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Curriculum Outline
If you're actually planning to undertake this course, please register here. (No charge) Written Lessons Plus VideoChurches will find this study especially useful. Pastors can assign older believers as mentors and either put the printed book in their hands or point them to the Internet to view the online video lessons free of charge and print out the free participant guide. Pastor, here's an introduction designed to explain the series to you. Here's what a typical hour and a quarter session with a mentor might look like:
This carefully designed spiritual formation curriculum for new believers intended to be studied with a mentor -- not alone. Believers and MentorsThe word "mentor" probably implies more than I intend. I don't mean a highly trained, sophisticated, completely mature person. They're often considerably older than many new believers and too far removed in time from their lives "before Christ" to remember what it was like. Rather, I see this mentor as a Christian friend who is growing well in Christ and a bit farther along the path than the new believer. He or she could be the person who led the new convert to Christ, a person the new believer latches onto, or someone assigned by a pastor to work with a new believer. A lesson is available to prepare and train a mentor for this assignment.
Discipleship and Spiritual Formation
The point is that the new believer learns in community, alongside a friend who can be a coach in basic Christian living, as well as a personal bridge to other Christian friends and to a local congregation. The Christian faith is caught, as well as taught. JesusWalk: Beginning the Journey is designed to be walked together, two-by-two, never alone. How Does It Compare to Growing in Christ (NavPress)?Many churches have used Growing in Christ (NavPress) to disciple new Christians. It's great material; I've used it many times with new believers. But it is workbook-based. JesusWalk - Beginning the Journey uses video based lessons that provide more thorough explanations, with questions for discussion with a mentor. And it can be used free! It doesn't require the believer to look up answers in a Bible and fill in the blanks -- helpful, but daunting for people without strong language skills, thus lowering the likelihood of completion. Ultimately, both are great tools to grow a healthy crop of new believers.
Books and DVDsThe vast majority of users will access the lessons and videos free of charge on the Internet. However, printed books and DVDs are available to churches that need them. Pastors and church leaders can learn more about how to use this series in their ministries.
Dr. Ralph Wilson is the director of Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries. He is the author of two dozen online Bible studies taken by tens of thousands internationally. More about Dr. Wilson.... Copyright © 1985-2010 Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor  joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
JesusWalk® Publications Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Director Contact Information 
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Many people come to Christ, but don't get the early
teaching and mentoring they need to grow well as Christians. The number of new
believers at any one time in most churches is too small to warrant a class -- and
there's often no other model readily available.
A healthy Christian results from a careful balance. Thus this series doesn't
stress only basic Christian beliefs. Rather we seek to train new believers in a
balance of:
The lessons and discussion questions provide the structure
for learning. Being a mentor won't take special knowledge beyond what a growing
Christian already has learned. However, the mentor will want to check in with a
pastor or lay leader from time to time as questions arise.
JesusWalk: Beginning the
Journey
