Submitted to: Sir Lawrence Ladia

Date Submitted: May 8, 2017

Members:
Agustin, Warren
Balandi, Daren Skai
Ocuaman, Lord Calumm
Cariaso, Bobby
Catubig, Joshua Phill
Magadia, John Dawey
Quinto, Esmeraldo Jr.
Valle, Luke
Dalma, Angela
Gahol, Anna Margarita

Chapter 3: Fundamental Guides

towards Christian Discipleship
 INTRODUCTION

Christians are beings that are easily distinguished through their obvious conducts
and moralistic behaviors, which is expected from them. Their profound rationality and
founding gift is to spread the spiritual power of Gods gospel through Christian
Discipleship. This innate ability helps the community change their ways of mundane
life into a blessing, and offers this temporal world to listen and meditate on Gods
teachings and doctrines which will set their paths to a more positive and happy life.

Despite of the trepidations in the present time, Christians would still live their
lives according to what Jesus had shown them while he was living dated back between
120 B.C. and 40 A.D. In order to understand the purpose and meaning of each and
everyones lives, they educate themselves and follow most of Jesus ideologies. One of
the good examples of His ideologies is the Ten Commandments, which was being
introduced by Moises during his sojourn at the Mount Sinai. These commandments,
which was written on two stone tablets, reminds us the following sins God doesnt
want us to commit because of its danger and great threat to humanitys peace and order
(otherwise can be reconsider to be the founder of Morality). Another good example is
the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teachings which offers wisdom and strength in
dealing with social delinquencies without destroying their own faith. Lastly, we should
also consider the value of one of the great teachings of Jesus Christ which is the Eight
Beatitudes that, which He had taught in His sermon on the mountain side, cultivates
the Christians to live onto the importance of simple life and to strengthen the
relationship with God the Father.

This term paper simply shows how we, as one of the groups of students in
Theology 4, endeavor these teachings and see what have made us evolved to a greater
realization as we heard these teachings in our class.
UPDATES

Ten things you didn't know about the Ten Commandments

Author: Dennis Pragger Date: 6 Apr 2017

Jews and Christians number the commandments differently. The reason is that Ten
Commandments in the original Hebrew literally reads Ten Statements. Therefore,
Jews count the first statement, which is I am the Lord your God who took you out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage as the first commandment.

Without God, the Ten Commandments, and morality in general, is just a list of
arbitrary rules. Unless there is a Higher Authority (God) behind the Ten
Commandments, all right and wrong are just personal opinion and belief, subject to
change.

The Second Commandment (according to the Jewish tradition), You shall have no
other gods before me, does not simply refer to stone idols of Moses day. Other
gods are anything that we worship more than Godmoney, power, love, education,
a nation, or art.

The Third Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Lords name in vain, is often
interpreted as saying something like Oh my God! However, the Hebraic translation
literally reads, Thou shalt not carry the Lords name in vain, meaning do not commit
evil in Gods name.

The Third Commandment is also the only commandment which, when violated, God
never forgives.

Western Civilizationwhich developed universal human rights, created women's

equality, ended slavery, and created democracywould not have been developed
without the Ten Commandments.
The Fourth Commandment, "Remember the Sabbath Day," uplifts mankind more
than any other commandment. For most of history, life consisted overwhelmingly of
work, and human beings were essentially beasts of burden. This commandment
changed that by insisting that people stop working one day out of seven to rest,
strengthen relationships, and enjoy life.

In our culture, the Fifth Commandment, Honor your father and mother, is not
widely emphasized. Many parents object to honoring since it implies an authority
figure, an idea that is often rejected. Instead, they want to be loved, not honored, by
their children. This threatens the family structure and makes children believe they are
their own boss, a dangerous misconception that will harm them in their
workplace, marriage, and worldview.

Truth, and following the Ninth Commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is
the most important value in society. Goodness and compassion may be the most
important values in the personal realm, but the societal realm, truth is more
important. Virtually all great societal evils, such as African slavery, Nazism, and
Communism, have been based on lies.

The Ten Commandments are not a list of rules. The commandments prove that God
wants mankind to be free: "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Following the commandments actually frees us
from the terrible consequences of sin, making our lives better.

Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/10-facts-you-didn-t-know-about-
the-10-commandments.html
 The Character of the Christian
January 14, 2016

As Christians, we all want to grow in spiritual maturity and Christlikeness. At

least, I hope we do. We all want to become what we are in Christ, to put aside patterns
of sin and unrighteousness and to replace them with patterns of holiness. Ultimately,
we want to become like Christ, to think how he thought and to behave how he behaved.
We do well to aspire to the highest standards of holiness and godliness.

The Bible holds out one group of people who are to serve as models of Christian
maturity: Elders (referred to at times as elders, and at other times as pastors or
overseers). Elders are qualified to the office primarily on the basis of their character.
While the Bible provides one quality related to skill (the ability to teach) and one
related to the amount of time a man has been a Christian (not a recent convert), all of
the other qualifications are related to character. Yet while these traits are demanded of
elders, they are not unique to elders.

D.A. Carson has said that the list of qualifications for elders is remarkable for being
unremarkable. Why is that? Because these traits are repeated elsewhere as qualities
that ought to be present among all believers. Carson says, The criteria mentioned are
demanded of all Christians everywhere. Which is another way of saying, elders are first
of all to be exemplars of the Christian graces that are presupposed as mandated on all
Christians. Every church is meant to be full of men and women who display these
traits.

This means that if you want to grow in holiness, one great place to begin is by
knowing and imitating the character qualifications of elders. Today I am beginning a
new series on the character of a Christian, and I will structure the series around these
character qualifications. I want to answer questions like these: In what ways do the
qualifications of an elder and the calling of all Christians overlap? Very practically, what
do those qualities look like in the life of the believer? How can I know if I am displaying
these graces? And how can I best pray for them in my own life?

