Discipleship

Our vision as a church is to theologically equip the saints for the work of ministry—declaring Jesus and developing Jesus followers. Our discipleship pathway at Vertical and serves the overall mission of our church by developing courageous Jesus followers through active, transformative, and accessible learning environments in the local church. Discipleship at Vertical is:

  • Active – Learning that engages the whole person through discussion, reading, teaching, and participation—not passive consumption.
  • Transformative – Aimed at real heart and life change through theology that shapes how you think, love, and live.
  • Accessible – Designed for everyday believers, with content that meets you where you are and helps you grow with clarity and confidence.

TIER ONE: Connect with the Church

CONNECTIONS CLASS 

If you have recently joined our family at Vertical, or would like to know more about the mission and vision of our church, we would love to have you take our Connections Class. This interactive class, held at church immediately after service on a quarterly basis, is an opportunity to learn about the DNA of our church and meet our leadership team.

LIFE GROUPS

Life groups are the heartbeat of our church, the place where you’ll experience uncommon community vital to growing in your relationship with Jesus. Life Groups are a key aspect of getting involved at Vertical, and better enable us to carry out our mission as a church. Our groups provide an environment where close-knit relationships are cultivated for the glory of God. They are designed to encourage men and women to grow as faithful followers of Jesus Christ and aim to increase group member's passion to live for Him. If you aren't yet plugged into a group, we would love to help you find one that works for you! We would love to help you connect with the community at Vertical Church by getting you plugged into one.

Join a Life Group

TIER TWO: Discipleship for everybody


Core Classes

Our Core Classes have been designed to cover basic aspects of doctrine and theology. Each five-week class will be offered on a yearly basis and include weekly homework, group discussion, an engaging lecture, and spiritual formation exercises. We offer three Core Classes:

  1. Christian Beliefs: This class provides an overview of the key theological concepts that shape our faith, exploring what we believe, why we believe it, and how it applies to our everyday life.
  2. Christian Story: This class provides an overview of the story of the Bible and God's plan of redemption. Starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation, participants will learn the key themes, events, and grand narrative of the Bible. 
  3. Christian Living: This class provides the basics of how to develop consistent spiritual disciplines in daily life. From how to commune with God to how to fight sin, participants will be equipped to pursue growth in holiness.

Membership Class

This one-week class is for those who have been attending Vertical for some time and are ready to take the next step in being on mission with us. This class is designed to help you learn more about what membership in the local church is and why it matters. You will also learn more about what it means to worship, walk, work, and witness together for Christ at Vertical and how you have a key part to play in fulfilling the mission and vision of the church.

Membership Application

TIER THREE: Discipleship for MEmbers

Hermeneutics Studies

These one-week classes will walk through in-depth studies of various books of the Bible including time for group discussion, an engaging lecture, and spiritual formation exercises. These studies aim to keep members in the Bible, learning and growing in their faith. 

Seminars

These Saturday classes will cover specific theological or practical topics. They are designed to be accessible, interactive, and immediately applicable to real life. Our recurring seminars include: 

  1. Foundations Seminar: This seminar is designed to provide believers with a solid understanding of the core principles, beliefs, and practices of the Christian faith. 
  2. Evangelism Seminar: This seminar is designed to empower believers with practical tools and biblical insights for effective evangelism.

TIER FOUR: Discipleship for Leaders


Ministry Training

Dedicated training for current and future pastors, elders, and ministry leaders. There are two tracks involved in this program:

  1. Pastoral Track: For men who aspire to be a pastor or elder. This track includes Elder training.  
  2. Ministry Track: For men and women who desire to grow in leadership in the context of a specific ministry at Vertical. This track includes Deacon training, Life Group Leader training, and soul care training. 

*Dates for all classes, trainings, and discipleships events will be posted on our events page.

Weekly Worship Service

9:30am | Sundays at the Wilson Senior Center
2601 W Howard Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53221

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