How Jesus Built Transformation Without Programs
Jesus never launched a discipleship program.
And He had the greatest content ever written. So why do we rely on 10-week systems when Jesus chose 12 people by name and walked with them for years? Let’s talk about the power of relationship over regimentation.
💬 Why Programs Fail and Relationships Transform
Last week, I sat across from a young man named Billy. Early 30s. Newly married. Fresh dad. When we first started meeting, he wasn’t thrilled to be in a group with older men.
But life came fast.
Marriage tension. Sleepless nights. Big questions. That little circle of older guys became a lifeline. For Billy, our MicroGroup wasn’t a “program” — it was real people, walking through real stuff, together.
That’s what Jesus modeled.
🧭 The Big Idea: Discipleship isn’t built on programs — it’s built on personal relationships.
Jesus didn’t hand out handbooks. He hand-picked twelve. He prayed all night before inviting them into something deeper. What He modeled is the opposite of what most churches rely on today:
- No bulk emails
- No 10-week outlines
- No one-size-fits-all
Jesus chose people by name. He walked with them. He loved them into transformation.
✅ How to Trade Programs for Personal Disciplemaking
Here are a few lessons we’ve learned from MicroGroups and Jesus’ method:
1. Start with prayer, not planning.
Jesus spent all night in prayer before inviting anyone in. That’s where disciplemaking starts—in the presence of the Father. Ask Him to highlight people to you over time.
2. Make it personal, not promotional.
Don’t blast an invitation. Look someone in the eye. Share your heart. Here’s one example of what that might sound like:
“I’ve been praying about something I’d love you to consider…”
3. Focus on transformation, not information.
Programs teach doctrine. Relationships help people live it. MicroGroups invite people to wrestle with truth, confess struggles, and reflect on where change is needed.
4. Expect full participation, not passive attendance.
In a MicroGroup, everyone prepares. Everyone speaks. Everyone listens. That mutuality builds maturity.
5. Customize for real life.
You don’t disciple someone’s brain. You disciple their story. We’ve walked with men through addiction, business transition, father wounds, and cancer. That only happens in relationship, not curriculum.
📌 Here’s what’s new this week:
- New on YouTube: 🎥 GoMicro Playlists — Dive into MicroGroup principles and stories
👉 Watch here
If you’ve been depending on programs, it’s not your fault — that’s what we were handed. But it’s time to shift. The next revival in discipleship starts when we stop systematizing people and start walking with them.
Greg Ogden
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