At Tailrace, we believe discipleship doesn’t happen in classrooms or behind pulpits alone — it happens in kitchens, cafés, and conversations. It’s found in the ordinary moments of life where Jesus meets us and quietly transforms us.
Following Jesus is a shared journey of discovering that God is already at work in our everyday stories, turning the simple into something sacred.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
At Tailrace, we describe a disciple as someone on a journey to:
Be with Jesus
Become like Jesus
Do what Jesus did
These three movements capture the relational, transformational, and commissional nature of following Jesus.
Every person’s story is unique. None of us follow an identical path.
But we’ve found that having a shared map and shared language helps us walk together with purpose.
So, we describe the journey of discipleship in familial generations — reflecting the way life and growth happen in God’s family.
We call these stages:
Spiritually Dead – yet to encounter Jesus’ life and grace.
Spiritual Infant – beginning to trust and follow Jesus.
Spiritual Child – learning to grow in faith, identity, and community.
Spiritual Young Adult – discovering purpose through service and mission.
Spiritual Parent – reproducing disciples who make disciples.
Each stage has its own tools, rhythms, and relationships designed to help people grow in maturity.
Alongside this map, we cultivate environments and practices that create the conditions for healthy growth — spaces where people can belong, believe, and become more like Jesus.
From small groups and mentoring to serving and mission opportunities, these environments help people move forward in faith at every stage of the journey.
Our mission as a church is simple and clear:
To help you become a disciple-making disciple of Jesus.
We draw on the wisdom of movements and thinkers who’ve shaped our approach — Exponential, Jeff Vanderstelt, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison — while grounding everything in the story of Jesus and the life of our community.
