Discipleship Leader Training -- August 1st, noon in the gym; for all current and future leaders!
Discipleship is a Journey
New Covenant's mission is helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ!
So, what does a fully devoted follower of Christ look like? Jesus said that when we "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you strength and with all your mind" and "to love your neighbor as yourself," we are living as we should. So, loving God and loving others is how be become that disciple of Christ.
As a church, we want to offer everyone opportunities to grow in their love of God and others. When we look at becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ, we have to see the action in the word becoming. It's a process, a journey without an earthly destination. It truly is learning and loving along the way, growing in each season.
Where do I start? Identify where you are spiritually.
As sojourners on this journey, we discover we're all in different "places" spiritually. With inspiration from Willow Creek Community Church, we've recently been able to give definition to those places:
1. Explorers - those who are curious about Christ but have not yet chosen to become His
2. Beginners - those who have taken Christ as their Savior and are beginning to look into the Bible and search for answers to their quesitons about their new faith
3. Close to Christ - those who have grown in their faith and depend on Him daily for guidance
4. Christ Centered - those who have made their relationship with Christ the most important relationship and allows it to guide all they do
Step 2. Pinpoint areas that need growth.
At New Covenant we have developed a pathway, a map we call The Journey, that you can see by clicking in the margin on The Journey or by picking up one of our maps at the Connection Point in Decker Hall. This map is a tool to help you along your spiritual journey.
The Journey has three "continents:"
1. Knowledge
2. Relationships
3. Serving Others
As we grow in our spiritual journeys, we should strive to find a balance in all three areas. When we do, we'll find ourselves becoming fully devoted followers of Christ.
So, when you're looking at where you are on your Journey, keep in mind your spiritual location (Explorer, Beginner...) and what areas you are not growing in (knowledge, relationships...). Then search for opportunities available and try to find something that fits you where you are.
Step 3. Get Connected.
When you look for a place to grow here at New Covenant, know that o
ur discipleship opportunities come in three basic "packages:"
1. Classes (Adult Sunday School, Living Room...)
2. Small Groups (Journey Groups, Ongoing Small Groups...)
3. Bible Studies
Our Classes will emphazie "knowledge" (though relationships or serving may happen in some classes), our Small Groups will emphasize "relationship" (though learning and serving are part of some groups), and our Bible Studies tend to have an equal balance between learning and relationships.
Choosing a class, group, or study is often dictated by time, when it's offered, or the topic, what is being studied, or the purpose, such as learning or making friends. So choose what fits you best where you are right now!
How do I get connected? There are multiple avenues:
1. Coming by the Connection Point desk in Decker Hall on Sunday mornings.
2. Checking out, even registering, online...on this website.
3. Contacting the Discipleship Office -- Shelley Johnson at 562-3227 or sjohnson@ncovenant.org
Don't find what you're looking for? Contact us; let's talk about it.
"What we're hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you'll play a part within our expanding work. And we'll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message." 2 Corinthians 10:15-16 (The Message Bible)