“Where Is It Written?” A Discipleship Proposal for Life Covenant Church

The following doctoral project aims to enhance discipleship formation within the context of adult ministries at Life Covenant Church by emphasizing the study of Scripture as the primary spiritual discipline for making fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The church envisions itself as making disciples that are deeply rooted in biblical teaching and values, promoting Christian maturity, while understanding the freedom Christians have in Christ. Life Covenant Church is uniquely positioned to ask the question that began their denomination: “Where is it Written?” Part One will examine both the local community and the specific characteristics of Life Covenant Church. Demographic information will be discussed as it pertains to both the church’s location in Helena, MT, and the impact of recent transitions experienced within the church. Specific to this chapter, there will be an introduction to the adult ministries of the church. This paper will then evaluate biblical and theological material relevant to the topic of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Beginning with a survey of contemporary literature, a brief discussion on both recent and historical ministry practices will also be mentioned. The last section will examine the specific theological themes necessary to proceed in this proposal. Understanding the message of Jesus and training to live the mission of God’s Kingdom will become the foundation by which all other suggestions are made. Finally, this paper will suggest the necessary steps to implement the study of Scripture as the primary spiritual discipline for discipleship making at Life Covenant Church. The adult ministries discussed in this project include Christian education, smaller groups, and congregation assimilation. Ultimately, however, personal transformation in the program will be the main emphasis, remembering that the goal is to form more fully-devoted followers who live intentionally for eternity. Content Reader: Tim Morey, DMin Wor