Christian Development Course (CDC)

Congratulations! You have just made the best decision of your life by asking Jesus Christ into your life.

This means from now on your life is to change by nurturing and the help of other Christians. When you asked Jesus into your life you did three specific things.

You admitted your life in the past was wrong and needed to change. This is called ‘repentance’, which means changing your mind and actions. Your life originally didn’t recognise sin as an issue and didn’t know that this was disobedient towards God and would separate you from him.

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’ (Genesis 2:16–17)"

“Because Adam and Eve had committed sin it separated Man from God. So the only way God could bring Man back to himself was to give them an opportunity through sending His son to die on the cross to share His blood on behalf of everyone. So through this salvation became God’s purpose.

This gift of salvation only comes from God which means relationship of the love for God, living in His protection and knowing that He will take you through troubled times.

You have believed that Jesus is the Son of God and to develop your new-found belief you need to learn more about the Christian faith. This means”

you have become a disciple of Jesus Christ and now need to begin to learn about what it means to mature into a Christian. This is done by choosing a church where you can receive help.

“You have committed yourself to learning about Christianity and once you have chosen a church and fellowship with other believers this will gently challenge you and help you on your way. A church should offer a Bible study or other facilities by which you can learn. If you’re a younger person you may consider the youth group.”

Reading your Bible

The first step to being a Christian is to read the Word of God, the Bible. Some people find history boring and unexciting. However, we believe the Bible is not just history; it’s the living word with real life stories. The Bible is divided into two major parts: the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament starts with Genesis with God creating the world, and goes right through until the New Testament where Jesus arrives on the scene for the very first time”

“We want you to develop and grow and get to understand the fundamentals of Christianity as quickly as possible, so you begin to change your lifestyle in accordance with God. There is nothing better in life than to search for what God wants from your Christianity and know that He came to make God’s kingdom available to you.”

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Being a ‘new Christian’ and starting a new life with Jesus, it is recommended that you start by reading a chapter of the Bible a day. Also, you might want to meet up with friends in your church and discuss certain aspects of Scripture (Bible study).

The Bible is divided up into 66 books and these books divide into chapters and verses. For example: John 3:16 is the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

“When you read a passage like this, pray and mediate that the Lord will speak to you through it. We read the Bible primarily to get to know Christ, to know more about him. Also this means we come under the teaching of churches, maybe even join a Bible school, to get a full understanding of what the Bible has to offer.

Jesus came with the good news that the kingdom of heaven is near! The word ‘kingdom’ in the New Testament means literally the sovereign reign of God. So this is established in the hearts of men and women.”

our kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

“So our job on this earth is to establish God’s kingdom through His people. To repent is not only to have your sins forgiven, but to turn your life over to Jesus Christ that He might be the Lord of your life: that He might establish His Kingdom in you and enable you to fulfil His will.”

Excerpt From

Christian Development Course

Rev Dr Jim Master

This material may be protected by copyright.

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Trinitarian, which is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and we believe the Holy Spirit is a person and not an impersonal force as some religions (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses) believe.

Now that you have come to know Christ as your living Saviour I would like to introduce you to the greatest helper: the Holy Spirit.

When Christ died on the cross for your sins, He did not leave you alone, but gave you His Holy Spirit to help you live the Christian life. You may know this as it starts at the beginning of the first church in Acts 1:8:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

So we see that Jesus’ instruction to His disciples is to stay in Jerusalem until they have received the Holy Spirit.

The power of the Holy Spirit will help you live the Christian life. The original word translated here as ‘power’ is dunamis which is the source of the word ‘dynamite’! Before you were a Christian, you did things in your own strength. However, now you will do it with the dynamite strength of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:18 teaches us that we have been given authority beyond human understanding.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’

The Holy Spirit lives in you now. However, the world cannot understand this and no other religion has the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:17)

The question is what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a person. We either have Him or we don’t. In Acts 3:10 we read that people were filled with ‘wonder and amazement’ at what had happened to the lame beggar when he met Peter and John. He received healing and went ‘walking, leaping, and praising God’ as he entered the temple.

