Copyright 2014 by Regent College. Unauthorized reproduction of this material is prohibited by law.

REGENT COLLEGE
Distance Education
APPL 522: CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND EQUIPPING:
THE MAKING OF MATURING DISCIPLES OF JESUS
SUMMER 2014
Lecturer: Darrell Johnson
Course Instructor: Tony Tremblett, de-appl522@regent-college.edu
3 graduate credit hours
Course website: https://moodle.regent-college.edu/course/
Your start date: May 12, 2014
Your due date: November 12, 2014

Course Description
In this course we seek to lay biblical, theological and practical foundations for the Churchs work
of discipling, educating and equipping the whole people of God for life and ministry in and for
the world. The course works from the assumption that education and equipping are sub-sets
of making disciples. We will take considerable time to work through key biblical texts on
discipleship, always with an eye toward hands-on application. We will also take time to work
through a philosophy of education, looking at different models and theories of human learning.
We will then work through ways of equipping Gods people to serve out of their Spirit-given
giftedness in the marketplace.
Learning Outcomes:
- Gaining a better grasp of Jesus call to discipleship
- Understanding of the dynamics of disciple-making
- Developing a working philosophy of how different types of people learn
- Developing curriculum for use in the parish or mission center
- Developing small group materials
- Developing a grid for evaluating church education resources
- Identifying ones own particular call within the ministries of discipling, educating and
equipping the saints
- Being discipled a bit further on ones own journey
Class Outline
Lecture Title

Lecture A (CD 1, 2)

The Call to Discipleship

Discussion Due Thursday

May 15

a. Church Work and the Work of the Church [survey of key biblical texts]
b. Inductive Study of Key Texts
c. Deductive Study of Key Texts
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Lecture B (CD 3,4)

John 14-16

May 22

a. The Space in which we are called to Discipleship: In the Absence of Jesus

Physical Presence
b. A New Life and a New Way to Live It
Lecture C (CD 5,6)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Matthew as a Discipleship Manual

May 29

The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on Mission
The Sermon on Mystery
The Sermon on Management
The Sermon on the Mount (of Olives)

Lecture D (CD 7,8)

So, What IS the Gospel?

June 5

a. The Gospel: What is it?

b. The Gospel: An Attempt to Say it
Lecture E (CD 9,10)

Ephesians as a Discipleship Manual

Paul Williams: Equipping the Marketplace

June 12

Lecture F (CD 11,12)

Teaching the Book of Job

June 19

READING BREAK

no lectures or discussions

Lecture G (CD 13,14)

Teaching Genesis 1-3

July 3

Lecture H (CD 15,16)

Teaching Disciples to Pray

July 10

Lecture I (CD 17,18)

Helping Disciples Discern &

Deploy the Gifts of the Spirit

July 17

Lecture J (CD 19,20)

Helping Disciples Listen to the Voice of Jesus

July 24

Lecture K (CD 21,22)

Marks of a Maturing Disciple

July 31

Please note: we have endeavored to provide most of the lecture notes that were distributed to the
class. However, there are a few that cannot be included for copyright reasons.

Academic Requirements and Time Investment

3 cr hrs
Online Discussion
15 hrs
Lectures
22 hrs
Reading (700 pgs)
35 hrs
Reading Annotations
3 hrs

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Designing Small Group Booklet

or Educational Course
Evaluating Curriculum
TOTAL

35 hrs
25 hrs
135 hrs

Assignments:
1. Online Discussion.
Students must contribute substantively to the online forums on the Regent College Moodle site.
Each week there will be an online discussion based on the lectures for that week. You should
contribute to discussions each week; minimally, you are required to make substantial contributions to
at least 9 of the 11 weekly discussions; these should involve both responses to the original question
from the course Facilitator and responses to other students comments. While substance is more
important than length, think in terms of about 250 words per week as a minimum.
The purpose of the online forums is to promote genuine discussion of the issues. Thus, you are
encouraged to contribute to the notice boards freely, asking questions, raising issues, consider
practical implications, responding to other students, etc. Assessment will be based on how well you
demonstrate your understanding of the course material (lectures and readings), of issues that arise
from that material, and of your ability to communicate clearly.
DUE: Weekly as lectures are completed

