Guest Blogger, Bob Stone
A Word from Bob: I’m excited to have another Bob—Bob Stone—as my guest blogger 
today. Bob is the Site Champion for Crossroads Bible College’s new Biblical Counseling & Discipleship program at College Park Church. Keep reading to learn about a great new opportunity to be equipped to care like Christ.
Be Equipped to Care Like Christ
Discipleship is a hot topic in the evangelical church today and rightfully so. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus gives us this command:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
For those who would follow Jesus, ignoring these very specific instructions is simply not optional. Either we are about the work of making disciples or we are simply not walking in the light of what Jesus has done for us (Colossians 2:6).
Equipped to Disciple
But willingness to obey the command is not enough in this case for Jesus defines “making disciples” as the process of “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Even if we are fully ready to respond to the command, there is a need to become equipped to be able to provide this teaching.
Of course, the church of Jesus Christ exists in large part for this very purpose of equipping God’s people to speak His truth in love (Ephesians 4:11-16). Therefore, attending and participating in a Bible-teaching church is never optional. But it is also fair to ask:
“Is there anything else I can do to become equipped to effectively obey Matthew 28:19-20?”
Fortunately the answer is a resounding yes, especially for those who live in and around the city of Indianapolis.
Coming, March 2016—Equipped to Counsel and Disciple
I would like to discuss a very special opportunity for you to become equipped so that you might honor Christ and participate in His program for building up the Body of Christ and taking the message of the Gospel to a lost world.
At Crossroads Bible College, we’re helping Jesus’ followers to become Jesus’ disciple makers. In March of 2016, we will be offering a Bachelor degree program in Biblical Counseling & Discipleship. It is specifically aimed at those who have completed some college courses but never finished their Bachelor’s degree. Or, even if you have a degree and want to become equipped to effectively minister God’s Word with compassionate and wisdom, this could be a great option for you. You can learn more about Crossroads’ program at College Park here.
The Biblical Counseling & Discipleship degree program will be offered at College Park Church (2606 W 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN). It is a “cohort” program meaning that you and a group of fellow students would all begin taking courses together in March and, Lord willing, would continue together for the next two years. In this way, you not only benefit from tremendous teaching, but you gain a “new family” of men and women committed to learning how to speak gospel truth in love.
Instructors for this program will include some of the best and most experienced teachers in the area, including Dr. Bob Kellemen, Professor Lilly Park, Rev. Randy Patten, Pastor Andrew Rogers, and other richly experienced and gifted Bible teachers.
My Story and Your Story: What to Do After the Hug, or After the Prayer
If this program sounds interesting to you, please contact me, Bob Stone, at 317-515-8120, or by email at rstone15@crossroads.edu.
I can help evaluate your college credit or prior work experience to determine the right path forward at Crossroads and get you on track to becoming a richly equipped disciple maker.
Oh, by the way, I’m a graduate of this very program…and here’s my CBC/CPC story…
A few years ago, I had become involved in small group leadership, but something happened along the way. Some of the people in my group began confessing and revealing what was going on in their lives. People came to me seeking help with sin issues like pornography, adultery, same-sex attraction, lust, and anger.
Others were needing help dealing with the ordinary, but difficult, challenges of life like financial struggles, grief, marital conflict, childrearing, and many other life issues. These people needed real help from the Bible, not just the worldly wisdom I had to offer. And they needed more than a caring hug or a quick prayer.
I quickly realized I needed to either become better equipped to help them, or pull back from this leadership role.
Fortunately, there were some good options for me including training in biblical counseling, NANC (now ACBC) certification, and ultimately earning a BS in Biblical Counseling and Discipleship from Crossroads Bible College through a cohort program offered at College Park Church.
I am now helping equip other small group leaders and lay counselors, as well as providing formal counseling to members of the church at large. I am so grateful that the cohort program from Crossroads was available to me at this critical time in my life. I hope many of you reading this will be able to take advantage of it as well.
Again, please feel free to contact me, Bob Stone, at 317-515-8120, or by email at rstone15@crossroads.edu.
