________
3. Where will you have your devotions? _______________________
4. Where in the Bible will you read first? _________________________
B. Discuss with your leader how your daily devotions are going.
9. Memorize: Matthew 6:33
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well.”
10. Assignment:
Spending time with God is essential for you to grow as a Christian. Just as a baby needs
nourishment, so you also need to be fed from the Word of God, the Bible. Begin today
having a devotional time every day. Get a notebook and record time and place you chose
to study and talk with God. Record what God says to you through His Word each day.
This week share this study with your Group of 5.
26
Bible Study 6 For New Believers - Understanding Prayer
Prayer is “talking” with God. When you pray you should be honest and sincere with God and
use simple words. He doesn’t ask you to use strange or impressive language. He wants you to
talk to Him from your heart. The Bible says that Jesus “talked” with God.
1. Why should we pray?
A. The Bible commands us to pray:
“…Jesus told his disciples…that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1
“And pray in the Spirit, on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Ephesians 6:18
B. We need to pray:
1. To give our burdens over to God
“Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayers and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
2. To seek God’s leading
God said: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable
things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3
3. To receive mercy and find grace in time of need
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
2. The content of prayer
Prayer has many parts: Remember ACTS
Adoration – praise God for who He is
Confession – confess all sins and ask forgiveness
Thanksgiving – thank God for blessings and answers
Supplication – ask God for your needs and needs of others
3. We must trust God to answer our prayers correctly.
A. Sometimes He answers, “Yes.” God grants what you ask or gives you the direction you
need. (Acts 4:23-31)
B. Sometimes He answers, “No,” or “Wait.” God does not grant your request or does not
clearly show the direction (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). We must trust that He is working for
our good and for His glory in the situation. (Romans 28:19-20)
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4. Attitudes for prayer:
Attitude:
Verse:
A. Faith / Trust …………………….……..“But when he asks, he must believe and not
doubt…” James 1:6
B. Repentance / Humble confession ….“If I cherish sin in my heart, the Lord would
not have listened.” Psalm 66:18
C. Submission to His will ……….………“This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to His will, He
hears us.” 1 John 5:14
D. Determination / Perseverance …… “…they should always pray and not give up.”
Luke 18:1
5. Insights for Effective Prayer:
A. The best way to learn to pray is by doing it!
B. We should pray “in Jesus’ name” (John 14:13) because only through Jesus can one
come before God. (John 14:6)
C. We may end our prayers with “amen,” (may it be so) which means that we have prayed
with a sincere heart.
D. Pray in natural understandable language. God is not impressed with fancy speech or
repetition and meaningless words.
E. It is OK to pray loudly or quietly. God can hear us either way!
F. There is no specific time limit or place for prayer. You can pray at any time of the day
and at any place, but it is important to have a set time for prayer every day.
6. Put into practice now: Right now, talk to God in prayer. Your prayer may include some or
all of these parts: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication (asking for yourself and
others). Even if it feels strange, speak to God out loud right now.
7. Memorize: Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not
know.”
8. Assignment:
A. Talk to God is prayer each day between now and when we meet again. Each time
during the day that you think of Him, talk to Him in prayer.
B.
Review the verses mentioned in this lesson. Pray specifically for your Group of 5. Ask
God to give you the opportunity to share with them the things you have learned and
teach them Bible Study 6 For New Believers.
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Bible Study 7 For New Believers – The Church and the Believer
When many people hear the word “church” they think of a building. But the Bible never uses
the word “church” to refer to a building of bricks or stones or wood. If a church is not a
building that men can construct with their hands, then what is a church?
1. The Bible uses the word “church” to refer to people.
For example, when people in the city of Antioch believed the gospel, the Bible says:
“News of this reached the ears of the _______ at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to
Antioch….So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the _______ and taught great
numbers of people.” Acts 11:22, 26
So, the church is a group of people.
2.
The Purposes and Functions of the Church include:
Worship:
“ ______________ the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song,
His praise in the assembly of the saints. Psalm 149:1
Evangelism and Missions:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8
Fellowship:
“ And let us consider how we can spur ________________
on toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
God uses the
church to meet
your needs to:
Worship
Spread the
gospel
Encourage
others and be
encouraged
Teaching/Training:
“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you…” Matthew 28:20
“to prepare God’s people _______________________ so that
the body of Christ may be built up” Ephesians 4:12
Learn to live
obediently as
a child of God
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to
the fellowship…” Acts 2:42
Caring for fellow believers:
“…they gave to anyone as he had need.” Acts 2:45
“…let us not love with words or tongue but with actions
and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
Serve
3. How does the Bible describe the relationship of Christ to the church and the relationship of
believers to other believers in the church? Let’s look at one way:
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A. “…Christ is the ______ of the church, His _______, of which He is the Savior.”
