FOLLOW UP is a resource for how to disciple those who have experienced Access Ministry. Access Ministry is any type of ministry that demonstrates the love of God in practical, personal, and helpful ways. It can include traditional ministries like food distribution, educational help, medical care, agricultural aid, or business assistance. It can also include creative expressions of God's love such as providing seasonal clothing, supplying furniture, hospital visits, or even picking up trash. Follow Up consists of several Sessions. Session 1-3 can be done in one meeting. Sessions 4 and 5 can be done in two separate sessions.
SESSION 1. ENGAGE
Explain: Read the following.
- Make contact with the person(s) who experienced the Access Ministry. If possible, try to make personal contact. If the first contact requires a phone call, text or email, try to get to personal interaction as soon as possible. Explain that you are part of the Follow Up team associated with the specific Access ministry they encountered. Be ready to state your purpose in a concise manner. For instance, "Hi, my name is ______________ and this is _____________. We're part of the Follow Up team with Good Sam food distribution ministry. We just stopped by to see how we might encourage and serve you." Avoid the phrase "home visit." That's a term used by Social Services and can raise defenses instead of creating a welcoming atmosphere. Conversely, using the terms, encourage and serve, often generate openness.
Practice:
- Have people rehearse the sample introduction listed above, with one another.
- Do Follow Ups during each week of the training.
Debrief: Ask what people thought of the Engage phase of Follow Up.
SESSION 2. DISCOVER
Explain. Read the following. Find out if the person might be a person of peace. See if they are receptive to prayer, willing to hear a Bible story, and if they know others who would be encouraged to hear a Bible story.
Practice. Rehearse the three steps (Pray, Share, Ask) as described in Prayer Walk.
Debrief. Ask what people thought of the Discover phase of Follow Up.
SESSIONS 3-5. DISCIPLE
Explain. Read Discovery Bible Study (DBS) together. Don't include Discovery Groups or Story Sets yet. You'll cover those during debrief.
Practice. Do a Discovery Bible Study as a group. You facilitate the first study. Ask a few follow up questions. Make sure to model the facilitator role so people see what it looks like. Leave time to go over the two resources in Debrief.
Debrief. Ask people what they thought about DBS. Go over Discovery Group, and DBS Story Sets.
more information
- Start and end on time. It's okay to leave room before and after the event for mingle time and refreshments, but begin and end the formal meeting as posted.
- Train the right people. Promote and invite people to a training event that equips people to make disciples who make disciples. Explain that each meeting contains practice time, and each Discovery Study contains I will statements that people will report on the following week. Follow Up is not for those who just want to gain knowledge about making disciples. It's for those who are ready to actually make disciples who make disciples.
- Start small and go slow to get big and go fast. Begin with a few highly motivated people. It can be 3-6 people. Large groups should be able to form breakouts of 4-5 people during the practice time.
- Invite to coaching. Ongoing coaching is critical to long term application. Training is important, but without coaching, multiplication won't occur. Coaching is that essential. Form or join a coaching group that has gone through Launch that meets at least twice a month. The two key principles of healthy coaching are equipping and encouragement. Doing whatever is necessary to help people move forward.