growth group leader guide - pdf

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Leader Guide Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018

Grow Sermon Text:​ Colossians 1:28-29 Study Texts:​ Ephesians 4:7-16 Sermon Recap​: In this week’s sermon, we looked at Colossians 1:28-29, a text that has been near and dear to Parkwood’s heart for many years. In this text, we see the purpose for which the Church is to go about the work of ministry, which is to present everyone mature in Christ Jesus. This means that the Church is to be about more than simply garnering professions of faith. As the Church, we should desire to see men and women come to know Jesus in their hearts but also in their lives. Paul reminds us that this is the work to which Christ both ​calls​ His Church and the ​goal​ He empowers her to achieve. We toil in this work through Christ’s energy. He cares deeply about this work—indeed, He gave His life for it. The work of the Church is to see all Christians ​grow​ into maturity in Jesus. Sermon Connection:​ In Ephesians 4, Paul is laying out several things for the Church concerning Christian growth in the gospel, how that is to take place, and the purpose for which it is to take place. Paul begins our study text by showing that through Christ and the gospel, all Christians have been given the grace to serve in the Church. In particular, Christ has equipped some for the offices of spiritual leadership. Those in spiritual leadership are to give of themselves to equip the rest of the Church for the work of ministry. And, as we will see, Christian maturity and unity come as we, the Church, faithfully carry out the work of ministry. When we exercise our gifts through discipling we see the Church ​grow​ in Christian maturity.

Lesson Plan Lesson Goal: ​To see that Jesus intends for His Church to grow into Christian maturity and to do so for the sake of the mission of God Lesson Points: Point 1: The Role of Godly Leadership in Christian Growth ​(vv. 7-11) Point 2: The Means of Christian Growth: Discipleship​ (vv. 12-14) Point 3: The Goal of Christian Growth: Maturity​ (vv. 15-16)

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The Context: ​The letter to the Ephesians covers a number of topics, but a pressing topic for Paul is the unity of the Church in Christ. To this end, he stresses how this ought to happen, which is through the maturity that comes through discipleship. Opening Question: ​What is Parkwood’s mission statement: ​“Parkwood Baptist Church exists to ​glorify​ God by laboring together for the ​growth​ of all believers, while ​going​ with the gospel to all people(s).” Tonight, we focus on the ​growth​ aspect of our mission. Transition Statement: ​Let’s now look at what Scripture says about the growth of Christians in the Church... Point 1 - ​The Role of Godly Leadership in Christian Growth​ ​(vv. 7-11) In verse 7, Paul uses the phrase “​But grace was given to each one of us…​” The word “grace” can also be translated “ability to perform a task.” Does this mean that every Christian is equipped for Christian service in the Church? Yes. Yes. Yes. To be a follower of Jesus is to be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and thus equipped to carry out the mission of God in one way or another (perhaps even in multiple ways). This does not mean that every person is a pastor or an evangelist, but it does mean that every true member of Christ’s Church is equipped and called to participate in the work of the Church. It is important to note that although not all are called to vocational ministry, God does call and equip some for that very specific work. Therefore, we may say that to be a follower of Jesus entails working and serving in the mission of His Church. From where does this grace-infused ability come (vv. 7-10)? It comes only through Jesus Christ. Paul writes, “​...according to the measure of Christ’s gift​.” This means that every Christian is equipped to serve the Church in and through Jesus Christ. Not only did Jesus accomplish our salvation from sin on the cross and resurrection, He also gave gifts to those whom He saved. This is the Ps. 68:18 reference Paul uses in v. 8. Christ’s ascension references His resurrection where he conquered the grave, and the gifts He distributes can be understood (in context) to be the leaders of the Church in v. 11.1 What is the role of spiritual leadership in Christian maturity according to vv. 11-12? So, we have seen that through His atoning death and triumphant resurrection, Jesus not only saves His people but bestows glorious gifts upon them, one of these gifts being spiritual leadership. We note four offices that Paul mentions in v. 11: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-shepherds.2 While not all of these offices still function in the Church today,3 we do

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A note on v. 9-10: “Christ’s descending in the lower regions, the earth…” is contextually understood to reference His incarnation; that in coming to earth He came to the “lower regions.” 2 Shepherd and teacher are derived from the same Greek word encompassing one office. The most commonly used modern word is “Pastor.”

