Author: Jon Wellman
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Thoughts on Discipleship #11
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.”
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Thoughts on Discipleship #10 – Mistakes
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?
Not a Camouflaged Soul 