Connect Take some time this week to pray and plan how you might grow in maturity in 2024. 

Warm-Up

1. When you read of the early church growing, how do you respond: with excitement, suspicion, deflation, or something else? Why might people feel any—or all—of these things?
2. What do you think was at the heart of the growth of the early church? Does that differ today? 

Read Matthew 28:16-20

3. Recap the last two weeks: how are both elements of our mission as a church (i.e., to make and mature disciples of Jesus) connected to the great commission of Jesus?
4. How might the multiplication of disciples also be inherently ‘baked into’ the great commission?
   What do you think is different about intentionally forming disciple-making disciples? 
5. Who has been part of your story of coming to faith and growing in maturity? What are the most helpful things that other disciples have done for you to nurture you as a maturing Christian?
6. Do you think every disciple is to be a disciple-making disciple? How are we equipped to live this out?
7. Who are you currently praying to become a follower of Jesus? Do you find it exciting to consider that they too—and the people who follow in their footsteps—might continue this work of multiplication?

Read Acts 6:1-7

8. As the early church rapidly grew, what types of “growing-pains” surfaced? How did they respond here?
9. What did they see as absolutely critical? Does this mean other ministries were not considered important?
10. How does this passage give us a glimpse of the need to enable the whole body of Christ to take its part in the building up of God’s church? Can you think of other examples in the New Testament?
11. Whilst the early church nurtured their ‘inner life’, what are the practical ways in which they also nurtured other communities as well? Should we also be active in such ways? How are we now?
12. What does it cost us to raise up Gospel leaders and plant new Gospel-shaped communities? What does it cost us if we do not do this? What—under God—might be possible if we do?
13. Re-read verse 7. As the early church got on with nurturing the inner life of their community—and remained committed to the outward building up of God’s church—what was the fruit?
14. What do you think has been the fruit of our community since the very first service 90 years ago? What do you hope will be the fruit of this community in 90 years time (if Jesus hasn’t returned yet!)?

Apply What is one way this year that you can be involved in nurturing a disciple-making disciple? What is one way that you can contribute towards the establishment of other communities of disciple-making disciples?

On Your Front Line this Week

What are your weekly rhythms that are growing you as a disciple? Joining a Small Group is a great start: stbarts.com.au/smallgroups

For Families

• ‍Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “So the Word of God Spread” by John Stott: https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?speaker=John+Stott&show_media=50833&show_file=55512‍
• Listen: “Service in Christ” by Leo Schuster: https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/service-in-christ/‍
• Listen: “Its Absolute Priority” by William Taylor: https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/53619/‍
• Read: “Why Plant Churches” by Timothy Keller: https://s3.amazonaws.com/rpc-download/Why_Plant_Churches.pdf‍
• Watch: “Why is Church Planting so Important in Cities” by Timothy Keller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoDYwlqSCXY‍
• Read: “Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples” by Rick Hill: https://www.librarycat.org/lib/stbart/item/214040369

Series Resources

• Series Resources: All resources can be accessed at: https://stbarts.com.au/sermon-series/our-mission‍
• Subscribe to our podcast (https://stbarts.com.au/podcasts)
• Read: “The Mission of God’s People” by Christoper Wright.
• Read: “A Light to the Nations” by Michael Goheen.
• Read: “Surprise the World” by Michael Frost.
• Watch: “The Scope of God’s Mission” by Christoper Wright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woXc4fZI7HM