I once wrote a weekly newsletter for small group leaders. In these Thoughts on Discipleship posts, I reprint those articles.

A while back, I wrote a paper on discipleship for one of my seminary classes at NOBTS, so I thought I’d get extra use out of it by sharing some quotations here…

George Müller (1805–1898 – Leader in the Plymouth Brethren movement; founder of Christian orphanages) said: “There was a day when I died; utterly died… Died to George Müller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends and, since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”

“The modern church need not differentiate between believers and disciples, because Jesus did not make any such distinction. He described the life of one of his disciples as one of sacrifice, dedication, and growth, and did not make allowances for a “Christian” life lived outside of those attributes.”

“As his name, Emmanuel, God with us, was a promise at his birth, Jesus promises (in Matthew 28:20) to be with us always as if to bookend his ministry with the same promise. Making disciples is not an easy task, but the presence of God with us as we obey makes this endeavor worthwhile.”

“Unlike the local church, Jesus was able to compel others to follow him by calling out to them (“Follow me”). The church is called to “go.” This phrase is found in the present participle form, or “going.” As we are going, we must make disciples. The act of making disciples ought to be an expected endeavor regardless of our location.”

“Once people are believers, there must be a process in place that will enable the new believer to mature and become a part of the body of Christ, utilizing their giftedness for the benefit of the church and the kingdom of God. Therefore, the balance in priorities between evangelism and discipleship must be maintained, as evangelism is not effective without discipleship and discipleship does not exist without evangelism.”

I once wrote a weekly newsletter for small group leaders. In these Thoughts on Discipleship posts, I reprint those articles.

I read an article by Carter Moss entitled “5 Mistakes That Ruin Small Groups.” Here are the main points and some thoughts.

1. Allowing an Unsafe Environment. We must emphasize to our group members that they are free to share without judgment or fear of broken confidentiality. If they believe that sharing may have adverse consequences, they won’t bother. This should be a constant area of attention.

2. Moving at the Wrong Speed. When leading a class, it’s important to “read the room.” Is there a look of confusion on many of the faces you see as you teach? If so, the topic may need more explanation. Going too slowly is a similar issue – participants may get bored and uninterested. Also, allow for times when group members are in need, and be sensitive to how the group can be there for them. Don’t be completely beholden to the “plan.”

3. Getting Together Only for Meetings. Intentionally plan opportunities for your group to get together, and encourage members to get together on their own.

4. Killing the Group Discussion. When asking a question, be the last to answer, even if it produces awkward silences sometimes. I personally love playing devil’s advocate – hypothetically take the opposing view of a topic once in a while. I love Carter’s suggestion: “How would you explain this to a non-Christian who doesn’t buy it?”(1 Peter 3:15)

5. Sticking Together Too Long. This may be the hardest suggestion. Healthy groups replicate themselves, usually by division. Who are you equipping to lead?

I once wrote a weekly newsletter for small group leaders. In these Thoughts on Discipleship posts, I reprint those articles.

As group leaders, we all long for some level of interaction with those who attend our groups. The way we phrase our questions can affect the extent to which people can respond or even lower the quality of the responses. Here are a few types of questions to avoid.

(These come from an article by Terry Powell entitled “Five Questions that Kill Discussion.”)

Subjective Questions. When you ask people to respond with how they feel about a Biblical passage rather than what it says. “What does verse 2 mean to you?”

Long-Winded Questions. When you ask a question that has too many aspects to put into a concise answer. Try to limit how much you ask at a time. “Looking at how the devil tempts Jesus in the wilderness, what specific qualities and strategies of spiritual warfare does he demonstrate that could also be used against us?”

Leading Questions. When you ask a question with a particular answer in mind and your question’s only correct response is the answer you want. “It’s hot in here, right?”

Compound Questions. Two questions in one. “What toppings do you like on your ice cream, and what is the capital of Connecticut?”

Compulsory Personal Questions. “Frank, could you tell us about a time you doubted God’s faithfulness?”

I once wrote a weekly newsletter for small group leaders. In these Thoughts on Discipleship posts, I reprint those articles.

Do you ever just get quiet and listen?

Today, I am writing this to myself first and whoever else needs it second. There is way too much noise in life, right? There are screens in front of us constantly. I live outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, the city with the most lights and advertising worldwide. If we aren’t intentional about it, we can have distractions going 24/7.

There is value in silence. Here are three ways that silence is useful…

Silence helps us study the Bible more intently. It is important to focus when we explore the scriptures. In silence, we can better avoid distraction and focus on what God is trying to communicate through his Word. CH Spurgeon once said, “Oh, Book of books, the map of the way to glory; that man invokes a terrible curse upon his own head who refuses to study thee! He does, in effect, shut the gate of heaven against himself, and bar the road to everlasting bliss. If you would be saved, dear friend, sit alone, and consider your case, and then study God’s thoughts concerning it.”

Silence helps our prayer life. Jesus said in Matthew 6:6. “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Quiet allows us to focus on talking to God. Quiet also will enable us to listen. When you pray, pause occasionally. The Holy Spirit may bring people to mind who need prayer. 

