What Is "Disciples"?
Disciples is a multiyear faith formation program for adults. Its aim is to train disciples in the skills of living their faith. Disciples is a great way to breathe new life into your adult education efforts and encourage church members to take another step in their path of lifelong Christian discipleship. Here are some of the ways you can use Disciples:
- Plan a multiyear wholechurch faith formation program, studying all years of Disciples in sequence.
- Start with Follow Me from Year 1, then do the Year 2 studies.
- Use in adult education classes or small groups.
- Use in classes for seekers, new believers, or new church members.
- Use Disciples studies for personal devotions.
- Study Follow Me in a combined class of teens and adults.
- Use individual Disciples studies in conjunction with asermon series.
Year 1: Foundation
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Year 1 of this program lays the foundation in five study modules of five weeks each.
While Disciples can be used by any small group or adult education class, it’s even better when your whole church is plugged in. To help, we’ve developed a series of worship plans and daily at-home readings for introducing Disciples to your entire church. The discussion guides are easy to use and help group members discover together Christ’s call for their lives.
Overview
Follow Me
This study is the foundation of the entire Disciples program. We suggest you study it first before moving on toother topics. Follow Me explores what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how people find purpose, wholeness, and joy in following him.
Follow Me: Resources for Worship
Five worship plans to help kick off the Disciples program. Available as a free download here or print copies are available.
Follow Me: Daily Readings
Devotional readings to use during the initial five-week Follow Me study. Order one for each household.
In Depth
Called
Christ’s personal call sets us on the journey of discipleship.
Created
We are new creations in Christ.
Crafted
We are made and gifted by God to serve.
Commissioned
Being Jesus’ disciples means we are sent on a mission.
Year 2: Growing
The next step of Disciples challenges participants go farther on their journey with Jesus. Year 2 is an intermediate-level study that explores some of the spiritual practices of disciples. Each book includes discussion guides and five thought-provoking devotional readings that lead up to each small group session. Year 2 modules include:
Prayer
This study explores the Lord’s Prayer, the Trinity and prayer, praying the Psalms, the problems of prayer, and ways of praying.
Reading the Bible
Participants will gain new appreciation for the integration of the Old and New Testaments, the Bible’s many different kinds of literature, and the centrality of Christ. They’ll also come to understand, trust, and use the Bible as the foundation of their faith in God and their walk with Jesus.
Worship
Without opting for a particular style of worship, this study helps disciples understand the basic structure of worship as well as its ultimate purpose. Participants will discover how God centered worship lies at the heart of discipleship and has the power to transform our daily lives.
Living in Community
In this study the church participants will learn how living in this community shapes us as Christ-followers and embodies God’s hospitable welcome of sinners.
Overcoming Sin
This study exposes how sin operates in the lives of disciples and how we can overcome its influence by God's grace and power.
Year 3: Serving
Available Fall 2009, Year 3 goes deeper still, focusing on our calling to serve the Lord in the world. The format of Year 3 will be similar to year 2, with devotional readings preceding each small group session. Year 3 also offers the opportunity to learn more about your own spiritual gifts. The five modules will include:
- Disciples as Stewards: How disciples are stewards of their time, money, and talents, as well as the creation for the sake of God’s kingdom.
- Disciples at Work: How disciples of Jesus follow him into their daily work.
- Sharing the Story: How disciples share the great story of God’s love as well as their own story of faith.
- Discipleship and Justice: How disciples participate in God’s kingdom and promote God’s justice here and now.
- Disciples and the Mission of God: How disciples are caught up in God’s great mission to disciple the nations in all the areas of their life.
Years 4 and Beyond
At the end of three years, participants in the Disciples program will have explored the foundations of Christian discipleship (year 1) as well as some of the key aspects to living as a disciple in God’s world (years 2 and 3). What’s left? Plenty! After the three-year core of study, participants will be able to choose areas to explore in greater depth or breadth. For example, groups may choose to study additional areas of spiritual practice that they weren’t able to cover in years 2 or 3. Or they may go back to one of the areas they already touched on and take an entire year to study one particular aspect of discipleship. The full offering of study materials for years 4 and beyond will be announced in 2009.