The CruPress Guide to Discipleship Essential resources for leading a distinctively Cru movement.
The Crupress Guide to Discipleship Written/Designed by Rick James
Published by Cru Press, 100 Lake Hart Drive 2500 Orlando Fl. 32832 Š Cru Press 2013, All rights reserved. www. crupress.com
The CruPress Guide.
To Essential Discipleship Resources
Ministry of Transferability To the broader body of Christ The Four Spiritual Laws are synonymous with our ministry: Cru is The Four Spiritual Laws. It’s a simplistic association, but it’s not inaccurate. That little booklet is iconic of Cru because we are an evangelistic movement, because we disseminate the gospel broadly, and because we have always used simple, transferable tools in doing so. Our DNA is encoded in our materials, and our materials are the primary vehicle for passing on that DNA. Our materials provide a common language, common teaching and training, and a common experience; our materials are the common currency of the organization. In a ministry as dynamic, diverse, and expansive as Cru there’s really no alternative; if people are teaching different things in a million different locations then you don’t have a ministry. It would be like all the distributors of Coca Cola around the world, each making their own recipe for Coke. Dr. Bright knew this, which is why we have Transferable Concepts and billions of copies of the exact same presentation of the gospel.
This isn’t saying our materials are better or more effective, it’s saying that it’s better and more effective to all be using the same materials. I’m really happy with that sentence so maybe let’s read it again: “This isn’t saying our materials are better or more effective, it’s saying that it’s better and more effective to all be using the same materials.” We certainly need creativity in ministry, but when it comes to ministry tools, nuance and individuality can be counterproductive. Over the past decade CruPress has put out a variety of resources. The purpose of this particular catalog however is not to list all our resources but to feature those that are essential, perhaps even quintessential. These are the tools critical to us speaking a common language and sharing
Evangelism. Gospel Conversation The challenge of evangelism is the challenge of transitions: the transition from a normal conversation to a spiritual one, the transition from a spiritual conversation to the gospel, and then the transition from the gospel to a personal invitation to receive Christ (“Pray with me�).
We’re still working on that third transition, but Perspective and Soularium had a dramatic impact on evangelism, not only in Cru, but for missionaries and mission organizations around the world. Perspective and Soularium
Soularium A Dialogue in Pictures
Perspective Spiritual Conversations Cards
Soularium is a card deck of visual images that serve as the center piece of a spiritual discussion. Asking “What image best captures your view of God?” creates discussion, where asking “What’s your view of God?” merely creates awkwardness. That is the genius of Soularium, it makes spiritual, gospel conversations seem like the most natural thing in the world.
Perspective. Also a deck of cards serving as a centerpiece for conversation, but here the discussion is on issues of worldview: Who is God? What is the meaning of life? Going through the cards allows a person to understand their own view of the world as well as the gospel’s.
Evangelism. Gospel Presentations Our ministry is committed to clear, simple communication of the gospel. We are also committed to calling for a response, that is, giving an opportunity—right then and there—to receive Christ. It’s because of these commitments that we use simple, easy-to-understand gospel presentations. Without them, important gospel content is lost, people aren’t a less-natural reading of a booklet than a very natural blithering of the gospel.
Knowing God Personally. The Knowing God Personally (KGP) booklet has three new designs meant to span the breadth of our ministry. You
Backstory. The Backstory booklet presents the gospel following the biblical storyline: unfolding the gospel the way the Bible unfolds the gospel. So, rather than the four Principles of the KGP, Backstory is organized by the seven elements of the Bible’s storyline: 1) Intimacy: God created us to know him. 2) Betrayal: humanity rebelled and sin separated us from God. 3) Anticipation: the Scriptures promise of a coming Deliverer. come — judgment and eternal life.
Knowing God Personally Scenic Backstory Redemptive Storyline
Knowing God Personally Blur Knowing God Personally Grey & Blue
Evangelism. Gospel Content & Apologetics re-seeding� is accomplished in three ways: 1. greater exposure to Scripture (particularly reading about Jesus in the Gospels) 2. apologetic reasons and answers, and 3. re-presenting the gospel message and invitation. We tend to do this re-seeding intuitively, wrestling with weather to have the person read the Gospel of John (Scripture) or Mere Christianity (apologetics) or the Backstory booklet (gospel message). Intuitively we recognize, they need all three. Now, what is totally unique about Cru’s apologetic resources is they combine all three (biblical content, apologetics, and gospel presentation) into a single resource. There is nothing like these evangelistic tools, and we have three of them . . .
The Backstory Bible contains both Old Testament and New as well as the Backstory gospel presentation; the Gospel of Mark has insightful Backstory gospel presentation; Jesus Without Religion is an exploration of Jesus in the Gospels along with extensive apologetics and gospel presentation.
Jesus Without Religion Softcover Book
The Gospel of Mark Bible, Commentary, Gospel
Backstory Bible NIV Bible and Gospel
Evangelism. Teaching & Training
Cru has a unique way of seeing and doing evangelism. Perhaps, most uniquely ... we actually do it. We are one of few organizations to maintain a focus and priority on evangelism and a large part of why, is because we teach our disciples to be witnesses, just as Jesus did. To put it less romantically: we train people in evangelism, and as Luke 10 makes clear (Whenever you enter a town . . . say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’’) so too did Jesus. So here are our two main resources for communicating Cru’s teaching and training in evangelism—know them, own them, be them.
G e t t i n g Bt i b l i c a l Abou
Evangelism
BUILDING A BIBLICAL PHILOSOPHY
Getting Biblical About Evangelism Self Study Guide
CoJourners Transferable Concept & Devotional
Getting Biblical about Evangelism. This is a self-study guide to the major evangelism passages in the New Testament. Getting Biblical lays the scriptural foundation for the evangelism we do in Cru, developing personal, biblical convictions. Ultimately, we want people doing evangelism because they see it in Scripture, not because they see people in Cru doing it.
