In the buttons below you will find videos, articles, podcasts and helpful questions that will help your disciples become mature in each topic. Take your time to read through the materials yourself so that you can be as helpful as you can.
Today’s Session
DISCLAIMER: This may look like a lot to go through, but if this is your first time engaging in a D-Group here at Fielder, it is highly encouraged that you take the time to process all of this before starting!
In this first session, you’ll spend time getting to know each other. Here’s an outline of what to expect:
- Review the Discipleship Group purpose and guidelines below.
- Read, discuss, and agree to the Discipleship Group Commitment Form.
- Share your faith story.
- Pray for one another.
- Plan your next meeting.
Purpose
The purpose of the Discipleship Group is simple: to learn what it means to grow in deeper obedience to Jesus so that we can more effectively inhale the Gospel, exhale the Gospel, and make disciples who do the same.
With that being said, let me tell you what it isn’t. This is not simply another Bible study or prayer group. In this group, you will study the Bible, you will pray, and you will have accountability, but God’s vision for this experience is much greater than any individual component. His goal is nothing other than the production of missionary leaders who have a radical love of God and an incomprehensible love for those He has placed around them. But how do Discipleship Groups accomplish this? Discipleship Groups do two things that help produce missionary leaders:
1. Train you to be a disciple
If you are in a New Disciple curriculum, the goal is for you to be established in your understanding of who Jesus is, what it means to follow Him, and how to walk in obedience to His commands. This establishing is crucial to the rest of your life as a disciple of Jesus. Everything that God wants to do in you and through you will be based on this foundation that He is establishing in you through Bible reading, prayer, accountability, serving, and learning to share your faith.
If you are in a Growing Disciple curriculum, the goal is for you to be equipped to do the work of the ministry that God has called you to do. Our faith was never meant to be kept to ourselves, but to be used to be a blessing in the world around us. God has called you out of darkness into light so that you might be sent back into a dark world with the power of the Holy Spirit to redeem and save. This curriculum will give you the tools that you need to live your faith out loud, to find freedom from sin, and to make an impact in the world around you with the gifts that God has given you. This is an ongoing process that lasts for the rest of your life!
2. Train you to make disciples
Jesus’ final command to His disciples was not simply to be disciples but “to make disciples of all nations…” That means our journey does not end once we become growing disciples who are equipped to do the work of the ministry, we are commanded by our Savior King to be disciple-makers! Multiplying Disciple curriculum will help export you; to take what you know about what it means to follow Jesus and pour into the next generation of disciple-makers, whether that’s here at Fielder, across the globe, or somewhere in between! If you want to be obedient to Jesus then that means you need to step into the journey of making disciples who make disciples.
Now that you know why we’re here (to either establish, equip, or export you), let’s dive into what this group is practically going to look like!
General Guidelines
The four major values in the DGs are authenticity, teachability, confidentiality, and dedication. Each person is asked to commit to live by these values during the DG experience.
- Every person must choose authenticity over comfort. The more real you are, the more you give God space to deal with areas of growth in your life.
- Every person must choose teachability above self-confidence. The more you approach this thinking, the more you have the answers, and the less you will see your need to change (and consequently, the less you will!). Our goal is to be teachable during this process, giving God space to let us shape each other.
- Confidentiality – what is said during the meeting stays in the meeting. If you are married, this includes speaking with your spouse about things that are discussed by other members. If this guideline is breached, authenticity suffers.
- Dedication – due to the intensity of the experience, each person must dedicate themselves to do 4 things: pray for each other, do all the assigned curriculum, prepare for each meeting by answering all questions in advance, and make attendance at the meetings a priority.
D-Group Extras
This curriculum is not meant to be all-encompassing for everything that you need to be a healthy Christian but a tool that you can use in tandem with other tools so that you can grow as a disciple who makes disciples. On top of this curriculum, you should also be using the below resources to make sure that you are as healthy as possible:
- Bible Memorization tools
- Writing scripture on our hearts helps us combat temptation, minister to people better, and grow more in love with Jesus. Find a scripture memorization tool that your group likes and commit to memorizing scripture throughout your time together. You can use the apps/books listed below to start!
