Key Outcomes

Scott Sullivan and John Spencer (Discipleship Team Leader at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA) introduced FORMED, A Discipleship Culture Blueprint, a new resource developed over 2.5 years to help Georgia Baptist churches create disciple-making cultures rather than programs. This resource addresses the core question: How do we reach new people, connect them to the church, move them to spiritual maturity, and launch them to multiply.

Resource Overview

FORMED Structure:

• Four core elements: Real Relationships, Transformational Teaching, Disciple Making Environments, and Intentional Multiplication

• Built from dozens of pastor roundtables identifying common church struggles. • Developed by Scott Sullivan, Ray Sullivan (now Pastor at First Waycross), and PJ Dunn (overseeing Revitalization at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board) • Will be taught through six regional cohorts led by trained leaders, including John.

Key Definitions:

• Culture: The shared expression of beliefs, values, and rhythms that define an organization's identity; "how it feels" rather than just mission or vision
• Disciple (Georgia Baptist definition): A committed, passionate follower of Jesus Christ, based on 2 Timothy 2:1-7's four generations of disciples and three-word pictures (soldier, athlete, farmer)

Critical Leadership Questions

Three essential questions every pastor should answer:

• Do we have a culture of discipleship, and is it working?

• Do you have a definition of a biblical disciple for your people?

• Does the culture and success of the ministry depend solely on you as the leader? Core Principle: "I hope so is not a strategy" - churches cannot keep running the same play if it's not helping them win.

Real Relationships Framework

Foundation: Jesus invited disciples into a relationship ("follow me"), not a program - discipleship happens best within relational contexts.

The Rebar Principle:

• Like rebar tied together before concrete is poured creates tensile strength, intentionally tied relationships provide reinforcement when storms come • Without tied relationships, ministry cracks under pressure

• You cannot pour ministry on top of relationships you never tied together
2:00 AM Friendships:

• Deep, loyal, hesed-type Old Testament connections that never walk away • Many mature believers lack these foundational relationships

Sherwood Church Model

Disciple Definition at Sherwood:

Know Christ, Love God, Unite with Believers, Serve the World, and Entrust the Gospel - visible everywhere (classrooms, atrium, new member materials) to maintain cultural focus.

Sherwood on Mission Class:

• Equips members to live gospel-centered lives daily, not just share gospel facts • Most valuable component: hearing stories of others interacting with people in their zones (work, home, neighborhood)

• Available to share with other churches upon request

Practical Implementation:

• Michael Catt established Wednesday morning Cracker Barrel group with 5-6 men who could speak candidly into his leadership

• Prayer walking neighborhoods with an online sign-up chart tracking coverage across Albany

• Daily Bible reading groups (using MacArthur Daily Bible) meeting at 6:00 AM

Overcoming Barriers to Connection

Common Church Barriers:

• Poor or insufficient signage around campus

• Greeters who overwhelm rather than read people appropriately • "Holy huddles" that look inward rather than outward

• Inadequate nursery facilities that parents don't trust

• Inefficient processes (coffee stations, check-in) that create frustration. Key Insight: Confused people don't move; they wander - clear signage and processes are essential.

Cultural Shift Required:

• People want to be noticed, not just noted (Luke 19 - Jesus didn't just see Zacchaeus, he went to his house)

• New member classes must set expectations: "Your job as a disciple-maker is to welcome people to your life, not just your seat."

• Tell stories constantly - in baptisms, classrooms, social media, pulpit - to inspire and give ideas

Intentionality Over Randomness

Ministry Trap Warning:

The managerial trap of settling to manage people rather than shepherd and disciple them - easier to manage groups than invest intimately in messy lives. Personal Disciplines for Leaders:

• Start with personal abiding - "I can't lead what I don't do."

• Distinguish between being in the Bible for your people (sermon prep) versus being in the Bible for yourself

• Pray specifically: "Lord, who do I invite in?"

• Most successful ministry comes from one-on-one, one-on-two investments over time. Example: John invested ten years in a man who came hungover most mornings; now that man is leading a college ministry.

Multiplication Mindset:

• Invite younger leaders into discipleship groups to pass the torch • Equip them to replicate: "Now you go find some guys."

• Story: A man moving to North Carolina took extra MacArthur Daily Bibles to start groups there

Practical Opportunities

Beyond Sunday Services:

• Partner with existing community services (food banks, deliveries)
• Prayer walks in neighborhoods

• Student car washes

• Leverage natural contexts (pickleball example: introvert wife built new friendships, led couple to church, provided support during medical crisis)

Church Facility Design:

North Metro Church built a massive foyer/mall effect holding 500 people, transforming culture by giving space for pre-service connection rather than herding people like cattle.

Action Items

• Georgia Baptist Mission Board Discipleship Team: Launch FORMED resource by the end of April, release four podcast episodes every two weeks for cohesive learning • Regional leaders (including John): Prepare to lead cohorts using an overview/introduction approach (Matthew Gibb’s piece to be distributed) • Churches interested in Sherwood’s On Mission materials: Contact John Spencer at johns@sherwoodbaptist.net for manual/digital copies

Closing Principle

"A church that is easy to attend but hard to connect in will always struggle to multiply. Bet the farm on relationships - Jesus did."