CONNECTION

Phase 1

The connection phase is vital for establishing the foundation of a discipleship relationship. During this time, the discipler and disciple get to know each other and learn about their spiritual journeys. Although this phase only includes one structured lesson, its importance warrants it being a distinct phase. Avoid rushing through this lesson; while it can be completed in a single session, many find it beneficial to divide it into two.

Lesson 1:
Sharing Your Testimony

Get to know each other and share your testimonies! Discipleship is meant to be a place where you can be honest about where you are in your life/spiritual journey and grow together. We can only do that if we know where we come from.

Desired Outcomes:

Share your life and journey of coming to Christ with each other. Make sure to incorporate the Gospel into your testimony, so that in the future when sharing with non-believers, it is clear how they, too, can place their faith in Christ.

Opening Question:

Think through these briefly before going into the main resource (5 minutes or less).

- Why do you think it is important to be able to communicate our personal story of how we came to Christ?

Go through the following resource together.

Resource:

Get to know each other better by using the 5H method:

- - Heritage:
    Your personal history. What type of family did you grow up in? Were you brought up in the faith? What is significant about your heritage that has shaped who you are today?
  - Heroes:
    Who has impacted you in a significant way? Who do you look up to?
  - Heartaches:
    What things have broken your heart? A parent’s divorce? The death of a friend? Deep rejection at school? This is a safe way to allow a window into your soul.
  - Highlights:
    What are a few things in your life that you’re most proud of? This is a fun way to share what you are really passionate about and what makes you soar. It can be anything from academic achievement to athletic success to getting the lead in the school play!
  - Hopes:
    What are some hopes you have for life? To what do you aspire? What are you expectant on the Lord to do or bring forth in your life?

SPECIAL NOTE: If you have time, move on to the next step in this lesson. If not, save the testimony sharing for the next time you meet. It could also be helpful if the discipler is able to share even some of their testimony before the first session ends to model pace and vulnerability for the disciple to share well during the next time you meet.

Also, for anyone who is unsure of how to share their testimony, read the article "What is a Christian testimony" before the next time you meet together.

Share your testimony

"Every time you tell the story about how you came to have a personal relationship with God, you give honor and glory to God. The story about how God has changed your life through a personal relationship with Him — that is your Christian testimony." (Cru.org)

- One at a time, contemplate and share your personal testimony of how God has changed your life through a personal relationship with Him.
- For anyone who is unsure of how to share their testimony, assign the reading of the article "What is a Christian testimony" before the next time you meet together and share your testimony based on what you've learned from the article.

Reflection Question:

- Have you ever shared your testimony with someone who doesn’t know Christ? If not, what holds you back?

If you have time, go over some of these practical steps. If not, go over them on your own this week to chat about when you meet next.

Practical Steps:

- Practice sharing testimonies with a friend in Cru.
  - Time each other, aim for 3-5 min max.
- Share your testimony with a friend outside of Cru.
  - After sharing with a friend, pray, and then share your testimony with someone who isn’t yet a believer before the next time you meet for discipleship! It could be a roommate, co-worker, family member, etc. You might say something like this, “My mentor and I want to grow in being able to share our journey of faith with others. Would you mind if I shared mine with you and got your feedback?”
- Think through and write down your thoughts on:
  - What things/topics do you think might be important to include when sharing your story of faith with someone?
  - What was your life like before Christ?
  - How did you decide to place your faith in Christ? (include a presentation of the Gospel message)
  - What is your life like after Christ? How has He been transforming you in certain areas of your life?

Additional Resources:

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

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