TABLE OF CONTENTS - Bridge Discipleship Path · DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS INTRODUCTION 3 MISSION AND CORE...

Bridge Church Discipleship Training Handbook 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS INTRODUCTION 3

MISSION AND CORE VALUES 3 SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS 3 FIVE REASONS FOR GROUPS 3 GROUPS ARE 3

OUR PHILOSOPHY 4

COMMUNITYèCROWDèCONGREGATIONèCOMMITTEDèCORE 4

MORE ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS 5-7

OUR DISCIPLESHIP STRUCTURE 5 TYPES OF DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS 5 WHAT DOES A DISCIPLESHIP GROUP DO 5 THE MAKEUP OF THE GROUP 6 WHAT DOES A GROUP LEADER DO 6 WEEKLY RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GROUP LEADER 6 WHAT DOES AN ASSISTANT LEADER DO 6 SOCIAL MEDIA USE 6 MEETING PLACES 7 MEETING STRUCTURE 7 THE FOUR “F” PRINCIPLES 7

REPORTING 8

LEADERSHIP CONNECTION 9

ROLES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT 10

HOW TO AVOID GETTING HIJACKED 11

THE TALKING HIJACKER 11 THE EMOTIONAL HIJACKER 11 THE LATE HIJACKER 12 DEALING WITH FINANCIAL NEEDS 12

GOSSIP AND PRIVACY 13

AVOIDING THE IN-CROWD PERCEPTION 14


THE BRIDGE CHURCH MISSION

Connecting People to the Person, Power, and Purpose of Jesus

OUR CORE VALUES

1. Worship 2. Small Groups 3. Generosity 4. Servant Leadership 5. Multiplication

SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS Acts 2 – 42 They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved. FIVE REASONS FOR GROUPS To Connect (Fellowship) To Grow (Discipleship) To Develop (Empower) To Share (Evangelism) To Surrender (Worship) GROUPS ARE:

1. A place to Grow spiritually 2. A place to Connect relationally 3. A place to Protect confidentially


OUR DISCIPLESHIP PHILOSOPHY

Community – Those in your community who are not currently in a church (Within 20 miles) Crowd – Everyone who attends Bridge Church at least 1 time per year Congregation – Those who have made a commitment to Christ and Bridge Church and attend at least 2 times per month Committed – Those who are growing, serving, and giving Core – Those who are growing, serving, giving, and reaching + One goal of Discipleship Groups is to bring people from the congregation to the core.


BridgeDiscipleshipPath.com OUR DISCIPLESHIP GROUP STRUCTURE | 2 POD SYSTEM

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec A A A A A A B B B B B B

TYPES OF DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS:

o Married Couples o Married with Children o Single Adults o Real Connections o Foundations o Sermon based o Women o Men o Financial Peace o Book study o Bible study o Digital group o D-Groups o More..

WHAT DOES A DISCIPLESHIP GROUP DO?

1. Meets together once a week [flexible], prays together, studies together, etc.. 2. Serves the community once per session if possible [Servant Evangelism] 3. Plays together once per session | Do life together [Ex: Top Golf, Busch Gardens, day

on the beach, night out, etc…]


THE MAKEUP OF DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS:

• Bridge Group: Leader(s) + 12 others • D-Groups: Gender specific group of leader plus 3 others

1. Leader(s) 2. Assistant Leader(s) 3. Other Group Members

WEEKLY RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISCIPLESHIP GROUP LEADER:

1. Leads the group meeting 2. Record prayer and praise requests and e-mail them to everyone in the group 3. Send an attendance reminder e-mail to everyone in the group each week at least 2

days before the group is about to meet (and before events) 4. Complete the attendance tracker on My Bridge or LEAD app from Church Community

Builder-CCB [App store: purple with 3 white interconnected rings] 5. Send weekly communication to provide encouragement, etc.. 6. Prays for members 7. Identifies and trains other potential group leaders and assistants (think multiplication) 8. Disciples and shepherds members

WHAT DOES AN ASSISTANT LEADER DO?

1. Prepares to become a group leader by serving as an apprentice who supports and

assists the group leader 2. Facilitates group discussion a minimum of 2 times per session 3. Prays for the group 4. Assist Group Leader with attendance and member follow ups

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR LEADERS AND ASSISTANTS:

1. Social media is a witness to your relationship with Jesus. Any pictures, posts, or comments are a reflection of your relationship with Christ and your leadership at Bridge Church.

2. Refrain from posts that could cause conflict or be a hindrance to the spiritual growth of others or be a negative reflection on Bridge Church. [Ex: political, racial, etc..]


MEETING PLACES:

1. Homes 2. Coffee Shops 3. Restaurants 4. Church 5. More….

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR GROUP LEADERS & ASSISTANTS IN MEETING PLACES:

1. Respect home or community property 2. Ensure facility is locked up for safety and security 3. Leave the meeting place in better conditions than you found it 4. Assist with cleaning up, (if applicable), especially if it is in someone’s residence.

