“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” Matthew 28:18
In being faithful to God’s command to make disciples of Jesus in all nations, we find the strategy of how to do so in the Bible: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2
In this text we learn the concept of “spiritual multiplication,” sharing the truths of the gospel with others who will be able to teach others.
Our mission is to Win, Build, and Send Christ-centered, multiplying disciples who launch spiritual movements. Discipleship prepares students to fulfill this mission, not just in the university, but for the rest of their lives.
Here is some advice from student leaders in the Philippines:
HOW TO LEAD A SMALL GROUP
Small Groups of Discipleship help to develop the character of Christ in the lives of students; aligns them with the mission of the movement; encourages their faith, evangelism; provides fellowship; builds leaders, and so on.
A small group meeting is not just about Bible study or the study of a specific topic. It is in Small Groups where bonds of friendship grow stronger and students feel more comfortable sharing deeper things in their lives.
Some important things to consider when leading a Small Group:
- Start and end on time. Meet for 60 – 90 minutes.
- Keep the meeting simple so students can become confident they could lead a study like it with others.
- Create an environment of intimacy and fun.
- Select short study programs for students to have a sense of accomplishment.
Some discipleship programs you can use:
- “Three-Thirds Process” – Three-Thirds is a tool from T4T Global Missions. It is a tool that can be applied to basically any study program for small groups and has been widely used globally. It is simple and transferable, making it easy for any team of volunteers to use.
- ”START” – START is a six-part small group program specifically prepared to align and strengthen local movements. In Brazil, many movements began to see significant growth after they adopted START as the first study material for everyone new to the movement. Download it here.
- FirstStepsWithGod (App) – Specially designed to meet the needs of a new believer. Developed in Australia, this app has been translated into multiple languages. It is very simple to use and can be used offline as well.
- StartingwithGod.com – Ask the students to sign up for The Spiritual Starter Kit. Everyone will then receive the studies in their email, and you will be able to interact as a group about what you are learning when you meet in person.
- Essentials – Essentials are the basics of growth in our walk with God, available as PDFs. Developed in Western Europe, Resources for Discipleship are best used in a community of believers who want to be engaged in evangelism and discipleship.
You can also lead a virtual small group online via any online meeting applications. While face-to-face is preferred, there are situations in which meeting online could be a great advantage.