Discipleship

For this session I usually give an introduction to discipleship for beginning students, and a more in-depth look at discipleship for returning students or more advanced students. Therefore it will be broken into two sections, the first for the beginner, the second for the more advanced. You can pick and choose elements from both depending on your interest and your group's particular make up.

Conditions for Discipleship

Opening prayer use readings from:

Readings: Matt. 10:37-39, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23-27, 14:25-33

The New Commandment John 13:31-35

Discussion points (small or large group, depending on your group size):

What does it mean to leave or hate father, mother, etc., to follow Jesus? Does He really want us to hate our parents? [He is emphasising the complete dedication of one who wishes to follow Him, that does not put anything else before Him.]

What does it mean to carry your cross? What could an example of a cross be? Do you know anyone who has a particularly difficult cross to carry? When Jesus fell, and they made Simon carry His Cross for a while, what does that tell us about helping those who have difficult crosses?

How do you renounce all of your possessions? What does that look like? Who has been an example of that? [ex. St. Francis, other saints and people who take the vow of poverty, Gandhi who had only a few possessions. Anyone you know personally who leads a very simple, non-materialistic lifestyle?]

What does it mean to lose your life for Jesus? Does it necessarily mean martyrdom? What other kinds of martyrdom are there? What does it mean if you find your life you will lose it?

If in small groups, share your discussion points with others in large group upon returning.

Discipleship want ads: Break into small groups and write an ad for discipleship for the newspaper (this is a great exercise to post in the church bulletin). Use points from the conditions for discipleship, Beatitudes, scriptures studied earlier, and other points you have gathered from the preceeding sessions. (Review here is a good idea to get them started.)*

Further sessions options (second year or additional sessions for first year).

+Closing prayer.