YOUR NEXT STEPS: A DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY

Guiding Principles for Discipleship at BUMC
1. Discipleship is not a program, it is a process of spiritual transformation.
2. We honor that people are at different stages of discipleship because this is a journey.
3. Discipleship involves the work of the Holy Spirit and the ongoing commitment of each individual.
4. However, at the heart of it all, God wants something FOR you, a transformed life rich in Jesus Christ.
5. We are transformed into disciples when we are in relationship with God and with others.
6. All that we do must be grounded in love. This includes loving God through worship and devotion, loving others through service, loving ourselves with grace.
7. Part of being in relationship with one another involves building trust in order to be vulnerable. This is not easy, but we take seriously entrusting others with our spiritual journey.
8. In order to easily engage all persons at BUMC, we must have a clear and easily accessible process.
9. For those in leadership, training is critical so that those who are called to lead will be equipped to lead others into deeper discipleship.
10. The most important step in growing closer to Jesus is taking the Next Step. BUMC is committed to helping each individual figure out and take their Next Step.

Stages of Spiritual Formation
Exploring – Just getting started – curious about Jesus – not in relationship with Jesus yet
Building –Interested enough to start building a foundation of faith–at some point in this stage commits to a relationship with Jesus.
Thriving– Continuing to grow in their faith, they let their relationships with Jesus filter their life choices and are hungry for more
Leading–They invite others into a relationship with Jesus– help lead others in their own journey while continuing to learn themselves.

Next Steps
We believe discipleship growth happens in a multitude of ways, but we focus on three pathways that can help all disciples move from Exploring to Leading:Connecting,Serving, andSpiritual Growing. Taking steps toward Connectingmight look like fully engaging opportunities like regular participation in Worship, Explore BUMC for new guests, finding one activity outside of Sunday worship to participate in, or taking on a leadership position. Taking a step in Servingmay meana missions opportunity or volunteering in a teacher or leadership position. Spiritually Growingcan result from participating in a small group or study group andwill also create opportunities to Connect.