Discipleship, Bible, Christian, Studies – C.S. Lewis Institute

Do you desire a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and other believers? Do you want to experience the power of a transformed life?

Since 1999, the Fellows program has helped transform the lives of more than eight hundred people and has been commended by pastors for the dynamic impact it has had on their church.

What Fellows Say about the Program           

What Pastors Say about the Program

Michael Ramsden, Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics, calls the program “the most effective discipleship program I’ve seen anywhere in the world.” Gail Thompson, a Christian counselor and Fellows Program alumna, calls it “the single most effective resource I’ve experienced in my 34 years of ministry.”

The Fellows Program challenges and guides you on your journey towards spiritual maturity with an emphasis on both heart and mind. It involves Bible study, classic readings, lectures, group processing, personal spiritual mentoring and accountability - all in the context of a small group of likeminded believers.

Fellows continue in their careers while participating in this year-long program, and requirements are designed to be achievable even for busy professionals with families. The Fellows Program runs on the academic year, September through June, with summer readings beforehand.

The Fellows Program is currently offered in the following locations and the application period will open February 1, 2013 for the 2013-14 program year. More information about each locale may be found by clicking on the links below:

• Washington, D.C. Area (three groups: downtown DC, Virginia suburbs, and Maryland suburbs)
• Atlanta, GA 
• Annapolis, MD
• Seattle, WA
• London
• Cincinnati, OH
• Northeast Ohio

Want to Help us Start a Fellows Program in Your Area? Send us an email with any questions by clicking here.

Year One Fellows Program

Program Content

The program focuses on a different biblical theme each month, including:

• The Fatherhood of God
• The Grace of God and True Conversion
• Following Jesus Christ
• Living a Life of Love
• Growing in Humility
• The Holy Spirit and Obedience
• Growing in Prayer
• Being Transformed through the Bible
• Conversational Apologetics
• Living a Life of Faith and Generosity
• Pursuing God's Call on your Life
• The Mission of Disciplemaking

Structure

Fellows groups are organized by gender and age:

• Young Professionals (ages 24-34)
• Mid-Career Professionals (ages 35-55)
• Senior Professionals (ages 56-65)

Schedule

The Fellows program roughly follows an academic calendar (September through June), with summer reading assignments and preliminary meetings beforehand. The formal program year begins with a September weekend retreat, the first weekend after Labor Day, which runs from Friday morning through lunchtime on Sunday. Thereafter, Fellows meet as a group one Saturday morning per month, 8:30-12:30 for instruction, discussion and fellowship.

Time Commitment

The C.S. Lewis Fellows program requires a high level of commitment. Fellows are expected to complete all assignments and attend all regularly scheduled meetings.

• Monthly reading curriculum: Fellows engage with selected books, audio and video resources, and brief articles; personal reflection time is also expected.
• Small group fellowship: Fellows meet monthly for a meal and fellowship then break into triplets or quads for prayer and accountability.
• One-on-one mentoring: Each Fellow meets privately once a month with one of the group's two mentors for discussion and spiritual direction.
• In November, Fellows participate in an urban service project ("Urban Plunge") which requires all day Saturday.;

Cost

It costs the Institute approximately $3,500 per person to provide the Fellows Program. However, in order to remove barriers to participation, we do not use a fixed tuition structure. Instead, we ask Fellows to make the Institute one of the ministries (after the church) that he or she supports on a regular basis.

Notwithstanding the above, all Fellows are asked to cover the cost of their participation in the weekend retreat and an urban service project day ("Urban Plunge"), the total for both is about $400. Fellows are also expected to pay for the books and materials required for the program, which will cost approximately $325 for the year (if purchased new).


Admission Requirements

• Completion of an application, an interview with Institute staff, and two recommendations, one of which must be from the applicant's pastor.
• The applicant's strong desire to know and love God more deeply and to live out the gospel more faithfully.
• The applicant's strong desire to actively serve Christ upon completion of the program, evidenced by a commitment and tentative plan of action.
• The applicant's strong desire to share the gospel of Christ with others and to help them grow as His disciples.
• The Institute staff's reasonable expectation that the applicant will benefit from the program and become a stronger, more credible and effective disciple of Jesus Christ in his or her sphere of influence.
• The applicant's commitment to engage with the program in terms of attendance, reading, group participation, and being mentored in discipleship.
• The applicant's willingness to be open about his or her intellectual, spiritual, and personal life along with a desire to receive godly insight and guidance from a spiritual mentor.
• The applicant's geographic proximity to program venue and ability to attend all meetings.
• Support of the applicant's spouse, if married. (The applicant is expected to negotiate an equitable arrangement with his or her spouse to prevent the spouse from being excessively burdened by the applicant's participation in the program).
• Availability of space in the group; compatibility with the group is also taken into consideration

After completing Year One, participants may opt to continue with more in-depth study in Year Two, which is offered every other year.  The next Year Two Fellows Program will be offered in 2012.

Year Two Fellows Program
 

A Year Two Fellows Program may be offered at the discretion of each city's Director. The Year Two program follows the same format and schedule as Year One but uses different themes, books and lecturers. It is designed to further develop and strengthen discipleship for the mature believer. The cost of the retreat, books, etc., is approximately the same as in Year One.

Admission

Those who have successfully completed Year One of the Fellows Program may request admission to Year Two by contacting  the Fellows Program Director for their city. (City Director contact information may be found by clicking on the city name links above.)

Program Content

• Going on to Maturity: A Deeper Life with God
• Preconditions of Continuous Renewal: Knowing the Holiness of God
• Preconditions of Continuous Renewal: Knowing the Depth of Our Sin
• Exploring the Seven Deadly Sins
• Primary Elements of Renewal: Justification and Sanctification
• Primary Elements of Renewal: The Indwelling Spirit and Authority in Spiritual Conflict
• Secondary Elements of Renewal: Orientation toward Mission and Dependent Prayer
• Secondary Elements of Renewal: The Community of Believers
• Secondary Elements of Renewal: Theological Integration and Disenculturation
• Summing It Up: Living a Life of Godly Integrity