The Discipleship Clutch

I can't believe it's already May.  Micah is almost 4 months old; Justice is dancing and singing all over the house and yard.  We've completed the screened in lanai (pictures coming!) to help expand our space for our family of four, bought a ticket for my sisters wedding in Oct. (Richmond and Nashville here I come), and we've been busy focusing our ministry here in Kona.  About a month ago, I noted three ministry spheres that have emerged while getting to know the community: Discipleship, Leadership Training, and Community Development.

I want to focus on Discipleship briefly in what follows.  Frankly, discipleship is the backbone of the church.  The call of the Christian is one of faithful obedience to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When we intentionally make disciples, the church will thrive and the Kingdom of God will break-in.  We believe that discipleship paves the road of revival.  Jesus spent 3 years heavily investing his life in 12 people.  For KCN, this gives us an indication of both the importance of and commitment to a small group of people over a longer duration of time.  But we also note that discipleship is circular.  We are not only disciples of Jesus, but, like Paul the Apostle, are called to have others follow us in the way of discipleship.  Kona Coast Nazarene has created a unique curriculum, mindful of this context, for calling and making disciples.  It's called a Discipleship Clutch.  Joy and I are currently participants and intend to lead our first Clutch in the middle of the summer.  In fact, every participant of a Clutch is encouraged/trained to lead one of their own.  We do this because discipleship must be duplicated.

A Discipleship Clutch is different than most discipleship material.  It isn't a book study, prayer meeting, or support group; though there is a printed guide, plenty of prayerful discernment, and certainly a group that supports one another.  A Discipleship Clutch, over a 52 week span, teaches the basics of discernment: learning to hear and obey the voice of God in community.  Joy and I are currently going through a Clutch together, and can attest to the value of submitting to the process of intentionally hearing and obeying.  And, we're really excited about who God has planned for the Discipleship Clutch we intend to lead.

Joy and I have been praying through and over the relationships we're building in both our church community and outside her walls.  Would you please pray with us for our potential disciples, that God would make them known to us, begin preparing their hearts even now, and that they would be receptive to our presence in their life?  If you're willing to do this, please let us know.  It will encourage us deeply to know this kind of support exists.  Thank you.