In Acts 13:45 we read that the multitudes were ‘filled with envy’ and in Acts 13:52 that ‘the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit’.

The Holy Spirit ‘dominates’ the personality of His people and ‘determines our behaviour’. So joy can dominate your personality and determine your behaviour but you need to allow the Holy Spirit to assist you with this.

In Ephesians 5:18 the Bible tells us, ‘do not be drunk with wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit’! The first thing people thought when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost was that those who’d been filled had ‘had too much wine’! Peter said, ‘These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!’ (Acts 2:15 NIV). Being ‘filled’ is the evidence of the way you:

• walk

• talk

• smell (figuratively speaking!)

1. The way you ‘walk’

I say then: Walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16)

Walk in love. (Ephesian 5:2)

The word that characterises you in life is love.

Walk in light as He is in the light. (1 John 1:7)

You are to be open and not hidden away, be honest and full of integrity. So the way you walk matters in your Christian life. People will always be observing and seeing how you react to things. The Bible says ‘walk in love’, which seems to be a difficult thing these days! To ‘walk in light’ is an amazingly powerful way to show how people will look at you and observe you. The Bible says Jesus is in the light.

2. The way you "talk"
   Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34)

   If you want to know what is going on in someone’s heart, hang around them long enough and listen to what comes out of their mouth!

   When the scripture talks about the disciples being filled with His Spirit, something happens to their mouths. At the day of Pentecost they were able to speak in other tongues – other languages – as the spirit enabled them.
   
   The Bible tells us to ‘be filled with the Spirit’. But the next verse says that we are then to speak ‘to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:19 NIV).
   
   One sign that you are filled with the Holy Spirit is that you begin to sing!

3. The way you "smell"
   
   Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. (2 Corinthian 2:14–16)

   Paul says that to God we smell of Christ and those who are saved we smell of life, but to those who are perishing, we smell of death.
   
   The very atmosphere of our lives should speak of Christ, when filled with the Spirit. So the Holy Spirit helps us in our talking, walking and aroma we produce.
   
   The Holy Spirit ‘dominates’ our personality and ‘determines our behaviour’.
   

As a Christian you now have a faith in Christ Jesus and His Helper, the Holy Spirit, to guide you along the way, and a new power to unravel through prayer to receive and administer healing, which we shall look at in other chapters.

In the Old Testament the Hebrew word ruach is used, which comes from the verb ‘to breathe out violently’ – so could mean wind, breath or spirit. The Spirit in the Old Testament expresses itself in different ways. For example in the book of Judges it seems very military (Judges 3:10). Also in the Old Testament we see how God empowered a man, Samson, with supernatural strength.

In the New Testament in John 16:13 Jesus says, ‘When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.’ The final proof that the Spirit is a person is when Jesus says, ‘He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever’ (John 14:16).

In the original, the word allos meant ‘another of the same kind’. Jesus promised a person who would be the same kind as Himself.

In the book of Acts we see that the Spirit was poured on all flesh; that means everyone can experience His Spirit and not just a select few. We also see the Spirit helps in several ways:

• It is a gift from the Father (Luke 11:9–13).

• There are miracles performed by the Spirit (Matthew 12:28; Acts 1:4–8).

• The Spirit helps Christians on trial (Matthew 12:24–32; Mark 3:22–30).

In the original Greek version of the Gospel of John in chapters 14 to 16, Jesus teaches about the paraclete. This comes from the word parakletos, which is translated as ‘comfort’, ‘helper’ or ‘advocate’. Just before He was crucified Jesus made it clear He was about to go back to the Father (14:12) who would send another Helper (14:16) who would be with them forever. He wanted to make sure that we were not orphans or without a teacher. Therefore, it was essential for the Son, Jesus, to go away so the Spirit could come. This was done for everyone!

Breakthrough in prayer

Many Christians see prayer as an additive to their lives that is often taken for granted, rather than an important primary factor to building and sustaining their faith. During this course we want you to see how essential prayer is to everything you say and do, and know that our private ministry is far more important than our public ministry. You see, what we do in private means more to God. ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33).

The ‘kingdom’ is the vertical connection and the ‘righteousness’ is the horizontal connection between us and God, so both matter.

