Unchanging (2/3): Make Disciples

10 March 2019
Timothy Yeo, Assistant Pastor

Series: Unchanging

There are many good causes out there, but Jesus has commissioned the church to make disciples (Mt 28:18-20). At Hope Singapore, what does it mean to be a disciple and be a disciple-maker?

1) Discipleship As Our Lifestyle

In the Bible, we often find instances where multitudes of people were drawn to Jesus as He taught with authority and performed signs and wonders. However, Jesus only had a few disciples. Why do you think this is so? Being part of the crowd that admired Jesus was clearly different from being a disciple who followed Jesus. Similarly, it is not uncommon for people to marvel at miracles, hang out at church events on weekends or even agree with the values taught. All these things are beneficial but they don’t make one a disciple. What then, makes a disciple? What are some qualities that distinguish disciples from the crowd?

How does it look like for discipleship to become your lifestyle? Identify one aspect of your life that you can adjust in order to make discipleship a bigger part of your life. What are some measures you can take? What are some obstacles or distractions that draw your focus away from discipleship? How are you addressing these hindrances?

Jesus wants us to go beyond being disciples to making disciples. What are some common challenges that people at your life station face in being disciple-makers? Despite the challenges, many brothers and sisters around us have responded to God’s call to be disciple-makers. What do you think are some convictions that prompted them to respond? Share from your personal experiences or what you hear from others. What can give us greater confidence to step out and make disciples? How can the Life Group be a platform for discipleship? What are the things you can do together to grow as disciples? Share some ideas, devise a plan to execute them.

2) Bible As Our Blueprint

What directs our lives? It may be values taught by our parents, advice given by teachers, wisdom gleaned from books, experiences with close friends, or even tips and life hacks on social media. We all appreciate some handles in facing situations that life sometimes throws at us. What or who do you turn to when you face challenges in life? Why do you turn to them? The Bible is God’s Word, written by human authors inspired by God and passed down through the generations to serve as our ultimate compass for daily living. Why is it important to recognise the divine origins of the Bible (2 Pet 1:20-21)? How does knowing the divinity of Scripture affect our response to the commands in the Bible?

Most of us can easily access online Christian resources such as sermon videos, podcasts, articles and e-books. This accessibility, however, can result in us not studying the Bible for ourselves. We need to read and know the Bible in its totality. How can you grow in the area of reading and studying God’s Word? What commitments can you make to ensure that you become more familiar with Scripture this year?

We are Word-centred disciples not when we memorise verses or follow certain preachers, but when we submit to the authority of the Word. Share some personal stories of how you followed the Bible’s teachings. What were your struggles? What was the price you paid? What was your decision? What was the effect on your life? It is important to God that His disciples are doers of the Word. As a Life Group, resolve together to put into practice at least one thing you learn from the Word every week. Encourage one another proactively and keep one another accountable.

3) Building Leaders As Our Culture

Think about someone you would consider a good leader. Share what makes them good leaders in your eyes. What is the impact that good leaders make on other people’s lives? What are some important qualities that Christian leaders need to have (read 1 Tim 3)? What do you think are the key differences between worldly and godly definitions of good leadership?

God is looking to raise leaders to influence the world for His glory. We want to build strong leaders to impact people in our different spheres. To get started, it is important to grow in the attitudes of FAST – Faithfulness, Availability, Submissiveness and Teachability. Identify one attitude that you would like to work on as a growth area over the next six months. Share with the Life Group for accountability and discuss with your mentor about the practical steps needed to grow in this area. Pray together for all leaders of the church to be Word-centred disciples and to be empowered by the Spirit to love and to lead.