Mooney’s Smart Discipleship Model

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Below is a Summary #

Applied Smart Discipleship Model: An Online, Transformational Approach #

The Smart Discipleship Model is designed to equip ministers to engage 21st-century disciples using transformational leadership principles and modern digital tools. This model emphasizes worship as central, Scripture as foundational, and relationships as essential for personal and communal spiritual growth. Its scalable nature makes it adaptable for individual, group, and virtual applications. By focusing on emotional worship, relational engagement, and digital integration, this model prepares ministers and disciples to live missionally in both digital and physical environments.

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Core Objectives #

1. Engagement: Equip ministers training under the SMART model to experience personal engagement with God and discipleship principles through smartphones and social media platforms. Once equipped, these ministers duplicate the model to engage their own disciples.
2. Transformation: Foster personal spiritual growth and transformational leadership in the ministers themselves before empowering them to replicate this transformation in others.
3. Scalability: Ensure the model is adaptable for personal, one-on-one discipleship using smartphone technology, including SMS, text messages, YouTube videos of worship, and apps.
4. Mission-Oriented Training: Train ministers to prepare disciples for sharing the gospel authentically in digital and physical spaces, helping them use everyday interactions as opportunities to spread God’s message.

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Key Components of the Model #

1. Transformational Leadership in Discipleship #

• Definition: Leadership that inspires disciples to grow spiritually, develop a deeper sense of worship, and connect with God in ways that are intellectually, idyllically, inspirationally, and individually transformative. This leadership encourages disciples to realize their potential while positively influencing others for Christ.
• Implementation: To apply the Four I’s of Transformational Leadership Theory, this component includes:
  1. Idealized Influence (Idyllically):
     • Role-model Christlike behavior and articulate a compelling vision of God’s Kingdom.
     • Use testimonies, live-streamed messages, and real-life examples of servant leadership to inspire disciples.
     • Develop group worship experiences that emphasize reverence and awe of God, such as studying Philippians 2:3–8 on Christ’s humility.
  2. Inspirational Motivation (Inspirationally):
     • Share stories of faith and transformation to motivate disciples to deepen their relationship with God.
     • Use daily devotionals, worship songs, and biblical reflections to inspire disciples in their walk with Christ.
     • Create worship challenges such as singing a hymn or reflecting on Psalm 96:1–4 to foster a worshipful mindset.
  3. Intellectual Stimulation (Intellectually):
     • Encourage critical thinking through challenging Bible study questions like, “What does this passage teach about God’s character?”
     • Provide podcasts, videos, and discussion forums that explore deep theological topics such as the nature of God, grace, or spiritual disciplines.
     • Train disciples to engage with Scripture devotionally and intellectually, applying it to their lives.
  4. Individualized Consideration (Individually):
     • Offer personalized mentoring via one-on-one virtual meetings or text-based follow-ups.
     • Create customized discipleship plans tailored to each individual’s spiritual maturity and learning preferences.
     • Build accountability partnerships to ensure disciples receive personal guidance in their growth.

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2. Christian Discipleship Framework #

• Focus Areas:

Worship as Central: Anchor discipleship activities in the literal process of emotionally engaging in worship. Teach disciples to connect deeply with God through singing, prayer, and reflective practices that foster heartfelt adoration of God.

• • • Use guided prayer sessions, reflective journaling, and live-streamed worship sessions to help participants emotionally engage with God.
    • Encourage physical expressions of worship (e.g., raising hands, kneeling) as genuine acts of devotion.
    • Highlight emotionally rich Scripture passages like Isaiah 6:1–4 or Revelation 4 to inspire awe and worship.

Scripture-Centered Learning: Immerse disciples in God’s Word, not only as a source of knowledge but also as a means of worship and transformation.

• • • Use Bible study plans tailored for apps like YouVersion or Bible Gateway, pairing readings with worship songs.
    • Highlight Scriptures that inspire worship and emotional connection, such as the Psalms or Philippians 4:4–7.
    • Help disciples internalize Scripture by teaching them how to meditate, memorize, and apply God’s Word to their lives.

Relational Growth: Foster meaningful relationships through shared worship experiences and group activities.

• • • Use virtual small groups and social media platforms to create a supportive community of believers.
    • Encourage shared worship experiences, such as live-streamed events or small group prayer.
    • Build accountability structures to strengthen bonds between disciples and mentors.

Missional Living: Equip disciples to live missionally, using worship as a foundation for their witness.

• • • Train disciples to share testimonies, Scripture, and worship experiences online and offline.
    • Encourage them to model worshipful living by reflecting God’s love and joy in everyday interactions.
    • Host outreach challenges, such as public worship nights or prayer events, to connect with their communities.

• Steps to Implementation:
  1. Initiate: Launch the program with a clear orientation that introduces the emotional and spiritual focus on worship, outlines the program’s expectations, and invites participants into an authentic discipleship journey.
  2. Equip: Teach foundational doctrines and practical tools for discipleship, including how to engage in worship, interpret Scripture, and use digital platforms effectively.
  3. Engage: Organize mission-focused challenges like creating worship videos, hosting virtual Bible studies, or sharing testimonies on social media.
  4. Empower: Provide opportunities for disciples to lead small groups, mentor others, and apply what they’ve learned in real-life ministry contexts.