What is your goal for your group or your Sunday School or Bible study ministry? In the Great Commission, Jesus made the ultimate goal clear: make disciples of all nations. Jesus then explained how to carry out His command of discipling: “baptizing them…and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20, CSB). Two books, Discipling and Caring, can help you carry out Jesus’s commands.
Discipling
Discipling: Disciple-Making Sunday School and Bible Study Encounters is a revision, an updated version, of my 2017 book, Disciple-Making Encounters. This version was revised to apply in the Sunday School, small group, home group, and marketplace group contexts. In addition, you will find much help for your encounters with God in His Word during your private devotions and discipling others one-on-one. Discipling is Book 1 of The iCare Revolutionary Sunday School and Bible Study Method series.
The 19 chapters of Discipling are divided into five Parts: The First Encounter, Preparation from the First Encounter, Second Encounter Early Moments, Second Encounter Middle Moments, and Second Encounter Closing Moments. In addition, there are five helpful appendices: First Encounter, Second Encounter Outline, Learning Style Preferences, Bible Study Journal Questions, and Bible Study Ministry Coach.
This is a book about the much-needed change in how we prepare for group time and the way we lead that time. The book focuses on two encounters: the teacher encountering God in His Word while preparing the lesson and the teacher leading the class to encounter God in His Word during group time. These two encounters are life-impacting and disciple-making.
Caring
Book 2 of the series is Caring | Aneko Press. Caring focuses on moving groups to carry out Jesus’s command to “Love one another” in John 13:34-35. Discipling is best done in the context of caring relationships. Sunday School and Bible study groups are ideal places to practice and launch the kind of love for one another that shows the world that we are His disciples.
The 22 chapters are divided into nine sections of Caring: I Care Because He Cares; Organizing for Care; Communicating Care; Trust, Relationships, and Events; Prayer; Serving Solo and as a Group; Using Care Lists; Caring in Time of Need; and Becoming Known for Our Care. The first section is about why we care. Sections 2-8 are how to care. The final section is about creating a movement of care. The appendices of Caring provide a separate set of job descriptions for each context: Sunday School and Bible study/small groups.
Discipling and Caring
These two books can provide months of training for your group leaders. There are many creative ways to train your leaders. Gather monthly to read and discuss 1-3 chapters. How about a progressive meal training event? Go to one home for appetizers and discussion of a chapter, go to another home for main course and discussion of a chapter, go to the final home for dessert and discussion of a chapter. Bring in a leader from another church, the association, or the state to teach one of the books or key parts of it. Ask a different teacher to prepare to teach the group at a quarterly event. Reflection questions are available at the end of every chapter of Caring.
The publisher, Aneko Press, has made print/digital versions of the books available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, and Apple. If you need 20 or more copies of the print book, contact me or Aneko Press for a bulk discount.
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