In this season of quarantine and stay at home orders, when we are not able to go to our places of worship, many are getting out of their regular weekly diet of the word given to us by our pastors. Many may feel like, or are actually starving on the vine and wasting away spiritually. I have to honor all the pastors that have found various ways of reaching their members. I want to encourage you to become what Christ came for us to be; kings and priests, and begin to lead your household.

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1:4-6‬ ‭NKJV (bold added)

He has called all of us to be kings and priests of our own homes and families. This was God’s initial plan when he brought the children of Israel out from Egypt. He wanted all his people to be priests, but because of the sin of the golden calf, He created the priesthood of Aaron. This caused the Israelites to look to the Levite tribe God set in as the priests.

God then sent his only begotten Son to earth to give us access to this priesthood for ourselves, no matter what tribe we are from, we are grafted into God’s Kingdom, once we accept Jesus, and make Him Lord of our lives.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV

Q: OK! I might be called to be a priest, but what does a priest do?
A: A priest is one who helps others enter into a relationship with God, and enter into the presence of God.

Q: What do I teach? And how? I have never been taught?
A: We teach Jesus and the Word of God. You can just begin by reading the Bible together.

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A tool I use with a small group I help run is called “Three Thirds” (3/3). This is just one of the models out there. It has three areas: Look Back, Look Up, and Look Forward. For each area, you will have various sections in it. A group meeting with your family might take about an hour (20 minutes each area). Some sections (in red) you will recognize from a typical Sunday morning service. Take your time with the “Care”, “Loving Accountability”, “Set Goals”, and “Commission”, these are areas pastors can not accomplish from the pulpit with a larger group.

Section 1 – “Care”
Find out how each one is doing and how their week has been going. We like, “Name one good thing this week and one thing from this week we can pray for?”. Take time and activate others in the group to pray for those items individually.

Section 2 – “Worship”
There are many forms of worship, the most popular is singing. You can pull up a Youtube video of a worship song (hopefully with words included). We have also worshiped by reading a psalm: one person reading a verse and everyone else reciting it. One of the most powerful worship times was when we went around the group and everyone gave a name or characteristic of God.

Section 3 – “Loving Accountability”
If this is the first week, you will not be able to check on the accomplishment of any goals. The biggest thing to remember here is LOVING. We are not shaming, controlling, or pointing fingers at anyone. If someone has not done their goal, just encourage them to keep trying. As others share their success, this will cause positive peer pressure, and over time everyone will do better.

Section 4 – “Cast Vision”
What to expect in the coming weeks: like what lessons will be covered next week. You can include the scripture verses. You should let everyone know that this is about being able to reproduce in them. We are a group and everyone has a part, so everyone will be assigned a section for next week. If you assign worship to someone, they can bring anything that would be worship to God.

I was at one group where a child leading the worship section brought “Jesus Loves Me”. We all sang it with our whole heart, and the presence of God filled the room. Because all of us participated, this child felt so a part of the group.

Section 5 – “New Lesson”
This is where most people get fearful because they don’t believe that they have enough knowledge, or wisdom to bring a lesson. The 3/3 is a simple and easy format that anyone can use.

For a new group, we suggest starting with the “Commands of Christ” (see chart below). You can read a “Command” aloud and then read the “Story” that demonstrates the command by allowing each person including yourself to read one or two verses until the story is done.

Once the story is completely read, now it is time to have a discussion about what was read. You can do this by asking five simple questions to each member, one question at a time. Remember there is no bad question, we are allowing them to explore by questioning. If you do not have an answer let them know you will research it. Make sure you share with them the next time you meet.

Five Discussion Question
1. What do you like about this story?
2. What is difficult or challenging about this story?
3. What does this story show us about people?
4. What does this story show us about God?
5. Is there anything to obey in this story?

Section 6 – “Practices”
Have each person try to retell in order the story that was just read and discussed. You can also do this as a group with one sharing the first thing that happens and someone else sharing the next. This is not reading it back or reciting verbatim, but retelling the story in their own words. You as the leader can follow along with the scripture, to help direct and/or be sure that nothing important is missed.

Section 7 – “Set Goals”
You will want to focus your goals on what you had just read and discussed (Obeying Jesus & Sharing Jesus). How will you obey Jesus this week? Who can you share this story with this week? Write these goals down for each person and use them during next week’s group during the “Loving Accountability” section.

Section 8 – “Pray / Commission”
Use this time to pray for each member of the group, giving them authority and boldness to obey and walk out their goals. Make sure you equip each member to pray for someone else in the group.

Assign sections to each person for next week’s meeting. Any section can be led by another person. This is discipleship in the purest form. When Jesus walked with his disciples, He modeled healing, assisted them in healings, watched the disciples heal others, and then launched them out on their own to heal. You are disciplining the ones in your group by M.A.W.L. Model, Assist, Watch, and Launch.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

Gathering outside the home is not allowed during the ” quarantine/stay at home orders”. But once this is lifted, you will be equipped to bring others into your house and disciple them through the 3/3 model. You can begin to gather a small group. Beginning with the Commands of Christ, let them know that the vision is to reproduce in them so that some will go and create there own groups. Even allowing your children to create groups within your home with your oversight is good. They will surprise you.

APPLICATION

• Acknowledge that you are a priest under the High Priest, Jesus
• Read the Bible aloud to your family and discuss
• Make disciples who make disciples