FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ROCKAWAY · 2019. 10. 26. · GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER SMALL GROUP MINISTRY 2014/2015 CURRICULUM ENGAGE: DISCIPLESHIP . 2 ... 14 Fellowship Inventory

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ROCKAWAY

GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER

SMALL GROUP MINISTRY

2014/2015 CURRICULUM

ENGAGE: DISCIPLESHIP

2

Table of Contents

Page Title

3 A Word to the Shepherds

4 Session 1 – Part 1 Discipleship is Continuing Christ’s Ministry

7 Serving Inventory


10 Acts of the Disciples

11 Worship Inventory


14 Fellowship Inventory


18 Learning Inventory

19 Session 2 – Part 1 Discipleship Directions

22 Directions for Christ’s Disciples



27 Session 3 – Part 1 UP (Cultivating Our Relationship with God)

30 Session 3 – Part 2 UP (Cultivating Our Relationship with God)

34-35 Spiritual Disciplines

INSERT Lectio Divina Guide

36 Session 4 – Part 1 IN (Growing in the Body of Christ)

40 Session 4 – Part 2 IN (Growing in the Body of Christ)

44 Session 5 – Part 1 OUT (Following Christ into Mission)

48 Session 5 – Part 2 OUT (Following Christ into Mission)

52 Session 6 – Part 1 Continuing Christ’s Ministry Today

56 A Blessing Strategy

57 Session 6 – Part 2 Continuing Christ’s Ministry Today

60 Building Blocks of Discipleship

62 Session 7 – Part 1 Being Christ’s Disciple Today/A Discipleship Plan

65 Session 7 – Part 2 Being Christ’s Disciple Today/A Discipleship Plan

69 The Ministry of Members

70 The Last Meeting of the Year/Pass it On

72 Pass It On

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A WORD TO THE SHEPHERDS

Welcome to part two of the Engage curriculum! We’ve all come a long way

in the past year as we completed Engage: Gospel together. How exciting it

was to watch the spiritual growth and maturity of our group members as they

shared their personal experiences with God and wrote their faith stories.

None of this would have been possible without the love, time and

commitment of our Shepherds and we thank you!

Part two of this curriculum is entitled Engage: Discipleship. Now that we

have begun to explore what we believe and how to speak about it, what does it

mean to live as a disciple of Christ? How does this impact our everyday

lives? What are we supposed to be doing? These questions and more will be

the focus in the next year.

We will be staying with the same format as Engage: Gospel. This year,

instead of having a Practice at the end of each lesson, we will be having a

Prayer Request at the end of each lesson with a follow up at the next lesson.

We would also like everyone to keep a prayer journal during this study. The

first Session will explain why this is important and the different ways it can be

done. Among the options will be a traditional journal with paper that requires

a pen. A second option will be to use an online prayer journal that we have

created exclusively for our GIFT ministry. Prayers can be shared with a group

or with individuals who are using the app.

Our hope is that the continuation of the Engage series will build on the

excitement and momentum of last year as we explore together what it truly

means to be one of Christ’s disciples and live in a community of faith.

In faith and love,

Sue

Diane

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SESSION 1 – Part 1

DISCIPLESHIP IS CONTINUING

CHRIST’S MINISTRY

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of Serving Inventory

Question: What was the most important thing you learned from last year’s

study? (Note to Shepherds: Please make a note of these comments)

This year’s study is called Engage: Discipleship and builds on last year’s

lessons. Engage: Discipleship is intended to call, train, inspire and support

disciples of Jesus Christ. This year’s lessons are intended to revive our call to

serve as Christ’s disciples, to strengthen our abilities to witness to him, to

enhance the ways we call others to discipleship and simply to enjoy life

together as the Body of Christ.

Read Aloud: Acts 1:1-11 The Ascension of Jesus

In departing from his disciples—the ones he had called, trained, equipped and

prayed for—Jesus leaves them with work to do. They are to continue his

earthly ministry. They are to be his witnesses everywhere. Imagine the

responses of those who had once been close companions of Jesus but now are

left on their own. Yet far from being alone, they are promised power and

guidance through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus ascended to heaven after “giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to

the apostles” (Acts 1:2). Jesus had devoted his entire ministry to giving

instructions to the disciples who gathered around him, especially the Twelve

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he called. By observing, learning, listening, paying attention and working

alongside him, they came to know the heart of Jesus. They were equipped to

continue his ministry: “You will be my witnesses: (1:8). The news of Jesus’

resurrection: the good news of life in the kingdom of God, the forgiveness of

sin and God’s redeeming love and the invitation to live life in ways that

reconcile and restore.

What does the word “disciple” mean?

When you think of a disciple of Christ, who do you think of? What did that

person do that made you think they were a disciple of Christ?

The Greek word mathetes is the word that Scripture uses for “disciple,” and it

means “learner-follower.” A disciple learns to follow and learns by following;

Jesus’ disciples learn to follow Jesus and learn by following Jesus. And what

do they learn? Disciples or apprentices of Jesus, learn to live a life informed

and empowered by the life of Christ so that they may be equipped to continue

his ministry.

Have you ever considered yourself to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Why or

why not? Does the above definition fit with what you believed discipleship to

be?

Discipleship is all about living a life connected to God through Christ and to

all of God’s children. It is the life Jesus lived, a life connected by the love of

God. We want to live this same kind of life because Jesus’ deep love for us

causes us to love and desire him above all else. The key to discipleship is

remaining connected to the one who loves us.

In what ways do you stay connected to God? In what ways do you stay

connected to God’s children?

How do you feel about “living the life Jesus lived?” Does that seem

overwhelming or do you see yourself as already doing it? What does that kind

of life look like?

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It is beneficial at the beginning of Engage: Discipleship to complete a simple

inventory. Significant change often happens after we take stock of our lives

and determine to do something about them. Using the four essentials of

worship, fellowship, learning and serving, we will complete a disciple-making

inventory. This week we will concentrate on serving.

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of the Serving Inventory. Give members

time to fill them out and then discuss as a group.

Prayer is an important tool (and spiritual discipline) for keeping connected to

God and one another. For this year’s study, we would like everyone to keep a

Prayer Journal. Keeping a journal is a great way to slow yourself down and

really think about what you are praying and why. (talk about online

journaling and handwritten journaling here).

At the end of each lesson we will have a Prayer Request that you will be asked

to pray for once a day before the next lesson. This is also a great way to keep

ourselves accountable to one another. There will be a brief check-in at the

beginning of each lesson so we can share what we’ve learned and support

each other, if some of us find this to be a challenge.

Prayer Request: Pray for each member of your group individually by name.

Concentrate on areas of their life where you know they need to feel God’s

love and support.

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SERVING INVENTORY

In what ways are you using your gifts in serving through the ministry of our

church?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

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Is there a current ministry or new ministry in which you would like to serve?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

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Where is God calling you to serve? What is a gift you offer in serving?

_______________________________________________________________

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CHRIST’S MINISTRY

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of Acts of the Disciples

Copies of Worship Inventory

Check In: Did you use your Prayer Journal over the past two weeks? How

did you feel praying for each member of your group? How did you feel

knowing that you were being prayed for?

To be a disciple is to follow Christ and learn his ways in order to continue his

ministry. Jesus calls, teaches, blesses and sends disciples to continue his

redeeming and reconciling work. Discipleship is all about living life in Christ.

Read Aloud: 2 Timothy 1:8-10 God’s Salvation in Christ

In 2 Timothy we hear the Apostle Paul writing to his dear friend and fellow

evangelizer, Timothy. In these short verses, Paul is encouraging Timothy to

keep proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ and not to be ashamed to do

it! Paul is also reminding Timothy of the gift of God’s grace.

Do you ever feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about your faith? In what

settings is it hardest to do this?

What were some of the descriptions of a disciple that you remember from our

last session? When you think of yourself as one of Christ’s disciples, what do

you see yourself doing?

Being a disciple is not a sedentary assignment. Christ has given us

responsibilities and work that needs to be done to continue his ministry. Let’s

explore some of the works of the twelve disciples.

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Note to Leader: Hand out a copy of the sheet Acts of the Disciples to each

member of your group.

As a group, look at each action listed. Discuss how the word helps define

what it means to be a disciple of Christ and how they see disciples doing these

things today.

Look at the completed list and discuss whether every disciple must do all of

these things - and if not, which ones get a pass and which are essential?

Throughout this study our challenge is to learn and practice actions of those

called to continue Christ’s ministry.

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of the Worship Inventory. Give members


Prayer Request: Pray for Mitch and Sue, the Worship Committee and all

those who lead us in worship.

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ACTS OF THE DISCIPLES

BAPTIZE—

SERVE—

PROCLAIM—

LEARN—

TEACH—

MAKE DISCIPLES—

LOVE—

BLESS—

PRAY—

WORSHIP—

SHARE—

OBEY—

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WORSHIP INVENTORY

In what ways is worship challenging and equipping you for discipleship?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

How do you engage in prayer, both personally and with the community?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

What are your expectations and hopes for your prayer and devotional life?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

What spiritual disciplines do you practice that help draw you closer to God,

and are you contemplating others? (Examples: Prayer, worship, fellowship,

Bible Study, singing, devotional reading, service, tithing, fasting, etc.)

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

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CHRIST’S MINISTRY

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of Fellowship Inventory

Check In: Have you ever prayed for pastors of our church before? If not,

what was it like? Do you think that praying for those who lead us in worship

will make worship a different experience for you?