I hope you will join me as we consider how to spur one another on to love, good works,
and great Christlikeness! I hope you will join me as we learn together how we can
exemplify the highest Christian virtues. Here is how I anticipate progressing through
the series:

1. Introduction
2. Above Reproach
3. A One-Woman Man (and One-Man Woman)
 4. Sober-Minded, Self-Controlled, Respectable
5. Hospitable
6. Sober, Gentle, Peacemaking
7. Not a Lover of Money
8. A Leader at Home
9. Mature and Humble
10. Respected by Outsiders

Source:https://www.challies.com/articles/the-character-of-the-christian

Hows your attitude?

A Study in the Beatitudes

Matthew5:3-12

Juanita P u r c e l l
 Special Thanks
Aspecial thanks to Linda Trevathan and Lynn Major for the many hours they spent in
helping me get this Bible study ready for publication.

Hows Your Attitude?

2014 Regular Baptist Press Schaumburg, Illinois
www.RegularBaptistPress.org 1-800-727-4440 Printed in U.S.A. All
rights reserved.

RBP5139 ISBN: 978-1-60776-850-0

All Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright
1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this
publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission
of the publisher.
 Contents

Gods Plan of Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Lesson 1 What Are the Beatitudes?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Lesson 2 Happy Are the Poor in Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Lesson 3 Happy Are They That Mourn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 4 Happy Are the Meek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Lesson 5 Happy Are They That Hunger and Thirst after

Righteousness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Happy Are the Merciful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Lesson 6

Happy Are the Pure in Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Lesson 7

Happy Are the Peacemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Lesson 8

Happy Are Those Who Are Persecuted for Righteousness

Lesson 9
Sake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Lesson 10
Happy Are Those Who Are Persecuted for Christs Sake. . . . . . 71

Why Sink When You Can Swim Verses . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Leaders Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Suggestions for Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Answers for Leaders Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
 Gods Plan of Salvation
Carefully ponder these Scripture verses, as they explain how you can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
God loves you and wants you to enjoy the abundant life He offers you.
John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 10:10Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Man is sinful, and his sin separates him from God.
Romans 3:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death [spiritual separation from God].
Jesus Christs death is the only provision God has made to pay for mans sin.
Romans 5:8But God commendeth [demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
John 14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me.
You must receive Jesus Christ as your Savior before you can personally experience His love for you and the abundant
life He has planned for you.
John 1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name.

You can invite Christ into your life right now by an act of faith.
Ephesians 2:8, 9For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of
works, lest any man should boast.

Are you ready to invite Christ into your life to be your Savior? Use the following prayer as a guide to help you express
your desire to God: Lord God, I know I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus died for my sins. Right now I
receive
5
6 HOWS YOUR ATTITUDE?

Him as my Savior. Take control of my life, and replace all the restlessness and anxiety with peace and contentment.
If you have prayed this prayer, tell your Bible study leader or a friend who has been trying to help you.
Learn to trust Gods Wordnot your feelingswhen doubts come.
Romans 10:13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 John 5:1113And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you
that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe
on the name of the Son of God.
 LESSON1

W h at A re t h e Beat it udes?

He opened his mouth, and taught them (Matthew 5:2).

J esusearthlyministrybroughtgreatexcitementandcontroversy.Thousandscameforhealing.Otherscametoscornandmock.Andsome
camelookingfor truth. Did you know that Jesus first recorded sermon focused on the attitudes born-again
believers should have? In Matthew 57 Jesus preached a message called the Sermon on the Mount. The first twelve
verses in the message are called the Beatitudes. What does beatitude mean? Wikipedia says it means supreme
blessing or happiness.
As Jesus sat on the mountainside and began to preach, His primary audience was His disciples, or followers. However,
He wanted the masses to hear His words too. Many of them were the scribes and Phariseesprofessional religionists.
Matthew 5:20 and 23:25 describe these groups: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. . . . Woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of
extortion and excess (emphasis added).
How could anyones righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? They were the religious leaders of the day.
The scribes were experts in the law of Moses, since their office came out of the priesthood. They were responsible to
preserve and teach the law. The scribes had been on the scene long before the Pharisees came into power, but by the
time of Jesus birth, the Pharisees were in authority with the scribes. The Pharisees not only taught the law of Moses, they
had added their own traditions and interpretations. In fact, by that time, the law included 350 negative commands and
250 positive commands. The people were hearing a distorted version of the law. Thats why Jesus took the scribes and
Pharisees to task, even calling them hypocrites.
The Beatitudes describe a standard of living that denounces the ritualistic, hypo-

7
8 HOWS YOUR ATTITUDE?
Critical practices of those religious leaders. Christ taught about a relationshipnot just a religion. He wasnt
concerned with outward performances; He emphasized their hearts and minds. The Beatitudes describe true
righteousness in contrast to the false righteousness of the religious leaders. Warren Wiersbe explains: In the
Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us that true righteousness is a matter of the heart. It has been well said, The Beatitudes
describe the attitudes that ought to be in the believers life. What good are tithing, fasting, and outward obedience to
rules and regulations if the heart is proud, critical, and condemning? Conduct must be based upon character.1
 What Are the Beatitudes?
The Beatitudes are a list of godly attitudes that should mark every believer and that lead to true happiness.
Jesus didnt tell us how to live step-by-step, but He told us about the attitudes that result in proper behavior. Right
internal attitudes lead to right external behavior.
I love these thoughts by Chuck Swindoll about our attitude:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. . . . The remarkable thing is we have a
choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . . we
cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way.We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing
we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what
happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our Attitudes.2
General Lessons
Since the Beatitudes are the attitudes that ought to be in the believers life, there are several general lessons
we can learn from them. Read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:312.
1. These attitudes are not just for the men and women we might call super saints. List a few men and women who come
to your mind when we use the term super saints.
What Are the Beatitudes? 9
2. All Christians are to display all these attitudes. There are nine Beatitudes and nine fruit of the Spirit. I think the
Beatitudes and the fruit of the Spirit passages have similarities. Ephesians 5:18 says believers are to be filled with, or
controlled by, the Holy Spirit. Read Galatians 5:22 and 23 to see the list of the fruit of the Spirit. See if you can list a
fruit of the Spirit by each of the Beatitudes below. If you have never studied the Beatitudes or the fruit of the Spirit
before, you may want to come back and answer this question at the end of the study. Blessed are . . .

