We will begin 2026 by exploring how we, as a community, can continue to grow in love of God and neighbor through our new framework for discipleship, Discipleship Pathways. Join us for Exploring Discipleship Pathways programs that focus on the foundations of our faith: Scripture, United Methodist theology and social principles, spiritual formation, and gifts for service. These foundations pave our path as we engage our minds through the Learning Pathway, our spirits through the Forming Pathway, and our hands through the Equipping Pathway.
Wednesdays, January 14, 21, 28, and February 4
6:00pm in room 124
Thursdays, January 15, 22, 29, and February 5
10:00am on Zoom
January 14 and 15 – Introduction to Discipleship Pathways and Foundational Courses
January 21 and 22 – Exploring the Learning Pathway
January 28 and 29 – Exploring the Equipping
February 4 and 5 – Exploring the Forming Pathway
Several months ago, a team of lay leadership began gathering around one central question: How are we as a church intentionally supporting adults to grow discipleship, to grow in love of God and neighbor? From thoughtful conversation with others and prayerful planning, a new framework for discipleship at Belmont UMC was cultivated: Discipleship Pathways.
The purpose of Discipleship Pathways is to help people continue to cultivate their spiritual life and discipleship to Christ so that they might more fully love God and neighbor. The way this is done is through engaging three pathways: Learning, Forming and Equipping.
The Learning Pathway focuses on connecting to God through our mind by studying the Bible and Methodist theology and social principles.
The Forming Pathway focuses on connecting to God through our spirit by cultivating spiritual practices such as prayer, silence, meditation, and retreat.
The Equipping Pathway focuses on connecting to God through our hands by exploring our unique gifts of ministry and call to serve the world.
Each of the three pathways do this by engaging in community that is necessary to sustain us on our discipleship journey.
A key component of how Discipleship Pathways carries out this work is Foundational Courses. These are classes and programs that help us to engage intentionally with our heads on the Learning Pathway, our spirits on Forming Pathway, or our hands on the Equipping Pathway. The four different topics of the Foundational Courses reflect the emphasis of each pathway. They are: Scripture, Methodist theology and social principles, spiritual formation, and identification of gifts and call. The Discipleship Pathways framework understands these four components as foundational to an ever-growing life of discipleship. Throughout 2026, one Foundational Course will be offered per quarter.
Beginning in January, our sermon series will follow the topics of the Foundational Courses, that of scripture, Methodist theology and social principles, spiritual formation and identification of gifts and call.
Simultaneously with this sermon series, we will be sharing a Discipleship Reflection Guide that will help people to locate where they are currently on their journey of discipleship and which of the three pathways they want to engage first. This Discipleship Reflection Guide is something to be completed individually and then discussed in small groups, such as Sunday School classes, on Wednesday nights, or in a small group of your own creation. The Discipleship Reflection Guide will also help us to engage in this language of the Discipleship Pathways so that we might have a common language for discussing the cultivation of our discipleship, both individually and in community.
In addition to one Foundational Course offered per quarter, throughout 2026 there will also be opportunities to engage with the Forming Pathway monthly through a group called Prayer Portals: 12 Doorways into Divine Presence. The Mini Retreats will also continue to be offered once per quarter and are another way of engaging in the Forming Pathway.
The Learning Pathway Committee is making an ongoing effort to support and resource Sunday School classes with curriculum that cultivates discipleship.
Discipleship Pathways offers new language and framework for thinking about something that has always been happening at Belmont UMC, helping people grow in love of God and neighbor.
For more information, contact Hunter Wade.