DEVELOPING
DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAMME
Introductory booklet
Developing Discipleship Programme Welcome to the Developing Discipleship Programme Introductory Booklet. It aims to explain the process at a local level and is written for parish clergy - and outlines the diocesan framework in which Bishop Christopher is inviting all mission communities to participate.
Mission Statement: The Developing Discipleship Programme is the key framework in our diocesan strategy for engaging with mission communities to grow healthy, vibrant and sustainable churches to transform lives in greater Lincolnshire.
To discuss how the DDP can work in your own mission community, please contact the Discipleship Team ddp@lincoln.anglican.org Tel : 01522 504080 1
Invitation from Bishop Christopher Dear friends Our diocese is on an exciting and challenging journey of growth - growth of numbers regularly engaging with their parish church, growth of the good work the church does in the community, and growth of the commitment of each individual churchgoer to follow Jesus Christ. Our personal commitment to be, as my predecessor Bishop Edward King said, more Christ-like Christians, is one of the toughest challenges we can set ourselves. It’s also one of the most rewarding, and it’s a challenge for us all, whether we’re a new member of the church or the Bishop of Lincoln. The Developing Discipleship Programme is designed as a step-by-step guide for individuals, parishes and parish clergy towards being what God calls us to be - faithful in worship, confident in discipleship and joyful in service. On the journey, we will learn more about ourselves, more about each other, more about the world and more about God’s love for each one of us. With every good wish,
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Programme Introduction What is the developing discipleship programme? The developing discipleship programme (DDP) helps churches to grow by considering and identifying what they are doing and why. It is based on a nationally recognised process used in many dioceses. The DDP is long term; each cycle has a five year focus with focussed reflection at the end of each year. We have used the image of a tree to demonstrate the different stages of the programme and our priority for growth. Growth can happen in many ways. In our diocese the focus is on growth in faithful worship, confident discipleship and joyful service, which we trust will lead to growth in numbers of people coming to worship God. Who is the developing discipleship programme for? This diocesan-wide programme is a whole church process. The support of the parish priest and ministry team is vital to effective planning in mission communities. For those in vacancy additional support will be needed and you should contact your archdeacon before undertaking the DDP. However, for parishes anticipating a clergy vacancy, the DDP process can help clarify the vision of the mission community, and identify the skills their next incumbent will need. Everyone in the church community has a role to play in the DDP. PCCs do some specific work on identifying priorities. After initial reflection and planning, you will produce a growth plan for your mission community that will form the basis for your annual reflection. A copy of your plan should be sent to the discipleship team to help the diocese plan appropriate long term support for parishes. How to get involved in the developing discipleship programme This booklet aims to explain the process of the Developing Discipleship Programme at a local level. We have developed four different ways in which you can join in with the DDP in your mission community, as follows: • • • •
DDP Accompanied: a fully supported process DDP Lite: a more accessible introduction DDP Locally Led: a 6 week course run by your local ministry team DDP Locally Engaged: appropriate support for parishes already engaged in the reflection, planning, action cycle
In each of these, in different ways, our Developing Discipleship Advisors will work with you and your church community.
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Contents
1. Vocation and Values
2.Prayer
3. Vision
4. Goals and Priorities
5. Action
6. Reflection
7. Celebration
1. Vocation and Values
The soil in which the discipleship tree is growing represents the context of your mission community. Listening to God, your local community and each other is how we begin to understand our context. This is a vital part of the Developing Discipleship Programme. Here are some ideas to try to help you listen deeply: Listening to God • Use the Developing Discipleship Programme prayer in your personal prayers and in prayers in church. • Prayer walk around your parish. Developing the habit of prayer walking enables us to see our neighbourhoods as Christ might see them and respond to them as disciples. Listening to each other • Ask yourself what is the main difference you think this church makes to your community? • What are we already doing? • To whom is your church Good News? • Are there specific needs in your local area at the moment? Psalm 1:3 [the blessed] are like trees by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
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Listening to your local community • Look at your parish spotlight data - your parish priest will have a copy • Gather basic statistics about your parish. Are there plans for the area to change? • Make a collection of articles of interest from your local newspapers • Ask your friends and neighbours who don't go to church what they think is the main difference the church makes to your community? • Ask a local shop if you can leave simple questionnaires about the role of the church, and a collecting box for responses. Include a question - is there anything you would like us to pray for? Make sure you collect these prayers and pray them! • Think about what it feels like to live in your parish. What are the pluses and minuses? How would you describe your area in five words? When you have listened to your context as it is today, you will have a clearer understanding of the vocation of your church in your community. This will form the basis of your Vocation Statement, which explains what your parish church is for in your community. Also, thinking together about your values will help you understand how you work as a mission community.
Jesus listened and responded to others. Mark 10:51 Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The Developing Discipleship Advisors can run events to help all the congregation to reflect on its vocation and values.
