About the Process

Our process is one of many that seeks to help you in your pursuit of being conformed to the character of Christ, and helping others to do the same. This is not “mission impossible” this is “mission essential”.  Growing ourselves – and investing in others.

Be like Christ

In Luke 6:40 Jesus said that “the student when he is fully trained, he will be like his teacher.”  We are to be like Christ.  Were He not dwelling within us, that would be an absolute impossibility, but He does, and He will. This process only works because of God’s promises to and work in us.

In Matthew 16:24-25 Jesus tells his disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” In John 14:15  Jesus said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Clearly, Christ expects us to take seriously our growth in Christ-likeness, obedience fueled by our love for a Savior who would die for us, and then live within us.  We are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory forever and ever.”  2 Peter 3:18. Christ is to be our priority.

This growth is observed in the living out, the practical working out of our spiritual growth, showing that our knowledge of God is having its intended effect. This demands that we walk with others, observing behavior in keeping with the commands and encouraging one another along the way. This is the hard, inefficient, glorious work of discipleship.

At STC, our hearts’ desire is to be a resource for men who long to grow in Christ-likeness, and help others grow as well.  This is not a new “movement” – it began 2,000 years ago with an itinerant preacher who invested in ordinary men who invested in others.

How to Get Started

1. Pray about commiting to the Discipleship Pledge.
2. Sign the pledge and begin the process.
3. Invest in another brother by beginning a relationship – hopefully leading to you and he walking together through the process (this can be after you have gone through the process, or committing to go through it for the first time together).
4. Find ways to serve men in your church. If you don’t have a men’s ministry, pray about forming one and talk to the leadership of your church. Pray through ways to serve and encourage growth in the men in your church – bible studies, service project, small groups going through the Discipleship Pledge together.
5. If you are at a point in life where you would like to invest greater time and energy into discipling men, and do not need financial remuneration,  you may want to view our compatibility assessment to see if there might be some synergy between yourself and STC.  We are not looking to hire people; our desire is to equip like-minded laymen to help men in their church (and possibly beyond their church) to grow.

Our process is only one of many. The important thing is to find a process that is enjoyable, straightforward, reproducible, and leads to growth in the Lord.

Recommendations for the Process

Find a “battle buddy”, someone that you have, by God’s grace, an affinity for. Pray. Ask God for favor. Put the timing and the words in His hands. Then approach that person to see if they would be willing to make a commitment to grow together with you. Remember that relationship is key – you may need to have coffee several times before suggesting a book study with another brother.

You may want to start with a single book at a time – see how that goes before suggesting another book. Even if you only get through one book with a friend, that is progress. If you feel led, ask them to agree to all nine books, and the memory verses. Ideally, you will have read any book you cover before the other person, but that is not absolutely essential.

See the Curriculum

Make sure you pray before the meeting and don’t just cover the book – ask questions that get to the heart of the person – we have provided an Accountability sheet for suggestions.