“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4 ESV).
Elliot Teague’s passion for discipleship is contagious.
New church ministries staff, 30-year-old Elliot and his wife, Courtney, grew up in a church that prioritized discipleship.
“We were blessed to have mentors in our lives from middle school on,” Elliot says. “They helped us see that our faith wasn’t just an intellectual endeavor, but it must be applied in our daily life.”
This grounding gave them what Elliot calls “a great hunger to reproduce that lifestyle in others.” He says the burden intensified when he started attending Dallas Theological Seminary and realized that not everyone in the Church has such a solid discipleship experience.
Recently as we talked, Elliot mentioned the name of his home church—Denton Bible Church. I know DBC well—I wrote about its disciplemaking ministry 25 years ago. About how this church was intentionally making disciples—and they still are today. What’s more, this faithful church is helping raise up a new generation of disciplemakers—like Elliot and Courtney.
“DBC was founded on the idea that the Church is not designed just to bring people in and teach them more about God,” Elliot says, “but to help them to know Him personally and learn how they can engage with others for the sake of the gospel.”
DBC began its disciplemaking ministry with a few small groups going through The 2:7 Series. Elliot says they have heard countless stories from people who have gone through the series and seen not only their own lives changed but also the lives of others through them. Today, he’s introducing a newer Navigator resource into the mix—The Ways of the Alongsider.
“There isn’t a curriculum out there that does such an excellent job of helping someone see the principles and practices it takes to make a disciplemaker,” Elliot says. “Since I completed the study, I’ve begun walking through it with four of our church leaders. Our great hope is that the study will help bolster our church’s vision for discipleship.”
God continues to use this body of believers to transform the world—Life-to-Life®!
Dean Ridings serves with Navigators Church Ministries.
Please pray for God to continue changing lives through Denton Bible Church, and for The Navigators as we continue to inspire churches across the world to model Life-to-Life discipleship.
Excellent example of generational d’making through an intentional d’making church!!
Dean, I read your story of DBC and the Elliots with a smile. There was a woman here at James Madison University in Virginia when Sue and I arrived in 1984 as new campus directors for the Navs. This fine lady was the FCA staff at JMU, and I had the chance to begin to meet with her to encourage and be encouraged. I quickly realized that she had some strong discipleship convictions. I thought she’d make a fine Navigator, but, upon leaving FCA staff, she was recruited and hired by Tommy Nelson at DBC. She has been discipling women there for years, and God has deepened that ministry and her impact the whole time. Her name is Jean Klughart and I’m honored to know her.