Discipleship Leaders Podcast

In Episode 12 of the Discipleship Leaders Podcast, hosts Jay and Amy welcome Keith Jones, an elder at Fellowship Bible Church, to discuss the various resources available for Bible Study and D-Group leaders. Keith shares his background and role at the church, providing insight into the motivation behind creating these resources. The conversation highlights a range of theological and Bible study materials designed to help leaders grow in their roles, along with practical advice on how to access and effectively utilize these tools.

Our Beliefs: https://www.fellowshipar.com/about/our-beliefs/

Position Papers: https://www.fellowshipar.com/about/our-beliefs/position-papers/

On this episode, we're tackling a unique and timely topic - navigating political conversations in your small groups and Bible studies during this 2024 election year.

We're joined by special guest Ben Parkinson, one of our teaching pastors here at Fellowship Bible Church. On June 2nd, Ben gave a message on this very subject to help prepare all of us for the lead-up to November.

We dive into practical tips for lovingly steering your groups through potential minefields like disagreements over candidates, varying passion levels on issues, or when politics dominates the whole conversation.

Be sure to catch the next episode coming at you next month!

Discipleship Leaders Podcast for Fellowship Bible Church

Episode 8—Effectively Guiding Group Discussion

Guest—Jericho Jones

Today we are going to talk about a common issue that I think most small group and Bible study leaders feel, whether they voice it this way or not—how do I lead an effective, purposeful, intentional discussion with my group that helps people grow in their faith?

1. Start by just getting them to talk

2. Get people to interact with the Bible, not just a book or curriculum

3. Ask great questions

- Head, Heart and Hands Questions

4. Be OK with silence

Show Notes:

Episode 7—Handling Conflict Within Your Group 

What are some of the sources of conflict?

-Personalities

-Different theological beliefs/backgrounds

-Different values…parenting, marriage, roles, spending time/money

-Gossip

-People—hurt, sad, scared, angry 

What are some keys to preventing conflict in your group?

-Establish expectations within the group

-Warn them that conflict is likely

-Train them to deal with conflict

-Revisit the topic

-Know the difference between a tension and a problem

-Avoid—in a healthy way! 

Handling Conflict in a Healthy Way

-Practice Matthew 18

-Ask your pastors or elders for help 

-Identify the underlying issue

-Involve only the people in the conflict

-Avoid gossip

-Help them work it out among themselves

Recommended Resources:

-Resolving Everyday Conflict

by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson

https://bit.ly/3SsEBBc

-The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

by Ken Sande

https://bit.ly/3U96Bed

-Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

by Joseph Grenny and Kerry Patterson

https://bit.ly/42952Pn

In this episode, Jay and Amy talk about one of the basic questions behind our discipleship ministry here at Fellowship—Why do we do discipleship in groups?

When we say “Groups”, we’re referring to that in the broadest sense…

·     Our groups include D-Groups, Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies, Wednesday Night at Fellowship

·     We also have informal groups that meet in coffee shops, on back porches, and in other settings to discuss books or the Bible, or for general accountability

Why do we do discipleship in groups?

·     It’s the pattern we see in Scripture

·     People can’t fully grow spiritually in isolation

·     It makes the big church small

Who are we aiming at in our Groups?

·     Think about the crowds around Jesus (5000, 120, 70(2), 12, 3, 1)

·     We aim our groups and studies at the 120/70/12

Why is it important as group/bible study leaders for us to know this?

·     It’s always important for us to know:

o  Why” we do what we do

o  Who we’re aiming at with our groups

o  How to encourage people who aren’t in groups to join one

Episode 5—Caring for Your People

Guest: Aronna Sorvillo  

Today we are going to talk about a skill that we can ALL grow in when it comes to leading a D-Group or a Bible Study—and that’s Caring Well for our People. With us today is Aronna Sorvillo, Care Pastor at our West Little Rock Campus.

