Discipleship Essentials Leaders Guide

Transcription

DISCIPLESHIP ESSENTIALS LEADERS’ GUIDEWhat are the critical elements for a successful disciple making journey? In the pages ahead, Ihave tried to distill 30 years of wisdom learned through trial and error so you don’t have to repeat themistakes I made. To put it positively, the core elements of a successful journey are laid out systematicallyto give you tracks to run on to arrive at your destination: more and better disciples of Jesus who in turncan make disciples themselves.Let’s start with a definition of the key vehicle you can use to transport you to this destination.What are “micro groups”?Micro GroupsMicro groups are a container in which are held the elements of accelerated transformation andprovide a simply tested method of multiplying disciples.What: One person prayerfully invites 2 or 3 others to join them on a journey of maturing in Christ as wellas learning to disciple others. The original group multiplies at the completion of Discipleship Essentialsby reaching out to 2 or 3 others. One group has now become 5 and so forth. Over a period of a just a fewyears a church is organically transformed from within to the point where the identity of the churchbecomes a disciple making congregation.Why: Since the mission of the church is to make disciples, there is a need for a specific way to do it. Themicro group effectively accomplishes two very vital things: (1) By focusing on God’s word in the contextof intimate relationship, growth accelerates and (2) through participation in these groups one learns tocreate a similar experience for others thus multiplying disciples.How: Central to the micro group is the agreement to a mutual covenant. Suffice it to say for now, thecovenant makes explicit the commitments that each is making to God and each other. [More later underthe steps to forming a micro group]. Disciplemaking is fundamentally a relational process of livessharpening lives. One of the major reasons for accelerated growth is that the group members have shiftedpriorities to make this group a center piece of their week.Who: The groups are made up of those of the same sex. Transparency and trust occurs more readily withgender specific groups. The only other qualifier for being in a group is the willingness to engage thecovenant. Levels of spiritual maturity are not a real factor. In fact, it is quite often adds to the richness ofthe group to have a breadth of age levels and length of time people have been exploring Christ.When: The suggested meeting length is approximately 90 minutes to cover a combination of personalsharing and engaging the topical biblical content. Since the groups are small, it usually possible to find asseam in everyone’s schedule so that they can make this a priority. It should be noted that timing is acultural matter. Rhythms that work in the US may not at all fit other cultures.Where: A general rule of thumb is to find a safe place where there is freedom to be transparent aboutyour life (quiet nook of a restaurant or cafe, private home, office boardroom, church, etc.).Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

2SUCCESSFUL DISCIPLEMAKING JOURNEY1This picture serves as an excellent overview of the key components of a discipleship journey. Fora successful road trip, you need a driver (Intentional Leader), a vehicle (Relational Environment) and amap/GPS (Reproducible Process) to get you to your destination, which is reproducing disciples.INTENTIONAL LEADER (DRIVER)Every group begins with a point person taking the initiative to start a group. The following are thefunctions and the steps a leader takes to bring about a healthy group experience.Step 1: Pray for the Holy Spirit’s DiscernmentWhen it comes to deciding who should be invited into a group, discerning prayer is the place tobegin. Jesus spent the night in prayer prior to calling his apostles from a larger gathering of disciples(Luke 6:12-13). Just the same we should ask the Lord to place on our hearts those we are to pursue injoining us on this journey. Take your time. Let the conviction settle in before you approach someone.What qualities are you looking for in the people you are calling? Perhaps the most importantquality is a humble and teachable spirit. Paul instruct Timothy to find “reliable people who will also bequalified to teach others” (II Timothy 2:2). What qualities might a “reliable” person reflect? When Jesuscalled the twelve they were certainly raw recruits. Spiritual maturity was not the standard (just ask Peter).What you want to see is someone who is willing to explore what it means to be a follower of Christ.Prayer: “Dear Lord, I am willing to lead a micro group, but I need to know the people you have inmind. Please impress upon my spirit those that you desire to be on this journey together.” Once you havea settled conviction, go on to Step 2.1Jim Putman, Avery T. Wallis, Brandon Guindon, Bill Krause, Real Life Discipleship: Training Manual,(NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2010), 60.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

