discipleship inventory GUIDE

  • Description text goes 1. CATCH UP (5 minutes)

    Ask:

    • How has your week been?

    • Anything encouraging or heavy on your mind today?

    2. FOLLOW-UP (5–10 minutes)

    If you talked about obedience steps last time:

    • How did it go living that out this week?

    • What helped or got in the way?

    If this is the first meeting on this topic, move to step 3.

    3. CHOOSE TODAY’S FOCUS (0–2 minutes)

    “Let’s look at your assessment. Today we’ll focus on this statement:
    ‘I am confident of my salvation.

  • 1. I am confident of my salvation.

    SCRIPTURE: John 10:27–29

    CONTEXT

    Purpose of John (adapted from the ESV Study Bible):
    John writes to reveal Jesus as the Son of God so that people may believe in Him and have life in His name. The Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ identity, authority, and saving work, calling readers to genuine faith and assurance rooted in Christ.

    • John 9: Jesus heals a man born blind, exposing spiritual blindness and unbelief among the religious leaders.

    • John 10:1–29: Jesus reveals Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows, protects, and gives eternal life to His sheep.

    • John 10:30–42: Jesus’ claims provoke division, rejection, and attempts to stone Him for claiming unity with the Father.

    CSB

    27 My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.
    28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.
    29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

    ESV

    27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
    28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
    29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

    2D (DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY)

    Discovery Launch Question (Look at the text):

    1. What do you notice first about Jesus in this passage?

    Other Discovery Questions:

    2. What actions does Jesus say His sheep take?
    3. What does Jesus say He personally gives to His sheep?
    4. What words or phrases emphasize security and permanence?
    5. What does this passage show about Jesus’ relationship with the Father?
    6. What does this passage reveal about who holds your salvation?

    Discussion Questions (Meaning)

    (Interpretive insights adapted from the ESV Study Bible)

    1. What does Jesus say marks someone as His sheep?
    Jesus describes His sheep as those who hear His voice, are known by Him, and follow Him.

    2. What kind of security does Jesus promise?
    Eternal life is guaranteed, permanent, and protected by both the Son and the Father.

    3. What does “never perish” mean in this context?
    It speaks to the certainty and permanence of salvation, not conditional or fragile security.

    4. Who is responsible for holding believers secure?
    Jesus and the Father together hold believers, emphasizing divine power rather than human effort.

    5. How does this passage address doubts about losing salvation?
    It directly denies that any external power can remove a believer from God’s saving grip.

    3A (APPLICATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AFFIRMATION)

    APPLICATION QUESTIONS

    1. Where do doubts about salvation tend to surface in your life?

    2. According to this passage, what truth about Jesus directly addresses those doubts?

    3. What would it look like to trust His grip rather than your performance?

    ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS

    1. Who knows about your struggles with assurance or doubt?

    2. What would it look like to talk honestly with them about it?

    3. Can we name one person and one next step?

    AFFIRMATION QUESTIONS

    1. Where have you already seen Jesus’ faithfulness toward you?

    2. How does knowing He holds you give you rest right now?

    PRAYER

    Pray for assurance rooted in Christ’s promises, trust in His authority, and peace that comes from being held by God.

  • 2. I believe God hears and answers my prayers.

    SCRIPTURE: 1 John 5:14–15

    CONTEXT

    Purpose of 1 John (adapted from the ESV Study Bible):
    John writes to give believers assurance of eternal life and confidence before God. He emphasizes true belief, obedience, love, and fellowship with God as marks of genuine faith.

    • 1 John 1–4: John explains the marks of true believers—faith, obedience, love, and confidence before God.

    • 1 John 5:1–15: John reinforces assurance and confidence grounded in faith in Christ, including confidence in prayer.

    • 1 John 5:16–21: John closes with warnings about sin, discernment, and guarding oneself from idols.

    CSB

    14 This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
    15 And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.

