Nurture disciples by building relationships

Click here to view a sample of Making Disciples. To view these files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. For a free download of this program, click here.

How to Get Started
The best way for leaders to equip themselves for this program is to purchase a copy of Making Disciples Starter Kit. It offers leaders one copy each of all the resources in the program: Mentor’s Guide, Confirmand’s Journal, Coordinator’s Guide, and Mentor Support DVD.
* Making Disciples Starter Kit (one of each – a 21% savings!)
MDRK2 - $56.69

* Mentor’s Guide
MDMM2 - $14.56

* Confirmand’s Journal
MDCJ2 - $12.87

* Coordinator’s Guide
MDCG2 - $16.81

* Mentor Support DVD
MDDVD - $27.48

Making Disciples is a mentor-based confirmation program that pairs confirmands with adult mentors and guides them through a variety of learning experiences that will strengthen the student's understanding of the faith while connecting him or her with the community of believers in a personal way. It can be used as a stand-alone program, or in conjunction with your current curriculum as a special experiential unit.

William Willimon is one of the foremost preachers in the English-speaking world. He and his Christian education committee decided to change the way they would provide confirmation. Willimon and co-writer, the Rev. Mark Flynn, designed a confirmation program that would be more like a process and less like a reading assignment, more engaging and congruent with the nature of the Christian faith than existing programs.

Willimon used an “apprenticeship” approach to confirmation, pairing adult mentors from the congregation with confirmation students. He produced a series of learning experiences where adult mentors and confirmands are both teachers and learners at the same time, and Making Disciples: A New Approach to Confirmation was the result.

Elements of the Program
So what exactly is Making Disciples? It is a 13-session confirmation mentoring program that consists of four interrelated resources: Confirmand’s Journal, Mentor’s Guide, Coordinator’s Guide, and Mentor Support DVD.

Topics explore the basics of Christian faith:

• God
• Jesus
• the Holy Spirit
• worship
• the Bible
• gifts
• ministry
• baptism
• spiritual life
• death and resurrection
• the church

Support for Mentors
Each session of the Mentor’s Guide contains mentor preparation activities and session starter ideas. In addition, the Mentor Support DVD provides an introduction to each session, offering helpful information about the challenges and questions mentors and students will likely bring to each session. Each mentor should have access to a video.

The Coordinator’s Guide also contains ideas for establishing a mentor program and for supporting mentors. It includes ideas for integrating large group activities throughout the program.