Tedder Top Ten Discipleship Sites

What’s the difference between discipleship, spiritual formation, mentoring, coaching, counseling, and leadership development? Well, it depends on who you ask. I have books in my study that cover all of those topics and they all seem to cut the pie a little differently… each making nuanced distinctions that fit with their paradigm.

I heard a lecture today on “C.S. Lewis as spiritual director” by Lyle Dorsett, who began his talk by asking the same question that I raised and suggesting that Lewis wouldn’t have been too concerned about those distinctions, as long as at the end of the day, the motivating desire for all of them was that Christ would be followed. I like that.

Of course, I do think there are some helpful distinctions of each of the ministries I listed, but I don’t want to get bogged down discussing them here. The following list of websites relate to ministries, ministers, and authors who focus on faithful Christian discipleship. You will no doubt notice how varied they are. Such is the world of discipleship.

Each of these websites are “go to” websites for me and I have been helped by spending time at each one. I will let each website describe itself by using its own information beside its name (provided it has somethng helpful to share). As the Minister of Discipleship at my church, my view and practice of discipleship continues to grow. I’m grateful to the following websites for sharing all that they’ve learned along the road of following Christ.

Enjoy the list (PS – it’s in no particular order).

Grace and Truth,
Dale

1.) C.S. Lewis Institute: Discipleship of Heart and Mind - Founded in 1976 in the legacy of C. S. Lewis, the Institute endeavors to develop disciples who will articulate, defend, and live their faith in Christ in personal and public life.

2.) Ken Boa (Reflections Ministries) - Reflections Ministries’ goal is to provide safe places for people to consider the claims of Christ and to help them mature and bear fruit in their relationship with Him.

3.) Discipleship Journal at NavPress by the Navigators -The Navigators^® is an international, interdenominational Christian ministry established in 1933. Navigators are people who love Jesus Christ and desire to help others know and grow in Him as they “navigate” through life.

4.) Steve Manskar - with the General Board of Discipleship - An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (The General Board of Discipleship) helps local church, district, and conference leaders fulfill the shared dream of making world-changing disciples. (Also, read these articles on covenant discipleship.)

5.) Bill Hull - Bill’s passion is to help the church return to its disciple making roots and he considers himself a discipleship evangelist. This God-given desire has manifested itself in 20 of pastoring and the authorship of many books. Two of his more important books, Jesus Christ Disciple Maker, and The Disciple Making Pastor, have both celebrated 20 years in print. Add his third in the popular trilogy, The Disciple Making Church , and you have a new paradigm for disciple making.

6.) Thom Rainer and Lifeway Christian Store on Discipleship - As God works through us, we will help individuals and churches by providing biblical solutions for life.

7.) Dallas Willard - This page contains articles written by Dallas Willard, some that cover discipleship.

8.) Church Central - We are all about building healthy churches. Over the past nine years, our expert bloggers – a group of well-known authors and researchers – have equipped leaders with biblical best practices and practical advice on church turnarounds.

9.) Greg Ogden at Transforming Discipleship -

10.) The Fellowship of Ailbe (T.M. Moore’s ministry) – The Board and Members of The Fellowship of Ailbe are committed to the revival of God’s saints, renewal within and among His churches, and awakening in the larger culture and society, to the praise of the glory of God’s marvelous grace.

Honorable Mention

Vital Piety - Kevin Watson’s blog. Kevin has a great book of discipleship that you can read more about here.

While you’re here, please check out what I’ve written on discipleship at my pages on Kingdom Discipleship and Godly Manhood.

Blessings,
Dale

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Tedder’s Top Ten: Spiritual Formation

Talk of spiritual formation is all the rage. I just read an article by Dallas Willard in which he said that, in some circles, it seems as though spiritual formation is quickly approaching “fad” status. But, of course, pursuing God, renewing our minds, and transforming our lives into the likeness of Christ should be anything but a fad. It should be the very purpose of our existence.

Below are some websites that I have found very helpful in my own spiritual formation. As always, let me know any that I have missed and I’ll see about adding them as a postscript.

