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Discipleship course launched with blessing from Archbishop of Canterbury
By Bishop Stephen Cottrell at Lambeth Palace
October 2, 2013
A new Christian discipleship course for church congregations and groups of all traditions was launched yesterday at Lambeth Palace.
A new Christian discipleship course for church congregations and groups of all traditions was launched yesterday at Lambeth Palace. 'Pilgrim: A course for the Christian journey' is part of the Church of England's focus on spiritual and numerical growth. It is the first national discipleship course to be commissioned by the House of Bishops. The programme - which promises 'participation, not persuasion' - seeks to reach parishes that have never run courses of this kind, as well as to offer additional approaches to churches to already running programmes such as Alpha.
Assuming little or no knowledge of the Christian faith, the course can be used at any point on the journey of discipleship and by every tradition in the CofE.The Archbishop of Canterbury, who was unable to attend the launch in person, sent a message describing it as 'a very exciting venture'. He has personally endorsed the course along with the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu.
The course's core authors are the Bishops of Chelmsford, Sheffield and Stockport, (Stephen Cottrell, Steven Croft, Robert Atwell) and Dr Paula Gooder, writer and lecturer in New Testament studies. Speaking at Lambeth Palace this morning, the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, said that for most people becoming a Christian is 'like a journey'. Evangelism, he added, should therefore be focused on 'helping people make the journey'. The Pilgrim course aims to provide parishes with the resources for such ministry, he said.The Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Rev Robert Atwell, said that by introducing people to key Christian texts the course would seek to 'equip a new generation of Christians for their journey through life.'
'Pilgrim: A course for the Christian journey', which has been blessed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, is part of the Church of England's focus on spiritual and numerical growth.
The programme - which promises 'participation, not persuasion' - seeks to reach parishes that have never run courses of this kind, while offering additional approaches to churches already running programmes such as Alpha.
Archbishop Justin, who features on several of the course's video resources, sent a message to the launch describing it as 'a very exciting venture'.
The course's core authors are the Bishops of Chelmsford, Sheffield and Stockport, (Stephen Cottrell, Steven Croft, Robert Atwell) and Dr Paula Gooder, writer and lecturer in New Testament studies.
Speaking at the launch, the Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Rev Robert Atwell, said the course would seek to 'equip a new generation of Christians for their journey through life.'
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, said that for most people becoming a Christian is 'like a journey'. Evangelism, he added, should therefore be focused on 'helping people make the journey'.
Find out more on the Pilgrim website: pilgrimcourse.org