2. Evaluation of Curriculum
Please email the course grader, de-appl522@regent-college.edu, for APPROVAL of the
curriculum you are choosing. You may work with other students or people in your
congregation/community for this assignment.
Evaluate one of the educational curriculum resources being used by local congregations in
our time. (If you are a member of a particular denomination, feel free to evaluate its
published material). This assignment may be done in collaboration with up to four other
students [the project submitted under all the teams names, each receiving the same mark].
Because of the potential scope of such a project, you may focus on a particular age range (ie.
youth, adults, seniors, etc). This project should include:
a. A summary and evaluation of the curriculums philosophy of Christian education.
b. A summary and evaluation of the curriculums use of the Bible (proof-text-ing, grand
story, moral code book, etc.).
c. An assessment of the curriculums understanding of what it means to be human apart
from Christ and in Christ.
d. An assessment of the curriculums understanding of the Gospel. (What is the good news?
How wide a scope of presentation? Etc.).
e. An assessment of the curriculums understanding of what it means to be a disciple of
Jesus.
f. An assessment of the way each lesson is developed.

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g. An indication of how you might need to modify the material so it is more consistent with
your own understanding of education as disciple-making.
*Ensure that you give yourself enough time to receive approval from your Course Grader before
proceeding with your evaluation. Your Evaluation must submitted/postmarked by your DUE
DATE that is set according to the Student Contract you signed.
3A. Educational Course
Design a six-week education course for a local congregation on either a major theme of
Christian Life and Faith [Walking by Faith, the Life of Jesus, Four Pictures of the Cross, The
Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, the Ministry of Women in the Bible, Spiritual Warfare,
the Preferential Option for the Poor, etc].
Submit for this assignment:
a. An introduction to the course with:
- Purpose of the course
- Hope for outcomes [especially in terms of discipleship]
- Course format and educational strategy
b. Lesson plans for each session
c. Outline of the material to be covered in each session
d. Bibliography of both sources you will use and resources you will encourage participants
to use
e. Description of the people for whom the course is structured (youth, young adults, married
with kids, etc)
OR
3B. Small Group Bible Study Booklet
Design and write-up a six to eight week small group study booklet on a book of the Bible for
use in a local congregation. You may also work with someone from your congregation or
another student [to earn a shared grade] for this assignment. Submit for this assignment:
a. A separate introductory paper (one or two pages) with:
- Purpose of the study
- Hoped for outcomes (especially in terms of discipleship)
- Assumptions you are making about the people involved
- Your expectations of the people (which should also be stated in the booklet)
b. The booklet itself, which should contain (in your own creative way)
- An introduction to the study
Why this biblical book?
Format of the study
Group expectations
- An introduction, background of the biblical book
- Each of the separate weekly studies
Questions for preparation
Questions for the group time

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Application discipleship implications

Suggestions to the group facilitator on how to:
Use the booklet
Lead the sessions

Note: Either of these projects may be done in collaboration with people from your
congregation/community. Questions regarding this or other assignments can be answered
by the Course Tutor (de-appl522@regent-college.edu).
4. Reading and Reading Annotations
Read: (i) Israel Galindos The Craft of Christian Teaching (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press,
1998), (ii) plus three other books, one from each of the three headings below.
These readings can be counted as part of your reading for other assignments. Your reading
should add up to a combined required total of 700 pages (in some cases this may mean
supplementing the books you choose from the general bibliography).
Students should submit a half-page annotation on each of three of the books they have read,
stating the two or three major benefits of the book for education and equipping. A list of the
all books and pages you have read should also be submitted.
Reading Annotations are to be submitted/postmarked by your DUE DATE.
a. Disciple Making
Greg Ogden, Transforming Discipleship OR
David Watson, Called and Committed
b. Education
Larry Richards, Creative Bible Teaching OR
Wilhoit & Ryken, Effective Bible Teaching
c. Equipping Ministry
Sue Mallory, The Equipping Church OR
Greg Ogden, Unfinished Business