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2. Prayer
The developing discipleship programme is rooted in prayer and a desire to hear and respond to how God is calling the church to grow in your community. All growth comes from God. Without prayer authentic growth won’t happen. You might like to form a parish prayer group committed to praying for the developing discipleship programme within your mission community and the diocese. Here is a prayer for you to use: God of our ancestors your call to Jesus's first disciples is a call to us too. As we prepare to take part in the developing discipleship programme give us faith to discern your will for our communities and empower us to be confident in our response. Nurture us through our prayer, listening and reflecting. Give us joy in our planning, acting and celebrating. So that together we may grow in discipleship and help others to hear your call through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Luke 6:12,13 Now during those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came he called his disciples; and chose twelve of them. At the beginning of the programme a member of the Discipleship Team will join you for worship and preach about discipleship.
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3. Vision God’s calling to your church
The trunk of the discipleship tree represents the direction of God’s call to the church within your community. When you have listened deeply to your church’s context it is time to look ahead. Where is God calling you to be in five years time? Your Vision Statement is developed in response to that call. Your Vision Statement will aim to be inspiring and memorable. Your Vision Statement will help people know how you understand God’s vision for the Church in their community, and that you are working towards that vision. You might like to publish your Vision Statement in your local paper or in the village news. A good Vision Statement helps you prioritise clearly, and lays the foundation for the next stage: discerning priorities and goals.
Acts 2: 16,17 Peter spoke to the crowd: No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” The Developing Discipleship Advisors can run a Vision Event to help all the congregation to listen to where God is calling your church to grow in the next five years.
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4. Goals and Priorities
The branches of the discipleship tree represent your goals and priorities. These are identified after listening to your context and discerning God’s call to your church in the next five years. Your Vision Statement will help you discern a small number of goals and identify priorities you need to undertake in order to achieve them. By referring to your vision statement regularly you will keep focussed on your chosen priorities. You will also be clear about what you are not going to do. The diocesan priorities of faithful worship, confident discipleship and joyful service should shape your goals. If there are several churches in your mission community you may have separate goals and priorities for each. The goals arising from your Vision Statement will be “SMART” S — Specific M — Measurable A — Achievable R — Resourced T — Timed When the goals have been agreed by the PCC, the Growth Plan for your church, or group of churches, can be sent into the Discipleship Team and the actions are undertaken! Luke 14:28 Jesus said : “For which of you , intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?”
The Developing Discipleship Advisors can also help you identify goals and priorities.
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5. Action
The leaves and fruit in the discipleship tree represent the actions undertaken by your church. Together you will know who is doing what, and why, and by when, and how it relates to the church’s vision. As the action gets underway, let people know what is going on • Why not have a regular slot in the parish magazine? • Put the DDP on the PCC agenda regularly • Pray for specific work in the intercessions • Encourage your ministry team to reflect theologically in worship on faithful worship, confident discipleship and joyful service through the year • Have a DDP notice board displaying your growth plan and the actions you have identified
Luke 13:18-20 Jesus said “ What is the kingdom of God like? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” The Developing Discipleship Advisors can help support your goals with materials, and are available to encourage and support you as the plan gets going.
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6. Reflection
The fallen leaves of the discipleship tree represent the prayerful reflection on your action. The process of prayer and reflection will uphold the programme within the mission community. Regular reflection will help modify specific projects, but after about a year, more thorough reflection is encouraged. Here are some reflection questions: • Where can you see the Holy Spirit at work in the last year? • What successes do you want to celebrate? • What sticking points do you want to reflect on? • What surprises have you experienced? • What would you like to share with other churches across the diocese?
Luke 24 On the road to Emmaus: Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures…. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” At the end of the year someone from the team will be in touch with you to help you reflect on how the year has gone. This is the opportunity to adjust your growth plan for the future.
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7. Celebration
The people in the discipleship tree are engaged in the whole Developing Discipleship Programme process: praying; listening; discerning; prioritising; engaged in action; reflecting and celebrating. At the end of the process of reflection, the fruits of your priorities will be apparent. Celebrate! Looking back over the first year, how will you celebrate what you have done together? • A party? • A special service? • Something new in the church’s Annual Report? • A newsletter for your community or for local contacts?
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The Developing Discipleship Advisors would love to join you in thanking God for your achievements. Invite them to your celebration.
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Further support available 1. Annual reflection event A member of the discipleship team can help you reflect on what you have been doing as a church, and help you plan for the following year. 2. Consultancy and training Members of the diocesan staff can offer in depth support in specific areas. Contact discipleship@lincoln.anglican.org for more details. 3. Good news and good practice Good news features will be included in Crosslincs and on the diocesan website about how other mission communities are responding to God’s call to grow. 4. Transformation fund support As part of the diocesan commitment to the developing discipleship programme we intend to release, over the next five years, £4,000,000 from our historic resources. This is money entrusted to us from previous generations, which we desire to see used to help the Church in our generation grow and flourish again. We are hoping that many, possibly even the majority, of growth plans from mission communities will be self-funded. However if you feel that a grant from the transformation fund would make possible something in your growth plan that otherwise would not be possible, then please contact your archdeacon, who will be able to signpost you to the next stage.
Your notes
‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.’ 1 Corinthians 3.6
This programme has been developed and produced by the Diocese of Lincoln
2015