- Join a Community Group and start serving!
- Community Groups give you an opportunity to form a family of believers that you can serve with, pray with, pursue non-believers with, and connect with in a different way than Discipleship Groups. Discipleship is done best in the context of community! Sign up for a Community Group here!
- As you grow in being a disciple, finding opportunities to live out what you are learning is extremely beneficial to your growth. There are plenty of areas to serve within Fielder and countless ways to serve in our local community that will help you walk in obedience to Christ. You can click this link to learn about the serve opportunities available to you in Fielder Church and our Community.
- Bible Reading Plan
- Since the purpose of being in a D-Group is to grow in more obedience and likeness to Christ, then spending time with Him through the Word is essential to your growth. We encourage you to start a Bible reading plan with your group to hold each other accountable to spending time with Jesus through scripture and help one another understand the commands and promises that God is speaking over you. You can find Bible reading plans on the Fielder Website by clicking here!
Discipleship Group Meeting Flow
Almost every discipleship group curriculum that Fielder offers follows the same formula and contains the same components. This ensures that no matter what you are learning, it is being taught in a familiar and uniform way. The time spent on each section is dependent on the shepherd’s leadership and the needs of the group, but the average D-Group meeting should generally follow the flow below. The components of a Discipleship Group will often include:
Prayer(10 minutes) – A time to spend time with the Father together, offer up prayer requests, and pray for the non-believers in your lives.
Accountability(25 minutes) – Hold each other accountable to your Bible reading goals, regular prayer times, confession and repentance of sin, and action steps based on the last D-Group session.
Intentional Learning (55 minutes) – This will include:
- Overview (5 minutes) – Recap of the curriculum that was assigned to the group
- Discussion (20 minutes) – Questions that are geared towards diving deeper into what God is revealing to you through the curriculum. Use this time to answer how you understand what God is trying to say to you through the curriculum. Don’t try to give the “right” answer, give your answer to the questions.
- Model/Practice (15 minutes) – An opportunity to put what you have learned into action in a safe environment. Whether it’s role-playing a scenario that you might encounter in the world around you, participating in an activity together, or praying that God would move, this is vitally important for getting what you learned from your head down to your heart.
- Action Steps (15 minutes) – Every D-Group member will share what they will do before the next D-Group meeting to build on what they learned in the curriculum and what they confessed and repented of during accountability.
Prayer and Accountability
Prayer and accountability are essential components of Discipleship groups. The prayer and accountability time allotted in your meeting is not just there so you can share. It’s not just there as a checklist to make sure you are doing the right things. It’s there to help you sharpen each other and grow in every area of life as you Inhale and Exhale the gospel!
For each session, you will select two questions within the D-Group Accountability Questions document that reflect areas of victory in your life and two questions that reflect areas of struggle and discuss them with the group. Please spend time before the meeting determining these areas so that you will be prepared to share.
Shepherds have the option to help push the rest of the group deeper in accountability. If more areas need to be discussed, feel free to move beyond the questions selected by the group member.
Intentional Learning Guidelines
Intentional learning is an essential part of D-Groups at Fielder. Much of this learning takes the form of reading the Bible, helpful books, articles, and blogs, and watching helpful videos, sermons, and podcasts. Here are a few tips that we have found to be helpful:
- Take notes while you read/watch. Underline important thoughts, put a star or some indication next to new, important ideas, and write frequently in the margins as your thoughts come.
- Pick out the 5 most influential thoughts or concepts (Top 5) from your assigned curriculum and record them in your journal.
- Carve out 10 minutes every day in your schedule that will allow you to spend time reading/listening and journaling your takeaways.
- To assist you in reading the assigned scripture passages, we provide a guide called The Gospel Method to help you grow in your love and understanding of God through reading and studying the Bible. Take time during your first session to go over the method as a group and pray that it gives you guidance on how to hear God’s voice more clearly as you read scripture.
