Instructions: Begin by drawing a large circle near the top of the page, leaving plenty of space around it. Let participants brainstorm the activities that believers and churches spend most of their time and money doing. Essentially, this is a study of actual values. Write down their responses around the circle (leaving room for a magnifying-glass handle directly below the circle that will be drawn later).
After several responses have been written down outside the circle, give participants some or all of the following passages to read aloud, or assign them to groups:
- 2 Peter 3.9
- Matthew 6.10
- Matthew 28.18-20
- Luke 19.10
- 2 Timothy 2.2
- John 17.4
Ask participants read these passages, challenge them to consider, "What is the Father's Heart in this passage?" Gather their findings and summarize them to discover what goes inside the circle. Generally, you will hear phrases like the following:
- God's desire for ALL PEOPLE to be saved
- His desire for ALL PLACES to be impacted
- The Lord's plan to MAKE DISCIPLES that multiply to fill the earth
Another approach is to highlight that the gospel has two parts:
- the "payload" which is the gospel message itself
- the "vehicle," referring to the disciples who carry it far and wide
At this point you can finish the diagram by drawing a handle below the circle to turn it into a magnifying glass.
This is a good place to bring in Matthew 4.18-20 where Jesus calls the disciples to FOLLOW Him and to go FISHING for Him. You can write "FOLLOW JESUS" in the handle, and "FISHING FOR JESUS" inside the magnifying glass. Both are a necessary part of our walk with Christ.
As you conclude this study, be sure to say that we are not criticizing the activities outside the circle. But if we believe that every disciple of Jesus is responsible to share their faith and make disciples, then we must ensure that all our other activities are linked to the disciple-making process. This includes our areas of gifting which are not meant to be limitations, but enhancements to the Lord's work among us.
30 min 
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