Discipleship Foundation

The Discipleship Ministry at Christ Church operates on the following scriptural foundations and guiding principles:

Matthew 28:16-20 (the “Great Commission”), vs. 19-20a: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;”

Our Lord Jesus Christ commands that we who know, love, and follow Christ, share this way and life with others by a ministry which He calls “making disciples.”  It is a ministry of forming in others, over time, all that which we ourselves have learned about God through Christ, about ourselves, and about God’s will for us and the world.

Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

This describes the first Christians and, we hope, our life at Christ Church.  From its language, we take our cue:

• “devoted” – we hope to share a passion for the Christian life.
• “the apostles’ teaching” – the apostolic testimony is found in the Bible, and so our offerings are focused on the Christian Scriptures.
• “and fellowship” – in groups, classes, and events large and small, we are calling people into the communion of saints, which is the life of the Church.
• “the breaking of bread” – Sunday corporate communion is the foundation of the spiritual life of Christ being formed within us.
• “the prayers” – an ongoing personal relationship with God through prayer is both rewarding and vital for us always.

Luke 10:38-42 (Martha, busily anxious and troubled about many things; and Mary, listening at Jesus’ feet), vs. 42b: “Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

We know that serving is Christ-like, and that an active life of doing can express the faith to which we assent, but here Jesus reminds us:  little if anything is better for us in our overly busy and, therefore, anxious lives than to periodically stop, and come sit at the feet of godly teachers, being quiet to let the Word fill and form us.  Our Discipleship offerings mean to address this need.

Acts 8:26-40 (the story of non-Israelite who is discipled by Jesus’ follower Philip):

Three times this seeker speaks in this passage, and each time it is a question:  he asks for a guide (vs. 31), he asks what the Story means (vs. 34), and he asks about his next step (vs. 36).  Our Discipleship Ministry hopes to be ready and able to respond faithfully when you ask this Church:  Will you help me?  What does this mean?  What do I do next?