As those called by Jesus to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19-20), at Parish Church we believe that discipleship is the church’s primary mission.
First of all, discipleship begins with the means of grace – with the word, sacraments, and prayer on Sunday morning. This is the nucleus of Christian discipleship. This is how God creates and nurtures faith in the hearts of His people (Rom. 10:17; Gal. 3:2). This is where God has attached His Gospel promise to raise sinners, young and old, from death to life (Jn 6:25; Acts 2:42; Phil. 4:6-7). By God’s promise and in the hands of the Holy Spirit, the means of grace not only set the rhythms of ordinary, daily discipleship but lay a foundation for a lifetime of steady, biblical nurture, from the cradle to the grave.
Second, discipleship is communal. It’s experienced hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters (Rom. 12:5). This can be a real challenge because of the emergence of the “buffered self” as Charles Taylor calls it; we’re all “plugged-in” yet nevertheless increasingly untethered from social institutions and basic flesh-and-blood relationships. Couple that with a growing distrust and disenchantment with organizations like the church, communal discipleship has become nearly unintelligible for many in our day. At the same time, biblical discipleship is inherently a community activity, not a private experience.
Third, discipleship is multi-generational. Christians are exhorted many times in the Bible to, yes, own the faith, but not to hoard it from future generations. Rather they are to pass it on “to your children and your children’s children” (Deut. 4:9). Regarding the great works of God, Asaph says in Psalm 78:4-7, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God.” As opposed to discipleship being just for the grownups, Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
Fourth, discipleship is deeply and rigorously personal. This involves both a vertical and horizontal element. If religion is indeed “Christ formed within,” as the Puritan Henry Scougal puts it, disciples need to sense the affirming and upholding hand of Jesus. One’s personal relationship with the Lord, i.e., growing in one’s love and commitment to Christ through the spiritual disciplines, must be prioritized. Yet disciples must also build personally into one another’s lives on an individual basis, provoking one another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24), being knit together in love (Col. 2:2), and bearing one another’s burdens and blessings (1 Cor. 12:26). This is what true koinonia fellowship entails: the mutual interweaving of our joys, sorrows, needs, and aspirations.
Fifth, discipleship must be focused and strategic. Paul summarizes the purpose and plan of discipleship in Colossians 1:9-10: “that you may be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” In other words, discipleship can’t spread itself too thin, focusing on quantity over quality, performance over substance, ministry stature over spiritual depth. Rather, all discipleship ministries must be united in a common mission and vision, offering quality, first fruits resources and energy aimed at sustainability, all to facilitate a “long obedience in the same direction” as Eugene Peterson puts it.
Finally, discipleship must be missional. It’s “missional” in the sense that it’s duplicative, i.e., making disciples who make disciples. Shepherds raising up shepherds is a major aspect of missional discipleship. It’s also “missional” in that it’s evangelistic. Discipleship and evangelism must go hand-in-hand as two distinguished yet inseparable priorities. Gathering and scattering should be the inhale/exhale of any church’s discipleship program.
First of all, discipleship begins with the means of grace – with the word, sacraments, and prayer on Sunday morning. This is the nucleus of Christian discipleship. This is how God creates and nurtures faith in the hearts of His people (Rom. 10:17; Gal. 3:2). This is where God has attached His Gospel promise to raise sinners, young and old, from death to life (Jn 6:25; Acts 2:42; Phil. 4:6-7). By God’s promise and in the hands of the Holy Spirit, the means of grace not only set the rhythms of ordinary, daily discipleship but lay a foundation for a lifetime of steady, biblical nurture, from the cradle to the grave.
Second, discipleship is communal. It’s experienced hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters (Rom. 12:5). This can be a real challenge because of the emergence of the “buffered self” as Charles Taylor calls it; we’re all “plugged-in” yet nevertheless increasingly untethered from social institutions and basic flesh-and-blood relationships. Couple that with a growing distrust and disenchantment with organizations like the church, communal discipleship has become nearly unintelligible for many in our day. At the same time, biblical discipleship is inherently a community activity, not a private experience.
Third, discipleship is multi-generational. Christians are exhorted many times in the Bible to, yes, own the faith, but not to hoard it from future generations. Rather they are to pass it on “to your children and your children’s children” (Deut. 4:9). Regarding the great works of God, Asaph says in Psalm 78:4-7, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God.” As opposed to discipleship being just for the grownups, Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
Fourth, discipleship is deeply and rigorously personal. This involves both a vertical and horizontal element. If religion is indeed “Christ formed within,” as the Puritan Henry Scougal puts it, disciples need to sense the affirming and upholding hand of Jesus. One’s personal relationship with the Lord, i.e., growing in one’s love and commitment to Christ through the spiritual disciplines, must be prioritized. Yet disciples must also build personally into one another’s lives on an individual basis, provoking one another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24), being knit together in love (Col. 2:2), and bearing one another’s burdens and blessings (1 Cor. 12:26). This is what true koinonia fellowship entails: the mutual interweaving of our joys, sorrows, needs, and aspirations.
