Discipleship

Laboring in the lives of a few with the intention of imparting one's life, the gospel, and God's Word in such a way as to see them become mature and equipped followers of Christ, committed to doing the same in the lives of others.

Because Jesus calls us to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). During His ministry on earth, Jesus invested deeply in a few men—loving, teaching, and equipping them. We desire to follow His example.

1.    Fill out an interest form. The form lets us know a little about you, which helps us connect you to a leader whose group is meeting at a time and location that works for you.

2.   Wait to hear from a leader. We do not assign groups. We will introduce you to a leader who is forming a new group or has space in a current group. We encourage you to talk with men you know at Perimeter to find out about potential openings in their discipleship groups.

3.    Meet with a leader face-to-face. This gives you both an opportunity to get to know one another. You can find out more about the leader's group and he can learn what you are looking for in a group as well.

4.    Pray and decide. After meeting with a leader, please take a little time to think and pray about whether to commit to the group.

5.    After you have committed to a group you will receive an email with the registration form. Once women have registered, you'll receive a link for childcare registration.

Since joining a discipleship group is a relational process and most groups start in September, it is ideal for us to receive interest forms as early as possible - ideally between May and July.

This happens sometimes for a variety of reasons—it could be that your schedules didn't coordinate or that the group wasn't a fit for your stage of life. We will do our best to connect you to another leader. You can always get in touch with us if you have questions during the process.

It is most likely you will hear from a leader sometime between mid-July through early-September as that is when most leaders are ready to form their groups or add to current groups. We still encourage you to fill out your interest form as early as possible because we will start connecting people as soon as leaders are ready to reach out. Please contact us anytime if you would like to know where we are in the process - we are happy to talk with you.

Groups typically meet for about 90 minutes to two hours, and it takes about one to two hours to go through the curriculum on your own each week. Because discipleship is "life on life," leaders will also meet with group members one-on-one on occasion, and groups may decide to get together informally for fellowship or to serve together.

While the Journey curriculum provides structure, the group time is very relational and interactive. The majority of the group is spent going over the lesson, sharing personal application, and prayer.

The discipleship year typically follows the school year calendar, with a few months off each summer. A suggested weekly schedule will be posted at the beginning of each discipleship year.

Groups meet formally once a week at various times, Sunday through Friday, either in the morning or in the evening. It is based on what works best for each group. They generally meet 90 minutes to two hours.

Groups either meet at Perimeter or in a group member's home.

*We have a few groups that meet every other week to allow for this commitment. These groups are for full-time working moms who are juggling a work schedule along with children, yet desire to have community, grow, and be equipped.

Most groups use The Journey curriculum, which covers a wide range of topics, such as Gospel Living, Grace Commitments, Knowing God, Marriage, Parenting, and Christian Worldview. Each lesson includes these key elements: Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, and Supplication (T.E.A.M.S. ©).

Childcare is available from 9:20 - 11:45 AM for a fee for groups that meet at the church on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. You'll receive a childcare registration link after you are confirmed in a group and registered.

Discipleship groups differ from Bible studies. Below are some of the key differences to help you decide whether or not a Journey group is the best fit for this season of life.

Discipleship (LOLMD) group at Perimeter:

· Long-term (one year at a time)

· Time commitment: prepare for lesson, come to weekly meeting, spend time with leader outside of meeting, attend workshops on occasion

· Focused on daily walk with God, applying the Word, sharing hearts and lives, becoming equipped to invest in others

· Deep relationships with a few

Bible studies at Perimeter:

1.     Short-term (6-12 weeks)

2.     Time commitment: prepare for lesson and come to weekly meeting

3.     Focused on learning specific topic or book of the Bible and being encouraged in your walk

4.     Get to know other ladies in the church
 

Both discipleship groups and Bible studies will help you grow closer to the Lord in community. We would love to discuss with you what would be best for you.