You are cordially invited!
At Cornerstone Church, we treasure the opportunity to help people become more like Jesus. Through discipleship class, not only do we learn more about God and our faith, we are challenged to love God and each other by living out our faith in community. In addition, this class is one of the best opportunity to build a deeper relationship with the pastors and leaders of our church.
Discipleship Class is a 12-week course designed to deepen your knowledge of God, yourself, and the Church, covering topics such as the Doctrine of God, Theology Proper, Predestination, and more. The main hindrance to growth is not the lack of knowledge but our heart condition. Discipleship Class is a journey that goes beyond just learning to living out the faith and loving it.
Discipleship Class is a 12-week course designed to deepen your knowledge of God, yourself, and the Church, covering topics such as the Doctrine of God, Theology Proper, Predestination, and more. The main hindrance to growth is not the lack of knowledge but our heart condition. Discipleship Class is a journey that goes beyond just learning to living out the faith and loving it.
Course Description
Learning, Loving, Living
Learning
Discipleship involves learning. But in Christian discipleship, learning is not the way we may have understood it in the Western world. What we often understand as learning only involves a teacher teaching from a textbook without having to put them into practice. Christian learning involves more than this.
The main hindrance of someone that wants to learn something is not the lack of knowledge that is out there for him or her to take in, but rather it is his or her heart condition. Jesus perceives that divine sovereignty has been operative, hiding the gospel truth from "the wise and learned" but revealing it to "little children."
Christian learning is first and foremost about giving authority to the Author of life. The absence of this authority only amounts to head knowledge that leads to puffing up one's ego rather than building up one another. (1 Cor. 8:1) Therefore in this course, you will learn how to become a servant by serving one another. Through accountability meetings to loving your discipler and classmates, this class will serve as a forum to learn how to serve God and one another.
The main hindrance of someone that wants to learn something is not the lack of knowledge that is out there for him or her to take in, but rather it is his or her heart condition. Jesus perceives that divine sovereignty has been operative, hiding the gospel truth from "the wise and learned" but revealing it to "little children."
Christian learning is first and foremost about giving authority to the Author of life. The absence of this authority only amounts to head knowledge that leads to puffing up one's ego rather than building up one another. (1 Cor. 8:1) Therefore in this course, you will learn how to become a servant by serving one another. Through accountability meetings to loving your discipler and classmates, this class will serve as a forum to learn how to serve God and one another.
Loving
What you have learned in the discipleship course means nothing if you do not put them into practice. In Christianity, what we put into practice is the act of love towards one another through entering into a communion with Christ and His people.
In this discipleship course, you will have ample opportunity to love one another through the obedience of the Word of God and by the “obedience test” commanded to you by the discipler. With that being said, one could easily “obey” without truly loving the command-er. We describe that as “going through the motion.”
At the end of the course, if you are still in this stage then it’s safe to assume that the discipleship course was a failed experience. However, the biggest test to see if you are truly loving God and one another is whether or not you truly enjoy submitting under the discipler and enjoying the company of your fellow discipleship members.
In this discipleship course, you will have ample opportunity to love one another through the obedience of the Word of God and by the “obedience test” commanded to you by the discipler. With that being said, one could easily “obey” without truly loving the command-er. We describe that as “going through the motion.”
At the end of the course, if you are still in this stage then it’s safe to assume that the discipleship course was a failed experience. However, the biggest test to see if you are truly loving God and one another is whether or not you truly enjoy submitting under the discipler and enjoying the company of your fellow discipleship members.
Living
Those who dictate the conditions of discipleship cannot be his disciples.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer observes, "The third would-be disciple…lands himself in a hopeless inconsistency, for although he is ready enough to throw in his lot with Jesus, he succeeds in putting up a barrier between himself and the Master…Discipleship to him is a possibility which can only be realized when certain conditions have been fulfilled… The disciple places himself at the Master's disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. But then discipleship is no longer discipleship, but a programme of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves… The trouble with this third would-be disciple is that at the very moment he expresses his willingness to follow, he ceases to want to follow at all…Discipleship means adherence to Jesus alone, and immediately."
When we try to follow Jesus with our own heart condition and strength, we quickly find out that we will fail. That is because we want to follow Jesus in our own terms and guidelines. This will never work. It didn’t work with Jesus’ 12 disciples and it will never work with us.
