24 Best Practice Disciple-Making Champions

We learn to move from good to great by observing and following the best practices of those who are already great at what they do. That’s why I saturated Equipping Counselors for Your Church with best practice examples and insights from two dozen disciple-making champions.

Throughout Equipping Counselors for Your Church, these two dozen men and women show how to equip one-another ministers. They don’t talk theoretically; they talk from actual, successful equipping experience. That’s why I call them Disciple-Making Champions.

A Who’s Who Of Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I greatly appreciate the following two dozen best practice churches and para-church ministries. Each thoughtfully completed a thorough nine-page, seventy-three question 4E Ministry Training Strategy Questionnaire. I publicly thank them in the book. Now, through my blog, I want to publicly thank them and make you aware of their ministry. 

• Dr. Ernie Baker: Professor of Biblical Counseling, The Master’s College and Seminary, Santa Clarita, California; Director of Men’s Ministry, Crown Valley Community Church, Acton, California.

• Pastor Brad Bigney (Sr. Pastor) and Pastor Ken Long (Pastor of Small Groups/Counseling): Grace Fellowship Church, Florence, Kentucky.

• Pastor Dwayne Bond: Lead Pastor, Wellspring Church, Matthews, NC.

• Dr. Kevin Carson: Pastor, Sonrise Baptist Church, Ozark, MO.

• Dr. Robert K. Cheong: Pastor of Care and Counseling, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky.

• Pastor Greg Cook (Soul Care Pastor) and Leigh Ann Stull (Soul Care Minister): Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas.

• Dr. Howard Eyrich: Pastor of Counseling Ministries, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama.

• Julie Ganschow: Biblical Counselor, Faith Community Church, Kansas City, Missouri.

• Brad Hambrick: Executive Director, Crossroads Counseling, Augusta, Georgia.

• Maurice Harton: Missionary, Grace Baptist Church, Bowie, Maryland.

• Pastor John Henderson: Counseling Pastor, Denton Bible Church, Denton, Texas.

• Dr. Garrett Higbee: Executive Director of Biblical Soul Care, Harvest Bible Chapel, Elgin, Illinois; Executive Director, Twelve Stones Ministries, Helmsburg, Indiana.

• Pastor Isaac Huang: Pastor of Chinese Ministries, Chantilly Bible Church, Chantilly, Virginia.

• Jan Kreh: Director of Care Ministries, Grace Fellowship Church, Timonium, Maryland.

• Jeremy Lelek: President, Association of Biblical Counselors, Bedford, Texas.

• Randy Patton: Executive Director, National Association of Nouthetic Counselors, Indianapolis, Indiana.

• Sister Olivia S. Pilson: Servant Leader of the Lay Encouragement and Discipleship Ministry, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Alexandria, Virginia.

• Pastor Deepak Reju: Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Families, Capitol Hills Baptist, Washington, DC.

• Mark Shaw, President, Truth in Love Ministries, Clay, Alabama.

• Pastor Derek R. Iannelli-Smith: Elder, Oasis Church, Goose Creek, South Carolina.

• Pastor Dan Taylor: Associate Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland.

• Dr. Wayne A. Vanderwier: Executive Director, Overseas Instruction in Counseling, Chesterton, Indiana.

• Pastor Steve Viars (Sr. Pastor) and Pastor Rob Green (Pastor of Counseling and Seminary Ministries): Faith Baptist Church/Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries, Lafayette, Indiana.

• Pastor Mike Wilkerson: Pastor of Biblical Living, Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington.

The Rest of the Story

Equipping Counselors for Your Church releases September 23, 2011. For a free sample chapter, visit my Equipping Counselors page. To order your autographed copy at 30% off, visit my RPM Ministries Store. 

Join the Conversation

Who are additional best practice examples of disciple-making champions who equip one-another ministers?

Tags: Biblical Counseling, Disciple-Making, Equipping

Be Equipped

Many people have been asking me about the Table of Contents (TOC) for Equipping Counselors for Your Church. So here it is. Plus, I’ve included a summary of the main equipping benefit of each chapter.

Foreword—By Pastor James MacDonald

Introduction—Want to Change Lives?

Section One: Envisioning God’s Ministry

Chapter 1—More Than Counseling: Catching God’s Vision for the Entire Church

• You will be equipped to be a catalyst for a congregation-saturated shift to the ministry mindset that changes everything—every member a disciple-maker.

Chapter 2—Examining Heart Health: Diagnosing Congregational and Community Fitness

• You will be equipped as a spiritual cardiologist to diagnose the heart health of your congregation and community to establish a present baseline for envisioning God’s future dream.

