In a culture that rewards speed, productivity, and constant activity, slowing down can feel almost unnatural. Yet for participants in a Discipleship Cohort, slowing down has become an invitation to something deeper: learning to listen to God.
“Typically, we read scripture to analyze and understand it,” Jose reflected. “The practices for listening to God through scripture helped me slow down and allow the scriptures to analyze me.”
That shift—from simply studying Scripture to allowing God to speak through it—is at the heart of the Discipleship Cohort experience. Through intentional practices of listening to God in Scripture, prayer, and mission, participants develop rhythms designed not simply to teach them more about God, but to deepen their relationship with God.
For Katy, the weekly gathering and accountability of the cohort helped turn those practices into habits. “Over time, I found a greater desire to practice these rhythms,” she said. “I began to see their importance, and have become convinced that they need to be part of my day-to-day life.”
Katie experienced a similar transformation. “Participation in the Discipleship Cohort has deeply altered the way that I interact with the Lord,” she shared. The cohort gave her both the structure and accountability to explore practices that were new to her—including an extended silent retreat, which she described as “such a life-giving gift from Jesus.”
But none of this happens alone. Each participant also discovered the importance of practicing discipleship in community. Jose described the support of fellow believers as “invaluable,” while Katie found that her relationships with her “fellow sojourners” deepened in ways she had not expected.
Perhaps that is what makes a Discipleship Cohort particularly valuable. It creates intentional space to step away from the noise, listen for God, and then respond to what we hear—together.
As Jose put it, “In a culture where being busy is the norm, we must slow down to listen to God.” A Discipleship Cohort offers an invitation to do just that—and to discover what might happen when listening becomes a way of life.
Interested in joining our next Discipleship Cohort? Email Tod at tod@missionalive.org