Beatitude Fruit of the Spirit

The poor in spirit

Those who mourn

The meek

Those who hunger and thirst

after righteousness

The merciful

The pure in heart

The peacemakers

Those who are persecuted

for righteousness sake
Those who are reviled,
persecuted, and slandered for
Jesus sake

3. None of these attitudes can be produced and lived out in our own strength. Accord-ing to Ephesians 2:8 and 9 and
Galatians 5:16, 22, and 23, what are the attitudes the by-products of?
No one can live the challenges given in the Beatitudes unless that person has been born again. After the new birth,
the person is capable of living the radical transfor-mation pictured in the Beatitudes.
10 HOWS YOUR ATTITUDE?

4. The more we become like Christ, the more we become unlike non-Christians. What words in John 15:5b would
never come from the mouth of an unbeliever?

What opposite words might an unbeliever say?

5. In the first and eighth beatitudes, Christ promised His followers that theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The believer
and unbeliever belong to two different king-doms. How do the following verses describe these differences? See John
15:18, 19; 17:1416; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 1:13.

Songwriter Jim Reeves wrote, This world is not my home, / Im just a-passin through. For the believer, the best
is yet to come!
6. Christ started each of the Beatitudes with the word blessed. In many translations the word is happy. What does
this word mean to you?

To Kay Arthur, it means the result of a right relationship with God:

Happiness is disguised in the Word of God under the term blessed or blessedness, from the Greek word,
makarios. . . . Blessedness meant a sense of Gods approval. It comes from being right with God, from
doing what is right before God. . . . This, then, is true happiness: a state of blessedness that comes not from
circumstances but from a right rela-tionship to God.3

Surely it would be a blessed life to know you have Gods approval. Therefore, the blessed are those who have found
that the Beatitudes are the way to the happiest kind of life.
What Are the Beatitudes? 11

Being the Blessed

Aswe study the Beatitudes, I will use happy instead of blessed as I refer to the different verses.
7. Since Matthew 5:311 begins with happy, what can we conclude Christ wants believers to know?

8. How would the world describe happiness?

9. Now that you know the Bibles description of happiness, how would you describe happiness?

The worlds view of happiness is something that depends on happenings. Someone called it a gamblers paradise:
happiness can be here today and gone tomorrow. Gods kind of happiness is described as blessed, or enjoying
happiness. It is a per-manent joy not affected by the ups and downs of life. We can have this kind of stability because we
are partakers of Gods divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
10. Why are the Beatitudes a paradox as they relate to the worlds idea of happiness?

11. The worlds idea of happiness is that the person with the most things is the hap-piest. Afew years ago a popular
bumper sticker read, He who dies with the most toys wins. Yet Christ knows that a persons soul cant be satisfied
by external things (Luke 12:15). Why not?

12. Read Ecclesiastes 1:2. What was King Solomons response to all his material wealth?
12 HOWS YOUR ATTITUDE?

13. Blessed is a word to describe the character of God and Christ (see Psalms 68:35 and 72:18; see also 1 Timothy 6:15).
Read 2 Peter 1:4. Why are believers the only ones who will experience the blessedness that is part of the character of
God and Christ?

14. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20. Who helps our divine nature grow in Christlike-ness?
Since believers have the divine nature of God and the Holy Spirit, others should be able to observe the very
character of God in them. As we live in this dark world, the light of Christ in us should make us reflections of Christ.
The Holy Spirit in us helps us overcome sins and weaknesses that we may have struggled with all our lives. Because we
are partakers of His divine nature, we are able to rise above our human limitations to see God working in our lives.
In lesson 2 we will learn more about being partakers of Gods nature. 15. Did you learn anything new
about true happiness today? If so, what?

From My Heart
The Beatitudes give us nine verses that are like stepping-stones to reach the top of the mountain and view the
beautiful life offered to the blessed, or happy ones. The first step is salvation; the last step is total dedication. We
start as babes in Christ and end up spiritually mature. It will take a lifetime for God to do all He has planned for us.
You may have been on this journey for years, or you may begin the journey during this study. Ive been on my journey
for sixty-two years, and what an exciting and challenging journey it has been! I say exciting and challenging because
there were many dark valleys filled with disappointment and heartache. During those dark days, I would ask
myself,Where is God in this? What is He wanting to teach me? I recently heard a statement that was such an
encouragement to me. Aman woke up from a coma and was told by his nurse that he was recovering from a serious
accident. He told the nurse there are no accidents in a believers lifejust incidents where God is working.
What Are the Beatitudes? 13

I was about twenty years into my journey with the Lord when He taught me the valuable lesson I have
emphasized heremy happiness does not depend on what is going on around me but on what is going on
inside me.
The Beatitudes should be attitudes displayed in every Christian. Weare now ready to find out what each of
the Beatitudes is and if each one is reflected in our own lives.

From Your Heart

After reading the Beatitudes, which ones do you need to work on the most? Do you agree that the Beatitudes
are the attitudes every believer should have? Why?Aswe start this study, how is your attitude?

Notes
1. Warren W.Wiersbe, Live like a King: Making the Beatitudes work in daily life (Chicago: Moody Press, 1976), 22.
2. Chuck Swindoll, Popular Quotes, GoodReads, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/ attitude?page=2.
3. Arthur, 4.

Source:https://www.rbpstore.org/Content/Site175/FilesSamples/1513665139pdf_00000076556.pdf
A DISCIPLESHIP APPROACH TO ADULT CONFIRMATION

IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD

A Doctoral Project

Presented to

the Faculty of Talbot School of Theology

Biola University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Ministry

by

Kevin Austin

May 2017
 ProQuest Number: 10263470

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reserved
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submitted.
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and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be
removed, a note will indicate the deletion.

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Published by ProQuest LLC ( 2017 ). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author.

