A Vision for Forming Disciples
Through Word and Sacrament
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
February 13-15, 2020
Sheraton Orlando North
Conference Recordings
Check out these video and audio recordings of sessions from this past conference
Join us for this first-ever joint ACNA/NALC conference
The Anglican Church in North America and the North American Lutheran Church would both describe themselves as “Great Commission” churches—committed to the Lord’s charge to “Go, make disciples…baptize…teach…” (Matthew 28:19-20). Other Christian bodies in North America share the same focus, but lack the commitment to the key role of Word and Sacrament in forming Christians who will be disciples and followers of Jesus, intentionally, authentically and with accountability. Essential to such forming of disciples is community, and developing congregational cultures which foster and support disciple-making. As simple as they sound, disciple-making and creating congregations with disciple-making cultures are not familiar or comfortable to most Lutherans and Anglicans in the 21st Century!
Join us for this opportunity for biblically-grounded Anglicans and Lutherans to meet together, get to know one another and network for greater mission and ministry in local contexts; and to acknowledge and embrace “small steps” toward disciple-making at the local level—fostering an “awakening toward action,” regardless of the size of the congregation, or the experience of clergy and laity; and to return home encouraged and empowered to get involved, to get motivated and to get moving with regard to being disciples and making disciples!
DiscipleLife 2020 is the beginning of a missional partnership between Anglicans and Lutherans in North America.
Speakers and topics are being updated periodically. Keep checking for additional information on the conference!
Download Invitation Materials
Guiding the Discussion
Meet these champions of discipleship in the context of Word and Sacrament ministry who will be guiding our discussions together
Word, Sacrament & Spirit | Missionary Discipleship & Church Planting | Kingdom Collaboration & Missional Partnerships | Engagement with Culture
Breakfast will be available in the Bloom Cafe. Look for the DiscipleLife 2020 buffet line.
Registration will open outside the Oscar Wilde Ballroom.
The Rev. Dan Selbo NALC
Bishop, North American Lutheran Church
NALC clergy will be holding their annual ministerium, led for the first time by Bishop Dan Selbo. Join us to hear more from Bishop Selbo about his vision for the NALC, and take the opportunity to renew your ordination vows.
Lunch will be provided for all registrants.
The Rev. Lisa Schwandt ACNA & the Rev. Will Hartfelder NALC
Lead Pastor for Discipleship, HopePointe Anglican Church (The Woodlands, TX); Dean, College of Deacons for the Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast & Pastor
The Rev. Dr. Gemechis Buba NALC
Assistant to the Bishop for Missions, North American Lutheran Church;
Founder & President, Leadstar Theological College & Television Network
Founder & President, Leadstar Theological College & Television Network
Pastor Gemechis Buba starts off our time together with a devotional Bible study on our theme passage from Acts 2.
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach ACNA & the Rev. John Bradosky NALC
Archbishop, Anglican Church of North America & Bishop Emeritus, North American Lutheran Church
The culture of North America is a changing landscape, and this presents challenges for today's church — especially within Anglicanism and Lutheranism. In this introductory keynote, Archbishop Foley Beach ACNA and Bishop Emeritus John Bradosky NALC address our shared values and cast a vision of how a renewed focus on the Great Commission changes lives, congregations and effects real change in the culture around us.
The Rev. Dr. John Pless LCMS
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN)
What do we mean by Word & Sacrament and what does that have to do with discipleship? In this plenary session, Pastor John Pless discusses the lens of Word & Sacrament ministry for disciple-making congregations.
3:15 PM
Break
Word and Sacrament in a Disciple-Making Congregation
The Rev. Dr. John Pless LCMS, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN)
Word and Table in Your Home and Daily Life
The Rev. Dr. James Nestingen NALC, Lutheran Theologian
Spiritual Fathering and Mothering: A Word and Sacrament Discipleship Approach
The Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of the Upper Midwest; Rector, Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, IL)
Word and Sacrament in a Disciple-Making Congregation
The Rev. Dr. John Pless LCMS, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN)
Word and Table in Your Home and Daily Life
The Rev. Dr. James Nestingen NALC, Lutheran Theologian
Spiritual Fathering and Mothering: A Word and Sacrament Discipleship Approach
The Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of the Upper Midwest; Rector, Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton, IL)
6:00 PM
Dinner
Dinner will be provided for all registrants.
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach ACNA & the Rev. Dr. Dan Selbo NALC
Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America & Bishop, North American Lutheran Church
In this session, leaders of church planting movements within the Anglican Church in North America and the North American Lutheran Church discuss methodology and challenges in planting faithful Anglican and Lutheran congregations in today's landscape.
9:00 PM
Evening Closing/Prayer
Breakfast will be provided for all registrants.
The Rev. Lisa J. Schwandt ACNA
Dean of the College of Deacons, Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast;
Lead Pastor for Discipleship, HopePointe Anglican Church
Lead Pastor for Discipleship, HopePointe Anglican Church
We will begin our second day together with a devotional Bible study on our theme passage with a discussion of the importance of the rhythms of Word & Sacrament in our daily lives.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter ACNA
Bishop of the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others, Anglican Church in North America; Founder, Telos Collective
In this plenary session, Bishop Todd Hunter discusses a vision of the Christian life as a disciple of Jesus.