MEETING STRUCTURE [Flexible]:

1. 0 – 15 minutes – allow people to arrive and talk 2. 1- 2 minutes - Opening Prayer 3. 5 minutes - Introduction of people and icebreaker 4. 2- 5 minutes - Introduction of material 5. 45 minutes – Group discussion 6. 2-3 minutes – wrap up and next week assignments 7. 15 minutes – prayer requests and prayer 8. Food and Fun

The Four “F” Principles:

F ILL UP

o Sunday sign-ups and on-line sign ups o Social media campaigns o Video promotions o Starting Point sign ups o Shoulder tapping by the leaders and assistants o Assist with promotion activities at church such as Starting Point o Encourage members to invite friends, neighbors, and co-workers to join the group

F OLLOW UP

o Pre-Group Communication a) E-mail /text every person who signs up for the group immediately with all

important information to include: date, time, directions, contact info, needed material and price if applicable


b) Call everyone who signs up for the group at least once before the group begins

o On-going Communication

a) Send a weekly e-mail /text reminder of attendance and encouragement 2 days before my group begins

b) Don’t let anyone slip through the cracks c) Continue follow up with those who don’t show up at least 2 weeks into the

group (Sign-ups stay open for one month after groups begin)

o Administrative Communication a) Within 24 hours, complete the online attendance form (NOTE: This is done

through My Bridge or the Lead app. A metrics report is then sent to the Discipleship Director]

b) If you have any needs or concerns, please contact the Discipleship Director

F OCUS

o Secure a place for your group to meet o Plan for childcare needs if necessary o Pray for your group and individuals who sign up o Have a plan and your lessons in place before the session o If facilitating a DVD course or book, preview DVD or book and review group

discussion questions ahead of time.

F ACILITATE o Begin and end on time o Encourage everyone to participate in discussion o Don’t let one person ruin it for everyone else o Provide care and communication (you are the shepherd of your team)

REPORTING AN INCIDENT: 1. If you have an incident in your group, to the meeting space, or a concern, please contact the Discipleship Ministry Director immediately. REPORT OF ABUSE OR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE LAWFUL IMPLICATIONS: 1. If you have an incident in your group, during discussion or prayer time, is a concern, or may have lawful implications; please redirect the conversation immediately. Once your group is completed, please contact the Discipleship Ministry Director.


THE ROLE OF THE DISCIPLESHIP DIRECTOR: 1. Work directly with the Connections Pastor to ensure the function and effectiveness of the Bridge Discipleship System throughout all Bridge Church locations.

2. Communicate weekly with discipleship leaders on specific needs. Needs may include: team members, leadership development, scheduling, and various other needs in regards to the groups.

3. Work directly with the Connections Pastor to develop times of training for discipleship leaders to include live and digital training.

4. Work directly with the Connections Pastor or his assistant to develop groups in My Bridge.

5. Directly monitor discipleship attendance in My Bridge.

6. Help the Connections Pastor recruit discipleship leaders.

7. Oversee and help manage assimilation of new groups and new members to each group.

* Leah Austin | 757.735.1231 | [email protected]

THE ROLE OF THE POD COACH: 1. Encourage the Discipleship Group leaders. 2. Work directly with the Discipleship Director to ensure the function and effectiveness of the Bridge Discipleship Groups within a given POD throughout all Bridge Church locations.

3. Communicate weekly with discipleship group leaders within the given POD on specific needs. Needs may include: team members, leadership development, scheduling, and various other needs in regards to the Pod groups.

4. Help the Executive Pastor of Ministry Development and Ministry Director recruit potential new discipleship group leaders.

6. Assist Ministry Director in the assimilation of new groups and new members to each group.

7. Organize and prepare communications within the POD. Examples may include but not limited to: updates and changes to the group such as location, time, or curriculum that is specific to that POD group.


How to Avoid Getting Hijacked!

The Talking Hijacker It's one of the most common issues in small groups: someone dominates your meeting by talking the entire time. We call this person the over talker. While we want small groups to be a safe place to share, when one person dominates, the group actually becomes unsafe for others to share.

1. Sit next to the over talker – this allows you to make more eye contact with those who don’t share as much and less eye contact with the over talker.

2. Ask others to share by name – keep in mind those who would feel uncomfortable being called on.

3. Set a limit of 2 minutes for everyone during prayer request time. 4. If someone is going on too long, wait for a pause and interject with “wow, thank you for

sharing” or “that was great, what do others think?” You want to direct a question back to the group to get others involved.

5. If all else fails, pull the person aside and have a discussion. Don’t make them feel as if they’re in trouble for talking as you don’t want to discourage sharing. Let them know their input is great, but ask them for their help in engaging others to talk. Encourage them to hold off from responding and allow for a moment of silence to give others a chance to respond, thus enlisting their help in pushing the boundaries of others’ comfort zones just a bit.

The Emotional Hijacker This small-group member shows up every week with an emotional crisis. Before you know it, the majority of the meeting is spent trying to unravel the problem and soothe the person's emotional needs. Instead of focusing on Scripture or prayer, the majority of time and energy is spent on the Emotional Hijacker.

1. Take the person out to lunch or coffee. Perhaps more one on one time will allow them to share everything they have going on and will not need as much of the group’s time. It may also allow you as a leader to better understand this persons needs.