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Copyright 2017 Kevin Austin
All rights reserved
 ABSTRACT

A DISCIPLESHIP APPROACH TO ADULT CONFIRMATION

IN THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD

Kevin Austin

Jesus calls his church to make disciples. Within the Lutheran tradition, a key part

of making disciples has been catechesis. Sadly, a holistic understanding of catechesis has

often been lost as catechesis has often been reduced to confirmation class. Catechesis,

properly understood, is the womb-to-tomb work of formation as one is brought into the

body of Christ and is both trained in the essentials truths of the Christian faith and also

equipped for a life of following Jesus.

While this project recognizes and calls for the need to regain both a holistic and

womb-to-tomb view of catechesis, it focuses on and offers a solution in one aspect of

catechesis, namely, adult confirmation. Within the Lutheran tradition today, adult

confirmation classes are commonly focused either entirely on imparting necessary

academic knowledge or are simply an orientation to life within a given congregation.

Both approaches miss a major opportunity to shape disciples in a crucial period of their

formation. To best capitalize on this opportunity, this project created a discipleship

approach to adult confirmation that integrates the metanarrative of Scripture, Lutheran

theology, community, and spiritual practices in a way that equips people to live out their

unique callings in the real world setting where God has placed them.

The discipleship approach to adult confirmation is entitled The On-Ramp. It

was practiced at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and consisted of eight weeks of

classes with daily exercises that sought to integrate what was taught in class into the daily

lives of the participants.

To evaluate the effectiveness of The On-Ramp in the lives of disciples,

participants were asked to complete an assessment immediately before participating in

The On-Ramp and then again at its conclusion. Participants were asked questions that

evaluated their knowledge of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Christian

doctrine. Additionally, participants were asked to give a self-assessment of their attitudes

and behaviors as they related to their faith in Christ utilizing a Likert scale. The results

demonstrated an upward trend in both peoples knowledge and their attitudes and

behaviors as they relate to their faith in Christ.

This project is dedicated to my children Hannah and George. May you always

grow as followers of Jesus. May your identity always be found in him.

May all you do flow from your love for him.

Abide in Christ and his Word

 CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................................................................. ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION: THE PROJECT AND SETTING .......................................1

Identifying the Problem.................................................................................................1

Questions............................................................................................................................8

Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 12

Assumptions ................................................................................................................. 18

Scope and Limitations ................................................................................................ 20

2. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION ....................................... 22

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 22

The Biblical Foundation for the Call to Make Disciples ................................ 22

A Biblical Description of a Disciple...................................................................... 30

A Biblical Case for Catechesis ................................................................................ 43

Theological Foundation.............................................................................................. 58

3. LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................. 63
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 63
Roots of Discipleship in the Lutheran Church ................................................... 63
vi
 Current Lutheran Conversations in Discipleship............................................... 81

The Call for Catechesis in the Lutheran Church................................................ 89

The Call for Catechesis in the Evangelical Church .......................................... 97

Contemporary Perspectives and Approaches to Discipleship .....................100

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................105
4. PROJECT DESIGN.......................................................................................................107
Research Questions....................................................................................................107

Proposed Solution ......................................................................................................107

Testing and Observation Procedures ...................................................................115

Validity Concerns.......................................................................................................116
Timeline for Conducting Project...........................................................................117
5. RESULTS ...........................................................................................................................118
Introduction ..................................................................................................................118

Execution of the Project ...........................................................................................118

Pre-Assessment Results............................................................................................122

Post-Assessment Results..........................................................................................136

Changes from the Pre-Assessment to the Post-Assessment.........................139

Participant Comments and Reflections ...............................................................146

Observations.................................................................................................................150
6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................153
Introduction ..................................................................................................................153
Summary of the Project............................................................................................153
Research Implications...............................................................................................158
vii
 For Further Research.................................................................................................163

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................164

APPENDIX

A. THE PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENTS ............................................................166

B. INFORMED CONSENT FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR

PARTICIPANTS .............................................................................................................179

C. RAW DATA FROM THE PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENTS ................183

D. THE ON-RAMP DISCUSSION GUIDE .........................................................187

E. THE ON-RAMP: A DEVOTIONAL COMPANION ...............................248

BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................................................289

VITA ...........................................................................................................................................................300

viii
 ILLUSTRATIONS
Figures
5.1 Overview of the results of the pre-assessment in raw data .............................123

5.2 Overview of the results of the pre-assessment in percentages of questions

answered correctly...........................................................................................124

5.3 Overview of the results of the post-assessment in raw data............................137

5.4 Overview of the results of the post-assessment in percentages of questions

answered correctly...........................................................................................138

5.5 Pre- and post-assessment results with number of correct answers..................140

5.6 Pre- and post-assessment results in percentages of questions answered

correctly .........................................................................................................................14
1

5.7. Change in raw data and percentages of correct answers between the pre- and
post-assessments..............................................................................................141

Tables
4.1 Overview of the eight-week program..............................................................110

5.1 Questions in the Old Testament section of the pre-assessment answered

correctly by less than half of the participants..................................................127

5.2 Questions in the New Testament section of the pre-assessment answered

correctly by less than half of the participants..................................................129

5.3 Questions in the Christian doctrine section of the pre-assessment answered

correctly by less than half of the participants..................................................131

5.4 Questions in the attitudes and behaviors section of the pre-assessment

receiving an average score of less than four....................................................133

ix
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my wife Aldebaran for your constant love, support,

encouragement, and belief in me. It is a privilege to walk this journey in Christ with you

by my side. I would like to thank my kids Hannah and George for their understanding

and support throughout this process. It is one of my greatest honors in life to be your dad.

I would like to thank Dr. Steve Porter. You have been an incredible mentor, supporter,

and encourager. Your keen insights and wisdom have helped shape me and this project in

more ways than I could express. I would like to thank Dr. Michael Eschelbach for your

guidance and support. You always knew the right places to challenge me and this process

to make it even better than I could have on my own. I would also like to thank the people

of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. I have been blessed to be able to walk

alongside you and journey this discipleship journey with you for ten years now. Your

love, your grace, your support, and your prayers mean the world to me. Without you, this

project could not have happened. It is my joy and privilege to get to serve you and God

together in this place. Thank you!

