At Northstar we take the command to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ seriously. It is important that every Christian understands that living the Christian life is not about a one-time decision to trust in Christ, but a lifetime process of growing in likeness and love for Jesus (Romans 8:28-29). With this in mind, the phrase Think 28 has become a motto for our church family. Think 28 refers to two Scripture references: Matthew 28:18-20 and Colossians 1:28. They are commands given to the church to make disciples that grow into spiritual maturity through a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Northstar seeks to be obedient to these commands by creating a discipleship culture in which we invest in others relationally, in the power of the Holy Spirit and reliance on God’s Word. Our desire is to see others grow to maturity and multiply their lives.
D28
The primary avenue in which Northstar is trusting God to create this culture of discipleship is named D28. The D28 Discipleship Ministry is a group of 3-4 people who study through foundational skills for Christian living as well as a specific book of the New Testament. Through participating in D28 you will be challenged through your group to grow in your love for God, understanding of the Scriptures, prayer life, ministry skills and much more.
Some Quick Facts about D28
- Groups of 3-4 (one leader)
- Groups meet once a week
- 6-8 sessions
- Men with men, women with women
- There are two curriculums:
- D28 Foundations prioritizes “how to study the Bible” and “how to share your faith” as well as studying the book of Ephesians.
- D28 Grow prioritizes continuing spiritual disciplines and equips you to be a disciple-maker
Our next sessions of D28 will begin in January 2020.
The Discipleship Initiative
At our State of the Church Sunday in January 2019, our pastor cast a vision to take every single member of Northstar through a new six-week small group process called the “Discipleship Initiative.” You can read more about that here. We’ve made great progress (check out the mid-year progress post) and are on pace to achieve that goal. This year, we have focused all our discipleship efforts on our church members. We will be reopening D28 groups for members and guests in 2020.