Read Aloud: Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission

These four verses finish the book of Matthew. Known as the “Great

Commission” they are Jesus’ final words to his disciples. Here we see Jesus

giving his disciples their “marching orders.” These are instructions to the

disciples of how they are to continue Christ’s ministry.

The instructions of Jesus found in the Gospels provide the heart of the

disciples’ witness. Many of these instructions you may already know: how

we are to love God and love our neighbor; how we are to pray, offer our

worship and serve others. Some of Jesus’ teachings are easy to grasp; others

are more difficult to understand. All of his instructions are intended to train

his disciples to live their lives in the same manner as Jesus lived his life.

Think of the different teachings of Jesus. Which teachings are easy to grasp?

Which ones are more difficult?

Jesus’ instructions from the Gospels live on through the written faith stories

shared by Christ’s disciples through the ages. These faith stories will continue

in what we share as disciples of Christ at this particular time and place among

these particular people.

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Discipleship is about growing and maintaining a relationship with God. The

Jewish people of Jesus’ day had developed a way of knowing God. Their

elementary school experience involved memorizing the first five books of the

Bible. That’s right: they memorized Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,

and Deuteronomy! Middle school involved memorizing much of the rest of

what we know as the Old Testament. Then, the best and the brightest would

apply to learn from a rabbi. If the rabbi believed the student could live and

share his life, that is, take on his yoke, then the rabbi would invite the student

to follow and learn from him. A student not yoked to a rabbi would learn the

family business.

Do you feel like you have been yoked (mentored) by someone on your faith

journey? Who is that person and how have they helped you mature in your

faith?

Where did Jesus find his disciples? They were already at work in the family

business. They were not the best of the best! But Jesus invited them to take

on his yoke (Matthew 11:28) because he believed they could live his life and

share his ministry. Jesus believes that we can live his life! Jesus believes that

we can serve others and share our faith in ways that change our communities

and world. God gives us a community of faith in which we can grow up to

live Jesus’ life and continue his ministry.

Do you believe that you need to be “the best of the best” in order to be a

follower of Christ? Discuss the lives of some of the 12 disciples and Paul and

their backgrounds before Jesus called them to be followers. Far from being

the cream of the crop, they were willing “learners” who believed in Christ’s

message, even though they didn’t entirely understand it!

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of the Fellowship Inventory. Give

members time to fill them out and then discuss as a group. (Please take note of

answers to the last question and send them to Sue)

Prayer Request: Pray for those who organize fellowship activities in our

church (Fellowship Time, church picnic, Christmas dinner, pot lucks, etc.).

Pray that our church family will make more time to spend in fellowship with

one another.

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FELLOWSHIP INVENTORY

In what ways are you involved in supporting and enjoying the church’s

fellowship?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Who are the people and groups with whom you would like to deepen your

friendships in the future?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Where in the church do you receive support, encouragement and guidance for

your discipleship?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Do you have specific ideas about building and strengthening community with

the church?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

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CHRIST’S MINISTRY

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of Learning Inventory

Check In: What did you learn from praying for those who help to organize

Fellowship activities in our church? Name an activity that you particularly

enjoy participating in and one that you have never participated in but would

like to try.

Read Aloud: Acts 2:42-47 Life Together In Christ

The Book of Acts tells the story of how believers in Jesus Christ came

together to form the early church after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Here we

see how they behaved as a community of believers. We see how they acted

toward one another, how they worshipped, how they studied and how they

served God. They were truly Christ’s disciples.

The experiences of the earliest Christians provide a description of the

essentials needed to grow as disciples of Jesus.

From Scripture we discover the essentials of a disciple-making community:

prayer, Bible Study, community, breaking bread together, worship and sharing

all things in common. This Holy Spirit-inspired community leads us more

fully into God’s love and helps us recognize what God is doing to transform

our lives. Through this community, we live into our purpose by living Jesus’

life. Dallas Willard writes, “the ‘Christ focus’ is sustained and developed by

shaping our lives, with his help, around definite and time-proven practices that

enable us to be kingdom people: to live in the presence and to obey his

teachings from the inside out.”

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Discipleship is learning to live the rabbi’s life!

When we examine the life of our church, in what ways are we helping people

to engage Scripture and apply it to their lives?

How is prayer practiced as an essential way of connecting with God?

How is our community accountable to one another in this new way of life?

In what ways are we reaching out to our community with Christ’s love?

By practicing the key essentials of worship, fellowship, learning and serving,

communities of faith produce people who live together the life of Jesus. The

following question or one similar to it, is asked of new disciples when they

unite with the church as members:

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his Word and showing his

love, to your life’s end? I will, with God’s help.

It is the question once asked of you. What do you remember about your life at

the time you responded “yes” to that question?

Who was there to support you, pray for you and partner with you in the

gospel?

As you reflect on the time from that enthusiastic “yes” until now, it is

beneficial to assess how you have sought to keep your promises.

In what ways have you been “Christ’s faithful disciple?”

At what times have you been aware of “obeying his Word and showing his

love?”

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of the Learning Inventory. Give members


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As we move forward in Engage: Discipleship, lets reconfirm our pledge to

being disciples of Christ by, again, answering the question from the Book of

Common Worship:

Leader: Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his Word and showing

his love, to your life’s end?

All: I will, with God’s help.

Prayer Request: This week in your prayers, remember with thanksgiving all

those who have supported you in faith and encouraged you in discipleship.

Open your heart and pray that God will do a new thing through you. Offer

prayers of gratitude for our congregation. Pray that God will do a new and

wonderful thing through all of us!

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LEARNING INVENTORY

In what ways are you rooting your life in Bible Study and other Christian

education offerings?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

What are the educational settings where you are growing in faith and

understanding?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Are there some significant insights you have come to learn about yourself and

your call to discipleship?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Are you sensing a particular inward or outward calling that is leading you to

discover more?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

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DISCIPLESHIP DIRECTIONS

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of Directions for Christ’s Disciples

Check In: As you prayed for God to do a new thing in you and our

congregation, what do you think that new thing might be? For you? For our

church?

Read Aloud: Matthew 22:37-39 The Great Commandment

In this scripture we see Jesus answering a question from a Pharisee (Jewish

leader). This Pharisee asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest

commandment in the Law?” Here he is referring to Jewish law. Jesus

realized that this was a trap. If he picked any one of the Jewish laws, the

Pharisees would present him with a law that he hadn’t picked that they felt

was equally or even more important. Instead of picking one particular law,

Jesus chose to explain what should be at the heart of ALL law which is love.

Love of God, love of self and love of neighbor.

As we discuss being disciples of Christ, is love part of the equation?

Have you ever tried to put a bookcase together out of the box or assemble a

bicycle from parts? If so, you know that the directions can be difficult to

follow. Often, they are written in a technical language all their own.

Thankfully, the directions to follow as a disciple of Christ are not technical in

format and they certainly provide many more rewards once followed. The

directions are pretty basic—love God and love your neighbor. The directions

not only lead the way but are also the practical steps on the way.

How well do you follow directions? What are some daily directions that

come to mind? What are the most critical directions you observe?

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Do you think it would make a difference if today’s scripture passage was

known as “The Great Directions?”

Jesus lived his life in three directions—up, in and out. Jesus was in constant

relationship with God, his father (up). Jesus spent time with his disciples and

friends preparing them to proclaim and display the kingdom of God (in).

Jesus led them to give to, love, serve and heal others while also sharing with

them his teachings (out). The disciples were empowered (up), encouraged

(in) and guided (out) by the Holy Spirit. As we seek to be Jesus’ disciples—to

learn, follow and imitate him—we will be strengthened and sustained by

following these three directions in our own lives.

In this lesson, let’s introduce the concept of UP (being in relationship with

God). An upward direction leads each of us to know and love God and live a

life in response to God’s love.

Some of Jesus’ commands seek to lead us into a meaningful relationship with

God.

Note to Leader: Have members look up the following scripture together and

encourage them to read scripture aloud: Matthew 6:33, Matthew 7:7,

Mark 12:30 and Matthew 6:6.

What do these verses say about God’s relationship with his people?

Note to Leader: Have each member of your group identify a particular

challenge they personally face as they seek to be a faithful disciple of Christ.

How is the challenge affecting your discipleship?

What help in dealing with the challenge do you find in the directions of up, in

and out?

What prayers for discernment do you offer?

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of Directions for Christ’s Disciples. This

list will be used for the next three sessions in the Prayer Request.

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Prayer Request: Pray for discernment for the above challenge. Also, select

one phrase from the Directions for Christ’s Disciples (Romans 12:9-19) that

provides guidance for you personally as you look to build your relationship

with God. Pray about it daily.

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DIRECTIONS FOR CHRIST’S DISCIPLES

(Romans 12:9-21)

1. Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.

2. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good

3. Be a good friend who loves deeply

4. Practice playing second fiddle

5. Don’t burn out; keep yourself fueled and aflame

6. Be an alert servant of the Master, cheerfully expectant

7. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder

8. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality

9. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath

10. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when

they’re down

11. Get along with one another; don’t be stuck up

12. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody

13. Don’t hit back

14. Discover beauty in everyone

15. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody

16. Don’t insist on getting even, that’s not for you to do

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Supplies:

Bibles

Check In: What phrase did you pick to pray about from the Directions for

Christ’s Disciples? What insight have you gained during the last two weeks?

Read Aloud: Acts 18:24-27 Followers of the Way

Here in the book of Acts we see a great example of early disciples who helped

one another. Although Apollos preached with much fervor about Jesus he

only seemed to know about Jesus’ baptism. Upon hearing this, Priscilla and

Aquila could have berated him for his ignorance. Instead, they offered him

hospitality by inviting him to their home and explaining the rest of the story of

Jesus’ life. Because of their support and kindness, Apollos was able to take

that knowledge on to another church and help that community of believers.

