Discipleship and Behavioral Skills Training

            During Jesus’ ministry on earth, he used all of the methods of behavioral skills training procedures with the 12 disciples.  Miltenberger (2012) tells us the four behavioral skills training methods of modeling, instructions, rehearsal and feedback are used together to train others.  This can be clearly seen in the Gospels, which are a description of Jesus’ ministry.  He used modeling by setting the perfect example for the behavior God expects from his followers.  He showed compassion and caring for others and provided examples for us to follow.  One of the greatest examples for instructions is I believe, the instructions Jesus gave to the disciples on how to pray.  In Matthew 6:5-6, Jesus tells the disciples to not be like a hypocrite who wants others to see them, but to pray to our Father in secret, who sees what is done in secret.  He then gives us specific instruction on what to pray for; praising the Father, asking for His will to be done, asking for forgiveness, and asking for strength and courage (Matthew 6:9-13).

            Jesus’s strategy for developing the disciples was to ensure the message of Christ would endure forever (Hull, 1997).  Rehearsal and feedback took place throughout the ministry of the disciples after Christ’s death and resurrection.  The disciples were commanded to go into all the nations and preach the word of God and they were monitored and provided feedback in the form of the Holy Spirit.  Just as with the ministry of the disciples, we have been given instructions through the scriptures on how we should live a Christ like life and spread the message of the Gospel.

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References

Hull, B. (1997). New century disciplemaking: Applying Jesus' ideas for the future. Grand Rapids, Mich: F.H. Revell.

Miltenberger, R. G. (2012). Behavior modification: Principles and procedures (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.