TOOLS FOR LAY MINISTRY

The Core Process:H.O.P.E.Transfo rmat iona l D isc ip lesh ipTHINK INTERGENERATIONALLY!

God is actively present in the lives of all members of the Body of Christ. Our children and youth are all called to and

engaged in the core process of H.O.P.E.

For age specific resources, and for more information about the H.O.P.E. process, visit our website at

WWW.GBOD.ORG

FOR MORE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON LAY MINISTRY, CONTACT:

Jodi L. CataldoDirector of Laity in Leadership

jcataldo@gbod.org

Hospitality:Proclaim the gospel, seek, welcome and gather persons into the body of Christ.

What would happen if your congregation began to pray, “Send us the people no one else wants?” or “Help us receive the people you are sending to us?”

Purpose:Nurture persons in Christian living through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley’s Christian conferencing.

What would happen if your congregation began to meet in small groups and developed relationships through the practice of spiritual disciplines?

Engagement: Send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel.

What would happen if your congregation began to develop relationships in the community with local schools, with persons living in poverty, with health care facilities?

Opportunity: Lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

What would happen if you took John Wesley seriously and began to “Offer them Christ” as they became part of the fellowship of your congregation?

WHAT’S YOUR CORE PROCESS?The core process of every local congregation is to offer H.O.P.E. to the community it serves. Using paragraph 122 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, Discipleship Ministries is developing a new model to help set up a discipleship system in local congregations:

We as United Methodists are called to change the world by offering H.O.P.E. with the love of God experienced in and through Jesus Christ. May God bless you and your efforts to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The General Board of DiscipleshipPO Box 340003

Nashville, TN 37203

Hospitality is the offering of Christ to the world. Through hospitality one encounters and responds to the call of God, and finds a sense of belonging among the Church body by seeing Christ in us. Hospitality involves respect, provision of needs, protection, entertainment, and treatment of the guest (both strangers and friends) as an equal.

DISCIPLESHIP PATH:

• Finding Christ in others who model discipleship and exhibit unconditional love

• Developing relationships• Exploring the Good News• Result of outreach/community networking• Experiencing transformational evangelism• Finding a sense of belonging

RESOURCES/POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT:

• Journey 101 Course: “Knowing God” (Church of the Resurrection)

• ALPHA Course• Walk to Emmaus/Chrysalis/Face to Face• Fun activities to build relationships and a sense of

belonging• Welcoming Ministry 101• Intergenerational Opportunities

Opportunity is the surrender of self to Christ. By providing opportunity for growth in personal holiness and discipleship we are embodying the Call, building our relationship with Christ and others, and exhibiting “Christ-likeness” in our behavior. Opportunity is given for the Called to form his/her identity as a Christian through practice of spiritual disciplines and foundational learning—allowing Christ to work in the individual to form, and inform.

DISCIPLESHIP PATH:

• Personal spiritual formation• Building of relationships with Christ and others• Becoming theologically informed• Exhibiting faith through behavior• Forming identity as a Christian

RESOURCES/POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT:

• Disciple I Course• Journey 101 Course: “Loving God” (Church of the

Resurrection)• Lay Servant Ministries BASIC Course• Small Group Involvement• Academy for Spiritual Formation• Bible Study & Prayer Journals• Baptism: Understanding God’s Gift• By Water and the Spirit• Confirmation

Purpose is the preparation and equipping for Christ’s service. By nurturing and equipping the Called we are making disciples through learning what it means to live out our belief, deepening our relationship with Christ and others, digging deeper into the Word, understanding how to use our spiritual gifts for service—practicing engagement which is transformational evangelism.

DISCIPLESHIP PATH:

• Learning to live out belief• Deepening relationships with Christ and others• Understanding of spiritual gifts and how to use them

for service• Digging deeper in the Word• Involvement in small groups• Practicing transformational evangelism• Engaging in opportunities for service• Practicing spiritual disciplines

RESOURCES/POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT:

• Lay Servant Ministries Advanced Courses• Journey 101 Course: “Serving God” (Church of the

Resurrection)• Covenant Discipleship Groups for adults and children• Small Group Involvement/Leadership• SOULFeast• Pockets• Involvement in service ministries• Christian Home Month• Age Appropriate Faith Formation

Engagement is reaching out to offer hospitality to the stranger, inviting him/her into the fellowship of the Body. Through engagement we connect gifts with ministry opportunities, develop leaders, and empower disciples to go out and make other disciples by engaging in relationships that build the Body of Christ. When we engage the Called we are reaching out and inviting new persons to experience the hospitality of the Body. Thus H.O.P.E. cycles back around.

DISCIPLESHIP PATH:

• Understanding of mutuality in mission and ministry• Living out God’s call in outreach and service • Engaging fully in corporate worship• Using spiritual gifts for service• Mentoring others in discipleship• Being faithful in stewardship• Leading small groups• Engaging in, and building, relationships in the

community that build the Body of Christ• Understanding of expressed vs. presumed needs

RESOURCES/POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT:

• Lay Servant Ministries• Local Church/District/Annual Conference Leadership• UM Volunteers in Mission/Individual Volunteers• Local Social Ministries• Congregational Care Ministry• Joining God’s Mission• Mission InSite• Children’s Fund for Christian Mission

EngagementPurposeOpportunityHospitality