Irene Wisley was never one for public speaking. She didn’t enjoy speaking up in general, but two things changed that—memorizing Scripture and leading a Discipleship Group.
One summer when Irene was growing up, the church’s youth program had an opportunity to memorize Scripture through a Bible Memory Association (now Scripture Memory Fellowship) booklet. Each booklet cost $5—money that Irene’s brothers had, but she didn’t. When one of her brother’s booklets would be laying around, Irene would take it and pore over the verses.
One Sunday, the word got out: Irene knew the verses. The pastor called her up to the front of the church and asked if she could say what she knew. In front of the congregation, timid 13-year-old Irene flawlessly recited the whole week’s verses from start to finish.
“When I memorize Scripture, it comes alive,” Irene said.
Irene has carried that passion for Scripture memorization with her for the past 60 years, and it’s an integral part of how she disciples others.
Irene’s interest in discipleship was piqued after hearing Bro. Steve preach a sermon on the last statement of Bellevue’s mission—“make disciples.” After service, members had the opportunity to talk to Pastor Bill Street in the lobby about joining a group. Irene knew this was her chance to get involved, but to her surprise when she went up to Bill, instead of giving an answer, he asked a question: Would she lead a group?
Irene could recite Scripture confidently, but leading would involve regular speaking and teaching, two things she was hesitant about. But regardless of her uncertainty, she felt a prompting from the Lord and knew that to say no would be to go down the wrong path. She agreed.
“If there’s a need and you feel that God is leading you that way,” Irene said, “you’d be wise to go that route and work it out.”
Now that she has led a group for 10 years, Irene has found that leading wasn’t as daunting as she thought. It’s talking with sisters in Christ, spurring one another on toward love (Hebrews 10:24 NIV), and reading and memorizing God’s Word. They memorize a verse each week. By doing these practices, accountability and discipline (key parts of discipleship and a walk with the Lord) consistently happen.
“I learn so much from these ladies as well,” Irene said. “Every time I get a new group, I learn.”
Irene has also learned that the Lord will equip her to lead well and that the key to good discipleship is not eloquent speech or a big personality but the focus being continually on Him.
“The basic thing is the foundation you build with God,” Irene said. “If you don’t have that, you really don’t have anything to offer to help you lead other people to be a disciple.”
Through the years it’s become obvious to Irene that discipleship all boils down to making disciples that make disciples, as described in 2 Timothy 2:2, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Learn more about Bellevue’s Discipleship Groups at bellevue.org/discipleship.