Church development program

After I'd done my post on from-social-club-to-discipling-centre, I was chatting with a friend who's part of the full-time ministry team at a local church.

He suggested an approach he's taken in the past.

He worked a four-year cycle broken into four streams: Old Testament, New Testament, Theology and Society and Apologetics.

He cycled through these building up knowledge in his congregation over the four-year cycle of book studies, thematic studies, technical studies (you know, about the historiographical and textual aspects of the books).

I was thinking this would fit neatly with my scheme, with my three conferences between each of the streams.

The youth groups would be integrated into the program as well, but emphasising discussion groups and skill development opportunities both in the youth group and in the general congregation.