Beginnings: “Consider Jesus” 1986
As we sat reminiscing one evening we realised that none of us could come up with the reason why we started to run a discipleship training course (DTC) so its beginning will have to remain shrouded in mystery! All we know is that Consider Jesus DTC came to be in October 1986, with 8 “disciples” and has been going ever since under one form or another. To begin with we ran two ten week courses a year, but in the early nineties it developed into a three term programme: first term teaching, second term practice in outreach skills/practical Christian living, third term going out with the mission team, with the second two terms being optional.
Cross Roads Community 1998
All change again in 1998 when Consider Jesus Discipleship Training course became the Crossroads Community (CRC). In a way this was forced on us: Community was finding it hard to retain its identity with the constant flow of guests, plus anything up to 15 DTC “students” living in with us. Those joining Community found it difficult to get a sense of who Community was and how to integrate. We also felt that the “students” themselves would learn more by being in a smaller group environment, by being a “community within a community” – Crossroads Community.
We came away from the idea of “terms”. Instead, people stay for any length of time between February and the end of November. CRC no longer live in with Community, but are based in “The Paddock”, enabling them to be Community together, though they do pray, eat and work with us a lot of the time. Each CRC is assigned a “one to one” from Community to share with on a personal level.
In later years, the CrossRoads community became know as “Discipleship Community”
Summer at HOD
Around 2014 we started to plan for different groups of young people to visit at different times. We invited them to “Summer at HOD”, where would come to stay in the summer for a more concentrated “mini-conference”. They were invited to join Discipleship Community in working and praying with us. Over the summer we also offered workshops and regular outings to a variety of places – towns, countryside and seaside.
The story continues…
We are always open to change as the Spirit leads and circumstances and needs evolve. Nothing is set in stone!
Over the years we have had “students” from nearly every country in Europe, plus from Malaysia, USA and Canada—it really is amazing how word travelled, even in pre-website days! The mix of personalities, cultural backgrounds, national histories and prejudices, can sometimes be “interesting” … but nothing God can’t handle! Eventually each one goes home, grateful for the challenges and blessings they’ve received. After all, things are bound to happen when we give time to …
“Consider Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
(Hebrews 12:2)
