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Board of Discipleship

The Board of Discipleship exists to provide resources and training to local ministries to assist them in building contextual discipleship processes to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  We foster and promote a holistic approach to disciple-making through Christian education, small-group ministries, camping, retreats, evangelism, stewardship, worship, lay development, spiritual formation, age-level/life-span ministries, leadership education, and other areas as the Annual Conference determines.

  • Assists churches of all sizes in their efforts to win persons to Jesus Christ as his disciples and to help these persons grow in their understanding of God.
  • Assists congregations in building, improving, and sustaining systems that develop spiritual leaders for congregations
  • Promoting Emmaus Ministries to assist churches in developing leaders
  • Provides resources and training that will assist leaders in planning and administering comprehensive age-level ministries 
  • In consultation with the Board of Ordained Ministry, recommend annually to the conference and to the bishop in charge the appointment of general evangelists as provided for in The Book of Discipline.
  • Recognizes clergy, laity, and youth for excellence through the Denman Award and One Matters Award
  • Identify and gather best practices and resources in disciple-making 
  • Make recommendations to local churches for curriculum, materials, and programs resources that would enhance the ministries of the faith communities

Rev. Robin G. BeMiller
Rev. James H. Carey Jr.
Rev. John H. Conway
Mr. Richard B. Dawson
Harriett Darst
Nilse Furtado-Gilliam
Dr. Timothy D. Hazlett – Chairperson
Jennifer Hume
Rev. Michael P. Kendall
Mr. Kevin O. Mooers
Gayle D. Porias
Dr. Susan Schall
Rev. Matthew B. Sergent
Rev. George M. Warner Sr.
Rev. James N. Wishmyer
Mrs. Nancy Yarborough

Staff Members

Mr. Dwayne Stinson

Ms. Becky Tate

Contact Us

Email us at [email protected]

Awards

The Board of Discipleship administers two awards on behalf of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Nominees for the awards are to be submitted by March of every year. The Board will select and award the nominee during the Annual Conference gathers.

The board will also support an additional celebration and recognition at the recipient’s congregation in the fall.

Lifespan Ministries

Conference Youth Council 

Young Adult Council 

Older Adult Council

Resources

Best Practices to Become a Vital Congregation (pdf)

Practical Resources

We have gathered material from many sources to provide what we believe are useful resources for disciple-making.  But we are always on the lookout to add helpful material, so if you find a resource that you believe is worth sharing, please let us know.  And if you find an area we haven’t listed and for which you want resources, let us know that also.

Contact: Board of Discipleship

Click Title to expand
Ins and Outs of Disciple Making

Online Documents, Articles and Websites

  • Connect with Your Neighbors DVD/CD Resource Learn to connect with your
    church’s neighbors through understanding, engagement, and service. This
    resource includes video and PowerPoint presentations you can use for self study
    or with groups in your church as well as supplemental resources to help you
    reach new disciples. (Cost, $75)
    http://www.churchleadership.com/newdisciples/ConnectWithNeighbors.asp
  • Fifty Ways to Build Strength Welcoming New People
    http://www.churchleadership.com/pdfs/50Ways/50_Ways_to_Build_Strength_in_
    Welcoming_New_Pe ople.pdf
  • “Five Types of Church Visitors: Are You Ready for Them?” United Methodist
    Communications
    http://www.umcom.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=mrLZJ9PFKmG&b=6372
    741&ct=11048417
  • Four Ways to Pray for Your Church’s Hospitality Ministry.”
    http://www.evangelismcoach.org/2011/four-avenues-of-praying-for-your-churchshospitality-ministry/
  • Krejcir, Richard. “Implementing Hospitality.”
    http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=42354&colu
    mnid=4545
  •  Vital Congregations- Best Practices, Evangelism
    http://www.umvitalcongregations.org/site/c.btJRL9NSJoL6H/b.7830657/k.3054/E
    vangelism.htm
  • Walker, Chris. “A Hospitality Audit for Your Church”
    http://lcmsed.org/diyFiles/hospitality_audit.pdf

 

