This chapter explains your role as a leader, gives five essential principles of leading your discipleship group, and looks at your weekly timetable.

A. Your role as a leader

As a leader of a discipleship group, you are to follow the model of Christ's ministry. As you study how He discipled His men, you will find three emphases:

He taught them how.

He showed them how.

And He let them do it.

It is not enough to give spiritual input, though that is a significant part of discipleship. It is not enough just to show your group how something is done. It is crucial that you let your disciples apply what they have seen in you and heard from you. One of the best things you can do for your disciples is to build an environment where they can be involved in learning, observation and application.

B. Principles of discipleship.

Defined objective.

The first principle that the group leader should always keep in mind is to have a clearly defined objective. Dr. Howard Hendricks once said, "A leader is one who knows where he's going and is able to persuade others to go along with him."* As mentioned previously, the objective of a discipleship group is to develop a movement of Spirit-filled Christians who are obedient to God's Word and are actively involved in helping to fulfill the Great Commission in this generation. Keeping this objective in focus is crucial to preventing discipline others from becoming an end in itself.

Biblical content.

The second valuable principle is that the leader should provide biblical content. Reliance upon the authority of Scripture is the basic ingredient for discipline group members (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:21).We live in a culture that operates on the basis of feelings. We are besieged by manmade philosophies that are often quite subtle, steering us away from God's truths. There is constant pressure on us to conform to these ways of thinking.

Like the psalmist, we need God's Word to direct our lives: "How can a young man keep his way pure?" By keeping it according to Thy Word. With all my heart I have sought Thee; do not let me wander from Thy commandments. The Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119:9-11).

Because studying the Word tests our thoughts and helps us draw principles and conclusions for our lives, it is essential to use Scripture in disciplining our group members.

Strategy and ministry tools.

You can have a clearly defined objective, yet never reach it if you don't have concrete steps to take. If a discipleship group leader inspires his disciples with a godly vision for reaching the world, but fails to give them the strategy or training to make that vision a reality, the group will become frustrated and confused.

The following diagram shows a simple strategy for discipline Christians. In this plan, biblical content has been arranged in sequence to ensure that we are discipline a person in the basics of the Christian life while we are accomplishing our objective.

This diagram shows how strategy and ministry tools are used in discipleship.

In the diagram we find that our basic tools in evangelism are Knowing God Personally and the Holy Spirit booklets; our tools in individual follow-up are. In "New Life in Christ", in small group follow-up we use simple Bible study and in discipleship training we use the group Bible study.

As you develop your strategy, remember to think! Ask yourself, why am I doing this? How is this going to help me accomplish my objectives?

Simply having a good strategy and good ministry tools, however, will not ensure discipleship. Another crucial element is the spiritual environment or context in which your disciples are being trained.

Spiritual environment.

To provide a healthy spiritual environment where your disciples can flourish, you, as a leader, need to 1) give direction in personal growth and ministry, 2) be an example, 3) build relationships, and 4) impart a vision for evangelism.

a. Give direction. A leader may know exactly where he is going, but unless he is able to give direction it will be difficult for his group members to follow.

b. Be an example. "Modeling" means influencing the lives of your group members through the example of your own life and ministry. The apostle Paul said to the Philippian church, "the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you" (Philippians 4:9). Paul also refers to modeling in his letter to the church at Corinth: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians I 1: 1.

Most of us probably wouldn't want to say that to our disciples! This point shouldn't create guilt, however. None of us is perfect, and the Lord accepts us just as we are. But as group leaders, we are in positions of tremendous responsibility. our disciples will imitate us - in the things we say, in our attitudes toward life, sometimes in our lifestyles and, occasionally, even in our manner of speech! Much more is "caught" than is formally "taught,"

c. Build relationships. We should seek to build friendships (I Thessalonians 2:7-20) that include both encouragement and admonition. As we disciple others, we should be constantly encouraging them to live godly lives. Encouragement is discussed in the book of Hebrews: "And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another" (Hebrews 10:24,25a).

Because we love those whom we are discipline, we may need to admonish them on occasion. The Bible gives us the guidelines for exhorting a brother or sister who needs correction. Galatians 6:1 states: "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourselves, lest you too be tempted" (italics added).

d. Impart a vision for evangelism. The best way to impart to your group members a vision for evangelism is through your own example.

Right perspective on circumstances.

The last principle of the discipleship process is that the Lord uses our circumstances to mould us into what He wants us to be. He is the "Ultimate Discipler." He has His own discipleship curriculum, uniquely designed for each of our lives. Various circumstances - in the forms of trials, victories, failures or pressures - drive us to the Lord and result in our spiritual growth (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28,29).

As disciplers, we will want to help our disciples realize that God desires to build our characters through circumstances (I Peter 1:6,7).

C. Your weekly timetable

There are certain things that you must plan into your weekly timetable in order to be an effective discipleship group leader.

First and foremost, set aside quality time to be alone with the Lord. Your walk with God needs to be your first priority. Unless we have fresh, consistent times with God, our ministries will soon become more of a burden than a joy.

Meet on a regular basis with your group, spending time with your disciples individually and taking them witnessing.

Reserve adequate time for involvement and preparation of your ministry.

NOTE: Involvement as a leader within a discipleship ministry requires time and commitment. Jesus didn't call His disciples to an extracurricular activity but to a life lived for His glory (Philippians 1:21; Luke 9:57-62).

(Total weekly time involvement when you are leading your own discipleship group of three people could be between 8 and 12 hours.)

This is not a commitment to be taken lightly. Being a discipleship group leader requires a decision to incorporate the ministry of multiplication into your own lifestyle.