Men's Discipleship Group

by Bert Aguilar

  "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Romans 12:2. 

God has good, pleasing and perfect plans for his children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey him. Since last fall every Thursday morning I have found myself at a Denny's in central Fresno with a group of three other guys. When I was asked to join a discipleship group, (D-Group) I had no idea why God was calling me to join. The pancakes and hot coffee might have been the initial draw, but the renewing of my mind and willingness to honor and obey the Lord became the real motivation for me to wake up before the sun was up.

   When we started our D-Group, I began to realize that I had not taken the time to focus on myself or have a more intimate relationship with Christ in a small group setting. My involvement in other FPC ministries was the driving force for me to realize that discipleship requires life-on-life interaction. This can only happen in community and I wanted to grow a deeper relationship with Christ through the experience of life in gospel community. Week after week I have had the privilege to engage in that life-on-life interaction by asking the Holy Spirit to be our teacher, receiving God's word through scripture and praying for one another.

   Lately, we have been walking through the book of Ephesians where we analyze the words of Paul and ask ourselves 4 simple questions:

  • Who is God?

  • What had He done?

  • Who are we in the light of that truth?

  • How do we live in the light of that truth?

   This very intentional way of reading these verses has helped me in two ways, that I feel I really needed the help. 

   First, my obedience to God. I felt that I was conforming to the patterns of life and not taking the time I needed to be in the presence of God. Meeting week after week has paved a path to obedience allowing me to put my full trust in God. Second, a clearer vision in my faith journey.  When my wife and I first started attending FPC we came with the mindset that we wanted to plant our roots and grow our family. Three years later not only are we growing our family, but those roots grow deeper and deeper the more life-on-life interactions we have with all whom we come face to face with in our church, and our everyday lives.