New Missional Discipleship Group training available this fall

 |  Category:

Over the past five years approximately 13 congregations across Ohio Conference have participated in the Missional Discipleship Group initiative which was started by Mennonite Mission Network (MMN). Over that time many of our pastors and other congregational leaders have been trained as coaches. The training has also been reduced from three eight-month-long training cohorts to one. While MMN is pausing…

Read More »

Growing Disciples, Part 5 — Ecumenical Rebuking

This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast is the final podcast in a series about Missional Discipleship Groups. Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with Nate, a member of his Missional Discipleship Group. Nate and Lucas talk about rebuking, ecumenism, ministry, and love — all from a guy’s perspective.   For more information about Missional…

Read More »

Growing Disciples, Part 4 — Building Trust

This episode of the Ohio Conference Cast is the fourth installment in a series about Missional Discipleship Groups. In this episode, Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church talks with Randi about her three-person small group and the trust that has developed between the members of the group. “It’s just turned into my favorite time of the week,” Randi says.…

Read More »

Growing Disciples, Part 3 — Developing Relationships

The Ohio Conference Cast podcast is back with the third install­ment in a series exploring Missional Discipleship Groups. In this episode, Lucas Johnson of Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with several people about how these small groups are building relationships and changing lives.   For more information about Missional Discipleship Groups, see these articles: http://bit.ly/YourInvitationToMakeDisciples http://bit.ly/DisciplesMakeDisciples http://bit.ly/WindoftheSpirit…

Read More »

Growing Disciples, Part 2 — Seeing God at Work

This podcast episode is the second in a series exploring Missional Discipleship Groups. Guest host Lucas Johnson, pastoral team member at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, talks with several people who are participating in these weekly small groups. Listen to this episode to hear Casey and Gail, two members of a women’s small group, reflect on how God…

Read More »

Growing Disciples, Part 1 — The Explosion

Sometimes growth takes a while, but patience can pay off. That’s been the experience at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania. In the latest episode of the Ohio Conference Cast, Lucas Johnson and Robb Esh, pastoral team members at Valley View Mennonite, talk about the growth of Missional Discipleship Groups in their area of Pennsylvania. The groups now include…

Read More »

Wind of the Spirit enlivens MDI

Small groups begin to multiply By Laurie Oswald Robinson Mennonite Mission Network NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) — After coming up empty-handed on volunteers for disciple groups within his congregation last fall, Pastor Robert Esh at Valley View Mennonite Church in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania, couldn’t help but feel downhearted about his vision-casting. No matter how hard he campaigned, no one wanted…

Read More »

You are invited to make disciples

In Matthew 28, Jesus called for his disciples to make disciples of others. But the call to make disciples continues today. You are invited to join others in the Ohio Conference who are participating in the Missional Discipleship Initiative (https://www.mennonitemission.net/MDI). What is the Missional  Discipleship Initiative (MDI)? MDI is an initiative launched by Marvin Lorenzana and Mennonite Mission Network to…

Read More »

The changing church landscape

By Dick Barrett Conference Minister The church landscape in 21st century America has radically changed over the past 20 years. We can no longer expect that the church model that existed for most of the 20th century is going to be effective for carrying out God’s call upon our lives as disciples of Jesus: to go out and make more…

Read More »

When disciples make disciples

By Laurie Oswald Robinson KANSAS CITY (Mennonite Mission Network) — Several years into her role as pastor at the 178-year-old Salem Mennonite Church in rural Elida, Ohio, Paula Snyder Belousek felt a growing dissatisfaction. Something was missing. Even though the congregation had faithfully followed Jesus for the long haul, older generations — rooted in traditional understandings of the Anabaptist faith…

Read More »