Before Jesus disciples were given the name Christians, they were known as

followers of “the Way.” Just imagine you were called a “follower of the

Way.” In what ways could it make a difference in how you understand

discipleship?

In this lesson, we’ll introduce the concept of IN (being in relationship with a

community of believers). An inward direction points each of us to a life of

authentic community with one another.

Some of Jesus’ commands seek to lead us into the joy of living in Christian

community (in):


encourage them to read scripture aloud: John 15:12, Mark 9:50b,

Matthew 5:24, John 13:14.

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What is Jesus telling us about our relationship with members of our church

community? What responsibility do you have as a member of our church

community?

For many in the church the focus may not be so much on up, in and out as it is

on “down.” Membership is down; participation is down; giving is down;

enthusiasm may be down; and so on. Perhaps you share the same point-of-

view. For that reason, Paul’s directions to Christ’s disciples in Rome are

words that are custom-made for us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but

be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discuss what

is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

Could it be that in these words and the guidance that follows, Paul was

responding to a church looking down more than up, in and out?

Have you ever heard someone say, “Here’s a wonderful opportunity disguised

as a big problem?” Our perception changes when we look at something in a

different way, especially at times when we are stuck in facing a challenge or

solving a problem. Use the following prompts as a way for your church to get

unstuck.

As a group, identify one challenge that our church currently faces.

--What is the particular challenge?

--How is the challenge affecting your community of faith?

--What help in dealing with the challenge do you find in the directions of up,

in and out?

--What prayers for discernment do you offer?

Prayer Request: Pray for discernment on the challenge to our church that

was identified in this lesson. Also, pick a phrase from The Directions for

Christ’s Disciples that provides guidance for our church and pray on it daily.

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Supplies:

Bibles

Check In: What phrase did you pick to pray about from the Directions for

Christ’s Disciples? What insight have you gained during the last two weeks?

Read Aloud: John 20:19-22 The Breath of the Holy Spirit

In the book of John, Jesus’ power-filled words following his resurrection hold

a key to understanding discipleship and ultimately the mission of the church to

“go and make disciples”

An outward direction guides each of us to servant-based ministry by

continuing Christ’s redemptive ministry among our neighbors and to the

world. Some of Jesus’ commands encourage us to witness to Jesus and

represent the kingdom of God (out):


encourage them to read scripture aloud: Matthew 5:16, Matthew 10:7, Luke

6:27-28, Matthew 25:40.

Based on these scriptures, what are some important things for us to remember

as we reach OUT?

We may see in our churches that greater importance is placed on only one or

two of the directions (up, in, out). Some churches do well in cultivating their

relationship with God through personal spiritual practices, Bible studies and

maybe even Greek and Hebrew classes but they may struggle with being a

kind and welcoming community. Some churches focus on providing

programs of service to the community or are committed to reaching those

outside of church but they place little focus on cultivating their relationship

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with the God who sends them out. Other churches may see themselves as a

tightly knit community always there to meet one another’s needs but neglect

looking beyond themselves to make disciples, serve their communities and

risk themselves for those who are hurting, lonely, lost and broken.

Thinking about up, in and out, where do you see our church’s strength?

Challenges?

How do we keep the three directions of discipleship—up, in and out—in

balance? Consider the interplay of the three directions within a story from the

early church. Read Acts 6:1-7 to explore a turning point in the church’s

ministry.

The church was expanding rapidly and was experiencing challenges to its

common life, particularly the care of some members with specific needs.

From a small beginning they had grown in a “whole company of the

disciples” (Acts 6:3), people gifted with faith, committed to ministry and led

by the Holy Spirit. Although it is not explicitly stated in the story, the three

directions of discipleship were crucial to their life together.

--Where is the upward direction to be seen?

--In what ways does their inward directions guide the way they solve the

problem?

--How is the outward direction at the core of their problem and its resolution?

It was a turning point for the church when, inspired by the Spirit, they created

a servant ministry, traditionally known as “deacons.” Waiting on tables was

accepted as a significant calling by the seven disciples who were chosen for

that ministry.

What does this story have to say to those communities of faith that wish to be

faithful disciples of Christ today?

Prayer Request: Pray that members of our community will be open to the

transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Pray for more forgiveness of the past,

more love for those on the fringes, more sensitivity to the needs of your

neighbors and more joy in expressing Christ’s call to discipleship.

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UP

(CULTIVATING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD)

Supplies:

Bibles

Video Rhythm

Check In: What was it like to pray for our church community?

Prayer is the most essential practice for a disciple of Christ. Jesus prayed to

his Father in heaven and taught his disciples to pray. Prayer and other

spiritual disciplines help us follow Jesus’ directions and train us in the way of

Christ.

Note to Leader: Light your Christ Candle (if it’s not already lit) and read

1 Timothy 2:1-4 to the group. Invite the group to focus on the candle’s flame.

Ask them to think of how they normally address God in prayer: Almighty

God, Lord, Jesus, Father, Mother, etc. Invite them to imagine God standing

before them, asking, “How can I support you?” Encourage them to let the

thing they desire from God come from deep within. Invite them to combine

their desire with their name for God in a single short sentence that flows easily

with breathing. Explain that they may need to try this in a few different ways

before they find the best one. Have them sit quietly and repeat the phrase in

their mind. As they repeat the phrase, invite them to breathe in during the first

half of the phrase and breathe out during the second half of the phrase. Have

them do this for about three minutes. After the prayer, ask: What three words

would you use to describe your experience during this prayer exercise? How

could you work this way of petitioning God into your daily schedule?

Read Aloud: Mark 1:29-39 Jesus’ Prayer in a Deserted Place

We come to know God by following Jesus. Jesus was committed to regular

spiritual disciplines. For example, we know that Jesus was a person of prayer;

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he prayed constantly. Jesus’ relationship with God the Father was central to

his life and ministry. This story at the beginning of Mark’s Gospel illustrates

the importance of prayer for Jesus and his relationship with his heavenly

father.

What specifically do you think Jesus prayed for?

The story begins when Jesus enters the house of Simon and Andrew and heals

Simon’s mother-in-law. Then we read that the “whole city” gathered in front

of the house and people brought loved ones for healing. Jesus heals and

performs many miracles; he is gaining quite a following! Then we read, “in

the morning while it was still very dark, he (Jesus) got up and went to a

deserted (solitary) place and there he prayed” (v. 35). The disciples went

looking for him and they chided him because the whole town was looking for

Jesus. They thought Jesus was making a strategic blunder; he had the whole

town in his hands, literally. Jesus was popular, he was needed and he was

important; they didn’t want him to mess up a good thing. But in spending

time in prayer Jesus received clarity for the day, for the mission. Their

mission was to go to other towns to proclaim the message there, too, which

was, “The time is fulfilled. And the kingdom of God has come near; repent

and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15).

Do you take time to pray in a “solitary place?” What does your prayer life

look like?

Why did Jesus go to a solitary place to pray? There are two appealing

reasons. First, maybe he was weary after all; spending all night healing

people and casting out demons was exhausting work. Perhaps he needed a

time to be recharged, strengthened and affirmed by his heavenly Father.

Maybe he needed to refocus on the mission and not give in to the temptation

of all the popularity and attention.

But there was another reason. Praying was a spiritual habit for Jesus—a

regular spiritual discipline. Jesus went out in the early morning to pray

because it was a regular spiritual rhythm. In our call to be disciples of Christ,

we will want to pay attention to the choices that Jesus makes, the spiritual

disciplines he practices and the rhythm of his life. Dallas Willard makes the

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point when he writes, “We can become like Christ by doing one thing—by

following him in the overall style of life he chose…by practicing the types of

activities he himself practiced in order to remain constantly at home in the

fellowship of his Father.”

Have you been praying every day with your group online? If not, what is

holding you back? What needs to happen for you to make this a priority?

As we read the Gospels, it is apparent that Jesus’ life expressed a spiritual

rhythm as he engaged in critical practices throughout his daily routine.

Focusing on the “up” of discipleship directs us to grow in knowing God,

loving God and experiencing God’s love for us and the world.

Note to Leader: Play the video Rhythm. It is 11 minutes long.

What is your reaction to the video?

Discuss Rob Bell’s insights with the following quotes from the video:

When you think about God, when you hear the word “God,” what images

come to mind?

God is beyond anything our minds can comprehend. What is it like to have a

personal relationship with this kind of God?

The song is playing all around us all the time. The song is playing

everywhere. It’s written on our hearts and everybody is playing the

song…The question is whether you are in tune.

What does it mean to be “in tune?”

Prayer Request: Pay close attention over the next two weeks to the times

you are led, even nudged, to pray, whether in short exclamations of prayer or

the longer silent times when words are not enough to express what’s on your

heart. Express the deepest longings of your heart as if you are speaking to

your dearest friend. Remember this learning community and pray for the

expansive community of disciples.

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UP

(CULTIVATING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD)

Supplies:

Bibles

Spiritual Disciplines List

Check In: When did you feel led to pray? How did you hear God’s voice?

In the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession of Faith, we affirm

the following:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

We are to glorify and enjoy! But who is this God we are to glorify and enjoy?

What does it mean to know God?

How do you enjoy God? How do you glorify God?

