By Michelle Hartman, Communications Director
Steele Creek, North Carolina, US
[In case you missed it, you can read the introduction to this book club here.]
Centering Discipleship — Session 1
We’re excited to kick off our Centering Discipleship book club! In this first session, we’ll dive into Chapters 1–4 of E.K. Strawser’s Centering Discipleship, exploring the foundational elements that form a healthy discipleship culture: Communion, Community, and Co-Mission.
This journey ties directly into our 2025 theme of Kingdom Culture — living out our identity as followers of Christ by cultivating discipleship pathways that foster Christ-centered community, belonging, and mission.
Session 1: Resources to support your reading of Chapters 1–4
Watch the Intro Video before you begin. It will help you orient your heart and mind toward the goals of this session and prepare you to engage reflectively and intentionally.
Move through the slides at your own pace, taking time to read the notes beneath each slide. The notes offer reflection prompts, activity instructions, and key insights to guide your learning and application.
Use the Participant Guide alongside the slides to deepen your reflections, complete activities, and capture your insights and next steps as you move through each section.
Interactive Activity: Reflecting on Your Discipleship Pathway
At the end of your participant guide is an interactive resource you can use to engage with the material:
Step 1: Assess Your Current Discipleship Context
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- Bounded Set (Discipleship Core): List current practices that foster deeper spiritual growth, accountability, and covenant relationships within a committed group.
- Centered Set (Missional Community): Identify practices that welcome seekers, cultivate curiosity about Jesus, and foster neighborhood engagement.
- Bridging Practices: Write down activities that help move people from missional engagement into intentional discipleship.
Fill in this simple diagram on pages three and four or recreate it for your team conversations.
We’d love to hear from you!
As you engage with Centering Discipleship, drop a comment below and share one of the following:
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- A practice your church already does well.
- A bridging practice you’re excited to try.
- A key takeaway that’s shaping your ministry.
Discipleship is not built in a day — it grows through small, faithful steps toward Jesus and one another. As you reflect, dream, and act, trust that God is already at work in your community.
May this journey deepen your hope, strengthen your love, and renew your imagination for what Christ-centered discipleship can be!
Look for session 2 in the August issue of Equipper and session 3 in the October issue.
Looking for a link or means to officially register to participate in the book club (Love Avenue leader from here in Edmonton, Alberta Canada). Lowell
We’re excited to have you join the book club, Lowell! There is no need to register. The club is self-paced, and participants engage by commenting on the book club article posts for each session in Equipper. You can learn more about the format and how to participate here: https://equipper.gci.org/2025/02/join-us-book-club