Discipleship Groups Offer Leadership Opportunities and Community for Students  

A pile of shoes sits by the door as fresh ocean air drifts through an open window. A candle on the coffee table fills the room with the comforting scent of pumpkin spice, while worship hymns play softly in the background. In the kitchen, cookies bake in the oven, waiting to be shared as a smiling group of Point Loma Nazarene University students are gathered in the living room, Bibles in hand, ready to read and discuss.

Third-year communication studies major Camarae Good and third-year applied health science major Kendra Phillips have been a part of D-groups (Discipleship Groups) since their first year at PLNU, and now lead a D-Group every Wednesday night from 7-8 p.m.

Designed for sophomore, junior and senior students, D-Groups create spaces for conversations and spiritual formation in a small group setting. The student-led groups have two leaders and are either co-ed or single gender. They meet weekly throughout the school year. 

Good and Phillips both said that through these gatherings, students grow in their faith and find a place to call home during their college years.

D-Groups have been a part of PLNU life for a while. They were called “covenant groups” in the early 2000s until 2012 when they changed it to “discipleship groups,” according to Kristyn Teegarden, associate director of discipleship. 

Applications for a leadership position take place in the beginning of the spring semester, according to Teegarden. Then, applicants go through an interview process. 

Good and Phillips went through the process and were offered the opportunity to lead a group together.

“I believe in the power of small groups,” Good said. “Gathering together and getting into the Bible, going through life with others – small groups has been something super instrumental in my own faith.”

Having been in a D-group before, Good felt inspired to take on the leadership role, where she now fosters the same kind of community that has been so impactful in her own spiritual journey.

“It’s a super cool opportunity, and I love that PLNU makes that accessible for students,” she said.

Phillips’ and Good’s group is currently reading the book of Ephesians.

“It’s amazing to hear the different ways that certain verses connect with people,” Phillips said. 

The group typically ends their time asking for prayer requests. D-Groups go beyond studying the Bible, according to Good.

“These groups allow us to create friendships, provide encouragement and experience community in a meaningful way,” she said.

Kaitlyn Smith, a third-year child development major, is a member of Phillips’ and Good’s D-Group. She said she joined because she’s wanted to be in a Bible study with other people looking to grow in their faith.

“It’s made me feel not alone in my journey, and it offers so many different perspectives from people who are at different stages in their faith journey,” she said. 

One co-ed group for transfer students is led by Alyssa Hamilton, a fourth-year child and adolescent development and marketing double major, and Bella Harvey, a fourth-year education major. 

“[Harvey] and I are really good friends, and we knew we wanted to do something together in leadership,” Hamilton said. “We both just have a heart to lead others, so when the opportunity to lead a D-Group came up, we thought it’d be a really awesome opportunity to help other transfer students in a season we were just in.”

“We’re walking through [the book of] Job right now, but we also like to make it a time where we can socialize,” Hamilton said. 

On one occasion, their group painted pumpkins and read the Bible together.

“It’s a mix of both studying scripture and just being in fellowship and community,” Hamilton said. 

D-Groups run both semesters of the academic year. To join a group, sign-up on the Google Doc.