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The Beginners Guide to Making Disciples: Old Friends

The Beginners Guide to Making Discples: Reading Good Books

This week I have guest bloggers giving tips on how to disciple new believers. These posts are also good for people new to Christianity who are trying to figure it all out. Today, Jonathan from Sorting Beans helps us pick out some books (outside of the Bible) new followers might find helpful.

Thanks a ton to Don for asking me to write this article for him. I read his posts every day and count this as a token of coolness to guest post for him. Okay, on to business!

In this post I will not be giving you a systematic approach to reading the Bible, or how to understand Scripture, where to start in the Bible, or how to’s on discipleship. Instead, I will be pointing you to books other than the Bible you can read.

Why would you want to read books other than the Bible?

Good question; glad you asked. You need to understand the Bible is sufficient for believers, and new believers especially. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things you need to know if you are a child of God (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27). But what this does NOT mean is that you don’t need godly guidance from godly men and women—you do. There are many people God has gifted with knowledge and understanding and wisdom to help both new and seasoned believers. Understand this: whether you’re a new or more mature Christian, you still need guidance. This goes for pastors, teachers, students, etc. We never loose our necessity for guidance.

Another reason you want to read other books is to make sure you are understanding Scripture correctly. It is far too easy to read something in the Bible, misunderstand it, misapply it, and ultimately result in a skewed hermeneutic. Therefore, you can always align your interpretation of the Bible text with theologians, pastors, laymen, and others who have written in a classical Christian perspective.

Thirdly, you want to be motivated in the right direction. Becoming a new Christian doesn’t mean becoming a hermit and reading all day long, every day (**editors note, Jonathan may have just described heaven -Don). Actually, when we understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are transformed into doers of the Gospel, not just hearers, readers, and thinkers. This is because our Gospel theology is Gospel practice. Books that help motivate, understand, and give practical advice on how to live as a child of God are very helpful.

That being said, here are some books I recommend.

Christian living:

• The Insider, by Peterson and Shamy: This book will help you understand how you can play your role in the world. It will help guide you into being a Kingdom representative in a non-kingdom culture. Your influence in this world is tantamount to the conversion of others. God will use you, especially when you’re intentional about being used.
• Following Christ, by Joseph M. Stowell: This little book is all about following Christ. It’s about understanding our “followership” to Jesus. When we get this down, we are able to get out of the way and let Jesus lead. A very good book I included in a church class for new believers, and recommend to all new Christians.
• The Life You’ve Always Wanted, by John Ortberg: Don’t get fooled by this title. It’s not about some prosperity gospel, which is no gospel at all. It’s about spiritual disciplines that help you experience a life of spiritual healthiness. You won’t find a special formula that will bring you health, wealth, and prosperity, but you will find encouragement and insight on how to live in step with God.

Apologetics (understanding and defending your faith):

• Defending Your Faith, by R.C. Sproul: This book is the first book I recommend to anyone seeking to read and understand apologetic. I am a huge fan of Sproul because he is very knowledgeable and passionate about Christians understanding what they believe, and why. If you’re going to read apologetic, make this your first read, you will be pleased.
• Case for Christ, and Case for Creator, by Lee Strobel: Strobel is respected as well. This man set out to disprove the existence of God and the person of Jesus Christ and came out of his research with such an overwhelming amount of evidence in favor of Christianity that he converted. Strobel was a respected journalist who is now a writer and pastor. These are very good books on apologetic, and I think they always will be cherished.
• Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis: Lewis is one of the most well known Christian writers of the 20th century. With works such as The Chronicles of Narnia, Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, and many, many others, Lewis wins the hearts of many Christians. His approach to apologetic will not disappoint you. He is a bit philosophical, but if that does not disturb you, then you’re in for a treat.

Theology:

Now, for new Christians, it is difficult for me to recommend books on theology because I am always cautious on burning someone out with big words, theology that is deeper than what they are ready for, or doctrine they have never heard of, etc. You know the feeling you get—well, I get—when you play a video game with someone and you have no idea what you’re doing? I feel this way when ever I play Halo or ANYTHING like it. I suck at it. I get frustrated and want to just quit playing because I get killed no sooner than I start moving. That’s my concern for new Christians. I do not want them getting frustrated to the point of just not wanting to read theology anymore. This can happen, and understanding theology is too good to come away with a bad taste. That being said, I will recommend a few books just in case you want to give it a go.

