Deep Discipleship

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where do I start with Deep Discipleship?

  Begin with a Group Starter Kit! The Group Starter Kit is the best way to get started. Each starter kit includes: five journals, one paperback copy of the Deep Discipleship trade book by J.T. English, and a Quick Start guide that includes a code to license the video teaching sessions, as well as some fun extras. Each journal includes a unique code to access the three accompanying books in digital format: You Are a Theologian by J.T. English and Jen Wilkin, Formed for Fellowship by Kyle Worley, and Remember and Rehearse by J.T. English.

• How can I get more journals?

  Every participant of Deep Discipleship will need a journal. The journal is the guide for the Deep Discipleship experience and essential for completing the pre-work, accessing the required reading, and engaging fully in the video teaching. Five journals are included in every Group Starter Kit, and more are available for purchase on lifeway.com. You can receive up to 25% savings for additional journals purchased.

• How do I access the teaching videos?

  The leader will be given full access to the teaching videos through a redemption code included in the Group Starter Kit. You can access the teaching video content via Lifeway On Demand online or in the app. 

• How long is a weekly group meeting?

  Deep Discipleship was designed to work well for a 90-minute group meeting, though you may choose to go longer if you want more discussion time or decide to watch the panel videos together as a group. Aside from the introductory week and the final session of this study, each session has the following structure:

  ▶ Arrive having completed “pre-work” prior to the group session ▶ Begin with group discussion around pre-work (10-15 minutes)  ▶ Watch the roundtable discussion video together (45-60 minutes)  ▶ Discuss the roundtable discussion in groups (10-15 minutes) ▶ Watch the second teaching video together (7-15 minutes)  ▶ Return to group discussion to close out the group session (10-15 minutes) 

  If you choose to watch the panel discussion video as a group, watch the video and then dismiss. 

• Who is Deep Discipleship for?

  At its core, Deep Discipleship is a program to equip and grow holistic disciples who want to deepen their understanding of Christian Story, historical Christian beliefs, and formative spiritual practices in an accessible and tested format. Deep Discipleship can be used in any of the following ways:  ▶ To train men and women who are interested in going deeper in their discipleship walk  ▶ To equip existing small groups who want to grow deeply together  ▶ To train leaders within a particular ministry area  ▶ To train leaders or residents in a development program ▶ To work through and establish a discipleship baseline among church staff  ▶To use as a Bible curriculum for homeschool high school groups 

• Can I do Deep Discipleship with my small group?

  Yes! While many churches might wish to offer Deep Discipleship as a stand-alone program, others may choose to work through the material in a small group. Deep Discipleship is not meant to take people away from other areas of service, but to train, equip, and empower them to be more productive and faithful in the areas where they already serve.  

• Can I earn credit for completing the program?

  Yes, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary offers one credit hour to participants completing Deep Discipleship. For more information, visit mbts.edu.

• When can I start groups at my church?

  Groups can begin Deep Discipleship at any time during the year. The program is comprised of two twelve-week semesters, along with an Orientation session week to be completed before the first semester begins. You may do the Orientation session together as a group or ask participants to work through this session individually. However, the curriculum is divided into Old Testament for twelve weeks and New Testament for twelve weeks, making this an ideal resource to run on a semester system starting in the fall and completing in the spring. 

• Can I use Deep Discipleship outside of the church context?

  Yes, while the primary context for discipleship is the local church, if you have a group of Christians who want to go deeper in their understanding of the Bible, theology, and spiritual disciplines, you can form your own group. We do recommend that Deep Discipleship be implemented within the local church because it is the place where God forms people through His Word into the image of His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. This curriculum aims to help Christians and churches retrieve and re-deploy a vision for deep discipleship in their own local churches. 

• What happens at the conclusion of the program?

  Aside from helping people know and love God and others well, the aim of Deep Discipleship is to produce disciples who make disciples. This happens as we multiply groups participating in the program. As participants complete the program, they become equipped to be commissioned into the life of their church as leaders. While some will return to their previous way of serving in the church, we hope many will feel called to be table leaders in the next round of Deep Discipleship. 

   Your license to the teaching video sessions will remain active until August 1, 2026. You will have the opportunity to renew at $150 off the retail price so that you can launch the next round of Deep Discipleship groups.