Chapter 3—Dreaming God’s Dream: Becoming an MVP-C Congregation

• You will be equipped to champion the biblical meaning of and necessity for jointly crafting congregation-wide and ministry-specific MVP-C Statements.

Chapter 4—Living God’s Calling: Jointly Crafting Your Biblical Counseling MVP-C Statement

• You will be equipped to guide your biblical counseling ministry team in jointly crafting a ministry-specific MVP-C Statement.

Section Two: Enlisting God’s Ministers for Ministry

Chapter 5—Shepherding the Transformation: Cultivating a Climate for Ongoing Ownership

• You will be equipped to shepherd a congregational transformation that unites your entire congregation around the right Person (Christ) and the right purposes (loving God and others).

Chapter 6—Mobilizing Ministers: Nurturing a Family and Building a Team

• You will be equipped to mobilize ministers so that you are able to match the right people to the right ministry for the right reasons at the right time in the right way—relationally.

Section Three: Equipping Godly Ministers for Ministry

Chapter 7—Competent to Counsel: The Résumé of the Biblical Counselor

• You will be equipped to develop comprehensive four-dimensional training goals and objectives for equipping biblical counselors in the 4Cs of biblical content, Christ-like character, counseling competence, and Christian community.

Chapter 8—What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?: Part One—Theology and Methodology in Biblical Counseling

• You will be equipped to map out the focused curriculum and materials that will become your subject matter and lesson plans for equipping biblical counselors in content and competence.

Chapter 9—What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?: Part Two—Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Fellowship in Biblical Counseling

• You will be equipped to map out the focused curriculum and materials that will become your subject matter and lesson plans for equipping biblical counselors in character and community.

Chapter 10—Equipping Competent Biblical Counselors: Transformational Training Strategies and Methods

• You will be equipped to apply transformational training strategies and methods that comprehensively equip your trainees for knowing (head/content), being (heart/character), doing (hands/competence), and loving (home/community).

Section Four: Empowering/Employing Godly Ministers for Ministry

Chapter 11—Overseeing Ministries for God’s Glory: Organizing the Organism

• You will be equipped to oversee the ongoing organizing of the organism through God’s empowering for God’s glory by administrating ministries, mentoring/supervising ministers, and passing the baton of ministry.

Chapter 12—Practicing Ethical and Legal Wisdom in Ministry: Caring Carefully

• You will be equipped to care carefully by following sound principles of ethical behavior, legal norms, wise practices, and biblical standards.

Appendices—Practical Equipping Resources (Over 125 Pages!)

Bibliography—Sources Cited and Consulted

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Which of the chapters are you most excited about?

Tags: Discipleship, Equipping, Pastoral Ministry

Want to Change Lives?

Pre-Order Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I’m thrilled to let you know that you can now pre-order Equipping Counselors for Your Church. My sixth book will be available on September 23, 2011. You can order your autographed copy now from me at 30% off for just $17.50. Here’s all the info you need:

• To Pre-Order Visit our Store           

• To Read the Foreword by Pastor James MacDonald and to read a dozen endorsements by leading pastors, counselors, and educators, visit our Equipping Counselors Home Page 

• Watch the Video Book Trailer 

• Read a Free Sample Chapter

• Learn about Consulting Options 

• Learn about Seminar Options 

Why You’ll Want to Own Equipping Counselors for Your Church

You’re passionate about equipping God’s people for every-member-ministry as biblical counselors, small group leaders, spiritual friends, mentors, and one-another ministers. However, you’re tired of seeing great effort expended on “programs” that don’t launch, don’t last, or don’t result in leaving a legacy of loving leaders. So am I. That’s why Equipping Counselors for Your Church teaches you a biblical, field-tested, best-practice approach to equipping God’s people for biblical counseling using the “4E” ministry training strategy of envisioning, enlisting, equipping, and empowering godly ministers for ministry.

What You’ll Learn

After reading Equipping Counselors for Your Church, you will be able to:

1. Envision God’s Ministry: Jointly create mission, vision, passion, and commission (MVP-C) statements that nourish the compassion, conviction, and connection needed to launch flourishing biblical counseling ministries.

2. Enlist God’s Ministers for Ministry: Mobilize ministers by nurturing a family and building a team prepared for change, skilled in conflict resolution, and connected to the MVP-C Statement.

3. Equip Godly Ministers for Ministry: Apply transformational training strategies that comprehensively address the “4Cs” of biblical content, Christ-like character, relational competence, and Christian community.

4. Empower Godly Ministers for Ministry: Oversee the ongoing “organizing of the organism” by leading ministries that are built to last, that grow from good to great, and that leave a legacy of loving leaders.