The Lord bless you as you seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joy and Truth,
Dale

1.) Reflections Ministries - Ken Boa’s ministry. What else can I say about Ken Boa that I haven’t already said several dozen times? Ken’s website keeps getting better and better. There are articles, audio, video, blog posts, etc. And, he has a great store to purchase his products. Well worth your time.

2.) The Center for Biblical Spirituality - Donald Whitney’s ministry. Donald Whitney is a gem. I’ve read most of his books and have used his fantastic book on the spiritual disciplines as my curriculum for a class I have taught. Whitney’s website also continues to improve and become more and more user-friendly.

3.) The Fellowship of Ailbe - T.M. Moore’s ministry. I don’t know if Moore would consider himself as one who writes primarily on spiritual formation, but it certainly seeps through all his writing (which is prolific). I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by Moore which didn’t bless me tremendously. I feel like a broken record, but Moore’s website also continues to improve. It’s a real treat to check out.

4.) Transforming Center - Ruth Haley Barton’s ministry. Barton is very insightful and has been a big help to me. Her book, Sacred Rhythms, is well worth purchasing. Lots of good resources at her website.

5.) Dallas Willard - Not the world’s greatest website… but it’s loaded with Willard’s writing (and some audio) which makes it priceless. Folks will be reading Willard’s books 100 years from now, if Jesus doesn’t return before then.

6.) Renovare - The good folks at Renovare are veterans in the world if spiritual formation. Great website. Lots of resources. Their tagline, “becoming like Jesus,” says it all. You can’t be a serious student of spiritual formation without checking them out.

7.) NewWay Ministries - Larry Crabb’s ministry. Helpful website. But the real value here is their training in spiritual direction. I think I’m going to look into this myself. Good stuff.

8.) David Benner - I’m really including him because his books are so good, especially Sacred Companions and Care of Souls. Very deep. I think he has to be read several times before understanding kicks in.

9.) Gary Thomas - Great website. Very helpful and easily accessible resources. I’ve only recently been introduced to Gary Thomas, but from all that I can tell, he’s a real blessing. I look forward to learning more about him and from him.

10.) A Tie: Conversations Journal and Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care

I hate limiting such a rich topic to only ten (or, in this case, eleven) websites. So here are some other names of people and ministries you will want to check out: John Ortberg, Monvee, b-ing.org, Formatio at IVP, Institute for Spiritual Formation at Biola, Jan Johnson, Metamorpha, The Upper Room, The Academy of Spiritual Formation, Pierre Eade

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C.S. Lewis

I’m thinking about writing a tribute of sorts to C.S. Lewis in an effort to communicate my appreciation for him and my indebtedness to his life and writing. (This post is not that tribute.) I told my wife just a day or two ago that I really do think I could spend the rest of my days reading his books, or reading books about him and his books. He speaks to me as very few others do outside Scripture.

Of course, I’m no Lewis scholar. I’m a rank amateur at best. But I am a fan. And while I can’t cite every fact about his life or how he influenced such-and-such school of thought, I find myself returning to him time and time again… whether it is his fiction or nonfiction or letters or poetry. For that matter, I usually have a biography somewhere near my bedside table as well.

Until such time as I’m able to put together enough coherent thoughts to write a proper tribute to him, I thought I would pass along a “mega” Top Ten List that will actually include far more than the usual Ten. Below are links to websites by folks who really are Lewis scholars and who have also contributed to helping us think about how Lewis is a helpful guide in our walk with Christ. I have also included links to websites about his friends, his influences, and those who have been greatly influenced by him.

Joy and Truth,
Dale

1.) C.S. Lewis Institute - Bonanza of great resources. Check out their publications, Reflections and Knowing & Doing. They have great curricula on two Lewis books as well as many audio messages you can listen to or download.

2.) C.S. Lewis Foundation - Another bonanza. Lots of great resources including an online journal and blog.