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note that the purpose of these offices (gifts from the Lord Jesus) is for the equipping of God’s people to do the work of ministry. Therefore, the role of spiritual leaders is to help God’s people become more effective at accomplishing God’s work.

Transition Statement: ​Seeing the role of spiritual leadership, let’s look at the work of ministry itself...

Point 2 - The Means of Christian Growth: Discipleship​ (vv. 12-14) What is Paul calling the Church to in verse 12? How does Parkwood seek to carry this out? While we praise God for the gift of spiritual leadership, and it truly is a gift, we must also recognize that the work of ministry is not solely the leadership’s responsibility. God gives the Church spiritual leaders for the sake of the members; that they might be equipped and prepared to do ministry. Therefore, Paul is calling the Church to ​the work of ministry​. This is part of what Parkwood’s mission statement means in saying “the growth of all believers.” Growing in Christ does not only include Bible knowledge; it also includes carrying the gospel to the lost world. Parkwood seeks to carry this out primarily through growth group ministry. What is the means of equipping the Church for this work? How does growth group factor into this? While many words and strategies can be used, we must see Paul’s heart, which is discipleship​. What does it look like for the spiritual leadership of the Church to equip the saints? It looks like corporate and personal discipleship. Corporate discipleship happens as we gather weekly to sing praises unto God and submissively hear from His Word. Personal discipleship happens in small group and one-on-one meetings where the gospel is applied to life and worked out day-by-day. As this happens, the leadership equips the saints to do the same, and the work of ministry continues; the Body of Christ is built up; the body grows. We see this exercised in how we do growth group leadership and ministry. The pastors equip the growth group leaders, and the growth group leaders equip others, and so on... What is the goal for equipping through discipleship? (v. 13) How does growth group factor into this? As we disciple and carry out the work of Jesus’ ministry, we see that our goal is the attaining of “...​the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God...​ ” Therefore, the goal of our discipleship (the work of ministry) is to see men and women come to faith in Jesus Christ, to see them come to a unity with the rest of the Church ​in that​ we hold Jesus Christ as the center of all things. The mature Christian is mature in their knowledge of Jesus Christ and 3

Most evangelicals hold that the office of apostle closed with the passing of the 12, and there are more widely held opinions of the role of prophets. For more reading, see Wayne Grudem’s ​Systematic Theology,​ ch. 47; 51-52.

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seeks to see others become likewise. This does not mean we ever know Jesus ​fully​ in this life or that we somehow become super-humans. It simply means that we ​grow/mature​ to be more like Jesus through the grace of the Holy Spirit. This hope within our growth group ministry is that we see this happening all across the spectrum, that we reach our neighbors and friends seeing new believers come to faith, seeing baby Christians grow into maturity, and seeing new leaders raised up and sent out. What does equipping the saints for the work of ministry through discipleship produce? (v. 14) How should this affect growth groups? This approach to ministry should produce a people who hold Jesus as the center of all things and are thus unified in their faith; and when this happens, a strong community of people become unshakable in their faith. Paul says, “​...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro…”​ Young Christians (young in the faith, not necessarily age) are more susceptible to false doctrines and human cunning, so when young Christians are absorbed into a community where Christ is the center, that believer will be urged to grow in maturity. Paul uses the image of children; we should see young Christians grow to be mature just as we see children and teens mature into adulthood. Our growth groups, then, should look like families with young children. We should see those mature Christians acting as parents seeking to benefit the children through gracious, self-sacrificial leadership that will see them into adulthood, while also seeing those young in the faith ​growing​ into maturity. Do we see ties to Paul’s thoughts in Colossians 1:28-29? This is clearly the same doctrinal thought Paul is stressing in Colossians 1:27-29. We proclaim Christ because He is the center of all things, and we toil to present everyone mature in Christ, which is the heart of the discipling process: we want to see everyone grow into maturity in Christ. Point 3 - The Goal of Christian Growth: Maturity​ ​(vv. 15-16) What does it mean by “...​speaking the truth in love...​”? How is this a mark of Christian growth? Truth affects people. Truth changes people. Truth dictates the world. Truth, then, is important. Christians speak the truth of God to the world in a multitude of ways, but the mature Christian speaks this truth in love. A mark of Christian maturity is a desire not to argue. The mature Christian, rather, desires to speak the truth of Christ calmly and with grace. The truth leads to Christian maturity—it is the means of growth. As we grow in Christ, He directs our paths more and more; and as we become more like Him, we come to display both His truth and His love more and more.

