A discipleship group creates an environment for God to work. Three reasons to meet in a Discipleship group rise to the top: To Grow in your relationship with Christ, to Give a Defense for your faith, and to Guide others in their relationship with Christ.
1. Grow in your Relationship
I have learned that the secrets to the Christian life are the obvious things. While I would love to uncover some hidden truth undiscovered by men and women of old, God has already communicated in His Word a blueprint for spiritual growth. After spending the last decade of my life being discipled and discipling others, I have identified, through trial and error, six essential practices for spiritual development in order to have a Closer Walk with Christ.
It is important to note that these are not the only disciplines an individual may incorporate into his or her life, but these Six practices are crucial for spiritual growth. As a result, they provide a springboard for other disciplines to flourish—
Communicate
Learn
Obey
Store
Evangelize
Renew
Regularly practicing even one of these disciplines will increase your spiritual fervor. The more of them you cultivate into your life, the closer you will grow to the Lord, and to being conformed to the image of Christ. If you practice all of them, you will see exponential growth in your life. Whether you are a new believer or have been in church your entire life, these practices will produce tangible results in godliness and fruitfulness—if you are disciplined enough to stick with them. The key to sticking with them is being accountable to someone else. Accountability is provided through the D-Group.
2. Guide Others
Guiding others in their walk with Christ is an overlooked joy by many. Paul understood the importance of leading others. To the Philippian church he wrote: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil. 3:17).
The term imitate means to emulate or copy. Paul doesn’t envision duplication, whereby his readers become clones of him. Instead, he is asking the Philippians to follow him, not in achievements or accolades, but in his pursuit of Jesus. He wants them to emulate his general conduct and way of life. His ultimate goal was not for them to follow him but Follow Christ, as he stated in 1 Cor. 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
Your success in the Christian life is dependent upon how well you walk with other Christians. Paul pictures a row of vegetables or marching soldiers when he says, “walk according to the example.”
Are you currently in a Discipleship Group?
If so, why did you join a group or decide to lead one?
