“How do I find someone to disciple?”
“Where will I find a potential apprentice?”
“Where will I get the people I am to multiply my life into?”
Small group leaders often start asking these questions once they catch the vision of multiplying themselves by multiplying group leaders.
Jesus is our example in all things, including selecting potential leaders. Note that he practiced the principle of discovering leaders through prayer:
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. – Luke 6:12-13
Jesus not only practiced the principle of discovering leaders through prayer, He told us to do the same. Note what he told His disciples:
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Mat 9: 37-38
In my second year of college, I became fired up about spiritual reproduction. I wanted to reproduce, but I had no disciples. So I began to make it an important part of my prayer life. Daily I prayed, “Lord, give me a disciple.”
Exactly two weeks, later a fellow student approached me about discipling him. The only time we were both able to meet in our dorm was after “lights out.” The only place available was in an open area in the dorm bathroom/shower area. So we began to meet every night and, jokingly, called ourselves the Bathroom Baptist Temple.
It was so fulfilling I began to ask God for another disciple. Exactly two weeks later, a guy approached us and said, “Every night the last two weeks I have been listening to you guys while brushing my teeth. I would love to get in on what you are doing. Can I join?” So the Bathroom Baptist Temple expanded from two to three.
It was so much fun, I began to ask for another disciple. Exactly two weeks later another guy approached us. He was the roommate of the second guy. He said, “ I don’t know what you guys are doing every night, but my roommate is a different person. How do I join the Bathroom Baptist Temple?” So the B.B.T. went from three to four.
We had such a good time I began to ask for yet another disciple. Exactly two weeks later, we added our fifth member. He also had seen what we were doing and wanted to be a part. At this point the Dorm Supervisor gave us our own empty room to meet in. By the end of the semester it was full of guys meeting several nights a week for Scripture memory, Bible study, accountability, and prayer.
It was one of the best times of my life. I had the opportunity to pour my life into some other young men. We developed good friendships. All of us grew from
the accountability of the group. They said the group changed their lives. The next semester our group multiplied into five groups, with each of the original members as a leader. And I learned that the key for discovering potential leaders was persistent prayer.
God is always looking for potential leaders. Multiplying leaders is cooperating with God in His plan to find and mentor potential leaders into multiplying leaders. It is getting in on what God is already doing. It is working with God in discovering potential leaders. Therefore, prayer is of the utmost importance.
Action Points:
1. Every day ask God to send you someone to disciple and train to lead a small group.
2. Once you have someone to apprentice under you, ask God to send them someone they can train.
______________________________________________________________
Dr. Dave Earley is an experienced pastor, small group leader, church planter and coach. He serves as the Director of the Liberty Center for Church Planting at Liberty University. He is also Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Leadership and Church Planting for Liberty Theological Seminary. He has authored ten books on subjects such as small groups, leadership, prayer, and the Christian life. www.daveearley.com This article is an excerpt from his new book (w/ Rod Dempsey) The Pocket Guide to Leading a Small Group: 52 Ways to Help You and Your Small Group Grow www.touchusa.org