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What/Who is the focus of maturing as a Christian? (v. 15) Just as Jesus in the center of salvation, He is the center of the Christian life. Jesus is the all-consuming focus of the mature Christian’s life. What does that mean? It means that he/she is driven by the passion to see Christ glorified through their life. He/she will be about the work of ministry: sharing Christ with the lost; seeing to it that young believers are being discipled and growing in their faith; and the mature Christian will take their seat at the table of learning from older, more mature Christians. Therefore, the focus of both the young and the mature Christian is ​growth​ in Christ. Why is growing in Christ and becoming mature so important to the Church? (v. 16) Why is it important for our growth group ministry? This verse brings clarity as to why such growth among the members of Christ’s Church is so very important. Paul writes, “​...from Whom [​ Christ]​ the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.​ ” The task of spiritual leadership is to equip the members of the Church to carry out the work of Jesus’ ministry, and the people’s task is to carry out that work through discipleship and faithful living. Paul says this partnership is like a body functioning in harmony. When the parts function properly, the whole is healthy. But the opposite is also true; when spiritual leadership fails, the body fails. When the body fails, the mission suffers. The work of ministry builds up the body; it brings about good and godly growth​. How is Christian maturity most properly exercised? (v. 16b) Christianity is rooted in love and is defined by love. To be a Christian means to be one who is loved and loves. And, we find the definition of this love in the person and work of Jesus Christ. There is no Christian ministry without love, for true Christian ministry is built on the foundation of Christ, Who Himself is true love. Furthermore, there is no Christian growth and maturity without love. The Big Picture Parkwood’s mission statement is: “Parkwood Baptist Church exists to ​glorify​ God by laboring together for the ​growth​ of all believers, while ​going​ with the gospel to all people(s).” You can find this statement affixed to the walls leading into our worship center; a constant reminder of who we are and why we gather. We seek to glorify God in two main ways: growing mature Christians and going with the gospel to the lost. We have looked this week at growing mature Christians. This is the heart and soul of who we are as a Church and it drives everything we do. As we have seen from the Ephesians text, the Lord Jesus set up His Church to function in this way. As the pastors seek to carry out their responsibility of equipping the members of Parkwood for the work of ministry, the members, in turn, carry out that work. And as Paul has shown, 5

the work of ministry is seeing new Christians made and seeing them grow into maturity in Christ. It is the speaking of truth in Christian love which unites us all together in Christ, our Head. And this is why Parkwood puts so much emphasis on her growth group ministry. We want to see our people invested in the work of discipleship, seeing new believers made and welcomed into the growth of the Christian community. Growth groups exist to provide a context for the Church to engage, on a personal level, in our shared purpose to glorify, grow and go. Application Questions ● How am I seeking to grow in Christian maturity? ● How is Christian maturity valued and emphasized in my home? ● How is my involvement in growth group helping my spiritual maturity? ● As a growth group, how are ​we​ seeking to carry out the work of discipleship ​with each other? ​ ● How is our growth group seeking the unity in Christ that leads to maturity?

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