See What's New from Discipleship Ministries!
Discipleship Ministries serves the church to connect leaders with needed resourcing and training that supports intentional discipleship and community engagement. Below you’ll find high quality resources for supporting you in your ministry – everything from Antiracist Discipleship to inspiring events and new offerings from The Upper Room.
Free Intentional Discipleship Resources
Tools for creating and strengthening your Discipleship System! Topics include:
- A New Vision, A Shared Calling
- Emotional and Mental Health as Discipleship
- Fresh Expressions United Methodist
- See All the People: Discovery
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Check Out ALL the Products Discipleship Ministries Offers! Take 20% Off Your Store Purchase! Use Promo Code UMCAC2026 (Cannot be used toward CEU credit or redeemed at The Upper Room). |
SCD Laity Bootcamp (SEE // CREATE // DISCIPLE)
August 2–5, 2026 | Columbus, OH
We are thrilled to introduce SCD 2026 – RISE UP: Love, Serve, Lead, building on the success of the SCD Laity Bootcamp (SEE // CREATE // DISCIPLE) held in Kenosha, WI, which united church leaders and laity from across the globe for a meaningful time of learning, worship, and renewed inspiration.
Hosted in Columbus, Ohio, SCD 2026 equips and empowers leaders to build communities where people truly belong and, together, become more like Christ—loving boldly, serving joyfully, and leading courageously for the sake of the world.
Starting Strong: Resources for New Ministers and Church Leaders
Stepping into ministry is both a calling and a journey. Whether you’re lay or clergy, just beginning or stepping into new leadership, Discipleship Ministries offers guidance and support for leading with clarity and confidence. Explore resources designed to help you grow into your calling and lead others in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our website curates resources for new ministry leaders in the following areas: Worship, Pastoral Care, Faith Formation & Small Groups, Church Administration, Witness & Evangelism, and Age-Level Ministries.
Growing in Grace Symposium 2026
Sept 22–24, 2026 | Duke Memorial UMC, Durham, NC
We're gathering. Growing in Grace exists to help churches form all children as anti-ableist disciples through worship—learning and believing together that all of God's creation is God's good creation. This September, we're bringing people together for our first-ever symposium: practitioners and academics, pastors and lay leaders, educators and artists, young adults and seasoned church workers—anyone who's curious about anti-ableist faith formation and ready to learn what it looks like to put it into practice in their own communities.
Learn More and Register Today!
Job Description
Are you a leader in your local ministry setting who is asking these kinds of questions?
- How do leadership development and discipleship complement each other in your church?
- What is already amazing and what could be better about the culture of discipleship in your congregation?
- What does a healthy balance of responsibilities between paid staff and volunteer leaders look like in your context?
Over the last year, we have been updating a resource last published in 2016 to reflect changes for local congregational leaders and to incorporate discipleship into the foundation of the various positions in local church guidance. If the questions above interest—or challenge—you, please check out The New Job Descriptions: Organizing Leadership in the Local Church to Enhance Discipleship by Chris Wilterdink.
Read A Chapter Day
Join us this fall in reading one chapter of scripture a day! This six week experience is a powerful opportunity to commit to a new practice or re-invigorate an ongoing one as we read through 8 New Testament books together from September 8-October 19. We will be providing a daily reading guide, a weekly small group guide, and a weekly Zoom meeting to learn from others and be encouraged in your own practice. Sign up now to stay informed of how you can Read a Chapter a Day and grow as a disciple!
NEW from The Upper Room
The Upper Room provides resources and experiences to help people create daily life with God. Click below for a library of resources to help you maintain your connection with God.