X
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION: THE PROJECT AND SETTING
Identifying the Problem

Dallas Willard once said, Every church needs to be able to answer two questions.
One, do we have a plan for making disciples? Two, does our plan work?1 In these
words Willard directs the attention of the church to the call of Jesus in the words of the
Great Commission in which Jesus calls the disciples to go and make disciples (Matt.
28:18-20). Different individuals, churches, and traditions throughout the history of the
church have answered this calling in many different ways. In the Lutheran tradition, of
which I am a part, a central answer to this calling for adults that are new to the church is
catechesis.
Catechesis is the womb to tomb work of formation as one is brought into the body
of Christ and is both trained in the essential truths of the Christian faith and also equipped
for a life of following Jesus as a part of the priesthood of all believers. This process of
catechesis usually has as its formal beginning a class or series of classes called adult
confirmation. Adult confirmation may be the beginning of the instruction in learning to
obey all that Jesus commanded; however, it is not the end of this learning. The entire life
1
Mike Breen and the 3DM Team, Building a Discipling Culture, 2nd ed.
(Pawleys Island, SC: 3 Dimension Ministries, 2011), back cover.

1
of a disciple of Jesus is to be a life of being taught, learning, and growing into our
identity as a disciple of Jesus. Richard Osmer further explains the purpose of catechesis
at every level as helping people to know and understand the redemptive work of Jesus
Christ in his life, death, and resurrection, and then orient their lives as disciples of Jesus
around that redemptive work. Through catechesis, people are led to see how Gods
redemptive work shapes the whole lives and identities of followers of Jesus.2 As this
work is done, catechesis helps to show Gods redemptive work in the context of Gods
ongoing work throughout Scripture and to ground people not only in Gods story but also
the traditions of the community of which they are becoming a part.3 In adult
confirmation, the new convert is instructed in the basics of the faith in preparation for
baptism, reception of the Lords Supper, membership within the church, and life as a
follower of Jesus.
Across the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) adult confirmation tends to
be carried out with a wide variety of approaches.4 The primary approach to adult
confirmation that is seen throughout the LCMS today is academic training for church
membership. In this academic approach, the goal is to make sure that all people who are
seeking to become members of an LCMS church are aware of and in agreement with the
primary tenants of Lutheran doctrine, especially those expounded in Luthers Small

2
Richard Robert Osmer, The Teaching Ministry of Congregations (Louisville,
KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), 16-17.
3
Osmer, The Teaching Ministry of Congregations, 32.
4
For the remainder of this dissertation, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will
be referred to with the abbreviation LCMS.

2
Catechism.5 This academic approach to adult confirmation does the important work of
creating a solid theological foundation for the beginning of life within the church that will
also serve as their foundation for their life in Christ moving forward. It grounds people in
the teachings and stories of Gods Word establishing truth and dispelling errors. This
kind of training is pivotal in a postmodern world, as it grounds truth in the written Word
of God in the midst of a world in which truth is considered relative and personal rather
than absolute and objective. It teaches key doctrinal concepts such as law and gospel, sin
and grace, justification and sanctification, the sacraments, and the Lords Prayer. It
teaches why Lutherans do the things they do as a part of their life together, including why
they worship the way that they do. Everything that is taught is grounded in Scripture and
is centered on Martin Luthers teaching on the Scriptures in the pages of his Small
Catechism. One of the major challenges of this academic approach to confirmation is that
it tends to focus on theological concepts from an academic perspective with minimal
focus on how these great theological concepts shape the life of a follower of Jesus. It fills
the head with great truths while leaving it to the individual to translate these truths into
their daily lives. People are brought into the church knowing great theology but little else.

5
One example of this is Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Plano, Texas, which
describes their process of adult confirmation on their website
(http://planolutheran.com/faq/) saying:
Our Lutheran Information Class for Adults (LICA) prepares adults for church
membership at Lord of Life. For those who come from a (non-LCMS) Lutheran
background, these classes serve as a kind of refresher course in Lutheran
doctrine, and as a way of clarifying the differences between the LCMS and other
Lutherans. For those coming from other denominations, these classes provide a
thorough overview of the LCMS central and foundational teachings and beliefs.

3
A second approach to adult confirmation within the LCMS tends to treat it as
merely a necessary step in the process of church membership that orients a person for life
in a particular church. In this approach, the process is as brief as possible usually
consisting of one day or even a half day of instruction that is advertised as the necessary
next step to becoming a member of a church. These classes often focus on orienting a
new person to the social, structural, and theological particularities of life in that given
congregation.6 While this approach is expeditious, there is little that can be done to equip
a person, especially one who is completely new to faith, for a life of following Jesus
through a single event. This approach tends to leave the work of catechesis for a later
time and different setting if at all. In the best cases of this approach, catechesis is seen as
happening more organically, as a part of the ongoing life within the congregation.
As these two approaches to adult confirmation are evaluated, it becomes clear that
they tend to focus either entirely on theology and the academic side of church or on
church membership. The academic approach seems to place a very high priority on

6
One example of this is Hales Corners Lutheran Church in Hales Corners, Wisconsin
which describes their process on their website (www.hcl.org/membership-at-hcl) saying:
We are honored that you have worshipped with us and are considering
membership at Hales Corners Lutheran Church. Our promise is that we will
accept you wherever you are in your faith walk and following Gods plan for us
as Christians, we will encourage you to grow in your faith through regular
worship, study of Gods Word, stewardship, serving others and spreading the
Word. We want you to get involved, but more importantly, we want you to feel
connected. . .
Once you have contacted us with your interest in becoming a member, you will
receive a call from our New Member Coordinator who will answer any questions
you may have and will set up an orientation date.
On the orientation date, people go through an hour and a half of orientation and then go
directly to the worship service where they will be welcomed as members.

