Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith
    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith
    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith
    Ebook140 pages1 hour

    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith

    By Chris Folmsbee

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith addresses a critical need for church leaders and pastors: How can we guide people to live like Jesus and to draw others into that life? This is a book to study and with your leaders and teams.

    Gladhearted Disciples starts with an indisputable yet often ignored reality: In a post-modern, post-Christian world, we can no longer attract people by convincing them of our “truth.”  We must instead embody the Gospel in such clear and compelling ways that they will be attracted to our way of life. This is the true measure of discipleship. Folmsbee provides a template for the spiritual formation of hopeful, grace-filled, kingdom-focused disciples who represent God’s love in the world.  Pastors, Christian educators, and small-group leaders will find here an inspiring new perspective to inspire and support their work.--Ann Michel, Associate Director, Lewis Center for Church Leadership

    I recommend this book for faith communities and all who yearn for a new way of understanding our sacred calling as followers of Jesus.--DJ del Rosario, Sr. Pastor, Bothell UMC, Bothell, WA

    If you are seeking to guide others in following Jesus into the mission field that exists right outside your front door, read this book. You’ll encounter vivid stories and a theologically grounded, practical, and missional approach to discipleship in a post-Christian world. --Sara B. Thomas, Chief Strategist for Vital Congregations, Discipleship Ministries, The United Methodist Church

    Gladhearted Disciples takes a radically different and welcome approach to evangelism and discipleship. It is a winsome and accessible book with two audaciously important messages. First, Christian discipleship is grounded in grace, characterized by humility, upwardly focused in gratitude, and outwardly-turned in compassion. Second, Christian communities should be marked by the same. Every church would do well to heed this prophetic yet hopeful message.  --Robert K. Martin, Dean and Professor of Christian Formation and Leadership, Wesley Theological Seminary

    If you seek a fresh way to understand and share our faith—a way that makes sense in our current reality, I invite you to delve into this book. May you be newly inspired! --Dottie Escobedo-Frank, author of The Jesus Insurgency with Rudy Rasmus, from Abingdon Press


    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAbingdon Press
    Release dateMay 19, 2015
    ISBN9781630884246
    Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith
    Author

    Chris Folmsbee

    Chris Folmsbee has served as a youth pastor for nearly 15 years, and now serves as a volunteer youth worker in his local church. He currently leads Barefoot Ministries, a youth ministry training and publishing company located in Kansas City, and is on staff with Youthfront. Chris is the author of several books including his most recent, Story, Signs, and Sacred Rhythms: A Narrative Approach to Youth Ministry. He lives in Overland Park, Kansas, with his wife, Gina, and their three children, Megan, Drew, and Luke.

    Read more from Chris Folmsbee

    Related to Gladhearted Disciples

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Theo & Bev Wolmarans CELEBRATING 40 YEARS IN MINISTRY CELEBRATION 2019

      Aug 19, 2019

      This year is a very momentous celebration for Pastor Theo and Bev Wolmarans, who have been faithfully guiding Christians for 40 years to faith in Jesus, both locally and abroad. When we look at the history of spirit-filled churches in this nation, Pa

      5 min read

    • Article

      Josh & Tara McCauley On A REDEMPTIVE Mission

      Sep 4, 2020

      Whilst his friends were out playing cops and robbers, a young Joshua would sit in the front row of church listening to the sermons of his dad (Rhema Church founder, Pastor Ray McCauley) blissfully unaware that one day he too would be standing behind

      10 min read

    • Article

      Editor’s Note

      Dec 30, 2019

      Editor’s Note
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Bible Is Not Open To Personal Interpretation

      Sep 23, 2022

      What a beautiful scripture above – this is a solid motivation to meditate on God’s Word. Yet, believe it or not, there are some Christians who deem this Scripture to be an ‘arrogant’ or ‘self-righteous’ declaration. I am so grateful that I’ve had str

      1 min read

    • Article

      Rooted In God’s Love

      Feb 10, 2023

      Rooted In God’s Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Importance Of Finishing What You Start

      Feb 10, 2023

      “It is better to finish something than to start it.It is better to be patient than to be proud.” – Ecclesiastes 7:8, NCV Have you noticed others not finishing what they start, or not honouring what they say? Sadly, it seems to be so prevalent in

      1 min read

    • Article

      Allan & Janine Bagg

      Jun 24, 2022

      Allan & Janine Bagg
      9 min read

    • Article

      Living With Purpose

      Sep 7, 2021

      Living With Purpose
      3 min read

    • Article

      From the EDITOR

      Dec 29, 2023

      JOY! Magazine seeks to glorify God by educating and informing Christians of a biblical worldview and applying the Lordship of Jesus Christ to all areas of life. Strive for excellence and integrity in all things• Provide interesting, accurate, and ho

