Discipleship Groups
Are they for me?
'Discipleship' can sound a bit heavy or high-powered but these groups are not just for mature or very spiritual Christians. The word 'disciple' simply means 'learner'. Jesus call everyone to be one of his disciples... hie learners... to learn to have a relationship with him and to live each day on the basis of his teaching.
So whether you are a long-standing believer, a brand-new Christian or even if you are still thinking it all through, Discipleship Groups are for you. We all have plenty to learn about following Jesus Christ!
What are they?
Discipleship Groups are Small groups of Christians who meet together on a regular basis to help each other grow in their faith and to become better disciples of Jesus.
People join a group for all sorts of reasons:
- to grow in their experience of God
- to understand the Bible
- to worship and pray in a more informal way
- to make friends with others in church
- to explore issues of spirituality
- to develop skills and gifts
- to apply their beliefs to daily life
- to learn how to serve God
If you are aged 18 or above and you are a member of St.John's, Yeadon then there is much to be gained by being in a Discipleship Group!
If yo are new to church or still investigating the Christian faith, we would strongly recommend that before joining a group, you first come on the Alpha course. If you have already been on Alpha at St. John's then joining a Discipleship group would be an excellent way to continue to explore all it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
What do they do?
Discipleship Groups have five purposes
- Worship: Expressing praise and thanks to God in Song, word and prayer; growing in our knowledge and experience of him.
- Discipleship: Learning from the Bible, applying its teaching to life, helping one another to grow in understanding, character and wholeness.
- Fellowship: Building good friendships, learning to trust, accept and affirm one another, helping each other in practical ways.
- Ministry: Discovering the gifts God has given us and learning to use them to help others in the group, the church and the world.
- Mission: Supporting each other in witness, working together on specific projects, helping the group to become strong enough and large enough to form the basis of two new Discipleship Groups.
When and Where?
Discipleship Groups meet weekly or fortnightly, on whatever day is most convenient to those in each group. They meet in the homes of group members.
Each group agrees its starting and finishing times, but 7.45 - 9.45pm is typical. I practice, some people usually stay and chat long after the 'official' meeting has ended!
In addition, we encourage everyone to see their group as a family to which they belong and not simply as a meeting to attend. We hope members will develop close friendships with others in their group and that they will value the way in which they can support each other in their everyday lives.
On the other hand, while the group has high aims, we hope that people will feel free to participate at whatever level they believe is appropriate for them. Although discipleship is a serious business, there is plenty of laughter and fun in the life of a group.
All we ask is that everyone should play their part in making the group work. This means coming to group meetings as regularly as time permits and learning to care for and support the other members.