Is your discipleship group stuck? Does there seem to be an anchor in leading participants in your group toward greater maturity?
The question came to me when reading a blog post by my friend, David Francis, entitled Three Levels of Community in Groups. Is it possible that the level of community or relationships can create stuckness in disciple-making progress? If that is true, then how can we lead the individuals in our group to lift anchor and move beyond that stuckness?
Consider David’s three levels of community (along with my comments):
- Conversational community: a small group in which there is conversation occurring between God and individuals and between individuals to encourage each other to be obedient
- Caring community: a small group in which relationships and care take conversation beyond group time
- Commissioned community: a small group established in conversation and care in which there is a mission and purpose that is bigger than the group.
Progress demands understanding two points on our journey: the starting point and the finish line. When leading a group, it’s important that the leader assess his/her group relative to these points. Often it helps for group members to recognize current reality as well.
Assess your current discipleship group. In which of these three levels of community is your group? Are all members at the same level? How could you help an individual or group let go of the current level to move forward? Could reading together David’s blog, Three Levels of Community in Groups, help? Assess. Lead. Make disciples!
For more ideas about disciple-making, check out these blog posts:
- Disciple-Making Strategy Questions
- New Year’s Personal Discipleship Questions
- Disciple-Making: Where to Start
- Scripture Memorization and Disciple-Making
- Discipleship and Relational Prayer
- Disciple-Making Goals for the Year Ahead
- Materials for One-on-One Disciple-Making
- Discipleship Through Church Ministry and Programs
