The document provides guidance on foundational principles for discipling someone. It emphasizes establishing the "big picture" of salvation history with Jesus at the center. When discipling others, the initial focus should be on "being" rather than "doing" - helping them understand their new identity in Christ through the gospel. This establishes the proper motivation from a transformed heart before exhorting good works. Key tools for growth are engaging with the word of God, prayer, and fellowship within the church community.

1. What is Foundational for Discipling Someone?
The Big Picture
The “Big Picture” is like a map that shows us the beginning and the end of our journey as well as
everything in between. It also shows us everything that is important and how everything is
connected to Jesus and the gospel.
In discipling someone the big picture serves as a blueprint for the things to build into their lives.
The Big Picture
Jesus
  
  
Gospel  Church  Mission
Mission
Glorify God and Jesus
  
  
Proclaiming  Discipling  Love
  
  
Kingdom of God
The Cart Before the Horse
A lot of the time as disciples and disciplers we make the mistake of getting right into the doing
before we have grasped at the heart level who we are in Christ. Our hearts are drawn to law, to
doing. Our whole lives we have gotten our worth out of what we do, what we have and who we
know. Kingdom values are a lot different and it usually takes us some time to get use to it.
Being vs. Doing
As we disciple others it is best if we focus more on “being” rather than “doing” in the beginning in
order for them to establish a good foundation for the rest of their lives.
Tim Keller
Religion: “I obey; therefore, I’m accepted.” Gospel: “I’m accepted; therefore, I obey.”
Reading Paul’s letters you can see that he understood this. He spends the first half of his letters,
like the one he wrote to the church in Rome, explaining the gospel and the change it has brought
in who they are. Then in the second half he tells them what they should do in light of who they are.
Romans 12:1 (NIV) (Here Paul is transitioning from “being” to “doing”)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then
you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2. Question for you. Does the fruit make the branch or does the branch make the fruit? Seems silly
doesn’t it. Yet, that is exactly what we do when we try to be fruitful by trying hard. We can not find
“life” in ourselves but only in Jesus.
John 15:5 (NIV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing.
What is Foundational for Discipling Someone?
The Gospel of Jesus
1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV)
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:16 (NIV 84)
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who
believes...
Philippians 1:27 (NIV)
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
What “tools” does Jesus use to make us more like Himself?
Three Main Tools
1. Word of God - Study
2. Holy Spirit - Prayer
3. Church - Fellowship
Word of God
John 8:31-32 (NIV)
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my
disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Colossians 3:16 (NIV)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even
to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness,
The Bible

The Gospel

Jesus
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3. Knowing the Word of God
1. Hearing
2. Reading
3. Studying
4. Memorizing
5. Meditation
Getting Started
1. Matthew
2. Romans
3. Acts
Questions to Ask
1. What did I learn about Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit?
2. What did I learn about myself?
3. What did I learn about the gospel?
4. What did I learn about being a disciple?
5. What does Jesus want me to do with what I learned?
Holy Spirit
John 16:12-14 (NIV)
I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth,
comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he
hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will
receive what he will make known to you.
Prayer
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Importance of the Church (the church is not a building, the church is the family of God)
Ephesians 1:22-23 (NIV)
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the
church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Importance of Fellowship
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the
more as you see the Day approaching.
Using Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
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4. Now that we have looked at the blueprints and have seen the tools we need to use let’s begin
building the foundation.
Building the Foundation
1. It’s About Jesus
2. Our Heart Motivation
3. New Identity
It’s About Jesus!
John 5:39 (NLT)
You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to
me!
Luke 24:25-27 (NLT)
Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets
wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these
things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the
prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.”
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV 84)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...
Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in
the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
John 15:5 (NIV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing.
Our Heart Motivation
Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how
bad it is?
Mark 7:14-15 (NLT)
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to
understand. It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from
your heart.”
Mark 7:20-23 (NLT)
And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a
person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness,
deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within;
they are what defile you.”
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5. Wrong Heart Motives
John 6:26 (NLT)
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you
understood the miraculous signs.
Another example - Use Jesus as a “Get out of Hell” free card but do not follow Him.
Luke 6:46 (NIV)
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
What is the correct heart motive?
John 14:23 (NIV)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.”
Paul Tripp
“You simply cannot live as God calls for you to live unless you have a practical grasp of the
forgiving and enabling grace you've been given.”
Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation
“We can never show the love of Christ until we understand the love of Christ. And we can never
understand the love of Christ until we understand His death. And we can never understand the
death of Christ until we understand why He died. And we can never understand why He died until
we understand His holiness and our sin.”
2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us
the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Only thing that can transform our hearts is Jesus! The power of the gospel combined with the
power of the Holy Spirit brings about that transformation as we abide in Jesus.
What do we do when we realize our wrong heart motives? What do we do when we realize we
have only been playing the church game still being in control and not really following Jesus?
Do we cry and feel terrible and vow to do better? NO! We repent and put our faith in Jesus.
Repentance and Faith (Study Psalm 51)
1. Recognize your sin. (Psalm 139:23-24)
2. Identify and understand the lies, false beliefs, wrong desires and idols behind your sin.
3. Take responsibility for your sin & confess it.
4. Turn from your sin and turn to God.
5. Remember, rejoice and rest in what Jesus has done for your sin.
6. Take hold of the gospel truth for yourself.
7. Trust Jesus and ask Him for help. (John 15:5)
Knowing Our New Identity
Tim Keller
You cannot change your identity without a radical experience of mercy; without a radical
experience of grace; without a radical experience of love.
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6. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV 84)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all
things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We
implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV)
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into
Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Philippians 3:20 (NIV)
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 John 3:1 (NIV)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And
that is what we are!...
Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
...go and make disciples...
Review Questions
1. How do you see the “Big Picture” helping you to be a disciple and to disciple others?
2. What stood out for you in this teaching and why? What are one or two things you want to
take away from this teaching and put to practice in your own life?
3. Why do you think is it important to focus on Jesus, our hearts and our identity when
beginning to disciple someone?
To Learn More
1. Take your time to prayerfully review and think through what is in this teaching for your own
life asking the Lord to show you the things He wants you to put to practice.
2. Use this material in discipling someone and observe to see if any changes take place as a
result.
3. Try to find additional resources on dealing with the heart and establishing a new identity in
Christ.
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