I would like to take you through types of prayer that may assist your daily life. On a practical note, it may be good practice to set your clock to 5–15 minutes per day and increase this as you develop your prayer life; eventually you will be praying for around 45 minutes and you’ll be amazed at the breakthrough you will begin to see.

Three types of prayer:

1. Praise and worship

Definition: honour and love is conveyed in praise with words of song and music.

a) This is the highest type of prayer in which God inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3).

b) Common type of lifestyle.

c) It should be the first type we start with e.g. Acts 16:25–26, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Hebrews 13:15.

d) It should be prayed for before your needs: ‘And behold, a leper came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean”’ (Matthew 8:2).

e) It helps to bring gifts into manifestation (Acts 13:1–2).

f) Produces joy and strength (Luke 18:1).

g) God needs and meets real worshippers (Isaiah 64:5).

2. Prayer of commitment

Definition: the prayer whereby a person’s cares or worries are cast upon the Lord.

a) Cast your cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7).

b) ‘Cast your burdens on the LORD and He shall sustain you. He shall never permit the righteous to be moved’ (Psalm 55:22).

c) Do not fret or have anxiety (Philippians 4:6–7). This prayer type should only be prayed once, until you begin to worry again.

Used in the future for the unknown. (Matthew 6:31–33).

So it is contrary to worry:

• Worry is called evil (Matthew 6:34).

• Worry is called lack of faith (Mark 6:30).

• Worry chokes the seed of the Word from grown (Mark 4:18–19).

• Worry stops God from winning your battle (Romans 12:19).

So the prayer of commitment is to cast your burdens onto him.

3. Prayer of Petition
   
   This prayer is addressed to the Father using specific requests in Jesus’ name.
   
   And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. (John 16:23)
   Additional verses: Mark 7:7; 1 John 3:22; James 1:5–8.
   
   This prayer is addressed to a specific situation. A decree of faith is addressed to a situation using Jesus’ name based on a specific Bible right or promise.

4. Prayer of Faith
   
   This prayer is a decree of faith addressed to a situation using Jesus’ name based on a specific ‘promise’ given to you or certain scriptures.
   
   Faith will save the sick: James 5:15; Mark 11:23–24, John 14:13, 14.
   
   The prayer of faith is often prayed once, not demanding that God change, only that the situation changes. It is also based on faith from Scriptures.
   
   Luke 10:19–20.
   2 Corinthians 1:20, every promise is ‘yes’.

5. Prayer of binding and loosing
   
   A prayer of faith using the believer’s authority, permitting positive spiritual forces while resisting and stopping negative forces.
   
   And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19).
   
   It is usually applied against principalities and powers trying to dominate people.
   
   1 Timothy 2:1–5; Matthew 12:29 to take authority over your life.
   
   These are just a few types of prayer you can begin to get involved with that will help you, your family and friends. Don’t just make prayer an addition, but learn to make it a lifestyle that changes the environment around you.
   

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is not merely a force or influence; He is a person who dwells within every believer.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

• Comforter and Counsellor — John 14:26
• Guide into all truth — John 16:13
• Empowerment for service — Acts 1:8
• Conviction of sin — John 16:8
• Producing spiritual fruit — Galatians 5:22-23

Being Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 instructs us to "be filled with the Spirit." This is not a one-time event but a continual experience. As we yield to the Holy Spirit daily through prayer, worship, and obedience to God's Word, we experience His power and presence in our lives.

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is our direct line of communication with God. It is not merely a religious ritual but a vital relationship-building activity that draws us closer to our Heavenly Father.

Types of Prayer

• Adoration — Praising God for who He is
• Confession — Acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness
• Thanksgiving — Expressing gratitude for God's blessings
• Supplication — Presenting our requests and needs to God
• Intercession — Praying on behalf of others

Building a Devotional Life

A daily devotional time is essential for spiritual growth. This includes reading Scripture, meditating on God's Word, and spending time in prayer. Jesus modelled this by often withdrawing to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16).

