Embracing Discipleship: Community, Growth, and Transformation
Summary
Discipleship is a divine design that God has woven into the fabric of His church, and it is a privilege to explore its significance today. Discipleship is not just about a select few stepping into full-time ministry; it is about all of us doing life together and stepping into the call of God on our lives. It is about finding a home and belonging to a family where we can grow, be challenged, and be transformed. The journey of discipleship is filled with "sliding door moments," those seemingly inconsequential decisions that, in hindsight, become pivotal in our spiritual journey. These moments are orchestrated by God to lead us into deeper relationships with Him and with others.
Reflecting on my own journey, I recall how a decision to attend a connect group led me to find a spiritual home and family. It was in these small gatherings that I experienced genuine community, where people were interested in me, and where I could share my testimony and grow in faith. This is the essence of discipleship—doing life together, meeting in homes, and building relationships that lead to spiritual growth and transformation.
The early church in Acts 2:42-47 provides a powerful model of discipleship. They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They met daily, shared their lives, and God added to their number daily. This is the kind of community we are called to build—a place where no one stands alone, where it is easier to connect, and where the culture is one of inclusion and love.
As we continue to grow as a church, it is essential to maintain the foundational principles of discipleship. It is not about the size of the church but the spirit and culture within it. We must ensure that everyone feels at home and part of a family. Discipleship is about aligning our gifts with a kingdom purpose, allowing us to come alive in Christ. It is about making disciples who make disciples, seeing lost people found, broken hearts healed, and cities and nations transformed by the love of Jesus.
Key Takeaways:
1. Sliding Door Moments: Our lives are filled with pivotal moments that seem small at the time but have significant spiritual implications. These moments are often orchestrated by God to lead us into deeper relationships with Him and others. Recognizing and embracing these moments can lead to profound spiritual growth and transformation. [04:46]
2. The Essence of Discipleship: Discipleship is about doing life together, meeting in homes, and building genuine relationships. It is in these small gatherings that we find a spiritual home and family, where we can grow, be challenged, and be transformed. This is the heart of discipleship—community and connection. [09:15]
3. The Early Church Model: The early church in Acts provides a powerful model of discipleship. They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This model emphasizes the importance of community, daily connection, and shared lives, leading to spiritual growth and transformation. [29:52]
4. Culture of Inclusion: A church's size does not determine its ability to connect people; rather, it is the spirit and culture within it. A culture of inclusion and love ensures that no one stands alone and that it is easier to connect and find a spiritual home and family. [29:52]
5. Aligning Gifts with Kingdom Purpose: Discipleship is about aligning our gifts with a kingdom purpose, allowing us to come alive in Christ. It is about making disciples who make disciples, seeing lost people found, broken hearts healed, and cities and nations transformed by the love of Jesus. [29:52]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [04:46] - Sliding Door Moments
- [09:15] - The Essence of Discipleship
- [12:00] - Finding Home and Family
- [15:30] - The Early Church Model
- [18:45] - Culture of Inclusion
- [22:10] - Aligning Gifts with Kingdom Purpose
- [25:00] - The Role of Connect Groups
- [29:52] - Embracing Diversity in Discipleship
- [33:00] - The Impact of COVID on Community
- [36:15] - The Power of Testimony
- [39:30] - The Future of Discipleship
- [42:00] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Acts 2:42-47
Observation Questions:
1. What activities did the early church devote themselves to according to Acts 2:42-47?
2. How did the early church demonstrate a culture of inclusion and community? [09:15]
3. What were the results of the early church's devotion and community practices as described in Acts 2:42-47?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How do "sliding door moments" play a role in one's spiritual journey, and how might they be recognized in hindsight? [04:46]
2. In what ways does the early church model in Acts 2:42-47 reflect the essence of discipleship as described in the sermon? [09:15]
3. How does the concept of aligning gifts with a kingdom purpose contribute to personal and communal spiritual growth? [29:52]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a "sliding door moment" in your life. How did it impact your spiritual journey, and how can you be more attentive to such moments in the future? [04:46]
2. How can you actively contribute to creating a culture of inclusion and love within your church community? What specific actions can you take this week? [09:15]
3. In what ways can you engage more deeply in discipleship, either by joining a small group or by leading one? What steps will you take to make this happen? [29:52]
4. Identify a gift or talent you have. How can you align it with a kingdom purpose to serve others and grow spiritually? [29:52]
5. Think about your current church or small group. How can you help ensure that it feels like a spiritual home and family for others? [09:15]
6. How can you incorporate the practices of the early church, such as fellowship and breaking bread together, into your weekly routine to foster community? [09:15]
7. Consider someone in your life who might feel disconnected from a spiritual community. How can you reach out to them and invite them into a discipleship journey? [29:52]
Devotional
Day 1: Recognizing God's Orchestrated Moments
Discerning the seemingly small decisions in our lives can reveal God's hand guiding us toward deeper relationships with Him and others. These "sliding door moments" may appear insignificant at first, but they often hold significant spiritual implications. By being attentive to these moments, we can embrace the opportunities for growth and transformation that God places before us. [04:46]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent decision that seemed minor at the time. How might God be using it to deepen your relationship with Him or others?
