INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIPA SET OF FUN CONVERSATIONAL CARDS

These cards are designed as an additional tool to be used by church leaders, educators, clergy, and laity to enhance the development of intentional discipleship.

The cards can be used as part of a year-long educational exploration in small groups, or in a congregational setting to deepen the spiritual evaluation and growth of the people in the pews.

We encourage the use of the cards alongside the book, “Developing an Intentional Discipleship System: A Guide for Congregations” to inspire further conversation. There are no wrong or right answers to these questions. The goal is to open up a dialogue to stimulate change in our relationships, our communities, our churches, and in the hearts of all God’s people. The cards can also be used in a new-member class setting to help develop strong individual disciples and foster their accountability to other disciples.

Feel free to discover your own, uniquely personal ways to use these intentional questions and continue the conversation as we strive to #SEEALLTHEPEOPLE that God calls us to reach!

SeeAllThePeople.org

Who is not being seen in our

communities? In what ways can we see all the people?

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What are some of the basic

characteristics of a disciple in your ministry setting?

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What tasks in your church have become chores, things you feel

you should do, or have to do?

How might they be re-imagined?

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Why do you think it’s important to

continually grow as a disciple?

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How can your church think

about moving from making members to making disciples?

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What does being a church member mean for you? In

what ways is being a disciple similar

to or different than being a member?

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What is a role or task that you have in your church? How is this role connected to

making disciples?

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What is the difference

between personal discipleship

and corporate discipleship? Why do we need both?

(pages #8-9)

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What does it mean for you to grow in your personal

discipleship?

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Wesley understood discipleship as a

“journey of grace.” What are some ways we can

inspire people at different stages of

that journey?

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What are the reasons we invite people to follow Jesus? What is

the ‘why’ behind making disciples?

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Share why you originally came to your church.

Why did you stay? What does this

community mean to you?

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What keeps you from inviting others

to church?

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What would help you personally to be more inviting? How can this community

be more inviting?

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What role does the church play in your discipleship

journey?

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Share about a time when you felt distant from Jesus

or the Church. How did you remain

faithful and work through that time?

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How can your congregation better support those who are struggling with

their faith?

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“When we know our ‘why,’ our ‘what’

has more meaning.” (comedian, Michael Jr.) What are some

of your personal reasons for disciple

making?

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How does serving in the nursery, leading

a small group, being a part of the SPRC, Trustees,

Finance, Council, etc. connect with making disciples?

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How can your church encourage

each person to own their growth as a

disciple?

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Whether intentional or not, your

church already has a discipleship system. What kind of disciples is your church currently

producing?

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Name one or two means of grace

(page #31) and how they help us grow

as disciples.

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Name one or two works of piety

(page #31) and reflect on how

these help us as disciples.

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What does it mean to be intentional about disciple

making? Whose role is it to make

disciples?

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If disciple-making and growing as disciples is our

focus, how does this affect how

leaders lead? How leaders mentor other leaders?

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What are the three characteristics of engagement

necessary to create space essential for

people to share their faith?

(pages #35-37)

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What are some ways you might

leverage technology in your ministry setting that lead

to increased connections and foster possible

future relationships?

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Discipleship begins with relationships. What relationships

have most influenced your faith journey?

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What is the mission of The United

Methodist Church? What would it look like for this mission to be the focus of everything we do?

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What is the difference between “ought to” preaching

and “how to” preaching; and how

does that relate to our mission to

equip and empower disciples?

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What are one or two things that you can do to improve intentional disciple

making in your congregation?

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What are one or two strategies you can

implement to foster growth among your existing disciples?

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What is one thing you really love about your church? How

does it cultivate discipleship?

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What should our immediate answer be to the question “What does your

church do?”

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Describe how a person who is

new to the faith is introduced, grows,

and matures as a disciple in your ministry setting.

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What are John Wesley’s three “general rules” (page #31) and

how do they help disciples grow in

discipleship?

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What are some of the characteristics

of a maturing disciple in your ministry setting?

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What are some ways your church leaders can model what it means to

be a growing, maturing disciple?

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What is the meaning of intentional

discipleship?

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What are the stages of growth for a disciple? What stage are

you in?

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Name a disciple in your church who you would like to

emulate. What can you learn from

him/her?

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If intentional discipleship

becomes our main focus, how will it change how our

leaders must lead?

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What are some of the things that can distract from our

focus on intentional discipleship?

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Explain in your own words the

concept of “The Big Front Porch.” (pages #34-35)

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How can your church create spaces and

opportunities for people who are exploring Christianity?

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What are some of the differences

between our traditional

understanding of “outreach” and the concept of “engagement”?

(page #35)

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What is the first step in making

disciples? Where does discipleship

begin?

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What are some steps your church

can take to move away from “membership” and closer to “discipleship?

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What are some of the ways intentional

discipleship can help our churches

go and grow?

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How can you help new members

understand their call to be a disciple, grow as disciples,

understand the why of making disciples, and invite others into a life following Jesus?

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Name ways your church currently

helps disciples grow in faith.

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How will you help your congregation own its call to be disciples and to make disciples?