Summer Discipleship Program 2024 (College)

Summer Discipleship Program (SDP) is a 7-week opportunity designed for college students who want to grow in Christlikeness in deep community. The goal of SDP is to equip participants for a lifetime of following Jesus, seeking Him first, and participating in His mission for a lifetime. This is all broken down into the following four sub-goals.

WORD

• Gain a deep love for and conviction for the importance of The Bible
• Memorization of Scripture
• Learn to study the Bible
• Learn to meditate on God’s Word
• Learn how to teach someone else how to read the Bible

PRAYER

• Gain a deep love for and conviction for the importance of prayer
• Learn to spend both consistent and extended periods of time alone with God 
• Learn prayer methods
• Learn to pray for lost friends and unreached people groups
• Learn how to teach someone else how to pray

DEMONSTRATING THE GOSPEL

• Gain a passion for community, service, and the marginalized
• Have exposure among the marginalized
• Practice serving your community
• Practice loving the Church through service
• Practice loving the lost through service
• Learn how to bring others into service

DECLARING THE GOSPEL

• Gain a passion for sharing with the lost
• Practice methods of sharing the gospel and testimony in real life situations
• Learn how to bring someone to a decision point to follow Jesus
• Learn how to follow-up with the lost and new believers upon leading them to Christ
• Learn how to teach someone else how to share the gospel

• The beginning of the summer includes several weeks in Austin where we live in community while receiving practical theological and ministry training by leadership at The Austin Stone. This includes intensive evangelism and disciple-making training provided in partnership with our For The Nations mobilizers at The Austin Stone. These trainings also include seminars that focus on how to navigate culturally relevant and tough topics as a Christ-follower.
• During your time in Austin, you’ll engage in rhythms of Bible reading, Bible memorization, corporate and private prayer, fasting, and sabbath! These disciplines help in building a foundation for your walk with Jesus for a lifetime!
• Later on in the summer, we travel together to another city to learn and serve in a different context.
• The final week of the summer we travel back to Austin to spend the week unpacking what we’ve learned, hear from incredible speakers, and be mobilized to our next steps in the fall!
• Did we mention we have a lot of fun during the summer? From movie nights to other fun events, we always find a way to make meaningful memories together, as we participate in all the moments mentioned above!

• May 22: Arrive at Summers Mill
• May 24: Host Home Move-in
  • June 7-11: Service Week at Lonehollow Ranch with Students Camp
• June 22-29: Memphis Mercy & Justice Trip through Serve 901
• June 29 - July 5: Seek Week at Summers Mill Retreat Center
  • July 4: SDP Banquet
  • July 5: Program Ends

1. Complete the SDP application.
2. After filling out the application, you will be contacted by a member of the College at The Austin Stone staff for a short interview.
3. Upon completion of this process and final approval from our staff, you will be officially approved for SDP 2024! Your next step will be to attend the official Support-Raising Kickoff (time and location to be announced) If you have any questions, please contact a staff member or email [email protected].