GO BIG with small groups PALCON 2010 Dr. Woodie J. Stevens Global Discipleship Ministries Director

SONYA What is going on, what does she need and how would you respond to Sonya?

Christian Holiness Missional

“You must therefore go and make the people of all nations my disciples. You must baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and you must teach them to obey all the commands I have given you. And there is not a day when I will not be with you to the end of time. Wm. Barclay trans. Matthew 28:19-20

"You did not chose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, - fruit that will last.” (John 15:16, KJV)

Dr. Jerry Porter, General Superintendent

Societies: Cognitive - aimed at the head Classes: Behavioral change - aimed at the hands Bands: Affective redirection - aimed at the heart

Preach in as many places as you can Start as many classes as you can Never preach without starting new classes.

“My Brother Wesley acted wisely – the souls that were awakened under his ministry he joined in classes, and thus preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected and my people have become a rope of sand.” George Whitefield

Nazarenes And the Wesleyan Mission Can We Learn from Our History? by Timothy L. Smith

1. The willingness to accept the adequacy of ministers whose quest for Christian perfection had not yet led them into the experience of perfect love. 2. The slow abandonment of the discipline of class and band meetings in which the early Methodists had cultivated the pursuit of holiness. 3. Active resistance to the revived emphasis of mid-19th century Methodists on Wesley’s clear teaching that the second blessing of entire sanctification was an indispensable step in the lifelong process by which the Lord perfects His children in righteousness. 4. The growing tendency of the Methodist ministry to allow as normative the enjoyment of unconsecrated wealth and social eminence. 5. Last in time and perhaps also importance—the decline of the doctrine of holiness in Methodist colleges and theological seminaries. 1. The willingness to accept the adequacy of ministers whose quest for Christian perfection had not yet led them into the experience of perfect love. 2. The slow abandonment of the discipline of class and band meetings in which the early Methodists had cultivated the pursuit of holiness. 3. Active resistance to the revived emphasis of mid-19th century Methodists on Wesley’s clear teaching that the second blessing of entire sanctification was an indispensable step in the lifelong process by which the Lord perfects His children in righteousness. 4. The growing tendency of the Methodist ministry to allow as normative the enjoyment of unconsecrated wealth and social eminence. 5. Last in time and perhaps also importance—the decline of the doctrine of holiness in Methodist colleges and theological seminaries.

Who is discipling me? Who am I discipling? INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP

Providing for the relational growth and the development of members to each other and to outreach prospects is a common characteristic of churches who are maintaining their converts.

We have discovered that our small groups seem to function best when they meet on campus either before or after a service. Bill Hybels

Beyond Addition to Multiplication

Elephants or rabbits Elephants Elephants Only fertile four times a year Only fertile four times a year Only one baby per pregnancy Only one baby per pregnancy 22 month gestation period 22 month gestation period Sexual maturity: 18 years Sexual maturity: 18 years Maximum growth potential in 3 years: from 2 to 3 Maximum growth potential in 3 years: from 2 to 3 Rabbits Rabbits Almost continuously fertile Almost continuously fertile Average of seven babies per pregnancy Average of seven babies per pregnancy 1-month gestation period 1-month gestation period Sexual maturity: 4 months Sexual maturity: 4 months Maximum growth potential in 3 years: from 2 to 476 million Maximum growth potential in 3 years: from 2 to 476 million

What kind and how many Small Groups/Home Groups to you have within your church family?

Small Group Ratio – 7:100

New Groups Ratio – 1:5

Friendship Ratio 1:7

The rules of the Bands The design of our meeting is to obey that command of God, “confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another that ye may be healed.” James 5:16 To this end, we intend: 1. to meet once a week, at the least. 2. to come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason 3. to begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer. 4. to speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting. 5. To end every meeting with prayer suited to the state of each person present. 6. to desire some persons among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest, in order, as many as a searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins, and temptations.”

“Starter Questions” 1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting? 2. What temptations have you met with? 3. How were you delivered? 4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not? 5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?

1. Have you the forgiveness of sins? 2. Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ? 3. Have you the witness of God’s spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God? 4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? 5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you? 6. Do you desire to be told of your faults? 7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults and that plain and home? 8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you? 9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear concerning you? 10. Do you desire that, in doing this, we should come as close as possible; that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom? 11. Is it your desire and design to be, on this and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart without exception, without disguise and without reserve? 1. Have you the forgiveness of sins? 2. Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ? 3. Have you the witness of God’s spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God? 4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? 5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you? 6. Do you desire to be told of your faults? 7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults and that plain and home? 8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you? 9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear concerning you? 10. Do you desire that, in doing this, we should come as close as possible; that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom? 11. Is it your desire and design to be, on this and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart without exception, without disguise and without reserve?

SELECT SOCIETY - THE TRAINING MODE AN ELITE CORPS OF THOSE ENTHUSIASTS WHO HAD WORKED THEIR WAY UP THROUGH THE RANKS OF CLASS MEETING SOCIETY AND BAND AND WERE CONSIDED TO BE STANDARD-BEARERS OF THE MOVEMENT

PENITENT BANDS: THE REHABILITATIVE MODE

TWO DAY REVIVAL How many have been Entirely Sanctified in your church this past quarter?

Session 1: Rescued – Rearranged – Restored Session 2 – What’s Your Name? Session 3 – The Power of the Cross Session 4 – A Tale of Two Disciples Session 5 – Sexual Purity Session 6 – Forgiveness Session 7 – Breaking The Chains Session 8 – The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Session 9 – The Vision

The Master's Plan WIN: A friend embraces faith in Christ. Immediately the new believer joins a Life Group that meets weekly for prayer, encouragement, and Bible study. The Life Group is open to new and nonbelievers. CONSOLIDATE: A 90-day discipleship journey. DISCIPLE: A nine-month period of discipleship, which includes participants discovering God's plan for them, their families, their worlds, and their ministries. SEND: During the final training level, new leaders are commissioned to launch their own Life Groups. The Master's Plan WIN: A friend embraces faith in Christ. Immediately the new believer joins a Life Group that meets weekly for prayer, encouragement, and Bible study. The Life Group is open to new and nonbelievers. CONSOLIDATE: A 90-day discipleship journey. DISCIPLE: A nine-month period of discipleship, which includes participants discovering God's plan for them, their families, their worlds, and their ministries. SEND: During the final training level, new leaders are commissioned to launch their own Life Groups.

Discipleship Conferences The Master’s Plan Discipleship Conference Miami, Florida – September 30 – October Discipleship Great Commission Summit Bloomington, Illinois – November 10-13,

Casa de Oracion Iglesia del Nazareno Cali, Columbia

I Give You Permission

Go Make Disciples