Discipleship Guides 

LOOKING BACK 

• Vision: this is a space for us to encounter God together, help each other follow Jesus,  and invite others to do the same. 
• Check in: How have you been doing this week? Where have you seen God move? What’s been challenging? 
• Following Jesus & inviting others:  How has God's Word been impacting you? How are you letting God work through you to draw others closer to him?

LOOKING UP

• Discovery Bible Study: John 10:1-18
  • Have members summarize or retell the story in their own words. 
  • What stands out to me from this passage?
  • What do I learn about God?
  • What do I learn about people or myself?
  • What might God want to say to me through this passage?
  • What would it look like to put this into practice this week? Is God asking me to do something as a result of this passage?

LOOKING FORWARD
Practice & Application:

• In today's passage, we see that the sheep know the Shepherd's voice. God desires to speak to us and for us, as his sheep, to know his voice. Hearing God’s voice is a skill that can be learned. Luke 8:11-15 teaches us that it’s the condition of our hearts and our willingness to hold onto what God says to us that will determine how fruitful this is.  
• Guidelines:  What do we mean by God’s “voice?”
  • Can be an audible voice, something we hear with our ears, but not necessarily
  • God’s voice can be:
    • A verse or reference that comes to mind
    • A spontaneous thought/insight that doesn’t originate from our own intellect, but is perceived by our heart
    • A picture we see in our mind’s eye
    • A supernatural peace
    • Something that a person says that when you hear, resonates with your inner being, “the word of the Lord”
    • A dream (sleeping) or vision (awake)
• Prayer: Let's take time now to talk with God. Try to make the environment quiet and undistracted. You could possibly play some soft music, turn down the lights, and/or ask people to find a comfortable spot. If you’re out in public (like a coffee shop or restaurant), ask Holy Spirit to help you focus and not get distracted. Ask people to write notes on their journals or phones on what they hear.
  • Have people ask God of these questions: “God, what do you think of me?” and “God, what do you want to say to me today?”
• Debrief: Share with one another what you heard.
• What if I’m not sure if it’s God or just my own thoughts I’m hearing?
  • Is what you heard or saw during your time something that is consistent with Scripture? In other words, can you imagine God saying that to someone He deeply loves?
  • Does it build you up? Jesus compares himself with a thief—who only comes to steal, kill, destroy. Therefore if it’s from God, it should be something that brings you life and encouragement.
  • Sometimes, what you need to hear is also what God wants to say to you. If it’s a word that you needed, it doesn’t necessarily mean you just made it up and told it to yourself!
• Pray Again: Pray for one another in the areas God is speaking. 
• Commissioning: How can I practice hearing God’s voice this week?

*If someone is having a hard time hearing, remind them this is a journey that takes time and practice. Being part of community gives us a space to practice, and others can hear from the Lord for us if we’re having a difficult time. If you need further help in hearing from God, reach out to those who are discipling you, or Epicentre staff.