Ephesians 5:23
The church belongs to Jesus. He builds up the church and is her authority and leader.
B. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all of its parts are
many, they form one ______. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit
into one body…” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
“Now you are the ______ of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:27
C. The members of the body work together for the good of the whole. Consider the following
examples:
1. If you are climbing a mountain, your feet, legs, hands, lungs, and eyes will all work
together to help you reach the top.
2. If you are standing at a railroad crossing and with your ears you hear a loud whistle
growing closer, then your feet know to move away from the tracks so that you won’t
get hit by the train. In the same way, the members of the church can help protect
and encourage one another along safe and wise paths.
4. Why should you gather with the church?
A. Your needs as a believer in Jesus are met through the church (see part 2 above).
B. This is God’s command: Hebrews 10:25; 12:25. The Bible is the believer’s authority and
we are to obey it.
Is it OK for believers in Jesus not to attend church? Choose one:
____
“Sure, attending church doesn’t really matter.”
____
“No, the Bible teaches Christians are to attend church and that settles it.”
Is there some difficulty that keeps you from attending church? What is it? What might you
do?
The Lord Jesus loves the church. He laid His life down for the church. We are also to love
the church and grow in the grace of God and in knowledge of God with the church.
5. Memorize: Romans 12:5
“…in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
6. Assignment
Does this group function as a church? During the next week review this lesson and list the
ways this group and your Group of 5 is functioning as a church.
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Bible Study 8 For New Believers – Our Privileges and Responsibilities in the Body of
Christ, the Church
As members of the body of Christ we have numerous privileges and responsibilities. In this
lesson we will learn about three of those.
1. We are to be baptized in obedience to Jesus’ command.
A. Jesus himself was baptized and we are to follow His example. Matthew 3:13-17
B. Baptism shows that we believe in and belong to Jesus. The Bible says that we are
“baptized into Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:3
C. Read Romans 6:3-8. What does baptism symbolize? __________________________________



Baptism shows that we identify with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection.
Romans 6:4 says, “We are therefore ________ with Him through baptism into
_________ in order that, just as Christ was ______________________________________
through the glory of the Father, we too may live a ________ life.”
The believer going beneath the surface of the water is a picture of burial with
Christ and our rising from the water is a picture of our being raised with Christ
to new life!
D. After people believe in Jesus, how long should they wait to be baptized?
Read: Acts 2:14-21; 8:12; 8:26-38; 9:1-19; 10:44-48; 16:13-15; 16:25-34.
______________________________________________________________________________________
E. Read Matthew 28:19-20. After we lead someone to believe in Jesus, what should we do?
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. We are to participate in the Lord’s Supper with the church.
A. Read Matthew 26:17-19; 26-29.
What two things did Jesus give His disciples? ________________ and ___________________.
What do those two things represent? ______________________ and _____________________.
B. Before we have the Lord’s Supper, we are to examine ourselves:
“…whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be
guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
Although we confess our sins and receive forgiveness daily, before we participate in the
Lord’s Supper is a good time for special examination of ourselves and making sure that
our relationships are right with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
C. Whenever we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we are especially to remember and thank
God for His grace:
“…the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are
healed.” Isaiah 53:5
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3. We are to give portions of our income as offerings to God through the church.
A. We are to offer our whole lives to God – our time; our work; our money; our talents and
abilities. The Bible says,
“I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1
B. The offering of money is a requirement and test God gives to believers. Offerings are of
two basic types:

Tithe – God has commanded the tithe and we are all to give it. It is 10% of our
income.
“A tithe of everything from the land belongs to the Lord, whether grain from the soil
or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30
Whether our increase is in crops, herds, or money, we are to give a tithe to the
Lord.
Read Malachi 3:8-9. How were they robbing God?
___________________________________________________________________________________
We should give the tithe to the local church. The church should decide how to
honor God by using it to God’s glory.
God promises that He will provide for us if we obey Him in this matter of giving.
Read Malachi 3:10-12.

Free Will Offerings – You may give this offering when people have special needs
(1 Corinthians 16:1-3); in support of gospel workers, like church starters (Philippians
4:14-19); or, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit for some special purpose. This is
over and above the tithe and should not replace the tithe.
4. Memorize: Romans 12:1
“I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”
5. Assignment:
The Bible says in John 14:15, “If you love Me you will obey what I command.” Are you
willing to obey God in baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and tithing? Once again, record in your
notebook what God has said to you in this lesson and teach this Bible study to your Group
of 5. Trust God to provide for your every need as you respond to Him in obedience.