David Loleng reflects: “As I have thought about many Christian believers,

especially from our particular faith tradition, we pride ourselves as being well

educated and sometimes favor the cerebral part of faith. Many of us know a

lot about God but I wonder how many of us really ‘know’ God. I was struck

with this thought many years ago while attending a gathering of C.S. Lewis

enthusiasts, better classified as fanatics, while living in Southern California. I

place high regard on C.S. Lewis and his Oxford circle known as the Inklings

(J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Hugo Dyson and others). C.S. Lewis’s

book played a central role in my journey to faith in Christ. I have read most

of Lewis’s writings, studied about him in England and had tea at his former

home The Kilns and I have collected first editions as well as autographed

letters and signed books. I know a lot about C.S. Lewis and I’m a devoted

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fan. During this meeting, I met a gentleman from England and started a

conversation about Lewis and could not resist boasting about all the Lewis

paraphernalia that I owned. At one point in the conversation as I was catching

my breath, he turned to me and complimented me, so it seemed, about all my

knowledge about C.S. Lewis and the collectibles I had amassed. He then said,

‘But I knew Jack (Lewis’s nickname); he was a friend of mine.’ At that point,

I shrank and understood the difference between my relationship with Lewis

and this man’s. I knew a lot about Lewis but this was his friend. He knew the

contours of Lewis’s face the intonation of his voice. He knew Lewis’s

thoughts that weren’t printed in books. He knew Lewis’s character and

emotions. He really knew Jack. So the question made me think:

Do you really ‘know’ God or have you been satisfied with knowing about

God?”

Read Aloud: Acts 4:23-31 A Prayer of Thanksgiving

In a critical challenge to the ministry of the early disciples, Peter and John

were arrested and placed in custody for preaching about the resurrection of

Jesus. Their proclamation of Christ threatened the power and influence of the

religious authorities.

In this brief story we witness the up, in and out directions of their discipleship,

the spiritual practices that truly set them free. They prayed to God in

thanksgiving; they joined with the larger community of disciples; and their

primary concern was their freedom to share the good news of Jesus Christ

with those outside the church. Notice that the story is told as a prayer. The

community is focused upward with the assurance that this challenge will be

met by the power of God. Pay attention to what they pray for: “(Help) your

servants to speak your word with all boldness while you stretch out your hand

to heal and signs and wonders are performed through…Jesus” (vv. 29-30)

In many ways, this prayer became the template for all the challenges faced by

the disciples throughout the Acts of the Apostles. Their prayers of assurance

in God’s power were repeated constantly. In addition to prayer, the ways they

were trained to be disciples and the practices that strengthened their

discipleship would come to be known as “spiritual disciplines.” The acts of

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God’s apostles did not end with chapter 28. Threats to the gospel of Christ

have occurred throughout the centuries. Challenges to ministry occur today.

As Christ’s current disciples we have much to learn from the pioneers of our

faith.

What “challenges to ministry” occur today?

Deeply committed Christians of many traditions, throughout every era in the

church’s history, have followed various spiritual disciplines. They are

disciplines because they help us to establish practices, patterns and routines in

our lives. In pursuit of a deeper relationship with God, spiritual disciplines

have helped disciples of Jesus to live out their commitment to be used by God

to accomplish God’s mission in the world. It is important to remember that

spiritual practices are only a means to an end. In his book The Life You’ve

Always Wanted, John Ortberg writes, “Spiritual disciplines are what

calisthenics are to a game. Once the game starts, basketball players get no

bonus points based on how many free throws they shot in practice. The only

reason to practice then is to be able to make them in a game.”

Spiritual disciplines help to train us in the way of Christ. They are the means

by which we learn to live as disciples as modeled for us by Jesus. Practicing

spiritual disciplines helps to open our eyes to see the fruit of the Spirit (love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control) at work

in our lives and the lives of those around us. Spiritual disciplines also help us

pay attention to the often hidden presence of God in our communities and

world.

Richard Foster writes, “We need not be well advanced in matters of theology

to practice the Disciplines…The primary requirement is a longing after God.”

There are a variety of practices included within spiritual disciplines. Consider

the following list. (Note to Leader: Hand out Spiritual Disciplines List and

review together.)

Have the group discuss the following questions:

Which of the disciplines have you practiced?

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What effect has it had on your spiritual life?

Which of the disciplines would you like to learn more about and possibly

practice?

In what ways are you longing after God? What are your hopes?

Choose one of the disciplines to practice over the next two weeks.

Consider teaming up with another person for mutual support and

accountability.

Reflect on what happens during the time you practice the spiritual discipline

and be prepared to discuss at the next meeting.

Prayer Request: Pray for God’s strength as you practice your spiritual

discipline of choice. Ask God to reveal Himself to you in a new way.

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SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

Disciplines of Engagement

Celebration: Acknowledging God’s grace and gifts and lifting up God’s

name.

Confession: Bringing your sins, failures and mistakes before a

gracious/forgiving God.

Consciousness Examen: Practicing prayerful self-examination through a

guided series of questions. (the attached handout may be distributed to any

who desire it.)

Faith Sharing (Evangelism): Sharing our faith story with others in word and

deed.

Hospitality: Welcoming others into our personal lives and faith community

Journaling: Writing our thoughts and reflecting on our experiences

Prayer: Listening and talking to God in public and in private

Reconciliation: Restoring broken relationships by seeking forgiveness and

forgiving others

Scripture Reading (e.g., Lectio Divina): Learning and listening to God’s

Word through the Holy Spirit. (the attached handout may be distributed to

any who desire it.) Also there are lectio divina apps for apple and android

devices. Check your app store.

Service: Loving and serving others to cooperate with God in bringing healing

and justice to our world

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Spiritual Disciplines

Stewardship: Giving our time, gifts and resources in response to God’s

provision in our lives

Study: Growing in our understanding and enlarging our heart and mind

Community: Giving and receiving support, love and challenge from others

Worship: Praising God with all of our abilities and gifts

Disciplines of Abstinence

Fasting: Abstaining from food or something else to gain greater focus on

God

Generosity: Giving abundantly to others and cooperating with God’s mission

in our world

Humility: Pointing to God instead of ourselves

Obedience: Being under the authority of Jesus (God)

Practicing the Presence of God: Becoming aware of God’s presence

throughout our daily lives

Sabbath: Spending time weekly to rest and be rejuvenated by God’s

presence.

Silence/Solitude: Refraining from speech and interaction with others in order

to be alone with God

Simplicity: Choosing an unadorned lifestyle

36


IN

(GROWING IN THE BODY OF CHRIST)

Supplies:

Bibles

Ball of Yarn

Check In: What spiritual discipline did you choose to practice? How did it

go? Will you continue to practice it? Did you learn anything new?

Discipleship grows in community. Joined together in Christ, we worship,

break bread, teach and learn, express caring and enjoy fellowship. Living in

community trains and prepares us to be sent out by the Spirit to expand God’s

community and extend God’s boundless love.

In A Brief Statement of Faith we affirm the following:

We trust in God the Holy Spirit,

everywhere the giver and renewer of life.

The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith,

sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor,

and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ,

the Church.

The same Spirit

who inspired the prophets and apostles

rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture,

engages us through the Word proclaimed,

claims us in the waters of baptism,

feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation,

and calls women and men to all ministries of the church.

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Notice that the community, not the individual, makes the affirmation. The

pronouns are inclusive and plural: we, our, us, and ourselves. Discipleship is

not a solitary journey but an adventure of faith we take with one another!

Our common hope is to become more like Jesus in everything we say and do.

As the apostle Paul affirms, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ

have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is

no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are

one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:27-28).

Have you ever considered your faith journey to be a group event? Does that

make a difference in how you view the members of our church?

In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) Jesus sends followers on a

mission to make disciples. In the ministry area of evangelism and church

growth, we are becoming more and more convinced that discipleship is the

engine the Holy Spirit uses to drive the church into mission. If we start new

churches, we will not necessarily make disciples, but if we intentionally make

disciples, we will reach people and start new communities of faith.

Each community of faith has its own unique context. However, no matter our

context, we must be intentional about equipping and nurturing people to

follow Jesus. We must drill down into what it means to be a community that

is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Read Aloud: Acts 2:42-47 A Life Together In Christ

Before our Father’s throne

We pour our ardent prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,

Our comforts and our cares.

The community mentioned in Acts enjoyed being together! They met daily

for worship, fellowship and study with “glad and sincere hearts.”

How can we live this inward direction of discipleship in biblical community?

The first thing we can do is learn to affirm one another: “Encourage one

another and build up each other” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). One of the ways that

38

we do this is by affirming the value and worth of each person as a child of

God. We need to build one another up and to affirm one another. The truth is

that we don’t always do this; instead we belittle and judge and are critical of

others. We live in a society that’s full of put-downs and sarcasm, cynicism

and negativity. Our culture teaches us to compare everything and rate

everyone—jobs, income, belongings, looks, personality, intelligence, family

and talents. We compare ourselves to others, weighing our strengths against

their weaknesses. Instead of putting others down, we are called to lift other

people up. One practical way we can affirm one another is to show our

appreciation by saying things like “Thank you!” or “You are really good at

this!”

Has anyone in your church family ever affirmed you? What did it feel like?

Another way we practice Christian community is by being authentic with one

another: “So then, putting away falsehoods let all of us speak the truth to our

neighbors, for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25). The way

we build real community is by being honest with one another and admitting

our own mistakes. The fastest way to build real community and intimacy is

by admitting our hardships, fears, doubts and mistakes: “Confess your sins to

one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed” (James

5:16). Sometimes being authentic means prayerfully speaking the truth and

always with love: “Speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way

into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Speak truth to

restore, not to be right. Speak truth to heal, not to hurt. Speak truth to build

up, not to tear down. Our words have power, so we must always be motivated

by love for one another. How we say something and the attitude in which it is

said are vital for honest and trusting communication.

