Develop a Discipleship System
Growing in Grace: Cohort Applications Open!
By Lisa Hancock
About Growing in Grace
Growing in Grace, an initiative of Discipleship Ministries, is a Wesleyan institute dedicated to assisting local churches, denominational leadership, and parachurch organizations in forming children into anti-ableist Christians through worship. Our mission is to help all children learn and believe that all of God's creation is God's good creation.
Cohort Participation
Growing in Grace invites churches to join our innovative cohort program dedicated to learning from and equipping clergy and lay leaders to form children as anti-ableist disciples through worship. Selected congregations will participate in a collaborative learning community, receiving specialized training and resources while contributing to groundbreaking research on inclusive faith formation. Through this reciprocal partnership, your church will develop practical skills for integrating multiple intelligences, disability theology, and asset-based community approaches into your worship experiences. Join us in this transformative journey to ensure that all God's children can fully participate in and be formed by worship that truly reflects the belief that all of God's creation is God's good creation!
Each cohort will consist of twelve members representing partner churches across diverse contexts in the United States. Acceptance requires a commitment to a reciprocal relationship with Growing in Grace as you learn and experiment with nurturing children's faith through intergenerational, anti-ableist worship practices for two years, beginning in the fall of 2025.
If selected to participate in the Growing in Grace cohort, leaders will be expected to:
- Attend the Annual Symposia in 2026 and 2027, expenses covered.
- Be active, regular participants in cohort gatherings (both in-person and virtual)
- Engage meaningfully with program resources provided
- Respond to Growing in Grace team communications promptly
- Participate in program feedback and evaluation requests to help us understand your experience and improve our programs
- Receive $750 a year to implement learnings and/or improve accessibility in worship gatherings
Application Process
This application helps us understand your context and how you believe the Growing in Grace cohort will benefit your congregation. Please note that we request:
- Section 2 to be completed by pastors/pastoral staff
- Section 3 to be completed by lay leaders/church council chairs
Applications received by May 1, 2025, will receive priority consideration.
Join Us!
We are grateful for your interest in cultivating and creating accessible worship for all God's children. Together, we can work toward ensuring that worship practices authentically include and affirm all children as valuable members of God's family.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Dr. Lisa Hancock, Director of Worship Arts Ministries, served as an organist and music minister in United Methodist congregations in the Northwest Texas and North Texas Annual Conferences, as well as the New Day Amani/Upendo house churches in Dallas. After receiving her Master of Sacred Music and Master of Theological Studies from Perkins School of Theology, Lisa earned her PhD in Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University wherein she researched and wrote on the doctrine of Christ, disability, and atonement.
Contact Us for Help
Contact Discipleship Ministries staff for additional guidance.