Conversations for discipleship 2

I started posting last week about conversations on discipleship. Every person who follows Jesus should be helping others to follow him too. It's everyone's calling and not just a task for those in leadership to build up the body to maturity. So here is the second conversation to have with a young Christian whom you are journeying with to help them mature (you'll learn loads through the process too) These posts are a set of 7 conversations to be had over coffee to draw people towards a deeper following of Jesus.

Conversation 2: the Bible

Christian identity comes from finding our place in God's great story as he interacts with humankind. History really is His story. God's story is revealed to us in the Bible and therefore we want to get to know the Bible as the word of God and as God's revelation of himself.

As we start walking with Jesus, we start reading our Bibles more. God most clearly speaks to us through scripture. Understanding the Bible is a process that will take the rest of our lives, but studying in community is vey helpful. It is in Scripture that we find out who God is and who we are.

First, make sure that the person you are discipling has a good Bible. We highly recommend the English Standard Version. The ESV Study Bible is a great gift to someone starting to read the Bible. There are ESV study bible for sale at the back of the church on Sundays for R400 as well as standard ESV hard covers for R100.

There are a great number of free mobile bibles too:
Android:
   ESV
   Youversion

iPhone:
   ESV
   Youversion

Blackberry:
   Youversion

Windows:
   Youversion

Or you can point your mobile browser to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/mobile/

Second, pick out one of the Gospels. Begin to read through it together and meet to discuss it. Reading and discussing the Bible should be a fluid part of walking together and become a mainstay throughout your time together. On the New Testament by Pastor Mark Driscoll is very helpful for someone starting to read the Bible and answers many common questions.

Some questions to ask:

• How are you doing believing the Bible is God’s word?
• What has God been saying to you through his word?
• What questions about the Bible can I try and help you with?