LIVING AND MAKING DISCIPLES Session 4 Part 1 - Bible study: Part 1 - Up close Go directly to part 2: Starting your action group
UP CLOSE Sometimes we can get so busy in the ministry of God that we forget the God of the ministry. How to maintain a fresh and honest relationship with God is key. Reading the Bible and hearing from God is an important part of our own Christian life and teaching younger disciples of Christ to do the same is one of the best things we can pass onto them. 4.1 Up close 1 Introduction
RELATIONSHIP David said: Psalm 25: 4-5 Show me your ways, o Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. 4.1 Up close 2 Apostles
TRUE OR FALSE? David was always close to God. David uses the words me or my six times. David only had ⅓ of the Bible that we have today. David was a man after God s own heart. 4.1 Up close 3 True or false?
1 ST HAND OR 2 ND HAND? If you had a choice to buy a car and money was not a problem: Would you buy old or new? Would you prefer a 2 nd hand car over a 1 st hand car? If you had a choice of hearing from God through the Bible (His revealed will to us): Would you prefer 1 st or 2 nd hand? Would you want to learn directly from God or hear from God via your pastor? 4.1 Up close 4 1 st hand or 2 nd hand?
Just hearing the Bible from your pastor is not enough! This is second best if you are feeding on the left overs from someone else s spiritual meal. God has a personal banquet waiting just for you. 4.1 Up close 5 1 st hand or 2 nd hand?
QUIET TIME Quiet time is our personal time with God. God wants to have an appointment with you each day where He can talk to you one to one through the reading of the Bible and where you can talk to Him through prayer. We are sometimes too busy to keep that appointment. We lose out and our closeness with God begins 4.1 Up close 6 Quiet time
to slop. Our love for Him begins to go cold! Beware of the barrenness of a busy life! 4.1 Up close 7 Quiet time
HOW TO HAVE QUIET TIME 1. Make time Try to have a regular time each day. Most people find that the morning is the best time. Develop the habit reading the Bible every day - whether you feel like it or not! This is a good habit that will lead to Godly character. 2. Find a good place A quiet and comfortable place is needed. Make that 4.1 Up close 8 How to have quiet time
room, that chair a holy place. Pray over it and make it your own private sanctuary. 3. Use a notebook Sometime we read the Bible like a newspaper, just looking at the headlines. We need help to understand and go deeper into the Bible. A notebook and pen helps us to read (study) the Bible with purpose. 4.1 Up close 9 How to have quiet time
4. Getting a grip on the Bible Reading Studying Hearing Memorising Meditating Meditating: Thinking deeply about what you have read or heard. Like how a cow chews the same food over and over until it is completely digested. 4.1 Up close 10 How to have quiet time
5. Where to start Gospel of Mark - read one chapter a day. As you read it ask the following questions: is there a: Sin to avoid Promise to believe Attitude to change Command to follow Example to follow 4.1 Up close 11 How to have quiet time
ACTION POINT I commit myself to have a daily quiet time for at least fifteen minutes with God for the next month. Choose a time and place where you can do this. 4.1 Up close 12 Action point
LIVING AND MAKING DISCIPLES Session 4 Part 2 - workshop: Part 2 - Starting your action group Go back to part 1: Up close
STARTING YOUR ACTION GROUP Revival may be under way in our college or community but without effective discipleship it will lose momentum and fade away. Since we know that Jesus way of doing ministry is making disciples through His action group, then how do we get started? 4.2 Starting your group 14 Introduction
DEFINITION Action group: A group of people meeting regularly to disciple one another with the aim of evangelism becoming a way of life. 4.2 Starting your group 15 Definition
BUZZ WORDS Group No lone rangers! Regularly This is not a once off meeting One another Christian community Aim There is a Godly purpose evangelism There are two important parts to the group: Teaching (Bible study, prayer & fellowship) 4.2 Starting your group 16 Buzz words
Reaching (witnessing & fun!) The leader s goal is to make disciples of Christ who will be spiritual multipliers. 4.2 Starting your group 17 Buzz words
HOW TO GET STARTED (Refer to the Best 4x4xFaith leaflet). So you want to have an action group. Where do you find the right people - those who will be ready for action? 4.2 Starting your group 18 How to get started
SELECTION Jesus selected people whom He would invest in. He did not just spend His time with any one. When Jesus said yes to include Peter in His action group, He also said no to others. We must follow the example of Jesus. Jesus also tells us: Do not throw your pearls [your valuable time & energy] to pigs. (Matthew 7: 6). This is often where we make our biggest mistake. 4.2 Starting your group 19 Selection
If we select the wrong people then our action group will not become a group. It will rather stay a series of many small meetings with individuals and there will certainly be no action! Select people who are: Faithful Available Teachable What happens if any of these three qualities are missing in the people you select? 4.2 Starting your group 20 Selection
Even after a lot of prayer there is still room for mistakes in your selection process. Remember: Judas was also selected to be part of Jesus action group. Did Jesus make a mistake? 4.2 Starting your group 21 Selection
THE FIRST MEETING Invite each person on your list to your first meeting. Choose the best time and place to suit everyone. Use simple terms to explain the purpose and vision of the action group. As a leader you need to make all this happen. This will take longer and require more energy than you think! 4.2 Starting your group 22 The first meeting
AT THE FIRST MEETING This is a key event. It is the first time all the individuals are together in the same place with the purpose of forming an action group. Start as you mean to go on: Be on time Be yourself Be well prepared. Share your vision with the group - include a scripture and be enthusiastic (10-15 min.) 4.2 Starting your group 23 At the first meeting
Pray together (10-15 min.) Do something social e.g. have an ice breaker, or play a game, or eat pizza. (30 min.) 4.2 Starting your group 24 At the first meeting
THE SECOND MEETING One week later, set the pattern for the rest of the meetings (2 hours). Pray together (10 min.) Bible study. Choose the best material for your group (45 min.) Witnessing. Get into pairs and share the gospel with unbelievers (45 min.) Return to share stories and pray (15 min.) 4.2 Starting your group 25 The second meeting
WARNING After your second meeting some group members may choose to leave. They may give the excuse that they do not have time. But remember, making a commitment to witnessing can be scary! 4.2 Starting your group 26 Warning
AND FINALLY The hardest part of leading your action group is getting started. It needs lots of energy, patience and enthusiasm from the leader. Do not give up too easily, especially in the first month. 4.2 Starting your group 27 And finally
ACTION POINT Read the Best 4x4xFaith again. Prayerfully select the four people you want to disciple in your action group. 4.2 Starting your group 28 Action point