What if I told you I had an idea to build a spaceship to Mars? I could the provide blueprints, trajectory vectors, and possibly some logistics for travel. Yet, one question would eventually come up: “So, when’s the launch date?” How true that relates to the visions, dreams, and ideas we have as Creative Agents! We can plan and devise, calculate and aim, but what really sets us apart is when we do something about what we’ve been dreaming about – an idea implemented.

In our last post, I shared an idea I have about discipleship and uniqueness. As you may recall, I reason that every disciple is like a tree sharing common branches (such as spiritual disciplines) and biblical soil. Yet, every disciple also has a peculiar branch of their uniqueness that looks different from one disciple to another. Good discipleship buds healthy fruits from both the common and the peculiar branches.

I admit that this concept, though still developing, may be a great idea. Yet, I have figured that the best stewardship of this vision God has given me is to simply try it out. I want to practice good discipleship and see just what kind of fruit it will bud.

Just two weeks ago, I started an small discipleship group with three other guys and myself. Starting was the scariest part, since the call to discipleship should always be clearly communicated and modeled. Jesus did this in Luke 9:18-27; he was bold and clear with his disciples that following him would mean denial of self and safety. I had the theory of discipleship typed out on fancy cardstock and we shared many laughs during our first meeting. Yet, there came a point in our initial meeting where I had to explain the costs of our discipling relationship and together assess if we should move forward. It would cost us time (weekly meetings for at least eight weeks), vulnerability (in being accountable to one another), and work (in using our creative gifts in shared projects). Thankfully, we each agreed to simply try this discipleship model and then reassess after eight weeks if we should continue on for up to one year.

Below is the model we are using to structure our group:

1. Intentionally Small

We chose to keep our group to 4 guys total (including myself). One-to-one discipling relationships are unfair since one person becomes the teacher and one person the student. Discipling, I’d reason, happens best by mutual learning more than it does in a teacher-student dynamic. A larger group setting does not allow for intimacy and makes it difficult to stay accountable to others. A group of three to four is generally a good number since it avoids a teacher-student dynamic and the shallow intimacy of a group setting. (For more on this topic, see Greg Ogden’s Discipleship Essentials, pp. 10-11).

2. Timeframe

We agreed to meet every Thursday from 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM for the next eight weeks. In our second meeting, we decided that our creative breakouts should occur on a different day to be determined by each breakout group (further explained below).

3. Flexibility

We each understand that we are in the process of figuring out what holistic discipleship looks like. With that said, we have been flexible in our plans to allow for maximum growth. The change of timing for breakouts (see #2 above) is a great demonstration of our group’s flexibility.

4. Bible Study and Memory Verses

Recall that good discipling should cause fruit to bud from each branch of a disciple, including their peculiar branch of uniqueness. Bible study ensures this budding as it informs us both in knowledge and practice of how to live like Christ. We are using Greg Ogden’s Discipleship Essentials as a “curriculum” for learning and applying spiritual disciplines. In his workbook, there are memory verses and a Bible study on a particular discipline for each week. This afternoon, we will discuss the call to follow Jesus with Luke 9:23-24 as our memory verse and Luke 5:1-11 as our Bible study passage.

5. Inductive Study

Generally speaking, inductive learning occurs by asking questions to arrive to appropriate answers (premises). Each week, we will discuss the various questions Ogden provides to learn and apply spiritual disciplines.

6. Creative Breakouts

We have 4 guys in our group, so as to ensure relational intimacy and mutual learning (see #1 above). Each week, we meet once for a Bible study and then breakout into two groups of two at separate times to focus on a specific area of creativity. The purpose of these breakouts is to bud fruit from each of our branches of creative uniqueness. Groups of three or four are typically the best for growth, but achieving this was not possible for our creative breakouts. We balance the one-to-one dynamic with our time all together in Bible study. Our group started when my friend Jeremiah asked me to teach him graphic design. Thus, in our weekly breakout, we are learning graphic design from the ground up. Music is the primary focus for the other breakout with my friends Jonathan and Daniel. They have already had a four hour jam session! (Way to go, guys!)

7. Communication

I have been in so many groups that do not agree how to communicate from the start. This simply causes ineffective interactions down the road. We agreed from the start that texting would be our primary form of communication. Your group’s needs may vary, so texting is certainly not a silver bullet.

8. Accountability

Strong discipling relationships are marked by a vested interest in one another. Paul shared the gospel, but he also shared his life with those he discipled (see 1 Thess. 2:8). For our group, we came up with at least one area we would individually be accountable for. I, for example, asked the guys to keep me accountable for making quality time to spend with my wife. We agreed to text one another during the week to check up on each of our areas, and then to check in as a group during our Bible study times.

I am so glad that God has provided an opportunity for our group to pursue holistic disciplemaking. The model outlined above is by no means concrete or the sole model for effective disciplemaking. I do hope, however, that our model could give you a guideline and be an impetus for your next discipling relationships. Please connect with me soon if you have any questions about our group or how to start your own!

If you found this post insightful, please pass it along in your circles and share your thoughts with us on Facebook today!