The course curriculum for the Inspire School of Discipleship is structured around three main areas: Missional Discipleship, Fellowship Band and House Fellowship (Missional Communities). We offer courses under each main area, and also some Focussed Learning Communities. You can read more about the ethos of all our training here.
Please note, to register for courses you must go to Online Course Schedule and In-Person Course Schedule.
Missional Discipleship
The courses listed below will delve into the nature of Missional Discipleship as shaped by the Inspire Way of Life: seeking growth in our love of God and neighbor, using spiritual disciplines as a means of grace, sharing fellowship on the journey of discipleship, and engaging mission by sharing faith with others in word and deed. Courses are reinforced through the practice of Fellowship Band.
This 6-week course will introduce you to the Inspire vision for discipleship and mission. This introductory course will provide a big picture overview of Missional Discipleship and the purpose of Fellowship Bands. It also touches on the connection between Fellowship Bands and House Fellowship, as well as their place in the wider life of the church. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Mission-Shaped Discipleship
- Session 3: Discipleship as a Way of Life
- Session 4: The Ethos of Fellowship Band
- Session 5: Spirituality for Everyday Missionaries
- Session 6: Next Steps
This 5-week course is an introduction to Inspire Fellowship Bands and how they are a means of pursuing Jesus’ way of life and growing in the Inspire Way Of Life. We will unpack the characteristics and rhythms of a band meeting as well as practical advice on how to start and sustain your journey on the Way of Life through Fellowship Band. You can watch a short introduction to Fellowship Bands HERE. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation – Why Fellowship Band?
- Session 2: Following the Way of Life
- Session 3: Characteristics of a Fellowship band
- Session 4: Starting the Fellowship Band Journey
- Session 5: Rhythms of Discipleship, Q&A, and What Next?
This 5-week course delves into Jesus’ way of life, which can be summed up in four core areas: seeking growth, using disciplines, sharing fellowship, and engaging mission. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Longing for More of God. Seeking growth, the secret of spiritual hunger, and living from our longings.
- Session 3: Staying Connected to Grace. Using spiritual disciplines as means of grace, and practicing the presence of God in daily life.
- Session 4: Investing in Spiritual Friendships. Sharing fellowship, the dynamics of group spiritual direction, and mentoring one another as disciples.
- Session 5: Following God’s Lead. Engaging Mission, sensing the impulses of the Spirit, and surrendering to his movements
This 5-week course delves into the missional nature of basic Christian practices and disciplines for Fellowship Band, House Fellowship, and everyday life. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Listening to God in Prayer and Scripture
- Session 3: Fasting, Abstinence and the Power of the Spirit
- Session 4: Using Spiritual Gifts in Fellowship and Mission
- Session 5: Sharing the Faith as an Everyday Missionary
In development. Look for updates in School News.
This 5-week course focuses on the nature of cultivating a disciple-making culture in the leadership and life of the church. The course curriculum focuses on the importance of investing in a few for the sake of the many. It will help you shift from prevalent consumeristic approaches to ministry and equip you to train up whole-life disciples and everyday missionaries. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: From Feeding the Flock to Making People Hungry. Creating a hunger for more of God.
- Session 3: From Doing Ministry to Equipping Disciples. Equipping people for intimacy with God
- Session 4: From Attracting Crowds to Investing in a Few. Mentoring a few who seek after God
- Session 5: From Mission Strategies to Raising Missionaries. Opening eyes to the Mission of God
This 5-week course will delve into how to equip, encourage and journey with children in the Way of Life. It explores how the Inspire principles and practices can be used in the family (at home), in missional community (in house fellowship) and in gatherings (in church). The course will be good for parents, carers, children’s workers, church leaders, house fellowship leaders, and anyone who has a heart for being a disciple who is discipling children.
We recommend that people take Introduction to Missional Discipleship and/or Introduction to Fellowship Band before taking this course.
