HARRISONBURG, Va. (Mennonite Mission Network) — After a year of working in a pilot program to explore more intentional ways for disciple-making within Racial/Ethnic congregations in Mennonite Church USA, leaders from Mennonite Mission Network are considering the next steps for the Missional Discipleship and Leadership Mentoring Initiative.
Representatives from Mission Network and the Initiative gathered May 16-17 in Harrisonburg, Va., to assess results of the pilot program.
The initiative, developed by Mission Network and Mennonite Hispanic Initiative (MHI) of Virginia Mennonite Missions (VMM), was formed in 2013 to foster a “culture of disciple-making” that could also produce mission-minded leaders from among Racial/Ethnic congregations. It grew out of a desire to partner more intentionally with immigrant and Racial/Ethnic congregations of the Mennonite Church.
The pilot program was created by Christian Service Director Del Hershberger and Mission Network staff and MHI Director Marvin Lorenzana, along with congregational leaders from Racial/Ethnic churches. Lorenzana led the pilot program assessment process.
The program model is simple. Three people decide to become a “relational discipleship” group. This group is formed by one person who is very involved in the church, one who is a regular attender, and one who is just starting. These three people meet weekly to check in about their week, their faith, and to discuss the weekly Scripture reading.
Through these groups, people grow deeper in their faith because the weekly meetings and Scripture encourage people to study their Bible and talk about it regularly.
“The goal is for each person to become more like Jesus every day,” said Lorenzana. Eventually, the group will decide to multiply and form new three-person groups.
Daniel Guillet organized the discipleship groups at Unity Pentecostal Church of God in Miami, Fla. He noticed one young woman who was active in the church, but shy. After about a year of participating in a discipleship group, Guillet saw that she was sharing with others in the group and asking for prayer. Even people from the congregation who were outside of the group noticed her change.
“Everyone is reading the Bible more, and learning and understanding more,” said Guillet.
Six churches (three in Miami, two in New York, one in Harrisonburg) implemented the year-long pilot program. Twenty-two leaders from these churches reported back to Mission Network what they had learned. All of the church leaders agreed that intentional disciple-making is very important work in which all congregations should engage at different levels.
Lorenzana provided regular support for the congregational leaders as they encouraged their congregational groups to keep energized for the initiative. In congregations, it was easy for groups to stop meeting after the excitement of the new program wore off and the daily busyness of people’s lives took over.
At New Song Anabaptist Fellowship, there are people from diverse faith backgrounds, so Basil Marin, pastor of the church, said that the congregation worked hard to come to a common understanding of what it meant to be a disciple and meet in discipleship groups.
“We also had to work against the world’s understanding of immediate benefits, compared to God’s kingdom perspective, which takes time,” said Marin.
All church leaders were enthusiastic about continuing the initiative even after the year ends, Lorenzana said.
“Many churches believe that being missional means to find outlets outside the church where they can plug in their disciples for meaningful service,” Lorenzana said. “Even when this might be necessary, the reality is that a church becomes missional when the true mission of the church, that is, disciple-making, is at the center of who they are.”
Hershberger expressed excitement over hearing stories of spiritual growth.
“People are energized in their walk with Jesus,” Hershberger said. “We also see predominantly white, middle-class congregations searching for a path to a deeper relationship with Jesus and to walk in discipleship with others in an incarnational and relational way.”
He said a lot has been learned from the congregations that participated in the pilot program, and he anticipates the initiative being expanded to include other clusters of churches that want to become part of a movement of “disciples who are making disciples, who are making disciples.”
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
