"And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
-Ephesians 4:11-12
Growing disciples go through a continual process called sanctification, which simply means becoming more and more like our Lord. When we become intentional about seeking to honor God in these three ways, we can't help but become "mature in Christ" (Colossians 1:28), growing deeper in our relationship with God and our relationships with others.
Disciple-making is to be worked out together in ministry to one another. We believe it's not about one or a small number of pastors bearing the total responsibility to care for the entire congregation. Rather it's about all disciples using their God-given spiritual gifts to provide mutual ministry to build each other up, all in the context of a vibrant and strong local church.
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 serves the overall mission of our church by developing courageous Jesus followers through active, transformative, and accessible learning environments in the local church.
STep ONE: VISITOR TO MEMBER
Goal: Move a guest from anonymous attendance to committed membership
FAMILY DINNERS
Join us once a month for our Family Dinners. Each dinner will be hosted by a different person at church, and sign ups for each one are available on our events page. These nights are a great time to build community, connect more deeply, and come together as a church body in fellowship.
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.
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
Step TWO: MEmber to Maturity
Goal: Move a member from attending to being cared for, contributing, and BEING biblically grounded
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.
Serve at Vertical
Serving is integral to spiritual growth and health. We have plenty of places for you to get involved and serve and want to see all maturing believers plugged in and serving Christ together. Check out our list of serving opportunities below and see what might be a good fit for you. Do you need help figuring out your best spot to serve? Ask the people around you: your spouse, Life Group, and friends. They may have a better idea than you do!
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES
Vertical KIDS
WORSHIP & TECH
Worship & Tech Ministry Application
Core Classes
Our Core Classes have been designed to cover basic aspects of doctrine and theology. Each six-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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Step THREE: Maturity to Multiplier or Ministry Leader
Goal: Move a healthy member from faithful Growth and Connection to reproducing themselves in others
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:
- Foundations Seminar: This seminar is designed to provide believers with a solid understanding of the core principles, beliefs, and practices of the Christian faith.
- Evangelism Seminar: This seminar is designed to empower believers with practical tools and biblical insights for effective evangelism.
Ministry Leadership
- Life Group Leader Apprenticeship and Training
- Deacon Training
- Biblical Counseling Training
- Elder Training
*Dates for all classes, trainings, and discipleship 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