Facilitate Leadership
After the first few sessions, you should begin to rotate the facilitator of each session to give each person in the group a chance to lead. Each of you will be asked to eventually lead a Discipleship Group once you have gone through the Discipleship Cycle.
Once you go through the Discipleship Cycle, or when the shepherd of the group recommends, you should begin to lead 3 new people through a D-Group of your own.
Commitment Form
Click here to download and print the Discipleship Group Commitment Form. By signing this, you are ensuring that everybody in the group is bought into the vision and purpose of this Discipleship Group. This helps you trust one another as you confess and repent of sin, share prayer requests, and challenge each other to walk in Christlikeness.
Faith Stories
Share Your Faith Story
Take turns sharing your faith story using the outline below.
- Tell about what life was like before Jesus was Lord of your life. (even if you grew up in a Christian home, there should be a moment where Jesus became the one sitting on the throne of your life instead of you. Describe what that “before time” was like!)
- Tell how you were introduced to Jesus Christ and the events surrounding your acceptance of Him as your personal Savior and Lord.
- Tell how you have grown spiritually since your conversion and what God is doing in you at the moment.
Prayer
Everyone shares one area that you are asking for God to move in your life.
After each person shares, the group should pray for them.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- What is God saying to you? God can speak to you in many different ways but for this time, try to focus on what God is saying to you through your time in the Bible.
- What are you going to do about it?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before you meet:
Read Acts 9:1-19, 26:4-23
Memorize: Psalm 96:3
Model and Practice
Model:
- Using Acts 26:4-23, show them how Paul shared his story:
- Vs. 4-5 his life before Christ
- Vs. 12-15 how he come to Christ
- Vs. 19-21 how his life changed after accepting Christ (he was obedience to the call, shared Christ, accepted suffering).
- Share with them your example of how you share your faith story:
- How was your life before?
- How did you come to faith in Jesus?
- How is your life different from before you put your faith in Jesus?
Practice:
- Have them share their faith story:
- How was their life before Christ?
- How did they come to faith in Jesus?
- How has their life changed since they come to Christ?
Action steps and prayer
- Have each person share an action step. For example, an action step could be, “write my faith story and practice telling it in not more than 3-minutes.”
- Who can they share their faith story with in the next week?
- Remind them to come prepared at the next session, to share their experiences.
- Send updates to each other via text about how you are doing with your action step.
- Close your time in prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with writing and sharing your faith story.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- Last week, you learned from Acts 26:19-21 that Paul after his conversion, he was obedient, shared his faith, and suffered for his faith.
- Is there an area in your life you are not obedient? Examples: thought life, relationship with others, what you watch on screen, reading and meditating on scriptures.
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before you meet:
Read Luke 7:1-10, Mark 10:17-31
Memorize: Joshua 1:8
Modeling and Practice
Model:
- Read Mark 10:17-31 and share the following:
- Discover: What is God teaching you about our sin condition, and what solution is given?
- Key verse: what verse stood out, and why?
- Gospel moment: What is God teaching you?
- Pray. Examples; praise, thanksgiving, confession, ask for help.
Practice:
- Use the same text and have each person practice using the 4 bullet points modeled.
- Discover
- Key verse
- Gospel moment
- Pray
Action Steps and Prayer
- Help each other come up with a passage to practice The Gospel Method with, before the next session.
- Remind them, before your next meeting, you will text them and encourage them to work on their action step.
- Close your time in prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take time sharing your one thing from the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking
- What do you need to confess/repent of? (Example, your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships).
- What are you going to do about it?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Read Matthew 6:6-8, 9-13; Luke 5:15,16; Mark 11:22-25
Memorize: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Model:
Using the following prayer model, lead your disciples in praying out loud:
- Begin with thanksgiving.
- Pray in Jesus name.
- Pray in agreement.
- Pray in one accord – one subject matter by subject matter.
- Pray led by the Holy Spirit
Practice:
- Have your disciples take turns praying using the 5 prayer principles you modeled.
Action Steps and Prayers:
- What scriptures can you read to strengthen your prayer life?
- Commit to attend the Wednesdays prayer gatherings.