2. If necessary, suggest a Spiritual Mentor or Christian Counselor. If you feel this step is necessary, discuss it first with the Discipleship Director.

3. As part of the initial group meeting set the expectation that the group’s purpose is to pray for one another and focus on the study at hand. Explain that we all have personal crisis, and we certainly want to pray for them and help them meet their needs. We want to hear from them and we’d love to hear updates as the situation progresses, however, the group time cannot be spent on solving the crisis itself. It may be wise for the person to pull the leader aside and let them know what’s going on and discuss with the leader how much they’d like to share with the group and what the plan will be for getting help going forward.


The Late Hijacker Without fail, this person walks into the small-group meeting late. You've spent 20 minutes building momentum toward a specific point, and right before you ask the most important question the Late Hijacker bursts in. The entrance disrupts the group, and you can't get the group's attention again. The momentum and focus are lost.

1. Ask the late hijacker privately if they can make a better effort to arrive on time. 2. If there are circumstances that prevent them from being on time, ask them to enter

quietly, being sensitive to what is going on in the group. 3. If the late arrivals continue to be a problem or distraction for the group, discuss the

possibility of another group that may better fit their schedule.

Dealing with Financial Needs in the Group

In the event of a financial need, we always want to love the person with every means God has given us. We put a high value on soul care, and ministering to the issues of the heart our people are dealing with (Col. 1:28). We also want to come along side our people, and care for any needs that would put their family in jeopardy of lacking basic needs including food, clothing, and shelter (Lk. 3:11). Jesus said that our Heavenly Father would meet our every need, and it wasn’t for us as children to be anxious about our basic provision (Mt. 6:25-34). Let’s consider how we can best come along side one another in times of distress by identifying two lines of defense God has blessed us with. As the Lord leads, you will have opportunity to encourage your life group to care for the material needs of the people in your group. This is an initial means of loving the people we are in fellowship with (Jas. 2:15-16).

1. The group is the first line of defense. Each Bridge group should attempt to meet any needs God sees fit to bring into that group with the resources they are able to extend.

2. The second line of defense comes through the larger Body of Christ—the local church. Once a need larger than the group can assume responsibility for is communicated, or if the need is recurring to such a degree that absorbs the funds a group can provide, the Group Leader should contact the Discipleship Director.

3. If you are unsure how to best care for a person communicating financial duress, please contact the Discipleship Director.

4. When a need has been communicated and dealt with within the confines of group, always inform the Discipleship Director. There are some situations with frequent requests that make is necessary for us to track them.


Gossip and Privacy Bob Mumford once said, "The Christian army is the only one that shoots its wounded." What exactly is gossip? Here's a good definition: "Gossip is second- or third-hand information that someone dumps on you without your prior consent, and without the consent of the person being gossiped about." Gossip can be true, partially true, or completely false. It can be motivated by good intentions, but it always contains negative personal information about another that puts them in a bad light. One of the problems connected with gossip and slander is that they can seem innocent, and they often come to us subtly. One doesn't have to be operating in malice to be guilty. Again, the motive is irrelevant. Spreading negative or shameful information about another person is contrary to walking in love. Love "thinks no evil" and "believes the best of others" 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (NIV) If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

A careful reading of the Bible shows the destructive nature of gossip and slander. It says, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts" (Proverbs 18:8). Gossip is likened unto poison that once someone drinks, they cannot get out of their system. And it always separates people. Even close friends and loved ones. Put another way, gossip not only damages the person being gossiped about, but it also damages the person hearing the gossip, because it causes them to judge the other unfairly. So what should we do if we hear a rumor about someone else? If we are in conversation with a person and they begin to express words that put another brother or sister in a bad light, we have a responsibility to interrupt such speech and exhort them to speak directly with the person they are criticizing. If an email containing gossip is sent to us, we should disregard the content and ask the sender to go to the one person being spoken against. So, the next time you hear a rumor, go to the person being talked about. Never spread something about another person without talking to them first and having an open mind to hear their heart. Our mouths play a very important role in the pursuit of mutual edification and peace. Our words should be carefully chosen and designed to build up, not to destroy.


Avoiding the “In Crowd” Perception

At Bridge, we want everyone who walks through the doors to feel welcomed and valued whether they’re a first time or a regular attendee. Certain behaviors that are seemingly innocent, and not meant as hurtful, can create a perception that there is an “in crowd” or a click. Many church leaders and regular attendees have developed close friendships and naturally wish to spend time socializing with one another on Sundays. There is nothing wrong with that, and we encourage building strong relationships. However, the focus on Sundays should be identifying and reaching out to those who are not in your “inner circle” of friends. Be very careful about forming huddles with your friends and spending the majority of your time talking with them rather than reaching out to someone outside of your group of friends. Social Media has its benefits and its downfalls. As a leader, we’re asking you to be overly cautious when posting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, etc. Often times, an innocent post of you and your friends at a party makes those who are not invited feel left out and de-valued. Try to think from the perspective of someone who is new to the church, in group, or even a person who you’ve recently be-friended at church. Frequent pictures of the same group of people together unintentionally creates that “in-crowd” perception from someone on the outside looking in.

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