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Bible Study 9 For New Believers – Spreading the Gospel in the Power of God’s Spirit
The word “gospel” means “good news”. The Bible tells us that when Philip and the Ethiopian
man were in the chariot, “Philip…told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). Philip was
spreading the good news, or the gospel.
As a Christian, a child of God, and a member of God’s family, you have assurance of salvation.
You can pray directly to God and have fellowship with Him at any time and spend devotional
time with Him. You are a member of His church, a blessed people.
God’s plan is for you to spread the gospel and teach others to obey all of His ways, and they
can then teach even more people about the good news of salvation.
1. We are challenged from four directions to share the gospel:
A. We are challenged from above. The Lord Jesus has commanded us to share the gospel.
Mark 16:15
B. We are challenged from below. Departed sinners who now suffer in hell cry out for relief
from their torment and in hope that their families will not follow them to hell. Luke
16:27-28
C. We are challenged from inside. There is an inner compulsion to spread the gospel that
Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 9:16. We know we should share the gospel!
D. We are challenged from outside. Some lost people in the world know that they need help
to be saved. These people are represented by the man from Macedonia in Paul’s dream
in Acts 16:9. The truth is that every one of your friends and family, every person living
in this city, is on his way to heaven or to hell. All the lost people need to be saved. We
should help them by sharing the gospel with them.
Today each believer in Jesus should listen to these promptings and respond immediately.
We should not only lead people to trust in Jesus, but…
2. We should also train them to spread the gospel and themselves become trainers of others.
In this way you can rapidly spread the gospel message. This is what Paul spoke of in
2 Timothy 2:2. How many stages or generations do we see in these verses? In other words,
how many times did the gospel teachings pass from one to another?
Paul → Timothy → reliable men → others
= ____________________________
3. You already know what to tell other people in order to spread the gospel!
A. Share your personal testimony. (See Bible Study #2)
B. Teach them the simple truths of the gospel that you have learned.
You should immediately respond to God and your life will be a blessing. The best way to
spread the gospel rapidly is for each believer to help start a new group and sharing the
gospel with his neighbors.
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4. You may face persecution and suffering in sharing the gospel.
Jesus promised suffering and persecution.
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow
Me.” Mark 8:34
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it
would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you:
‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also.
If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” John 15:18-20
5. God will be faithful to you as you share the gospel.
A. He will give you strength to face the persecution courageously. Read Acts 4:1-31.
B. He will see you through the persecution according to His wisdom and will. Read Acts
12:1-19.
What happened to James? ___________________________________________________________
What happened to Peter? ____________________________________________________________
Both men were faithful to the Lord and the Lord was faithful to both of them. God’s will
was for Peter to continue witnessing on earth and for James to enter the glory of heaven
after having been a faithful witness.
C. He has given us instructions for how to handle persecution. 1 Peter 2:20-25; 3:8-17
6. The Bible promises us that the Word of God will be effective in the lives of people!
A. Read Isaiah 55:10-11.
______________________________________________________________________________________
B. Read John 10:14-16.
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Memorize: Mark 16:15
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.’ ”
8. Assignment:
Now it is time for you to go and be a trainer of trainers!!! Ask God to give you this group so
that you can continue the process of training trainers who will train others.
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Commitment Time
The goal is to challenge those who have attended the Bible Studies For New Believers to
respond to what God is doing in their hearts and to move forward with the Lessons For
Trainers.
Lead the people to see the lostness of the world and the responsibility of Christians to take the
gospel to those who have never heard. Briefly review the Bible study topics in a worship
setting. Lead the group in a prayer time asking them to pray specifically in the following ten
areas.
1. Has God given you an Acts 1:8 vision for the lost world?
2. Has God moved you to share the gospel message in a new more deliberate way?
3. Do you plan to continue to be sensitive for and create opportunities to share the gospel with
your friends and family in the days and weeks ahead, even though they might resist?
4. Do you believe that God will bless your effort and sacrifice?
5. Do you have the discipline of a daily walk with God?
6. Do you believe the Holy Spirit is working in your life?
7. Are there other Christians you know who can encourage you and pray with you?
8. Are you prepared to suffer or to be persecuted for your Christian faith?
9. Pray for those people you are working with now and those with whom you will work in the
future. Commit to pray for them every day.
10. Write your name on the piece of paper you were given at the start of this worship time.
Next to number 1, write the number of people you feel God will lead to Himself through
your witness in the next year. Next to number 2, write the number of people you can train
as trainers in the next year, to teach just as you have been taught during these weeks of
training. Next to number 3, write the number of churches you feel God will start through
your ministry in the next year.
