How do you give your church members opportunity to find enrichment in classes that focus on particular areas of the faith, or discipleship? I understand that essential discipling is a long-term, one on one, growth process with a number of mentors.  But, broadly, how can you provide opportunities for members to be in groups that are closed and that study particular units of content, or perhaps even for those classes with covenants of confidentiality.  Equip University has answered that for us in the past few years.

When: For some churches, this is simply the old Discipleship Training hour (training union: everything old is new again!)  Some churches have cancelled evening worship in favor of having a night filled with these types of classes.  In my current setting, we offer an EU hour during our children’s choirs program, and then a family worship service.

What: During our EU time, I try to have courses in a variety of areas such as theology, core discipleship (One on One with God), health, finances, personal growth (DivorceCare), women’s groups, men’s groups, and family/marriage enrichment.  The content cycles, but these overall groupings remain fairly consistent.

Who: Who should teach?  I have been delighted at many churches to find that varied church members will surprise me both with their willingness to teach/facilitate and also surprise me with the content they desire to teach.  If I will trust the Lord to raise up leaders, He does so as I seek out those leaders that are being led by Him.

Classes that have been winners: Financial Peace University, Share Jesus Without Fear, The Five Love Languages, One on One with God, Beth Moore Studies, Serendipity House studies, DivorceCare, GriefShare, and Intimate Life Studies.

Key: Provide an active kids program the same time as your Discipling hour.

Making Disciples.  The command of our Lord is clear, go and make disciples, reach and teach.  With many evangelistic training tools and methods out there, it has been a bit more difficult for me to find a discipleship method that will simply help get new believers (and “mature”) on track in their daily walk.

Until almost two years ago.  That’s when a friend took me and four other guys through a study called One on One with God.  To sum it up, the best quote from members are, “I have been a Christian for xx years, and I have never done anything like this, and I should have.”

One on One teaches basic elements of the Christian life while getting believers to practice simple elements like Bible study, prayer, memorization, witnessing, and note taking.

Plus, the added bonus of helping members immediately have in their hands the way to, 3 weeks in to it, begin discipling someone else.  Passability.  No DVD.  No special training to be a leader.  Grab and go.  Equipped personally and for others.