Several weeks ago, you chose to start planting seeds as you began your Rooted session. Men and women from all different backgrounds and walks of life have, through Rooted, been exposed to the rhythmic and experiential way of following Jesus, and the seed has grown. It’s grown deeper in their hearts and fruit has actually started to appear as people have begun to pray like never before, serve with renewed energy, confess and repent in the safety of their groups, and give generously to the church. But now, as you near the end of the session, there are some key things to do in order to make sure that the seed continues to grow.
1. Solidify the experience in the lives of your participants.
Rooted, for many people, is a spiritual marker. That’s because for many people this is the first time they’ve been challenged to follow Jesus in a real way, serve in the church, give generously, or form deep and transparent relationships. But there are some simple things you can do to further ground that experience. We offer 5 different Rooted Experience Cards to help solidify in people’s minds and hearts what this experience has meant to them.
2. Decide the next step. What comes next for your participants?
You should be asking that question now because Rooted is not the culmination, it is a launching point. Your participants need to be funneled into groups that continue to meet so that they can help each other follow Christ. At Rooted Network, we have created an ecosystem of resources, all built on the same discipleship principles your people found in Rooted, so that these principles can be continually reinforced. The Rooted Network Discipleship Bundle is the best way to see how Rooted Network resources can help you create a powerful discipleship ecosystem in your church. Filled with full copies of core resources, this bundle can help you decide what’s next so that your people can continue along the pathway they’ve begun in Rooted.
3. Select and begin training new leaders.
Rooted is not meant to be a one time thing; it’s meant to recur seasonally in your church as new people are added to your fellowship. Every time someone new comes to the church they need to understand what it means to follow Jesus and form relationships with other believers. Rooted is the most simple and effective way to do that. But if you are going to have Rooted as the pivotal part of your discipleship plan, you have to have facilitators. Are you asking your current leaders for names of future facilitators? Have you approached those future facilitators to secure their commitment? If not, then now is the time to do so for your next session. Contact us at coaching@experiencerooted.com for help in identifying and training new leaders.
Once again, Rooted is not the end; it’s the beginning. In order for individual, group, and church-wide transformation to continue, there are some key things you need to take next steps on now. So don’t stop - keep going, and in doing so, help your people continue to grow.
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By Michael Kelley, Rooted Network Executive Director