Small Group Discipleship | Northstar Church

“Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others – 2 Timothy 2:1-2.

“ My life would be so different without my small group. It’s the tool God used to make me into the person I am today, a person who seeks to know Him even better.”

Those sentiments have been reiterated dozens of times by different people who have grown in the knowledge, grace, and love of God through small group participation. Churches do not grow through big, flashy programs and advertisements. Instead, churches depend on the engagement of every member in their workplaces and neighborhoods, in the market, and around the dinner table. These are where real, effective conversations about Jesus take place.

If we want to see God glorified in the world through the church, discipleship must be one of our highest priorities. Making disciples who make disciples remains the surest way to grow the church. The heart of the church’s mission is making disciples who make disciples. Small groups are a good vehicle to multiply disciples. When Jesus invited twelve men into His small group, He knew that He would not be with them forever. His ultimate goal was not to remain with them but to send them out. The twelve disciples knew the goal was for each of them to go out and do what Jesus had trained them to do. Likewise, every small group should be committed to multiplication. In many small groups, you are likely to have at least one in your group who will go out and start a new group. Healthy things grow – both in quality and quantity. For the Kingdom to grow, groups must multiply.

Another advantage is the multigenerational effect. In his letter to Titus, Paul encouraged multigenerational discipleship (Titus 2:1-8). A godly older man or woman brings years of wisdom and spiritual maturity into your group. New Christians or struggling believers in your group will profit from the biblical insights shared by an older and mature follower of Christ who has walked with Jesus for many years. Sometimes senior adults feel they are no longer useful in ministry. However, when seniors are actively involved in intentional discipleship, their lives take on a new significance as they intentionally invest in others in a small group.

Investing in discipleship may be the single greatest investment we can make with our time. Consider joining or even leading a small group.

Discussion questions:

If the idea is that disciples of Jesus will in turn make more disciples of Jesus, how will that happen in your life?
Read Matthew 25:31-46. As disciples, how important are our actions in communicating our allegiance to Jesus? How do our actions effectively build the Kingdom and create more disciples for Jesus?