What stops us from “speaking the truth in love?”

Finally we need to be examples to one another. The apostle Paul writes,

“Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me and observe those who live

according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17). Living,

breathing examples show us how to live as Christ’s disciples in this world. In

addition, each of us can model discipleship for others.

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Note to Leader: Hold on to the end of the ball of yarn and share a blessing

that you experienced through the fellowship of the church. While still holding

on to the end of the yarn, toss the ball to someone else in the group. Have

them share their blessing, hold onto the yarn and toss to someone else.

Continue until the group has been knit together by the yarn and the yarns

(stories).

Prayer Request: Lift up in a prayer a member of our church who you

appreciate and who needs to be affirmed. Then affirm them in person or in a

note.

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IN

(GROWING IN THE BODY OF CHRIST)

Supplies:

Bibles

Check In: Who did you affirm and how did you do it? What was the

reaction? What did if feel like for you to offer someone this gift?

Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love:

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above.

A disciple-making community is the byproduct of intentionally sharing

together and developing close-knit relationships. Jesus did not develop a

discipleship program; he simply called people to join and follow him.

Jesus called and instructed. The first thing we realize is that Jesus was

intentional about investing his life in the lives of others.

Read Aloud: Luke 6:12-19 Jesus’ Twelve Disciples

Jesus called twelve apostles from among his followers in order to invest more

deeply in them his life and purpose. Luke records that he prepared by

withdrawing to a mountain to pray and discern. He prayed all night! There is

a sense of discernment and purpose in the calling of the twelve. Following

the call, Jesus instructed them through words and deeds along with the other

disciples and the crowds of people. Discipleship is more than classroom

learning; it is on-the-job training. Jesus taught them that the kingdom was a

way of life in which we love our enemies, live generously, don’t judge others

and put his words into practice (Luke 6:27-49)

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The twelve responded. The second thing Jesus did was to send the disciples

out in mission to others. They responded to what they had heard.

Luke provides a picture of what calling and equipping lead to: Lives on

mission. There is a definite connection between their life together (teaching,

fellowship, prayer and worship) and their mission. Their transformed lives

provided the evidence: the dawning of the kingdom of God. They performed

the same ministry as Jesus; they taught, healed and cast out demons.

They debriefed. The third thing Jesus did was to process their experiences

with them. They were sent out and returned to report on their mission (Luke

9:10). What did they learn from their service to others? Then their ministry

to others continued: the crowds returned and the disciples found themselves

in the midst of another miracle as thousands of people were fed with just a

few loaves of bread and some fish. They didn’t just wait for next week’s

Bible study; their lives were on mission.

In addition, notice how this inward direction of discipleship is expressed at the

end of chapter 2 in Acts which we studied in the last lesson. We are given a

clear picture of a community in which lives are transformed for the purpose of

changing the world.

An indicator of this transformation is the mention that people were being

added to their community daily. No matter what we call these early

communities of faith, they all include these biblical essentials: the apostles’

teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer, holding all things in common

and gathering for worship.

How is our church doing on the “essentials?” What are our strengths? What

essentials need our attention?

Jones and Loleng write: “If the church is to nurture us and equip us for

mission, how do we make the shift from church being a place where we

receive spiritual goods and services to one in which each of us is being

nurtured and equipped for mission?”

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In what ways is their depiction of the church true or false for our church?

What additional steps can be made to continue the shift to mission?

Two of the charter members of the church, Barnabas and Timothy, still have

much to teach us about what it means to follow Jesus and continue his

ministry. Barnabas is known throughout Acts by his generosity toward the

church and toward others. In fact, his name is defined within the ancient text

as “son of encouragement.” Timothy a young disciple of Christ, reveals what

can happen when one is mentored in faith.

One way to look at how we are to be examples to others is to ask ourselves

two questions: First, who is your Barnabas? Remember that Barnabas was

the one in Acts who encouraged and supported Paul after his Damascus Road

experience where he encountered Jesus.

Who is encouraging you? Who has encouraged you? Who mentored you in

the faith?

Second, who is your Timothy? The apostle Paul invested in young Timothy;

Paul was Timothy’s spiritual mentor.

Who are you encouraging or mentoring right now? If a mentoring structure

were part of our church community, what affect would it have?

One of the ways the apostle Paul communicates the purpose of Christian

community or as he writes, the “body of Christ” is by expressing the

distinctive yet equally important gifts that are present within it. In fact, he

compares the variety of gifts within the community to the different parts of a

body. All are needed for the functioning of the whole. Paul also compares

Christians to a community overflowing with gifts.

Read Aloud: Ephesians 4:4-7, 11-13.

What is your gift?

How is your gift used in the work of ministry?

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In what way are you using your gift to build up the body of Christ?

What gifts do you identify in other disciples in the community?

How can you help to call forth those gifts so that they may be used either

inside or outside the community?

Prayer Request: Offer thanks to God for the gift he has given you. If you

are unsure of your gift, ask him to help you understand what it is. Ask God to

show you how to use this gift in His service.

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OUT

(FOLLOWING CHRIST INTO MISSION)

Supplies:

Bibles

Copy of Bulletin

Copy of Newsletter

Ability to See Church Website

Check In: Did you gain any new insight into using the gift that God has

given you to serve His people?

Disciples follow Jesus by discerning those places where Christ is present and

joining him there. What is Christ doing? What is he leading us to do?

Looking beyond ourselves to those around us, our hearts are opened and

Christ helps us to reach out in love.

In the closing section of A Brief Statement of Faith we affirm the following:

In a broken and fearful world

the Spirit gives us courage

to pray without ceasing,

to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,

to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,

to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,

and to work with others for justice, freedom and peace.

In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,

we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks

and to live holy and joyful lives,

even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,

praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

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Eugene H. Peterson’s invitation to discipleship is compelling: “To follow

Jesus implies that we enter into a way of life that is given character and shape

and direction by the one who calls us. To follow Jesus means picking up

rhythms and ways of doing things that are often unsaid but always derivative

from Jesus, formed by the influence of Jesus. To follow means that we can’t

separate what Jesus is saying from what Jesus is doing and the way that he is

doing it. To follow Jesus is as much or maybe even more, about feet as it is

about ears and eyes.”

The Acts of the Apostles provides vivid glimpses into the mission of the early

church, its challenges, failures and successes.

Read Aloud: Acts 3:1-10 A Story of a Healing

On their way to offer prayers in the temple, Peter and John come across a

crippled man begging for money. They told him they had no money but that

they had a power that could heal him. So in the name of Jesus, they healed

him. Next, the man was up walking around! The religious authorities were so

upset that they were preaching about the resurrection of Jesus, the only power

that could heal the crippled man that they had them thrown in prison.

But the buzz around this miracle was that unschooled men healed this fellow.

And all they knew about these men was that they were in the company of

Jesus. What a powerful witness. Peter proclaimed that there is no other

power available to save and heal but the power of Jesus. Scripture records

that many people believed the message.

Because of this buzz, the authorities released Peter and John from jail. But

they released them with a warning: not to preach Jesus again or they would

wind up back in jail! So what happened? Did they go off and hide, quivering

with fear? No! They went back to their faith community and prayed together

for courage to continue the mission that Jesus had entrusted to them. As they

prayed together, the Holy Spirit came upon them and the house was shaken

with the power of God, the power that brought salvation and healing.

The power of the Holy Spirit equips and sends us out in mission. As we are

called and empowered for God’s mission, we experience the connection

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between our nurture in the body of Christ (in) and our call to reach and serve

others (out). Our place of nurture and support (Antioch) sends us into the

needs of the people we are called to reach and serve (Macedonia).

Go out into the world in peace;

have courage,

hold on to what is good;

return no one evil for evil;

strengthen the fainthearted;

support the weak and help the suffering;

honor all people;

love and serve the Lord,

rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

These words or ones similar are spoken at the close of worship as a charge to

send God’s people out to continue Christ’s work. The words spoken in the

power of the Holy Spirit, have the power to bless us as well as to direct our

actions.

The apostle Paul, after being blinded in his encounter with the risen Christ,

was restored to sight and given a charge to discipleship by Ananias: “You

will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard” (Acts

22:15).

What is the charge you have been given? What blessing from God has been

for you a word of anointing? Has someone ever affirmed you for something

you have said or done? Has anyone suggested that you would be a good

teacher, preacher, care giver, etc? These are outward affirmations of the gifts

God has given you. Have you felt that you deeply desire to use those gifts in

service to God? These blessings are indicators that you may be anointed to

such a calling. God speaks through others to call you to the place God needs

you. The best way to discern these gifts is to continue to listen, pray and speak

with people you trust – a good friend, one of the pastors, someone who works

in the field you are feeling called to.

Note to Leader: Pass out a copy of the newsletter, bulletin and call up the

church website. Have the group look at each of these ways we communicate

47

to our community and evaluate the mission of our church. (Keep the

discussion focused on what we are accomplishing rather than on what we are

not).

What is our mission statement? Where can people find it?

In what ways are we living out the charge?

How are we strengthening the fainthearted?

How are we supporting the weak and helping the suffering?

In what ways do we honor all people?

How do people know we love and serve the Lord?

Where do you join in rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Prayer Request: Pray that God will strengthen our community in all the

different ways we serve His people in mission.

