Discipleship Matters: Conversation Cards

August 13, 2022

Discipleship Matters: Conversation Cards

The Background

The last two years have stretched my family in ways we needed to be stretched. The Lord called us out of the area where we were comfortable, the area we loved, making a pit stop in DC, and finally, he planted us in Valdosta, Georgia. Leaving the people and places behind, we trusted that whatever God had for us was for our good and for His glory.

I spent the majority of those two years praying, asking how the Lord would use us and to align our passions with His will. Having just settled in Valdosta, we knew it was going to take time to build community and really settle in. About a month later, I hosted a dinner with ladies from our church of different ages, personalities, and experience. We had a rich, meaningful time. My heart was truly bursting with joy to see everyone at the table connect at a deeper level and even learn new things about each other, though they'd known each other for years.

The Motivation

One of my greatest passions is discipleship. When I became a believer at 20 years old, I didn’t know what discipleship was. But over the years, I've learned that it can be informal or formal, 1-on-1 or in groups, when we’re assembled as a church or when we scatter into our homes. But what does not change: it MUST be done. Though a personal relationship with Jesus is necessary and essential, I’ve learned that my individual walk with Christ is not enough; discipleship and isolation cannot co-exist. It is my joy, privilege, and obligation to disciple and be discipled, to love and be loved, to grow in the Word and help others grow. It's both personal and corporate, apart and together.

The Application

I've created these conversation cards, For Common Company to help break the ice of the surface so that we can get to conversations that matter. If Jesus is the only thing we have in common, then we are in good company. To truly care for one another, as Christ commands, we must love those around us by being present and carrying their burdens with them. How can we carry others' burdens if we don't know them? How can we rejoice and weep when we don’t provide space for rejoicing and weeping?

My hope is for these cards to prompt intentional conversations so that you know each other more, and love Christ more. Ideally, they work best in a local setting. That is what they’re designed for. Other Christian relationships matter, but none more than those we call fellow member—brother and sister.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another." Romans 12:3-5

Getting Started

These cards are created for meaningful conversation and can be used with a table full of people, one-on-one, or even in your marriage. They are color-coded into four categories: Spiritual Growth, Evangelism, Family + Friends, and Church. Each category has questions with Scripture references to help you think through your answers. I'd encourage you to use them with people you don't know as well in the church so your friendship goes deeper quicker. After using them, take time to pray for one another with the things they shared. Lastly, you can check in on them soon after in the areas they needed prayer for and encourage them with the Word. As you can see, these cards are just the beginning. They get the ball rolling. But there will be more work to do. Discipling opportunities will arise.

These are just cards, sure. But they’ve helped me get to other women in ways that cuts through our cultural walls that so often crush authenticity and transparency with one another. I pray that they help you as they’ve helped me.