In this discipleship course, you will learn to follow Jesus in His time and guideline through the rules set by the instructor. The final goal is not to learn how to be disciplined in your life (though that is one aspect of discipleship), but a heart transformation to be able to obey the Lord wholeheartedly.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer observes, "The third would-be disciple…lands himself in a hopeless inconsistency, for although he is ready enough to throw in his lot with Jesus, he succeeds in putting up a barrier between himself and the Master…Discipleship to him is a possibility which can only be realized when certain conditions have been fulfilled… The disciple places himself at the Master's disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. But then discipleship is no longer discipleship, but a programme of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves… The trouble with this third would-be disciple is that at the very moment he expresses his willingness to follow, he ceases to want to follow at all…Discipleship means adherence to Jesus alone, and immediately."
When we try to follow Jesus with our own heart condition and strength, we quickly find out that we will fail. That is because we want to follow Jesus in our own terms and guidelines. This will never work. It didn’t work with Jesus’ 12 disciples and it will never work with us.
In this discipleship course, you will learn to follow Jesus in His time and guideline through the rules set by the instructor. The final goal is not to learn how to be disciplined in your life (though that is one aspect of discipleship), but a heart transformation to be able to obey the Lord wholeheartedly.
Commitment Requirements
By deciding to commit to being discipled, you agree to:
- Be punctual. Tardiness will be penalized by donating $1/minute to the next discipleship cycle. If you are late by more than half of the scheduled class, your tardiness will be counted as an absence. You are allowed (1) excused absence.
- Honor your words.
- Keep everything we share during our meetings confidential.
- Love and obey your instructor.
- Complete all assignments.
Assignments
You will have weekly short-term assignments and long-term assignments that you will turn in during and at the end of the course.
Short-Term Assignments
Reading Articles
Reading assignments will be given every week. If you have not read the assigned material ahead of time (2 excuses allowed) before coming to class, you will be dismissed from discipleship.
Discussion Topics
Meet with your accountability partner every week for 1 hour to discuss the question(s) assigned in this syllabus (see below).
Devotionals
You will be assigned a daily devotional for your spiritual consumption to aid in your spiritual walk. Some of you may have your own devotional material that you are doing right now. Nevertheless, please follow the devotional guidelines that are assigned over the life of the 12-week course. The assignment is for the sake of solidarity as well as to have the class engage in discussion about your personal walk with the Lord. After the discipleship course is completed, you may continue with your own devotional materials for your own spiritual growth.
Long-Term Assignments
Presentation
7-10 minute presentation addressing the question, “Why Jesus is the only answer?” PowerPoint is strongly encouraged.
Essay
Two-page paper on your evangelism experience. Due date for this paper will be on the last day of discipleship.
- 5 people you have never shared the gospel with
- They can be people you know or random people on the street
Reflection Paper
A 10 Year Vision Plan and a reflection of the course.
Obedience Test
Everyone in the class will be assigned to prepare food at least once for the entire group during a scheduled meeting. The class administrative assistant will notify you of your assigned week.
Final Exam
There will be a one hour examination on the entire course. The exam will cover materials from the lecture AND the reading assignments.
Our Desired Outcomes
- Stronger passion and discipline to abide in Christ through the living word of God.
- Build closer relationships with the discipler/instructor, leadership and the vision of Cornerstone Church.
- To serve and love people in the discipleship class.
- Transformation of the heart to become servant leaders in Cornerstone Church and elsewhere.
- Dependence on the grace of God through prayer and devotionals.
- Becoming bold to disciple others through teaching and serving others.
Required Materials
Quiet Time Resource: https://www.desiringgod.org/solid-joys
Solid Joy Devotional online OR download Solid Joys App.
Solid Joy Devotional online OR download Solid Joys App.
Additional Recommend Readings
The Cost of Discipleship
by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
https://a.co/d/hmYIk2V
Mere Christianity
by C.S. Lewis
https://a.co/d/cgH1yHK
The Spirit of Discipline
by Dallas Willard
https://a.co/d/jd7pqtX
Don’t Waste Your Life
by John Piper
https://a.co/d/2waPFVs
Desiring God
by John Piper
https://a.co/d/f9yKVPS
Making Sense of God
by Timothy Keller
https://a.co/d/aI5uSH8
Knowing God
by J.I. Packer
https://a.co/d/arPcC1o