Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Liberty University

SELECTING A DISCIPLE-MAKERS MESSAGE

Submitted to Dr. Allan England in partial completion of course requirements for DSMN 500 Discipleship Ministries

Elke Speliopoulos Downingtown, PA June 3, 2011

Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 Definition of Terms .................................................................................................................... 3 Authentic Learning (or Preaching What You Practice)............................................................. 5 Forms of an Educators Message and Curriculum Planning ......................................................... 6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 7 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 8

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Introduction Solomon wrote: Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13, NIV) As Christian disciple makers, we do well to remember that simply developing a curriculum that pumps a mind full of Bible information is not sufficient. Just as God created us in His image and just as Jesus stated that loving God included heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30), those being discipled need to be engaged in all of their person. Definition of Terms Mitchell outlines that several steps are needed to create a curriculum plan, whether for a secular or a church setting. From identifying and acknowledging goals and expectations as to the outcomes of teaching1, to cataloging the existing baseline of knowledge, the mindset and ultimate skill set needed to create the desired outcome, much needs to go into planning.2 Once this has been defined and communicated, courses and texts or textbooks, as well as teachers and associated activities required to propel a student to a desired learning outcome can be lined up.3 Ultimately, with all these elements in place, it is possible to create a learning path, or scope and sequence chart4 to ensure that all learning is aligned along an agreed upon time axis.

1. Michael R. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home (Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010), 248. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid., 248. 4. Ibid., 249.

Since the terms content, curriculum and lesson can take on similar meanings in educational settings5, it is important for all participants to be clear on the precise meaning of these terms. Mitchell offers a number of definitions focusing on content, curriculum, message, teaching methods and learning activities.6 According to Mitchell, content consists of all the matter, materials, substance, and even meanings available to an educator to communicate and transmit to students.7 The Concise Oxford English Dictionary describes content as originating in Middle English from medieval Latin contentum (plural contenta things contained), neuter past participle of continere and describes it as the things that are contained in something.8 In contrast, according to Mitchell, curriculum refers to the actual messages chosen to transmit to the student.9 Mitchell breaks curriculum down into three guiding principles: instruction, inclusion, and participation.10 Instruction is only possible when every type of learning activity includes focus on allowing learning, growth and development within the student to happen.11 Inclusion can mean stipulating a requirement within a learning environment that ensures that every participant can be part of any activity.
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Finally, participation necessitates an

5. Ibid. 6. Ibid., 249. 7. Ibid., 251. 8. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004). 9. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples, 253.World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home, 248. 10. Ibid., 254. 11. Ibid. 12. Ibid., 255.

encouragement to students to become actively engaged by the learning facilitators (teachers, group leaders, etc.).13 The message itself, a term derived from the word missive, is something that is sent from one party to another. Mitchell uses the example of Hebrews 12 to show that God as both our Father and Teacher outlines a course for His children to run. To make this effective, God chooses specific messages from all of the content available to him in order to communicate with his disciple-followers.14 Finally learning methods and teaching activities allow students to engage with the content and message on a deeply, what Mitchell calls, soulish level of learning, which incorporates thinking, feeling, and choosing.15 Authentic Learning (or Preaching What You Practice) One critical element in any approach to learning has to be the authenticity displayed in what is conveyed to the learners. Mitchell calls this preaching what you practice16, e.g. unless a teacher is already living what they are trying to convey, the message may resonate as shallow. Tradition, observation, participation and inspiration in Christian learning all become elements of how information is conveyed. Tradition describes what our knowledge is based on from texts and other containers that convey through the centuries what a culture is about. Observation is what a student brings into the learning experience, which includes many unprocessed impressions. Participation is what the teacher elicits out of the student because of his or her life experience. Inspiration finally is wholly dependent on the Holy Spirits
13. Ibid. 14. Ibid., 257. 15. Ibid. 16. Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home, 257.

participation, guiding and directing the teachers words and actions to convey what God wants to impart to the student (and many times also the teacher).17 Forms of an Educators Message and Curriculum Planning Mitchell suggests the three-legged stool approach for developing curriculum: evaluating of textbooks to be utilized, determining the subject matter addressed, and incorporating of data discovered and mined during personal research and preparation.18 Ultimately Christian education, whether in a formal setting or in a one-by-one disciplemaking effort has to feature Christ-centered, Bible-based, pupil-experienced, others-related, family-focused, socially-applied, and evangelistically-concerned building blocks.19 Looking at the curriculum planning itself, a view at how the apostles taught teaches modern teachers to emulate a model the Holy Spirit inspired in the apostles of the first century. Mitchell primarily draws on the example laid out in Acts 2:42-47, where the apostles grew the disciples through a series of activities, such as devoting themselves to prayer, sharing communion as well as the community, which came with this intimate experience. They also met needs, assembled together, and praised the Lord and worshiped Jesus.20 He lays the concept studied in Scripture in a seven-step approach: Step 1: Diagnosis of need Step 2: Formulation of objectives Step 3: Selection of content Step 4: Organization of content Step 5: Selection of learning experiences Step 6: Organization of learning experiences Step 7: Determination of what to evaluate and of the ways and means of doing it21
17. Ibid., 261. 18. Ibid., 268. 19. Ibid. 20. Ibid., 275. 21. Ibid., 274.

Each of these steps have biblical precedence, however primary consideration for overall Christian education can be found in such passages as the aforementioned Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 4:11-16 (describing Christs direct commissioning of pastor and teachers to equip the body for works of service and maturing the body through the mechanics of divinely led maturing), 1 Corinthians 12 (describing spiritual gifts and the purposes of deploying them within the body of Christ), Romans 12 (again teaching about the spiritual gifts, but tying them here to love in the body of Christ) and Colossians 1 (regarding the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to mature into a life worthy of Jesus), to name a few.22 Conclusion To select a new lesson, the deliberations of the educator have to include which content to convey in which message format and via which curriculum through what type of learning activity and teaching methods. They need to span all the way from prayerful biblical consideration to objectively evaluating where his intended audience finds itself spiritually, emotionally and even physically, especially in todays online environments. A teacher must be authentic, e.g. he or she can only convey in a meaningful manner what has been learned already through experiences God has brought him or her through. We teach best when our life reflects the promises of God whether in hardship or in plenty.

22. Based on discussion of biblical passages in Dr. Dempseys presentationIntroduction to the Discipleship Ministries Project.

Bibliography Mitchell, Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples: World-Class Education in the Church, School, and Home. Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks, 2010. Soanes, Catherine, and Angus Stevenson. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. 11th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Dempsey, Richard. Introduction to the Discipleship Ministries Project. Video presentation delivered via Liberty University Blackboard for DSMN 500, accessed May 30, 2011.