Matthew 28 –
Read Matthew 28:17-20 two times with a partner, and then discuss the following questions.
What does Jesus command the disciples to do?
Brainstorm: What are some experiences that the disciples had with Jesus that would have prepared them to obey each of these commands?
Based on this passage alone, complete this sentence: “A disciple is someone who . . .
The BIG question is how should we obey the Great Commission?
The second biggest question is “What could it look like if we do obey the Great Commission?” What are we aiming at?
Our prayer for this time of exploring the Great Commission is that the Lord
will burden every one of you with a vision for starting 5 successful
Discovery Groups that grow into 5 healthy churches and give birth to
5 daughter Discover Groups that also multiply by the end of 2027.
Read Matthew 28:19-20 again. Over the next 3 days you will be learning more about what it looks like to obey the Great Commission and grow as a disciple of Jesus.
After each lesson we will ask you to pray about “What does God want me to do in order to obey what the Holy Spirit is telling me in this lesson?”
Is there something I need to start doing to obey this lesson?
Is there something I need to do differently to obey this lesson?
Is there something I need to stop doing to obey this lesson?
After you write down a few thoughts answering these three questions, we will ask you to write down specific this you will commit to do over the next month to respond in obedience to God’s leading.
We will ask you to put this in the form of an “I will . . .” statement of specific things you will do over the next month.
A good “I will . . .” statement needs to be specific and clear:
Here are two “I will . . . statements”, a bad one and a good one 🙂
Bad: This month I will try to go out and meet people who don’t know
Jesus.
Good: This month I will go on a prayer walk in my community for 30 minutes, on Mon., Wed., and Fri. evening before dinner. I will use one of the 3 new conversation starters I have picked out to intentionally meet with at least 2 people every evening. My goal for these walks will be to ask at least one person a week if they would be interested in learning more about Jesus?
Discuss these questions for the first session with a partner:
How do the activities you spend your time doing compare to Jesus’ approach to reaching the nations?
How does building ministry around the commands of Jesus differ from traditional pastoring practices?
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
Corporate Prayer: John 14:15-17 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.”
The Father’s Heart for the Lost
Ask a few people to briefly summarize the story of the Prodigal Son.
Read Luke 15:20-24 two times with a partner, and then write down as many characteristics as you can of this earthly father.
When they are finish ask each group to share what they noticed about this earthly father. (If possible, write the list of characteristics on a board for everyone to see).
After everyone has shared, ask them “What can we learn about the Heart of God from this earthly father? (Again, if possible write these out for everyone to see.)
Pray and Mediate on 2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Talk to the Lord about his love for the lost and ask him to fill your heart with that same love.
Prayer Walk: With a partner go on a prayer walk through the community. Silently pray over the community and everyone to see or meet. Ask the Lord to reveal his love to them and to draw them to himself.Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
1a. The Big Problem: 3 out of every 4 people in India belong to a
community with less than 0.1% followers of Jesus.
The historic methods of the Church has used to reach to lost is not keeping pace with the population growth of India!
The Unreached Population of India
The Big Solution: India desperately needs strategies for reaching the lost that multiply new believers, new churches and new disciple-making disciples!
Consider this comparison: Divide into two groups.
Group 1: Calculate how many believers there would be at the end of one year, if
a gifted evangelist led 5 new people to Christ every week for one year.
Group 2: Calculate how many believers there would be at the end of one year if
a disciple-maker discipled one new disciple every month and taught
that disciple to also make one new disciple a month.
This is why Jesus spent so much of his time making disciples!
Corporate Prayer: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
7. Replicate everything, and become a Disciple-
Making Disciple
Read each of the passages below with a partner, and write
down as many insights as you can learn about making
disciples from each verse.
Matthew 4:19-20, 23
Luke 10:1
2 Timothy 2:1-4
Read through each of these passages in Acts that tell the early story of
Barnabas and Paul’s relationship.
Acts 9:27, 11:22-26, 13:1-3, 13:43
Discuss with your partner: “What we can learn from the relationship of
these two important leaders”
Read 2 Timothy 2:2 again, and this time use stick figures to draw a picture of
what Paul is telling Timothy to do.
Read over these questions and discuss your answers with a partner:
Is the system (or model) you are promoting very simple?
How do your conversations with disciples and disciple makers empower them to grow in Jesus?
What are some ways that you are trusting the Holy Spirit to work in people’s lives?