3Step 2: Make a personal invitationHere is a sample invitation you can put into your own words: “I have been praying aboutsomething I would like you to consider. I am putting together a new group whose purpose is to help eachof us become better followers of Jesus. I would like to invite you to meet with me and at least one otherperson weekly for the purpose of becoming all that the Lord intends us to be. I personally needcompanions on this journey for my own continuous growth. As I was praying about who to ask, the Lordhas put you on my heart. Would you be willing to join me and one or two others as we grow together tobecome better followers of Jesus?”At this point, all you want is for them to say that they are willing to pray about whether they canconfirm their commitment to this group.Step 3: Share with them what is involvedSit down with them with a copy of Discipleship Essentials or Essential Guide to Becoming aDisciple, give them an overview of the content and how you will cover it.A. Review the table of contents to get a feel for the overall content and flow.B. Review the four parts of a lesson so they can see the repeated pattern.C. Let them know it will take approximately 1-2 hours/week to complete the lessons dependingon how rapidly you are covering the content, plus the weekly meeting time of 90 minutes.Step 4: Review the Covenant (p. 14, Discipleship Essentials)Central to the group relationship is a shared commitment to a covenant. A covenant is a written,mutual agreement that states clearly the expectations and commitments in the micro group relationship.Some people may have a negative reaction to making this kind of commitment. Why is a covenant soimportant?1. The covenant clarifies what you can count on from each other. Yes, there will be mutualaccountability.2. A covenant raises the stakes. It says we are about serious business.3. The covenant puts a tool in the hand of the leader (convener) and group members to remindeach other gently of their commitments, especially when they see someone lagging.In order for the potential participant to engage the covenant, it is best for them to state in theirown words what they think they are committing themselves to. As you read each line of the covenant youcould ask: What do you think you are being asked to do? Could you put that in your own words? What expectations does this create for you?As you conclude the review of the covenant, you might ask: how much time do you sense thatthis would take for you to be involved? Is this possible? Would you need to rearrange your schedule inany way to make this group a priority?Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

4Step 5: Ask the disciple to prayerfully consider the invitation.Specifically, tell them that you don’t want an answer on the spot, but to examine over the nextweek whether they have the time and the heart for what lies ahead. As they pray about their decision, itwould be appropriate to share this invitation with their spouse, count the cost, and then give you ananswer that has been prayerfully discerned.Step 6: Set the first regular meeting and get startedYour initial time slot together, may be just a temporary gathering, until you can have a morethorough discussion of what time would work best for all. The good thing about the small size of thegroup is that you usually can find a suitable seam in your schedules.Find a quiet, safe space where you will be able to grow into trusting transparency.Good locations for micro groups:o Private homeo A quiet nook in a restaurant;o Private office space (board room before work)o ChurchAvoid spaces that are too public that would make people self-conscious:o Coffee houseo Restaurant which is too noisy, etc.Step 7: Guide the participants through the sessionsThe leader should take initial responsibility of guiding the members through the content of thelessons. (see suggested formats) Go only at a pace that is comfortable. Encourage questions. Addresspersonal matters. The curriculum is only a tool, not something in which to be enslaved. Also mention atthe outset that very early on, the leadership will be rotated among all the participants. This is todemonstrate that everyone can do this.Step 8: Model transparencyThe general rule of thumb is that the group will go as deep as the willingness of the convener tobe vulnerable. Find suggestions below as to how to lay the relational foundations early on that encouragetrust and openness.Step 9: Multiplication: Consistently uphold the value and expectation that each participant will beleading their own group. When you review and renew the covenant after lessons 8 and 16, this is a goodtime to remind them of point 5 in the covenant. Ask them for the names God is putting on their heart toinvite into their own group.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

5RELATIONAL ENVIRONMENT (VEHICLE)Reproducing disciples are grown in a transformative environment. There are four “climatic”conditions in a micro group that converge together to make for accelerated growth. The relational settingof a micro group maximizes these four conditions. “When we open our hearts together (1) in transparenttrust; (2) around the truth of God’s word; (3) in a spirt of life-change accountability; (4) while engagedin our God-given mission, we in the Holy Spirit’s hot-house of transformation”.2Suggested Ways to Begin and Develop Your Group’s Relational ExperienceSession 1: The leader should be aware that as you begin, people often come together a bit anxious,especially if the participants don’t know each other well. They will be asking themselves what thisexperience will be like; how personal will they will have to get; will they enjoy being with these people.Therefore, it is important that you do something light in your first few times together to introduceyourselves to each other. Laughter is a very good antidote to anxiety. If you are relative strangers to eachother, here are some fun things to share together for an initial introduction. Create some fun ice-breakerquestions:1. Where were you born and where did you grow up? How would you describe your life at that time?2. Tell us some things about your family of origin:a. Siblings: where are you in the birth order?b. What kind of work did your father or mother do?c. What is one of your favorite memories in your growing up years?d. When your family was having fun what did you do?3. How did you choose your profession or school (if you are a student)? What do like and dislike aboutyour work?4. If married, how did you meet your spouse? Share something interesting about how the relationshipdeveloped? Is there any funny story connected to your courtship or engagement?5. What is an interest or hobby that you like to pursue in your spare time?After everyone has had a chance to give a brief snapshot of each other’s life, take time for twoother things:1. Each person shares some of the process they went through to decide to be a part of the micro group.Why did they see this an important at this time?2Greg Ogden, Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time. (InterVarsity Press:Downers Grove, IL: 2016), 145.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