• Systematic Theology, by Wayne Grudem: I haven’t read the whole book, but what I have read of it I like. I have done some study in it and found it very helpful. Grudem has a way of explaining theology so that it is understandable. He writes with a mixture of sophistication and easy to understand wording. This is a great book to have, at least for reference.
• The Sovereign God, by James Montgomery Boice: This book is Volume I of his work on the Foundations of the Christian Faith. He takes a systematic approach to knowing of God, knowing Scripture, knowing God personally, knowing the human estate, and God’s providence in it all. This would be a good book to get a grasp on God’s sovereignty in relation to all the said criteria. (I don’t think this book is in print anymore, get it while you can.)
• The Portable Seminary, with General Editor, David Horton: I have read much of this 700-page, master’s level overview of theology, doctrine, Church history, apologetic, Christian education, and more. It’s a good book even if it is just for reference. You will come out with the “big idea” of the topics you would learn in Seminary. Understand that this is not an equivalent to seminary education, it’s an overview, but a good overview, and you will learn a lot. If you want to know about a particular theme, you can read the section that covers the theme and have good information to not only be able to have conversations, but also have proofs. It’s a good read, with many authors to complete its faculty.

I think that will be all the books I recommend for now. As you grow more in your understanding of the Gospel, you will want to read books about it. Just understand that they do not replace Scripture, instead they sort of follow along behind Scripture to help understand, how to interpret, and how to apply.

Feel free to offer some more books that you think would be worthy, or make comments about the books I have listed. Enjoy your reading time!

—Jonathan, Author of SortingBeans.com

Related articles

• Books I Am Currently Reading (sortingbeans.com)
• 9 Ways to Know the Gospel of Christ Is True (desiringgod.org)
• My Brain Exploded (youseedrybones.com)

The Beginners Guide to Making Disciples: Avoiding Religious Traps

This week I have guest bloggers giving tips on how to disciple new believers. These posts are also good for people new to Christianity who are trying to figure it all out. Today, J.R. Camblin from 4 Sixteen helps us avoid religious traps.

Avoiding Religious Traps
Let me begin by saying I was very honored to be asked by Don to provide some content for his blog. The topic I have chosen is helping new Christians avoid religious traps. While mainly a newbie topic, even the best of us, if we’re not careful, can succumb to religious traps. So before we get into the meat of the post, I want to spend a little time on what is religion and why it’s so easy to fall into religious traps.

Religion is rules and regulations.
In order to be an adherent to a religion, one must do the things that are required, and not do forbidden things. Religion is merely external. You can drop money in a red bucket and never have a heart for the poor. In the end, religion never really requires anything of us, because religion doesn’t require we change who we are. We are required to do certain things, but not required to be certain things. And that’s the rub. In the end religion is the cruelest of masters because it leaves us as we were before. It steals from us and gives us nothing in return.

So, if religion is so bad, why do many easily to fall into it’s traps?
It’s easy because religion offers us the very same temptation that was offered to Adam and Eve in the garden. Religion offers us control. It extends to the creature Creator status. Religion offers an opportunity to think that we are in control of our lives. But that offer is a mirage. It’s like the cheese in a mouse trap. It offers food for the mouse, but in the end, the offer is only bait. This is not my humble opinion. It’s Jesus’ opinion. When you’ve got a moment, go read Matthew 23:1-36. In fact, go read it now. I’ll wait………..scathing, huh? Jesus hates religion, because Jesus is not interested in external niceties. Jesus wants your heart (Ez. 11:19), and your soul and your mind and your strength (Mark 12:30). Jesus will always accept us as we are (Matt. 11:27-30), but unlike religion, he refuses to leave us there (Ez. 37:14).

What are some red flags that might warn us that a religious trap is near?
The three red flags that should serve as warnings are as follows:

1.) The Genie in the Sky Red Flag

This religious trap says performance is what gets God to act. Forms of this trap are endless. Probably the most prevalent form is the prosperity gospel. This trap says God desires you to be healthy and wealthy and that if you have enough faith, God will bless you. The other forms follow the same line of logic. God has something, something you want. All that is required to get that something, is to do X and refrain from Z. God becomes our personal genie in the sky, granting our wishes at the whim of our performance.

2.) The People’s Court Red Flag

Religious people are masters at making comparisons. Would you like to know who has the best fried chicken? Perhaps you’re curious as to the best home computer, Mac or PC? Just ask a religious person. They’ll know (for the record, Macs are better…but that doesn’t make me religious, just smart). They compare everything. Especially themselves to others. In the end, religion is all about comparisons. If I’m doing better than the next guy, then that’s good enough. Take the Tiger Woods story for example. Religion would let you say to yourself, “at least I’m not like Tiger. Sure I use porn, but I’ve never actually cheated on my wife.” Ah, let the rationalizations begin…court is in session.

