Discipling Katie

By Dwayne Moore

 

Last week I had the privilege to lead a young lady named Katie to the Lord. I asked Stephanie, a devoted member of our church, to disciple Katie. Stephanie is a few years older than Katie and had already met and “hit it off” with her before Katie trusted Christ, so she was the most natural choice to help disciple Katie.

Below is a letter I sent to Stephanie giving her advice on how to disciple Katie. Some of these suggestions might help you as well…

 

Hey Stephanie,

Here’s a link to the Master Outlines to use with Katie: http://www.irktheenemy.com/bible-studies/porter-barrington/ I suggest copying each lesson into Word and printing them out separately as you go through them.

I’m doing these with my son, Justin. It usually takes us a good 45-60 minutes to talk through each lesson. This stuff may be completely new to Katie, so you will want to take it slow. Some “churchy” words may need to be explained a little, but for the most part it’s not difficult to understand. I suggest you read from a modern translation like NIV or NLT, which will help explain things more clearly.

I also suggest not to get bogged down in the sub-points. Just be sure the main points are highlighted and understood for each lesson. There are usually about 5-7 main points, with lots of sub points and extra scriptures. I suggest you help her look up the scripture for each main point, but not necessarily for the sub-points (unless you don’t understand one and need help clarifying it). That’s what Justin and I do. FYI: The lesson on Jesus is longer and more Scripture-intensive than normal, so we broke that lesson into two meetings.

One more thing: Try to help her see ways the points and scriptures can be applied to her life right now. Share how you are learning to apply certain truths. Personal stories and personal application are so important for young Christians to help the Word of God “come alive” to them.

Your First Meeting
I recommend you not start the Master Outlines until your second meeting. Let your first meeting with Katie be more “orientational” and conversational. Let her know you are committed to helping her grow and that you want to meet with her weekly. Pray with her and get to know her more. Congratulate her on being scheduled for baptism, and see if she has any questions about it.

New Christians need to begin to form new habits to help them grow. That’s what you need to walk through with Katie. Here are some things to go over with her up front:

1. Read your Bible daily (1 Peter 2:2). New Christians are like new born babies, who need food to grow. The Book of St. John is a great place to start. Read a chapter or two a day. Keep a journal of what you discover in each chapter about Jesus.
2. Pray every day (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is talking to God and listening to God. Talk with Him like you would a friend that you love and respect. As you read the Bible, listen to what He may be speaking to you. Share your hurts and disappointments with Him. Ask things of Him that you need.
3. Attend church services and lifegroup meetings weekly (Hebrews 10:24-25). When coals are removed from the fire they become cold. We were not meant to live the Christian life alone. We need each other to help us stay “on fire” and growing in our faith.
4. Share your new faith and what you’re learning about the Lord with other people (Acts 1:8). Tell your family and your close friends that you are now a Christian. Share with them the story of how and where you were when you became a follower of Jesus. Trust God to help you and give you boldness and power to share your testimony of what God has done in your life. This will strengthen your faith in Him, and you may just see some of your family and friends want to get saved as well!

Hope these suggestions help. Please let me know if you have any questions. You are not “on your own” with this discipleship thing! We all bear some responsibility to help Katie grow, so don’t hesitate to reach out for advice or help along the way.

Thanks,
Dwayne