If you are like me, you are always searching for study materials on relationships and discipleship.
I highly recommend the book, Find Your People by Jennie Allen. It is not overly emotion driven as some books authored by women tend to be. There are practical solutions and biblical principles to learn.
As our church is involved in small groups, “Discipleship for Life” (D-Life), we practice and apply what we are learning to disciple and walk daily with each other.
Jennie Allen in her book says, “Can’t start any further back than Genesis 1:1, ‘In the Beginning God.’”
She also points out these five realities from Genesis:
- Proximity – They enjoyed physical closeness to each other
- Transparency – They were naked and unashamed fully known and fully loved
- Accountability – They lived under submission to God and to each other
- Shared Purpose – They were given a clear calling to take care of God’s creation
- Consistency – They could not quit each other and needed each other and shared everything together
Another subject Jennie talks about is how we will be disappointed and disappoint others, but God will never disappoint us.
To be disciples and to disciple others best works when living life together as we learn, encourage and share God’s Word to apply daily.
Some can fall away if they are just in a discipleship or relationships class and not applying what they are learning to their daily lives. We must stay focused on God’s Great Commission in Mathew 28:18-20 to make disciples without discouragement or distraction.
Throughout the book the author gives helpful tips and insight into how to carry out the five realities she mentions, such as that when hurting people hurt others, they can learn to forgive each other.
One quote from the book caught my attention on how she described Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
She says, “Iron sharpens iron. It isn’t supposed to be comfortable. But it leads us closer to God and closer to who He wants us to be and that ends up feeling like home.”
Please continue to pray for my husband, me and our church as we have decided to dive deeper in 2025 with Discipleship-Life groups. We want to make disciples so that the people in our church can make disciples also.
We are praying for the Holy Spirit to empower and guide us in our daily living on Sundays and throughout the week to honor and please God in all that we say and do. God bless you.