God calls us to a lifetime of growing as Jesus’ disciples. This program is about supporting and equipping you to grow as a disciple. Growth is God’s work through the Holy Spirit. It is a work of grace. But the Bible also tells us that there are things that we can do to help that growth. This program explores what those things are. It explores the what of discipleship. But most importantly it is about practical discipleship. It has a strong focus on the how.
How exactly does the program support and equip you to grow? First, it provides a framework to explore the different aspects of our calling to be Jesus’ disciples. It explores the impact of following Jesus on our purpose in life. It explores our calling to a relationship with God. It looks at our calling to transformation and growth in Christlikeness. And it looks at our calling to serve in ministry and mission.
But it is not just about exploring these topics. It looks at the practical. How can I have a relationship with God that is growing closer and deeper? How can I grow in spiritual maturity to look more like Jesus? How can I best use the gifts, resources, and capacity that God has given me to serve others? How can I best fulfil the mission that God has given me? And how can I keep doing all these things over the long haul in a way that is not just effective and faithful but sustainable and even joyful?
To explore and help answer these questions, the program is broken up into ten topics or sessions to be covered over ten months. Because the program is practical, there are several things that you will need to do if you take part.
The first thing you will need to do is to listen to or read an article that provides an overview of each topic each month. The articles are around 20 minutes in length and are available to read on this website or can be listened to on a podcast platform.
After reading or listening to the article, the next thing to do is meet up with a mentor for around 60 minutes each month. The role of the mentor is to listen, answer questions, provide support, encourage you from their own experience and pray for you.
The last and most important thing you need to do is put what you have learned into practice. For many people, this will not require any additional time. The program is designed for those who already have full and busy lives. This means that it aims not to add more to your life but to get the most out of what you are doing already. But if you are not doing anything in terms of personal spiritual practices at the moment, it will require a commitment of around 5-10 minutes a day.
So, that is what the program is about. What about the why? Why should you think about taking this on? Who is it for? The program is for those who are hungry for a relationship with God that is closer and deeper and more alive than the one that they have now. It is for those who have a strong desire to grow further in spiritual maturity and Christlikeness. It is for those who are keen to use their God-given gifts and abilities in a way that makes a difference to the people around them. It is for people who want to grow in their capacity to answer God’s call to mission and to have a lasting impact through a generational ministry of making disciples. And it for those who want to continue as a faithful follower of Jesus over the long haul, growing and serving with passion and joy.
That means the program is not just for people who are starting in their journey of following Jesus. No matter how long you have been a disciple, if you are hungry to grow, this program is for you.