Believe it or not, the term discipleship is never used in the Bible. Jesus calls His disciples and teaches them how to teach others and spread the Gospel. Ted Doering, in his new book Walking Together: Simple Steps for Discipleship, discusses the importance of creating a community where believers can walk together in their discipleship journey. Jesus did not call His disciples to work alone. He created a community that could support and learn from one another. Doering includes a section at the end of each chapter dedicated to discipleship community. He encourages readers to use this section with small groups and to support one another in their personal journeys.
“Discipleship is a lifelong pursuit,” says Doering. “You may encounter this book at the start of that journey, or you may find it after many years of being a Christian. Either way, there is encouragement here for you.” Doering has been working through this book and his own discipleship journey with a group of believers at his home church. He says, “Discipleship should not happen alone. Working in a group brings the gift of the Body of Christ into the equation.”
For more information on Walking Together: Simple Steps for Discipleship or to order the book, please visit cph.org, or contact Nora Rudzinski, Public Relations, by phone at 314-268-1291 or email at nora.rudzinski@cph.org.
Praise for Walking Together
Scripturally saturated and super practical, Walking Together will lead readers to a richer understanding of authentic discipleship. Doering leads us to see that at its core, discipleship is fueled by the Gospel, rooted in Word and worship, and best lived out in community. You’ll love the questions at the end of each chapter, that makes this a very group-friendly book. If you’ve been looking for a resource that helps you better follow Jesus, this is the road map for you!
Rev. Brian Davies, Lord of Glory Lutheran Church, author of Connected to Christ: Overcoming Isolation through Community
Ted Doering invites the reader into a personal journey of discipleship by sharing his story and, more important, the story of the Gospel. By weaving together personal narrative, the truths of Scripture, and practical ideas for discipleship, Pastor Doering challenges readers to think how they will live their lives to love God and their neighbor. Get ready to go on an adventurous journey that will make a difference in your life and the lives of others.
Don Christian, president, Concordia University Texas
Profound but simple. Supernatural but ordinary. Eternal but everyday. This is the beautiful mystery revealed in Walking Together. Ted Doering shows that being a disciple who makes disciples is not a chore or achievement but a gift of God, lived in real time, propelled by His living Word. For anxious and isolated people, Doering opens up the biblical way of life that builds hearts, binds souls together, and blesses a lost world with God’s life-transforming love.
Rev. Michael W. Newman, author of Hope When Your Heart Breaks and Getting Through Grief: Eight Biblical Gifts for Living with Loss
Through storytelling and Scripture, Walking Together presents a refreshing look at the beauty and importance of discipleship. Ted Doering guides us to see the hope of the Gospel while encouraging us to live out the way of Jesus in community with others. After all, we were never meant to do this alone, but we were created to walk through this life together.
Tanner Olson, author, poet, speaker, and founder of Writtentospeak.com
The mark of a good teacher is the ability to take a complex topic and make it understandable for the everyday person. With humor and relatable stories, Ted takes the intimidating topic of discipleship and makes accessible the process of trusting Jesus’ promises and following Him. Walking Together marries deep theological truths with practical next steps. It’s a great read for all who want to grow in their journey with Jesus and invite others along!
Mark T. Pulliam, pastor and church planter, Lazarus Church
“Go and make disciples” is a simple, yet intimidating, command. Where do we begin? In Walking Together, Ted invites readers to take one small step and then another as he takes discipleship from concept to action. If you treat this less like a textbook and more like a workbook, you will most certainly be changed by the time you reach the last page. Furthermore, if you follow his instruction to read the book with others, you will be living out the very lessons it holds. So find a few friends and, as the title suggests, walk together.
Laura Pulliam, DCE and church planter, Lazarus Church
In a time when discipleship has been promoted as a Law-based, individual endeavor, Walking Together provides a refreshing, biblical approach to discipleship as a journey we take together as the Body of Christ. Relying on Scripture and our Lutheran confession of the faith, Ted Doering offers an
encouraging, practical pathway for disciples. It is insightful, helpful, and at times, challenging resource for any believer wanting to grow in discipleship.
Rev. Dr. Mark A. Wood is director of LCMS witness and outreach ministry and the LCMS revitalization initiative
About the Author
Ted Doering is an author, pastor, and church planter in Central Texas. Through woodworking and home improvement projects, he has discovered that if you are willing to be bad at something, you might just become good at it. He is blessed by parents and mentors who have walked alongside him in discipling relationships and have taught him many of the lessons written down in this book. Married to Chelsey, he enjoys spending his time with her around good friends, baseball, and the outdoors.
