Building Up Disciples in Servanthood

What is BUDS?

BUDS is a summer long discipleship program aimed at helping you dive deeper into your walk with God and equipping you to effectively love the community around you. Through prayer, mentorship, study, labor, and service you will be challenged to join deeper into the life of God, overcome challenges in your spiritual walk, know God more intimately, develop spiritual habits for long term growth, and become equipped to effectively love your neighbors. For three months we will spend every day together walking through spiritual rhythms, receiving the Word of God, getting to know our stories, and meeting the needs of the vulnerable in our local community.

Why BUDS?

There is no more important pursuit than our intimate communion with God, and no better way to do than in fellowship and mentoring. Though giving up a summer may feel like a large sacrifice, the freedom of a confident walk with God far outweighs the sacrifice. If you are looking to grow in your knowledge of God, your love for Him, and your ability to minister to those around you then this program is for you.

What Does the Day to Day Look Like

On a given day you will start your morning with chores at the homestead, working the soil and getting your body moving. We will then follow this time with guided prayer and meditation on Scripture. In the early afternoon we will either have a group discussion or mentorship meetings. Then the late afternoon is dedicated to serving the local community. 

Why Spiritual Disciplines

The disciplines of prayer, study, fasting, labor, and worship are a bedrock of formation that provide a steady, long term trajectory of growth while avoiding spiritual highs and burnout. In our day to day, they create rhythms that allow us to easily sink below the surface of the noise around us and connect with God. In the long term they help us to develop stronger, more prolific attachments to God that carry us through the ups and downs of our personal life and the world around us. 

Why We Pursue Spiritual Formation

Regardless of what career we are pursuing and regardless of what stage of life we currently find ourselves in, we must acknowledge that God has called us to the highest of purposes and the fullness of life. A stagnant life and stunted soul, mediocrity and a lack of pursuit, are not what we are called to. We must become aware of who God calls us to be - sons, leaders, conquerors. Spiritual formation is about becoming the man God has created you to be and developing deeper attachments to Him. It is a process of walking in the light, receiving his love, habituating spiritual disciplines, growing in understanding, and kindling a love for Him and for our neighbors.

Why We Seek Communion With God

Life was made for more than doctrine and theology; it was made for a walk with God. Salvation was given for more than doing the right things, it was given that we might be reunited with our Creator. Your heart, mind, body and spirit were made to know God relationally and experientially. We do not control this process but seek God earnestly, trusting that when we knock the door will be opened.

Why the Whole Being Matters

We were not made to give our minds alone to God nor would we have fully received his salvation if all that knew him were one piece of us. If our thoughts pursue Jesus but our heart pulls us away, we are a divided being. If our spirit knows God but our bodies are idle, we will be tempted away from the rest we have found. If our hearts rest in Jesus but our spirit does not know him, we will be found timid in the face of opposition. All parts of our being must come into a knowledge of God so that no one part is pulled away from what is has received.