Introducing the New City Discipleship Pathway!
Dear Church,
A new ministry season is upon us!
As people transition from summer to fall, and students and teachers head back to school, there is excitement and energy (some nervous) in the air. Churches are normally at their largest in the fall, with college and university students arriving, medical fellowships and residencies starting, new people moving in, etc. Here at New City, it is time for all of our discipleship ministries to regroup. Namely, Intermission Groups, New City Kids, New City Youth, New City Young Adults, Women’s Discipleship, and New City Men are all regrouping and relaunching for another season.
So, what is the deal with all these discipleship groups?
The word “discipleship” never appears in the Bible, but the word “disciple” appears hundreds of times. Making disciples was at the heart of Jesus’s plan for the church (Mat 28:19-20). The early church devoted itself to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42) and grew rapidly (6:7). Jesus speaks of those who do not mature because they are consumed by life’s worries, riches, and pleasure (Lk 8:14). The Apostle Paul makes clear that Christ gave pastors and teachers to equip the church for the goal of becoming mature in Christ (Eph 4:11-16).
Discipleship is clearly a big deal for God. So, how have we discipled people so far?
Here is our existing discipleship model:
We are here to know God, be God’s people, and engage in God’s Work until we reach wholeness in Christ. Discipleship does not just happen in formal learning situations. It happens as we spend times alone with God, as we sing and pray together in corporate worship, as we use our gifts, time, and energy to serve others, and as we gather in the church, in coffee shops and in people’s homes to study the Bible together. All this still holds true, and it was a good plan. In addition to Sunday mornings, we offered small groups (“Intermission groups”) and summer discipleship groups to help people grow in their faith.
However, the plan lacked a few things.
First, it lacked a clear, natural entry point and a way to track your progress. We want anyone—from someone with zero church experience to a faithful, spiritually mature saint—to enter the discipleship pathway and be able to identify where they are every step of the way.
Second, there were limits to how people could join the discipleship groups. We relied heavily on Intermission Groups and Summer Discipleship Groups, and that worked OK. But given people’s busy lives and unpredictable summer schedules, it always felt like we were fighting the tide. We needed more and different options for discipleship.
Third, the model lacked predictability. People were not always clear about what discipleship groups were being offered and when.
Here, then, are the foundational principles for a revamped discipleship pathway that addresses these deficiencies and more.
Foundational Principles
1. Training for every stage
Hebrews 5:12-13
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
Not everyone starts at the same place in discipleship, and not everyone progresses at the same rate. The revamped pathway answers the question, “What does a person need at X stage of their spiritual development?” We want to help a person mature from having no faith to being able to teach and mentor others in the gospel.
In year 0, before someone comes to faith, we will offer an introduction to Christianity group (Introductions 1 or I1). If the Lord brings them to faith, we will guide them through an introduction to discipleship group called Life with Jesus (I2). In the first year of discipleship after someone comes to faith, we believe they need to learn how to pray (Foundations 1 or F1), how to read the Bible (F2), how to see Christ in all Scriptures (F3), etc. In the second and third years of discipleship, we want people to understand how to integrate their faith and work (E2), how to share their faith (E4), how people change (E6), etc. The final category of discipleship groups is “Applications,” what we need at various stages of discipleship, as well as our particular gifts and passions. For example, we will offer groups that study gospel-centered marriage, singleness, and parenting (A1, A2, A3). Other groups will instruct people in gospel-centered teaching (A6), soul care (A8), and biblical theology (A10 & A11).
The pathway follows a trackable and predictable completion cycle. Once the program is fully implemented, a person could theoretically complete the pathway between 4 and 6 years. Realistically, however, it will likely take between 6 and 8 years.
2. Spirit-filled community
Acts 2:42, 46
they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, … day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes”
Ephesians 2:21
being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord
We believe discipleship and spiritual growth happen best in Spirit-filled, tightly-bound communities of commitment. So, every discipleship group will be community-oriented, committed to mutual encouragement, prayer, and the study of God’s Word. A discipleship culture without Spirit-filled community may produce knowledgeable individuals, but it will not become a community of grace and humility, where hearts are transformed and Christ is honoured.
