School of Discipleship

One of our values at Renaissance Church is Discipleship -- that all of us who call Renaissance 'home,' would pursue a lifelong journey of bringing every part of our lives under the lordship of Jesus Christ, being formed by His love.

We've sensed a hunger to support our collective discipleship by digging deeper into core Christian theology, practices, and ethics. We want to explore these areas not to just get more knowledge, but to hopefully be transformed to look more like Jesus and impact the world around us.

We also value Community and believe it's the best way to learn, process, and apply what scripture teaches.

And so this fall, we will pilot a new School of Discipleship, and you're invited to join us. Registration closes September 25, 2026.

The School of Discipleship is a shared journey for everyone at Renaissance Church. Each two-hour gathering will consist of connecting with others, teaching, group discussion led by a trained group leader, and light bites/snacks. Some evenings will include a Q&A with a pastor. There will also be study and practices to be completed at home by each participant, as part of their commitment to grow. Participants will be placed in groups, and you will meet and build relationships with the same group every week.

The School of Discipleship is made up of three, eight-week terms: Fall, Winter, and Spring. The hope is that participants will plan to commit to all three terms, as they build upon each other. However, participants and group leaders will register/confirm their commitment at the start of each term.

There will also be a $40 registration fee to cover the cost of materials and snacks. Scholarships are available for anyone who is unable to cover the full registration fee. 

When Jesus was asked to choose the greatest commandment, he replied "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

The three School of Discipleship modules will focus on unique aspects of these two commands -- what does it practically mean to love God with every part of ourselves and love others as ourselves. 

The School of Discipleship will begin during the week of October 4, 2026 and will be in-person only. Participants will choose between one of two meeting days:

• Sundays from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Location: Mott Hall II - 220 W. 121st Street, New York, NY

Since 2020, our church has offered DNA Groups as a way to grow more connected to Jesus and to other Jesus followers. Over the years, people have had varied experiences in DNA Groups -- some have experienced rich community in groups that have been together for many years. Others have had disappointing experiences, due to low commitment, the 8-week time constraint, or a lack of shared beliefs from people in your group. While the launch of the School of Discipleship won't take away DNA Groups completely, it will create some significant changes and hopefully solve some of the challenges people have experienced in the past. The goal is for more people in our church to grow deeper and thrive in their discipleship.

If you were in a DNA Group that has met for less than a year, we encourage you and others from your group to register for the School of Discipleship. You can choose to register as a group or as individuals. We will not open registration for new participants in DNA Groups this fall. In fall 2027, people who have completed the School of Discipleship will be added to DNA Groups.

Sign up as an individual and get placed in a group
Signing up for School of Discipleship is a great way to get more connected in community at Renaissance Church. The groups will be assigned on the first evening, and you’ll stay in that group of 8-10 people for the term. If you register as an individual, you can request another person you’d like to be in a group with on the form, and we will do our best to accommodate that request. *Please discuss this with the people you list before registering.*

Sign up as a group
If you're someone who is in a tight knit DNA Group, we would love for you all to choose a day and sign up to go through the School of Discipleship together.  The group size will be approximately 8-12 people. If you choose this option, your group should discuss your selected day and identify a nominated group leader. The registration form will include a space to list the nominated group leader's name, which will be used to place your group together.

*If you are in a DNA Group that will not participate in the School of Discipleship, please email info@renaissancenyc.com so we can follow up with information about your group's discipleship journey this fall. 

Group/Table Leaders are vital to what we do as a faith community. Leaders walk with a small group of people and facilitate honest conversation and relationship building. Leaders are not the experts with answers, but people who prayerfully guide participants to the available resources. Leaders also equally participate in the discipleship journey.

Responsibilities:

• Care for people in your group, not just the material.
• Guide the conversation rather than play the expert/fix — keep it honest, shared, and safe.
• Point people back to Jesus and His word, especially in the hard or unclear moments.
• Engage in all the assigned reading, content, and practices.
• Attend Leader Preparation every week (30 minutes prior to the session).
• Align with our beliefs (renaissancenyc.com/our-beliefs) and live out the ethic of Jesus.

Time Commitment:
When you sign up as a leader, you are only committing to the Fall term. For future terms, you can choose to continue as a leader or not.

• One-hour Leader Training: Sep. 13 or Sep. 14, 2026 via Zoom
• Term 1: Oct. 4 - Dec. 2, 2026

How do I sign up to be a Group Leader?
When you complete your registration for the School of Discipleship, you can indicate your interest in being a group leader and complete the related questions. Co-leaders are also welcomed/encouraged. If you do not identify a co-leader, no problem! We will do our best to arrange/organize co-leaders in every group.