Phase 1: Critical next steps after conversion – first discipleship steps
This phase could take anything from 7 weeks to 14 months to complete. A mentor will work this through with his disciple to such an extent that the disciple would be able to disciple a new Christian through phase 1.
- Make sure that you are saved
- Ef 2:8 – it is a a gift
- John 10:27-29 – you have eternal life
- Rom 3:23 – faith justifies you (but faith is also a gift)
- Dealing with emotion and doubt
- Tell someone that you are saved
- John 1:41 – Andrew tells Simon and brings him to Jesus
- Just rest with Jesus
- This could be listening to worship music
- It could be quiet time with Him
- It could be experiencing some of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit
- Listen to prompting or the Holy Spirit
- Embrace any thought
- Speak to Jesus about it
- Take the thought to the Bible – all thoughts to be captured by the Bible
- Pray about that revelation/area (of weakness or strength)/person/opportunity/threat
- Write it down – also what you need to do
- Start again – wait , listen, respond (embrace, act, pray , write)
- Get baptized
- Baptism is necessary for obedience (not for salvation) – Acts 2:38
- Telling the world:. “I am an new person”, 2 Cor. 5:17
- Make sure that you are baptised with the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:4-5. This is different to water baptism – you receive the Holy Spirit in his fullness and get Power
- Start reading the Bible (have a quiet time)
- Find time after your initial period of resting with Jesus (no 3) to just read the Bible
- Read a few chapters every day and note a verse or two where God speaks to you
- If there are verses that you do not understand, write them down and ask your mentor.
- Have a note book or journal where you write down God’s message to you
- Start your prayer life (establish a war room)
- Prayer is talking to God.
- There could be fixed times like morning, noon and evening
- There should be conversations throughout the day
- Sometimes prayer and fasting go hand in hand – learn about fasting in theory and practise
- Evaluate friendships
- Ask the Father to give you some good and solid Christian friends
- Ask the Father which of your current friends you need to see less of or to end the friendship totally
- Find a small group of Christians and meet with them regularly
- Most small groups meet at least three times per month, sometimes more
- Make a commitment to attend the group
- Find the right group and stick with the group
- Find a church after you have settled in a strong group
- Learn to give
- God loves a cheerful giver
- Everything belongs to God
- Memorise God’s Word
- Be ready to give a word or a defence – 1 Peter 3:15
- Meditate on the word – Psalm 119:97
- Get your health in order
- Get prayer for this
- If you are overweight or underweight, take the necessary steps and get help to address this
- If you are unfit, start with an exercise routine
- If you have an addiction like substance abuse (drugs), smoking, drinking, pornography, abuse, (over)eating, lustful sex or thoughts, get prayer and help for this
- If you have any other challenges, address those
- Get your spiritual and psychological life in order
- Go for Inner healing session
- Go for prayer sessions
- Go for sessions with professionals to assist you
- Go to seminars or camps
- Get your relationship life in order
- People who wronged you
- Father, mother etc
- Brothers, sisters or other family
- Anyone else
- The Holy Spirit, The Father and the Son
- Find a mentor
- Some mature Christian that you will guide you to do the steps above (phase 1)
- Some mature Christian(s) that could guide you further along the road (phase 2-4)
This is a summary of the different steps that a mentor (disciple maker) should work through with his disciple.
Hansie Louw, November 2016