The Worldwide Church of God is introducing to its pastors a new set of discipleship curriculum for individual and small group study.
Church Administration believes that new Christians, as well as longtime members, will find inspiration in the new four-volume study.
This summer, James Roberts, president of the Center for Church Based Training (CCBT) in Richardson, Texas, will meet with pastors at regional conferences and district meetings to introduce the philosophy of the Discovery Series that CCBT has developed over the last couple of years.
Mr. Roberts will conduct training for a discipleship initiative in congregations that will encourage participants to examine what they believe, why they believe it and what difference these principles make in their lives.
Peter Whitting, pastor of the Baltimore, Maryland, church, said that “this is good material, and after reviewing it, it seems to lay a good New Testament foundation for the lessons.” Mr. Whitting said he planned to train his small group facilitators to facilitate these lessons.
The Discovery Series is a process of individual study and group interaction that examines biblical principles in the context of everyday life. The purpose of Discovery is to establish members in their Christian faith for godly living and service in their home church and beyond. This series can be used in small groups, as Sunday school curriculum or other formats.
Some members from the Manhattan, New York, church have used the series since the beginning of the year. According to Pastor Dan Bierer: “Since our congregation has been using the Discovery series, there has been more interest in small group Bible discussions. The format and material seem to have been written especially for us.”
Church Administration will work with pastors to discuss training and a roll-out schedule for those who choose to adopt this curriculum. We believe that members will find that the Discovery Series is well-written, and that it will be a source of inspiration and education for members.
This material dovetails into the SonLife philosophy that Church Administration has been covering in our denominational conferences. This year at the regional conferences, we have been emphasizing the goal of making disciples who make disciples who make disciples. The Discovery Series is another way to help Christians refocus on our call to serve Jesus wherever God may call us to work or minister.
Discovery Series books
The first book in the series, Discovering the Christian Life, is designed for believers to reach a deeper understanding of their redemption, their God and their spiritual family—the church.
The book is also good for seekers, as participants will discuss “How I can be saved, and what should my life look like once I am?” Participants will not only reflect on the tenets of Christian doctrine, they will also reflect on their relationship with God, other Christians and with nonbelievers.
Discovering Intimacy With God is the second book. It is an intense study of the Trinity and the unchanging qualities of God, including his sovereignty and his love. It reminds Christians that the New Testament God is no different from the Old Testament God, except he has personalized his approach to his people through Jesus Christ.
The third book encourages Christians to reflect on God’s church, dealing with questions such as how the church works and why God works through the church. In Discovering Your Role in God’s Family, participants will also begin to use their spiritual gifts to glorify God through the church.
Finally, in Discovering How to Share Your Faith, Christians are encouraged to live the gospel daily. Christians will learn to share Christ in a natural way.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2004