Covenant Discipleship Groups

We invite you to join as Christians in small confidential groups of women or men to share life's joys and thanksgivings as well as problems and temptations. We seek the advice and support of each other as we trust in the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. As diciples of Jesus Christ, we covenant with each other to perform certain acts of compassion, justice, devotions and worship that we mtually agree upon from the "Guide of Covenant Discipleship Groups".

Live more fully the Christian life to which you were called, through this Wesleyan model.

John Wesley, Methodism’s founding father, was a practical—not an academic theologian. His thoughts on living a Christian life are summarized by these three rules.

Do no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind.
Do good, as often as you can to as many as you can.
Attend to the ordinances of God (regular worship, study and meditation on Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, family and private prayer, and fasting or abstinence).

Covenant Discipleship groups are a contemporary adaptation of the original Methodist class meetings developed by John Wesley and his brother Charles. These groups embody Wesley’s rules and promote a balance between works of piety and works of mercy, the balance necessary for a healthy (i.e., functional) Christian life in both private and public expression.

The Basics

Covenant Discipleship is a small group ministry in the Wesleyan tradition, the sole purpose for which is mutual support for living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Groups (of up to seven persons) meet weekly for one hour.

The agenda for each meeting is a covenant written by the group based upon the General Rule of Discipleship: To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In their weekly meetings, members “watch over one another in love.” It is within such a loving confidential environment that Covenant Discipleship groups help to form people as dependable and mature disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in discipleship.

The Covenant

A covenant can be seen as a mutually crafted agreement that sets forth the ideals for Christian practice for that particular Covenant Discipleship group. It comprises three parts:

a preamble (a general statement of faith and intention of the group)
required clauses (that guide a group’s directed weekly practice and include acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion)
a closing statement or prayer (reaffirming God’s participation in the group’s purpose)

The Weekly Meeting

Covenant Discipleship groups are leader- directed. Leadership rotates from week to week, the leader acting as a facilitator (not an authority figure). Each member reports on his/her progress and challenges in meeting the goals of their covenant since the last meeting, and group members provide one another encouragement and support for their continuing walk with Christ.

Who Can Join a Group?

Anyone who...

Seeks to live out his/her Christian life more fully
Is willing to commit him/herself to the Covenant Discipleship group process—to “watch over one another in love”

For additional information visit the Covenant Discipleship website .

Contact Rev. Alicia Vanisko with questions or to join a group.