Discipleship Groups
Expectations
Expectations for Individuals
Committing to show up every week (unless sick/hazardous conditions).
Participate in group discussion and tools, but don't dominate the conversation.
Be real and authentic.
Participate in bringing food to the group.
You are not here to fix yourself or the group.
You will be lovingly held accountable to what Jesus is speaking to you.
You will pray out loud.
Follow the Matthew 18 protocol if you have any conflicts with someone in the group.
Expectations for the Group
The group is not a social group, but we expect you to have fun together.
The group is not an optional night that you can skip if something better comes up.
The group will have people get sick or go thru difficulties, this is a chance to love them.
The group may or may not do things together outside of your weekly commitment.
The group is meant for individuals who truly want to be with Jesus more, become like Jesus more, and do what Jesus did more.
The group will take off for major holiday weeks.
The group lasts from the beginning of September to mid May.
Expectations for Discipleship Group Leaders
You are there to facilitate and point to Jesus.
Depend on the Holy Spirit as the teacher for the group.
Work through Matt 18 for any group conflicts.
You should strive to protect your group as well as warmly welcome new members.
Remember, you are the leader of your group, but always an apprentice of Jesus.
Offer grace to everyone AND hold them accountable to what Jesus spoke to them.
Please do not add curriculum to the material. Extra things can be done outside the group time. Discipleship is meant to be reproducible. If you add more to it, participants may not be able to remember or have access to the added material.
Expectations for the Lord
He will show up every time you meet.
Jesus loves you and wants you to follow His footsteps as His apprentice.
Jesus is the Way, His life is our model and we will put His teaching into practice
Jesus is the Truth, He knows best and His Word/Spirit guide us to Him.
Jesus is the Life, He is our treasure, identity, hope, and best thing to happen to us.
He is our Lord and will speak to us. We can hear Him as His “sheep” and we will obey.
He is our Savior and will call us to repent, renounce lies, and forgive.
*When someone from the group hurts you, utilize Matthew 18 as our protocol for reconciliation.
First go to the person who hurt you. Allow them to know that when they did/said that, if made you feel ______. Allow them to take responsibility. Don't attack them.
If that doesn't work, please ask someone else from the group or your leader to come with you to help explain what happened and to allow the people who hurt you another chance to take responsibility. You are not trying to be right in this situation, but make peace and return unity to your group.
If this doesn't work, then you can come to me or your Shepherd. Explain to us the situation and we will get involved.
Please follow this protocol. Don't circumvent it. Jesus laid it out this way for a reason.
Ask yourself in any confrontation:
Will your actions bear good fruit?
Will they build up or tear down?
Are you trying to offer grace?
Are you speaking the truth in love?
*You can always reach out to your shepherd or me for questions, prayer, or coaching.
For more tips & coaching on resolving group conflicts, please check out these websites:
Turn Discord to Harmony: Conflict Resolution Practices for Ministry Leaders
For coaching on 10 Biblical Steps for Conflict Resolution
How Reconciliation Works - Patrick Doyle