3.) The House of Mirrors Red Flag

Religious people like themselves; so much in fact, that their religion is quite similar to themselves. The problem is, their religion is quite similar to themselves. This is the red flag. In order for religion to perpetuate itself, it must be controllable and familiar. The lists religious people cling to allow them to control where they are on the religious scale. And a close examination of those lists and the persons who hold them would show a striking similarity. The lists are the people and the people are the lists. Religion is a deranged house of mirrors where everyone’s personal likes mysteriously become law from God on high.

How do we avoid these religious traps?
By having a sound understanding of the Gospel. You defeat the Genie in the Sky trap by understanding we can never earn anything from God. Our righteousness is a used tampon to God (Is. 64:6). Paul quotes the Psalms and says that none are righteous (Rom. 3:10-18). Paul also helps us understand that Jesus died for sinners (Rom. 5:8), not good people. Even Jesus himself said he came not for healthy, but the sick (Mark 2:17). You defeat the People’s Court trap the same way. We have no right to judge anyone since we are all in the same boat. Jesus cautioned the religious of his day of judging others (Matt. 7:1). He told parables that condemned the religious and saved the sinners (Luke 18:9-14). Our salvation is not in our religious books, but in Jesus himself (John 5:39). You defeat the House of Mirrors trap by understanding that God is not like us. His ways are not our ways (Is. 55:9). He is other than, rather than similar to, us. Yet, curiously, He came to us, in the form of a baby, that He might accomplish what religion will never be able to accomplish (Rom. 8:3-4).

Christianity is about a relationship. And like all relationships, it’s messy, imperfect and takes time. It’s impossible to empirically quantify. Jesus is the only requirement. He has accomplished all there is to do. What’s left for us is to commune with him.

-Justin-

The Beginners Guide to Making Disciples: Reading Scripture

This week I have guest bloggers giving tips on how to disciple new believers. These posts are also good for people new to Christianity who are trying to figure it all out. Today, Daniel from Desire Spiritual Growth helps us figure out where to start reading the Bible.

The Book of the Bible Every New Believer Should Read First

All Scripture is inspired and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  But that doesn’t mean Leviticus is the best place to start someone who is new to the faith. Where should we advise new Christians to start reading? It’s hard to narrow things down to one book. And I don’t think we have to. So I’ll give three, and reasons for each. Pick the one that fits the need.

3 Potential Starter Books

1. The Gospel According to John

In John 20:30-31, the author let’s us know he wrote to persuade readers to believe. The book is a great place for the new believer to start for two reasons.

1. It recounts seven awe-inspiring miracles of Jesus to give the reader confidence that Jesus was God’s Son.

2. It explains the way of salvation so that believers may have hope and assurance.

2. The Acts of the Apostles

Acts 1:8 sums up the message of Acts: After the Holy Spirit came upon the believers, they were empowered to boldly proclaim the gospel. It’s the sequel to the four Gospel accounts, showing what happens when the gospel goes forth. The stories are breathtaking:

• Peter preaches, and three thousand come to Christ. Then five thousand more.
• Believers pray for boldness, and God responds by sending the Holy Spirit upon them and shaking the room.
• God strikes a man and his wife dead.
• The first martyr – Stephen – is killed as Saul approves.
• Saul ravages the church and then is saved, his name is changed to Paul, and he goes out as a chosen instrument of God on missionary journeys.

In Acts, the gospel went forth as a sweeping wave gathering momentum as thousands came to Christ in the face of persecution. Christians turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).

3. The Letter of Paul to the Romans

This book is not an easy skim read. Why do I include it on this list? Because Romans is solid, glorious doctrine. John Piper aptly calls it “the greatest letter ever written.” Others have called it a comprehensive constitution of Christianity. Some new believers need that. I’m thinking of someone along the lines of a Martin Luther [rare, yes]. Someone who has already been wrestling with intricacies of the gospel and needs the doctrinal depth of Romans.

Regardless of Where You Start, Never End

Where ever you guide the new believer to start, urge them to continue reading. I don’t mean telling them, “Read your Bible every day if you really love God.” If they are anything like me, they are going to be imperfect enough to skip days of reading. They are going to go periods where they starve themselves of the Word and then tear into the book again in famished fashion. Don’t crush them with guilt, even though they do need to learn discipline. Encourage them and build their interest in continuing to read. How can you build their interest in the Word? Share insights from your reading. The excitement is contagious. Pray that the Holy Spirit grips the new believer’s heart with captivating stories and sanctifying truth in God’s Word.

-Daniel-