United Methodist Church - Discipleship Ministries

Denomination: United Methodist Church (UMC)

An agency of The United Methodist Church, Discipleship Ministries helps local church, district, and conference leaders fulfill the shared dream of making world-changing disciples.

The agency connects leaders with needed resourcing, training, consulting, and networking that support spiritual formation, new church development, revitalization of local churches, and materials for use in Central Conferences. Discipleship Ministries has embarked upon an integrated, strategic direction that serves the church with continuity, based upon basic values and mission.

For more than 40 years, Discipleship Ministries has been on the journey of making disciples for Jesus Christ.

Every product and service of Discipleship Ministries begins with the mission of equipping world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ. Discipleship Ministries is also harnessing its energies and those of its partners and colleagues to address important issues facing the church and the world. And for a world that is clearly in need of transformation, Discipleship Ministries faithfully provides a wealth of learning opportunities for all areas of discipleship.

Acting on the recommendations of the Structure Study Committee, the 1972 United Methodist General Conference established  Discipleship Ministries to serve in a number of areas of major importance to the local church.

Among all the general agencies of The United Methodist Church, Discipleship Ministries was the one given the major responsibility for the support of receiving, nurturing, caring, and sending ministries of congregations.

Discipleship Ministries has long provided resources in the areas of Christian education, worship, music, evangelism, new church development, stewardship, funding and financial management, lay leadership development, age-level (children, youth, adult) and family ministries, small-group ministries, ethnic local church concerns, devotional life, spiritual formation, and other areas related to the lives of people and the ministries of congregations.

Discipleship Ministries staff produce written and audiovisual resources to support the work of people and congregations; and they provide training, education, and skill development seminars and workshops.