Membership for THE Mission: Defining “Disciple”
COMMUNITY GUIDE
The Community Guide below is based on Sunday’s teaching for our current series: Membership for THE Mission. As your whole Community gathers (in-person or online), use the Community Guide below to give shape to your time together.
Begin by Practicing the Lord’s Supper Together (5 minutes)
Begin your night by partaking of the bread and the cup together. Have each person bring their own Communion elements or provide elements for the group. To facilitate your time, you can either ask a member of your Community to come ready with a short prayer, scripture reading, or assign someone to read the Apostles Creed we’ve provided below. For those of you that may not be familiar with the Apostles Creed, it is a proclamation of faith that has been recited throughout the years and has often been used as an act of worship and reflection prior to receiving the Lord’s Supper. It is a proclamation of what we as followers of Jesus believe. After reading this ancient creed (aloud), spend a moment in silence before continuing:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church (universal Christian church), the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
CHECK-IN (10 MINUTES)
As we focus on this series, we want to continue to create space for checking in on each other, but doing so in a shorter amount of time. Take a few minutes to do a whole health check-in (emotional, spiritual, physical) with your Community, creating space for each person to answer the question below:
What’s something you’re looking forward to about the coming week? What’s something you feel anxiety or uncertainty about?
If the need arises, spend a few minutes praying for one another, asking God to meet needs and help each person carry what feels heavy right now.
READ THIS OVERVIEW (5 MINUTES)
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus spoke to his eleven disciples, commanding them, “As you go, make disciples of all nations…” In other words, Jesus’ “Great Commission” is the call to BE disciples and to MAKE disciples. This is the foundation of our understanding of church membership: “the commitment to be a disciple and to make disciples...in partnership with the other members and elders of Cornerstone” (Membership Booklet, p. 11). But if being and making disciples is so foundational, then it is important to clearly define what that word “disciple” means. At Cornerstone, we define what it means to be a disciple in four ways: A disciple is a follower of Jesus who is learning from Jesus, trusting Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and helping others do the same.
“Learning from Jesus” means that we are engaged in being and making disciples of Jesus, not of ourselves or any other Christian teacher or personality (1 Cor. 1:12-13). We have much to learn from one another and from those who have gone before us, but our eyes are fixed on Jesus. “Trusting Jesus” means that our faith in Jesus leads to growing faithfulness to Jesus. Paul describes this dynamic as “the obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5; 16:26), which includes both hearing Jesus’ words and doing what He says (Luke 6:46-49; James 1:22-25). “Becoming like Jesus” is the goal of discipleship (Luke 6:40)! The Holy Spirit’s work is to transform us into the image of Jesus as we behold his glory (2 Cor. 3:18). Our work is to “walk by the spirit,” joining him in his work in our lives and in each others’ lives (Gal. 5:16-6:1). Finally, “Helping others do the same” reminds us that to be a disciple of Jesus is to be engaged in the mission to make disciples of Jesus (Matt. 28:19). Every true disciple is (or will be) a disciple-maker (2 Tim. 2:2; Col. 1:28-29).
Debrief this Sunday’s Teaching (20 Minutes)
With that in mind, work through the following discussion questions as a Community:
Consider the four parts of our definition of disciple: “learning from Jesus, trusting Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and helping others do the same.” Do any parts of this definition stick out to you, perhaps as areas of strength or areas where growth is needed?
The reality is that none of us have “arrived” as fully mature disciples. Maturity is a life-long pursuit, and a key reason that we are seeking to live in community with each other is to help each other grow to maturity (Eph. 4:11-16). So, building off of the areas of growth you identified in the first question, what are some ways that you can encourage and help each other to keep growing as disciples?
Do you recognize that the call to BE a disciple of Jesus includes the invitation and command to MAKE disciples of Jesus?
Is there anyone in your life whom you think the Lord may be calling you to disciple? A good place to start is by thinking about the relationships that the Lord has placed you in (family, neighborhood, workplace, friend circle)
Is there anything that is holding you back from taking steps toward making disciples of others?
Missionary Practice For The Week Ahead: BLESS (10 Minutes)
ᐅ B.L.E.S.S.
(B)egin with Prayer:
Pray for the people in your life and the places that you’re in.
People: Who do you live, work and play with that is far from God? Pray that God would create spiritual curiosity in them, and then spend time with them.
Places:
Where does pain exist here? Pray for healing.
Who makes the decisions here? Pray for integrity.
Who throws parties here? Pray for community.
Where are the pennies spent here? Pray for provision.
(L)isten:
Listen to and discover the needs of others and for the places where God is at work.
Before you can help others find Jesus, you need to listen to them first - their hopes, pains, challenges and dreams. In your interactions with others today, take the posture of a learner. Lay down assumptions and practice being present in conversations.
(E)at:
Share meals, drink coffee, and spend time with people in your life that don’t yet know Jesus.
Who can you eat with (or have coffee with) that is far from God? A co-worker over lunch? A neighbor during the day? A friend or family member over the weekend?
Is there a place that you regularly visit (coffee shop, gym, etc.)? Ask God to grant you opportunities to eat with people.
(S)erve:
Who can you serve this week? Who do you know that has a practical need? Ask them how you can help.
Before jumping into serving, have you taken the time to pray for, listen to and eat with these people? Doing these things first helps you discover the way that you really need to serve them.
(S)tory:
Share the story of Jesus and what He is doing in your life with others.
Start by sharing how God has blessed you and made a difference in your life.
Share your story in such a way that demonstrates that Jesus is also at work in their life.
Don’t feel like you have to tell your life story at once. Think “bite-size” stories.
Prayer (10 Minutes)
Spend a few minutes praying for God’s grace over each other, that we might become a people who make Jesus our Lord, and that there might be a sweeping renewal of the Holy Spirit in our city. Ask that God would stir up within us a desire to be with him in prayer and to serve him, one another, and our neighbor in love.