• Instruction ...Chirst did not use the method of teaching information in a classroom. Only one time in the book of Mark did he give them a "lecture." This was to encapsulate the essence of how God will produce growth in our lives. The remaining time of discipleship was formed in the laboratory of life experiences.

Quantum L.E.A.P. Discipleship uses the roadmap of discipleship in the book of Mark to surface the issues, but it is not a Bible study to know the Word better. The focus is on discussing and interacting upon how the issues involving the Follow Me process is working or not working in our lives.

     • Observation ...Christ used the power of bringing examples into the lives of His disciples. If His goal was to "Follow Me", He made sure the disciples experienced some models of people who were entering into this relationship...

Quantum L.E.A.P. Discipleship must provides a model of what "Follow Me" looks like as well as what it doesn't look like. That is why we do not do one on oine discipleship. As a group, we learn from the experiences of each other, creating a dynamic learning/growing environment that goes beyond a teacher-student relationship. A leader facilitates in order to guide the process, but the leader is in process themselves.

      • Experiences... If one is going to learn to ride a bike, it is imperative that they get on the bike and start pedaling--even though we can count on failure in the beginning. The roadmap defined in Mark for discipleship must be integrated into contemporary life of the disciple. God promises that He will orchestrate experiences in our lives as a means to get us on the bike and start the pedaling of "following Him."

The two dynamic ways we examine this in the lives of Quantum L.E.A.P. Disciples is through the stresses, trials and problems in our lives, as well as through the responsibilities God places in our lives. But, He doesn't give us the abilities to control either of these to bring about the results only He can. Both of these real-life experiences will surface what we are trusting in...our flesh through control or conforming to others or in our spirit looking up to God for His supernatural results.

     • Examination ...Christ focused most of his time training these men, not in giving them information, but examining how the "Follow Me" process relates to the issues in a real life context. Once they went through an experience, He always used this as an opportunity to "debrief" and for the disciples to discover how they handle such an experience.

Does our experiences bring our hearts to be more softened or more hardened to "following Him?" This is the beginning of the becoming process--how we are responding to what God is doing in our lives. Discussion and interaction of our contemporary life issues is a primary focus of examining how we are growing in the process of allowing God to lead us through this "Follow Me" process.

     • Encouragement ...Growth is fostered in community. Christ's discipleship group acted much like a "mini-family." They were learning, observing, experiencing and examining life together as Christ put them in simi liar life experiences. They all saw each other in the good and the bad, in their failures and successes.

A discipleship group must develop an environment that is accepting; genuine; open; honest and vulnerable with each other. It must become a group where we can expose each others masks and encourage each other to take them off. Can we learn to accept one another apart from our different kinds of personalities and share experiences (failure and successes) as well as challenge each other through encouragement and exhortation.