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction to Fellowship Band
- Session 2: Discipling children in the family (at home)
- Session 3: Discipling children in House Fellowship (Missional Community)
- Session 4: Discipling children in gatherings (in churches)
- Session 5: Being disciples who make disciples in every day life
Fellowship Bands
Inspire Fellowship Bands are small groups of three or four close friends who meet regularly for spiritual conversation. Band meetings help us become more committed followers of Jesus, who grow in his likeness from the inside out. They encourage us to keep in step with his Spirit, as whole-life disciples and everyday missionaries. The following courses will equip you for the practice of Fellowship Band:
This 6-week course is the foundation for Fellowship Bands. It provides a big picture overview of Missional Discipleship and the purpose of Fellowship Bands. Starting with this course helps to give fellowship bands the purpose that helps to sustain them for the long haul. It also touches on the connection between Fellowship Bands and House Fellowship, as well as their place in the wider life of the church. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Mission-Shaped Discipleship
- Session 3: Discipleship as a Way of Life
- Session 4: The Ethos of Fellowship Band
- Session 5: Spirituality for Everyday Missionaries
- Session 6: Next Steps
This 5-week course is an introduction to Inspire Fellowship Bands and how they are a means of pursuing Jesus’ way of life and growing as missional disciples. We will unpack the characteristics and rhythms of a band meeting as well as practical advice on how to start and sustain your journey in Fellowship Band. You can watch a short introduction to Fellowship Bands HERE. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation – Why Fellowship Band?
- Session 2: Following the Way of Life
- Session 3: Characteristics of a Fellowship band
- Session 4: Starting the Fellowship Band Journey
- Session 5: Rhythms of Discipleship, Q&A, and What Next?
This 6-week course delves into the essential characteristic, or ethos, of a Fellowship Band and House Fellowship, spiritual conversation. Left to ourselves, we easily become distracted from our call to follow Jesus, or tempted to settle for lesser things, or quit the journey altogether. As we learn to bear one another’s burdens, however, we draw close to Jesus and the power of his Spirit in our midst. The course unpacks the two key ingredients needed for having authentic spiritual conversation in a Fellowship Band & House Fellowship: mutual accountability and spiritual guidance.
- Week 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Week 2: Skill #1 – Giving an Account
- Week 3: Skill #2 – Double Listening
- Week 4: Skill #3 – Asking Good Questions
- Week 5: Skill #4 – Sharing Spiritual Wisdom
- Week 6: Skill #5 – Committing to Follow
In this 5-week course you will learn the ins and outs of how to start, sustain, and multiply the Fellowship Band ministry in your own context. The course will also cover how Fellowship Band strengthens all facets of church life. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Gearing Up. Sharing wisdom about the process of forming fellowship bands, and the role of bands in the life of the church.
- Session 3: Pressing In. Sharing wisdom about the dynamics of band meeting, mutual accountability and spiritual direction.
- Session 4: Reaching Out. Sharing wisdom about the impact of fellowship bands in the church, from growing disciples, to leadership mentoring, and missional outreach.
- Session 5: Moving Forward. Sharing wisdom about how fellowship bands gain momentum, and multiply their effectiveness in the church.
This 5-week course will delve into how to equip, encourage and journey with children in the Way of Life. With Fellowship Bands as the starting point, this course explores how the Inspire principles and practices can be used in the family (at home), in missional community (in house fellowship) and in gatherings (in church). The course will be good for parents, carers, children’s workers, church leaders, house fellowship leaders, and anyone who has a heart for being a disciple who is discipling children.
We recommend that people take Introduction to Missional Discipleship and/or Introduction to Fellowship Band before taking this course.
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction to Fellowship Band
- Session 2: Discipling children in the family (at home)
- Session 3: Discipling children in House Fellowship (Missional Community)
- Session 4: Discipling children in gatherings (in churches)
- Session 5: Being disciples who make disciples in every day life
House Fellowship / Missional Community
A House Fellowship is a small community of disciples (6-20 people), meeting as an extended family and sharing life together: by eating and praying together, searching the Scriptures and sharing wisdom, and helping each other grow as whole-life disciples. Missional communities encourage one another to live as everyday missionaries: who befriend their neighbors and invite them home to share life among the community, so they can grow in discipleship together. Our course curriculum delves into the nature of starting, developing, and sustaining this ministry.
This 6-week course is the foundation for House Fellowships. It provides a big picture overview of Missional Discipleship and the purpose of House Fellowships. Starting with this course helps to give House Fellowships the purpose that helps them to start and grow well. It also touches on the connection between House Fellowships and Fellowship Bands, as well as their place in the wider life of the church. See course outline below:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: Mission-Shaped Discipleship
- Session 3: Discipleship as a Way of Life
- Session 4: The Ethos of Fellowship Band
- Session 5: Spirituality for Everyday Missionaries
- Session 6: Next Steps
In development. Look for updates in School News.
This course delves into the Biblical principles for Missional Community. Missional Communities encourage one another to live as everyday missionaries: who befriend their neighbors and invite them home to share life among the community, so they can grow in discipleship together. Below is the course outline:
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction
- Session 2: The Mission of God
- Session 3: Our Great Commission
- Session 4: Everyday Missionaries
- Session 5: Home as Mission Base
- Session 6: Rhythms of Missional Community
- Session 7: Conclusion and what next?