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OUT

(FOLLOWING CHRIST INTO MISSION)

Supplies:

Bibles

Anointing Oil and a small bowl You will be given a small container of

anointing oil from Rev. Sue. (You can always get anointing oil from either

Sue or Mitch if you lose track of the oil you have been given.) Anointing oil

is simply unscented olive oil. If you forget to pick some up, use regular olive

oil.

Check In: When you prayed for strength for our church’s mission work,

what areas did you mention? Have you thought about getting involved in any

of them (if you aren’t already)?

As we become aware of what God is up to in our community and of the ways

God is calling us to reach out to and serve people around us, our eyes are

opened to the people in our lives. We become more sensitive to our family

members, the people in our spheres of influence and even those with whom

we either rarely or never associate.

Read Aloud: Acts 1:1-8 Jesus Commissioning of the Apostles

We are called to witness to all those people with the new life we’ve been

given in Jesus.

We are called to bear witness to what we have seen, heard and experienced in

Jesus. We are not called to judge others; we are called to bear witness to the

saving power of God in Christ. We are not called to condemn others; we are

simply called to share the good news of how God has changed and redirected

our lives.

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But Jesus says that before we engage this mission, we must wait with

expectation on the power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit our

mission becomes puny and too focused on our desires. We are like the

disciples: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel

(Acts 1:6). God’s mission is much larger than the borders of Israel; it is about

nothing less than the restoration of the world. And the mission is not for Jesus

to do alone; we are called to cooperate in the same mission of restoration.

In reading this passage, we are aware of being sent as disciples in four

directions. We are called to be witnesses in Jerusalem: that is, to the people

closest to us. We are called to bear witness in Judea: to the people who look

think, vote and act like us. We are also called to be witnesses in Samaria: to

people we do not like (Remember: Jews hated Samaritans, as they were

considered half-breeds and lacking in observing true worship). We are also

called to be witnesses to the world: to the diversity of those not known to us.

Think about those people in your Jerusalem: family members and close

friends for whom you yearn to know the love of God in Jesus Christ. Where

do you see Christ at work? What does he desire you to do?

Think about those people in your Judea: the folks like you in your

neighborhood, work and schools for whom you desire to know the fullness of

life in Jesus. What are their needs? What is Christ leading you to do?

Think about those people in your Samaria: people you have trouble liking or

who are difficult to connect with. In what ways can you reach out to bridge

the gap and share your life and faith with them?

Think of people throughout the world. Are there people and nations God has

placed on your heart? What are their needs and how are you called to

respond?

In identifying people in your life with whom you could share the love and

gospel of Christ, it is helpful to consider your spheres of influence, those

settings where you invest much of your life. Sphere of influence is also

understood as “third place.” Home is your first place, work is your second

place and your third place is all those places you go regularly to unwind and

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connect with friends. People are more relaxed, less guarded and more open to

meaningful conversation and interaction in their third places. Noting Jesus’

interest in being in third places, Mike Frost writes, “Missional proximity can

best be developed in bars, pubs, gyms, grocery stores, beauty parlors,

community groups and coffee shops.”

Think about your sphere of influence or third place (e.g., coffee shop, hobby,

PTA or neighborhood association) and reflect on how you can spend more

time in this area of your life. Your call may be to spend more time with

people outside the faith community.

How are we to share faith with friends and family who are not yet within the

faith community? Don Everts and Doug Schaupp, the authors of I Once Was

Lost, lift up five thresholds through which people move, first becoming

seekers and then pilgrims along the journey of faith:

Friends move from distrust to trust. In our postmodern world, people are

interested in Jesus but not the church. Many people are very suspicious of

institutions like the church. Therefore, people need to experience Jesus

through Christians who are loving and authentic. The best thing that can

happen to a person who does not know God’s love is to be in a relationship

with a Christian who is both loving and accepting. God came into the world

in the flesh and blood of Jesus to reveal God’s unconditional love for

humanity. People must trust us before they will hear one word we have to

offer about real and lasting life.

Friends move from complacent to curious. Even though there is a longing in

the human heart for something more, people don’t always get the connections

between their lives and the ways in which God is working to heal

relationships and creation. As we are on the journey with another person, we

are called to be aware of the life events and experiences that open people to

spiritual things. For an example, many movies have spiritual themes and can

become openings through which we talk about our brokenness and God’s

reconciling love.

Friends move from being closed to being open to change. When we are open

and transparent about our lives, the door is open for our friends to see that

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things can change in their lives. How have you been open to change? It is

helpful to others when we are able to share about times in our lives in which

we had to let go of something that was hurting us. Maybe we had to let go of

control or an unforgiving spirit. Sometimes people have the belief that things

are just the way they are! Nothing can change!

Friends move from meandering to seeking. When we are engaging these sorts

of conversations, it is important to be able to invite our friends into a group

that is studying Scripture and investigating spiritual themes. This group can

be the context for a seeker to have a safe place to explore the faith and to

experience the faith of growing Christ followers. An example of this kind of

group is the Sunday morning or Monday evening Bible Study.

Friends move to the threshold of kingdom life and work. Through prayer and

nudging from the Holy Spirit, there comes the time when you talk with your

friends about joining God in God’s mission of real and lasting life. In other

words, there is an invitation into kingdom life.

As you pray about the people in your Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, can you

place them in one of the thresholds above? How are you a part of what the

Holy Spirit is doing to move them into a deeper awareness of God’s love and

desire for them? How are you living into your charge to be a witness?

As you celebrate worship this and every week, listen for the word God speaks

to you. It may come in a prayer, a hymn, the Scripture, a sermon or the

charge and benediction. It may come as you celebrate at the font or gather

around the Lords’ Table. But it will come! It is a word of power. Pay close

attention to the word from God that moves you, teaches you, corrects you and

challenges you.

Prayer Request: As you are paying attention to God’s movement in your

life, make a list of the people God has placed in your life path and begin to

pray for them. Are they in your Jerusalem, Judea or Samaria? Pray and think

about how you can be a more intentional witness.

Depart: As the group is leaving, Shepherds anoint the members with oil and

make the sign of the cross on their foreheads, saying “(name), Be a witness!”

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CONTINUING CHRIST’S MINISTRY TODAY

Supplies:

Bible

Video: A Blessing Strategy

Copies of “A Blessing Strategy”

Check In: Who did you pray for over the past two weeks that you feel God

has placed in your life path? Do you have a plan to reach out them and share

your faith story with them?

In Engage: Gospel Ray Jones and David Loleng write, “Most of us have a

tendency to believe that life is somehow up to us. We say we trust God but

our actions indicate that we believe it is up to us to take care of not only the

little stuff but also the big stuff. This kind of thinking leads to burnout and

despair. Abiding in the vine is all about resting in God’s love and trusting

God’s work in our lives and in our life together. But this trust begins with

love. When this love penetrates our hearts, our lives become different. We

undergo transformation. The good news we talk about becomes the good

news of our lives. This news reshapes our lives and the world begins to

change. Remember our mentors in the faith!”

Read Aloud: Philippians 1:9-11 Paul’s Prayer for the Church

Paul’s prayer for the church in Philippi is a beautiful portrait of what it means

to follow Christ. As we seek to help people grow in their relationships with

God, with the body of Christ and with people in their neighborhoods, it is

important that we keep in mind a picture of what a follower of Jesus looks

like.

In his yearning that they be “bountiful in fruits from the soul,” Paul echoes

Jesus’ words to his followers to remain connected to him as grapes are

connected to a vine (John 15:1-8). Remaining connected to Jesus the Vine

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causes us to bear fruit and this fruit reveals to others that we are disciples of

Jesus. In another letter Paul describes the bountiful fruit as “love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”

(Galatians 5:22-23). If we, the branches, are not connected to the Vine, then

we will not bear fruit. We will not live Jesus’ life and people will have no

clue that we are his followers. Therefore, as we help one another remain in

the Vine, we will be part of a community that is nurturing a certain kind of

person.

What do you think that “certain kind of person” looks like?

In his desire that they make “Jesus Christ attractive to all,” Paul was aware

that the way we live is a critical part of what we believe. If our lives don’t

match the grace we confess, then people may not be open to what we have to

share. If the gospel is not good news to us, it may not be good news to our

neighbor.

In his hope that their “love will flourish,” Paul emphasized the most important

part of being a disciple of Christ: love. Live your life in such a way that

“Jesus would be proud of.”

How do you live your life in a way “Jesus would be proud of?”

In what ways do you fall short?

Read Aloud: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 The Word of God

Consider Paul’s words to Timothy.

Who was your teacher in faith?

Who shared the gospel of Christ with you?

How did you come to faith?

Who has helped you become more like Christ?

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Who helped you become Christ’s disciple?

Frederick Buechner writes, “In the biblical sense, if you give me your

blessing, you irreversibly convey into my life not just something of the

beneficent power and vitality of who you are but something also for the life-

giving power of God in whose name the blessing is given.”

As our lives are transformed to look more and more like Jesus we fulfill our

calling to be a blessing. Note to Leader: Watch the video, A Blessing

Strategy.

What do you think of becoming a “blessing person?” This may seem like

something new to you, but did you know that every time you pass the peace of

Christ in worship you are offering a blessing? You already know how!

