Real Life Discipleship

Growing through Effective Discipleship

•Using Jesus’ model and principles as foundation• Building the church through small-group discipleship• Learning stages of growth in our discipleship

Jesus’s ModelGo and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

-Matthew 28:19-20

When Jesus started his ministry, what did he NOT have?

1) Staff of evangelists, elders, deacons2) Sunday morning worship service3) Regular midweek meeting4) Children’s ministry, campus ministry, worship ministry,

ushering ministry, addiction recovery ministry…5) Cool website6) A church building

What did Jesus do/have?•Focused on a small-group of individuals and created a reproducible culture of “discipleship”•Big-picture vision; small-group focus

Culture of discipleship?Matthew 4:18-20 - Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.•Intentional, Relational, Strategic

“Come follow me”•Discipleship is intentional•Discipleship means obedience to Christ, not just agreement/belief (John 8:30-32)

“And I will make you”• Discipleship is relational• The disciples were transformed by their

relationship with Christ (John 15:12-17)• The person you are at the beginning of

discipleship is left behind and the creation of a new person for Christ begins (Mark 8:34-35)

“Fishers of men”• Discipleship is strategic• Jesus had a mission (Luke 19:10) that was

reproduced by the disciples in the Great Commission• Transformation/change happened by participating

in the purpose of Christ – to save souls. (Luke 6:40)

Culture of DiscipleshipBy intentionally following Christ, the disciples entered a transformational relationship with him. They became like him in his mission, strategically reproducing discipleship throughout the generations to follow.Small-groups that are unified around these ideas become incubators for growth through discipleship!

The Practical Power of Small-Groups

• Relationships reinforce what we are learning and provide models for us to learn from and emulate

• Relationships that are honest, vulnerable and loving give us safe-space to deal with weaknesses and sins.

• Relationships inherently challenge us to grow by learning Christ-like love

• Small-groups are easily and naturally reproduced• Small-groups meet more needs while engaging broader involvement

and collective responsibility

Strengthening Small-Groups

• Stay intentional in our Christianity.• Be relational in our approach to discipleship.• Think and act strategically for the Great Commission and personal growth.

“And I am with you always, to the very end of the age…”