Glad Tidings Church uses seven different means of intentional discipleship:

1. The first, and most recent, is the “Forty Days of Purpose” campaign developed by Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. We officially began this campaign on Easter 2003, after having about 300 people attend a live simulcast by Pastor Rick a week before. The campaign included special teachings identifying the five purposes of life with sermon material provided by Pastor Rick. Each participant was asked to purchase Pastor Rick's book, The Purpose-Driven Life, which contains 40 readings that reinforce the sermons for the previous week.

We also had our Discovery Home Groups meet each Sunday evening during this campaign. A 20-minute video teaching by Pastor Rick was provided and each participant was provided a workbook that was used as a discussion guide for the group. Also, each person was asked to memorize a Bible verse weekly that reinforced that week's teaching.

The campaign was a tremendous success with over 500 participants including children and teens. Both the Quake Teen Ministry and Promiseland Children's Ministry used their own versions of the materials with excellent participation. Over 20 people made professions of faith during this campaign, although it was tailored more for discipleship than evangelism. Our home group attendance almost doubled to around 400. This campaign was probably the most talked-about program we have ever been involved in. The positive feedback has been incredible, evoking plans to do this on a regular basis as part of our discipleship program.

2. Our Wednesday evening classes have become one of our most important venues for discipleship. While there is a worship segment and a teaching segment, there is a small group atmosphere. We use our Family Life Center and set up round tables for breaking up into discussion groups. Light snacks are provided, encouraging a “homey” atmosphere for discussion, edification, and personal ministry. This class covers such topics as “Experiencing God,” “An Ordinary Day With Jesus,” “Relational Intelligence,” and “Fully Devoted.”

3. Our small group ministry is designed to facilate discipleship as well. First, we have our Discovery Home Groups, which meet the last Sunday evening of each month. The focus is on discovering God through worship and the Word, discovering one another through fellowship, and discovering one's place in the body of Christ through interpersonal ministry. We also have small groups that specialize in support for such things as Divorce Recovery, Sexual Addictions, etc.

4. A primary means of discipleship is our New Creations Class, designed especially for new converts or for people who have been saved for some time but never got started right. This class lasts about 20 weeks and teaches the basics of the faith, such as “How to Handle Temptation,” “How to Pray,” and “How to Study the Bible.”

5. A follow-up class for New Creations graduates is called “The Balanced Life,” and we strongly encourage new converts to continue in their growth through learning such things as the need for a “quiet time” of solitude and silence, cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, etc.

6. Another discipleship tool is our New Members Orientation Class. This class is a prerequisite for membership at GTC and is the venue for sharing the vision, mission, and strategy of the church. It is also a time when questions regarding doctrine and lifestyle are welcomed. (This is a one-time, three-hour course.)

7. The final means of discipleship for us is part of our strategic vision as a church to make the Sunday morning service a time of “teaching for transformation.” The teaching is usually in a series format with outlines provided and dealing with such topics as going deeper in the Word, growing in community, expanding in worship, learning to walk by faith.

Last update on 10/15/08
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