Cultivating Vision and Intimacy
Hopefully, during the first two meetings you have laid out the vision to your disciple. They should have a sense of where you want to take the relationship. Also, you have spent time getting to know each other.
Clarity as to where you are going and learning about each other should continue to happen intentionally and periodically throughout your time together. Please remember to cultivate these things in the norm of your relationship; don’t think to check it off your list because you were clear upfront. Always find time to cultivate vision and intimacy in your discipleship relationships.
Prayer
Whenever you pray try not to be the only one who prays in the relationship. Build an environment where it is normal that you both are cultivating a heart of prayer. Spend time in prayer together asking Christ to open up the scriptures to both of you. Pray for your relationship, humility, a passion to want Jesus, and for the strength to yield to the Holy Spirit.
Check in
Spend your initial time together seeing how each person is doing: Personally, Spiritually etc. Make sure you don’t learn about their week without sharing your own. It is important for you to model vulnerability and share yourself with those you are training.
The Gospel
Open your binders up to the gospel for your first formal time of theological training. Again, if you did not download the binder, the Gospel document is in our foundations binder, which is located on our “resource page” on the left.
Take turns reading the different paragraphs aloud and asking or fielding any questions that are beneficial to allowing the gospel to be even clearer. Sometimes it can feel awkward reading together but usually it never feels awkward to the person you are discipling. I suspect as a discipler you will have to fight not to put pressure on yourself to have these amazing appointments and reading together can seem too simple. For the disciple, they are excited that you are committed, consistent and training them. Therefore, enjoy the time learning together.
Homework
After reviewing the gospel, have your disciple write down at least five friends that they would love to share the gospel with. Tell them to keep the list somewhere they can see it often and spend time praying that Christ would prepare their friends hearts to hear the gospel and desire Christ.
Building the Relationship
During the first month or so I think it is extremely important to have a few questions available each week that will help you get to know each other better. Put the binder down and spend time hanging out.
Prayer and Accountability
Although it is early in the relationship, you could have already discussed areas of stronghold in one another’s life. If so, make sure you bring those areas up and check on how they are doing. Spend time in prayer together reminding one another to fight sin, trust Christ and ask the Lord to allow you to live motivated by grace.
