Making Disciples is a mentor-based confirmation program that pairs confirmands with adult mentors and guides them through a variety of learning experiences that will strengthen the student's understanding of the faith while connecting him or her with the community of believers in a personal way. It can be used as a stand-alone program, or in conjunction with your current curriculum as a special experiential unit.
William Willimon is one of the foremost preachers in the English-speaking world. He and his Christian education committee decided to change the way they would provide confirmation. Willimon and co-writer, the Rev. Mark Flynn, designed a confirmation program that would be more like a process and less like a reading assignment, more engaging and congruent with the nature of the Christian faith than existing programs.
Willimon used an “apprenticeship” approach to confirmation, pairing adult mentors from the congregation with confirmation students. He produced a series of learning experiences where adult mentors and confirmands are both teachers and learners at the same time, and Making Disciples: A New Approach to Confirmation was the result.
Elements of the Program
So what exactly is Making Disciples? It is a 13-session confirmation mentoring program that consists of four interrelated resources: Confirmand’s Journal, Mentor’s Guide, Coordinator’s Guide, and Mentor Support Video.
Topics explore the basics of Christian faith:
God
Jesus
the Holy Spirit
worship
the Bible
gifts
ministry
baptism
spiritual life
death and resurrection
the church
Support for Mentors
Each session of the Mentor’s Guide contains mentor preparation activities and session starter ideas. In addition, the Mentor Support Video provides an introduction to each session, offering helpful information about the challenges and questions mentors and students will likely bring to each session. Each mentor should have access to a video.
The Coordinator’s Guide also contains ideas for establishing a mentor program and for supporting mentors. It includes ideas for integrating large group activities throughout the program.
Order Today!
Order a Making Disciples Review Kit to examine one copy of each item in the program. You will quickly see what has made Making Disciples such a popular and successful confirmation program. The review kit includes:
One copy of the Mentor's Guide
One copy of the Confirmand's Journal
One copy of the Coordinator's Guide
One Mentor Support DVD