      1 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Jul 21, 2023

      D ear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to k

      6 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Apr 13, 2020

      I would like to congratulate Desiree Mansfield on her wonderful and insightful article in JOY’s Feb/Mar issue, “Are We Cursed Because Of Our Government’s Decision On Israel?” This is an article nearer the truth than most people will realise and sadly

      8 min read

    • Article

      THE WAR FOR OUR YOUTH Why creation still matters

      Dec 30, 2019

      We’re being told by public education systems, universities, media, some parents, and unfortunately many church leaders, that parts of the Bible are not relevant anymore and that we need to reinvent God’s word. So, with this situation, in order to und

      3 min read

    • Article

      Striving For Excellence A Call To Embrace Purposeful Living

      Mar 8, 2024

      We find ourselves in a time in history where there is a lot of uncertainty, unaccountability, a lack of commitment, and general apathy in society. Many people, including Christians, just don’t seem to be interested in “running the race to win” anymor

      1 min read

    • Article

      Pastor Jo Swart

      Aug 26, 2022

      Pastor Jo Swart
      7 min read

    • Article

      From the EDITOR

      Dec 1, 2023

      “The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. TO OTHERS THE SAME SPIRIT GIVES FAITH. To others that

      2 min read

    • Article

      Daily Guidance From The Word Of God

      Apr 5, 2024

      I get so encouraged and excited by the Word of God. Every day, as I read my Bible, I am reminded of His care and love towards us. His Word strengthens my faith and helps me get through any negative situations that may arise. I feel empowered to overc

      1 min read

    • Article

      ‘Our King Is Still On His Throne’

      Sep 4, 2020

      Over the last two pages you have read the powerful testimony of Berni Dymet, the CEO of Christianityworks. But what really makes this man of God tick? We hopped on a long-distance Zoom call to interview this passionate man of God, all the way over in

      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Gladhearted Disciples

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Gladhearted Disciples - Chris Folmsbee

      9781630884246_Cover.jpg

      halftitle

      15974.png

      Title Page

      15991.png

      Copyright Page

      Gladhearted disciples:

      equipping your congregation with generous and enduring faith

      Copyright © 2015 by Chris Folmsbee

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to Permissions, The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988, or e-mailed to permissions@umpublishing.org.

      This book is printed on acid-free paper.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been requested.

      ISBN: 978-1-63088-423-9

      Scripture quotations unless noted otherwise are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglishBible.com.

      Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

      Dedication

      For Geoff, Brad, and Jeremy

      Contents

      16001.png

      Acknowledgments

      Introduction: Gladhearted Disciples Defined

      How to Use This Book

      Part One

      Making Disciples: A New Apologetic

      Chapter 1—A New Apologetic for a Post-Christian World

      Chapter 2—What a New Apologetic Looks Like in a Post-Christian World

      Part Two

      Gladhearted Disciples and Their Ways of Holiness

      Chapter 3—Taking Up Residence with God

      Chapter 4—The Organization and Essence of Community

      Chapter 5—Revisiting Christian Perfection

      Part Three

      Gladhearted Disciples and Their Embodied Practice

      Chapter 6—The Gospel of Peace and Justice

      Chapter 7—Creating Do You Remember When? Stories

      Chapter 8—Understanding the Reason and Role of the Church

      Part Four

      Gladhearted Disciples and Their Commitment to Yielded Guidance

      Chapter 9—Catching the Wind: The Holy Spirit and the Gladhearted Disciple

      Part Five

      The Gladhearted Disciple-Making Leader

      Chapter 10—The Gladhearted Disciple as Leader

      Chapter 11—Five Key Factors for the Mission Ahead

      Chapter 12—Questions and Applications for the Gladhearted Leader

      Acknowledgments

      Acknowledgments

      Thanks, Gina, for your help to make this book project a reality. I couldn’t have done this without you. Thanks for your friendship, love, and support. Thanks, Megan, Drew, and Luke for believing in me and helping me toward being a more generous and faithful father.

      Thanks, Resurrection family, for allowing me the opportunity to serve alongside you as we build a Christian community where nonreligious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians.

      Thanks, Carol Cartmill, Jane Fowler, Matt Williams, Darrell Holtz, Liz Gyori, Jon Edlin, Phil Antilla, Michelle Funk, and Shari Wilkins for all the conversations in our team meetings that made their way into this book. Thanks, Jeff and Michelle Kirby, for your friendship and support.

      Thanks, VIBE community, for allowing me to be one of your pastors. I love worshipping with you each week and look forward to seeing how God continues to shape our community for God’s mission. Thanks Wendy Chrostek, James Felver, Jordan Tracy, Cory Ryan, Angela LaVallie, and Tara Houx!

