LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY FIVE PRINCIPLES TO MAKE AND MULTIPLY DISCIPLES THROUGH THE SMALL GROUP MINISTRY DOCTOR OF MINISTRY PROJECT A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY By Timothy W. Yates Barboursville, West Virginia November, 2012 ii Copyright © 2012 by Timothy W. Yates All Rights Reserved iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In January of 2009, my Pastor, Dr. David Lemming began to realize the traditional Sunday school was no longer effective as a means of evangelism and discipleship. Consequently, Pastor Lemming asked me to investigate the small group model. Thank you Pastor for having the wisdom and fortitude to leave a traditional model in order to embrace a more effective means of making disciples. Thank you for entrusting me with this ministry. Fortunately, that same year, I enrolled at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and eventually became a disciple of Dr. Dave Earley and Dr. Rodney Dempsey. I want to thank these two godly men for sending me on the most incredible journey of my life. You time, training, and friendship have been invaluable and life changing. I also want to thank my wife (soul mate) who also joined me in my mission. Thank you for being an incredible small group leader, disciple-maker and multiplier. You have the uncanny ability to see the big picture and the incredible potential of multiplication. It is a joy serving Jesus shoulder-to-shoulder with you. I also want to thank my mentor, Dr. Charles Davidson and my reader, Dr. Rodney Dempsey. Your constant encouragement has inspired me to forge ahead during the difficult days of writing. I also greatly appreciate Turabian expert and my proofreader Morgan Cassady. Last, but not least, I want to thank my wonderful children and their spouses (Matthew Timothy Yates and Allison Lee Holloman). You are a constant source of joy in my life, and I love you dearly. Thank you for giving us Abbie Kate, Adalynn Reese and Noah Timothy, the greatest small group in the entire world. Pops and Gran love you all. iv LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET ______________________________ GRADE ______________________________ MENTOR ______________________________ READER v ABSTRACT FIVE PRINCIPLES TO MAKE AND MULTIPLY DISCIPLES THROUGH THE SMALL GROUP MINISTRY Timothy W. Yates Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012 Mentor: Dr. Charles N. Davidson The unchanging command of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” of all ethnic groups of the world. Unfortunately the church has struggled with her primary mission and has been grossly negligent in equipping church members to become Great Commission leaders. Therefore, this author will develop a small group training manual consisting of five principles to make and multiply disciples through the small group ministry. This manual will provide a laser focus on how to intentionally develop and deploy the common layman within the local church in order to reproduce disciples who reproduce disciples. As a small group pastor, this author will test and verify the five principles in the laboratory of Lewis Memorial Baptist Church in Barboursville, West Virginia. 120 words vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................3 Statement of Limitations ......................................................................................................9 Theoretical Basis ................................................................................................................11 Methodology ......................................................................................................................17 Review of Literature ..........................................................................................................21 The Results.........................................................................................................................29 CHAPTER 2: THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION ...........................................30 The Mandate ......................................................................................................................31 The Model ..........................................................................................................................32 The Process ........................................................................................................................40 The Challenge ....................................................................................................................43 Champion the Cause ..........................................................................................................51 CHAPTER 3: THE PRINCIPLE OF MENTORING AN APPRENTICE ....................................55 The Strategy .......................................................................................................................57 A Biblical Model................................................................................................................59 Choosing an Apprentice .....................................................................................................63 Developing an Apprentice .................................................................................................69 CHAPTER 4: THE PRINCIPLE OF MULTIPLICATION ..........................................................73 A Theology of Multiplication ............................................................................................74 Four Enemies of Multiplication .........................................................................................80 Celebrating Multiplication .................................................................................................87 vi vii CHAPTER 5: THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNITY ...................................................................90 The Church.........................................................................................................................93 The Trinity .........................................................................................................................95 Relationships ......................................................................................................................97 CHAPTER 6: THE PRINCIPLE OF A STRONG COACHING SYSTEM ...............................106 Key Leaders .....................................................................................................................107 The Job Description .........................................................................................................113 APPENDIX A ..............................................................................................................................124 APPENDIX B ..............................................................................................................................125 APPENDIX C ..............................................................................................................................126 APPENDIX D ..............................................................................................................................127 APPENDIX E ..............................................................................................................................128 APPENDIX F...............................................................................................................................129 APPENDIX G ..............................................................................................................................130 APPENDIX H ..............................................................................................................................131 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................132 VITA ............................................................................................................................................141 IRB APPROVAL .........................................................................................................................142 vii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Prior to His ascension, the resurrected Lord gave His church some final instructions. In fact, the very last words He spoke on earth have been commonly known as “the Great Commission.”1 This unchanging command is to “make disciples of all ethnic groups of the world” (Matt. 28:19-20). All four Gospels, along with the book of Acts, repeat the disciple- making mission entrusted to the church.2 In fact, from a hermeneutical perspective, one must interpret the entire New Testament in light of the Great Commission and the redemptive work of Jesus. The salvific mission of Jesus remains the same and has been handed down to every believer. The follower of Christ must obediently pick up the baton and carry on the mission of Jesus. On the other hand, the Great Commission has fallen on hard times and in reality has been re-defined as “the Great Omission.”3 Perhaps one’s conscience has been soothed by the fine art of “making church members” or helping the poor. Nevertheless, the haunting words of the Great Commission continue to echo from the pages of Scripture, “make disciples of all nations” not just casual followers.