Fifth, discipleship must be focused and strategic. Paul summarizes the purpose and plan of discipleship in Colossians 1:9-10: “that you may be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” In other words, discipleship can’t spread itself too thin, focusing on quantity over quality, performance over substance, ministry stature over spiritual depth. Rather, all discipleship ministries must be united in a common mission and vision, offering quality, first fruits resources and energy aimed at sustainability, all to facilitate a “long obedience in the same direction” as Eugene Peterson puts it.
Finally, discipleship must be missional. It’s “missional” in the sense that it’s duplicative, i.e., making disciples who make disciples. Shepherds raising up shepherds is a major aspect of missional discipleship. It’s also “missional” in that it’s evangelistic. Discipleship and evangelism must go hand-in-hand as two distinguished yet inseparable priorities. Gathering and scattering should be the inhale/exhale of any church’s discipleship program.
FAQs
What’s being taught in each Sunday School class?
Each class utilizes established, peer-reviewed, age-specific curricula that are consistent with the faith, values, and mission of Parish Church and the Reformed confessions of faith.
Each class utilizes established, peer-reviewed, age-specific curricula that are consistent with the faith, values, and mission of Parish Church and the Reformed confessions of faith.
What about the nursery?
A fully staffed nursery is being offered for children - infants through age 5 (pre K) - during the 9am Sunday School and 10am Worship Service.
A fully staffed nursery is being offered for children - infants through age 5 (pre K) - during the 9am Sunday School and 10am Worship Service.
What if my kids are disruptive during the worship service?
Don’t sweat it! If your kids are squirmy, feel free to parent them as you see fit. To help ease the burden, we will be offering reusable, canvas “kid bags” with crayons and worksheets for kids to utilize in the pew. These bags will be refreshed each week. Also, in the coming months, the bulletin will be redesigned with a section tailor-made for kids to help them focus during the sermon. Beyond that, be encouraged by two things: 1) if your kids make noises, there’s no need to be embarrassed. Parish Church isn’t a museum where kids are better seen not heard. Nor is it just kid-friendly; it’s kid-embracing! We warmly welcome our little disciples, squeals and all, because Jesus does. 2) If your children don’t understand everything going on, don’t be discouraged. Also, don’t underestimate what the Spirit can and will do! Cognition comes with time. Yes, at first, kids are learning the language and “rhetoric” of the faith the same way they’re learning to brush their teeth: by mere rote and habit. But Lord-willing, this “rhetoric” will give their faith something to latch onto. By God’s grace, they will embrace with their hearts what they hear with their ears. Above all, remember: God has promised to create and nurture the faith of our little ones through His means of grace.
Don’t sweat it! If your kids are squirmy, feel free to parent them as you see fit. To help ease the burden, we will be offering reusable, canvas “kid bags” with crayons and worksheets for kids to utilize in the pew. These bags will be refreshed each week. Also, in the coming months, the bulletin will be redesigned with a section tailor-made for kids to help them focus during the sermon. Beyond that, be encouraged by two things: 1) if your kids make noises, there’s no need to be embarrassed. Parish Church isn’t a museum where kids are better seen not heard. Nor is it just kid-friendly; it’s kid-embracing! We warmly welcome our little disciples, squeals and all, because Jesus does. 2) If your children don’t understand everything going on, don’t be discouraged. Also, don’t underestimate what the Spirit can and will do! Cognition comes with time. Yes, at first, kids are learning the language and “rhetoric” of the faith the same way they’re learning to brush their teeth: by mere rote and habit. But Lord-willing, this “rhetoric” will give their faith something to latch onto. By God’s grace, they will embrace with their hearts what they hear with their ears. Above all, remember: God has promised to create and nurture the faith of our little ones through His means of grace.
Is there a “children’s sermon?”
The Children’s Sermon is a beautiful, well-beloved, and valuable facet of our liturgy. Each sermon focuses on the topic of the regular sermon. In other words, they are a bite-sized, kid-friendly preview of what everyone receives together.
The Children’s Sermon is a beautiful, well-beloved, and valuable facet of our liturgy. Each sermon focuses on the topic of the regular sermon. In other words, they are a bite-sized, kid-friendly preview of what everyone receives together.
How can you help?
The Nursery is in need of women who are willing and able to provide childcare – at both 9am and 10am. Also the volunteers for each Sunday School class are helping out in limited, 6-week cycles. This is designed to provide consistency for the kids, while also curbing volunteer burnout. That means that we are on the lookout for capable teachers and teacher aids to rotate in and out every 6 weeks. If you’d like to offer your service in either the Nursery or Sunday School, please speak to Amy Huntsman or Pastor Jordan.
The Nursery is in need of women who are willing and able to provide childcare – at both 9am and 10am. Also the volunteers for each Sunday School class are helping out in limited, 6-week cycles. This is designed to provide consistency for the kids, while also curbing volunteer burnout. That means that we are on the lookout for capable teachers and teacher aids to rotate in and out every 6 weeks. If you’d like to offer your service in either the Nursery or Sunday School, please speak to Amy Huntsman or Pastor Jordan.