Jesus as a Small-Group Leader (pt. 2)

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How Christ used community to change the world

Mike Shepherd | posted 2/20/2008

Topics:	Community, Group leader, Jesus Christ, Leadership, New leader, Shepherding
Filters:	Apprentice, Group Leader, New leader, Train
Purpose:	Discipleship
References:	Matthew 9:4 , Mark 1:22 , John 13:13
Date Added:	February 20, 2008

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It's kind of strange to think of him this way, but I believe that Jesus was the ultimate small-group leader. In part 1 of this article, I explored that claim in light of Jesus' fitness to teach spiritual truth, his audience, and his goals.

In part 2, below, I'll explore Jesus' focus as a group leader, his methods, and the results of his work. These six explorations are a combination of my own study and the influence of a book written by J. M. Price in 1946 called Jesus the Teacher.

Jesus' Focus as a Group Leader

Jesus focused on the long haul. Jesus took a deep course when considering the life development of his followers. He looked at the future possibilities of his group members, not just their present status. Jesus knew that it took time to develop character by forming values, attitudes, and habits.

What about the members of your group. Where will they be spiritually when your group ends? How can you improve your teaching to show "long-term thinking" when it comes to leading your group spiritually?
Jesus focused on personal needs. Jesus started where people were in the journey of becoming his follower. He started with personal interest and needs. Then, as those needs were met, he was able to lead his followers to the deeper places he wanted them to go.

What about you? Are you in touch with the emotional, physical, and social needs of your group members? How do your group's life experiences reflect that you are conscience of these needs?
Jesus focused on spiritual needs. Jesus did not spent time on incidental matters. He did not focus on geography, history, or customs. He did not set up elaborate systems of doctrine. He did not even stress Scripture memory, as far as we know. Instead he focused on the heart of man's problems—our spiritual state.

What about you? What are the spiritual needs of those you lead? How can your leadership play a role in guiding them to the next steps in their spiritual quest?
Jesus focused on a moral conscience. The Pharisees and Scribes sought to make people change through external pressures. For example, one of their laws had 42 regulations regarding how one could tie a knot on the Sabbath. Jesus pointed out that external pressures did not work (Luke 11:46). He appealed to the moral consciousness of man. He did not use emotional manipulation or ask people to do anything as evidence of acceptance of truth. He wanted decisions that were inwardly motivated, so he appealed to that in his teaching.

What about you? How does your teaching motivate people to change? Do you focus on external pressures, or on the internal work of God in the moral conscience of man? Think of your next lesson. How will you appeal to the moral conscience of your listeners?
Jesus focused on the best in people. Jesus believed that the best way to get faith out of someone was to show your faith in them. He stressed the future possibilities of his disciples, showed interest in them, and inspired them to achieve what is good. He took the most unruly people of his and made them into people of incredible character.

What about you? Why do we sometimes lean towards the doubt, discouragement, and defeat of those we influence? What practical steps can we take to lead as Jesus did and focus on the potential best in those we serve?

Jesus' Methods as a Group Leader

Many a group leader has taken 30 minutes to teach a truth with their mouth, when other methods would make the truth clear in about two minutes. Jesus was a master at using a variety of methods to communicate truth. Effective group leaders would be well served to study Jesus' methods and put them into practice.

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