Discipleship Council Update

This month, our church blog will hear mid-year updates from our four councils: Discipleship, Missions, Worship and Community. First, we get caught up on the work of the Discipleship Council.

Discipleship. It’s something we as a church have identified as one of our distinctives; we want to be a church that disciples our members. But what is a disciple? And how does that discipleship process begin?

A disciple is a follower of some person or idea. For Christians, a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ. But the ancient understanding is more than just being a student of someone; it isn’t enough to simply know facts about the life of Jesus. Instead, a disciple lives in a way that reflects the life of Jesus. The disciple imitates the life of Christ, working almost as an apprentice until the disciple’s life becomes a copy of Jesus’s life–a lofty goal toward which we strive our entire lives and never completely achieve.

Each Christian is responsible for taking steps on his/her own to become more like Christ. But certainly, the body of believers can assist each other along the way, and that’s one of the main goals of the Discipleship Council. We seek to provide opportunities and resources that will help you in your journey to reflect Jesus to the world. One way this is done is through the study of God’s word on Sunday mornings.

Currently, most of the adult Sunday School classes are studying a unit this month on “Aspects of Discipleship.” If you aren’t taking advantage of studying the Bible with other Christians on Sundays before the worship service, you’re missing out on a wonderful opportunity to deepen your faith as you increase your knowledge of the Savior. You can learn more about Sunday School classes at www.spdl.org/groups.

Another step on the road of discipleship is prayer. This year, the Discipleship Council is highlighting a Year of Passionate Prayer, offering a different prayer emphasis each month. Some of these prayer practices will be more natural to you than others. But all of them can expand your ability to approach the Living God. In June, we will learn how to “Pray in Color.” Closing your eyes is not required! Every month, handouts are provided to the Sunday School classes and at the Welcome Center. You can also review them at www.spdl.org/prayer.

A disciple of Jesus will also want to reflect the giving nature of Christ, striving to share time, talents, skills, knowledge, and financial resources to reach others and impact the Kingdom of God. The Stewardship Development Team has already met to brainstorm ideas to encourage and empower us to be better stewards of the blessings we’ve been given. In the weeks ahead, look for more information about our summer “For Good Measure” campaign. Giving back in whatever way you can helps you to become more like Christ.

And if you’re interested in a deeper dive into the Bible, you might consider participating in a course coming in the fall, taught by a seminary professor. We are still working on the details of this of this course, but the study we offered last year was well attended and enjoyed by those who participated as we explored the four gospels. This year, we are hoping to offer a study of one (or more) of the New Testament epistles.

But what about you? Do you have ideas that we might consider that would help you to become a more devoted follower of Jesus? How can we help you on your journey? Email us at discipleship@spdl.org and share your thoughts with us. We’re all in this together.