Leaders typically agree to lead a group/Bible study for a couple of reasons

·     They want to make disciples through teaching/leading the discussion around the Bible…

·     They want to create a community for people to follow Jesus together

Those things aren’t mutually exclusive…but if you find yourself as more the first type of leader who wants to lead through teaching, then the practice of caring for you people may not feel too natural to you

·     Caring for people in a group setting is as much a learned skill as it comes natural

·     Caring for the people in our groups and studies is a huge part of the role we play

How can we practically care well for the people in our groups and studies?

·     Share personal prayer requests.

·     Provide Meals—births, hospital stays, deaths, or sickness

·     Visit the sick—go to the hospital. 

·     Send Notes, Text Verses, and Communicate Concern

The bottom line:

·     Know your people,

·     Know what communicates care to them in the way they receive it,

·     Lead your group to care for each other as you care for them

Tyler Vance, the Adult Discipleship Pastor at our Fellowship Bible Church Cabot Campus, joins us to discuss multiplying leaders. Multiplying Leaders is one of the hardest things to do as a leader.

Like a family that launches their kids well, healthy groups launch new leaders well.

Healthy groups see launching new leaders as a part of our mission

Healthy leaders see part of “the win” as a group leader as identifying and developing new leaders

Why are we afraid to send out leaders?

We love people!

We don’t want to lose some of the best and most core people in our group

We know that it’s easy to drift apart when we’re not meeting regularly

We don’t like change

How to identify new leaders—the 4 C’s

Character

Competency

Chemistry

Culture

How to develop new leaders—the most basic form of leadership development

I do, you watch

I do, you help

You do, I help

You do, I coach, and celebrate

Change your mindset on developing leaders. 

Start a group, lead for a while, and then gracefully back out.

Have direct conversations with people you think could be potential new leaders.

See your role as being a disciple who makes disciples…who also makes disciples.

Here is Jay McGuirk the main talk from Leader Launch August 2023.

In this talk titled "Making Much of God Together," Jay McGuirk, speaking at Leader Launch 2023, emphasizes the importance of making much of God in our lives and in the context of D-Groups and Bible studies. He addresses the common tendency to live with a diminished view of God, leading to various issues such as anxiety, control, addiction, depression, debt, and dissatisfaction.

Jay highlights the need to live a unified life, avoiding the division of life into "two drawers" - one for real life and one for spiritual life. He stresses the importance of recognizing the impact of a diminished awe of God on our lives and the lives of those we lead.

Jay draws inspiration from Isaiah 40, showcasing the grandeur and glory of God, urging listeners to view life through the lens of this awesome God. By anchoring their faith in the unchanging glory of God, individuals can overcome challenges and live with a singular perspective on life, eliminating the need for two-drawer living.

The key message is to make much of God, allowing Him to become more significant in our lives and to lead others in doing the same, emphasizing unifying our lives under the awe and sovereignty of God.

Today we spend some time talking with Ben Parkinson about The Meta-Narrative of Scripture, and then how it impacts our small group and Bible study leadership. Questions we discuss include:

1.   Tell us about your D-Group…who is it for, how long have you been together, what role do you play in the group?

2.   What do we mean by the meta-narrative of Scripture, and then what IS that meta-narrative we see in the Bible?

3.   Why is it important for us to know and understand the overarching story of the Bible?

4.   How do you approach your preaching/teaching through the lens of this meta-narrative?

5.   No matter what our groups are studying together…sermon-based discussion questions, marriage, parenting, a book of the Bible, prayer…how does knowing the over-arching story of the Bible impact how we lead through these studies?

6.   Are there any resources you’d recommend if our leaders want to dive deeper into this topic?

Recommended Resources:

The Story: https://www.thestory.com/

Gospel-Centered Teaching: Showing Christ in All the Scripture by Trevin Wax: https://amzn.to/3tcDXxo

Episode 2—Revitalizing a Worn Out Group

1.  Every group has a life cycle.

2. Send some people out to start a new group.

3. Open new spots in the group for new people.

4. Challenge your people to recommit.

5. Have an ongoing missional component to your group.

6. Take a season off as a leader and encourage someone else to lead while you just attend.