We end with a couple of verses of "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus," prayer and the laying on of
hands if appropriate in that setting, and the gathering of the sheets.
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THE COMMITMENT SHEET FOR TRAINERS
Name _________________________________
1. Has God given you an Acts 1:8 vision for the lost world?
2. Has God moved you to share the gospel message in a new more deliberate way?
3. Do you plan to continue to be sensitive for and create opportunities to share the gospel with
your friends and family in the days and weeks ahead, even though they might resist?
4. Do you believe that God will bless your effort and sacrifice?
5. Do you have the discipline of a daily walk with God?
6. Do you believe the Holy Spirit is working in your life?
7. Are there other Christians you know who can encourage you and pray with you?
8. Are you prepared to suffer or to be persecuted for your Christian faith?
9. Pray for those people you are working with now and those with whom you will work in the
future. Commit to pray for them every day.
10.
Pray, committing yourself to the Lord to be a trainer.
Commitment _________________________________
Date _________________________________
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VIII.
How to Study the Bible – Lesson 8 For Trainers
When a new believer fully understands and completes the Bible studies, we will immediately
teach them “How to Study the Bible”, which is the most important factor in training a small
group.
Whenever you preach or interpret the Bible for new believers, they receive and learn Biblical
truths. However, most of these new believers will learn to rely entirely on the teachings of
others. It would be more beneficial for new believers in their spiritual growth to learn how to
study the Bible for themselves. This will not only enable new believers to start their own
personal Bible study but will also give them the ability to lead a Bible study group. An
additional benefit will be that other believers in the group will be able to do the same.
There are many Bible study books, which are used for spiritual growth but few help Christians
understand how to study the Bible for themselves. Consequently, Christians do not fully
understand what truths God commands them to obey. In reality, there are no Bible study
books that can replace God’s Word. A believer can receive God’s teaching and power directly
from His Word. Thus, believers can trust and obey God’s Word. All believers must ask the
Holy Spirit to guide and direct us to spiritual growth.
Below are three important questions we must keep in mind when studying the Bible.
1. What is the Scripture about?
An easy way to answer this question is by remembering the Acrostic “SPECKA”.
S…….Is there a SIN I need to confess?
P…….Is there a PROMISE I need to claim?
E…….Is there an EXAMPLE I need to follow?
C…….Is there a COMMAND I need to obey?
K…….Is there KNOWLEDGE that I need to obtain?
A…….Is there an APPLICATION I need to apply to my life?
2. What did the Holy Spirit teach me today?
3. How can I share what I learned with others?
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IX. Having a God-given vision and setting goals – Lesson 9 For Trainers
For believers, vision is the God-given ability to understand what God wants to do in the future
while living in the present.
Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Proverbs 29:18
A. Examples
1. From the Old Testament: Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3; Romans 4:17)
2. From the New Testament: Paul (Acts 16:9-10)
B. Characteristics
1. A God-given vision is essential in ministry.
2. Church planters and church planter trainers, who have a God-given vision, have
direction in ministry.
3. God-given vision is important because it gives direction for everyone involved in the
same ministry.
4. When everyone has the same God-given vision, everyone can work together in unity.
5. God-given vision can provide the opportunity to make suitable changes in direction. The
role of a God-given vision is to provide direction for such changes.
6. God-given vision is the basis for evaluating what the church planter and the trainer of
church planters are achieving.
C. Our Vision Statement
Applying the biblical principle of multi-generational training, 2 Timothy 2:2, we will train
believers so that all peoples of the earth will have the opportunity to hear, understand and
respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ, be gathered into reproducing churches while
maturing as believers.
D. The vision of God guides our plan of action—our goals.
A goal is an objective or purpose which helps you accomplish the God-given vision. Goals
are like targets or plans, which help guide you in ministry. Goals help provide standards
by which you can evaluate your training and church planting progress.
E. Writing your goals
Write down what you believe should be accomplished in order to fulfill the God-given vision
you already have. Goals should be simple statements that are easy to communicate to
others, achievable, and measurable. Answer these questions:
1. What are some goals you need to set in order to fulfill the vision statement? Here are
some examples of goals.
a. I believe God wants me train _______ trainers in ______ months.
b. I believe God wants me to establish _______ new churches in ______ months.
c. I believe God wants me to witness to ________ unsaved people in ______ months.
It is important to help all new believers become trainers. There will be difficulties and
many people will turn away, yet if 20%-30% of all new believers become trainers, the
result is amazing.
2. Are those goals achievable and easy to measure?
3. Can you communicate those goals to others?
F. Begin praying that God would help you implement the goals you have developed in order to
accomplish His vision.
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