Grow

What is discipleship?
A disciple is a follower, learner or apprentice, or someone who actually puts into practice what he or she has learned. There is a difference between believing and following. Jesus said to people who believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31). A disciple of Jesus is someone who learns and practices his words, and who actually becomes Christ-like. The reward is growth, or spiritual transformation: “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). Following the words of Jesus is walking the talk. You might even call it dancing. A word often used to describe God is the Greek perichoresis, which means to dance around – Father, Son and Holy Spirit moving, giving, receiving in a dynamic dance of love. Discipleship is joining the dance.

How do we grow?
One of the most common reasons we fail to keep news resolutions is this: We try to do it alone. When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, they followed together. From a Biblical point of view, discipleship is never a individual thing. The context in which we keep the covenant is community. It’s usually a smaller community, where we can actively know, love, encourage, support, challenge and hold one another accountable to God’s word. It’s where real life change happens, where we keep the covenant. So, we invite you to join a small discipleship group, or to create a new one, where you consistently learn scripture together with some other disciples, and watch God give the growth.

How can I participate?
There are a number of opportunities to join a discipleship group, some of which are listed below. We invite you to try out an existing small group, or to start one with a few other people. Our Discipleship Coordinator, Jill VanderWal, will be glad to help you find a group or start a new one. You can contact Jill at jvanderwal@firstpres.org or 206-624-0644.

Children and Youth Groups (Sunday morning)
Women’s Bible Study (Wednesday night)
Men’s Bible Study (Wednesday night)
Sunday Morning Bible Study (Sunday morning)
Apprentice Group (Wednesday night)
Women’s Circles (monthly)
Adult Ministry (Friday morning)
Bible Study Fellowship (Monday night)