05.13.10
Intellectual Discipleship and Small Groups
Intellectual discipleship has gotten some bad press lately. It seems that experience crept up on knowledge and has overtaken it. But without knowledge of God’s character, His willingness to redeem and transform us, His actions and activities throughout history we will miss the growth that He longs for each of us and every small group member to experience. God gave us the Bible so we will know about Him and what He is willing and able to do on our behalf. He gave us this incredible manuscript because it teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains us in righteousness “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Intellectual discipleship is not new to us. It would be impossible to read almost any book in the Bible and conclude that reading, even memorizing, God’s Words found in the Bible is optional. Substantial, life-transforming, game-changing spiritual growth cannot occur without knowing and living God’s Words found in the Bible. It is a necessity. In the Age of Reason intellectual discipleship gained unstoppable momentum. We began to look at Scripture through systematic, studious lenses. Books were produced by many authors explaining and expounding on the Scriptures.
If you’re leading your group members toward maturity you cannot overlook the necessity of guiding them toward personal theological study. Help your group members:
1. Choose a Bible translation that is right for them.
2. Guide them to do three important things as they read for themselves, a) Observe the text. That is determine what the text is saying, b) Interpret the text. Conclude what the text means, c) Apply the text. Determine how the text applies to real life and then employ that teaching into real life.
This can be difficult for some people, especially if they haven’t spent much time in the Scriptures. Below you’ll find a process that will strengthen your group as well as help every individual to learn how to carry out the three step process.:
· Determine together which gospel the group will study. I suggest Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John so that your group is engaged in the inspiring stories of Jesus’ life as well as the opportunity to study His teachings.
· Each week conclude daily readings each group member will involve themselves in. Simply use the title headings found in your Bible to determine what passages create a thought. For instance:
o Monday… Luke 1:1 – 4, The Dedication to Theophilus
o Tuesday… Luke 1: 5 – 24, Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth
o Wednesday… Luke 1: 26 – 38, Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth
o Thursday… Luke 1:39 – 56, Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth and her Song of Praise
o Friday… Luke 1: 47 – 68, The Birth and Naming of John
· Each morning, via e-mail, texting, or twitter communicate with your group members reminding them of this responsibility.
· While studying this book of the Bible ask the group members to write down what they a) Observed, b) Interpreted, c) how they will Apply to life what they’ve learned.
· Choose one day of the daily readings and use it for the discussion at your weekly meeting. If you have them, bring commentaries that the group can go to during the discussion. Ask those who carry study bibles to tell the group what the notes tell us about the passage. If you have wireless internet in your meeting place, ask someone who is tech savvy to go online to a website that has commentaries and share with the group what the commentator states. By doing so you’ll be teaching your group members that, when they don’t understand a difficult to comprehend passage that there are
I assure you, you’ll have some of the most life-transforming conversations you’ve ever experienced and your group members will begin to use this method for their personal study. If you need assistance in creating questions for your Bible study, simply get a Serendipity Bible. There is a Bible study for every passage of Scripture in the Bible in the margins of the Bible.
Rick,
I love the plan you've laid out here. It makes studying the Bible seem more tackle-able by folks who are intimidated.
I think that the reason intellectual discipleship has come into such "bad press" lately is because so many churches have elevated the intellectual side of discipleship. They've placed it as the only true way to become a disciple, and in the process, have neglected a healthy balance that should be struck between study and application. Studying the Bible should not be an end in itself...rather, it should compel us to fall more deeply in love with the Author and serve those He came to save.
Just offering my two cents on why a "head" knowledge has been looked down upon. Thanks for the post. I'm passing it on to some of our leaders now.