Nearly two decades ago, I gave an invitation to a few close friends. I asked them if they would wake up early, meet me for breakfast, and share Scripture reading together. That invitation and that group changed my life.

That first discipleship group I led was eye-opening for me. We chatted while we drank coffee so the not morning people could wake up. We discussed several books or what we were reading in the Bible, and we prayed together. The simplicity of those gatherings has become a meaningful and recurring part of my life.

Eleven years ago this month I came to Wilkesboro Baptist to be the Senior Pastor. I only had one agenda–to make disciples. One of the earliest decisions I made was to invite a handful of men to meet me for breakfast to begin another discipleship group. Ten years later, we have nearly 100 people involved in discipleship groups at Wilkesboro Baptist Church.

The groups I’ve been a part of have each been unique with a variety of men, backgrounds, career paths, and struggles. There is a common and extraordinary thread running through these groups.

When we build relationship around the reading of God’s Word believing God wants to say something to us, our lives will change.

My mission in life is to lead others to follow Jesus one word at a time. That word could be in spoken form (conversation, teaching, preaching) or written form (blog, newsletter, book, social media post). I aim, quite imperfectly at times, for the words I speak to lead others to follow Jesus.

Our church’s mission is to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow Jesus by worshiping, learning, serving, and replicating.

My personal mission and our church’s mission find its most basic template in a discipleship group. Jesus’ model of making disciples was spending time with his followers. He spoke to them, taught them, modeled for them, corrected them, empowered them, sent them, and developed them. Jesus’ method of reproducing his ministry was the twelve he chose. According to Hero Maker by Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird, Jesus spent 73% of his time in the Gospel accounts with his followers. There is no shortcut to making disciples. The template includes the following interconnections that facilitate making disciples.

• Relationship. To lead others requires that we have relationship with others. Many people want to attend church “anonymously” by hiding in the background, being unknown. That may be ok for a time, but it is impossible to follow Jesus anonymously. To follow Jesus we must know him, be known by him, and follow him through the community of the church family.
• Bible. We have a guide for faith and practice; it is the Bible. Because the Bible is God’s Word, it carries his power and authority to change live. When we read the Bible to hear God speaking to us, he will speak. When he speaks and we listen and obey, we will never be the same.
• Prayer. Groups function best that pray for each other. Some of the most effective answers to prayer in my life have occurred with prayers from my discipleship group.
• Simplicity. This discipleship strategy is not complex. It’s not about teaching, rather it’s about facilitating conversation. It’s as simple as reading the Bible devotionally, recording or making note of something God brought to your attention, and sharing with your group. We do have groups that read books or groups that use tools like the Navigators curriculum. But the simplicity of sharing Scripture together is life-changing.
• Accountability. Accountability is a fascinating result of these groups. Each of us needs to be accountable to another. The group provides a healthy framework for finding an accountability partner as well as the regular accountability to be in God’s Word regularly.
• Replication. Following Jesus at WBC means we worship, learn, serve, and replicate. Discipleship group participants are more consistent and engaged worshipers. They are in a group where they are sharing what they’re learning. They are more likely to serve. And just the fact that they are together around God’s Word means that they are becoming like Jesus together.
• Leadership. One of my great joys is participating weekly with my group. But even more than that joy has been to watch a leader keep an existing group going when I left to lead another group. Even more than that joy has been watching others I’ve led in groups leave their group to lead a new group. That is leadership multiplication and the goal of Christian discipleship.

Consider this post an invitation. If you’re in a group, maybe it’s time to lead. If you’re leading a group, maybe it’s time to birth a new group. If you’re not in a group, maybe it’s time to join one. If you’re in Wilkes, reach out to me through the form below. We can get you connected. If you’re not in Wilkes and want to know how to start one on your own, reach out and we’ll try to help. For those who like resources, read Growing Up by Robby Gallaty. The basics of his framework are what we use at WBC.

Photo by Kate Macate on Unsplash