Consistency is Key

The Large Group, the small group, and the few. I really like this strategy. This is actually the current strategy for First A/G to have some "green" disciples. We gather in the large group on Sundays to worship, encourage one another and get trained through scripture to go change the world. We meet in Small Groups throughout the week to have a dialogue format with people we do life and mission with. And then we have THE FEW. The 1-3 people in our life that we have chosen to make a significant impact in. Over the course of the first few months of this strategy of B1M1, here are a few lessons that I have learned:

1 - Consistency is key. A day, time and place that you will meet every week is a must. To schedule it weekly around schedules is too much to ask. For me, 3 students come after school on Thursday to the church. Most of the time I have to pick some of them up or take some of them home. But we all know Thursdays are the day. Because it has become a regular part of our schedules, they now text me about it.

2 - Flow with the Holy Spirit. Be open to what God is doing in the hearts of your disciples. Be in the spirit and ready to respond when the opportunity for wisdom and guidance presents itself.

3 - Go through a book together. SWEAT is going through "The Purple Book" with our disciples. My wife is in a group that just went through Crazy Love by Francis Chan and is now tackling True Discipleship.

4 - From the beginning, cast the vision that after 6 months they will need to have a group of a FEW on their own. When you know you have to reproduce something, you listen more intently.

5 - Pray your guts out!

Being One, Making One,
RJ

Never Eat Alone

I don't know about you, but I really don't like eating alone. You physically have to eat and most of us do so three times a day at pretty consistent times. If you work, you take your lunch break at almost the same time everyday. If you are a college student, you do so between classes. The time may be a little different but this universal truth is this: if you want to survive, you have to eat!

There are things like eating that happen every single day of your life. Why not redeem these times for discipleship? Leverage your everyday schedule to make disciples. Ask yourself this: What is it that you do every day or every week that you could bring someone along with you and make it a discipleship moment? Take eating for example: I go out to eat with small group leaders at least 3 times a week and discuss their small groups and how they are making disciples. I go out to lunch with people I am discipling 1-2 times a week and am very intentional with the questions I ask and try to challenge them spiritually every time we meet. Sometimes I go out to breakfast with disciples once a week and do the same thing. Add that up and that is 5-8 hours a week that I am leveraging to make disciples that I otherwise would have wasted on simply eating.

Pray over your schedule and ask God, "Where can I make disciples with the things that I am already doing?"

- Do you work out? Bring someone with you and talk about Jesus!
- Do you need to study? Invite someone and take discipleship breaks from studying
- Do you love reading? Start a book club and make it a discipleship group
- Are you helping the poor? Bring someone along next time instead of doing it by yourself!


Don't even tell me you don't have time to make disciples. I don't believe you. You just need to find out where God has already given you opportunities and turn them into moments where you can Be One and Make One!!

P. Matt