In the video, David’s strategy is about being open to seeing the opportunity to

be a blessing to a person open to receiving it. Read Luke 9:1-6 and Luke

10:1-11. Jesus sent his followers out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to

heal. Notice that in Luke 9 it is the twelve Jesus sent out and in Luke 10 Jesus

appointed 70 more to go out in pairs. Jesus had a very clear plan for his

followers, a plan we need to follow as well. First, you need to get to know a

person. The disciples didn’t just walk into people’s homes, they got

acquainted and were invited. Read Luke 9:5 and Luke 10:5-6 10. “Whatever

house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house! And if anyone is there who

shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to

you.” The clue for us is in the phrase, “if anyone is there who shares in peace,

your peace will rest on that person.” When you have become acquainted, you

may share a moment of peace with them. You can do as the Scripture says

and say, “Peace to you”, or you may begin a conversation about a religious

themed book you are reading, a bible study you attend, or just talk about how

great your church is. If the person responds positively and invites more

information, the peace has rested. If the person does not connect and either

changes the subject or closes the conversation, the peace has not rested. Then

you will go on with your life. This work is not ours, it is God’s work. If we

are open and willing, the opportunities will come. Sometimes people will

respond, other times they will not. Perhaps someone else will reach that

person.

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Pass out handout, A Blessing Strategy.

A blessing strategy is NOT going out with Bible in hand to save the souls of

the universe. You will not be asking people if they are saved and offering to

pray to save them. A blessing strategy is a simple act of discipleship and

being a blessing is a way of life. It does not depend on a long-range plan,

training sessions and evaluations! It depends on you and your eagerness to be

a blessing person. A blessing strategy means being open to God’s leading. It

is about building relationships with others, even for just a short time during a

day. It may be offering love to someone who needs to hear a loving word or it

may be talking about how God has touched your life. Have you ever had an

experience in which you think you may have been a blessing to someone?

(share)

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of “A Blessing Strategy.” Review the steps

together. Give group members time to fill them out and then have a group

discussion.

Encourage: Remember, God is at work in our discipleship. Do not be afraid,

God is with you and will give you the words you need. When you are afraid,

pray and God will guide you. Your job is to open your heart and your eyes to

the opportunities that come.

Prayer Request: Pray for courage and the eyes to see the opportunity to offer

someone a blessing over the next two weeks. Pray for discernment to seize

those opportunities to reach out to others with a blessing, a word of grace, a

word that will help smooth the way for another person through difficult times.

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A BLESSING STRATEGY

Think about it. Do you feel ready to be a blessing to others? What causes you

to hesitate? What causes you to feel excited about being a blessing?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Look around. Who are the people in your life to whom you could be a

blessing? Is there someone you feel drawn to speaking with? God may be

leading you to that person.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Act on it. What words and actions will give a blessing to another person?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Look around. Where are the places and settings where you could offer

someone a blessing?

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

God bless you in your faithfulness!

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CONTINUING CHRIST’S MINISTRY TODAY

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of “Building Blocks of Discipleship”

Check In: How has God given you an opportunity to be a blessing? How did

it go? If not, what held you back?

What does it mean to continue Christ’s ministry today? Rev. Janni Swart

describes being a disciple as “beggars showing other beggars where to find

bread.” The key to disciple making is helping one another become more like

Christ so that we may bear abundant fruit. In other words, we live his life.

Read Aloud: Acts 20:17-36 Paul’s Farewell to the Elders

During his extended testimony to the elders he reminds them that, first and

foremost, he had proclaimed to them the saving message of Jesus Christ. He

shared publicly and privately, even going house to house to preach and teach.

During all this time he was also working, supporting himself and others.

What do you see in this glimpse we are provided of Paul and his work as a

disciple?

What was there about him that caused the elders of Ephesus to respond so

deeply to his departure?

What was it about the work they shared that brought tears to their eyes when

he left?

If we were to try and replicate Paul’s ministry and leadership style what

would our lives look like?

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What would our communities of faith look like?

Surprisingly, the words of Jesus that Paul quotes are only recorded here: “It is

more blessed to give than to receive” (v. 35). They are not to be found in the

Gospels. It is intriguing to speculate when Jesus may have spoken these

words. Was it after Zacchaeus had met Jesus and in repentance returned all

the money to those he had defrauded? Was it after Mary had anointed Jesus’

feet and Judas had complained about the extravagance? Was it after Jesus

witnessed the widow putting two coins into the temple offering? What story

of Jesus do you remember that would provide a possible link?

It is evident that the saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” fits

within many situations of Jesus’ ministry. Those words, which are also

translated “You’re far happier giving then getting” (The Message) sums up

Jesus life and ministry. Paul held on to those words and made them his own.

For those serving as disciples of Christ, the words provide the perfect mission

statement.

Paul is straightforward about the challenges to being Christ’s disciple. In fact,

because of his bold preaching he is in custody and on his way to Jerusalem.

What are the specific challenges Paul faced?

How do they compare with the challenges faced by Christ’s disciples today?

It just may be that we are closer to Paul than we think.

So what sorts of things from Jesus’ life, when imitated, continue Christ’s

ministry today? When a person has a heart for these things, incarnates these

characteristics, then he or she is bearing the fruit of new life in Christ. That

person is experienced as one of Jesus’ followers.

Note to Leader: Hand out copies of “Building Blocks of Discipleship”

The following essentials can be seen as building blocks for imitating Jesus’

life. Reflect on each of the essentials, discussing how each one strengthens us

in our discipleship.

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Which of the essentials influence your life?

Which ones would you like to develop more fully?

What training and mentoring is provided?

Prayer Request: Pray that the members of your group will have a heart to

invite people to come around them to learn, grow and multiply the kingdom

reality that is Jesus.

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BUILDING BLOCKS

OF DISCIPLESHIP

Love God with all you are and have. When asked about which is the greatest

commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:3-7). Following

Jesus into loving God begins in the Sacrament of Baptism. In Christ we die to

the old life of living only for ourselves and are raised up into a new life of

living for others.

Be informed and formed by God’s Word. When tempted in the wilderness to

feed himself by turning stones into bread, Jesus quoted Scripture: “One does

not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the

Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). As we comprehend God’s essence through

Scripture, we are less afraid on life’s journey because we trust God’s love

grace and presence. Through Scripture, we remain on the path of obedience.

Know God through prayer. Our heart is in sync with the rhythm of God by

listening, speaking, getting in tune and giving up control. The disciple’s

greatest desire is to be in a loving relationship with God. When Jesus healed a

little boy, the disciples asked how he was able to heal him. Jesus replied,

“Only through prayer” (Mark 9:29). Through prayer, we are on a journey of

giving up our control to experience life within God’s control.

Respond to Jesus’ call to be in community. Jesus invites all people to share

his life. Therefore, we are called to welcome and include others in the journey

of faith. We cannot be people of faith by ourselves. We are not alone. We

need one another. In community we find the accountability to live as Jesus

lived.

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BUILDING BLOCKS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Share the good news of a love that changes everything. To embrace the good

news of God’s love for the entire world (John 3:16) and for our own lives

means that we are compelled to share that life-changing love with others. Our

hearts are enlarged to reach out to our neighbors. We are willing to sacrifice

ourselves for the sake of another person.

Love and serve others. Our call as disciples is to follow Christ in helping the

afflicted, loving those on the fringes and welcoming the lonely, confused and

oppressed (Matthew 9:35-39). Our hearts break over suffering and injustice.

Through serving we understand our lives as being on God’s mission.

These building blocks of discipleship help us become more like Christ as we

continue his ministry. There may be other building blocks that are important

to you. Think about the ways that paying attention to these things will sustain

you for the beautiful and difficult ministry to which you’ve been called.

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BEING CHRIST’S DISCIPLE TODAY

A DISCIPLESHIP PLAN

Supplies:

Bibles

Whiteboard or newsprint

Markers

Check In: How has praying for members of your group during the past year

affected your relationship with group members? How has knowing that they

are praying for you affected you?

Discipleship, at its heart, is giving our lives over completely to God and

cooperating in God’s redeeming work. A discipleship plan, at its core, sets

goals and maps a strategy to open our lives to God’s transformation.

We began this study of Christian discipleship by asserting the nature of

discipleship as learning and following a master teacher. The disciple learns

from the master a way of life. We affirmed the love of God and love of

neighbor as the content of that life.

Read Aloud: Matthew 22:37-40 The Great Commandment

Finally, we affirmed the priority of the Christian community for faith and

ministry. God’s call to faith and ministry are first of all to the community.

Paul writes to congregations for the most part, using the plural form of “you”

when addressing the concerns of living as Christians in the world. The

encouragement and support of other disciples provide each disciple a

community of love in which to learn and to practice how to love God and

neighbor. It is crucial training for the disciple. Loving God and loving

neighbor are not always easy or straightforward. We are called to love one

another in the context of human brokenness. The church holds disciples

accountable to the gospel in the midst of tempting alternatives. At its best the

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church holds disciples accountable to the truth that there are no secondhand

disciples.

Each of us responds to the call to Jesus Christ; none of us lives on somebody

else’s salvation. Even with the church’s support, each disciple of Christ

follows based on his or her own answer to the call.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian, face challenges and

endured sufferings by being Christ’s disciple, ultimately suffering martyrdom.

In a letter to his friend he wrote,

“It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have

faith. By this-worldliness I mean living unreservedly in life’s duties,

problems, successes and failures. In so doing we throw ourselves completely

into the arms of God, taking seriously, not our own sufferings but those of

God in the world. That, I think, is faith.”

Jones and Loleng write, “Discipleship has never been without challenges.

Being Christ’s disciple today means not only enjoying the abundant life Christ

provides but also withstanding the many challenges to discipleship we face in

our day.”

Are there challenges to discipleship possibly unique in our day? What are the

most critical challenges we face as disciples of Christ?