4
having an educated laity that assents to the chief doctrines of the church. Within this
mindset, to be a member one must both know and agree with the doctrinal positions of
the church. The theological topics being taught have massive implications upon how one
views and lives life. However, the focus in this approach seems to be primarily upon the
theorythe conceptsrather than how these theological concepts shape the life of a
follower of Jesus.7 William Thompson echoes this concern saying,
Modern catechetical material sometimes retains the emphasis on doctrinal content
while all but ignoring Luthers choice of words and displacing the baptismal life
to a mere chapter among many. This approach results in a confusion of the
Christian vocation. It disjoints the doctrine confessed from the life lived.8
In separating out the Christian life from the academic, this academic approach seems to
assume that with proper knowledge the Christian life will follow.
The church membership approach seems to remove the work of disciple making
from adult confirmation, missing a unique opportunity to shape the lives of people who
are coming into the church. This approach seems to operate on the premise that adult
confirmation is not the time or place for disciple making but that these things will happen
naturally through other ministries and through participation in the ongoing life of the
church. Churches in these approaches wish to see disciple making happen through the
ongoing preaching of Gods Word, the worship life of the congregation in which the
sacraments are received, Sunday school classes, and small groups where people have
opportunity to do life together. Instead of trying to accomplish so much at the front door,

7
For example, these classes will cover topics such as justification, sanctification,
the creed, the Ten Commandments, baptism, communion, and the like.
8
William E. Thompson, Catechesis: The Quiet Crisis, Concordia Theological
Quarterly 56, no. 2 (April-July 1992): 103.

5
this approach tends to assume that things will happen more organically at a later time and
in a different setting through the ongoing life of the church. In this organic approach to
discipleship, the questions arise: will discipleship occur at all or is disciple making not
the primary goal? Has getting as many people in the church as possible replaced the goal
of making disciples?

The challenge in both of these approaches to adult confirmation is that they often
leave open a wide back door from which people leave as quickly as they come. These
approaches fall short in the calling of Paul to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ both inside and outside the church (Eph. 4:12, ESV).
People going through these systems may be knowledgeable of the basic tenets of the
faith, they may be members of a given church, but they are often ill-equipped in basic
Christian disciplines and have little framework for applying the knowledge they have
received into their everyday lives. My conclusion is that discipleship is not the primary
focus of either of these systems.
I will argue throughout this paper that adult confirmation is and should be
affirmed as a central piece of the Lutheran plan for making disciples. Adult confirmation
should not be the end of the churchs effort of making disciples but a part of the overall
ministry of the church and specifically her catechesis. However, by focusing on either the
academic side of faith or the practicalities of church membership we are missing a unique
opportunity for discipleship. I will argue that both the academic and membership
approaches depart from what true Lutheran catechesis ought to be. Adult confirmation
should be utilized to equip Gods people for a life of following God in every aspect of
their lives as a part of Gods transformative and gracious work of transforming sinners

6
into the image of God. The goal of this project, then, is to create an approach to adult
confirmation that is discipleship based seeking to integrate the metanarrative of Scripture,
Lutheran theology, community, and spiritual practices in a way that seeks to equip people
for a life of following Jesus in the real world . . . wherever God has placed you to live.9
This approach to adult confirmation will be rich in Lutheran theology and the necessary
academic knowledge for a life of faith but in such a way that seeks to focus on teaching
theology in a way that connects theology and daily life, theology and practice, theology
and mission, theology and vocation, theology and spiritual formation. Accomplishing this
purpose necessitates a view of catechesis that understands catechesis as training for life.
John T. Pless describes catechesis and its goal this way:

The goal of our catechesis is to shape the baptized to live in Christ as members of
the Royal Priesthood. Catechesis does not result in the formation of the
autonomous spiritual ego, but in a priest living in the company of fellow priests
under a common High Priest and sharing in a common cultus. . . . Catechesis is
the process of transmitting the word of God so that the mind and life of the one
who receives it grows up in every way into Jesus Christ, living in faith toward
him and in love toward the neighbor. While catechesis does lead from the font to
the altar, culminating in the extolling of the Lords gifts and the confession of his
name in that churchly rite called Confirmation, catechesis itself is from the womb
to the tomb.10

In these words, Pless is highlighting the role of catechesis as a lifelong, communal

process of learning and being transformed into the image of God. Catechesis should not

be confined to a series of adult confirmation classes. Confirmation remains an integral

piece of catechesis, yet only one piece. At its heart, adult confirmation should be a

9
Michael J. Wilkins, In His Image: Reflecting Christ in Everyday Life (Colorado
Springs, CO: NavPress, 1997), 199.

10
John T. Pless, Catechesis for Life in the Royal Priesthood, Logia 3, no. 4
(October 1994): 3.
7
launching point into a life of growing in faith and love toward God as well as love and

witness toward our neighbors. Catechesis, at every level, should always be community

creating in nature as it connects followers of Jesus to other followers of Jesus within the

context of the local congregation.

Questions
As I approach the task of creating a discipleship approach to adult confirmation

within the LCMS, I will seek to find an effective way to integrate the metanarrative of

Scripture, Lutheran theology, community, and spiritual practices in a way that it equips

people to live out their unique callings in the real world setting where God has placed

them. In doing this, I will be dealing with four primary questions. The first is, how do

you teach theology so that it is not merely an academic pursuit but in a way that

transforms how we live our lives? Theology at its heart should always be practical. The

goal of the message of the gospel is not merely knowledge for, as James says, you

believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believeand shudder! (James

2:19). The gospel calls people to more than mere knowledge but to faith. At the same

time, faith is never void of or separate from knowledge. It is not knowledge alone that

leads to a transformed life but through Gods work in faith. Martin Luther even went to

the point of calling faith without a transformed life a counterfeit faith in his commentary
on Galatians. Luther wrote,In fact, this is no faith at all; for it neither renews nor changes the heart.
It does not produce a new man, but it leaves him in his former opinion and way of life.
8
 This is a very pernicious faith, and it would be better not to have it. A moral
philosopher is better than such a hypocrite with such a faith.11

The commission to the church from Jesus to make disciples is to not only teach facts but
to teach them to observe all that I have commanded you (Matt. 28:20). The call of
Christ is to teach theology, to teach what the Bible teaches us about God, ourselves, the
world, and life, in such a way that this teaching transforms the heart, mind, and life of the
believer. How can this kind of instruction best be done in the context of adult
confirmation?

