Overview

Every teacher was once a student. Every coach was once a player. Every CEO was once an employee. Ever leader was once a follower. When we talk about discipleship, we are not merely teaching someone to fish, so they can be self-sustaining. We have a vision to teach them how to teach others how to fish. We want them to (momentarily) follow us so they can ultimately lead.

Devotion Review

Encourage your group to engage the devotions each week before coming to group, as it will help strengthen their faith and feed into the discussions.

• Ask your group if there were particular scriptures that stood out to them in the scripture reading this week. Let them discuss freely how it impacted them along the topic of making disciples.
• Ask your group how the devotions impacted them, and what stood out. Have them talk about how scripture reinforced concepts or revealed new ideas to them.

Did Jesus Learn How to Fish?

Our mandate isn’t merely to give a man a fish, or to even teach men to fish, but our goal is if we teach a man to fish, he can teach others to fish. We aren’t simply trying to teach someone how to live the life of a mature Christian; we are trying to teach them how to produce other Christians. Jesus said his disciples would do greater things than he. We should consider our disciples as such too. Jesus made disciples out of 12 men and ministered to thousands in three years. A short couple months after his resurrection, through the power of the Holy Ghost, his disciples made  believers out of thousands, and disciples out of many.

• On a scale of 1-10, do you have faith that you could develop kingdom-impacting disciples like Jesus did?
• What would you need to do to increase your faith?

Have someone read John 1:19-28

 

• Jesus may have been John’s disciple initially, what does this scripture tell us about the greater things a student should do?

 

Have someone read John 3:25-28, and another 30-34

 

• How does John present Jesus?

• What is John’s vision for the capability for Jesus’ ministry?

• Why is it important for us to have a vision for the capability of those we are discipling?

 

Have someone read Matthew 14:16-21 and another person Acts 4:1-4

• What impact did Jesus have on the 5,000 on the hill?
• What impact did the disciples have on the 5,000 in Acts 4?
• What is the significance between the difference of the two 5-thousands?

The Fruit of Jesus and the Fruit of Our Labor.

The fruit of Jesus is us. When we show the fruit of the spirit in gentleness, peace, joy, gifts of the spirit in wisdom, faith, prophecy, and Christian discipline we are showing the fruit of Jesus in us. But what about the measure of our fruit? We shouldn’t strive to incorporate someone into the functions of the corporate worship center and its programs. Our goal isn’t to see someone become an usher, choir member, Sunday school teacher, or a faithful attendee, all of which are fine. Our chief vision should be our disciples have their own small group, their friends, neighbors and coworkers sitting around their table having mutual exchanges of the heart through their testimony and encouraging letter of the Gospel becoming alive in them.

Have someone read 2 Timothy 2:13-14

 

• What does this scripture say about firstfruits, salvation, sanctification, belief and glory?

 

Have someone read Galatians 5:22-25 and another 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

 

• How do the fruits and gifts of the Spirit empower us to make disciples?

 

Begin at Birth

A culture of discipleship begins when someone decides to follow Jesus. Discipleship doesn’t begin after deeper inclusion into the programs of the corporate fellowship. Being Christ-like isn’t becoming a praise and worship singer, choir member or usher, but rather a disciple-maker. We don’t need to wait until someone is a mature Christian to encourage them to make disciples; they don’t need years of training. All they need is your vision for their success and belief in Jesus!

Have someone read John 14:8-12

 

• What does this scripture show to us about the power of believing?

 

Have someone read Proverbs 22:6

 

• The lessons we teach children with them their entire life, what lessons do we want to begin with for new believers in their new birth?

 

Have someone read Acts 2:41, 47, another 6:1, 7

 

• Why do you think the early church experience such exponential growth?

 

Follow to Lead

“When you have a follower, you have the power of one; but if you have a leader you have the power of exponential growth.” – Stan Gleason

Jesus’ ministry followed these rough steps:

1. Jesus initially called his disciples to merely follow him. (Mat 4:18-23, 8:19-22, 9:9)
2. The disciples watched Jesus teach and heal.
3. Jesus began to include the disciples in the functions of his miracles, even if they weren’t performing them, such as gathering fishes and loaves. (Matt 14:15-21, John 2:1-10)
4. The disciples began to imitate Jesus in the conducting of miracles, like when they prayed for sick. (Mark 9:14-18)
5. Jesus provided guidance when things didn’t always go as planned, such as when they couldn’t cast the demon out of the sick child. (Mark 9:15-29)
6. Jesus provided the disciples with the Great Commission. (Mat 28:19)
7. After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the disciples’ ministry not only mirrored, but indeed exceeded Jesus’ earthly three-year ministry. (Acts 8:4-8, 9:31-35)

Have someone read Matthew 4:18-23 and another 8:19-22)

 

• What can we do to give a new believer space to follow Christ?

 

Have someone read Matthew 14:15-21, and another Mark 9:14-18.

 

• How can we live our life to include others into greater service to others?

 

Have someone read Acts 18:24-26

 

• Why is it important to teach those who we disciple?