PARISH MINISTRY RESOURCES
PARISH MINISTRY RESOURCES
PARISH MINISTRY RESOURCES
DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
Multiply Your Small Groups with FORMED Discipleship Studies
Empower Your Small Groups with FORMED Discipleship Studies
FORMED discipleship groups transform a small group of friends into true brothers and sisters in Christ. Whether you gather to watch these studies, or watch them on your own and then gather to discuss, the important part is to gather! With excellent video teaching, engaging discussion questions, community builders, and accountability, FORMED discipleship groups help each member to grow in the disciplines of a disciple.
“Being a team leader with my Symbolon small group is a joy. The Symbolon content is profound and accessible. The questions we use in the small group discussions inspire participation regardless of where a man is at in his spiritual journey. During the course of the year, we have grown closer as a group as we dive deeper each week. It truly becomes an experience of iron sharpening iron.
To see the Holy Spirit move in each man’s life is pure grace. The impact is not only to his own personal journey but becomes a blessing to his spouse, family, and those around him!”
—Steve H., Centennial, CO
Why Small Groups?
Small groups are relational and relevant:
- Relational: an ideal environment to meet people where they are and to earn the right to be heard
- Relevant: an ideal environment to discuss the Faith and how it can be integrated into our daily lives
Small groups meet fundamental needs:
- To be understood
- To belong
- To be transparent
- To engage in critical thinking
- To receive guidance
Format of a Discipleship Group Meeting
CONNECT—questions/exercises to get to know one another on a deeper level
DISCUSS—engaging video teaching combined with well-crafted questions to get the group thinking
COMMIT—accountability to spiritual growth and prayer as a group
“One way of renewing parishes, especially urgent for parishes in large cities, might be to consider the parish as a community of communities and movements… [and] to form ecclesial communities and groups of a size that allows for true human relationships.”
—Pope St. John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, 41
Discipleship Group Resources on formed.org
Multiply Discipleship Groups in Your Parish
Begin with your parish leaders by inviting them to experience one of the Discipleship Group Studies on formed.org. The goal is for this group of parish leaders to first experience a discipleship group before reaching out to others and starting new discipleship groups.
Apart from becoming familiar with the content of the particular study, the time together is used to teach the art of facilitating small groups.
Use the Leader’s Guide as a reference for practical help and give each participant turns to lead a session, encourage discussion, and discern how to interact with the variety of personalities within a group.
The small group multiplication strategy can be a great tool for evangelization when leaders reach out to people within their sphere of influence, whether it’s their neighbors, co-workers, extended family members, other parents at the school, etc., in order to build their groups.
Want to Learn More?
Watch this webinar recording on the importance of discipleship groups and how to use FORMED Community to enhance faith-centered conversation.