The Acts of the Apostles contains breathtaking stories of how the Holy Spirit

propelled the apostles to reach out with the gospel of Christ and thus continue

God’s mighty acts. The story begins dramatically in Jerusalem with a few

disciples and concludes expectantly in Rome with disciples throughout the

empire. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the early church witnessed to Jesus Christ

and proclaimed the good news. Plans were made; ministries were put in place

and disciples were called, nurtured, trained and sent out.

One brief episode in the ministry of Paul and Barnabas, while perhaps not so

breathtaking, provides a glimpse into the heart of the church.

Read Aloud: Acts 14:21-28 Strengthening the Disciples

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Making disciples is the job of disciples in Acts…While the mission of the

church is more than growth, it is not something other than growth. It is

certainly not decline. We live in the gracious interim for witness (1:8). In

Luke--Acts, any church bold enough to preach the Word, which dares to

challenge the cultural status quo, which refuses to accept present political

arrangements as eternally given, which is convinced of the truth of its

message, which is willing to suffer for the truth will grow. God gives growth

to such churches.

Pay attention to the actions described within this story. Luke makes use of

sixteen dynamic verbs. Note to Leader: Have the group identify the verbs

and write them on a board or newsprint.

Compare Acts 14:21-28 with Acts 2:42-47. Reflect on the following

questions:

What characteristics of the church are evident in these passages?

What was the early church’s overwhelming purpose as suggested by this short

narrative?

What strategy can be discovered in these actions/verbs? In other words, do

you see a plan at work? If so, in what ways was the plan being followed?

Prayer Request: Pray for God to strengthen you as a disciple of Christ. Be

specific and ask for help in areas where you have been struggling.

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BEING CHRIST’S DISCIPLE TODAY

A DISCIPLESHIP PLAN

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of “The Ministry of Members”

Check In: What areas did you ask God to help you with as you travel on

your journey of discipleship? Did you receive any insights to help you move

forward?

Read Aloud: 2 Timothy 4:1-2 Proclaiming the Message

Elizabeth O’Connor challenges us. “The church is not going to be different

until someone in it is different. God waits for each of us to hear Him say,

‘Behold, I do a new thing—through you!’ The question is always: Can we

open our lives so that the Holy Spirit may descend and new power break that

we may be the kind of person around whom renewal begins?”

Each disciple of Christ, in discerning what it means to love God and neighbor,

is encouraged to pursue specific goals and set out particular steps. A personal

discipleship plan not only helps us address challenges, successes and failures

but through it we gain the courage and power to continue on Christ’s

redemptive mission.

We, too, seek to provide the groundwork for establishing a personal

discipleship plan. Christ calls us to demonstrate a new quality of life within

and through the church. What are the building blocks that define people who

exhibit and incarnate new life in Christ? In Gathering 6, we identified some

discipleship essentials that serve as building blocks through which the Holy

Spirit works to shape and form us in the image of Christ. These essentials

lead us into a new quality of life, one that is worth imitating.

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Consider the following aspects of discipleship adapted from the Book of

Order, G-1.0304, “The Ministry of Members:” Note to Leader: Pass out

copies of “The Ministry of Members” and discuss the following:

In what ways is our church nurturing these essentials with those who identify

our church as their spiritual home?

What training and mentoring is provided?

What more is needed?

As you review the disciplines, activities and characteristics of a growing

disciple in the gatherings on “Up,” “In,” and “Out,” identify an activity,

discipline or characteristic in each direction that is helping you become a more

committed follower of Jesus.

What do you need to continue doing?

What do you need to develop more intentionally?

Think about the ways that paying attention to these characteristics will sustain

you for the beautiful and difficult ministry to which you’ve been called, which

is Jesus’ mission.

Those who have heard Dallas Willard speak remember his recurrent

observation that the church needs to ask two questions: “Do we have a plan to

make disciples?” and “Does it work?” If the church is to nurture us and equip

us for mission, how do we make the shift from church being a place where we

receive spiritual goods and services to one in which each of us is being

nurtured and equipped for mission?

How are we gathering?

Are we gathering for the purpose of mission?

Are we being equipped and nurtured for mission in our community?

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Are we being held accountable for living this new life in Christ?

How are we being mentored in the faith?

The most effective discipleship plan will be one that provides a strategy to

train, equip and mentor individual disciples. A discipleship plan is not for our

own edification but operates in advancing God’s redemptive and reconciling

mission. A discipleship plan formed in biblical community enables followers

of Jesus to be missionaries to their communities. No one else is going to do

the ministry we are called to do. Ministry is for all followers of Jesus even

though it may often seem to be reserved for “professional” Christians.

What would a personal discipleship plan look like for you? Are there

exercises you would include? Are there exercises you would drop from your

list?

Consider this sample personal discipleship plan:

Spend the first hour of the day in solitude: silence prayer, Scripture and

reflection.

Make sure one day a week is your Sabbath.

Break bread once a week with people in the faith community.

Break bread once a week with those outside the faith community.

Serve others at least once a month.

Lovingly invest in the lives of people closest to you.

Another way of thinking about a discipleship plan is to ask the question,

“What do I want to see God do in my life over the next six months?” Reflect

on the following list of possible spiritual disciplines that you might add to

your life:

Pray more often.

Read and study Scripture with others.

Be more intentional with people in my sphere of influence.

Become more comfortable sharing my faith.

Become part of a small group.

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Invite others to join me along the path of discipleship.

Serve others in my community.

Before the Next Meeting: Write a discipleship plan for yourself before the

next meeting. Keep in mind the concept of Up, In and Out and don’t forget to

include a spiritual discipline or two. Be prepared to share at the next meeting.

Prayer Request: Pray for discernment to the question, “What do I want to

see God do in my life over the next six months? Pray that God will make

clear to you what your plan of action should be.

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THE MINISTRY OF MEMBERS

Up

We study Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life.

We come to know God through Jesus Christ as he is known in Scripture

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We strive to live in sync with the rhythm of God by listening, speaking,

getting in tune and giving up control.

In

We take part in the common life and worship of a congregation.

We lift one another up I prayer, mutual concern and active support.

We support the ministry of the church through the giving of money, time

and talents.

We participate in the governing responsibilities of the church.

We welcome and include others into the community of faith. We cannot

be people of faith by ourselves. We are not alone. We need one

another.

Out

We proclaim the good news in word and deed.

We commit ourselves to live responsibly in the personal, family,

vocational, political, cultural and social relationships of life.

We seek ways to work in the world for peace, justice, freedom and

human fulfillment.

We pass on to others the life, love and joy to be experienced in Jesus

Christ.

We move from being consumer Christians to Christians who are willing

to reach out to our neighbors.

We grieve the world’s suffering and injustice. We follow Christ in

helping the afflicted, loving those on the fringes and welcoming the

lonely, confused and oppressed.

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LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR

PASS IT ON

Supplies:

Bibles

Copies of the group Covenant

Lyrics/copies of the song “Pass it On” Find a guitar player or use the video on

the GIFT DVD (also on the website)

Fellowship: (Make this meeting a fun and different event for your group.

Maybe a barbecue at a member’s house or a meal out at a restaurant. Think

of a new venue for this meeting to shake things up a bit. Remember to pray

over the meal.)

After Fellowship gather together for discussion.

Read Aloud: Hebrews 10: 23-25, “23 Let’s hold on to the confession of our

hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable. 24

And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and

good deeds. 25 Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some

people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other,

especially as you see the day drawing near.”

The author of Hebrews understood that gathering together for study, prayer,

and support is very important. The author saw, what many of us see, that

meeting in groups are great “…for the purpose of sparking love and good

deeds.” How have you experienced the spark of love Hebrews speaks of?

Share one way the encouragement and support of the group has made a

difference in your life?

As we end this season of study about discipleship we are preparing to take a

break from our group, but we still will practice our discipleship plans. Ask

members of the group to share their discipleship plans.

Encourage members to select a partner (if they don’t already have a prayer

partner) to connect with at least once a month over the summer break. Go

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have a cup of coffee or meet for dinner, or come meet at the church to talk

about the blessings and the challenges of living out your discipleship plan.

Wrap Up - Pass out copies of the group covenant to review. Ask the group if

they still agree with the covenant they created when they began. Is there

anything you would like to change? Is there anything we did not achieve?

(Make sure that the majority of the group agrees before making a change.)

Ask: What will you miss while our group is taking a break? What will you

look forward to when we resume meeting in September?

Are there any prayer requests you’d like us to pray for in our closing prayer?

Prayer: Disciple making God, we thank you for working in our lives and in

our group to make us your disciples. While we are apart from each other give

us the discipline to keep working on our discipleship. Enlighten us with the

spark of your love so that we might pass the spark along to others. Today we

pray for….. (pray for the prayer requests.)

Close: Sing Pass it On.

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Pass It On

Words & music by Kurt Kaiser

D Dm7 G A

It only takes a spark to get a fire going

D Dm7 G A

And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing

G D

That's how it is with God's love,

Em7 Fm Bm

Once you've experienced it

Em D

Your spread the love to everyone

G A D

You want to pass it on

What a wondrous time is spring

When all the trees are budding

The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming

That's how it is with God's love

Once you've experienced it.

You want to sing, it's fresh like spring

You want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend

This happiness that I've found

You can depend on God

It matters not where you're bound

*I'll shout it from the mountain top - Praise God!

I want the world to know

The lord of love has come to me

I want to pass it on

*Repeat

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Documents

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ROCKAWAY · 2019. 10. 26. · GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER SMALL GROUP MINISTRY 2014/2015 CURRICULUM ENGAGE: DISCIPLESHIP . 2 ... 14 Fellowship Inventory