Missionary discipleship: Growing closer to Christ and one another

“Rooted in the Great Commission, where Jesus commanded his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), all believers are called to actively live out their faith in ways that transform both themselves and the world around them. As a way of life, missionary discipleship provides a framework that combines faith, service and community, making it an essential principle for personal and collective spiritual growth.”

This is one of our key guiding principles for the pastoral planning process because it is foundational as a follower of Christ.

Missionary discipleship challenges individuals to move beyond a passive belief system and embrace an active relationship with Christ. This principle fosters a dynamic faith that is not confined to Sunday worship or private prayer but extends to every encounter and decision. By prioritizing missionary discipleship, believers are encouraged to embody Christ’s teachings through their actions, demonstrating love, humility and compassion in tangible ways.

When believers live as missionary disciples, they continually seek to deepen their relationship with God through prayer, Scripture and participation in the sacraments. This inner transformation inspires outward action, creating a ripple effect that touches families, communities and the broader society.

In a world often marked by materialism and individualism, missionary discipleship provides a countercultural vision. It reminds believers that personal success is participation in God’s mission. It emphasizes the importance of journeying together in faith, learning from one another and supporting each other in living out the Gospel in the world. This commitment to building relationships fosters a sense of belonging and helps break down barriers that often divide. As these communities grow in love and understanding, they become powerful witnesses to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Missionary discipleship, then, is a guiding principle that empowers believers to live out their faith in meaningful and transformative ways. By integrating this principle into our pastoral planning process, we reflect the essence of the Christian mission first and foremost. As believers embrace missionary discipleship, both individuals and communities not only grow closer to Christ but also become agents of his love and light in the world. As such, it remains a timeless and effective guide for anyone seeking to live a life of faith, service and impact.

The planning process continues to move forward in two ways this month:

1  Diocesan level: Create a planning guidebook and resources for the process.

  • Pastoral planning is a crucial process for faith communities as they seek to respond to the spiritual, social and practical needs to fulfill their mission. A guidebook will help ACCs articulate and maintain a clear vision throughout the planning process. It will offer a framework for identifying priorities and aligning them with mission, to ensure that all voices are heard and that the planning process is inclusive and transparent.

By providing structure, clarity and consistency across the diocese, a guidebook will ensure that pastoral planning is both effective and faithful to the guiding principles and vision of the bishop. Some of the things the guidebook will include are listening skills, design parameters for planning, statistics for the ACC, church models, timeline and expected format.

2  ACC level: Pastors appoint members for an ACC planning committee.

  • The All Things New planning process will require people from each ACC to engage in planning for the mission. We are asking each ACC to have an All Things New planning committee. This committee will be comprised of eight to 12 people appointed by the pastor representing each parish of the ACC. This committee will help develop a pastoral plan that includes setting goals, prioritizing resources and fostering a shared vision for the future of the ACC.

Brenda Kresky is the director of planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud.

///////

For more information and to sign up for the digital planning newsletter, visit stcdio.org/all-things-new/.

 

 

 

New podcasts related to this topic and more including Daniella Zsupan-Jerome; Joe Kresky; and Jon Ruis  and Joe Towalski.

Author: The Central Minnesota Catholic

The Central Minnesota Catholic is the magazine for the Diocese of St. Cloud.

Leave a Reply

*