The second question is, what tools, both within and outside the Lutheran tradition,
are already in existence that could be integrated into this project? Within the Lutheran
tradition, there are a number of approaches to adult confirmation that have been
published. Most recently, Concordia Publishing House has produced a set of resources
under the title of Lutheranism 101 that seek to dig into the history of Lutheranism and
make connections between what Lutherans believe and what Lutherans do.12 Within
the evangelical community, there are many different efforts to ground people in the faith
through spiritual disciplines and curriculum. One of these efforts is seen in the work of
Mike Breen and 3D Movements in their use of lifeshapes and huddles.13 Another recent
example is the Believe campaign by Randy Frazee in which he emphasizes the role of key

11
Martin Luther, Luthers Works, vol. 26, Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters
1-4, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann (St. Louis, MO:
Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 269.

12
Scot A. Kinnaman and Laura L. Lane, Lutheranism 101, 2nd ed. (St. Louis, MO:
Concordia Publishing House, 2015), back cover.

13
See Mike Breen and the 3DM Team, Building a Discipling Culture, 2nd ed.
(Pawleys Island, SC: 3 Dimension Ministries, 2011).

9
beliefs, spiritual disciplines, and virtues in the ongoing lives of disciples of Jesus.14
These are just three examples among the many resources available today. With so many
readily available resources, the question then becomes, how can these and the plethora of
other resources readily available today give insight and aid in the creation of a
discipleship approach to Lutheran adult confirmation?

The third question is, what role could Martin Luthers Small Catechism play in a
discipleship approach to adult confirmation within a Lutheran context? Dating back to
the Reformation, within the Lutheran tradition Luthers Small Catechism has been the
primary text for adult confirmation. The overwhelming opinion throughout the LCMS
today is that in the catechism, the church has gathered the fundamental components of
Scripture that go to the heart of defining what it means to be Christian. It identifies those
elements that constitute the very identity of a Christian. This is who we are.15 It is hard
to imagine a Lutheran approach to adult confirmation without the catechism and these
fundamental tenets of the faith contained within it. However, is Luthers Small Catechism
all that is needed? Is there a need for something else? Can Luthers Small Catechism by
itself fulfill the biblical call to teach them all that I have commanded you (Matt.

28:20)?

14
See Randy Frazee, ed., Believe: Living the Story of the Bible to Become Like
Jesus, New King James Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015); Randy
Frazee, Think, Act, Be Like Jesus: Becoming a New Person in Christ (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2014); and Randy Frazee and Randy Larson, Believe: Living the Story of the
Bible to Become Like Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 1.

15
Charles P. Arand, That I May Be His Own: An Overview of Luthers
Catechisms (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Academic Press, 2000), 27.

10
 The final question is, how does our current American context that is increasingly
postmodern, post-church, and information-saturated create a unique opportunity for
discipleship within the context of adult confirmation? There is no denying that our
current American context is very different from the context in which Luther wrote his
Small Catechism. Luther was writing to a highly uneducated, illiterate culture that was
politically Christian. Luther knew that to communicate the great truths found in his
catechism to the masses, he would have to utilize art in the form of woodcuts.16 He was
attempting to reform a church that was primarily Catholic and recapturing what it meant
to be Christian. The world of his day was just beginning to see the effects of the printing
press. That was Luthers day. The American context today is completely different, with
different challenges and different opportunities. Throughout the American landscape one
can find just about any religion of the world. Postmodernism, relativism, and political
correctness have gained much influence in society. The church is no longer the social
center of society. Today people have access to more resources at their fingertips through
technology than ever before. How does this context uniquely situate the church to shape
the lives of people today? What can be utilized in our culture today that was not even
imaginable in previous generations? What are the issues that people are facing today for
which the church must equip disciples of Jesus because of the current cultural landscape?

As I wrestle with these questions, I believe that each will help shape a
discipleship approach to adult confirmation. I believe that I will find that adult
confirmation continues to be a unique opportunity for discipleship/spiritual formation. A

16
See the discussion of the use of woodcuts in Luthers Small Catechism in
Arand, That I May Be His Own, 107-9.
11
Source: file:///C:/Users/tired-pc/Downloads/out%20(3).pdf
 LEARNINGS:

This finals I learned about the important things about life especially in
living with the guide of our lord, it is important to be in the presence of God all
the time for he is the one who guides us in every situation that we encounter,
without Jesus we cannot accomplish the things that we are supposed to because
God has a plan in our life so we need to trust him to accomplish it and for us to
move forward when we are down. Trusting God and yourself is an important
thing that we should do because even though you prayed for something it doesn't
mean that God will answer it immediately we need to trust ourselves first and do
our job, never give up and God will give us what we want and if not there is always
another door that will open for us.

-Balandi, Daren Skai

Chapter 3: Fundamental Guides Towards Christian Discipleship-This is the

last chapter of Theology Four Textbook where we were asked to reflect on, be
able to clearly know the reason why we have to study this subject, and put in our
minds the reason of Jesus' sacrifices. We are taught to live in accordance with
Jesus' life and teachings. From Theology 1, 2, 3, and 4 I had realized that we have
that responsibility as Christians and men created by God. I am here to spread the
goodness of God; to live a morally upright life and stand up for the truth; to
remain true and faithful to the teachings of Jesus and the Church; and lastly to
become a disciple of God where I will be bring others to a peaceful relationship
with God because my faith will be a living testimony for others to believe in Him,
to come back in His fold and to live in reconciliation with Him.