Practical Tips

• Set a specific time and place for daily devotion
• Use a Bible reading plan to stay consistent
• Keep a prayer journal to track requests and answers
• Start with short periods and gradually increase

The Authority of Scripture

The Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, "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."

Why Study the Bible?

• It reveals God's character and plan for our lives
• It provides guidance for daily decisions — Psalm 119:105
• It strengthens our faith — Romans 10:17
• It equips us for spiritual warfare — Ephesians 6:17

How to Study the Bible

Effective Bible study involves more than casual reading. Consider these methods:

• Observation — What does the text say?
• Interpretation — What does the text mean?
• Application — How does it apply to my life?

Approach Scripture with a humble heart, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate its truths to you.

Living by Faith

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Faith is the foundation of our relationship with God.

The Nature of Faith

Faith is not blind belief — it is trust rooted in the character and promises of God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Growing in Faith

• Through the Word — Romans 10:17: "Faith comes from hearing the message"
• Through prayer — Communicating with God builds trust
• Through trials — James 1:2-4: Testing produces perseverance
• Through obedience — Acting on what God says strengthens faith

Trusting God in Difficult Times

Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

The Body of Christ

The church is not a building — it is the people of God gathered together in the name of Jesus. Hebrews 10:25 urges us, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another."

Why the Church Matters

• Worship — Corporate worship draws us into God's presence
• Teaching — We grow through sound biblical instruction
• Fellowship — We encourage and support one another
• Service — We use our gifts to build up the body
• Mission — Together we reach the world with the Gospel

Being an Active Member

1 Corinthians 12:27 says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." Every member has a role to play. God has uniquely gifted and positioned you within His church for a purpose.

The Value of Fellowship

Christian fellowship goes beyond socialising. It is sharing life together — bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), praying for each other (James 5:16), and spurring one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

Becoming Like Christ

As Christians, we are called to reflect the character of Jesus in every area of our lives. Romans 8:29 tells us that God predestined us "to be conformed to the image of his Son."

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 lists the qualities that the Holy Spirit produces in us:

• Love, Joy, Peace
• Patience, Kindness, Goodness
• Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control

Practical Christian Conduct

• Integrity — Being honest and consistent in word and deed
• Humility — Putting others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3)
• Forgiveness — Forgiving as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13)
• Purity — Guarding our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:8)
• Love — The defining mark of a Christian (John 13:35)

Our conduct should be a testimony that points others to Christ.

A Life of Worship

Worship is more than singing — it is a lifestyle of honouring God in everything we do. Romans 12:1 calls us to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship."

What is Worship?

Worship is our response to who God is and what He has done. It is acknowledging His worth, His majesty, and His love. John 4:24 teaches that "God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."

Expressions of Praise

• Singing — Psalm 100:2: "Come before him with joyful songs"
• Lifting hands — Psalm 134:2
• Clapping — Psalm 47:1
• Dancing — Psalm 149:3
• Silence and meditation — Psalm 46:10
• Giving — An act of worship (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Cultivating Daily Worship

Worship should not be confined to Sunday services. Make it a daily practice — play worship music, meditate on Scripture, give thanks throughout the day, and live with an awareness of God's presence.

Gifts for the Body

Every believer has been given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the church. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

Categories of Spiritual Gifts

Motivational Gifts (Romans 12:6-8):

• Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy

Ministry Gifts (Ephesians 4:11):

• Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

Manifestation Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10):

• Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues

Discovering Your Gifts

• Pray and ask God to reveal your gifts
• Serve in different areas and see where you are most effective
• Seek feedback from mature believers
• Study Scripture on spiritual gifts

Remember: gifts are given to serve others, not to promote ourselves.

The Great Commission

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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."

Why Evangelism Matters

Every person needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Romans 10:14 asks, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?" We are God's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Overcoming Fear

• Remember that the Holy Spirit empowers you (Acts 1:8)
• You are sharing truth, not debating — let God handle the results
• Your personal testimony is powerful (Revelation 12:11)
• Start with people who already know and trust you

Practical Outreach

• Build genuine relationships with non-believers
• Invite people to church events and services
• Share your testimony openly when opportunities arise
• Serve your community through acts of love and kindness
• Use social media to share encouraging and faith-based content