From Transformation Tracker to Discipleship Pathway

Time Line of Discipleship Pathway Development 2014 National Mandate for Discipleship Pathway 2015 (late Spring) – Board of Elders commit to fulfilling mandate and appoint lead Elder to develop approach Decision to use Transformation Tracker as starting point June through October – T.T. process and outcomes 2015 (November) – established a ‘Disciplemaking Working Committee’ comprised of Pastor, 2 Elders and 3 members Who are we as a church?– picture of now Where do we want to be? – vision of the future National Discipleship Team Resources – ‘Pathway to Relational Church Health’; ‘ Welcoming a New Family’; professional resources; other church models 2016 (June) – ‘Evidence of a Mature Disciple’ approved by Board as a working document for discipleship - the Discipleship Team became a formal ministry of the church 5. 2016 (September) – Team began work on how we could move toward our target 6. 2017 (June) – achieved four part Pathway 7. 2017 (November) – presentation to ministry team leads - focus is on ‘alignment’ of what is already happening - follow-up structured conversations with individual team leads 8. 2018 (March) – begin sharing Pathway with congregation

June – October, 2017 Elders complete paper copy of TT survey individually Surveys collected and results collated - comments on separate sheets Results distributed to Elders for prayer and consideration

June – October, 2017 (continued) Elders gather for breakfast, prayer and decision making session Discussion as to meaning of each area – worked to achieve consensus Discussion and vote to decide on strengths (elephant), growth areas (pigs) and not sure (sheep) of our church Each Elder then identified his priorities with coloured sitckers Reasons for choices shared and defended Agreed on top five priorities on which we would focus. (See next four slides for specific results)

Summary of Board of Elders Meeting Saturday, October 3, 2015, 9 a.m. Alliance Church Summary of Board of Elders Meeting Saturday, October 3, 2015, 9 a.m. Transformation Tracker Summary   The following are the consensus results of Strengths (S), Growth Areas (GA) and Not Sures (NS) of topics covered in the Transformation Tracker. The column at the right indicates the priorities Board members attached to the items: primary (P) and secondary (S) Life Transformation 1. Centrality of Gospel (frequency) (S) S x 4 2. Centrality of Gospel (settings) (NS) P x 1 S x 2 3. Equipping Believers (NS) P x 4 S x 4 4. Discipleship Process (GA) P x 4 S x 1 5. Spiritual Vitality (NS) P x 4 S x 1 6. Spiritual Vitality (level) (S) 7. Spiritual Vitality (intentionality) (GA) S x 3

Church Transformation   1. Church Life (characteristics) (S) + (NS) S x1 2. Resiliant Pastoral Leadership (GA) P x 1 S x 2 3. Effective Board Leadership (S) S x 2 4. Future Church Leadership (development) (GA) P x 4 S x 1 5. Future Church Leadership (e.g’s) (NS) S x 1 6. Formal Leadership Training (GA) S x 2 7. Multiplication Initiatives (timing)(GA) S x 1 8. Multiplication Initiatives (focus) (NS) P x 1 9. Ministry to Our Community (GA) P x 2 S x 2 10. People Groups (NS) S x 1 11. Growing Compassion (evidence) (G) + (NS) 12. Addressing Injustice (NS)

World Transformation   1. Congregational Engagement …Missions (actions) (S) S x 2 2. Lead Pastor On-site Engagement (GA) …Missions 3. Short Term Missions (NS) 4. Financial Partnership…GAF (S) 5. Seamless Link Agreement (GA) S x 1

Evaluation of Results (consensus priorities) strong indications for better communication and intentionality run through the results according to the placement of our priority stickers, the Board would focus its energy and resources on: equipping believers to explain the basis of their hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15); developing a discipleship process that is a continual growth in one’s relationship with Jesus Christ in a way that reflects His Lordship, presence and power in us; increasing our spiritual vitality so that we give ourselves fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ through the filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit; developing future church leaders who have been identified as showing evidence of gifts and/or calling for ministry; and ministering to our community by defining our geographic area and the people groups and needs there.

Next Steps (This is where creating a ‘pathway’ became feasible) The following observations are presented to provide direction to our discussion as we move forward: Given the overarching nature of the discipleship process, several of the other priorities will be addressed and incorporated as the process is developed; While we do not want to make it a ‘program’, there needs to be a stated goal (vision statement?) with markers that indicate movement toward the goal (e.g. Sonlife ‘Making Healthy Disciples); and, The process, or ‘pathway’ needs to have identified content that is cohesive and supportive of a disciple’s journey. It is suggested: The congregation be informed of this initiative; a working group comprised of the pastor, interested Board members and church members (team leads?) be established to continue developing a discipleship process.

Alliance Church Discipleship Team (Working group established in November, 2015; formalized as a permanent ministry of the church in June, 2016)   Biblical Basis              Phil. 2: 12-16    ‘…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…" Purpose To enable, encourage, and equip the discipling ministries of the church. Vision       Help those ministries focus on the goal of developing deepened individual and corporate relationships with God as described in ‘Characteristics of a Mature Disciple'. (agreed upon by working group by June, 2016) Mission  To develop, review and revise Ritson Road’s Discipleship Pathway by:            intentionally contacting, praying for, mentoring and training leaders of the discipling ministries already in place; encouraging prayerful consideration, development and implementation of other ministries that would address the development of mature disciples; developing a tool (sign posts) to assess our progress toward the goal of disciple making; providing support through promotion, resources and finances as we explore disciple making opportunities in large and small group settings and individual relationships.

Four Aspects of Our Pathway (achieved in June, 2017) The four aspects of our Pathway are outlined briefly. Who we want to be as described by the ‘Characteristics of a Mature Disciple’ What we do to grow as outlined in the ‘Opportunities’ How we know we are growing using the questions listed in ‘Assessment’. Tools to help us move forward found in ‘Resources’

Our Discipleship Pathway is about ALIGNMENT – bringing our target, disciples making disciples who disciple’ into focus.

Final Thoughts ‘Change occurs on the waves of prayer and talk.’ Takes time – need to be patient – requires a great deal of listening and reflection – ‘in order to be understood, we first must seek to understand’ Will not be a cut and dried process – will be messy – found the area of discipleship all encompassing, broad, multi-faceted – more questions as we move forward Process needs to invite participation and ownership – grows out of new understandings and insights Plan for changes and turns along the way – give time to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit It is a culture change – new expectations, new language, new perspective Expect results to be unique to your church ‘True fellowship flows out of a common task for the Kingdom.’ - our understanding and relationship with each other deepened