Evaluation
3 cr hrs
Online Discussion
Educational Course
OR Small Group Booklet
Evaluation of Church Curriculum
Reading Annotations

DE APPL 522 JOHNSON

15%
45%
35%
5%

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NB: The Course Evaluation Form must be returned by your due date
Bibliography on Discipleship and Disciple-Making
Banks, Robert. Pauls Idea of Community: The Early Churches in Their Historical Setting. Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans, 1980. 200 pages
Bankson, Marjory. The Call to the Soul: Six Stages of Spiritual Development. Innis Free Press, 1999, 185
pages
Blackaby, Henry and Claude King. Experiencing God. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers,
1994. 175 pages
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. Simon and Shuster. 316 pages
_______. Life Together. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1954. 122 pages
Bruce, A.B. The Training of the Twelve. Kregel Publications, 1971. 545 pages
Coleman, Robert. The Masterplan of Evangelism. Fleming H. Revell Co., 1964. 126 pages
Coppedge, Allan. The Biblical Principles of Discipleship. Grand Rapids, MI: Asbury Press, 1989, 166
pages
Dunn, James D. G. Jesus Call to Discipleship. Cambridge University Press, 1992. 128 pages
Eims, Leroy. The Lost Art of Disciple Making. Zondervan Publishing House, 1978. 157 pages
Fowler, James. Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian: Adult Development and the Christian Faith. San
Francisco, CA: Harper and Row, 1984. 147 pages
Guiness, Os. The Call. Word Publishers, 1998. 247 pages
Henderson. Michael. John Wesleys Class Meeting: A Model for Making Disciples. Nappaneo, IN:
Evangelical Publishing House, 1997. 169 pages
Hettinga, John. Follow Me: Experience the Loving Leadership of Jesus. NavPress, 1996. 267pp.
Hull, Bill. Building High Commitment in a Low Commitment World. Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H.
Revell, 1995. 199 pages
____. The Disciple Making Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 1990. 251 pages
____. The Disciple Making Pastor. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell Books, 1988. 250 pages
____. New Century Disciplemaking. Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming Revell, 1984. 238 pages
Kempis, Thomas. The Imitation of Christ. Image Books, 1955.
Lewis, C.S. Screwtape Letters. London: Fount, 1977. 160 pages
Mortimer, Arias. Announcing the Reign of God. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress, 1984.

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Mulholland Jr., Robert. Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation. Downers Grove,
IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993. 168 pages
Ogden, Greg. Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVaristy Press, 2003. 57 pages
____. Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 2003. 200 pages
Ortberg, John, et al. Pursuing Spiritual Transformation. Willow Creek Resources, Zondervan.
Sheldon, Charles. In His Steps. Smithmark, NY: 1992. 242 pages.
Sider, Ronald. Living Like Jesus: Eleven Essentials for Growing a Genuine Faith. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 1996. 180 pages
Smith, Gordon T. On the Way. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001.
Stanley, Paul D. and Clinton, J. Robert. Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed
in Life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1992. 252 pages
Warren, Rick. The Purpose-Driven Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.
Watson, David. Called and Committeed: World Changing Discipleship. Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw
Publishers, 1982. 216 pages
Watson, David L. Covenant Discipleship: Christian Formation Through Mutual Accountability.
Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 1991. 166 pages
Wilksin, Michael. Following the Master: A Biblical Theology of Discipleship. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1992. 360 pages
____. In His Image. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1997. 208 pages
Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy. Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. San Francisco, CA:
Harper, 1998. 400 pages
____. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Chnages Lives. San Francisco, CA: Harper
and Row, 1988. 265 pages
____. Renovation of the Heart. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2002. 256 pages

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