INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are learning discipleship through new programming, said the Rev. David Poling-Goldenne, director for education and evangelism, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. His comments were part of a report to the ELCA 2001 Churchwide Assembly.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
Poling-Goldenne said more than 100 congregations are learning discipleship through programs of the ELCA initiative "Teach the Faith." Final reports on each of the seven initiatives, launched by the ELCA in 1997, are being presented at this assembly.
The "Teach the Faith" initiative included a churchwide emphasis that "calls congregations to renewed and intentional focus on teaching for discipleship," Poling-Goldenne said.
Initiative team members created the "Living Faith Congregational Planning Guide," which helps congregations plan and experience discipleship through seven faith practices. These include daily prayer, Bible study and regular offering.
Congregations modified the discipleship plan to meet their needs, Poling-Goldenne said. "The call [to discipleship] has been both experimental and innovative," he said. Resources on the initiative are available at www.elca.org/init/teachthefaith/index.html.
ELCA members who used "call to discipleship" resources said those programs strengthened their congregations.
Don Hayes, a member of Epiphany Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem, N.C., said the program helped his congregation equip children to be disciples. "I think it's the most promising project the ELCA has ever launched," said Hayes, who is also a member of the ELCA Church Council. -- -- --
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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