Faith Development Team Plans for Disciple-Making at Brighton First

Brighton First's Faith Development Team is creating an intentional plan for disciple-making at Brighton First. At its latest meeting, the group discussed discipling programs at other churches and what would work best at Brighton First.

They are developing a three-prong plan. Discovery Groups will serve as an introduction for new people to Brighton First. Study groups will be available for those who appreciate the student aspect of discipleship. The third will be life groups/home groups that serve in the "relationship building" aspect of discipleship.

The team agreed that it will take the formation of more small groups to build lasting relationships at the church. Groups may be assigned by region, by age group or by life circumstances. The team will prepare the church for an November 2015 all-church study Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels. Small group leaders will be trained for the event.

The team discussed the need for congregational assessment tools, one to see what types of small group settings will work best and another to assess where individuals are on their spiritual journeys. 

The team spent time discussing the availability of adult classes on Sunday morning and what class offerings would be effective. Possible Sunday morning opportunities include a men's Bible study, a class on Methodism and John Wesley, and a group for sermon discussion with follow up questions. Another possibility is to offer a Sunday brunch group with rotating topics, which might include a FAQ session about the church, a tour of the facility, sermon discussion and/or a brief time with clergy.

The Wednesday night program, Crossroads, has seen a decline in attendance in the last few years. The Faith Development Team believes that the ideal would be to see classes and small groups available every night of the week, some at the church and others in the community or in homes.

Please pray for the Faith Development Team as they continue their work. Members of the team are Loretta Job, John Phillips, Amy Steffans, Verne Hoshal, Suzanne Everett, Hilary Bott, and Karen Wagg.

Look forward to a small group experience with the November all-church study, Just Walk Across the Room