Place Your Order Now

Tags: 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Equipping Counselors for Your Church

“These Are Your Grandbabies!” 

Enjoy the last three paragraphs in the Introduction to my upcoming book (September 2001) Equipping Counselors for Your Church: The 4E Ministry Training Strategy. 

Sister Ellen Barney is the First Lady (Sr. Pastor’s wife) of a large, predominantly African American church near Baltimore, Maryland. She has implemented the 4E Ministry Training Strategy for over a decade to equip over 1,000 women in her LEAD (Life Encouragers And Disciplers) Ministry.

They do it up big! Their graduation ceremonies are better than many colleges. I remember the first time Sister Ellen invited me to be their commencement speaker. As she introduced me, she looked over the crowd of over 50 graduates, and said, “These are your grandbabies Dr. Kellemen! You trained me and I trained them!” Now, years later, as Sister Ellen has trained trainers who train others, she tells me, “Dr. Kellemen, these are your great-great-grandbabies!”

Do you want to be a spiritual grandparent—discipling disciple-makers? Do you want to pass the baton of ministry? Do you want to change lives? Then equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth.

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Who are your spiritual grandbabies? Do you know who your spiritual grandparent is?

Tags: 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Biblical Counseling, Equipping, Equipping Counselors for Your Church

REST: How to Lead Meetings That People Want to Attend

“Meetings.” Just the mention of the word causes most of us to cringe.

Is there any way to lead a meeting that makes people cheer instead of boo?

Try the “REST” principle of meetings. In church and para-church settings I’ve always lead meeting with the following focus.

R: Relationship Building

Start every meeting with a time of relationship building. We always start first with a time of building our relationship with Christ—some aspect of group worship.

We next used various creative yet simple means to build relationships with one another—fellowship. It can be as simple yet powerful as praying for each other.

E: Equipping One Another

Having worked to deepen our connection to Christ and the Body of Christ, I next always include a time of discipleship—of mutual equipping. Doesn’t have to be the leader who does so—someone in the group can be designated ahead of time to lead a time of building up the group in ministry equipping.

S: Scriptural Strategizing

Strengthened in Christ and in the Body of Christ, empowered to serve others for Christ, next we spend time in big picture scriptural strategy sessions. Why are we here? Where does Christ want us to go from here? What does God’s Word say about our the specific mission/vision of our unique group in our special community?

T: Taking Action

This is where most groups start and end. They spend all of their time on the details of “business.” This is typically the groups agenda and “to-do” list. I always save this for last. Doesn’t mean it’s not important. But it does put it in its proper place and perspective. We can’t “to-do” anything if we do it in our own strength. Instead, our “to-do” list becomes a “to-glorify-God” list and a “to-enjoy” list when we prioritize it correctly. First, relationship with God and one another. Second, a disciple group. Third, a biblically focused purpose. Fourth, working together to plan how the group members will complete its MAP: Ministry Action Plan.

Join the Conversation

Be honest, when you hear, “It’s time for our next meeting,” what comes to mind? How could the REST model change your attitude about meetings?

Tags: Church Leadership, Discipleship, Equipping, Leadership, Meetings

What’s a Pastor to Do?

The Big Idea: What is God’s vision for the “division of labor” in the church? To learn what God’s people are to do, visit yesterday’s post It Takes a Congregation. To learn what pastors are to do, read Want to Change Lives? To learn God’s grand calling for His Church, keep reading.

God’s Grand Vision for His Church: Ephesians 4:11-16

In Ephesians 4:11-16, the Apostle Paul highlights the Bible’s most powerful, focused vision statement for the Church. This passage offers God’s ministry description both for pastors and for every member. By distilling the essence of God’s call, His vision captures our imagination and motivates the shift in ministry mindset that changes everything.

The Résumé of Pastors

Most pastoral search committees would be thrilled to read a candidate’s résumé that demonstrated the ability to preach, counsel, and administrate. Most seminaries would be delighted if graduate exit interviews indicated that pastoral ministry students perceived that their seminary training equipped them for preaching, counseling, and administrating. Being equipped to do the work of the ministry seems to be everyone’s ideal goal for the pastor.

Everyone but Christ. His pastoral ministry description demands the ability to equip others to do the work of the ministry. If seminaries followed Christ’s vision for pastoral ministry, they would focus on training trainers. If pastoral search committees desired in a pastor what Christ desires, they would throw out every résumé that failed to emphasize experience in and passion for equipping the saints.

You would think that we would listen to the Head of the Church. Paul spends the chapters and verses leading up to Ephesians 4:11-16 showing why Christ has the right to write the pastor’s ministry description.