Anglican Church in North America Discipleship
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others; Founder, Telos Collective
North American Lutheran Church Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
The Rev. Dr. Eric Riesen NALC, President-Elect, North American Lutheran Seminary (Ambridge, PA); Chair, NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
What Does this Mean? Discipleship for the Layperson
The Rev. Dr. James Nestingen NALC, Lutheran Theologian & the Rev. Dr. John Pless LCMS, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN)
Anglican Church in North America Discipleship
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others; Founder, Telos Collective
North American Lutheran Church Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
The Rev. Dr. Eric Riesen NALC, President-Elect, North American Lutheran Seminary (Ambridge, PA); Chair, NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
What Does this Mean? Discipleship for the Layperson
The Rev. Dr. James Nestingen NALC, Lutheran Theologian & the Rev. Dr. John Pless LCMS, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN)
11:45 AM
Midday Prayer
Lunch will be provided for all registrants.
Katherine Coolidge RCC
Director of Parish & Diocesan Services, Catherine of Siena Institute (Colorado Springs, CO)
In this plenary session, Katherine Coolidge discusses parish renewal and how the Catherine of Siena Institute has helped to foster a culture of disciple-making in local Roman Catholic congregations.
How Do We Assess Parish/Congregational “Culture?”
Katherine Coolidge RCC, Director of Parish & Diocesan Services, Catherine of Siena Institute (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assessing and Developing Congregational Health
The Rt. Rev. Clark W.P. Lowenfield ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast; Founder, Simeon Society
Congregational Disciple-Making Culture — What Does this Mean for the Layperson?
The Rev. Dave Keener NALC, Pastor, Christ the King Lutheran Church (Evans, GA); Member, NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
How Do We Assess Parish/Congregational “Culture?”
Katherine Coolidge RCC, Director of Parish & Diocesan Services, Catherine of Siena Institute (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assessing and Developing Congregational Health
The Rt. Rev. Clark W.P. Lowenfield ACNA, Bishop, Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast; Founder, Simeon Society
Congregational Disciple-Making Culture — What Does this Mean for the Layperson?
The Rev. Dave Keener NALC, Pastor, Christ the King Lutheran Church (Evans, GA); Member, NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Movement
Dinner will be provided for all registrants.
Breakfast will be provided for all registrants.
Speakers and breakout sessions are great, but we want to make sure there's time to process the information together. During this session, we'll focus on what action steps we're going to take back home with us through table discussions and a guided exercise.
11:45 AM
Closing Midday Prayer
Latest news
Read more about our latest news posts and be informed.
February 10, 2020
We’re looking forward to being together this week for DiscipleLife 2020. The DiscipleLife Conference will begin Thursday, February 13 at 1 p.m. in the Oscar Wilde Ballroom of the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel (600 N Lake Destiny Rd, Maitland, FL 32751).
January 8, 2020
About the NALC New Starts Team In Luke 10:2 it is written, “And he (Jesus) said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but
December 19, 2019
Bishop Dan Selbo of the North American Lutheran Church encourages congregations to consider attending DiscipleLife 2020. He emphasizes that both pastors and lay
November 21, 2019
Bishop Charlie Masters of the Anglican Network in Canada gives his invitation to the DiscipleLife 2020 Conference. Bishop Masters is the Anglican chair
October 20, 2019
About Always Forward Always Forward is a collaborative effort of the Province, dioceses, local churches and people of the Anglican Church in North
September 20, 2019
Your mission must be executed through the mindset of a missionary. The first, and most crucial, part of The Telos Collective’s mission is
August 20, 2019
Imagine what it would be like, and what Jesus would do through us in the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) if we collectively
A Prayer for the DiscipleLife 2020 Conference
Our loving Heavenly Father, we give you thanks through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him you have reconciled the world to yourself and called us to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and to teach all people everything he commanded us. We pray for the DiscipleLife Conference in February in Orlando where Anglican and Lutheran Christians will meet together. We pray that you would profoundly renew and equip us for the ministry of making disciples. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon our churches. Empower us to make disciples. Enable us to share the love of Christ with all people. Raise up labourers/laborers for the harvest as we pray, study, and worship together. In all things may we work as one to bring glory to your Name so that the world may come to acknowledge your Son as Lord and Saviour/Savior. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work with us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.”
Get in touch
Use the contact button below to get ahold of us with any questions you might have.
Planning Team
The Rev. John Bradosky, Bishop Emeritus of the North American Lutheran Church
The Rev. Mark Chavez, General Secretary of the North American Lutheran Church
The Rev. Andrew Fuller, Director of Communications for the North American Lutheran Church
The Rt. Rev. Clark W.P. Lowenfield, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast
The Rt. Rev. Charles Masters, Bishop of the Anglican Network in Canada
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Jonathan S. Riches, Dean of the Reformed Episcopal Seminary
The Rev. Dr. Eric Riesen, Chair of the North American Lutheran Church Life-to-Life Discipleship Initiative
The Rev. Dr. Dan Selbo, Bishop of the North American Lutheran Church
The Rev. Dr. David Wendel, Assistant to the Bishop for Ministry & Ecumenism for the North American Lutheran Church