In development. Look for updates in School News.
This 5-week course will delve into how to equip, encourage and journey with children in the Way of Life. It explores how the Inspire principles and practices can be used in the family (at home), in missional community (in house fellowship) and in gatherings (in church). The course will be good for parents, carers, children’s workers, church leaders, house fellowship leaders, and anyone who has a heart for being a disciple who is discipling children.
We recommend that people take Introduction to Missional Discipleship and/or Introduction to Fellowship Band before taking this course.
- Session 1: Orientation and Introduction to Fellowship Band
- Session 2: Discipling children in the family (at home)
- Session 3: Discipling children in House Fellowship (Missional Community)
- Session 4: Discipling children in gatherings (in churches)
- Session 5: Being disciples who make disciples in every day life
This focused learning community brings together a cohort of small groups of people who are preparing to start a house fellowship. The community journeys together with an Inspire Missioner Mentor in online gatherings through the process of learning through doing an experimental house fellowship. The cohort continues after the experimental stage meeting regularly for conversation, wisdom sharing and accountability through the first 6 months of starting an in-person house fellowship in their local contexts. Contact us if you would like to join in a House Fellowship Focused Learning Community
Focused Learning Community
A focused learning community is a group of like-minded people who come together in small for conversation, teaching and learning. These learning communities are organised periodically, and upon request. Some of them require an application. Below are Inspire Focused Learning Communities that we can help you start and/or join in. Contact us to talk to an Inspire Missioner about how to join in any of these focused learning communities.
Introduction to Listening Prayer is 6-week course on how to reliably hear God’s voice. The focused learning community is based on biblical examples supported by practical experience. We learn accountability and best practices in rightly and effectively hearing God speak. We cover topics like how God communicates to his people, how we can develop godly practices in hearing God speak, and how we can minister to others with God’s heart and word pouring from our lips.
This focused learning community brings together a cohort of small groups of people who are preparing to start a house fellowship. The community journeys together with an Inspire Missioner Mentor in online gatherings through the process of learning through doing an experimental house fellowship. The cohort continues after the experimental stage meeting regularly for conversation, wisdom sharing and accountability through the first 6 months of starting an in-person house fellowship in their local contexts. Contact us if you would like to join in a House Fellowship Focused Learning Community
Inspire Scholars is a group of like-minded people wanting to further their studies in discipleship, evangelism, and mission spirituality without having to complete another degree program. The group selects their books of study and decide their curriculum together. If you desire intentionality and accountability for your continuing studies and/or extending your personal learning, contact us for more information!
Remembering Our Baptism is a soul-searching book, timely and much needed. It offers a way to take seriously—to actually practice—what people pledge in their Christian baptism, and what the congregation itself promises. Phil Meadows calls the book “an exercise in holding on to the doctrine, spirit, and discipline of the early Methodist movement, through the practice of remembering our baptism.” The language of “remembering baptism” as presented here means much more, of course, than mere remembering as a cognitive function. Not just an act of memory, but a move into commitment and day-by-day discipleship in Christian community. Not just recalling to mind, but rather entering into true Christian vocation. This is the kind of remembering the Bible itself calls for: Remembering our covenant with God so that we actually walk in God’s ways.
Contact us if you’re interested in starting a study group for Remember Our Baptism.
A practical resource for small group study, accompanied by an optional journal. The Inspire Way of Life is taken from how John Wesley followed Jesus, and the DNA of Discipleship explains why. There are questions to consider and discuss, Scriptures to reflect on and Wesleyan wisdom to learn from. If you don’t want to be personally challenged by how you think about discipleship and how you live your daily life, don’t open this book! You can see a preview of the book HERE.
Contact us if you’re interested in joining or starting a focused learning community for Exploring Discipleship.
Our gained wisdom suggests the best way to try out a Fellowship Band is by joining an Online Experimental Band. Experimental Bands are a six-week journey, utilizing our Way Into Series, that will walk you through the ins and outs of Fellowship Band. We believe this is the best way to experience the blessings of Fellowship Band for yourself. Many experimental bands decide to continue on the journey together, while some form new bands our of their experience.
Contact us if you’re interested in forming an experimental band.
This focused learning community brings together a cohort of people who are church planting, or wanting to church plant, using Inspire principles and practices. The community meets once a month for conversation, wisdom sharing, accountability, prayer and mentoring by Inspire Missioners. Contact us if you would like to join in a Church Planting Focused Learning Community