A Church built around discipleship?

Back to thinking about what it means to try and build a church around discipleship. What would it look like? How do you facilitate it? Does it always have to be formalised?

Home groups are a fantastic start, it is a place where you get to know people, where you study the Bible together and seek to apply it to one anothers lives. It is also a place where you can respond to each other in ways you cannot in the larger body of the church, home groups are a place where we should be more aware of each others needs and struggles. But is a home group enough?

We were studying Acts 2:42-47 on Tuesday in home group and it is striking that it talks about them meeting together every day, about them being in and out of each others homes. This is somewhat alien to us and our culture, but I don't think these were organised meetings, I think this was genuine fellowship. I know we are very British and that our home is our castle but I think the gospel should set dynamite at the base and blow the drawbridge off its hinges.

We are to be involved in one anothers lives, in fact fellowship only happens when we are. It is these ad hoc meetings to encourage one another that I think we miss today. When was the last time someone just dropped in for a chat with you? Or when was the last time you just dropped in one someone else?

Discipleship happens as we live life alongside each other and encourage each other to do so for Christ. As someone pops in for a coffee and we talk about our day, our struggles, our joys. The challenge is to rediscover this level of fellowship.