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Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
Project Idea Development.............................................................................................................1
Project Preparation.......................................................................................................................2
Conducting the Project..................................................................................................................2
Results of the Project.....................................................................................................................3
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................4
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Introduction
In the book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney states that
“Although God will grant Christlikeness to us when Jesus returns, until then He intends for us to
grow toward it. We aren’t merely to wait for holiness; we’re to pursue it. “Strive for peace with
everyone,” we’re commanded in Hebrews 12:14, “and for the holiness without which no one will
see the Lord.”1 It is evident that the discipleship process is synonymous with growth in holiness.
Understanding how to grow in holiness can be challenging enough, not to mention the
complexity of implementing steps for individual growth in holiness. Because growth in the
discipleship process can be challenging and complex, I have decided to pilot a potential tool to
utilize in my role at church that aims to provide a personalized approach to discipleship in the
life of an individual believer.
Project Idea Development
In my current role as Spiritual Formation Director, I oversee all small groups,
gatherings, and discipleship efforts at Grace Fellowship’s Latham Campus. As I have met with
congregants who desire to deepen their discipleship journey, I have noticed that few are able to
determine, and even fewer are able to implement, proper and attainable next steps. As I began to
think about how I could help individuals discover the best next steps to take, my Campus Pastor
provided a book entitled Simple Discipleship is effective because it includes access to a
discipleship assessment that helps a believer assess spiritual health in 8 core areas. Given the
nature of this book, I decided to offer two newer staff members the opportunity to take the
1 Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Revised and Updated (Colorado Springs,
CO: NavPress; Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2014), 2–3
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assessment and then meet with me to discuss potential areas of growth and implement a plan to
grow in identified areas..
Project Preparation
To prepare for this project, I met with my Campus Pastor (site supervisor) to discuss
this project idea. Additionally, I read through Simple Discipleship to its entirety and took the
discipleship assessment for myself. This allowed me to examine the intuitiveness of the
assessment, to determine how user-friendly the technology was, and to become familiar with the
content. I connected with two staff members and provided them with access to take the
assessment, setting up a time for them to meet with me to discuss their results and implement a
strategy for growth.
Conducting the Project
The primary area in which this project was carried out was in meetings with staff
members who agreed to help pilot this discipleship tool. I was able to meet with one of the two
selected staff members (Rey) up to this point in time. In the meeting with Rey, we discussed the
results of his assessment, reviewing areas of strength and those in need of growth. He was able to
identify Core Quality 6 (engaging others toward discipleship) as a topic of focus (an area to grow
in). This core quality is divided into two segments: “helping non-believers come to know the
Lord” and “engaging believers toward discipleship.” Rey recognized that while his willingness
to evangelize is high, his ability needs work. Rey had been praying about how to grow in this
area, and it seemed that this assessment and meeting came at just the right time. The next step for
Rey is to determine four strategic ways in which he can begin to grow in this area of
discipleship. To do this, the Simple Discipleship model calls for Rey to brainstorm activities
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within four categories: activities that engage with God, activities that engage with experience,
activities that engage with others, and activities that engage with knowledge and truth.
Results of the Project
This project was successful because it not only helped evaluate a tool for discipleship to
be utilized at Grace Fellowship Church, but it also served to benefit Rey in his personal walk
with the Lord. I will meet with Rey again to help him determine the activities that will lead to
achieving his goal of growing in his ability to help non-believers come to know the Lord. I also
plan to meet with the other staff member who agreed to take the assessment and work through
the same process. This ministry project has enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of the
methodology Jesus often employed in his ministry and how it can be applied in various ways
using the tools provided in Simple Discipleship.
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Bibliography
Allin, Dana. Simple Discipleship: Grow Your Faith, Transform Your Community. Colorado
Springs, Colorado: NavPress Publishing Group, 2019.
Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Colorado Springs, Colorado:
NavPress; Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2014.
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