3.) The C.S. Lewis Review

4.) Into the Wardrobe

5.) Diana Glyer’s website

6.) Mere Lewis.org

7.) C.S. Lewis at Harper

8.) C.S. Lewis Society of California

9.) Narnia Web.com

10.) C.S. Lewis & Public Life

Websites with lots of articles about Lewis

1.) My old website (scroll to the bottom of the page)

2.) Catholic Education Resource Center

3.) Books and Culture

4.) C.S. Lewis, Literature, and Life

Inklings and Other Friends of Lewis Related Sites

1.) The Kindlings and Earl Palmer Ministries

2.) Peter Kreeft

3.) Ralph Wood

4.) American Chesterton Society

5.) The Tolkien Society

6.) The Inklings

7.) Mythopoeic Society

8.) George MacDonald Society

9.) George MacDonald Info Web

10.) The Hobbit Movie

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Tedder’s Top Ten: Christian Apologetics

The topic of Christian Apologetics holds a place near and dear to my heart. It was one of the primary means by which God strengthened my faith and called me into ministry. Like so many others, I remember having countless conversations in college about my Christian faith. I recall discussing many of those tough issues that college students love to spend time talking about. No, it wasn’t quite on the level of wondering if God could create a stone that was too heavy for him to lift (Dr. Ronald Nash would later tell me the answer is “no.”). But we did deal with some very practical questions about Christianity, especially as it relates to other belief systems. I was a very unprepared Christian.

That, however, led me to read… for the first time in my life. I began reading a book on world religions and cults by Josh McDowell. I next remember buying and reading a book on this strange ”thing” called Christian apologetics by some guy named Norman Geisler.

What I learned in the years to come was that all that was really needed for most “defenses of the faith” was just a better knowledge of what I believed. This drove me to dig into God’s Word as well as theology. The rest, as they say, is history. God used the study of Christian apologetics (the defense of the Christian faith) in my life to drive me to a deeper understanding of the essential truths of the Christian faith and how to communicate those truths more effectively.

I’ve discovered over the last couple of decades as a pastor that there are very few new questions. There are simply the same questions being asked in different ways. My mentor, Ken Boa, told me while I was in seminary that it’s okay to be asked a tough question by someone and not have the answer… the first time. But, he said, you should never be asked the same question twice without having an answer. In other words, being “stumped” once is virtually a rite of passage. Being stumped by the same question twice is a no-no.

The first time that we’re stumped by a tough question should encourage us to read and study to find the answer. What I’ve tried to do over the years is to get back together with the person who asked me the question and use the opportunity to share my faith with them if they are not a Christian or to disciple them if they are. The worse thing you can do is try to bluff an answer.  I’ve learned that folks respect your honesty.

Having said all of that I need to be clear: There are indeed some very hard questions about the Christian faith. There are hard questions that related to evil, other religions, science, the Bible, just to name a few. By God’s grace I’ve learned that there are some very bright and gifted Christian thinkers who have thought and prayed long and hard about those questions and what God’s Word has to say about them. These very capable apologists have written extensively on most, if not all of those issues, and many have some very helpful websites.

The following websites on this Top Ten list are general apologetics websites. In other words, they are my favorite websites that address a little big of everything. Make sure to check these sites out. I think you’ll find them a big help.

PS – There are many outstanding apologists who will not be found on the list below only because they either do not have a website or because their site is not much more than a storefront or a calendar of where they will be speaking. They are being used of God in mighty ways, but the sites below are the ones I believe will be the most useful to you.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

1.) Reasonable Faith.org (William Lane Craig’s site)

2.) Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

3.) The Veritas Forum

4.) Stand to Reason (Greg Koukle)

5.) Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

6.) Apologetics 315

7.) Apologetics Press

8.) Ankerberg Theological Research Institute

9.) Gary Habermas

10.) Christian Research Institute

Honoral Mention

• Lee Strobel

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Tedder’s Top Ten: College Football

This list ranks only a little higher than the last Top Ten list I put together on my day off. However, it does come from the heart. I don’t have many sports-related vices. I’m not a Monday night football guy. I don’t take off on Fridays to play golf with my buddies. I couldn’t care less about the NBA’s (seemingly) year ’round season. But I do love college football. So, here’s my list of my favorite college football teams.

And… unlike most of my other Top Ten lists, this one is in particular order.

