{"id":2963,"date":"2025-02-17T02:57:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T02:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/?page_id=2963"},"modified":"2026-02-17T04:09:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T04:09:55","slug":"updates","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

February 5, 2026<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We are seeing great responses to a new set of verses \/ book study that I have titled Training Disciples to Train<\/strong>.\u00a0 The book for this study is titled:\u00a0 The Making of a Disciple<\/em> written by Keith Phillips when he was the founder \/ president of World Impact in L.A.\u00a0 The link for this study is https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/training-disciples-to-train-others\/.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We revised our mission to Training Reproducing Disciples<\/strong>.\u00a0 We did this because we are a 2 Timothy 2 type of ministry.\u00a0 Let me explain.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I think there is a sharp distinction between a Matthew 28 understanding of “making disciples” and a 2 Timothy 2 understanding of discipleship training.\u00a0 I am in the latter camp where it is no longer enough (for me) to help a student (trainee \/ disciple) just grow in their faith, knowledge and spiritual maturity.\u00a0 There has to be self-death, i.e., becoming more like Jesus and bearing the fruit of reproduction per Keith Phillips.\u00a0 What matters is that the disciple is showing more of the presence of the character of Jesus in his or her life.\u00a0 The fruit of reproduction is revealed by actively training others to become like Jesus and like Paul and Timothy.\u00a0 Paul tells his disciple Timothy – \u201cYou then my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses\u00a0<\/em>entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>This is what Training Reproducing Disciples looks like it seems.<\/div>\n
\n

I put a pause on all of my 14 trainees and switched them to this detailed study of this book that I am using as an effective discipleship training manual<\/strong>.\u00a0 We are still seeking to memorize or review a key verse and also reading to each other 4 or so pages in each training call. (Men usually don\u2019t read books!!)\u00a0 This is surprisingly working well to teach the essentials to a 2 Timothy 2:2<\/strong> discipleship training ministry.\u00a0 That verse reads:\u00a0 “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,\u00a0<\/span>and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also<\/strong>“.<\/span>\u00a0 This was Paul’s special instructions to his disciple, Timothy.\u00a0 <\/em>The emphasis is obviously on training others to train others.<\/p>\n

Our Biblical Mentoring trainees are learning key definitions of \u201cdiscipleship\u201d and \u201cdisciple\u201d.\u00a0 Section 3 of this book gives them the tools to recruit and train their own trainees from their own network.<\/p>\n

This process will take some time but everyone is now expected to train disciple-makers (reproducing disciples) using this resource.\u00a0 \u00a0NOT just become a strong mature disciple but one who follows Paul’s instructions to train others.\u00a0 It seems fair to assess that most discipleship programs focus on helping participants become more spiritual mature in their faith.\u00a0 Not gain the knowledge and skills to TRAIN others to train others, etc. etc.\u00a0 \u00a0Spiritual maturity is very important but doesn\u2019t fulfill the great commission that our Master gave to ALL believers to fulfill plans for His Kingdom. Period<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

They say it is what one starts (does) that really counts.\u00a0 Please take the first step and contact me to learn how we can train willing participants anywhere we can get a phone connection with the same language almost anytime (this is negotiated by the trainer and trainee).<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Reproduction is good!<\/strong>\u00a0Any training system that does not reproduce is destined to fail. We need to incorporate reproduction into the system. God did this in His creation. Did you notice all the seeds in one juicy tomato? God has also intentionally woven this concept into the Gospel.<\/div>\n
\n

Copy of the Original!\u00a0<\/strong>Paul emphasized that he wanted to begin with a strong image of the original\u2014from Christ to Paul to Timothy and on to others. This standard of reproduction would be beneficial because it started with Christ. Timothy was to find and train faithful men. They might be reliable in just a few small things, like arriving on time, but they are indeed faithful.<\/p>\n

Train to Reproduce!\u00a0<\/strong>Timothy would instill in those with whom he shared the Gospel a need to teach others. When we make disciples, we must do so in a way that trains them to train others.<\/p>\n

PERSONAL UPDATE:<\/strong>\u00a0 I have been recently diagnosed with a condition macular degeneration in my left eye. My mother suffered from this condition for several years before passing on in mid-November.\u00a0 \u00a0Some blood vessels burst thus leaving little vision or double vision in that eye.\u00a0 The reason was age related.\u00a0 Seeing to read and write is a crucial part of my skills as director this ministry called Biblical Mentoring.\u00a0 I need the grace and skills to adjust to this situation and prayers that my good eye doesn’t degenerate any time soon.\u00a0 I am praying to find another God-appointed individual called to become the BM Director at the right time.\u00a0 Thanks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In Christ,\u00a0 Ron<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
615-238-4035<\/div>\n
ronwlively@gmail.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/strong>December 31, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