62. Go through the covenant together line by line and ask some of the questions identified in Step 4 above.Then as you close your first session, sign the covenant in each other’s presence. As the leaderpray for the journey ahead. Do not ask someone else to pray. At this point you will not know howcomfortable people are in praying out loud.Sessions 2-5: As you are just starting to engage the curriculum, I would suggest that you reserve a blockof time (approximately 20 minutes), so that each person, one per week, can share the story of their faithjourney.A. The initiator of the group should take the lead here and go first and provide a model to follow. Thiswould be a good time to model transparency as you honestly recount “the ups and downs” of yourown faith journey.1. Elements you can include to shape the story of your faith journey:a. What was the nature of faith in your home growing up?b. What made you consider being a follower of Christ? Was there a specific point ofredirection in your life? If so, tell us about that.c. What have been some of the ups and downs of your faith journey? When have you feltclosest to God and when have you felt furthest away?d. Was there someone(s) who has been particularly influential in shaping your faith? Tell usabout them.e. What are some of your deepest desires you have now in your relationship with Christ?What would you like Jesus to do for you?Some initial guidelines:1. The group convener should lead the initial sessions to provide a model for how it can be done, so thateach person can observe and feel comfortable with the simplicity of the format. It should be stated upfront that after the completion of the initial 6 lessons or so, that the leadership will be rotatedregularly. As you pass the leadership from person to person, have each take you through the entiretyof a lesson. Continue this rotation until you complete the curriculum.2. The curriculum should be covered at a pace suitable to the group. There should be no expectation thatyou can complete a lesson per session. Simply pick up the next week where you left.3. One of the major values of a micro group is to apply the truths discovered to where each person isliving now. The genius of the micro group is customization. Each individual in the group has adifferent learning style, personality, growing edge, challenge to obedience, etc. The hope is that eachperson can incorporate the truth into their current walk with Christ. This is the opposite of a programmentality where you walk lockstep through content that remains information, but does not sink to thelevel of transformation.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

7Suggested Optional Formats Per Session:Format #1: Divide the 90 minutes together into two approximate timeframes: (1) Personal Login.[approximately 30 minutes] Review how the week has gone. Here are some leading questions that youcan use to begin each session as you stay current with each other:1. For what can you give thanks this week?2. What made this week difficult?3. Where did you see God at work this week?4. What makes it difficult to be fully present right now?In addition, you will often have prayers requests from previous weeks to follow up. In addition, there mayhave been something someone was supposed to do as an act obedience. Check in about that. Groups oftenwill have someone record the prayer requests who can then ask about progress against them.(2) Curriculum: [approximately 60 minutes] The most straightforward way to cover the material is tosimply progress through the lesson sequentially with everyone providing their answers to the questions orassignments. The leader invites responses starting with the core truth, and progressing through the other 3parts of the lesson. Don’t be rigid about simply sticking with the script as printed. The idea is that thecurriculum creates the structure for a conversation. You want people to ask questions, struggle with themeaning of verses, make observations that may take you afield, etc. This is not only OK but preferred.One of the purposes of the curriculum is create a structure for exploration, and yet it provides aframework to bring you back keep on a progressive track.Format #2: The starting point for each session can rotate back and forth between personal log-in andcoverage of the curriculum. You will find that the challenge is to keep a balance between the personaltime and making progress through the curriculum. Thus, you will probably at times want to jumpimmediately into the content and hold the log-in personal time to the end. Though the material has asequence of core truth, scripture memory, inductive study and reading discussion, you don’t always haveto cover the material is this order. You will discover on numerous occasions that the reading (4th element)gives insight into the memory verse and inductive bible study questions. If you start with the reading afterthe core truth, you can be more selective about which questions you address within the memory verse andinductive study portions.Format #3: Personal Log-in same as above options above. Curriculum: Cover the core truth as it isstated so that you keep the theme of the lesson before you. Move immediately to reciting the memoryverse. The requirement to memorize scripture quite often is met with resistance. Therefore, discuss thebenefits of memorizing Scripture (Psalm 119:11). Why is this an important discipline? For the rest of thethree parts of the lesson, ask the group members to come prepared to discuss three questions that weremost meaningful to them. The basis for choosing questions to discuss might be: (1) a truth that wasparticularly impactful; (2) a challenge received, or (3) issue that was puzzling that needs furtherclarification. This approach shifts the responsibility to each participant to take ownership for thediscussion.Format #4: Personal Log-in: same as above. Curriculum: Consider the list of 25 lessons as a menu fromwhich to choose. The material is divided into four parts. As you enter a new section carefully read overTaken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

