n Saturday, November 7, 1998, Asbury United Methodist Church, Washington, DC, sponsored and hosted the Baltimore-Washington Conference Institute on Accountable Discipleship. The theme, “The Next Step in Your Walk with Christ” was predicated on a valuable Wesleyan principle that responds to the expressed need of Christians who desire a more intense, deeper commitment to their faith journey with Christ.
From 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., the training Institute was conducted in the church’s sanctuary and throughout the educational building. The planning and implementation of this experience was an outcome of planning by the Design Team (Thomas Austin III, Grace Bradford, Evelyn Brewster, Sandra King-Shaw, Rev. Eugene Matthews, and J. Clay Smith; chaired by this writer). Assisting in providing leadership were Bill Crenshaw, Director of Covenant Discipleship, General Board of Discipleship, Nashville TN; Brian Bauknight, Pastor, Christ United Methodist Church, Bethel Park, PA; and Margie Mayson, Pastor, Asbury First United Methodist Church, Rochester, NY.
Devotional services included spirited hymn singing led by Asbury’s Points of Grace Gospel Chorale and instrumentalists from Ebeneezer AME Church, Ft. Washington, MD. The occasion and rationale for the institute were presented by our devoted and committed senior pastor, Rev. Eugene W. Matthews, while a perspective on covenant discipleship was given by Bill Crenshaw. This was followed by “A Story of One Church,” a monologue describing the evolution of covenant discipleship groups at Asbury. It was presented by Sandra King-Shaw, coordinator of CD Groups and Class Leaders at Asbury.
The plenary session was capped off by a dramatization, “What Cost Discipleship?,” written and directed by Grace Bradford. The drama in two scenes was written to help listeners decide how serious they are about being disciples of Jesus Christ. Scene One showed persons expressing questions, such as “Why should I join a CD group? What will it help me do that I am not already doing? How can I fit it into my schedule or my location?” Actors wrestled with their decisions, going into the sessions to hear the answers.
The balance of the morning workshops focused on vital partnerships in ministries, with concurrent sessions of clergy and laity, where effective working relationships between the two groups can forge true partnerships to do Christ’s work. The introduction of covenant discipleship was presented to interested participants and, at the same time, in another workshop; those already in covenant discipleship groups were taught ways to sustain and revitalize existing groups.
The afternoon sessions continued with an emphasis on writing covenants for the first time, followed by participants dividing into small groups to deal with the dynamics of group interaction and exchange.
Scene Two of the drama revisited the group of persons six months later as they came together again to share what had happened to them and to their congregations after starting covenant discipleship groups in their churches. The drama presented by the Speech Choir and Vacation choir members ended with Adrienne Neal, soloist, lifting the audience as she so beautifully sang, “I Want to Make a Difference in This World,” superimposed on the choir’s singing of the hymn, “Here I Am, Lord.” This set the stage for Rev. Matthews’ closing worship service and sending forth.
Participant evaluations from the 88 persons attending from all corners of the Baltimore-Washington Conference clearly indicated that the Institute was an overwhelming success.
Bill Johnson, Institute Chairman
Rev. Eugene W. Matthews, Senior Pastor, Asbury United Methodist Church, Washington, DCWilliam Johnson, chairman of the Institute Design Team, is the former chairman of the Administrative Board, a member of a covenant discipleship group, and a class leader.
Thoughts Upon God's Sovereignty | Covenant Discipleship Institute at Asbury
Calling the Church to a Higher Order | Cultivating Sprouts
Plant a Seed for Literacy | Called to be a Miracle
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