Develop a Discipleship System
Join the Lenten Small Group Project: Empowering Leaders, Growing Disciples
By Motoe Yamada Foor
This Lent, embrace the opportunity to connect your congregation with God and one another through intentional small groups. The Lenten Small Group Project offers pastors and church leaders the tools and resources to successfully lead a four to five-week small group experience that fosters discipleship, accountability, and spiritual growth.
Let this season be the start of something lasting—deep connections with Christ and one another that inspire growth far beyond Lent and Easter. Sign up today and begin this meaningful journey with us!
From Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, to Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, we are offering three unique small group tracks that will inspire reflection, growth, and connection. See the website below for more detailed resources.
1. A Journey Through Scripture: Bible Knowledge Track
Dive deep into scripture and gain a richer understanding of the Bible. This track is designed for those who want to explore biblical teachings in a structured and thought-provoking way. Groups in this track will study key Lenten scriptures, drawing connections to the broader story of God's love and redemption.
2. A Journey in Spiritual Growth: Spiritual Formation Track
Lent is a time to grow closer to God through prayer, reflection, and spiritual practices. This track emphasizes spiritual disciplines such as prayer and meditation. Participants will explore ways to deepen their faith and integrate spiritual practices into their daily lives.
3. Wellspring Journey: Creativity Track
This track will encourage participants to use art, writing, music, or other creative ways to reflect on the Lenten season. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage people who may feel more connected to faith through creative expression.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or guiding a group for the first time, this training will guide you to create a welcoming, hospitable space where participants can engage with the means of grace in community.
Click the link below to register for the Lenten Small Group Project and you’ll receive a Zoom link for our training sessions:
If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact Motoe Yamada Foor at [email protected]. We are excited to see the amazing ways this project will bless your church and community this Lenten season!
Next Steps for the Lenten Small Group Project
1. Decide on the Scope
- Determine if the project will be churchwide or for specific small groups.
2. Identify and Recruit Leaders
- Identify existing small group leaders.
- Recruit new small group leaders and pair them with experienced leaders for support.
3. Choose Resources
- Select the small group resource that best fits your group’s needs and goals.
4. Plan the Logistics
- Decide on the meeting format (in-person or online).
- Choose the location and time for the meetings. (Reserve the meeting space, if applicable.)
5. Publicize the Project
- Spread the word within your church through bulletins, newsletters, and announcements.
6. Recruit Participants
- Encourage congregation members to join.
- Extend invitations to people outside the church for broader community engagement.
A Journey Through Scripture: Bible Knowledge Track
Below are listed some suggested resources, but feel free to choose a small group resource that best fits the needs of your group or church.
24 Hours That Changed the World by Adam Hamilton, Brandi A. Lewis. Edited by Rob Simbeck - Hamilton guides readers through the final hours of Jesus’ life in this inspiring book. He helps readers understand the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death.
- 24 Hours That Changed the World Leader Guide by Adam Hamilton
- 24 Hours That Changed the World DVD
- 24 Hours That Changed the World for Youth
- 24 Hours That Changed the World for Older Children
- 24 Hours That Changed the World for Younger Children
- 24 Hours That Changed the World 40 Days of Reflection
- 24 horas que cambiaron el mundo
Adult Bible Studies Spring 2024
These Bible studies, which are endorsed by the Curriculum Resources Committee of The United Methodist Church, will help participants cultivate a deeper relationship with God. These studies provide a year-round, weekly Bible study plan for Sunday school classes or other small groups.
The Third Day: Living the Resurrection by Tom Berlin with Mark Miller
Tom Berlin connects readers to the experiences of people around Jesus in his final days. Berlin focuses on new life and redemption instead of loss.
- The Third Day Leader Guide by Tom Berlin with Mark A. Miller
- The Third Day Introduction Video
- The Third Day DVD
Cokesbury Lenten Small-Group Studies
A Journey in Spiritual Growth: Spiritual Formation Track
Below are listed some suggested resources, but feel free to choose a small group resource that best fits the needs of your group or church.
Exploring the Way Participant's Book: An Introduction to the Spiritual Journey by Marjorie J. Thompson.
Exploring the Way will help readers who are searching for meaning to understand and deepen their experience of God. As readers explore their questions about faith, they will discover (or rediscover) grace, joy, and peace
Exploring the Way Leader's Guide by Stephen D. Bryant and Marjorie J. Thompson
Soul Reset: Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the Journey to Wholeness by Junius B. Dotson.
In this book, the late Junius B. Dotson, former General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries, openly shares his experiences of grief, depression, burnout, and emotional breakdown and offers readers a blueprint for a “soul reset.” This six-week churchwide study is for anyone who struggles with life in an overly busy world.
Remember by Susan Robb (BeADisciple Study App)
Susan Robb leads readers through the covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, followed by the new covenant established on Maundy Thursday.
Looking Inward, Living Outward: The Spiritual Practice of Social Transformation by Daniel Wolpert
Daniel Wolpert calls readers to a life of prayer and twelve specific spiritual practices that re-orient them toward acts of social transformation.
Looking Inward Living Outward Small Group Guide (free pdf) by Daniel Wolpert
Wellspring Journey: Creativity Track
Below are listed some suggested resources, but feel free to choose a small group resource that best fits the needs of your group or church.
Steadfast Love: A Lenten Playlist
This Lenten Worship Series includes a link for small group studies. Each lesson includes a suggested song and questions for small groups.
“Lent is often seen as a somber and even silent season. Certainly, there is space for contemplation, for embracing the quiet, for being still to seek out God. Many of us, however, find music a helpful tool for contemplation.” — from UMCDiscipleship.org.
"Prayer Station Overview" by the North Georgia Annual Conference (pdf)
This free download provides instructions for prayer stations that can be set up and used anywhere. These are typically interactive stations that invite participants to read, listen, reflect, and then respond to God’s voice.
Purveyor of Awe: Elements for Curating a Life of Spiritual Depth by Marcia Mcfee.
This six-week small-group study offers participants a way to deepen their spiritual lives.
Awe is a profound emotional response that can significantly impact our wellbeing and perception of the world. Awe often arises from experiences that transcend our usual understanding, such as viewing vast landscapes, listening to powerful music, encountering extraordinary acts of kindness, or feeling heightened devotion and a divine presence connecting us all.— from the website for Purveyor of Awe
Milk and Honey Cooking School by Daphna Flegal and LeeDell Stickler
The Milk and Honey Cooking School, based on an actual New Orleans Cooking School, presents Bible history through the lens of food —from Adam's first bite of the forbidden fruit to the breaking of bread at the Last Supper in Jerusalem.
“Small group ministry is not a trendy church program but a biblical mandate, deeply rooted in God's design for community. From creation, God declared it was "not good to be alone" (Genesis 2:18), emphasizing the need for authentic relationships. Jesus exemplified this by forming a small group of disciples and praying for unity among believers in John 17, highlighting that the world would recognize Him through their love for one another.”
(Summary from How to Start Small Groups booklet, p. 4, Junius Dotson.)
Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, Director of Adult Discipleship, served in local churches for twenty years. She has a wealth of experience at a variety of organizational levels of The United Methodist Church as well as in ecumenical organizations such as the World Council of Churches (WCC). She also enjoys serving as a coach to help people and churches grow.
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