      Thank you, Pastor Adam Hamilton, for your vision, leadership, and commitment to the mission of God and The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. It is a privilege to serve with you.

      Introduction: Gladhearted Disciples Defined

      Introduction: Gladhearted Disciples Defined

      When the publishers at Abingdon recommended the title Gladhearted Disciples , I wasn’t immediately struck with excitement. In fact, I thought it felt kind of forced and a bit gimmicky. I’ve written a bunch of books over the last ten years, and this was the first time I hadn’t really been jazzed about a title that was presented to me.

      My first questions were, What in the world is a gladhearted disciple? Do I even know one? Can I point one out? Am I a gladhearted disciple? I struggled a bit to even get my head around how I would describe one let alone write a book for pastors and lay leaders, a book that not only tried to describe a gladhearted disciple but also put forth new ideas and concepts on how to make them.

      After several days, however, it grew on me and eventually it hit me. A gladhearted disciple is exactly what I am trying to make. In fact, I am kind of worn out with the pessimism and cynicism that exists among many of the church leaders I run into every now and again. I’m hopeful there will be more reconstructionists who step forward in the days ahead to balance out the necessary, but sometimes overpowering, spirit of deconstruction. It doesn’t matter how many pessimists or cynics camouflage their feelings around words like realist and pragmatist; negative is negative, no matter how you try and explain it away.

      Simply said, gladhearted disciples are followers of Jesus who are generous people looking into the future through a lens of hope, accepting but not settling for what the world has become, and yet determined to live in such a way that engages the world in Christ-centered mission, through the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and with the purpose of bringing the redemptive reign of God in Christ into every dimension of life. Gladhearted disciples are about one thing—the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is anywhere God reigns.

      Gladhearted disciples are noticeably optimistic people who are pleasant to be around. They are grateful for the work of Jesus on the cross, and it is this atoning work of Jesus that drives them to endure the moments in life that aren’t so happy and joyous. They endure in order to find their true self and contentment in the suffering of Jesus. How can a gladhearted disciple be content in suffering? I was asked. Here’s how; because suffering with Jesus is enduring any and all experiences of hardship for the sake of the gospel, which is ultimately for the sake of the world. We are on our way to being converted into new creatures every day. As gladhearted disciples, we accept this conversion, or suffer with it, so that Christ will be made known or so that ultimately Thy kingdom come . . . in earth, as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10 KJV).

      The following is a deeper look into what it means to be a gladhearted disciple:

      1. Gladhearted disciples are generous. A generous life is one that gives without expecting anything in return. A generous person, therefore, is one who loves, knowing full well that there may not be any advantage to or profit from the love. Our churches are filled with generous people, yet we need more of them. This does not mean that occasionally one would give a financial contribution or donate clothing or volunteer in children’s Sunday school. These examples are certainly generous acts. However, generous disciples are ones who have mastered their need to think of and act on behalf of themselves first—in all experiences and in all situations. Generous disciples live openhandedly and full of a spirit of grace.

      2. Gladhearted disciples look into the future through a lens of hope. We will talk more about this in subsequent chapters, so for now I will simply say that hope resides within the follower of Jesus. Hope is a door (Hos 2:15) and it is an anchor for our whole being (Heb 6:19) as we await the eventual reality that all things will be made new. Hope is formed through suffering and through ongoing conversion, and it is related to joy, faith, perseverance, and patience. Hope essentially orients and continues to reorient the disciple’s life toward what we so desperately and eagerly wait upon but do not yet occupy. In my opinion, hope is the key to the believer living in the present reality, with the capacity to trust that God is at work, even when it is difficult to spot in the brokenness around us.

      3. Gladhearted disciples live in such a way that engages the world in Christ-centered mission. I know and have conversations with many Christians who are confused about mission. Somehow they got it into their thinking that discipleship and mission are two entirely separate aspects of faith formation. This could not be further from the truth. While churches often create ministry initiatives that do detach these two areas of practice and divide them from one another, they are not meant to be practices expressed in isolation from one another. Discipleship is for mission. We followers of Jesus are becoming deeply committed Christians because God is a missionary God who sends us into the world to participate with God to restore the world toward its intended wholeness. You don’t choose between various discipleship activities and education or mission trips and justice initiatives. Discipleship, or what is increasingly referred to in many churches as spiritual formation, is entirely for God’s mission. The followers of Jesus engage the world in Christ-centered mission not to do missions but to become deeply committed disciples. Mission isn’t merely a by-product of discipleship; it is the very reason for discipleship. God sends the Son; the Son sends the Spirit; and the Spirit sends the church to live out the intended ways of God. Gladhearted disciples don’t do mission or discipleship. Because of mission, gladhearted disciples become authentic,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1