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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Evidence that the Discipleship Adventure continues to grow is mounting.

This fall, Bishop John R. Schol met with more than 1,400 clergy and lay people throughout the region about how new appointment and evaluation processes will enhance discipleship. Conference staff, district superintendents and the bishop have held one-on-one interviews with more than 500 pastors in their churches about the Discipleship Adventure. Training opportunities are being finalized for the conference staff so that they can resource local churches in ground breaking ways.

Each of these measures will assist the leaders of the Baltimore-Washington Conference as they continue to explore the best paths forward on the Discipleship Adventure.

The Discipleship Adventure, adopted by annual conference members last May as a blueprint for transformation, calls upon the elements of celebration, connection, development, service and faith sharing to be used in the creation of Acts 2 fruit ? such as increased worship attendance, membership, giving and involvement in mission.

As the Discipleship Adventure unfolds, conference leaders say, a number of things have become clear.

First, developing an effective partnership between local churches and the conference is essential; secondly, there is a sense of urgency around these anticipated changes; and thirdly, the conference has all the expertise it requires for this transformation process within its own bounds.

'This is not being dictated to us. We?re developing it all here, in house. The time is now,' said the Rev. Rod Miller, conference director of connectional ministries. 'God is breathing new life into us today. The Discipleship Adventure is becoming our rule of life.'

At a Nov. 15 round table meeting to receive feedback about direction, pace and progress with 22 conference leaders, who included United Methodist men, women, Board of Laity, district lay leadership, campus ministers, camping and retreat staff, members and others, Bishop Schol revealed that the exact final outcome of the Discipleship Adventure is not yet fully known.

'It?s as if we started at 10,000 feet,' he said. 'We?re now at 5,000 feet.'

In other words, things are coming into focus. At ground-level, the bishop said, it will be about being the community God intends; a dynamic community engaging congregations in the making of disciples and transforming their communities.

He encouraged those at the round table meeting to continue to be open to the Holy Spirit and the creative tension that might come with uncertainty.

As they move forward in the Discip-leship Adventure, the bishop said, churches are being called to go 'deeper in, further out and wider still.'

To enable churches to take these risks, the conference will be providing pastors with the assistance they need. However, rather than being a hierarchical model, partnership will be stressed, said the bishop. 'The real role and goal of the conference is to come alongside people and work together.'

In January, a process will begin to equip conference staff to be effective partners and coaches with pastors, said Helen Fleming, the bishop?s assistant for leadership development. District superintendents and conference staff members will be trained by experienced coaches to help each pastor achieve his or her full potential in ministry.

The coaching, which will be done in part in small affinity groups, is expected to begin in March.

Fleming is also beginning to explore a process of providing leadership training to laity throughout the conference. 'Bringing out the gifts of the laity is critical,' she said.

A variety of training modules will also be developed to assist pastors in practical, hands-on ministry concerns as they lead their congregations in the process of creating and deepening disciples.

Miller and Fleming will oversee the creation of these resources that are expected to focus on the five elements of the discipleship adventure: celebration, connection, development, service and faith sharing.