3. Gospel-centered
Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
The gospel alone has the power to save, not just the unbeliever, but those who have walked for many years in the faith. No one ever “graduates” from the gospel. It is the power to save at every stage of the Christian life. That is why every discipleship group must ground its teaching on the gospel of grace, guarding against legalism or license.
4. Goal: Maturity in Christ
Ephesians 4:11-14
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
The goal of the discipleship pathway is maturity in the fullness of Christ, marked by stability when we are assailed by false teaching, tragedy, or loss. We will never reach full, sinless maturity in our lifetime, but we expect every Christian to “strive … for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14).
Mature believers are also marked by a desire to mentor and teach those who are younger in faith. As you can see in the picture below, we fully expect those who are growing in Christ-likeness to be involved in the discipling of the next generations.
5. Flexible
People are busy and often have little margin, so discipleship groups will be delivered in a variety of ways to make it easier for people to access them. These include intermission groups (most widely open and accessible), adult Sunday School, summer groups, men & women groups, weekend intensives, and leadership training groups. We maintain that regular participation in the sacraments, sermons, and the corporate worship of God’s people will always remain an essential part of discipleship at every stage of our development.
But where do New City Kids, New City Youth, and other such ministries fit in?
Age and stage ministries will provide age-and-stage-appropriate discipleship pathways that emulate the churchwide discipleship pathway.
New City Kids (children’s ministry), New City Youth, and New City Young Adults are “feeder groups” that are intended to help propel young people into mature Christian adulthood, and are by nature transitional.
New City Men and Women’s Discipleship will offer parallel and complementary pathways to the Discipleship Pathway, but will focus on the unique opportunities and challenges of manhood and womanhood. Their gatherings will include all the key markers of New City discipleship groups: God’s Word, encouraging friendship, and prayer-filled accountability.
For the fall of 2025, our Intermission Groups will be learning how to pray (Foundations 1) by studying the Lord’s Prayer, using Tim Chester’s study guide of the same name. In September and October, we will also be encouraging everyone to join a three-part adult Sunday School called Simple Evangelism in a Skeptical World (Essentials 4). On Oct 28, Nov 12, and Nov 27, we will be hosting a three-part outreach event called Big Questions, where we will address three big questions that people are asking, namely, “Why is there so much suffering in the world?” “What is the secret to happiness?” and “Are all religions basically the same?” These events are meant to prepare non-Christians for an Introductions 1 group in early 2026.
Now that you know more about the new Discipleship Pathway, here is what we are asking of you!
1. Jump aboard! No matter how mature we are, we all have room for spiritual growth. We are asking every member and regular attender of New City to embrace the pathway with us. You may not be able to commit to everything that’s being offered, but please commit to something.
2. Please be patient with us as we adjust the nuts and bolts of the discipleship pathway. The implementation process will take some time, and the model will likely undergo some modifications.
3. Please pray for your elders, staff, small group leaders, and other teachers and facilitators as they lead the groups. Pray for wisdom, spiritual insight, and the Shepherd’s love for God’s people.
4. Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a teacher or facilitator. You don’t have to be fully convinced in your mind yet. Let’s just start the conversation.
It is important to thank two people in particular who helped shape the discipleship pathway, Connan Kublik and Josiah Ling. Without their partnership, input, and encouragement, the new discipleship pathway would have never seen the light of day. Thank you so much, guys!
And thank you, church, for your love and support as we roll out this model. We are very excited to share this plan with you and even more excited to start implementing it. We pray that the Lord will use this humble attempt at discipleship to raise up many godly, mature men and women, boys and girls, who live fruitful lives in honor of Christ.
To Him be the glory!
Moses,
on behalf of your Session & Staff
