August 2, 2026
THE WORD & D-GROUPS
On Sunday, August 9th, our church will officially begin The Word. Throughout this series, we will be teaching others how to develop spiritual disciplines that are practiced in a D-Group. Our goal is to help people become disciples who follow Jesus, are changed by Jesus, and join the mission of Jesus.
To help others take the step of joining a D-Group, we have streamlined multiple aspects of this series. Similarly to the past, our weekly messages and our Life Group material will be based off of the same passage. What is new is that this will follow along with a reading plan.
For example, for the first week’s readings, our church would read Genesis 1-9 and Job 1-2. The weekly message will be based on this reading and the Life Group material will be based on it as well.
To help people connect with God’s Word in an even more intentional manner, our Wednesday night Pastor’s Bible Study will teach on a passage from the weekly readings as well.
Also, we are asking all D-Groups to use this reading plan. By doing so, it will help people focus on their weekly readings in multiple ways throughout the week, helping them understand it better. You can find the plan here.
Our hope is that as everyone goes through the reading plan, they will begin to see that being in a D-Group is an easier step to take than they may have realized. I believe that by the end of the year, many people will be ready to take their next step on our Discipleship Pathway and join the mission of Jesus by being discipled in a D-Group. This is something I believe will happen naturally as God works in everyone’s life as they read and study God’s Word in an intentional and regular manner. I also hope to have updated material for everyone by the end of the year as well so it will better reflect the direction of our D-Groups.
Concerning new D-Groups, by the end of the year, we will need multiple people to launch new D-Groups to disciple several of our College and Young Adults. Dave Charlton and I have had multiple conversations about how he will be working with hopefully 20-30 CYAM this fall to prepare them to join a group and connect with several of you. Please pray about the possibility of leading one of these new D-Groups.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about The Word and D-Groups, please let me know!
IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
Before registering your new D-Group, be sure you have watched our “How to Start a D-Group” videos that are designed to prepare you for launching a successful D-Group. This is important before moving forward to launch a group.
All D-Group leaders MUST register their group before their first meeting. This allows us to get you your D-Group Launch Kit and help you take steps toward leading a successful D-group.
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Physical copies of our reading plans for The Word are available at our upstairs Resource Center as well as Next Steps.
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Physical copies of the Memory Verse Cards are available at our upstairs Resource Center and Next Steps
Memory verses can also be found on The Word resource page.
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Watch this video to learn how to develop your testimony so you can share your story with others.
Also, here’a quick article from Renew.org that does a good job of explaining how to use the 3-Step Way to share your faith.
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Watch this video by Kandi Gallaty of Replicate Ministries to learn more about how to use the H.E.A.R. method when journaling.
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Have a D-Group member who is hesitant to start a new group?
Consider using the T.E.A.M. method to make the process easier for them.
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Here is a resource called Prayer and Fasting by Michael Engle. It is a free 48 page study guide that you can download or read here.
While it is designed to be a discussion guide, I recommend reading the following sections since they can guide you and your D-Group through a fast together. Reading the entire study, without answering the questions, would be very beneficial for you as well.
Introduction (p. 7-12) - This explains the different types of fasts, the basics of what a fast is, how to do it, and when to do it.
Appendix 2 (p 38-39) - This section gives you the basics, practical advice, temptations, and a summary of conclusions on what to expect and how do to it.
Remember, consider using the recommended lengths of time mentioned in your D-Group Leader Guide when fasting. The purpose of fasting as a D-Group is to introduce people to the concept of fasting, not necessarily fast for multiple days.
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MARCS evaluation cards are available at the resource center in our upstairs lobby.
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Watch and learn how you can share the gospel: 3 Circles Sample Presentation Video
Download the 3 Circles App
Additional copies of the 3 Circles booklet are available at our resource center in the upstairs lobby.
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Watch and learn how to easily share the Gospel with a Best News card:
Download the Best News App (It is included on the 3 Circles app.)
Additional copies of the Best News card are available at our resource center in the upstairs lobby.
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These cards are available at our resource center in our upstairs lobby.
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Intentional by Brandon Guidon
This is probably one of my favorite discipleship books right now. It shows how we can live out 8 principles of disciple-making that we can easily implement by being intentional in our everyday lives. I highly recommend getting this book!
Disciple Her by Kandi Gallaty
Even though this is a book written for women, there is so much application for anyone leading a D-Group. I highly recommend men AND women read this book. Kandi provides great tips that we do not always cover in training, but may work well in your group.
Write It On Their Hearts by Chris and Melissa Swain
If you would like to start discipling your family, this is an excellent resource.
Dates to Remember
August 2nd - Reading plans and Memory verse distributed
August 9th - The Word officially begins