Do you realize God us called us to mutual discipleship?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” (Matt. 28:19–20)
To become a Christian is to become a life-long learner and follower of Jesus Christ. The first disciples were a diverse group of ordinary people, who Jesus called to be His friends and follow after Him into a life of extraordinary purpose.
God has big plans for your small group, too. You’re not just friends who meet up—you’re disciples from all walks of life, who are gathering together with an extraordinary purpose: learning how to follow Jesus.
Consider the following four steps to ensuring mutual discipleship takes place in your small group.
4 Steps to Mutual Discipleship
Mutual Discipleship Step 1. CALL
… one another to mission
“… I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matt. 4:19)
When Jesus called Peter, James and John away from their day job to learn from and follow Him, He gave them a clear outline of their collective mission: fishing for people.
I recently joined a group Bible study, whose initiator named it ‘Ahava’ – the Hebrew word for ‘love,’ from the root verb, ‘to give.’ Right away, we had a collective mission: to look for ways we could love God and others well as we studied together.
Group Guides: What do you consider the mission of your small group to be? How will meeting together help you reflect Jesus’ character and calling? Decide on a mission statement together, and ensure every subsequent gathering is centred around that goal.
Mutual Discipleship Step 2. POINT
…one another to the Word’s life-giving power
“…we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” (1 Thess. 2:8)
