GROW
Grow To Know God Deeply
At Calvary Nampa, the third of our four Core Commitments is: “Grow To Know God Deeply.” Calvary is committed to seeing the gospel transform all of life as the Lord transforms us ever into the image of Christ, “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18). As we “grow to know God deeply,” we increasingly see Him as better than anything our sin offers us. The Bible is clear that it is through meaningful relationships with other believers that we mature in this way. That is why we seek to foster relational discipleship in small group contexts.
Key Expression - Discipleship Groups
Because our Lord commissioned those who would be saved by him and follow him to “Go, make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19), at Calvary we are seeking to develop a culture of disciple-making.
Biblically speaking, a disciple is, in short, a learner-follower. “Disciple” is from a word that literally means a learner - but it’s deeper than that. This kind of learner isn’t just for information, it’s for transformation. This kind of learner is committed to a leader: they follow, they imitate, they become like their Teacher.
This transformation comes through both elements: the learning and the following. There is knowledge & action; theory & real life; understanding & obedience. There is authority and there is relationship.
Discipleship Groups are a primary environment through which people mature. These small groups enable every member to minister to each other by pouring our lives into one another. Jesus modeled that disciples are made through time, proximity, and relationship. On Sunday mornings the Bible and its Gospel will be “taught,” and in discipleship groups it is “caught” and put into practice. Though groups will each have a unique “feel” due to differences in size and approach, each group endeavors to keep five guiding principles in view…
5 Guiding Principles:
Word-centered / Christ-centered - This is about knowing Christ, always rooted in the truth of his word!
Formational - This is about being made into something, being transformed and changed.
Intentional - This is not passive, each one must choose to commit real time and energy to it.
Relational - This is not done alone, but life-on-life, so we can see the effects of the gospel in action.
Missional - This is not just for us, it is for all people in all places - disciples also make new disciples!
We are committed to helping you grow in discipleship. About once a quarter we offer a discipleship group information meeting to help you engage in disciple-making. Check out our discipleship groups in Church Center to get connected with a group today! Take your next step!
Calvary Kids
At Calvary, we care a great deal about children and their families. Calvary Kids is a God-centered, interactive, fun and safe environment where children can learn about Jesus, develop a foundation in the word of God, and apply the gospel in a way that is culturally relevant to their lives and development.
Calvary Kids classes are offered Sunday mornings during the worship service. Children ages 4 through third grade begin the service worshiping with their families in the sanctuary, and then are released to their classes just before the sermon. Classrooms for infants and toddlers are available through the whole service, though these little ones, too, are always welcome in the sanctuary!
Calvary Kids offers an interactive learning environment for your child to build relationships, love Jesus and join in our church’s mission “to glorify God by making joyful, passionate disciples of Jesus.” While we believe that parents are the primary nurturers of their child’s spiritual development, we take our responsibility to partner with families on a journey of teaching children what it means to live a Gospel-Centered life for the glory of God and for their joy! We use The Gospel Project as our primary curriculum for classes from nursery to third grade.
Interested in serving? Each person on our Calvary Kids team is committed to knowing, leading, feeding, and protecting each child. We would love to equip and encourage those who God has gifted to work with kids. If you would like to learn more about serving, contact us using the link below.
Whether you are wanting to learn more about our children’s ministry or interested in serving, we would love to connect with you. Take your next step!
Calvary Students
The teenage years are vital in training young people to be disciples of Jesus. Statistically, 60 percent of students leave the church after high school. This means that traditionally the church hasn’t done a good job of communicating the gospel to teens and creating a legacy of disciples that is multi-generational. Calvary Students is focused on helping parents equip young people between the ages of 12 and 18 to be disciples of Jesus by clearly communicating the gospel, creating an environment of worship, and connecting teens to community in the church.
Our purpose is to point students to Jesus so they might become joyful, passionate disciples on a mission for Him. The end-goal of Student Ministry is to create theologically sound Jesus-lovers who go on to become vital members of the church in the young adult years and beyond. Our ministry is shaped and led by 5 values:
God’s Word – that we grow in and learn truth from the Bible each tine we gather.
Worship – that our students would be an active part of our larger church body.
Relationships – that every student is known, loved, and included.
Mission – to serve others and reproduce disciples.
Equipping Parents – encourage and partner with parents to help them be the primary spiritual influencers in their teen’s life.
“Calvary Student Get-Togethers” are hosted once a month. How that time is spent together varies from month to month, but we endeavor to always incorporate the Scriptures and to help students build meaningful peer-to-peer relationships. Sometimes our focus is outward through missional activities, sometimes it is internal as we learn and practice what it means to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10). In any case, we seek to show that delighting in Christ is the fullest and most enjoyable life, no matter one’s age.
We believe students are capable of depth and seriousness in pursuing Christ. And we also know there are unique aspects of what that looks like in this stage of life. Therefore we give them time together, but we also incorporate them into the inter-generational life of the Body of Christ. We gather alongside Community Groups every week and also have special events, additional classes, retreats, and mission trips that all work together to help us fulfill our mission. We LOVE parents and communicate with them regularly. We would love to meet you and learn how we can minister to your student.
If you are youth-age or a parent wanting to learn about Calvary Students, let us know. Take your next step!
Grow Seminars
A “Grow Seminar” is a special weekend event offered quarterly as an additional learning environment dedicated to taking a deeper dive into various topics relevant to our theological grounding and spiritual growth.
Because they don’t happen often, these events are meant to feel like a special weekend retreat or seminar. We set aside 4-6 hours to be together, dig deep in God’s word, enjoy a snack or two, and hopefully help one another “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18)
Want to know more about Grow Seminars? Take your next step!
Want to dive deeper? Reference our list of resources to help you grow to know God deeply…