Day 2: Building Genuine Community
Discipleship is about doing life together, meeting in homes, and building genuine relationships. It is in these small gatherings that we find a spiritual home and family, where we can grow, be challenged, and be transformed. This is the heart of discipleship—community and connection. [09:15]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to this week to strengthen your relationship and encourage one another in faith?
Day 3: Embracing the Early Church Model
The early church in Acts provides a powerful model of discipleship. They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This model emphasizes the importance of community, daily connection, and shared lives, leading to spiritual growth and transformation. [29:52]
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles." (Acts 2:42-43, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate one aspect of the early church model into your daily life this week?
Day 4: Cultivating a Culture of Inclusion
A church's size does not determine its ability to connect people; rather, it is the spirit and culture within it. A culture of inclusion and love ensures that no one stands alone and that it is easier to connect and find a spiritual home and family. [29:52]
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)
Reflection: Identify someone in your church or community who may feel isolated. What step can you take to make them feel included and valued?
Day 5: Aligning Gifts with Kingdom Purpose
Discipleship is about aligning our gifts with a kingdom purpose, allowing us to come alive in Christ. It is about making disciples who make disciples, seeing lost people found, broken hearts healed, and cities and nations transformed by the love of Jesus. [29:52]
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one gift or talent you have that you can use to serve others and further God's kingdom this week?
Quotes
"Have you ever had like moments that are like sliding door moments? Do you know what sliding door moments means? Something that seems somewhat just like inconsequential, but at the end of the day, you look back and go, man, if it wasn't for that moment, I don't think I would be where I am today." [00:01:20] (15 seconds)
"And so I was going to go back and repeat it. But more importantly, there was going to be a rugby tour to Canada. And I thought, man, I'm going to school for 12 months so I can go to Canada for three weeks. At which point my dad said, don't be an idiot. Who knows? Sometimes the best wisdom you can get is the stuff that really just like punches you in the heart." [00:01:41] (18 seconds)
"From that moment, I'd given my heart to Jesus. We were in a beautiful church. But the truth of it is, as much as I love the church and I love the people still, it just didn't have that sense of home. People would talk about home. I didn't know what that felt like, but I did love and value the church they were in." [00:03:14] (13 seconds)
"It was in that group that the leader said, hey, why don't you share your testimony? And so I just shared my journey as a teenager, growing up a Christian home, then in my teenage years, and then coming to faith. And she was like, man, that's just amazing. I reckon that would speak to the young people in our church." [00:04:09] (14 seconds)
"And that's what I love about today as we talk about discipleship. It's discipleship. It's not about the reality of a select few, in a sense, stepping into full-time ministry. No, it's about us all doing life with others and increasingly stepping into the call of God that's on all of our lives. Does that make sense?" [00:04:58] (16 seconds)
"Gather together collectively and meet in homes and do life together. Why? Because the truth of it is, is that we can come in and we go, oh my goodness, this is home. Just like I felt. But the reality is, is that God never wanted us just to come to a home. He wanted us to belong to a family." [00:06:23] (15 seconds)
"See, the myth is, is there's, and God is growing His church. He's, it's been exciting to see and the wonderful the people God's bringing into His church. But the truth of it is, is the myth is out there that as a church gets larger, it's harder to connect. That's actually a life on the enemy." [00:06:33] (16 seconds)
"Radical growth, revival was breaking out, 120 to 3,000, went on to 5,000. But it says this, they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship and to breaking of bread and to prayer. They devoted themselves. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles." [00:08:24] (23 seconds)
"And I'm telling you, if one day we fill a stadium, not because we're trying to fill a stadium, but that's what God does through a healthy body, through a healthy church, through reaching people with the love of Jesus, I can tell you, it'll be just as personal and it'll be just as powerful, because we're called to do discipleship together. Can you say amen?" [00:09:35] (15 seconds)
"It wasn't that many years ago that Gemma wasn't coming to church at all. Her husband was the amazing Dave, and Dave grew up in a family of faith, but for their marriage and for Gem, sorry, it was kind of the sense of that's your thing, it's not mine, I'm not really up for that. But who knows, God is good." [00:18:13] (17 seconds)
"And I just declare we will continue to be the church that God's called us to be. Why? Because we come back to His model. Come on, make disciples. Make disciples. And I've had this clear reality in my own heart, having done what I dreamed of doing, snowboarding and getting paid for it on the other side of the world, is that you could live with an element of your gift at work, but live a very empty life." [00:39:09] (20 seconds)
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