Are you raising up co-laborers from within the harvest? (Lk 10:2)
Is MULTIPLICATION happening spontaneously, without being controlled from the top down? If not, how does the culture or DNA of the group need to change?
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
- Engage the Lost Read Luke 5:1-11 with a partner, and list some ways that
Jesus engaged with Simon Peter and the other disciples in this
story?” Now read Matthew 4:19-20 with your partner. How does
Luke 5:1-11 help us understand the willingness in Matthew 4 of the disciples
to leave everything, and follow Jesus?
Compassionately meet practical needs
Does anyone have a testimony of someone who was drawn to Jesus through someone meeting their practical needs?
Share testimonies
Live out Loud Spiritually: Here are some possible questions:
If someone were to ask you, where would you say you are right now on your spiritual journey?
Have you ever had a dream that you felt was from God?
Are you very interested in spiritual things?
If you could ask God for one miracle in your life right now, what would it be? (This could be followed up by offering to pray for them.)
Work with a partner to write your own question for engaging a stranger.
Pray for healings, miracles, and dreams
Does anyone have a testimony of someone experiencing a miracle that opened their heart to Jesus?
Corporate Prayer: Matthew 10:1 “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”
Ministry Time
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
- Finding the right person to Disciple Read Matthew 10:5-15 two times out loud with a partner Working with a partner, fill in the worksheet for Persons of
Peace in Matthew 10:11-14 and Luke 10:5-9
What are some things from these two passages that you think will be helpful in finding a person of peace?
Read John 6:37, 44-45 two times with a partner.
Discuss: What needs to happen for someone to come to Jesus according to these three verses. How does this help us find find a PoP?
FINDING A PERSON OF PEACE by Steve Smith
While searching for a “Person of Peace”, keep these three characteristics in mind. A person of peace (PoP) is . . .
- OPEN to us as people with different convictions & to our stories from the Word
- OPENS their family/network to us
- PASSES ON our stories to others (beginning at home)
- Pray.
- Go where God sends you.
- Enter a place or area proclaiming (sharing about )the Kingdom of God (or a modern equivalent) (term).
- Don’t waste time.
- Search with discernment (carefully)
- Visit the possible Person of Peace at his home and connect with him and family if
possible. - Give greetings or ask spiritual interest questions to draw out or measure spiritual
interest. - If favorable (good) response—give blessing (spiritual, not financial).
- Spend time with possible PoP and family overnight if possible, or late into the
evening. - Interact with them to discern (check) their level of openness.
- Minister to them (heal the sick, cast out demons, etc).
- Share about the Kingdom of God.
- Always be bold and truthful.
- If no response, announce a warning, then leave.
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
5. Leading Discovery Groups that will disciple people toward faith in Jesus and also help them become disciples who make disciples.
Read carefully through the handout: Important Stages of a DBS
Discuss with your partner each stage, one at a time.
What stands out to you most in this handout? Explain why.
Is there anything in this handout you are confused about? Explain why.
What part of this process do you feel most confident about? Explain why.
What part of this process do you find the most difficult? Explain why.
Many successful Discovery Group leaders who have multiplied many groups, insist that members of a new Discovery Group should be leading the group by the 5th or 6th meeting.
What are some possible reasons for this advice?
How will the group survive (last longer)?
What if the group fails?
Ideas for turning a Discovery Group over in 5 weeks
Week 1: Bring four copies of the questions & give them to four different group members to read at the appropriate time.
Week 2: Before the meeting, ask 2 of the people to help you by asking one of the questions & then to gently invite each person in the group to respond.
Week 3 & 4: Continue asking members of the group to help with more and more of the meeting
Week 5: Ask one of the group members that has been most willing to help, to lead meeting 5 with you attending (gently encouraging them).
Turn the group over to the person(s) who is most willing to lead
It’s important to keep track of the Discovery Groups you start
Use each of the following questions to reflect with your partner on your progress with starting, growing and multiplying Discovery Groups.
Are the people in your Discovery Groups learning to obey Jesus?
Are the people in your Discovery Groups sharing with their neighbors?
Are you challenging people to go to the lost, even if they are brand new seekers, only have a little Bible knowledge, and are still immature?
Note: Jesus commissioned the demoniac to go spread the gospel even though he was only a few hours old in his relationship with Jesus and he hadn’t been baptized.
Why are we holding people back for lack of knowledge or maturity?
Prayerfully fill out the Responding to this Lesson worksheet
- Assemble Believers into Healthy Churches Acts 2:38-47
