I thought I would share the journey I have been on the past few months. I have been serving as Discipleship deacon for almost a year, but have not realized what it meant until the past few months. I was really trying to figure out what I should be doing. Was it just about coming up with new adult Sunday School classes, or keeping an eye on our adult life groups, maybe helping organize men's or women's events? I came across this site, and that started me on quite the journey.
I read a post about Discipleship and someone mentioned the C3 website http://coregroups.org/core3strand.html. The material hit me like a ton of bricks. I went into the Family Life Pastor's office the next day and shared with him. He was also excited. Then I stopped into the Senior Pastor's office, whom I consider a good friend. He shared that this is exactly what had been on his heart the past five years, and he was trying to figure out how it would work. He shared that the Elders were starting a book called "Going Deep" by Gordon MacDonald. I read the book in a few weeks, and it only strengthened what I had been feeling. Since then I have also read "Simple Church". I am trying to process all of this and figure out what God is telling me. Obviously I believe he has plans for our Church, and I have started to work with the Elders on what this would look like. One of the Elders shared how this was also his passion, and he loved that I was moving forward with it.
I am very excited, but also very confused about what this all means. I definitely want to define what it means for a Christian to mature at our Church. What does the path look like, and how does it fit with our vision? I don't want it to be another program. We currently offer Sunday School classes, and Life Groups, which are mixed gender small groups. They also implemented "Mentor Groups" a few years ago for same-gender study of 3-5 people. This seems to fit with the CORE material. I think what's missing is a path that people can understand. Also, defining the material for each stage so it feeds the next stage. My goal is to see a whole new group of "Deep Christians" take charge and start mentoring new groups and deepening their faith.
So any of you that have been doing this, I would really appreciate any ideas, input, etc. If you would have asked me a year ago if this is what I would be excited about, I would have probably said, "No, but I will serve as Deacon since no one else wants to." Isn't it amazing how God knows!
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