    ESV

    14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
    15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

    2D (DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY)

    Discovery Launch Question (Look at the text):

    1. What stands out to you about God as you read this passage?

    Other Discovery Questions:

    2. What words describe confidence or assurance in this passage?
    3. What conditions does John connect to God hearing prayer?
    4. What does the phrase “according to his will” emphasize?
    5. What does this passage say God does when His people pray?
    6. What does it not say about prayer?

    Discussion Questions (Meaning)

    (Interpretive insights adapted from the ESV Study Bible)

    1. What does it mean to pray “according to His will”?
    Prayer aligned with God’s revealed character, purposes, and Word—not self-centered desires.

    2. Why does John emphasize confidence before God?
    Believers approach God as children who are heard, not strangers hoping to be noticed.

    3. What does it mean that “He hears us”?
    God listens attentively and relationally, not passively or distantly.

    4. What does it mean that “we have the requests”?
    God answers prayer according to His wisdom and timing, not necessarily immediate fulfillment.

    5. How does this passage correct misunderstandings about unanswered prayer?
    It shows that God’s answers are shaped by His will, not a lack of care or attention.

    3A (APPLICATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AFFIRMATION)

    APPLICATION QUESTIONS

    1. Where do you struggle to believe God truly hears you?

    2. What would it look like to shape your prayers more intentionally around God’s will?

    3. What is one prayer you need to bring before God with renewed trust?

    ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS

    1. Who could you pray with or share prayer requests with regularly?

    2. What would consistency in prayer look like for you right now?

    3. Can we name one person or rhythm to help support this?

    AFFIRMATION QUESTIONS

    1. Where have you already seen God respond to prayer in your life?

    2. How has that shaped your confidence in approaching Him?

    PRAYER

    Pray for confidence before God, alignment with His will, trust in His wisdom, and faithfulness in prayer.

  • 3. I believe God will help me when I’m tempted.

    SCRIPTURE

    1 Corinthians 10:13

    CSB
    13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

    ESV
    13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

    CONTEXT

    1 Corinthians 8–9: Paul warns believers to use freedom wisely and avoid causing others to stumble.
    1 Corinthians 10:1–12: Paul uses Israel’s failures to warn believers against falling into sin.
    1 Corinthians 10:14–22: Paul calls Christians to flee idolatry and remain faithful to God.

    2D (DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY)

    Discussion Question:

    What stands out to you about God in this passage?

    Discussion Questions:

    • What do you notice about God’s faithfulness in this verse?

    • What does this passage show you about God’s involvement in your struggle with temptation?

    • How does this challenge any assumptions you've had about temptation or your ability to resist it?

    Discovery Question:

    What does this passage teach about how God helps us in temptation?

    Discovery Questions:

    • What does it mean that temptation is “common to man”?

    • What does God promise not to allow?

    • What is “the way of escape” in real, practical terms?

    • How does God’s faithfulness shape the way you approach temptation?

    • Where do you personally feel weakest in resisting temptation?

    3A (APPLICATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AFFIRMATION)

    APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

    • What is one truth from this passage you need to apply the next time you face temptation?

    • What would it look like for you to take the “way of escape” God provides?

    • What habit, environment, or pattern do you need to change to avoid temptation?

    ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS:

    • Who can you talk to about the specific temptations you face?

    • Would you like me to check in with you about how this went this week?

    AFFIRMATION QUESTIONS:

    • Where have you experienced God’s help in resisting temptation recently?

    • How have you seen growth or increased awareness of escape routes God provides?

    PRAYER

    Pray for strength to resist temptation, clarity to recognize escape routes, trust in God’s faithfulness, and courage to take wise steps of obedience.

    EXTRA QUESTIONS:

    • What temptations feel strongest or most frequent in your life right now?

    • What environment, habit, or thought pattern tends to precede temptation?

    • What practical “escape route” could you take the next time temptation hits?

    INTERPRETATION NOTES (ESV Study Bible)

    • “No temptation… except what is common” — temptation is universal; no believer is uniquely trapped.

    • “God is faithful” — God actively sustains His people and keeps His promises.

    • “Not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability” — God restrains the intensity and conditions of temptation.

    • “The way of escape” — not avoidance of temptation, but a God-provided means to endure and resist it.