DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS CASE STUDY
NORTH AUGUSTA FELLOWSHIP
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North Augusta Fellowship in South Carolina is a church plant led by Pastor Jason Cornwell. For four years, Jason and his family have faithfully served this growing congregation.
As members grow closer to God and more sensitive to His leading, North Augusta Fellowship has become one of the Presbyterian Church in America’s (PCA) fastest-growing churches.
The fall of 2025, they will ordain their first elders, marking a significant milestone as they transition into a self-governing and self-sustaining church.
North Augusta Fellowship in South Carolina is a church plant led by Pastor Jason Cornwell. For four years, Jason and his family have faithfully served this growing congregation.
As members grow closer to God and more sensitive to His leading, North Augusta Fellowship has become one of the Presbyterian Church in America’s (PCA) fastest-growing churches.
The fall of 2025, they will ordain their first elders, marking a significant milestone as they transition into a self-governing and self-sustaining church.
HERE IS WHAT THEY WERE FACING
- Rapid growth brought the need for structured processes and systems to help more people deepen their relationship with God.
- Pastor Jason struggled to identify an effective discipleship process tailored to the church’s unique context. He appreciated and enjoyed Perimeter Church’s, The Journey, but found it incompatible with North Augusta’s needs.
- Located near Augusta National, The Masters dominates the local calendar.
- The local schools moved to a hybrid, year-round schedule with shortened summers and two week breaks in October and April with regular holiday breaks.
Bottom Line: Jason needed a discipleship process that aligned with the community’s rhythm and commitment level, avoiding conflicts with this significant event.
HERE IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE
Jason sought to alleviate the anxiety and uncertainty of developing a discipleship process through trial and error.
His goals were to:
- Establish a rhythm that suited the community’s lifestyle.
- Select content that addressed the spiritual needs of both the church and the broader community.
- Create a process that harmonized with the local calendar, ensuring members could participate without feeling torn by competing priorities.
Jason sought to alleviate the anxiety and uncertainty of developing a discipleship process through trial and error.
His goals were to:
- Establish a rhythm that suited the community’s lifestyle.
- Select content that addressed the spiritual needs of both the church and the broader community.
- Create a process that harmonized with the local calendar, ensuring members could participate without feeling torn by competing priorities.
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED
Jason developed a three-year discipleship plan focusing on six key aspects of a Christian’s life.
He selected high-quality, biblically grounded content to support each aspect. For each topic, he defined clear objectives and three measurable ministry outcomes, helping participants understand their goals and recognize their progress.
For example, using J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, Jason designed a 12-week study running from January to the week before The Masters. The study aims to help participants understand how God’s attributes impact their daily lives.
In Week 11, the objective is to “View God as Adequate, Especially in Trials.” Participants memorize Psalm 73:25–26 to reinforce this truth. Through engaging with the content and guided discussions, participants achieve the following outcomes:
- Reflect on how they’ve complicated their trials.
- Identify recent trials and describe how God proved sufficient in them.
- Confess where they’ve struggled to trust God’s guidance.
Jason developed a three-year discipleship plan focusing on six key aspects of a Christian’s life.
He selected high-quality, biblically grounded content to support each aspect. For each topic, he defined clear objectives and three measurable ministry outcomes, helping participants understand their goals and recognize their progress.
For example, using J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, Jason designed a 12-week study running from January to the week before The Masters. The study aims to help participants understand how God’s attributes impact their daily lives.
In Week 11, the objective is to “View God as Adequate, Especially in Trials.” Participants memorize Psalm 73:25–26 to reinforce this truth. Through engaging with the content and guided discussions, participants achieve the following outcomes:
- Reflect on how they’ve complicated their trials.
- Identify recent trials and describe how God proved sufficient in them.
- Confess where they’ve struggled to trust God’s guidance.
HERE IS WHAT WAS SAID
“In seeking to put together a discipleship pathway for our young church plant, there were so many questions I was trying to deal with.
- What our content?
- What structure do we put the content in?
- What if someone has a season of life they can’t participate?
- How do we deal with our calendars?
- What if it’s not well-received?
David Zook’s expertise answered all these for me.
He helped me get past the fear of being perfect as well as the burden of having it all put together for the next decade.
David’s clear and concise blueprint made the actual planning quite enjoyable and refreshing.
I simply followed his instructions and it came together.
It’s one of the best ministry investments I’ve made.”
Pastor Jason Cornwell
North Augusta Fellowship
“In seeking to put together a discipleship pathway for our young church plant, there were so many questions I was trying to deal with.
- What our content?
- What structure do we put the content in?
- What if someone has a season of life they can’t participate?
- How do we deal with our calendars?
- What if it’s not well-received?
David Zook’s expertise answered all these for me.
He helped me get past the fear of being perfect as well as the burden of having it all put together for the next decade.
David’s clear and concise blueprint made the actual planning quite enjoyable and refreshing.
I simply followed his instructions and it came together.
It’s one of the best ministry investments I’ve made.”
Pastor Jason Cornwell
North Augusta Fellowship
HERE IS WHAT WE OBSERVED
When a pastor follows our process, the stress and anxiety of creating a discipleship plan are significantly reduced.
As Jason developed his plan, his excitement grew, fueled by anticipation of how God would work through the carefully chosen content. His wife shared in this enthusiasm, encouraged by the vision for their church.
Through our collaboration, Jason gained clarity and confidence.
We eagerly anticipate how God will use him and this tailored discipleship process to draw the people of North Augusta closer to Him, fostering greater sensitivity to His presence and work in their lives.
When a pastor follows our process, the stress and anxiety of creating a discipleship plan are significantly reduced.
As Jason developed his plan, his excitement grew, fueled by anticipation of how God would work through the carefully chosen content. His wife shared in this enthusiasm, encouraged by the vision for their church.
Through our collaboration, Jason gained clarity and confidence.
We eagerly anticipate how God will use him and this tailored discipleship process to draw the people of North Augusta closer to Him, fostering greater sensitivity to His presence and work in their lives.