How to lead groups using the Follow Up Passages

The attached list of passages give groups 14 follow up Bible lessons that can be used to help new
believers get started in their faith. The goal is to help people be grounded in the Word so they can
follow Christ and make disciples themselves.

The passages are listed on the final page.

Basic meeting flow

Follow up groups can use the following outline for the meeting. (Follows the acronym “CASA”)

Care

The facilitator should give time to hear how each person is doing, and to pray for one another. The two
questions to initiate this sharing time are:

What are you thankful for?

What are you struggling with and how can we help?

Make sure everyone has a chance to respond. Spend time praying for one-another’s requests
specifically. It is good to take note of the prayer requests so that you can follow up with them how
things are going.

If there are ways the group can help with issues and problems people share, let people offer. Do not do
everything for the group members – let other group members step up and show tangible concern for
their co-members.

Accountability

The group should be reminded each week that the most important thing about your time together is
what they do with what they learn. Jesus told His disciples to make disciples who obey everything He
commanded them. We want to help them to become real disciples of Jesus. That is why we ask about
how they did with what they learned the previous week.

The facilitator should refer to each person’s “I Will” statement from the previous week. Each person
should be asked two questions:

How did you apply the lesson from last week? How did it go for you?
Who did you share the story with, and what was their response?

Do not proceed to the session until you have allowed each person to respond. If the group is too large,
these questions can be asked in subgroups. But it is important that everyone is held accountable for
their “I will” statements and sharing the story with another person.
Story

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How to Lead Follow Up Groups
Read the Story. Read the story out loud at least twice. The first time people can read along in the Bible.
The second time they should listen without looking at the words in the Bible. If the passage is fairly
short, it can be read several times.
Retell the Story. Group members should then take turns retelling the story in their own words. Other
members of the group may add to or correct the retelling as needed.

Discussion

After reading the passage and retelling the story, the facilitator should guide a discussion using the
following questions:

What do you like about the passage?

What bothers you about the passage?
What do we learn about God?
What do we learn about man?
What do we learn about living to follow Jesus?

Make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate. If the group is too large, divide it into smaller
groups and assign additional facilitators. The facilitator should resist the temptation to teach. The
facilitator’s focus is to ask questions to help guide the group to understand and apply the passage.

Application

“I will” statement

Each participant should share a personal application. This must be stated in the form, “I will _______.”

The application should be simple, measureable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (SMART). It should
be clear enough that the following week, when the group meets together again, you can ask if they were
able to do what they said they would do.

Who will you share this story with?

Each person should share the story with someone else. This gets them into the habit of passing on what
they learn to others. It helps them remember what they learned. It makes them accountable to another
person. It opens doors to spiritual conversations that may lead to others coming to Christ.

Prayer, Care, Share

Ask the members how they are doing in connecting with their own network of relationships using PCS. If
they are already leading groups, ask how things are going. Encourage everyone to apply PCS so they also
can facilitate groups that multiply.

Close in prayer

Ask for God to empower them to fulfill their commitments, and for any specific needs or concerns they
have.

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How to Lead Follow Up Groups
Follow up passages

The following passages can be used to help new believers get established in their new faith. The pattern
above (CASA) can be used, using these passages as the stories.

SESSION 1: JOHN 10:22-30 THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP – Assurance of salvation
SESSION 2: LUKE 15:11-24 THE PRODIGAL SON – Relationship and fellowship
SESSION 3: JOHN 15:1-17 ABIDING IN CHRIST – Holy Spirit
SESSION 4: MATTHEW 6:5-15 PRAYER – How to Pray
SESSION 5: ACTS 2:41-47 FELLOWSHIP – Being part of a church
SESSION 6: ACTS 1:3-9 BEING WITNESSES – Being Part of God’s Mission
SESSION 7: MARK 12:28-34 THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT – Love God and Others
SESSION 8: MATTHEW 13:3-8, 18-23 PARABLE OF THE SOILS – Choosing to be Good Soil
SESSION 9: MATTHEW 25:14-30 PARABLE OF THE TALENTS – Stewardship
SESSION 10: LUKE 18:2-8 PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT WIDOW – Persistent Prayer
SESSION 11: LUKE 5:36-38: PARABLE OF THE NEW AND OLD – Living a New Life
SESSION 12: LUKE 14:25-33 COST OF DISCIPLESHIP – Commitment to Christ
SESSION 13: JOHN 4:7-45 SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL – Sharing Christ with Others
SESSION 14: ACTS 4:23-31 BOLDNESS IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION – Overcoming Opposition

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How to Lead Follow Up Groups