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ABSTRACT Discipleship Camp: a Model for Developing and Making Disciples by Timothy L. Brewer in Addition to My Position As Pasto

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ABSTRACT Discipleship Camp: a Model for Developing and Making Disciples by Timothy L. Brewer in Addition to My Position As Pasto ABSTRACT Discipleship Camp: A Model for Developing and Making Disciples by Timothy L. Brewer In addition to my position as pastor of a local church, I have served as the district leader of Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries (SDMI) for the Intermountain District Church of the Nazarene for thirteen years. Ten years ago, two members from my District SDMI team and I developed Discipleship Camp: a year-long training ministry for laypeople and pastors to equip them to intentionally make disciples that make disciples. The one-year journey has three stages: Stage 1—Three months before camp the participant was partnered with a discipleship coach. They met once a month to talk about their experience in discipleship and read articles about different elements of personal discipleship and making disciples. The purpose of the meetings was not so much about discussing the articles as it was about getting to know one another. The articles served as a bridge for the conversations. Stage 2—A four-day intensive training camp. This was held at Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center in Cascade, Idaho. It was an experiential learning environment teaching participants five core values: Relational Community – Participants were taught that discipleship is not a program but rather a way of life as they live in relationship with one another. Experiential learning – Discipleship Camp was a curriculum that engaged participants in both structured/formal and unstructured/informal ways to learn key concepts of disciple-making. Biblical Foundation – Participants were engaged in scripture and reminded that it is the foundation for teaching, leading and making disciples. They were also involved in developing personal spiritual disciplines with the understanding that one must be a disciple of Christ before they can lead others. Spirit-led Discipleship – Discipleship is a process built on a partnership between God and people. Though there was a curriculum and structure developed for the camp, leaders modeled an openness and flexibility to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Perpetual Replication – The monthly coach’s meetings and the four-day intensive camp helped the participant to see how God wanted to use them to multiply disciples using their personal gifts and strengths in their ministry context. Stage 3—Before leaving the camp, participants set goals they believed God wanted them to fulfill in personal discipleship and making disciples. Their coach met with them over the next nine months to encourage them in their personal spiritual formation and help them to be engaged in discipling others who will in turn disciple others. The purpose of this dissertation was to measure the effect of seven years of Discipleship Camp (2011–2017) upon personal discipleship and making disciples on the Intermountain District Church of the Nazarene. Surveys and questionnaires were used to gather data from the seventy-four former participants, some of whom no longer lived in the Intermountain District boundaries. In addition, a focus group of six (three laypeople, three clergy) was conducted with participants who lived and served on the Intermountain District Church of the Nazarene. The findings indicated that long term intentional discipleship had a positive impact that encouraged participants in their walk with Christ and gave them confidence and practical tools to disciple others. DISCIPLESHIP CAMP: A MODEL FOR DEVELOPING AND MAKING DISCIPLES A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Timothy L. Brewer May 2020 © May 2020 Timothy L. Brewer ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 NATURE OF THE PROJECT ......................................................................1 Overview of the Chapter ..........................................................................................1 Personal Introduction ...............................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................3 Purpose of the Project.…………………………………………………………….4 Research Questions ..................................................................................................4 Research Question #1 ..................................................................................4 Research Question #2 ..................................................................................4 Research Question #3 ..................................................................................4 Rationale for the Project ..........................................................................................4 Definition of Key Terms ..........................................................................................5 Delimitations ............................................................................................................7 Review of Relevant Literature .................................................................................7 Research Methodology ..........................................................................................12 Type of Research .......................................................................................12 Participants .................................................................................................13 Instrumentation ..........................................................................................13 Data Collection ..........................................................................................14 iii Data Analysis .............................................................................................14 Generalizability ..........................................................................................15 Project Overview ...................................................................................................15 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW FOR THE PROJECT .........................................16 Overview of the Chapter ........................................................................................16 Biblical Foundations ..............................................................................................17 Old Testament Foundation for Discipleship ..............................................17 New Testament Foundation for Discipleship ............................................23 Theological Foundations ........................................................................................29 Trinity ........................................................................................................30 God the Father............................................................................................32 God the Son................................................................................................33 God the Holy Spirit. ...................................................................................34 Anthropology .............................................................................................35 Salvation ....................................................................................................36 Sanctification .............................................................................................37 Ecclesiology ...............................................................................................39 Disciple ......................................................................................................41 Discipleship/Spiritual Formation ...............................................................43 Historical Development of Small Groups ..............................................................45 Jewish Educational System: Rabbi and Student ........................................45 Didache and the Catechumen.....................................................................47 Wesley’s Model for Making Disciples (Interlocking System) ..................49 iv Contemporary Models of Small Groups ................................................................54 Discipleshift: Jim Putman .........................................................................54 Transforming Discipleship: Greg Ogden ..................................................57 Analyzing the Models ...............................................................................58 Discipleship Practices ............................................................................................61 Means of Grace ........................................................................................61 Personal Bible Reading ............................................................................64 Experiential Learning...............................................................................66 Relational Community .............................................................................75 Perpetual Replication ...............................................................................81 Spirit-led Discipleship .............................................................................82
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