Discipleship
Our vision at Gold Hill is to multiply fully devoted disciples of Jesus.
But what does that mean—and how do we go about it?
We like to break discipleship into three key stages: Reach, Restore and Release. These aren’t sequential steps, but an ongoing process. The stages can be repeated over and over again as we grow closer to Jesus.
Reach
“Reaching people with relational gospel encounters”
The message of Jesus is simple—and it’s Good News. He said:
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Sadly, many people either don’t hear or don’t respond to that message.
Some have swallowed the myth that God doesn’t exist. Others are so busy surviving that they haven’t had time to explore the deeper questions of life. And some have been hurt—perhaps even by a church—and retreated into a protective shell.
Our mission is to reach out with the love of God, so that everyone has the opportunity to hear the good news and discover how deeply God loves them.
We welcome anyone to join our public gatherings, even if you’re still unsure what you believe. Getting to know us might help you get to know Jesus.
Our Alpha Courses offer a great starting point for those exploring faith or new to it.
At some point, each person needs to make a decision: to repent and follow Jesus. It’s the most important decision anyone can make. Jesus described it as being “born again”—a brand-new beginning.
Restore
“Restoring people to right relationship with and in Jesus”
God created us in His own image, which means we have incredible potential. All we have to do is follow His guidance.
But humanity has chosen its own way. We’ve ignored God’s definition of good and evil and made up our own morality. That has left us outside His protection—and damaged in the process.
The first step to restoration is to repent—to turn to Jesus and decide to follow Him.
But restoration doesn’t stop there. The church is both a hospital and a health spa for the soul. Given time and the right care, we can become the people God always intended us to be.
Restoration happens in community.
We encourage you to:
- Commit to the life of the church: attend regularly, and be known.
- Join a small group where you can form real relationships and grow spiritually.
- Find a one-to-one discipling partner to walk with you as you grow.
At the bottom of this page, you’ll find resources that can help you on your journey—whether you use them on your own or with someone else.
Release
“Releasing God’s placed potential in people”
One of the marks of spiritual maturity is reproduction—we join in Jesus’ mission and help others grow.
To “release” someone means helping them:
- Discover their God-given gifts
- Step into ministry
- Become disciple-makers who raise up others
- Lead and multiply—disciples who make disciples, leaders who raise leaders, and churches that plant churches
The Going Further section of our website offers ideas for discovering your unique ministry within the church.
Discipleship Resources
This section shows a number of resources you can use to support your discipleship journey. Use them in your private study and/or work through them with a friend or in a group.
