Foundations of Biblical Discipleship

Course Syllabus

Course Description

This course lays the foundation for following Jesus as His disciple and for helping other women follow Him too. You will study what a disciple is, the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, and the way Jesus made disciples by calling the Twelve to be with Him and then sending them out. You will learn to rest in a grace-based identity in Christ rather than in performance, practice the basics of the Christian life (the Word, prayer, fellowship, and obedience), and see spiritual growth as a lifelong process from new believer to mature disciple. You will explore discipleship in community and the local church, discipleship behind the walls and after release, and the Paul–Timothy and Titus 2 models of women discipling women. Throughout the certificate you will use a simple framework called The Timothy Pattern: Be With, Build Up, Send Out. You will finish with a personal discipleship testimony, a growth map, and a four-week starter plan to disciple one new believer. A discipler is a fellow follower of Jesus, not a counselor, a clinician, or a spiritual boss. This certificate is not ordination or a counseling credential. Every activity can be completed on paper.

Faith Integration

Second Timothy 2:2 describes a chain of faithful people: Paul taught Timothy, Timothy would teach faithful people, and they would teach others also. Someone carried the gospel to you, and God invites you to carry it to someone else. Discipleship is not a program for perfect people. It is grace passed from one forgiven woman to another. In this course we follow Jesus' own way: we walk with people, we build them up in His Word, and we send them out to serve. We disciple with gentleness and never with control, shame, or pressure, because Jesus said, my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30). We point people to Christ, not to ourselves, and we refer women to pastors, chaplains, and professionals when they need more help than a discipler can give.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Define a disciple from Luke 9:23, Matthew 28:19–20, and John 8:31, and explain what it means to follow, learn from, and become like Jesus.
2. Explain the Great Commission and the Great Commandment and how love for God and neighbor shapes every discipleship relationship.
3. Describe how Jesus made disciples by having the Twelve be with him and then send them forth (Mark 3:14), and apply The Timothy Pattern: Be With, Build Up, Send Out.
4. Contrast a grace-based identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) with a performance-based identity, and disciple others from grace rather than shame.
5. Practice the basics of discipleship: the Word, prayer, fellowship, and obedience (Acts 2:42; John 14:15).
6. Describe spiritual growth as a lifelong process (2 Peter 3:18) and recognize general stages from new believer to mature disciple.
7. Explain the role of the local church and Christian community in discipleship, inside a facility and after release, and recognize the signs of healthy and unhealthy (controlling or shaming) spiritual authority.
8. Apply the Paul–Timothy and Titus 2 models of women discipling women, and prepare a personal testimony, a growth map, and a four-week starter plan for discipling a new believer.

Course Materials

• This student workbook
• A Bible (King James Version)
• A notebook or lined paper and a folder
• Pen or pencil (no devices are required; every activity has a paper version)
• A printed copy of the When to Get Help card (provided in Module 1)

Weekly Schedule

How You Will Be Graded

To pass this course: earn 70% or higher overall and attend at least 80% of sessions.

Classroom Covenant

• We begin and end each session in prayer. Participation in prayer is always welcome, never required.
• What is shared in class stays in class. We protect one another's stories.
• We speak with respect, listen without interrupting, and disagree with grace.
• We come prepared, do our own work, and ask for help when we need it.
• We follow all facility rules. Safety and security come first.
• We believe the best about one another and about what God can do.

Support & Accommodations

If reading, writing, vision, hearing, or any other need makes a part of this course harder, tell your instructor privately. Materials can be read aloud, enlarged, or completed orally. Missed sessions can be made up using the module pages. If you are transferred or released, your completed work stays on record and you can finish online.

Welcome

Welcome to the first course of the Christian Mentoring & Discipleship Certificate. This companion walks beside you with a weekly reading, five devotions for the days between sessions, and a Quick Guide you can keep long after the course ends. Throughout the certificate you will use a simple framework called The Timothy Pattern: Be With, Build Up, Send Out. As you read, remember that discipleship is not a program for perfect people. It is grace passed from one forgiven woman to another. A discipler is a fellow follower of Jesus, not a counselor, a clinician, or a spiritual boss. Every page here can be read and completed on paper.

How to Use This Companion

• Read the weekly reading after each class session. It takes about 10 minutes.
• Reflect on the questions. These are for you; you do not have to turn them in.
• Meet with God through the five daily devotions between sessions.
• Keep the Quick Guide at the end to carry home after release.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.— Psalm 119:105 (KJV)