• He is our Redeemer in whom our full salvation is complete (1:1-14). We should surrender to His will for His redeemed people.

• He is seated at God’s right hand ruling over everything with all authority, appointed the Head over everything for the Church which is His Body (1:15-23). We should follow His directives for the Church.

• We are His workmanship, created in Christ to do the beautiful work prepared for us from all eternity (2:1-10). We should want to know what He prepared pastors and people for.

• He is the chief cornerstone upon whom the whole building (the church) is being built (2:12-22). We should follow His architectural drawings for the Church.

• He is the revelation of God’s grace toward which all time and eternity have been moving (3:1-14). We should yield to His infinite wisdom for His people.

• His love for us surpasses all knowledge (3:15-21). We should submit to His calling on our lives.

• He ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe (4:1-10). We should listen to the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe.

The Pastoral Ministry Mindset Shift That Changes Everything: Every Pastor an Equipper of Equippers

Instead, we listen to modern church culture that screams, “The pastor is the preacher, care-giver, and CEO!” It’s time to listen to the Head of the Church. “It was he who gave some to be … pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service…” (Ephesians 4:11-12a). Christ’s grand plan for His Church is for pastors/teachers to focus on equipping every member to do the work of the ministry.

Under the Spirit’s inspiration, Paul launches verse 12 with a tiny Greek word (pros) translated by an even smaller English word (“to”) with giant meaning: with the conscious purpose of, in order for, for the sake of, with a view to. The word indicates the future aim and ultimate goal of a current action. That is, by definition a vision statement—Christ’s grand vision statement for every pastor/teacher.

What is the future view, the future vision to which Christ sovereignly gave His Church pastors and teachers? Paul says it succinctly: “To prepare God’s people for works of service.” These eight words must be every pastor’s reason for existence.

One central word—“prepare”—must capture every leader’s passion for ministry. “Prepare” comes from the word for artist, craftsman. Local church leader—your special craft, your opus is people, equipped people, disciple-makers. Your spiritual craft or gift is to help others to scout out their spiritual gift, identify that area of ministry, and empower them to use that gift.

In Paul’s day, people commonly used “prepare” in the context of conditioning an athlete. Local church leader—you are a spiritual conditioning coach. Your job is not to play all the positions on the team, but to coach every player on the team, to strengthen their spiritual condition so they are able to do works of service. This fits perfectly with how Paul uses the word prepare—to train someone so they are fully fit and mature enough to complete their calling. The pastor’s calling is to help God’s people to fulfill their calling.

These weren’t just words for Paul. He made making disciple-makers his personal ministry description—Colossians 1:28-29. He made equipping equippers his personal ministry practice—Acts 20:13-38. Christ’s grand vision so captured Paul’s ministry mindset that at the end of his life he passed onto Timothy the vision of equipping equippers of equippers—2 Timothy 2:2. The baton of equipping passed from Christ’s hands, to Paul’s hands, to Timothy’s hands, to the hands of reliable disciple-makers who passed it on yet again.

Let’s not drop the baton. Let’s keep Christ’s grand vision alive and moving into the future.

Yes, But

Some may ask, “Are you saying that pastors should not preach the Word, counsel, and administrate?” Not at all. Christ, the Head of the Church, has written the primary ministry description for all pastors. Pastors should equip equippers for the work of the ministry. Within this overriding calling, pastors can preach, counsel, and administrate.

When I was Sr. Pastor, every time I preached, I asked myself, “How does this message further my calling to be a catalyst for equipping the saints for the work of ministry?” As a player-coach, when I counseled, I had trainees in the room with me. When I visited the hospital, I took apprentices with me. My goal wasn’t to be the church’s primary care-giver, but to equip a church of care-givers. In my administrative role, I sought to oversee the equipping of every member. Yes, I preached, counseled, and administrated—always within the context of Christ’s grand vision for the Church—the pastor as the equipper of equippers.

Others may be thinking, “I’m with you 100%, but I’m not an ordained pastor, although I am a recognized, active ministry leader in my church. How should I apply these truths?” Ephesians 4:11-12 provides the ministry description for all those raised up for local church leadership. If you’re the Women’s Ministry Director, ask yourself, “How can I fulfill Christ’s call for me to equip women to equip others?” If you’re the Small Group Director, ask, “How can I oversee that all our small group leaders and members are being discipled to speak the truth in love?”

Join the Conversation

If you’re a pastor, how can you more completely fulfill God’s calling on your life to equip others?

If you’re not a pastor, how can you assist your pastor to more completely fulfill God’s calling to equip others?

Tags: 4E Ministry, 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Discipleship, Equipping, Pastors