After school, the neighborhood boys would play football. As the quarterback, I’d send a neighbor kid down the field with the command, “Go deep!” And then I’d fling the pigskin with all my might. Whoever sprinted down the sideline might or might not have caught it – usually not. But it sure was fun as the quarterback to throw it way down field and see if a guy could score by making a daring catch!
And that’s the parable about going deep in your disciple-making efforts. If you as an evangelistic witness or a discipleship class leader go deep into a scriptural analysis, how do you know if anyone went with you? Or was it just one lone guy that caught it?
Is it possible to use good questions to guide those in your small group when they’re ready to “go deep?” It is possible to study a passage or convey a Bible story and receive superficial responses in the dialogue. But is it possible to go deep – such as take on a particular doctrinal stance, open up about what challenges their faith, and wrestle with scriptural application to bring spiritual transformation?
And what if we avoid going deep? Are we making disciples that are a mile wide and an inch deep? And how do we know?
Do you know the spiritual condition of those you are making disciple-makers? Are they spiritually dead in sins, ignorant infant, selfish child, caring young adult, or mature parent? A spiritual child’s need to go deep will be at a different level than a spiritual parent. I’ve seen some seven year-old children who had brilliant insights and some older adults who had sadly never grown in Christ. It’s not chronological age to which I’m referring, but their spiritual walk with Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews advised such a spiritual progression. “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1a NASB).
To know where a person is on their journey, just ask! Use appropriate discussion questions that help those in the small group you lead. And listen! They could surface some serious issues. Don’t be afraid to raise issues that can lead to meaningful discussion that “goes deep.”
DOCTRINE: Through inductive Bible studies that I lead, I use a specific Bible story that conveys the doctrinal truth. I ask specific questions about a belief (salvation by grace) or a practice (baptism). It often helps to revisit the truth later to reinforce it.
BELIEFS: Include a time at the beginning of a teaching session when you ask for reports. What happens when they witness or tell Bible stories to others including agnostics, atheists, and the combative? Be sensitive to those who had tough questions asked of them. Ask the group how they would have responded. Ask the person who was facing doubts how they would have answered if asked that question next time. Coach them by offering to go with them to meet their friend who may or may not have gotten an answer, but is still expecting one.
SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION: Change is tough for anyone. Reaching a point of vulnerability is important for every witness or class member to share freely about their feelings and even failures at being Christ-like. Being genuine counts.
Permanent change in spiritual disciplines takes time. It might be something like breaking bad habits, resolving conflict, or even overcoming bad theology from a previous church experience. Be patient. Encourage their continued interaction by leaving the door open with you or participating in the group.
When you have honest discussions with individuals or in a group, they will begin to want to go deeper and deeper into discussing Scripture and its application. Going deep doesn’t happen on every play of a football game and it likely won’t in your small group either. But when it does—and it will—then guide them down the field as far and as fast as they can run.
--Mark Snowden directs the Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
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