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Becoming A More Outward-Facing Church 

Covenant Presbyterian Church

January 18, 2026

 

Six Observations Regarding Making Disciples:

  1. Studies show that fruitful disciple making is very rare in most “gospel-embracing” churches in America.
  2. Most “gospel-embracing” pastors want their church to be fruitful in disciple making.
  3. Most true followers of Christ sincerely want to make disciples, but do not believe they are capable of doing so.
  4. Most “gospel-embracing” churches are not routinely equipping their members to make disciples in a way that is relevant to the culture in which they live.
  5. To be adequately equipped to make disciples, Christ followers must have 4 prerequisites:

1)    A biblically sound plan

2)    A missional-focused mindset

3)    A culturally relevant toolset 

4)    A frequently visited workshop

  1. Sermons and seminars can adequately address the topics of biblical “plan”, missional “mindset” and choice of “workshop”. However, equipping God’s people to use culturally relevant “tools” is rarely accomplished without the use of personal coaching.

 

1. A BIBLICALLY SOUND PLAN

Proverbs 21:5 (NASB95)

The plans of the diligent lead to profit.

 “Lofty ideals are rarely experienced without an outstanding, well-thought-through plan.”

 JESUS’ PLAN FOR MAKING DISCIPLES

Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB95)

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

One Imperative

      • ”Make disciples”

Three Participles 

1)    “Going”

        • “greet”
        • “befriend”

2)    “Baptizing”

        • etymological root – “to identify with”
        • ”baptizo” represents a believer’s union with Christ’s death & resurrection (identifying with Jesus)
        • ”Invite”

3)    “Teaching”

        • not “teaching them all things Jesus commands”
        • rather, “teaching them to observe all things”

 

Acts 17:1-3 (NASB95)
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.

 

-Having looked at the plan given to us by Jesus, we can now look at the three remaining prerequisites for becoming effectively, outward facing.

 

2. A MISSIONAL-FOCUSED MINDSET

-Not optional for obedient believers

    • Matthew 4
      “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men”
    • Luke 19
      “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”
    • The many warnings of hell
    • Matthew 28
      “The great commission”

 

-“Church members develop a missional mindset, in great part, because they see their pastor and leaders embracing this proper mindset, hear their stories of engaging with the lost in their everyday life and accept their invitation to take advantage of their church’s repeated offerings to equip and coach them to share their faith.”

-The necessity of coaching (Ken Blanchard)*

*Situational Leadership Paradigm

“To go from ‘directing’ to ‘delegating’ creates ‘disillusioned learners.’ And I know of no organization more notorious for producing disillusioned learners than the church.”

Ken Blanchard

 

3. A CULTURALLY RELEVANT TOOLSET

“Without an effective toolset, Christians rarely share their faith. But when they are given the right tools, they usually become fruitful.”

1. Types of Tools

1)  Introductory Tools

2) Three Primary Tools

(1)   A “Read” Tool

The Answer

(2)   An “Attend” Tool

An “Answer Group”

(3)   An “Meet” Tool

”Life Issues” Booklets

3)    Support Tools

(1)   For anyone

(2)   For nominal believers & close friends

(3)   For those in other religions or cults

(4)   For Jewish people

4)    Follow-Up Tools

-“Next Step” Booklets

 

2. Characteristics of Effective Investigative Tools

1)    Tools designed with the belief that God does the converting, using His tool, The Bible

2)    Tools which are relevant to the culture in which they are used

(1)   Tracts

(2)   Monologues

A single appointment presentation designed for prepared people

(3)   Dialogues

A multiple appointment conversation designed for unprepared people

3)    Tools which address the questions that non-believers are asking

(1)   How can Christians believe The Bible is God’s Word without error?

(2)   How can Christians believe that God allows all people, including good, moral people outside of Christianity, to be separated from God for all eternity?

(3)   How can Christians believe that of all the religious leaders who have lived, Jesus is the one and only way to God?

 and assuming there is merit in the answers to the previous question

(4)   What does Jesus say is required to have eternal life?

4)    Tools which respect the two greatest desires of interested non-believers

(1)   Brevity

(2)   Privacy

4. A FREQUENTLY VISITED WORKSHOP

  1. Workshops which are chosen with Kingdom intentionality
  1. Workshops which are visited routinely

THREE VIDEOS

randypope.org/foundations 

For more information, visit lifeonlife.org

 FOR PURCHASE OF THE ANSWER

Single book orders (1-9) – Amazon, $15 per copy

For bulk orders (10 or more) – contact Rachael Hamilton

Website – rppresources.com

Email – rppresources@gmail.com

      • Pack of 10 (minimal order) – $8 per book + shipping
      • 1-2 boxes (50 per box) – $7 per book + shipping
      • 3 or more boxes (50 per box) – $6 per book + shipping