Silence helps our teaching. Did you know that? When you get quiet, you have to listen to your own thoughts. This enables you to refine your word choices and control your speech patterns. It also helps you be okay with pauses when speaking. Most people believe they must talk to fill silences, but that often leads to verbal placeholders like “uh” or “um.” When one is used to silence, the need to fill the silence with words decreases. Improving the way we communicate enhances the way we deliver God’s Word.

I once wrote a weekly newsletter for small group leaders. In these Thoughts on Discipleship posts, I reprint those articles.

Let’s talk about prayer.

Prayer is essential for a healthy walk with Jesus, yet it is the one spiritual discipline where all believers can improve. None of us pray too MUCH. Who among us would even claim that?

Research done by Missions International studying prayer in small groups showed that 83% of groups whose leaders have a faithful prayer life have seen people come to faith in Christ from within their group. This does not mean that prayer guarantees conversions. However, it does show that group leaders who are faithful in their respective walks with Christ are more likely to lead faithful groups in their outreach. Make sure there is a time for prayer requests and prayer at your group gatherings, and pray over those requests between meetings.

One trick I learned long ago… if someone asks you to pray for them, do so right then and there. Even if circumstances do not allow you to pray together with the person right then and there, pray for them silently within the next five minutes or less. Then, note the request so you can continue praying for it later. This way, you don’t agree to pray for them and then forget!

One last thing. It is never too late to improve your prayer life. I have been a believer for over 42 years and I still struggle. My finite little brain forgets or doesn’t plan well or gets distracted or fill-in-the-blank-with-your-own-reasons-for-not-praying-enough. If this is an area where you struggle, repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help you! Then get to prayin’! Why we are sometimes reluctant to communicate directly with THE God who created everything we have ever known or experienced is beyond me.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we have an election of some sort coming up soon.

And there are bound to be passionate people on both sides of the political landscape that are EAGER to let your group know EXACTLY where they stand. So how do we navigate this eventuality within our groups?

First, we must understand that, as Christians, many of the topics of conversation within political circles tend to overlap with issues of great importance to the cause of Christ. Abortion, gender, homosexuality, the family, freedom of religion, healthcare, education, crime and punishment, and many others are being debated on the political stage with candidates and pundits on both sides saying what their base wants to hear. At the same time, followers of Jesus know that many aspects of these issues are settled because God declares them settled. But in a fallen world, public policy and sin that defies the will of God do not always coincide. And politics by its very nature divides. When these topics come up in our groups, we should avoid the political aspect and stick to what we know – the truth of God’s Word. Why take a hard line? Because of the divisive nature of political discussions and our goal of unifying those we lead on the basis of the Bible. 

There are two ways political discussions in groups tend to go. One way is that people in the group disagree down party lines and, even if there is no outright animus, it is still a tense discussion. The other way is if a handful of people in the group agree and the discussion tends toward politics instead of scripture. It may be possible to have a third type of discussion, but I personally have never seen it.

Second, focusing on the broken, fallen world we live in can be overwhelming if we count on politicians to fix things. That is not to say that elections are not important – they are. They are necessary, but it is also necessary to put our trust in our King. Look at what Proverbs 25:19 says: “Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.” If we put our trust in anyone other than God, we are trusting someone who is unreliable. And we do so to our detriment.

Third, being informed about what is going on in the world is good, but letting that information control your life is not. We as group leaders must encourage our attendees to understand the folly of getting caught up in things of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” As the old song says… “This world is not my home. I’m just a’passin’ through.” If we are followers of Jesus, we have heaven to gain, glory to God! We don’t have to be bogged down with the troubles of this sin-filled world. And those in our groups who are not believers need to be given the hope that comes with faith in our Savior.

Dave Brown, Director and Pastor-at-Large of WACMM, wrote the following:

Whatever we’re called into the public arena to do, we must remember that redemption does not come to us on Air Force One, through the next slate of candidates, or by fervent political ideologies, as important as these things are. Instead, redemption comes by the sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus—our sin-bearer, our wrath absorber, and our robe of righteousness.

https://www.9marks.org/article/how-i-went-too-far-with-politics/

May we proclaim that to our groups as well as to anyone with ears to hear. 

I tweeted this today…

“Today, July 5, is my spiritual birthday. The day I became a Christ-follower. I am so grateful for my salvation.

Christ died on a cross and God raised him three days later. Because of that, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). #doyouknowhim”

I was saved at my mother’s bedside in Ashland, Kentucky, on July 5, 1981. My father passed away on July 5, 2018. He died as a result of small-cell lung cancer after a two-year ordeal.

The dichotomy of my beginning my eternal life and my father ending his physical one on the same day of the year isn’t lost on me. But in reality, my father began his life in the presence of his Savior that day.

My last conversation with him is burned into my memory. I wheeled him around the block of the home in Lexington, Kentucky where he was staying for treatment. He was confused – he thought that was his home. He could barely sit up straight in the wheelchair. But when I asked him about his faith, he was very clear. He told me that Jesus was his Savior.

I am so glad that he no longer has that cancer and the other maladies that plagued his body those last couple of years. I know I’ll see him again someday, as a result of what happened on MY July 5th.