1. Purpose:
- Discipling is a one-on-one relationship in which a discipler helps a disciple reach his God-given potential.
- Discipling another man is a supportive relationship that focuses on the disciple’s agenda and includes providing practical life experience and whole-life counsel.
- Discipleship should be considered a deep, long-term relationship that focuses on the disciple’s needs rather than merely a short-term commitment to content mastery.
2. Qualifications:
- Must have a Christ-centered marriage or a Christ-centered personal walk if unmarried.
- Both husband and wife in complete agreement about serving in this ministry.
- Must be a formal member of Denton Bible Church and in good standing.
- Must have attended DBC for at least two years.
- Complete the DBC Volunteer Application, Personal Profile, and Application Endorsement forms.
- Submissive to the authority of the church.
- Committed to training and accountability.
3. Completion of DBC Volunteer Application
Fill out this online form or you may click here to download a copy of the DBC Volunteer Application and then make a copy of the Volunteer Application. When you have completed the application, you can scan it and email it to Willie Hutson at whutson@dentonbible.org or turn it into Jason Mendeke in the administrative offices of Denton Bible Church.
4. Personal Background Check
After your Volunteer Application is completed and submitted to Jason Mendeke, a Personal Background check will be completed. All volunteers who serve at DBC are required to have a personal background check.
5. Personal Profile
Each man who desires to be discipled or become a discipler must fill out a Personal Profile. The Personal Profile provides us with information to assist in matching disciplers and disciples. No need to submit a new one if you have one on file. This is a tool by which we gather basic personal information about each man. This information assists us in matching each discipler with a disciple with a higher degree of compatibility. When you email back the electronic personal profile, the leaders in Men’s Ministry will receive a copy of it. You will then be contacted to receive further instructions on the steps to complete the requirements to become a discipler within the REAL Men’s Ministry of Denton Bible Church.
6. Application Endorsement
For men who are married and who desire to become a discipler, they are required to fill out an Application Endorsement that is signed by the wife. The Application Endorsement is to help us insure that a man has no ongoing unresolved issues at home that would disqualify him as a discipler. This endorsement also helps verify that the wife is in agreement and supportive of the husband becoming a discipler of another man. You can receive a copy of this endorsement clicking on this link (LINK). After completing and signing the endorsement, send it to Willie Hutson at whutson@dentonbible.org.
7. Church Membership
Church membership is a requirement for anyone serving in DBC ministry. If you have never applied for formal church membership, we request that you attend the next DBC membership class. Membership classes are typically scheduled about six times a year. Contact Mike Spencer with ChurchLife Ministry to confirm class dates. He may be contacted at mspencer@dentonbible.org or 940.297.6830. You must attend the class and submit a completed membership application. The application will be processed by ChurchLife and then forwarded to the Elder board for approval.
8. Staff and Elder Approval
After the discipler candidate completes all of the above steps, the final step is receiving approval from the staff and Elders. The name of each discipler is submitted to the staff and Elders for approval and if no objections are heard, the discipler is approved to begin receiving training to become a disicpler for Denton Bible Church.
Contact Information
If you have questions or would like more information about becoming a discipler, please contact:
Willie Hutson // 214.914.8626 // whutson@dentonbible.org
James Reid // 940.395.2777 // jreid@dentonbible.org
Responsibilities:
- Maintain consistent spiritual disciplines regarding your personal walk with Christ (e.g., Bible study, prayer, scripture memory, church attendance, etc.).
- Regularly pray for the ministry and the disciple with whom you meet.
- Take the initiative to faithfully meet with your disciple throughout the entirety of your discipling relationship.
- Follow up on specific needs of your disciple through prayer, counsel, encouragement, visitation, referral or other appropriate aspects of discipling.
- Commit to discussing problematic issues with the ministry director as they arise.
- Commit to the discipling relationship for a minimum of one year. May meet longer if desired.
- Keep sensitive information about your disciple in strict confidence except as noted in the training that you receive from your coordinator/trainer.
- Be accountable to the ministry directors and church leadership including the elders.
Guidelines for Discipling:
- Immediately respond to your disciple’s initial contact.
- Meet a minimum of once a month but ideally two to four times each month.
- If meeting only one or two times per month, call your disciple between meetings to check up.
- Pray for your disciple, especially in areas of concern.
- Seek to meet his needs rather than expecting him to meet yours.
- Share your experiences in the light of God’s truth and how He has taught you. Be careful of simply imparting your opinions.
- Impart life skills worth copying. People are attracted to models. (Philippians 4:9; 2 Timothy 3:10-11)
- Teach and model principles and characteristics from scripture.
- Help, counsel, and deal with problem areas.
9. Make sure you are making progress. Check up regularly with your disciple and ask, “Are we on track with where you want to go?”
10. Find practical projects to do together, either home; family-related tasks; or activities related to ministry.
Training and Development:
- Complete the required discipler training.
- Attend occasional ministry gatherings for community building, leadership development, and continuing education.