- Prioritize prayer
- Close your time together with prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with scripture reading using The Gospel Method.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What do you need to confess/repent of? (Example, your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships).
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before you meet:
Read Luke 10
Memorize: Luke 10:2
Model and Practice
Model:
- Use the 5 prayer points shared from the video and pray the following:
- Pray for labors (Luke 10:2). Name one person you know, who does not know Jesus, pray that God brings believers in their lives
- Pray for God’s peace and blessing in their lives (Luke 10:4-6).
- Pray for association/relationship with them (Luke 10:7). Pray that you will build relationships with them.
- Pray for miracles in their lives (Luke 10:9).
- Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them (Luke 10:9b).
Practice:
- Have each disciple take turns to pray:
- The name of the unbeliever they are praying for.
- Pray that God will bring believers in their lives.
- Pray for God’s blessings in their lives.
- Pray you will build relationships with them.
- Pray for miracles in their lives.
- Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
Action steps and Prayer:
- Each person commits to pray for that one unbeliever.
- Specifically, what can you start doing to begin a relationship with them? For example, invite them to your home, text them and ask how you can be there for them.
- Remind them they will share their experience at the next session.
- Close your time with prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Example, your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Read Acts 1:7-8; Romans 10:14-17; Acts 2:18-20.
Memorize: Romans 10:14-15
Model and Practice
Model:
- Replay the 3 circles gospel video
- Using the 3 circles (God’s design, Brokenness, Jesus), share the gospel with your disciples.
- Before you are done, be sure to model how to make an invitation for someone to receive Christ.
Practice:
- Have each disciple practice on their own, how to share the gospel using the 3 circles.
- Take turns practicing with each other, making sure in the end they make an invitation to receive Christ.
Action Steps and Prayer
- Pray for 3 names of unbelievers in your life. Specifically pray:
- Acts 1:7-8 that you will rely on the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel with them.
- Romans 10:14-17 that the Holy Spirit will give you the boldness to tell them about the Gospel.
- Acts 2:38 that you will clearly invite them to make a decision to follow Christ.
- Make them aware you will reach out before the next session to ask if they have presented the gospel to at least one of the 3 non-believers or anyone else.
- As you close, thank the Holy Spirit for indwelling you and for giving you power to share the gospel.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of ?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Example, your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Read Matthew 4:19-22; 8:14-17; 9:9 ; 14:13-14
Memorize 1 Peter 4:9
Model and Practice
Model:
- Share with your disciples at least one name (not more than six) of a person you intend to invite to your home.
- Do you have their contact information? If now, how can you contact them (for example, if you see them on a walk, engage them in a conversation and exchange contacts)?
- When do you plan to have them over? Come up with 3 possible dates and times.
- How will you invite them (text, call, face-to-face, social media, invitation cards, etc.)?
- When will you reach out to them (specific date, time)?
- What will you say to them (come up with a script and have your group critique/give suggestions).
Practice:
- Repeat the same exercise with each of your disciples taking turns to share.
Action steps and Prayer
- On the Am I a Neighbor? video, we are given the following 4 suggestions for Steps to Practicing hospitality. Read and discuss them.
- Tidy up
- Prepare a meal
- View your guests as God does
- Get some fresh flowers
- Each person shares how they will utilize the suggestions to practice hospitality.
- Close your time in prayer
- Remind your group to be prepared to share the outcome at your next meeting.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Examples; your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Jesus Expected Complete Obedience sermon
Read John 14:15, 21, 23; John 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6
Memorize: Luke 9:23-24
Model and Practice
Model:
- A disciple of Jesus is one who obeys His commands.
- Confess different ways that you have lived in disobedience in the past and how you eventually walked in obedience.
- Model to your disciples the prayers that you pray when you confess your disobedience to the Lord and ask for forgiveness.
- Share with your disciples the fruit that has come from obedience to the Lord in the different areas in your life.
Practice:
- Ask your disciples to identify areas of disobedience to the Lord in their lives. Take some time to journal them.
- Lead your disciples to think of a way that they can step away from disobedience and walk towards obedience starting this week.
