Do you have a split focus? As my friend Neil Cole says, “First things first. One thing at a time. Always one more thing.” That middle concept of “one thing at a time” can be one of the most difficult for us. We live in an age of multi-tasking and constant...
When you make a disciple, that’s not the end of the story. That disciple then goes on to make other disciples, who go on to make other disciples. The domino effect is the multiplication of disciples. So when you have a new believer, don’t remove them from their...
New believers, if they have not already connected with a group of believers before they began following Jesus, need to get involved in some type of faith community. That can be a small group, a house church, a life transformation group (LTG), a missional group–...
Teach new believers “spiritual breathing.” Exhaling: The confession of sin is necessary for a disciple to learn and grow. Without confession, there is no cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all...
Here’s what to do with new believers right after they come to faith, preferably within the first two days: Baptize as quickly and as publicly as you can. Have the new believer bring as many friends and family members as is possible to the baptism. Extend the offer to...
How you treat new believers is especially important within the first 24-48 hours after their conversion. There is a type of bonding that must occur early and only with God. It is the same as feeding a newborn baby. We need to imprint God as the parent, not ourselves...
God is already at work in the people around us, even those who are not yet followers of Jesus. People hear God’s voice before they accept him. When we disciple others, that discipleship relationship actually begins before a life transformation or conversion. Our role...
When God is at work in starting a new gathering of believers, he often lays the foundation within a “person of peace.” They are a bridge person who brings the message of Jesus into their own community. This person can be the first domino in a chain reaction among a...
Who is most receptive to the gospel? In Jesus’ day, it was tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, beggars, etc. Not a lot has changed. “Nice people” are often more out of touch with their need for God. •“Bad” people make good soil, there is a lot of fertilizer in their...
