An Overview: LOL 101

What if you were parachuted into an Unreached People Group with the task of reaching the entire group with the message of the gospel and helping them become more like Jesus (“make disciples of all nations”—Matthew 28:18-20)? How would you go about it? How would you go about it if all you had—and all you would ever have—is a copy of the Bible in their language?

After multiple conversations with a number of friends and colleagues discussing a strategy for fulfilling the Great Commission, what emerged was a pattern of discipleship that can be reproduced in any culture throughout the culture to reach the culture. It’s called “Life-on-Life Discipleship.”

The good news is that biblical principles transcend cultures. What would work in the scenario described above will also work right where you are.

Here is an overview of what Life-on-Life Discipleship and this website are all about.

DEFINITION
Life-on-Life Discipleship: Modeling and Reproducing the Relationships and Habits that Help Us Become More Like Jesus.

RELATIONSHIPS – 2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 1:14, 16:13; Ephesians 4:15
It happens in the context of relationships where people value:
· God’s Word: the Bible is our source of truth.
· God’s Spirit: the Holy Spirit facilitates heart-change and life-change.
· God’s People: his people provide an accountable environment of grace and truth where you can open up your life to another person and invite their biblical feedback on your life and motives.
HABITS – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 4:7b-8
It happens as individuals regularly engage in a handful of habits that are foundational for personal growth and kingdom expansion:
· Time Alone with God Using the Bible & Prayer
· Scripture Memory and Meditation for Character Transformation
· Sharing Your Faith through Intentional Relationships
· Serving in Ministry
· Faithful Giving through the Grid of Ownership, Stewardship, and Citizenship

CONTEXT – Hebrews 3:13, 10:23-25
It happens as people who are practicing these spiritual habits meet in a relational environment to discuss what God’s teaching them as they engage in these habits; where they share how they see themselves becoming more like Jesus, and where they are struggling to see such life-changing.

MODELING – 1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17
It happens as people who are doing the above begin modeling for others how to engage in the relationships and habits that will help them become more like Jesus.

REPRODUCING – 1 Corinthians 4:16-17; 2 Timothy 2:2
It happens when those who are the beneficiaries of such modeling begin experiencing their own life-change and start the process of modeling for others how they can begin to engage in the same relationships and habits for personal transformation. And so on.

BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS – Romans 8:29; Galatians 4:19; 1 John 3:1-3
It happens when becoming more like Jesus is the goal. It’s not about a check list. It’s about loving Jesus and loving people enough to get into one another’s lives in simple and intentional ways that will help each of us become more like Jesus.

COMMENTS
Please utilize the “comment” link below to share with us your additional thoughts, ideas, resources or questions. And be sure to add the site to you favorites and check back weekly for updates and suggestions for maximizing the multiplication of disciples.