1.) The University of Georgia Bulldogs. If I had written that in the 1980s (during my formative highschool and college years), folks might have said, “Well, that’s not real courageous.” They might have said that because my beloved Bulldogs won a national title and came in second during those years. (It’s also when the Great One was there.) They routinely beat the Gators (that’s right children… there was a time when the Bulldogs could actually beat the Gators).

But a couple of decades later, my statement that the Bulldogs are my favorite team is a true sign of commitment. (Cheering for them over the last few seasons has given me cause to think that perhaps I need to be committed.)

I grew up not too far down the road from Athens (during my elementary school years). That’s where I became a fan. When we moved to Orange Park (i.e., Jacksonville) in 1976, there was no compelling reason to change allegiances because there were as many Georgia fans around then as fans for any other team.

No, I didn’t go to UGA for college (I needed a smaller learning environment if hoped to ever graduate). However, my sister kept the Tedder dream alive by going there. More importantly, she met and became friends with the future Mrs. Tedder while she was there. So I’m eternally grateful for Georgia in that respect as well.

My wife and I have brainwashed… I mean, passed down our love for the Bulldogs to our children, though one of my children also likes the Gators. Of course, growing up with Georgia teams that seldom if ever beat the Gators, who can blame him?

So that’s my number one pick: Go Dawgs!

2.) The Rest of the SEC

3.) doesn’t matter

4.) doesn’t matter

5.) doesn’t matter

6.) doesn’t matter

7.) doesn’t matter

8.) doesn’t matter

9.) doesn’t matter

Last.) Notre Dame, Ohio State, University of Southern California, Michigan

Cheers,
Dale

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Tedder’s Top Ten: Parenting Websites

I was going to call this post my top ten “family” websites. However, between marriage, parenting, and family-in-general sorts of sites, there are simply too many good ones for me to be so broad with this category. Therefore, the following ten websites are very helpful as online resources for the wide and wild world of parenting (from a Christian perspective). (Click here if you want to take a look at my top ten list for fatherhood-related websites.)

Cheers,
Dale

And now, in no particular order…

1.) Parenting at Family Life.com

2.) Parenting at Focus on the Family

3.) Family Matters

4.) Parenting at Kyria

5.) Parenting at CrossWalk.com

6.) HomeWord Center

7.) Homeschooling Today (There are so many excellent websites on homeschooling that this should also be a separate category. However, this website’s subtitle is, “A Journal of Home Discipleship,” therefore, I just had to include it.

8.) Family Minute

9.) National Center for Biblical Parenting

10.) John Rosemond (While Rosemond hasn’t always addressed parenting from a biblical perspective, he is now a Christian and his book, Parenting by the Book, is very solid. I have found his no-nonsense view of parenting to be very compatible with much of God’s Word, even before he came to Christ, but especially so now.)

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Tedder’s Top Ten: Live Songs

Well, since it’s my day off I thought I would put together another Top Ten list that was a little less serious than the others (or is it).

Have you ever heard your favorite song performed live, and cringed at how badly it was mangled? At one time (in a galaxy long ago and far away) I liked “some” rap music. But seldom if ever did I like to hear it live. Of course, now that I’m an old man, I understand very little of the music I hear, rap or otherwise.

At any rate, there are a few songs out there in which I actually like the live version better than the studio production. Not sure why. An old friend of mine once told me it’s because the live version was the one that I heard first. Even if that’s true, and I’m not sure it is, that only covers some of the following songs. I just think some songs are better live, and these are my top ten favorites. (Which ones are yours? What classics did I completely forget about? Let me know.)

If you click on the title of each song below, the link will take you to a YouTube video of that song performed live (I wouldn’t read the comments below each video as sanctification is not alive and well in those forums.).

Grace, Truth, and Rock and Roll,
Dale

1.) Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I’m mean, come on… how could this not be on everyone’s top ten list?

2.) Show Me The Way by Peter Frampton (and get ready for two more)

3.) Maybe I’m Amazed by Paul McCartney

4.) Rock and Roll All Night by KISS

5.) I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick

6.) Baby I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton

7.) Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

8.) 40 by U2

9.) Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights) by Pat Travers

10.) Do You Feel Like We Do by Peter Frampton

You gotta love YouTube

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