HIM<\/strong> dba Biblical Mentoring<\/strong> (biblicalmentoring.org)
\nRon Lively, M.Div., M.A. \u25aa HIM \u25aa 2750 Hanover Drive, Thompson Station, TN\u00a0 37179 \u25aa 615-238-4035 \u25aa ronwlively@gmail.com<\/p>\n

Thank you for your financial and prayer support this past year.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0We are grateful since both are needed to keep moving Biblical Mentoring and our mission of \u201cTraining Reproducing Disciples<\/strong>\u201d forward.<\/p>\n

BiblicalMentoring.org<\/em><\/strong> encourages and equips mentors and mentees (trainers and trainees) who are actively engaged in 30\u201340-minute weekly phone training sessions which are centered on memorizing a key verse plus reading and interpreting the Bible as we apply its teachings to our daily lives.\u00a0 The Spirit is our teacher, i.e., the trainer, while the participants are students.<\/p>\n

You can read some testimonials on our Testimonial webpage.\u00a0 What matters most is what they have to testify of the benefits.<\/p>\n

Please go to BiblicalMentoring.org<\/strong><\/a> to learn more about our ministry.\u00a0\u00a0 I have an Updates<\/strong> webpage to help keep intercessors, donors, friends and family keep up-to-date with our progress and needs.<\/p>\n

The emphasis of Biblical Mentoring is on training<\/strong> participants for lifelong discipleship thus prioritizing multiplication in addition to developing spiritual growth. The mentorship nurtures individuals responding to Jesus\u2019 call, guiding them to become disciples who reproduce trained disciple-makers<\/strong> as we are instructed to be in Matthew 28. Thus, we revised our mission recently to focus on training and reproduction or the training of others.\u00a0 It is now Training Reproductive Disciples.<\/p>\n

We share God\u2019s Truth from the Bible to reconcile others to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit within an active and ongoing personal ministry context. \u00a0This model has worked well for several years. Praying for each other\u2019s personal needs at the end of the phone session proves to be more valuable than we realized as we seek to offer relational support to each other. \u00a0We are helping with the pandemic of loneliness.<\/p>\n

The ultimate goal is to teach, model, and multiply the craft of being a lifelong student who mentors, trains, and coaches disciple-making disciples.\u00a0 With the help of WhatsApp, we can even do this globally.<\/p>\n

We have worked with 70 or more participants so far adding a few more each year. \u00a0Only some of these would be considered trained to train others. \u00a0About 15 individuals are currently active either weekly or monthly.\u00a0 A few of these are training a trainee whom they recruit.\u00a0 This is obviously the ultimate goal for everyone we mentor. \u00a0We are adding two or three more trainees each month.\u00a0 My personal goal is to see 100 trained disciple-makers actively reproducing themselves by the time I turn in my badge.<\/p>\n

We use the life-to-life model of discipleship training which is simple and effective.\u00a0 There is usually no curriculum other than the Scriptures.\u00a0 We have decided to start each new trainee in the study titled:\u00a0 Training Disciples to Train<\/em><\/strong> using Scriptures plus a book titled The Making of a Disciple<\/u><\/em><\/strong> by Keith Philips written when he was the President of World Impact, Inc.<\/p>\n

Two popular sets of memory verses\/studies are the Gospel of John<\/em><\/strong> and Romans<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0We now offer twelve completed sets of memory verses<\/strong> as you can see on our Memory Verses webpage and are adding several new sets such as Top Fifty Psalms; Acts; Hebrews; The Prison Epistles and The Cost of Discipleship.<\/p>\n

To support our mission, please use @ronlively for Venmo or ron@medicalmobilizers.org<\/u> for PayPal.\u00a0\u00a0 Checks payable to HIM<\/strong> or Biblical Mentoring<\/strong> can be mailed to: \u00a02750 Hanover Drive | Thompsons Station, TN, 37179.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gratefully Yours in Christ,
\nRon
\nRon Lively, M.Div.; M.A.-M&F
\nFounder \/ Director
\n615-238-4035<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

February 5, 2026 We are seeing great responses to a new set of verses \/ book study that I have titled Training […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/page_fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2963","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2963"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3766,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2963\/revisions\/3766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmentoring.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}