Taking the Next Step with DCC

Discipleship, News | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

It can be hard to get plugged into a church. It raises all kinds of questions, “Where do I start? Who should I talk to? What does this church believe? Are there other people like me? What should I do? Can I use my gifts here? Will I be known?” If that’s you, this is for you. Over the last six years we have grown an average of 45% year-over-year as a church. That means we are continually welcoming new people that are believers, unbelievers, and I-don’t-know-what-I-believers. That, of course, is a great issue to have. But, it can make meaningfully connecting a real challenge. Therefore, I am writing to help those of you who are in that season and encourage you to take the next step with DCC. There are a lot of options, including:

#1 Newcomer’s Lunch

This is our starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about DCC. We provide lunch, share our story, introduce leaders, and answer questions. It’s an informal time of connecting in order to help you get to know us—and us, you. Our next lunch is on Sunday, June 11th at 1:00pm in the Multi-Purpose Room of our building. Whether you’re new or merely looking to take the next step, we hope you can join us. RSVP here.  

#2 Get to Know Jesus 

Nearly every week I meet someone who is not yet a Christian, but is interested in learning more about Jesus. Perhaps you grew up in an atheistic home and have questions. Or, maybe you grew up in a Christian home but walked away at some point. Or, maybe you’re not even sure what you believe but are intrigued by Jesus. One of our current projects is creating small, time-bound, groups that explore Jesus’ life and claims. We’re not quite ready to roll them out yet. But, if you’re interested in considering Jesus, please let us know. We would be more than happy to meet with you and walk through the most important study you will ever embark on. If you’re interested, email us at .

#3 Jump into a Community

Relationships are foundational to our lives. That is by God’s design. Therefore, we are not merely interested in holding events but helping foster relationships that are deeply rooted in the gospel of Jesus. To help facilitate this we have Cornerstone communities. These are communities of diverse imperfect people that are committed to living out the implications of the gospel in every sphere of life. These communities meet throughout the week, around the city, to eat together, pray together, laugh together, and open their Bibles together. We understand that certain jobs, circumstances, health issues, and life stages may hinder you’re ability to be in a community. But, whatever the case may be, we encourage you to participate to the extent you are able. There are few contexts that are as transformative as being in regular life-on-life relationships with others who are seeking Jesus with you. To find a community near you, or on a night that works for you, email us at or drop by the Connect desk on Sunday. 

#4 Start or join a Discipleship Group

At the heart of the Christian faith is “discipleship” or, in other words, being a learner of Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20). Growing as a disciple of Jesus doesn’t happen on accident, intentionality is required. Therefore, we have created Discipleship Groups (affectionately known as DGs) which are small (2-5 people), gender-specific, biblical, and missional groups who regularly meet together for life-on-life intentional discipleship. The purpose of these groups is to cultivate trust in Jesus, growth in holiness and missional living. Typically these groups are formed by those who are already in community with one another, thus maximizing their impact, but there is a lot of flexibility. Some meet every week, others biweekly, and some monthly. Learn more here.

#5 Go deeper with an Equip Group

An Equip group is basically a Discipleship Group (see above) that is time-bound and guided by pre-selected reading. The purpose is to make disciples-who-make-disciples that are anchored in all that God is for them, in Jesus. This one year development track (roughly 52 weeks) is designed to help this happen in the context of small (4-6 people), covenanted, gender-specific groups. These groups meet regularly for discussion of reading, scripture, prayer, and sharpening. This is not intended to be a class, but a context for life-on-life missional discipleship. Membership is required for leadership of an Equip group, but anyone can participate. Learn more here.

#6 Start to Serve

The church is a family, not merely a service provider. That means we need all hands on deck. An important step towards investing in DCC is to consider serving in some capacity. In serving, you build relationships with those you are serving with. In serving, you get to use (and discover) your God-given gifts. In serving, you get the joy that inevitably comes from putting others before you. The benefits are nearly as numerous as the opportunities, which include: Kids, hospitality, greeting, music, productions, facilities, design, communications, Connect, and more. This doesn’t even include the many ways we are currently partnering with mercy and justice organizations in the community. If you have a specific gift that doesn’t fit into these categories, let us know that too. To sign up email us at or drop by the Connect desk on Sunday. 

#7 Become a Member

We practice meaningful membership as a church. Church membership isn’t mainly about the benefits we receive, but mainly about the people to whom we belong. Membership is a tangible declaration that says, “I belong to Jesus and this particular expression of his people.” I am a member of his body here (1 Cor. 12:4-31; Rom. 12:3-8). I am a living stone here (2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:22; 1 Pet. 2:5). I am a citizen, along with these citizens, here (Eph. 2:19; Phil. 3:20). I am part of Jesus’ family here (Eph. 2:19; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 3:6). These metaphors point to realities that are both universal and local. That is why the Bible makes it clear that pastors are responsible for specific “sheep”, and that “sheep” follow specific leaders (1 Pet. 5:2; Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:7; 1 Tim. 5:17). Membership is how we seek to embody these profound realities.  If you’re interested in learning more, and we hope you are, our next membership class is this weekend. It’s not too late to jump in. RSVP here. 

#8 Move towards others

It can be hard being in a church where so many people are new and unknown. We have 225 members but up to 700 in attendance on any given Sunday. That means there are up to 475 people in various states of connectedness with DCC on any given Sunday. That’s a lot of people. So, if you don’t feel welcomed it could be because you are surrounded by other new people who feel the same! I encourage you to be proactive. Introduce yourself. Invite someone out to lunch. Try to meet 3-5 new people every Sunday. Pray that God would direct your conversations. “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you” (Rom. 15:7).

Lastly, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns along the way. Being only six years old, we know that we don’t have everything figured out. We may even have the same questions that you do (!), but we are seeking to be faithful with what we have. Thanks for your grace along the way. We are grateful that you are considering calling DCC your church family and want to serve you in any way that we can. The local church is central to God’s glorious purposes in the world—and we get to be a part of that together. What is your next step? 

Grace abounding, 

Pastor Adam