THE NEW NORMAL: MICRO-GROUPS

A few years back, I wrote a book called Breaking the Discipleship Code.  My goal was helping churches transition from a weekend-mostly to a disciple-making culture.  Then it happened; we experienced a radical shift in culture.  We went from developing strategies to reach 'seekers' to trying to figure out how to get the attention and engage the 'nones', not an easy task.

Just about that time, I felt as if we were getting a handle on disciple-making, well we had a pandemic.  Who among us could have imagined something coming our way that would stop our worship services and our small group meetings?

While this time has been challenging, it has also served up a fresh batch of hope for the Church. It's amazing how the Church keeps finding a way.  When Jesus declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church, He was spot-on.  Our ecosystem as a church has radically changed over the past few months.  People are showing up online and in parking lots who have previously stayed away at any cost.

Our mission of making disciples has resurfaced as our go-to strategy for being the Church.  New forms and expressions, both new and old, had led the way.  One strategy now stands head and shoulders above the rest, they go by different names, but I call them micro-groups.  They are simply groups of 3 to 5 disciples that are committed to rapid multiplication. This strategy is the most bulletproof and straightforward approach to being and making disciples that I have come across.  

​Here's a little taste of what's to come in our next webinar in the form of four principles that every micro-group follows.

Principles:

• They are simple enough to reproduce.  Micro-groups can be led by anyone, at any time, in any place, and at any pace.  They are designed for 3 to 5 people, with one serving as a facilitator. The goal of the micro-group is rapid reproduction by making disciples that make disciples.  A healthy micro-group can consist of pre-disciples, new disciples, growing disciples, leading disciples, and catalytic disciples (types of disciples).   The goal is not to control them, but to allow them to multiply through natural relational networks (Oikos) rapidly.

 

• The Scripture is our curriculum.  Each micro-group begins by working through the Gospel as a scripture-only approach.  It is recommended that a new group start by reading through Mark.  Mark is the shortest and, in some ways, the easiest to learn of the four Gospels.  It will take approximately three weeks to get through Mark.  It is important to note that it is not necessary to complete all four Gospels to multiply.  Some groups will be ready or designed to reproduce after completing their first Gospel together.

 

• The Holy Spirit is our teacher.  Key to the Gospel Disciple Life is learning to hear the Spirit.  Each day you will read the Scripture while asking, "What is Jesus saying to me through His Scripture?" and "What am I going to do about it?"

 

• Following Jesus is our ultimate objective.  A disciple is a follower of Jesus that is learning to live like Jesus, love like Jesus, and leave what Jesus left behind.  Therefore, our goal is to learn to see God at work, hear His voice, understand His ways, and to follow Him, which is why we continually ask, "What is Jesus saying to me through His Scripture?" and "What are you going to do about it?"

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​Join me in our upcoming webinar on May 19th, where I will lay out this simple strategy that you can integrate and make a part of your new normal. 

See you there!