What is my SHAPE as a Disciple?
Welcome to the blog space of the Alliance of Reformed Churches. In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been continuing to grow and develop who we are along with welcoming partner congregations. Just this week 20 congregations from California to Pennsylvania, who have applied to join, had congregational votes supervised by their denomination, and who have joined or expect to join the Alliance after their release at the fall classical gatherings, were accepted into the Alliance.
As we’re growing in partner congregation numbers, we’re also growing by learning from those congregations about their journey, their ministry and what they are doing right now to grow as followers of Christ. This learning has us thinking about our future around equipping, encouraging and empowering congregations. So, we’re taking some first steps to introduce you to what we are calling “preferred providers.” These are folks with reformed theology who provide contract ministry services to individual congregations and their leaders. Over the next few blogs, we want to introduce you to Jeff Allen and his Thrive Coaching Network. Each week, we’ll present a leader testimony adn Thrive Coaching Network contributed that journey. Finally, we’ll offer you links that you can follow to “dive in” and discover what Thrive offers.
We believe God has called us to provide introductions between congregations seeking to follow God more fully and people who have the calling to help them follow that calling. Let’s take our first steps together as we hear and are challenged by what God is doing in the ministry of Jeff Allen. As you read these, feel free to send feedback to Dan Ackerman about whether these blogs are helpful and how we can serve you further as we think about and develop a “preferred provider” approach to ministry.
TESTIMONIAL | Wendell, Idaho
Gary Westra is the Lead Pastor at New Life Community Church in Wendell, Idaho.
A few years ago, I joined a coaching huddle because I was struggling with a holy dissatisfaction with how we were making disciples in the local church. The systems for discipleship seemed to be lacking in seeing integrated lives of faith. I needed some new tools, and this group led by Jeff Allen from the Thrive Coaching Network helped equip me to build a disciple-making culture.
Fast-Forward to today, we are celebrating 12 leaders who are being equipped by the elders with his guidance on the side. Wait, there’s more because … another group of disciple-making leaders is already scheduled for the fall.
We celebrate that disciple-making leader development is happening at New Life Community Church! Praise God!
Read more of Gary’s story here.
DIVE DEEPER
Take the online Disciple Self-Assessment – a free tool from the Thrive Coaching Network to help you identify your SHAPE and to consider what might be your next step as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Tap the button below to receive a link to the Disciple Self-Assessment tool. Tap the video to hear Jeff Allen share a few insights about this free tool. Interested in learning more? Drop Jeff Allen an email at jallen@thrive3.org.
Where am I as a Disciple?
Learn about how the Self-Assessment tool can help you better understand how to grow as a disciple of Jesus.