After more than fifteen years, Covenant Discipleship groups at Christ United Methodist Church, Bethel Park, PA, are still going strong. Over the years, hundreds of members have participated. Today, sixteen adult groups and three youth (Branch) groups meet at the church weekly. One or two "Sprouts" groups for older elementary children meet during two 12-week seasons each year. In the fall of 2000, we will introduce Covenant Discipleship groups for families.

What's kept covenant discipleship going all these years?

First, a strong advocacy position by me as the Minister for Oversight and Preaching. I meet with a Covenant Group of lay-persons (where I am only one member of the group) each Wed-nesday morning at 8:30. I refer to those weekly sessions regularly in my messages, and I use my experience as a springboard to encourage others.

Second, we call persons to invite them to join a CD group at least twice a year, in September and January. Such a call keeps the image of covenant groups before the congregation. Most often, my message on those weekends is about discipleship, with specific encouragement toward covenant discipleship. Also, as part of our new member orientation, I invite new members to consider joining a covenant discipleship group. Their res-ponse is small but not insignificant. Most prefer a less disciplined form of small group life at the beginning of their journey; but some have joined a group right away.

Third, a staff person is responsible for monitoring and tracking group membership, shoring up groups that have weakened, and guiding new people into appropriate spaces in the smaller groups. Without her steadfast-ness in this work, covenant discipleship could not maintain its strength or high profile in our congregational life. Her advocacy and support have earned her a place as an officer on the Council for Accountable Discipleship.

Fourth, we include a great deal of training in discipleship throughout the year, including such themes as spiritual gifts, the spirituality of leadership, small group ministry, and spiritual life studies. Each summer we encourage all CD Group members to participate in a 6-8 week spiritual life study focused on a book or author. In the summer of 2000, we had over 100 persons reading and reflecting on Dallas Willard's Hearing God for eight consecutive Wednesday evenings.

What has all of this meant to the discipling ministry of Christ Church? Participation in spiri-tual life studies, spiritual gift discernment sessions, retreats, and other offerings has been strong. Although located in an area of the U.S. where population is declining slowly (sometimes referred to as the "rust belt"), our membership and average weekend worship attendance grow at a small but steady pace.

A fresh understanding of "giving" as a discipleship issue has meant a stronger financial base for ministry and mission. More people begin to move toward tithing each year. Work camps (local and national) and various forms of "hands-on" and "justice" ministries are on the rise.

We have discovered that, as members transfer out of our area and unite with other churches, they carry with them the passion for covenant discipleship. Such persons become instrumental in initiating such groups in their new community of believers.

We believe that works of compassion and justice go hand-in-hand with works of worship and devotion. I often remind our members that, while John Wesley thought both issues were equally important, he placed somewhat greater emphases on compassion and justice to ensure that they would not be neglected.

Our local church vision statement is very clear. We are "an open and hospitable community of believers who eagerly invite everyone to connect with God and follow Jesus." This vision has been inspired by covenant discipleship and feeds into the steady discipline of CD in our total ministry; we would be greatly impoverished as a local congregation without it, as would I personally. While many experiences have nurtured my own growth in clergy leadership at Christ Church, none has been as formative and constant for me as that of the Wesleyan Covenant Groups. I thank God for this part of my Christian life.

Brian K. Bauknight is Minister for Oversight and Preaching at Christ United Methodist Church, Bethel Park, PA, and a member of the Council for Accountable Discipleship.