- Ocuaman, Lord Calumm

Morality has come to replenish the traditional system of the modern world.
It has created the world to live the life into the fullest, without the concept of
survival-of-the-fittest kind of life, and to educate people of what is sin and how
we shouldnt attain them. This morality became the pious framework of
Christian Discipleship. We must follow examples that Jesus had set upon to us
during His sojourn towards Gods mission cleansing the mundane world from
the original sin. All actions and thinking must be thoroughly discern and ensure
our lives in accord to Jesuss footsteps. If we do these things, then our lives shall
be with the grace of the Lords security and love which may lead of transforming
the whole world into a better place. Christian learning never stops; the more I
hear of them, the more realizations have set me to greater far.

-Catubig, Joshua Phill

During the Finals I learned about the fundamental guides towards Christian
discipleship. Christians are expected to behave in accordance with Christian
moral virtues and values. Their actions and behaviors must be in conformity with
the teachings of Jesus. There are general notions that show specific attributes
Christians must exhibit, which are the following: God first before anything and
anyone else; observance of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church; ability
to bear fruits in actions and behaviors; being passionate towards others; and
making disciples of others. Also, I learned the Eight Beatitudes commends a
Christian and offers him/her the promise of eternity and salvation. The first
beatitude focuses on the virtue of humility and dependence on God. The second
beatitude gives the consolation that when one mourns, Christ comes to the
rescue to provide comfort and relief. The third beatitude calls upon Christian to
embrace the virtue of humility and gentleness towards others. The fourth
beatitude expects Christians to take on the journey to a growing relationship
with God and progress towards religious and moral perfection. The fifth
beatitude asserts that, in certain circumstances, people will fall short of one's
expectations. The sixth beatitude calls upon Christians to make a conscious effort
to guard their hearts from any sort of impurities, grudges, hatred and ungodly
matters. The seventh beatitude aims to achieve harmony and reconciliation
despite individual differences and to nurture and deepen relationship between
persons. The eighth beatitude encourages Christians to persevere and stick to
their faith and use it to enable them to make moral judgments in conformity with
the norms of Christian morality. During the Finals I learned about the
fundamental guides towards Christian discipleship. Christians are expected to
behave in accordance with Christian moral virtues and values. Their actions and
behaviors must be in conformity with the teachings of Jesus. There are general
notions that show specific attributes Christians must exhibit, which are the
following: God first before anything and anyone else; observance of the teachings
of Jesus Christ and the Church; ability to bear fruits in actions and behaviors;
being passionate towards others; and making disciples of others. Also, I learned
the Eight Beatitudes commends a Christian and offers him/her the promise of
eternity and salvation. The first beatitude focuses on the virtue of humility and
dependence on God. The second beatitude gives the consolation that when one
mourns, Christ comes to the rescue to provide comfort and relief. The third
beatitude calls upon Christian to embrace the virtue of humility and gentleness
towards others. The fourth beatitude expects Christians to take on the journey
to a growing relationship with God and progress towards religious and moral
perfection. The fifth beatitude asserts that, in certain circumstances, people will
fall short of one's expectations. The sixth beatitude calls upon Christians to make
a conscious effort to guard their hearts from any sort of impurities, grudges,
hatred and ungodly matters. The seventh beatitude aims to achieve harmony and
reconciliation despite individual differences and to nurture and deepen
relationship between persons. The eighth beatitude encourages Christians to
persevere and stick to their faith and use it to enable them to make moral
judgments in conformity with the norms of Christian morality.

- Quinto, Esmeraldo Jr.

This finals I learned about Fundamentals guides towards Christian

discipleship, the face with the intricacies of life Christians are expected to
follow the life in whatever circumstances a Christians is facing he/ she is
supposed to use Christians morality as the fundamental framework in order to
certain the appropriate actions required by the situation. The Christian moral
virtues and values are expected to behave in accordance with Christian virtues
because their actions and behaviors must be in conformity with the teachings
of Jesus Christ.

-Dalma, Angela

For the finals of this semester, I learned one of the most important guides
towards Christian discipleship. First, what is Christian discipleship? It is the act
of continuing, expressing and following the ministry of Jesus. In connection
with this, following the life and teaching of Jesus guides the morality of
Christians. As a human, we need salvation and for it to be fulfilled we need to
genuinely accept the gifts and saving grace of God. I learned also that we need
to have traits of a Christian. We have to live in accordance with Jesus teachings.
A Christian must have the following: First, God above all. Second, faithfulness
to the teachings of Jesus and the church. Third, ability to bear fruits in words
and deeds. Fourth, passionate towards others and lastly, we must be making
disciples of all people. God has also given us guides such as the Ten
Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes. The Ten Commandments must
guide our decisions and values in life. We must follow it to have a harmonious
life with other God's creation. We must put in our mind that it is not merely a
rule that we are required to follow. We must practice it wholeheartedly. It must
lead our path in life especially our actions with our daily life.
- Gahol, Anna Margarita
Finals; the end of this chapter. This finals, we started discussing Chapter 3 of
our Book and is started with the "Fundamental Guides Towards Christian
Discipleship". I learned may things this finals. Not only for the purpose of
academics but also purpose of living. How should we live? Who guides us?
Who must we live for? and Why do we have to live?. You may think directly
that it is God. Yes! it is God who helps us and guides us for our betterment.He
guides us with His teachings and His 10 Commandments. With these, I realized
that we should not only live for our self but also we have to live for God because
I know that in every person He made, He also gave missions we have to fulfill.

-Agustin, Warren S.

Finals! This finals, I learned a lot of things; Ten Commandments, The

Beatitudes and aspects about life. I learned that we always follow the Ten
Commandments because it serves as one of the instrument to be with God.
Also, I learned that we should not always focus on the daily aspects of life but
to put God in every actions we make because in the end, It is only God who can
judge us

-Cariaso, Bobby
 CONCLUSION

In the end, we should realize how important our life is. We should not be
wasting it for it is a gift of our God. It should be lived according to what Jesus
taught us and how God wants us to be. As a Christian, we are bound to do good
and avoid evil. There can be many rules but all those were created to guide us
in having a harmonious life. We should be thankful for being alive and we
should be giving justice to our existence. A person should not forget to love.
Unconditional love not only for himself but also to God and his neighbors.