8the introductory page which gives you an overview of the content in that section. As best as you candecide together which of those lessons you need to delve into more fully and which you could skim with alighter touch. I would still suggest that each person prepare all the lessons because the topics build upon asequence of thought. Think of the content as mosaic tiles that are creating a holistic picture of theChristian life.REPRODUCIBLE PROCESS (Map/GPS)To arrive at a destination, you need guidance through a map or more likely today a GPS. With themicro group the curriculum serves as your GPS. This is your guidance system to get you to where youneed to go.The curriculum is biblically based content that you are exploring together through a series ofsequential topics.There are at least four things that a curriculum provides for you:1.A curriculum provides a plan. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide the fundamentalbuilding blocks upon which to build your life in Christ. Many Christ followers have not connectedbiblical truth in a coherent fashion. I compare it to accumulating puzzles that have been tossed them in abox. We get a bit of truth from a sermon, another bit through personal reading, still some more fromtrusted friends, etc. Each of these puzzle pieces of truth or wisdom sits unassembled in a box. You can’tsee any holistic picture of the Christian life. The intention of Discipleship Essentials is to assemble thesepieces into a coherent picture.2.A curriculum provides intentionality. You are gathering regularly because you want to beintentional, purposeful, and even covenantal. The opposite of intentional is haphazard, random, oroccasional. You are gathering together to explore the core truths of the faith weekly which is leading to adestination of becoming reproducing followers of Christ.3.The curriculum provides a transferable tool. The curriculum provides the structure to convenethe relationship. If you did not have a curriculum and were asked to be involved in discipling others, mostpeople would be at a loss. But once you have walked through this curriculum then you have a tool in handthrough which you can guide others as well. Even though you may be going over the same material again,I find it always stays fresh, because the people you are with create a unique experience.4.The curriculum provides a sense of progression. How will you know if you if you growingincreasingly to maturity without a plan to get there? This was one of my early frustrations. I wasconstantly scrambling in piecemeal fashion to cobble together content on the diverse areas of Christianliving. I felt more like I was spinning my wheels rather than actually heading in a direction. With acurriculum we are able to track our progress.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

9Overview of the Structure of Discipleship EssentialsThe following is an overview of the rationale behind Discipleship Essentials:Lessons 1 and 2: Making Disciples and Being a Disciple. By positioning these as the first two lessons, Iwanted to say upfront, what this is what this book is all about. You are going through an experientialprocess to give you a way to make disciples while raising the bar for what it means to be a disciple.Lessons 3-6: Spiritual Disciplines (How can we stay connected to Christ?) Spiritual disciplines orpractices are a means that put in place that keep us in the presence of our Lord so that we can learn fromChrist to be like Him.Lessons 7-13 Understanding the Message of Christ (What has Christ done for us?) This section takesus into the core doctrines of the faith. The material unfolds our understanding of God as Trinity (Father,Son and Holy Spirit). Lessons 7-8 takes in the core identity of God as a relational being. Lessons 9-13 layout the grand drama of our Lord’s rescue mission: Starting with our rebellion against God (sin), followedby Christ response (grace); based upon God’s gift of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection (redemption),which leads to the two great outcomes of Christ’s completed work (justification and adoption).Lessons 14-19 Becoming Like Christ (What does Christ wants to do in us?) The Trinitarian emphasis iscomplete in Lessons 14 and 15 on the person of Holy Spirit who grows his fruit in us. Then lessons 16-19center on qualities of trust, love, justice and witness as central to Christ’s work from the inside out.Lessons 20-25 Serving Christ (What does Christ want to do through us?) Ultimately the foundations ofspiritual disciplines, sound doctrine, transformation from within should all lead to being servants of Christin the church and the world. Lessons 20-21 focus on life in the body of Christ (church) and therefore eachof us have a part to play (ministry gifts). Lessons 22-23 call us to engage the world which will lead us toconfront our enemy, the evil one (spiritual warfare) and replacing the old with the new (walking inobedience). Lesson 24 brings us back to the original vision that we are made to reproduce (sharing thewealth). Chapter 25 was a bonus chapter added after the origin publication. A clear sign of our prioritiesis where we put our treasure (money).Successful Journey (Reproducing Disciples)A successful journey will result in a commitment of the participants to engage is becomingreproducing disciples of Jesus. In the immediate setting this means to initiate the same steps above torecreate a similar experience to what they have just completed.Admittedly, one of most difficult aspect of this whole process is to move through multiplegenerations of making reproducing disciples. There is a built-in inertia in the church because we have sothoroughly indoctrinated people into a passive, consumer-oriented approach to our faith. We come toTaken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

