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Purpose
Our Men’s Discipleship Groups are designed to challenge men to go deeper in their walk with the Lord. These groups are not a Bible study, nor are they meant to replace a LIFE Group. Instead, these groups of 3-5 men are a place to have conversations that could not happen in a larger group. They are designed to foster a deeper connection with other men in the church and challenge us to live out our faith daily.
Format
Each group has a designated facilitator/leader. The facilitator is responsible for keeping the group on track during the meeting. Group meetings should last about an hour. The meeting should begin with a brief time of prayer asking God to direct their time together. The facilitator will then lead the group through a set of questions based on FBCO’s vision statement. Each member will take turns answering each one. As each person shares, other members are encouraged to respond with words of encouragement, correction, or Godly advice. With every question, grace upon grace should be extended. This is not a time for members to beat each other down, but to build one another up. After covering all the questions, the group should close by spending some time praying for each other.
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God-Centered
In what ways did you put Jesus first in your life this week? What areas of your life do you need to surrender this week?————
Bible-Based
How was your time in the Word this week? What did God teach you in your Bible reading?————
Purpose-Guided
How are you allowing the Spirit to guide your thoughts and actions throughout your day?Share an example.
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Outward-Focused
How are you intentionally loving and inviting others into a relationship with Jesus? Is there someone this group needs to collectively pray for?————
Small Group-Oriented
How are you actively caring for others in your LIFE Group or this group? How can this group pray for and support you this week? -
One goal of our Men’s Discipleship Groups is to encourage the daily reading of Scripture. Each week the group will choose a passage or book of the Bible to read together. Groups are encouraged to read an average of 3-4 chapters per day. If it is a smaller book, we suggest reading it multiple times during the week. Our desire is for each group to immerse themselves in Scripture on a regular basis.
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Groups can form in a couple ways. The first is a facilitator/leader personally invites 3-4 other men to join his group. Once formed, the facilitator will then submit the names of the group members, as well as the time the group plans to meet, to the Men’s Pastor. Another way is to contact the Men’s Pastor for assistance in being placed in a group. He will help match members who he believes will be a good fit together. Each group must have a designated facilitator.
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Men who desire to lead a group should contact the Men’s Pastor prior to forming a group. Facilitators play a vital role in providing direction and focus for the group. As such, there is required training for each facilitator. In addition to initial training, there will be semi-annual opportunities for facilitators to meet with one another to provide mutual encouragement.
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The first group meeting should be a time for members to get to know each other. The success of the group is dependent on mutual trust and respect with every member. The facilitator should have each man share his testimony and set expectations for the group. Gathering regularly is an important component to a successful group. Members should commit to each other that they will make each meeting a priority.
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The ultimate desire of our Men’s Discipleship Groups is to make and mature disciples who will in turn make and mature disciples. With that in mind, these groups should plan to meet for approximately 12-18 months. After that time, we strongly encourage group members to begin looking to start their own groups. Many members may be hesitant to start a new group, but the goal is for men to remain outward-focused and bring up new disciples behind them.