What qualities come together in a micro group to create an ideal transformative environment? At GDI, we like to say that micro groups are “hot houses of the Holy Spirit”. What does that mean? In other words, just like a “greenhouse”, the environmental conditions are just right for accelerated growth into Christlikeness and multiplication of disciples. What are those environmental conditions? 1. Relational Transparency: A major reason the groups are kept to 3 or 4 (triads/quads) is to develop an atmosphere of self-revealing trust. Here is the principle: The extent to which we are willing to reveal to others the areas of our life that need God’s transforming touch is the extent to which we are inviting the Holy Spirit to make us new. The seed of God’s word can only take root in tilled soil. The tilled soil (our openness) creates cracks and crevices in our hearts. It is these cracks and crevices that reveal our areas of needed transformation. As we articulate the awareness of our b

  What are the critical elements for a success disciple making journey?  As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” What does it take to complete a successful journey? As pictured above, the success journey is to grow a movement of “disciples who make disciples?” A movement implies that a culture has formed in your church or ministry where there is momentum and energy because the value of making reproducing disciples has become a way of life. I am not talking theory, I have witnessed it firsthand.  There are three critical elements for a successful journey: 1. Vehicle (Relational Environment): To travel you need a vehicle, which is the relational environment. We keep the groups small (3s &4s) because the most important element in the relational environment is transparency and openness built upon radical trust. Transformation through the power of God’s word occurs when we lay our lives out before God and each other and apply truth to our growing edge. Without ap

  Reflections on Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero  Part 2:  Chapter 9: “Lead Out of Weakness and Vulnerability” In reflecting on the elements of transformation in the environment of the micro group, we (GDI) have stressed that an open, honest transparency is a required. Why? It is only are we apply the truth of God’s word to where we actually live that it can change us. A major reason to keep the groups small (3s and 4s) is so that a non-condemning, grace-filled atmosphere of unshockable trust can form.  Peter Scazzero reinforces this truth in Chapter 9 of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship , “Lead Out of Weakness and Vulnerability”.  What a breath of fresh air! We can actually live out of our brokenness before a God who embraces us as prodigals who admit that we “have sinned against heaven and before you, and are no longer worthy to be called your son (daughter).” As soon we cast ourselves at Jesus’ feet, he showers us with repeated kisses. King David had come to

  Where do micro groups fit in the larger picture of church ministry? This could certainly be listed in the category of the top 5 questions we get at GDI. The question also comes in another form: What role do traditional small groups have in a church that wants to move toward micro groups? The best way to answer this question is to show how different spaces can and should co-exist together. Joseph Myers first popularized the concept of making room or seeing the value of spaces in his book Search to Belong and is expounded on in Bobby Harrington’s Discipleship that Fits . I will describe the spaces in thumbnail fashion in this shorter blog.  The four spaces are public, social, personal and transparent or intimate. Public Space (50+): In the church public space is associated with the gathered community in worship. A person identifies with a group and considers themselves associated at some level. If asked, “Where do you go to church?”, a person would give a specific community, no mat

How Do You Begin a Reproducing Disciple Making Movement? One Group at a Time.  There is an old Chinese saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with  a single step ".  I am often asked, “How can I grow a disciple making movement in my ministry/church?” My answer: start one micro group. Why do I go there? Behind the question is an attitude. How can I grow disciples fast? How can spread the infection of disciple making to get immediate results?  My answer can be initially deflating. The question most likely is coming from someone who is seeing the wisdom of what can happen in a micro group for accelerating transformation and multiplication. How can we get a lot of these groups going simultaneously? One of the common mistakes to growing disciples is that we want to take shortcuts. Let’s announce a new program. You all sign up for this new small group container called micro groups. Adopt this curriculum. Within a year we will have hundreds of participants.  My advice to past

  Reflections on Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero Part 1 Chapter 6: “Discover the Treasures Buried in Grief and Loss”  Peter Scazzero has for some time been pointing out a massive gap in what it means to become whole or mature in Christ. He says that we have been denying our emotions to our detriment.  In some circles this denial has been conscious and intentional. You might recall a train illustration with three cars: fact, faith, feeling.  It was taught that the important thing was to put your cognitive trust in the truths of Scripture and then let feeling be a by-product (the caboose). Yet, this formula often came with an asterisk. The reason feelings are last is that you can’t trust them. They will lead you astray. All kinds of heresies and distortions have been formulated because we let feelings rule. As the critique goes, subjective Christianity creates the seedbed for false teaching and prophets. They rely on impressions and ecstasies.  Now, of course, there i