Discipleship University

Burning Bush — The Core Curriculum of Discipleship University

Built around the dramatic appearance of God to Moses in the Exodus story, the core curriculum of DU is known as Burning Bush. The curriculum is designed for congregational teams, and will focus on developing congregational plans for making disciples through a series of learning experiences on five weekends over two years. Burning Bush will focus on:

• building congregational identity and purpose
• worship and spiritual practices
• hospitality and faith-sharing
• reconciliation and justice
• service and mission

Through Burning Bush, congregational teams will deepen their relationship with God in Jesus Christ, living out a new awareness of God’s extravagant grace. These teams will develop effective spiritual leadership for their congregations, learning effective ways to equip people of all ages for the ministry of the church. Teams will return to their congregations with a comprehensive plan for discipleship. These highly interactive weekends will develop effective spiritual leadership in congregations as teams focus on developing congregational identity, clarifying discipleship in their context, and planning worship, spiritual formation, evangelism, Christian education, stewardship, and service that form Christian faith and discipleship.

The Student Body

Classes in Burning Bush of no more than 150 will form each spring and fall. Classes will be made up from roughly the same size congregation with a diversity of geographic, social and racial/ethnic makeup.

Tuition and Application

GBOD is responding to current economic realities by redesigning the format of Burning Bush, Discipleship University’s core curriculum. This two-year process is composed of five weekend experiences that equip congregational teams to develop and implement a plan for making disciples of Jesus Christ in their context. The first and fifth weekends will be held in Nashville at the General Board of Discipleship. The middle three weekends will be conducted at each of the participating congregations and facilitated by congregational guides assigned to congregational teams.

In light of this new format, participation is open to congregations of any size. Congregational teams must begin their participation with the first weekend experience in Nashville. New learning groups begin approximately every six months.

Costs Related to Weekends in Nashville:
Registration fee — $125.00 per team member
Travel — Per team member
Lodging — Per team member
Meals — Per team member (Thursday evening dinner, Friday and Saturday lunches included in registration fees)

Costs Related to Weekends at Congregations:
Registration fee — $125.00 per team member
Travel — Per 1 guide
Lodging — Per 1 guide
Meals — Per team member and 1 guide

Application Deadline for Burning Bush 2:
We are no longer taking applications for Burning Bush 2.

Burning Bush Schedules - New Dates

Burning Bush 3

April 22-25, 2010
To be negotiated
To be negotiated
To be negotiated
March 22-25, 2012

For more information contact Mary McDonald at 615-340-1760 or mmcdonald@gbod.org.