Books

  • Am, Charles. Side Door: How to Open Your Church to Reach More People.
    (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2013). ($14.99)
    https://www.amazon.com/Side-Door-Church-Reach-Peopleebook/dp/B00G4AKMX0?ie=UTF8&keywords=side%20door%20how%20to%20r
    each%20people&qid=1465226119&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
  • Anderson, Douglas & Farr, Bob. Get Their Name: Grow Your Church by Building
    Relationships. (Nashville:Abingdon Press, 2013). ($10.19)
    https://www.amazon.com/Get-Their-Name-Building-Relationshipsebook/dp/B00BY710XO?ie=UTF8&keywords=get%20their%20name&qid=14652
    26155&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
  • Maynard, Phil, Membership to Discipleship. (Dr. Phil Maynard, 2015).
    http://emc3coaching.com/store/#!/Membership-to-DiscipleshipBook/p/56490294/category=0 and also Creating a Discipleship Pathway,
    http://emc3coaching.com/store/#!/Creating-a-Discipleship-Pathway-DigitalVersion/p/62169095/category=0
  •  Maynard, Phil, Shift. https://www.amazon.com/Shift-Helping-CongregationsEffective-Ministryebook/dp/B00H30BLZS?ie=UTF8&keywords=membership%20to%20discipleship
    %20phil%20maynard&qid=1465226192&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
  • Weems, Jr., Lovett and Tom Berlin, Overflow (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013).
    https://www.amazon.com/Overflow-Increase-Worship-Attendance-Fruitebook/dp/B00E0TN8A6?ie=UTF8&keywords=overflow%20berlin&qid=14652276
    92&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
  • Weems, Jr., Lovett and Tom Berlin, Bearing Fruit (Nashville: Abingdon Press,
    2011). http://www.amazon.com/Bearing-Fruit-Ministry-ResultsLovett/dp/B00CAYM0HK/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465227721&sr=1
    -2&keywords=bearing+fruit+berlin

 

Video Resources

  • Break the Unseen Barriers That Keep Visitors from Returning
    http://www.churchhospitalitytraining.com/
  • “Five Tips for Welcoming Church Visitors.” United Methodist Communications
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=con0t6n4jgM&noredirect=1
  •  Videos from Virginia Conference Five Talent Academy Evangelism Event, Parts
    1 & 2
    http://www.umcom.org/site/c.mrLZJ9PFKmG/b.3587525/k.44E2/Welcoming_Mini
    stry_Online_Course.htm?utm_source=MyCom&utm_medium=Web&utm_content
    =8-9-11&utm_campaign=Welcoming101
    o http://www.umcom.org/site/c.mrLZJ9PFKmG/b.3587525/k.44E2/Welcomin
    g_Ministry_Online_Course.htm?utm_source=MyCom&utm_medium=Web
    &utm_content=8-9-11&utm_campaign=Welcoming101

 

Small Churches

Worship Design

Online Documents & Articles

 

Books

 

Video Resources

  • Reaching Others through Worship DVD/CD Resource Worship attendance is
    vital to the mission of the church. Through engaging videos, PowerPoint
    presentations, and supplemental materials, this resource provides you with tools
    and strategies to improve your worship attendance. Reaching Others through
    Worship is appropriate for self-study and for use with groups in your church.
    (Cost, $75 for full kit)
    http://www.churchleadership.com/newdisciples/ReachThroughWorship.asp
  • Vital Congregations- Best Practices,
    Worship.http://www.umvitalcongregations.org/site/c.btJRL9NSJoL6H/b.7830665/
    k.D213/Worship.htm
  • “Why Worship Attendance Matters and Clues for Improving It” This 10-minute
    video by Lewis Center Director Lovett H. Weems, Jr., provides an overview of the
    importance of worship attendance and ways you can improve it. While free as an
    online stand alone, it is included in the Reaching Others Through Worship
    Resource. https://vimeo.com/47467057
  • Worship Seminary Channel on YouTube, with John David Walt
    http://www.youtube.com/user/worshipseminary

Small Church Resources

 

Midsized Church Resources

Small Group Formation

Online Documents, Articles, Websites

Books

 

Videos

  • Virginia United Methodist Conference Five Talent Academy Event on Faith Development, February 23, 2013, Mindy Caliguire
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boQH4nYfO1g&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

Other

Mission Work

Online Documents, Articles and Websites

 

Books

Stewardship

Online Documents, Articles and Websites

Real Discipleship Survey

Free Discipleship Maturity Measurement Tool

All churches in the Virginia Conference have access to the Real Discipleship Survey online. This system, designed by Phil Maynard of EMC3 Coaching, offers a way for churches to survey their members’ maturity on six dimensions of the discipleship journey. This service is offered to all VAUMC churches free of charge.

The survey measures: a life of worship, a life of hospitality, a life open to Jesus, a life of obeying Jesus, a life of service, and a life of generosity. Upon taking the survey, participants discover if they are exploring, beginning, growing, or maturing in each of those categories.

Instructions for:
Church Participants (pdf)
Pastors/Administrators (pdf)

To access the Real Discipleship Survey, please click here: www.discipleshipsurvey.com

For church use questions, please contact Dwayne Stinson, [email protected]

For technical issues, please contact Amanda Landry, [email protected]

The Garden, A Discipleship display at the 2022 Annual Conference.

View presentation
Intergenerational Bible Study – Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23 (pdf)

Links to Other Websites

Below are links to other useful sites in our Annual Conference and General Conference as well as to other sites.

General Board of Discipleship http://www.umcdiscipleship.org

Vital Congregations http://www.umvitalcongregations.org

General Board of Global Ministries Website  http://www.umcmission.org

Discipleship Ministries www.umcdiscipleship.org

United Methodist Communications www.umcom.org

Contact the Board of Discipleship

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