Overview of G3 Groups

  • Do you want to experience what it is to authentically live out your faith?

  • Do you long for a community to challenge and encourage you in your walk with Jesus?

  • Do you want to understand and love the Bible instead of feeling intimidated or confused?

  • Are you ready to take the next step in your faith journey?

If these questions resonate with you, we’d encourage you to join one of our G3 Groups—part of our Real-Life Journey of discipleship at First Denham.

What are G3 Groups?

  • Centered around five weekly spiritual disciplines, participants of G3 Groups commit to a time of accelerated spiritual transformation.

    This disciplines include:

    -Scripture Memory
    -Bible Reading
    -Prayer
    -Journaling
    -Accountability

    The outcome of which is disciples of Jesus who are missional, accountable, reproducible, communal, and scriptural.

    These groups last typically 12 months and are gender-specific groups. The recommended size of these groups is 3-5 individuals including the leader.

    Note. Having more than 5 members tends to lower accountability between group members and creates scheduling difficulties.

    The end goal of every G3 Group is for each member to go on to lead their own group. (Reproduce)

  • The purpose of a G3 Group is completely different than a Connect Group. While Connect Groups exist for the purposes of growth and fellowship, they have an underlying additional purpose (or they should have): evangelism. Connect Groups are designed to reach lost people by getting them involved in the life of the church. A G3 Group, in contrast, consists of believers who desire a deeper walk with Christ and to fulfill His mission by making disciples who make disciples.

    In addition, the setting of the G3 Group is completely different. It is an intimate, accountable relationship with a handful of like-minded people. In his book The Invested Life, Joel Rosenberg and T. E. Koshy suggest that a discipleship relationship is… “more personal, more practical, and more powerful. A teacher shares information, while a discipler shares life; a teacher aims for the head, while a discipler aims for the heart; a teacher measures knowledge, while a discipler measures faith; a teacher is an authority, while a discipler is a servant; and a teacher says, ‘Listen to me,’ while a discipler says, ‘Follow me.’”

    This blueprint, sketched by Jesus Christ through His personal example, is how discipleship is accomplished in the lives of believers, and, ultimately, within the local church. When this plan is followed, those involved will participate in three dynamics that result in growth in their personal lives, as well as in the Kingdom: community, accountability, and multiplication.

Starting a New G3 Group? Be Sure to Register…

Register your group so you can:

  • Receive G3 updates

  • Receive info on upcoming training

  • Receive encouraging tips and reminders

  • Receive prayer from church staff

  • Help us keep track of current groups

Start your group off right…

G3 Resources

We’ve provided all the resources for you to have a successful G3 Group in one place. We also have printed resources for you to grab at the church.

Also, be sure to visit our Leader Resources and Member Resources pages for more information and helps.

Note. We currently do not have a G3 Part IV Study Guide. The questions for group discussion is at the end of each chapter of Leading in Faith.

Bible Reading Plans

If you’re looking for a bible reading plan to start as a group, we recommend the following plans:

These plans are also available on the YouVersion Bible App and at www.bible.com for you to join collectively and keep up with one another.

About the G3 Discipleship Process

+ G3’s are Modeled After Jesus’ Method of Discipleship

It's common knowledge that Jesus had twelve disciples. But did you know that out of the twelve, Jesus really invested into just three men: Peter, James, and John? He did not take all the twelve everywhere He went but He made a special effort to include these three men in what God was doing and soon to do. They were with Him at the Mount of Transfiguration, when Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law, when he healed the daughter of the Synagogue ruler, and when praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before His sham trial. Jesus not only taught these men about the Kingdom of God, but He also lived life with them. They learned not only from His teaching but by observing Jesus in everyday circumstances. Jesus' discipleship method with them was relational.

Discipleship is more than showing up at church each Sunday. It's more than being part of a group bible study. It's more than Christians fellowshipping together. It's more than an accountability group. Discipleship can occur in all of these forums but discipleship is much more intentional and relational.

+ Discipleship is the Process of Leading Others to Follow Jesus

Christian Discipleship is developing a personal life-long obedient relationship with Jesus Christ in which He transforms your character into Christlikeness, changes your values into Kingdom-values, and involves you in His mission in the home, the church, and the world.

-Avery T. Willis Jr.

How do we follow Jesus?

  • By Having the Character of Christ
  • By Having the Conviction of Christ
  • By Having the Commitment of Christ

We do this through:

  • By knowing Him through His Word (studying the Bible and memorizing power verses that help us defeat sin and live victoriously)
    • John 8:31b-32 (CSB) - “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
  • By having a personal love-relationship with Him through prayer and daily obedience to His instruction
    • 1 John 2:5-6 (CSB) - "But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked."
  • By following His mission of sharing the Gospel (good news!) with others and in-turn discipling others to follow Jesus
    • Matthew 28:18-20 (CSB) - "Then Jesus came near and said to them, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"
  • By encouraging fellow disciples to continue strong in their faith (holding each other accountable)
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (CSB) - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing."

More than clicking a "follow" button on social media. Following Jesus is transformational to your life. Following Him changes you from the inside out. Your life takes on new meaning as you walk each day with Jesus throughout all of life's journeys.

+ The Goal of G3 Groups - To Relationally Disciple Others to Follow Jesus

Discipleship can only happen in the context of relationships. Relationships flow in two directions: vertically & horizontally.

  • Discipleship happens vertically as you and those you are discipling connect and grow with God through a trusting relationship with Jesus.
  • Discipleship happens horizontally through the relationships you form with each other as you encourage each other to follow Jesus and share His gospel with those who don't know Jesus.

+ True Discipleship has Occurred When it is Reproduced in the Life of a Disciple

How can you tell if true discipleship has occurred in your G3 Group? Are the people you are leading to follow Jesus, in turn, beginning to step out and lead others? A common definition of discipleship is "reproducing the life of Christ in others." Discipleship is not complete in an individual who does not in-turn disciple others.

+ How to Start/Join a G3 Group

We believe "Organic Formation" is the best way to start a G3 Group. What do we mean by that? The best way to start or join a G3 Group is to prayerfully ask people you know to be part of your group. By knowing generally who is going to be in your group, you can have the assurance that each person is committed to the process. (44 weeks)

4 Steps to Starting a G3 Group

  1. PRAY for God to place on your heart individuals who you could take through this process
  2. APPROACH and INVITE the individuals God puts on your heart
  3. COVENANT TOGETHER with these individuals to commit to the process
  4. INVEST in these individuals.

What if I'm not looking to lead but want to join a G3 Group?

Prayerfully ask God to lead you to someone who would lead your group and then approach them. Many times there is a push/pull to forming G3 Groups as individuals find others who are interested. Key word is pray!

What Do I Do When We Have Our Group?

Email our Discpleship Pastor Paul Keating with who your group leader and members are and he will instruct you from there.

"It’s been amazing to see all that God has done in the 6-7 months since we started meeting. The power of reading God’s Living Word and sharing community among believers holds great power and potential, and I think that’s what G3 has been for us."

— Christine Varnado