Small Group Discipleship
What is the Way of St. Paul?
The Way of St. Paul is a fellowship based in the Diocese of New Jersey made up of people dedicated to seeing Jesus at work in the lives of others, seeking out ways to help Jesus with that work, and actively doing so. This is a quiet but powerful way of living. It changes us, helps others, and strengthens our congregations. We strive to be “the leaven in the dough.”
We believe that at its best, the church is a place where people have real conversations about real things. We are especially convinced that deep, reliable wisdom is found in the Bible, in the great creeds of the Church, and in the great thinkers of the Christian tradition. We have a special love for our Anglican way of being church, and find it spiritually nourishing.
We gather because we believe that living and loving like Jesus requires a safe, encouraging place where we can speak honestly about our walk as his committed followers. On all of these principles, anyone can build a life of meaning and purpose. When our churches offer that and deliver, they grow.
We will be launching small groups using this framework at St. Peter’s this spring and summer. Our hope is to offer groups at a variety of times, some in person and some on Zoom. Your first step: fill out this interest form to get started.
What is a Way Team?
Way Teams are small groups of about 3 people. Way Teams meet regularly, ideally every week, to worship, pray, and study Scripture together. A session framework is provided. Teams can meet in person or on Zoom, as long as the meetings are regular and consistent. Way Teams commit to meeting for about 8 weeks. If the Team wants to continue, great! Other options include reforming into new Teams, or taking a defined pause and regrouping in a coming season.
Do I Have Time for the Way of St. Paul?
We think you do! And we also think spending time on your discipleship is not a luxury but a necessity. We so often say, “but I don’t have time.” That’s just not true. The more accurate statement is, “I choose to spend time on other things.” It’s a matter of priorities, and everyone has to choose for themselves.
Think of the Way of St. Paul as a spiritual gym. We can’t get in shape with occasional and sporadic visits, or with one hour once a week (or month). If we’re going to strengthen our faith and bring others to know and love Jesus, it will take discipline, commitment, and perseverance. We have to learn to be tough-minded. Don’t leave your discipleship to “when you feel like it,” or “when you have more time.” Start with this initial 8-week commitment, and we think you’ll find regular faith practices such as participating in a Way Team creates energy, focus, and breathing room for grace and love.
Why do we follow the Way of St. Paul?
The Way of St. Paul transforms individual lives by giving people the tools to develop a deeper, richer faith life, the ability to see Christ working in the lives of people around them, and the words to talk about it. That’s also how the Way of St. Paul transforms the lives of congregations: by helping individuals grow spiritually, creating more vibrant, loving, Christ-centered communities that fill the hunger for connection and for God that our world feels.
We believe that discipleship is a lifelong journey to follow Jesus Christ and to join in his mission of reconciliation in the world. The Way of St. Paul encourages and equips us for this work!