About the Book

Book: Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple

Author: Ellie M. Littleton

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Discipleship

The twenty-first century Church has the same Holy Spirit power and many more modern-day resources than the first century Church, yet the first century Church had greater success in making disciples. Why? They followed the plan Jesus gave them, and He blessed it. But the more worldly progress we’ve made, the more we’ve deviated from Jesus’s plan by choosing programs, entertainment, and socials with only surface-level encounters.  

We neglect to make a connection with the lost, and they see no real commitment from the church. So they come and go as we continue to meet and plan more programs. To end the cycle, we must go and make disciples as Jesus taught—investing our lives in the lives of others.  

Do you long to live the Great Commission and make disciples, but you’re not sure how? In Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple, Ellie Littleton offers biblical examples and concepts that break down the hard work of discipleship into sixteen thought-provoking lessons.  

So go and make disciples. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8 niv). 

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

About the Author

Ellie Littleton has spent most of her adult life teaching both high school and adult Sunday school. She is minister of Vision Teams at her church, and serves as an officer on the planning team of her church’s annual Women of the Word Conference. Her husband of twenty-one years and high school sweetheart, Brad Littleton, serves as minister of music at their church. Their daughter, Hannah Kate, has been active in AcTeens and children’s church. She plans to continue competitive cheer in college. Son, Grayson, is home from a six-month internship at Lifehouse Church in Tokyo, Japan, and is seeking a position as a youth pastor. Ellie and her family love their church, family-and-friend cookouts, volleyball, boat riding, and music. She also enjoys reading, women’s conferences, and sneaking away to occasional girlfriend getaways at the beach. 

 

More from Ellie

Eighteen years ago, I was blessed to be a part of a church plant in the community where I was raised and still call home.  The new church, South Shelby Baptist, gave me the opportunity to dig in and exercise the spiritual gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit.  As I begin to write and teach Bible lessons, a deep passion arose and bloomed within my heart to grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) and see others grow too.  I am a people-person and find great joy in connecting with people and seeing people connected, especially within the Body of Christ.  In the past five years, God has been and is pulling me out of that comfort zone of lessons into writing Bible studies.  My pastor, David Warren, leads the vision of our church- be a disciple and make a disciple.  He asked me a couple of years ago, to write a Bible study on the topic of discipleship for our folks as a resource to help us grow and activate the call to make disciples.  And that is how Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple Bible study began.  I wrote this Bible study for my church to use as resource to grow in discipleship, because my heart for ministry is in the local church, especially my local church, South Shelby Baptist.  But God.  God began prompting my heart with the dream to have Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple published… and here it is.  God is good and He is faithful; great is your faithfulness, O LORD!  It is my prayer that you can use it as a resource to help you and your local church grow in discipling others too.  To God be the glory and blessings to you in Christ,

Ellie

Mindy Houng’s Q&A with Ellie

1. Can you describe your research process when beginning a new book? Do you complete all of the research before you start writing, or do you research as you write?

This is the first Bible study I’ve written that I felt led to have published.  The research I used to write this study I compiled over the last ten or so year for my personal growth as well as to write lessons for my Sunday school class.  I have taught the adults of my age for 18 years, writing my own lessons.

2. Is there a specific person or experience in your life that prompted you to begin writing? Describe it.

My pastor, David Warren, asked me back in the spring of 2017 to write a series of lessons on discipleship or a Bible study to promote the vision of our church – Be a Disciple, Make a Disciple.  I knew it needed to be a Bible study.  I was and am passionate about this topic of discipleship; it’s even the name of my Sunday school class.  During that summer (I am a high school teacher) I was off, my youngest child had turned 16 several months earlier which meant I had more time to myself.  So I wrote, studied, prayed, typed the majority of the summer and I enjoyed the process so much.  I thought I was writing this study just for my church.

3. Describe your writing process. Is it a regimented schedule, or does it shift?

The writing process for me shifts at times, but mostly I am routine.  Early mornings of quiet time alone with the Lord in prayer, study and praise music over good coffee are conducive to writing.  I call it getting in the zone.  However, there are times late at night when I can’t sleep, or driving down the road or evening sitting outside on our deck or pier when the thoughts seem to flow and I have to write it down then. It definitely is a process that takes time, effort and patience.  It’s also a process of allowing the Lord to work in me, preparing my heart just as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

4. Are there books you have begun to write, but never finished? Is there a specific reason why you did not finish them?

I have a few other Bible studies I have written for our church on leadership and for our women to be prepared to host our women’s conference, but I haven’t felt led to have any of those published.  I also have 18 years of Bible lessons that I have considered compiling into a book, but time has not permitted that project yet.

5. Who do you believe your audience it?

The Bible studies and lessons I write are primarily for those seeking to develop and grow in their faith in Christ.  The studies and lessons I’ve written require a fair amount of work and effort in writing down Scripture, comparing Scriptures and answering personal reflection questions.  Growth and development require effort and work. Some for less mature Believers and some for more mature Believers.

Thank you Ellie for letting us get to know you better!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 21

Through the Lens of Scripture, November 22

Mary Hake, November 23

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 24

CarpeDiem, November 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 26

Artistic Nobody, November 27 (Author Interview)

Discipling4Life, November 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 29

Texas Book-aholic, November 30

janicesbookreviews, December 1

A Reader’s Brain, December 2

Inklings and notions, December 3

Simple Harvest Reads, December 4 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ellie is giving away the grand prize package of a Bible study copy of her book and a $50 Visa Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/ee20/be-a-disciple-make-a-disciple-celebration-tour-giveaway