In this post, we’re giving you an inside key idea from Movement-Ready Church.
A discipleship group (D-group for short) is a microsized group (usually three to five people) that meets for a season of spiritual training, to then multiply out to make disciples where they live, work, and play.
One of the most common reasons why churches don’t have a disciple-making culture is because of what we call the equipping myth (taught in chapter 8 in Movement-Ready Church), the fatal assumption that teaching equals training. Churches are great at teaching their people content but are often poor at training their people in disciple-making skills.
For your pathway to be effective in developing disciple-makers, you must bust the equipping myth and create places where the multiplication cycle is happening; where disciple-making skills are modeled, explained, applied, and developed.
Discipleship groups become your church’s multiplication vehicle in your strategy. It is your primary vehicle for developing disciple-making leaders in your church.
Church staffs and congregations commonly perceive D-groups as being just another form of Sunday school or a small group. They often have “a group is a group is a group” mentality. But while D-groups share the word “group” with these other ministries of the church, they are different.
The first and most important difference is that small groups and Sunday schools are “box” ministries, and D-groups are “circle” ministries (taught in chapter 5 of Movement-Ready Church). Box ministries focus on engagement; circle ministries focus on empowerment. These are two totally different priorities.
These are just a handful of differences between a D-Group and a small group or Sunday school. They complement; they don’t compete. The two groups together allow you both to engage new people and to empower disciple-makers.
For years, I’ve walked with pastors who know there’s more—but aren’t always sure where to begin. That’s why we wrote Movement-Ready Church. It’s designed to help you move from vision to a clear, actionable strategy for disciple-making in your context. Inside, you’ll also find access to 15+ practical tools and downloadable resources to guide your next steps. If you’re ready to lead with greater clarity and confidence, I’d encourage you to order your copy today by clicking here and begin the journey toward a disciple-making movement in your church.