ENGAGE INSPIRE

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Life Group Sermon Study

Discipleship that Grows Me March 1-2, 2014

Break the Ice:

ENGAGE

(A key part of healthy group life is to make sure your group gets to know each other and builds good relationships. The purpose of these first questions is to help your group open up. Please don’t feel like you have to ask each question. Once you feel like the group is ready, move onto the “Inspire” section.)

• What food (or dessert) could you eat every day of the week? Why? • What did God teach you during the message this weekend? Did anything in particular stand out? Prayer: Take some time to pray for God to speak to your group through this week’s study. Questions:

IN SP IRE

(Each question has a lot to unpack. Since the group may need time to process each question, don’t let silence scare you. Try to avoid filling the space with unnecessary explanation or moving on from the question too quickly.)

• As a group, let’s talk through what we think are the key components of discipleship. What things have to exist in order for it to truly be discipleship? If you can, try to use Scripture to support your thoughts and convictions.

1. Read 2 Timothy 2:2. Derrick said, “Paul is writing to the man that he discipled, Timothy. He is basically saying, ‘You have seen my life, failures and good times, traveled with me, and did ministry alongside me. Now go and do this with others.’” • Who are the people in your life who have influenced and discipled you? • What would it look like to prayerfully and intentionally invest your time in someone else’s life for the sole purpose of discipling him or her? What challenges would you face? Discuss. Derrick said, “Discipleship is and always should be at the core of all we do as a church.” • Do you think discipleship is a command for followers of Jesus or simply a suggestion for those who are willing? Why? 2. Derrick said, “Discipleship should include four key elements: relational, inspirational, doctrinal, and experiential.” Paul taught Timothy everything he knew concerning his faith in Jesus and was very familiar with Timothy’s family (2 Tim. 1:5). Paul was relational in discipling Timothy.” • What are the qualities someone has to have before you allow him or her to speak into your life? Discuss. • Are you personally spending intentional time with people for the purpose of investing in your relationship with them? Discuss. 3. Read 2 Timothy 1:3-14. Paul is constantly inspiring Timothy to continue teaching the truth about Jesus Christ no matter the outcome. Derrick said, “In discipleship we have to inspire others daily in why we live for Christ.” • Do you have people in your life who inspire you to grow in your faith in Jesus? Discuss. • Are you inspiring others to grow in their faith in Jesus? Discuss.

4. Read 2 Timothy 1:13 and 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Derrick said, “We need more people in the church who are rooted and grounded in Scripture. Like Paul said, ‘We have to exemplify a pattern of sound words.’” In other words, we cannot disciple people in something that we do not know. We all need to be doctrinally sound. • Do you read the Bible in your own time? Discuss. If not, do you see the importance of it? How can you begin to read the Bible on a regular basis? • If you do read the Bible regularly, is your life consistent with what you read or do you recognize areas in your life that you live in contradiction to what the Scripture teaches? Discuss. • Do you have someone in your life that helps you understand the passages you struggle with? Discuss.

5. Derrick said, “Paul spent time with Timothy—teaching him and allowing him to experience discipleship first hand— just as Jesus had done with his disciples over the three years that He walked with them.” Discipleship must be taught through personal experience. • Has anyone ever shown you how to disciple someone? Share. Do you think this has helped or hurt you? Discuss. • Are you teaching someone else how disciple others? Discuss.

Life Group Sermon Study

Discipleship that Grows Me March 1-2, 2014

Application:

EQUIP

(These questions will challenge your group members to apply the study to their daily lives. How can they live out what they take in? It is highly important that you go over this section with your group each week for the group study to be a success.)

Read Ephesians 4:11-13. Derrick said, “God has gifted the church leaders not to do the work of the ministry, but to equip you to do it throughout the week. Discipleship happens on a day-to-day basis, not just on Sunday. You will only get out of this what you put into it. In order to be a disciple we need to be faithful, available, and teachable.” • Are you faithful, available, and teachable? • Have you invited others to challenge you in your daily walk so that you can grow in your maturity in Christ? • Are you pouring into others for the purpose of helping them grow to full maturity in Christ? Read Matthew 28:18-20. • What action steps do you need to take to become a more equipped disciple of Jesus? Prayer: Take some time to pray over each group member’s identified action steps and life issues. Equip Your Mind: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)