Research indicates that resource-led "micro-groups" (three to four people) which meet for a year and then form new groups, are the most effective way to grow a community of disciples. Discipleship Quads were designed to offer a simple, replicable process that anyone can follow and replicate. Being part of a Discipleship Quad will help you form authentic friendships, explore the beauty of the Catholic faith, and empower you to live and share your faith as a disciple of Jesus.

Discipleship Quads were created for anyone who wants to grow in their faith, learn more about what it means to be Catholic, and be more active as a disciple of Jesus. 

It starts with prayer. Pray about who you feel like God is calling you to invite to your Quad. Make a list, then invite one at a time. Don’t be afraid of “no”s, most people are honored to be asked!  Continue until you have three others committed to journey with you. If you don’t feel comfortable starting a Discipleship Quad on your own, find a friend and each of you invite two other people to complete your group of four.

A step-by-step guide on how to invite someone to your Quad is included in the “How to Start a Quad” section of the Discipleship Quad Guidebook, Part 1 and as a separate document on the webpage. 

The Discipleship Quad process is "resource-led," meaning the Discipleship Quad Guidebooks provide the structure and content needed for growth. You don’t need to be an expert—just willing to learn and share your journey with others. The DQ Guidebooks also include a detailed plan for running weekly gatherings, with a rotating "facilitator" who helps manage the timing and flow of each meeting.

This is common and perfectly fine. Everyone at any stage in their spiritual life can benefit from being in a Discipleship Quad, especially when it comes to learning how to disciple others. It’s likely that God will guide you to start a Discipleship Quad with people you know from Church. Together, you can go through the process, learning how to lead others to Jesus and eventually carry out the process on your own.

Based on research and over 35 years of success with the model, mixed-gender Quads are not recommended. Single-gender Quads are preferred to foster an environment of shared intimacy and vulnerability during discussions.

Being Catholic is not a requirement to join a Quad, but the lessons are explicitly Catholic. As long as participants are aware of this, have a desire to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith, and are willing to commit to the elements outlined in the Discipleship Quad Commitment, they are welcome to join. Trust God’s guidance when deciding who to invite.

Keep it simple and accessible for everyone. The group can choose to meet in homes, a coffee shop, or a conference room. Just make sure the location allows for privacy and intimacy during your discussions. You can rotate meeting places but keep it easy and consistent for weekly gatherings. If available, you’re also welcome to meet at your parish in a space that’s regularly open each week.

Finding a consistent meeting time can be challenging, but the goal is to choose a time that remains the same each week so everyone can plan around it. Start by asking about everyone’s existing commitments and see which times work for everyone. It’s helpful to do this via email, as it makes it easier to review. If no time works for everyone, ask if anyone can adjust their schedule to accommodate the group. Don’t give up—get creative and work together to find a solution.

The following benefits are listed in Transforming Discipleship by Greg Ogden:

• The one on one sets up a teacher-student dynamic. The pressure is upon the person who is discipling the other to be the answer person or the fountain of all wisdom and insight. This dynamic discourages many people from wanting to disciple others. When a third (or fourth) person is added, the dynamic shifts to a group process—each person can disciple the other the dynamic of group interchange.
• The triad/quad … views discipleship as a come alongside relationship of mutual journey toward maturity in Christ.
• The sense of “groupness.” The sense of the Holy Spirit being present in our midst occurred much more often in the group versus the one on one. Accountability is stronger than one on one.
• The group approach multiplies the perspectives on Scripture and application to life issues … By adding at least a third person there is another perspective brought to the learning process. The group members serve as teachers of one another.
• By adding a third or fourth person who is being equipped to disciple others, the multiplication process is geometrically increased.

Although the possibility of doing a triad (three people) is mentioned in the comments above, the quad (four people) model is recommended.

The following are reasons listed in Transforming Discipleship by Greg Ogden:

• Truth - learning occurs in direct proportion to the ability to interact with the truth, which becomes more difficult with an increased number of voices contributing. It also becomes increasingly difficult to tailor the rate of learning to the individual, the larger the size of the group.
• Transparent relationships - self-disclosure is integral to transformation, and openness becomes increasingly difficult in direct proportion to the size of the group. If we are not free to divulge our struggles, then the Spirit will not be able to use the group members to effectively minister at the point of need.
• Mutual accountability - the larger the group, the easier it is to hide. Accountability requires the ability to check to see if assignments were completed, or commitments to obedience were maintained. Greater numbers decrease access to a person’s life.

Some parishes use Discipleship Quads as a small group model for the whole parish, so if that’s the case, make sure to inform your parish that you’re participating. However, the Discipleship Quad model doesn’t require the pastor’s or staff’s time or approval. You can proceed on your own initiative, though informing your parish is still encouraged (maybe others would be interested). The curriculum and process are not dependent on parish support.

You can continue meeting after completing the Discipleship Quad process, as the friendships formed will naturally encourage this. However, remember that one of the main goals of the Discipleship Quad model is for each person to start a new Quad at the end. The next step is to mentor one another as you form your new Quads.

If it’s early in the process (within the first one to two months), you can add another person to fill the spot. Pray about who to invite and consult with the remaining group members. However, if the group has been meeting for more than two months, it's best to stay with three members and not add anyone new. At this point, the group’s intimacy has already been established, making it difficult to integrate a new person.

Nothing at all! All Discipleship Quad resources are free on dquads.com. The Discipleship Quad Guidebooks are available to download in two formats: the printer-friendly version, which arranges the guide on a two-page spread to reduce printing pages, and the tablet version, which is ideal for electronic use. The only cost is if you choose to purchase a printed book version of the Discipleship Quad Guidebook, which is available on Amazon.