Developing a Transformational Small Group Bible Study
Let me start out by being totally clear. A Bible study in and of itself is not a life transforming activity. The church is filled with spiritually immature members who are the products of many years of “Bible studies,” Sunday school classes, and discussion groups. Most Bible studies are data dumps of information that fills the […]
Radical Disciple Making: Creating Processes
“What I really need is more nuts and bolts on how to do disciple making. Obviously, what we’re doing isn’t working.” The pastor was exasperated because he had a church full of members instead of a church full of disciples. At the Radical Disciple Making Conference, we speak about the need to create “processes” in […]
Discipleship in a Data Dump Culture
The average Christian’s understanding of discipleship is incredibly inaccurate. Most Christians tend to think of it as something you learn from a course. But nothing could be further from the truth. Let me explain. I’m a United Methodist. We have a program called Disciple Bible. The program was designed by a member of my staff, […]
Small Group Thinking
It’s become common knowledge that small groups are the most effective discipleship making tools in the church. For over a decade now, small group initiatives have been launched in church after church and according to many studies, the vast majority of Christians have attended a small group as an adult.The presumption that participation in a […]
How Possible Is Church Multiplication?
Often when I write or talk about churches that are planting multiple churches I get pushback in the form of the question “I wonder how many of these church plants are more like house churches?” I’m not sure why I get that question more than “I wonder how many people these churches are reaching?” So […]
Five Markers of the Future Church
The vast majority of churches struggle to have a building full of worshipers. Those who do seem to recognize one thing. The church always has been and always will be about making disciples. And we have a clear example of what that looks like from Acts 2: 43-47. Let’s take a look at the five […]