CoJourners. CoJourners is how the Campus Ministry equips staff and students for personal, relational evangelism. CoJourners is a paradigm, a way of seeing ourselves as co-journeying alongside others in their spiritual journey. Understanding the four roles we play in the process of someone coming to Christ informs the what, when, why, and how of our words and actions.
Discipleship. Basic These are the essential Cru resources for basic discipleship. New believers, newly involved students, anyone who’s a part of Cru should at some point go through these materials. And do you know why? Because if they don’t, they won’t take their disciples through these materials and here al principles and tools.
Life Concepts. Assurance of Salvation, Forgiveness, Filling and Walking in the Spirit, Principles of Growth: these concepts are fundamental to grounded in these truths, but more than that, in ensures that they will ground their disciples in them.
It’s been around as long as Cru; it’s how we as a ministry introduce others to the working of the Holy Spirit and the dynamics of supernatural Christian living.
Thirsty. Lordship, Confession, Faith, Reliance ... there are about a dozen life-changing concepts bundled into what we call “the Spirit Filled Life.” Thirsty
Four Sevens. Critical to discipleship is instilling a habit of daily time in prayer and Scripture, or in other words, a “Quiet Time.” Four Sevens explains how to have a Quiet Time, it explains prayer, bible translations, how to study Scripture—it explains everything. But most important is the 28-day Pledge and Devotional that translates good intentions into a daily habit that will hopefully become a lifetime habit.
Life Concepts Basic Follow-up
Satisfied? Spirit-Filled Life
Four Sevens Daily Quiet Time
FOUR SEV
Thirsty Walking in the Spirit
Discipleship. Advanced
Discipleship involves believing the right things (orthodoxy) as well as doing the right things (orthopraxy)—heart and hands, faith and works, the kingdom is indeed a binary world. And so it is, that our Advanced Discipleship material has two components: teaching more advanced theological concepts and training in more advanced ministry. CruPress has many resources for Advanced Discipleship, but four are absolutely essential
Design for Discipleship is a Transferable Concept (an extended article) providing the biblical and theological foundation for discipleship. Design for Discipleship is the articulation of the Campus Ministry’s philosophy of personal discipleship—What it is, what it’s not, and how its done.
Postcards From Corinth is an anthology of all issues, obstacles, principles, and practices of personal ministry: Selection, Multiplication, Habitu-
The Compass
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ples someone as well as content for over 50 personal discipleship appointments—just follow the plan.
White Papers. This series of extended articles addresses critical ministry issues, trending topics, and weighty doctrines. Among the subjects covered are: Heaven, Hell, God’s Will, Leadership, Mission, Revival, and Worldview.
Design for Discipleship Transferable Concept
White Papers Advanced Concepts
Postcards From Corinth Guide to Discipleship
The Compass Discipleship Curriculum
Discipleship. Small Groups Small Groups are the core of ministry and that hasn’t changed since the original twelve. Nothing is as critical to personal growth and the growth of a ministry, and so we have several resources to strengthen our Small Groups and support those who lead them.
Cru.Comm. Even if you wrote the most insightful Bible Studies the world has ever seen, you should still stick it in a drawer and use Cru. comm, because the pressing need of a world-wide ministry is a common curriculum and a shared Small Group experience. If everyone is doing something different at several thousand ministry locations, we have a problem.
gospel-centered format of the studies we want to impart to those involved in our ministry. Sure, do a 5-week series on Revelation or Sex or whatever, but don’t be gone long: always come back to the Cru.comm content.
The Ultimate Roadtrip is the ultimate guide to leading a Small Group. See what I did there, repeating “ultimate?” Anyway, this book is totally unique, covering every facet of a leading a Small Group, from asking the right questions to setting the right ambiance.
One Story teaches a Christ-centered approach to studying all the major genres of Scripture. While more of a tool for personal Bible study, this is also great Small Group content for graduating Seniors.
One Story Personal Study & Small Group The Ultimate Roadtrip Leading a Small Group
Cru Community Small Group Bible Studies
Sending. Mobilization In our traditional ministry categories of Win, Build, and Send, there are far fewer resources in the Send category because “Send” is really accomplished in the ministry training component of Discipleship. That said, we have several resources with such a strong emphasis on mobilization, that “sending” seems the appropriate label. These tools are for mobilizing laborers and accelerating the Great Commission.
InTransition
The Finishers
The Finishers.
Fireseeds
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ing” philosophy, its vision, equipping, and motivation all in single a book. No one should graduate Cru without having read it.
InTransition. InTransition and ministry skills to thrive post college. With its broader-than-missions focus this resource communicates Cru’s commitment to “100% Sent.”
Fireseeds. Prayer, Revival, and college students have been fueling the Great Commission for the past 300 years. Fireseeds captures this amaz-
CruPressGreen. com CruPress runs on the free-market and what that means is it isn’t funded in any way by Cru; it operates solely on the revenue it makes or doesn’t make. It’s set up that way as a safeguard: to make sure it produces resources that people need, use and want. This, however, made CruPress Green a risky venture: putting everything free online when you on operate on sales isn’t very good business. But we felt God’s leading, and being missionaries and not businessmen, we put Green online. So far, we continue to make enough on material sales to fund new products and keep
And, for what it’s worth, if you email CruPress or CruPress Green and don’t get an immediate response it’s because there is no CruPress team and never has been. CruPress is Neil Downey and myself (Rick James). That’s it. We run the websites, make the products, edit, design, write, format, collaborate, post, promote, and sometimes even ship. We’re very busy. We always respond to emails, but “in a timely a manner?” . . . well, that’s different question.
crupress.com crupressgreen.com