- Have each disciple do the Kairos Circle with something that the Lord is teaching them this week.
Action Steps and Prayer
- Have them fill out the Kairos Circle 5 times before you meet next. Whether it is following time reading the Bible, listening to a sermon, having a conversation with a friend, etc.
- What area of your life do you need to strengthen to grow as a disciple (For example; obedience in a specific area, reading the Bible, making time to pray).
- How can the group keep you accountable?
- Remind your group to be prepared to share their action step at the beginning of the next session.
- Close your time in thanksgiving to God for the spiritual blessing he has poured on all his children.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Examples; your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Read Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25; Galatians 6:2; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27
Memorize: Hebrews 10:24-25
Model and Practice
Model:
- Using Acts 2:42-47 share the following with your group:
- A time when you learned the Word of God together with others.
- A memory of when you were part of a fellowship and ate together.
- How it felt to have others pray with you.
Practice:
- Go around and have anyone who has been part of a fellowship share their experiences using your model as an example.
- If a member has not experienced fellowship with others, have them share what they imagine it would be like.
Action Steps and Prayer
- Are you part of a community? If not, how can we help you get into one?
- If you are part of a community, what strengths do you bring into the community?
- How can you continue to be actively involved in your community?
- Between this session and the next, attend a community gathering.
- Be prepared to share your experience during the next session.
- Close your time in prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Examples; your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Read Matthew 28:18-20
Memorize: Matthew 28:19-20
Model and Practice
Share the following with your group:
- Who are the people in your life that you can continue leading in a discipleship relationship?
- What are your fears or insecurities about leading?
- What can you take away from this experience of meeting together that will help you lead others?
Practice:
- Have your disciples take turns answering the following questions:
- Who are the people in your life you can begin to lead in a discipleship relationship?
- What are your fears or insecurities about leading?
- What can you take away from the experience of watching your leader lead your group?
Action Steps and Prayer
- What is the one thing you should do to strengthen you in disciple-making?
- Examples include joining another FDG to better understand the material and strengthen your preparation for leadership.
- From watching the Make Disciples video, what is the one takeaway that you will use to help you grow in disciple-making?
- After each person shares, close your time in prayer.
Prayer Requests/Time in Prayer
- How can we pray for you?
- During this time, don’t focus on the prayer needs of others in your life, we want to pray for you.
Accountability
- Take turns sharing your experiences with the one thing you committed to after the last session.
- Where did you win, where were you stuck, and what steps are you taking?
- What is God saying to you through your time in the Bible?
- What do you need to confess/repent of?
- What do you need to start doing in order to be obedient (Example; your thought life, patience, perseverance in hardships)?
- How can we hold you accountable for these things?
Content Overview
Send these resources to your disciples before your next session:
Jesus Prepared People by Sending Them Out Unprepared sermon
Read John 13:1-17
Model and Practice
Model:
- Using Paul Durand’s story, share with your disciples how your life has changed since you joined this D-Group.
- Share with your group where the Lord is leading you, as you continue to grow as a disciple and also disciple others.
- From reading John 13:1-17, how can you make sure you are actively serving others? Be specific, for example, be more intentional to serve in your community group.
Practice:
- Have each person share how your time together has changed them.
- Where is the Lord leading them?
- From reading John 13:1-17, how can they make sure they are actively serving others?
Suggestions for your group’s next step:
- Starting their own Foundations D-Groups with young believers in their lives
- Transitioning this group into a Growth D-Group so that you can continue to seek the Lord together within a discipleship context.
- Becoming a Community Group leader so that others could experience Gospel community because of your leadership
Action and Prayer
- Have each person rehearse their next step and what they need to do specifically to move forward. For example, if they are starting their own D-Group, have them share the names of those they will invite and when they will reach out to them.
- If your next step is to continue as a group, agree when you will start meeting and where you will be meeting.
- Close your time with prayers.
NOTE: If you are the leader of this group and this is the last session that your D-Group will be meeting for, please fill out the Close Out your D-Group form! Thank you for your help in shepherding the flock at Fielder Church!