10worship to receive from the pastor’s word; we go to bible studies to glean from another person’s effort.But when it comes to our taking responsibility for the spiritual health of others, there is resistance. Theresistance is in large part because we have not seen ourselves or been encouraged to view being a discipleas one who reproduces. When we start to turn the corner from consumer to multiplier that we encounteran enemy who will put all kinds of self-doubt in place. We hear the whispers, “I don’t know the bible wellenough”; “I know myself, how could I possibly me a model for others?”; “I don’t know who I wouldask”; “If I ask, can I face the rejection?” If we listen to these self-doubts then Satan has done a good jobof taking us out of the game.Strategies to Reinforce the Value of Becoming a Reproducing Disciple1. Initial Covenanting: Item 5 of the covenant reads: “Give serious consideration to continuing thediscipling chain by committing myself to invest in at least two others for the year following the initialcompletion of Discipleship Essentials.” This is worded somewhat tentatively because people can’tcommit themselves to something they have not experienced. But once they are in process in the groupshift to an attitude of expectation that they not only reproduce for one generation, but adopt a lifestyle ofmaking disciples. Our legacy in life are those we have helped enter the kingdom and then grow as akingdom person.2. Review and Renew the Covenant: After lesson 8 and 16 there is an opportunity to look back at theoriginal covenant and evaluate how each person is carrying out their commitments. This is an opportunityfor personal reflection and a chance to reinforce the 5th commitment of the covenant. You can ask eachperson at this juncture to answer: How are you feeling about taking up the responsibility of leading yourown group? Who might you have in mind if you were to offer invitations now?3. Rotation of leadership: By the time you complete Discipleship Essentials every personin the group should had multiple opportunities to take the lead through an entire lesson. They have seen itmodeled by others. They also know how profoundly simple this task is. They have discovered they don’thave to have theological degree or even extensive knowledge of the entire Scriptures.4.Expectations: A leader creates expectations for people to live up to. It is a general rule of thumbthat people live up to their received expectation. Yet at the same time, create a safe environment wherepeople can express honestly their misgivings. It is often as people are able to articulate their reticence thatyou can pray together for the Lord’s provision.It should be stated that we don’t expect that everyone will create their own groups for variousreasons. This may not be the right thing for the gifts of some people involved. There are certainly otherimpediments that serve as legitimate roadblocks. But everyone should be able to answer the question,“How can I contribute to the mission of making disciples who make disciples? What is my role in thismission?”Mistakes to Avoid1. The most often repeated mistakes is to turn Discipleship Essentials into a program. A pastor is oftenasking the question: How can I get as many people as possible involved in this all at once? Solution: Let’spreach on each of the 25 topics and form small groups meeting weekly to cover the same content.Taken from the "Leader's Guide" of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. Copyright (c) 2019 by GregOgden. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515,USA. www.ivpress.com

11Problem: All you have after 25 weeks is an experience but you have not equipped people to discipleothers. You will be simply asking, what program can we put in place next year?2. The second version of a program mentality is to attempt to cover Discipleship Essentials in 25 weekssince it is 25 lessons. The whole idea behind micro groups is that each group is customized to theindividuals in the group. Every group has its own organic life. Some will be complete in a year and readyto multiply. Many others will take a year and a quarter to a year and a half. You reproduce at your ownspeed. Forget trying to coordinate groups on an academic schedule starting in September ending in Junetaking the summer off and then starti

Sit down with them with a copy of Discipleship Essentials or Essential Guide to Becoming a Disciple, give them an overview of the content and how you will cover it. A. Review the table of contents to get a feel for the overall content and flow. B. Review the four p