At Exponent Group, we specialize in equipping everyday disciples with the tools needed for spiritual transformation and Christian discipleship. Our partnership with Springbrook Church in East Tennessee exemplifies how spiritual direction, faith-based counseling, and practical mentoring can empower leaders to restore their communities and grow their ministry.
Springbrook began as a church plant in East Tennessee, embarking on its journey toward becoming an autonomous congregation. Early in our partnership, we provided spiritual direction and biannual staff retreats to help their leadership navigate significant staff transitions. By 2023, our collaboration expanded to focus on equipping and forming lay leaders in disciple-making.
Our goal was clear: empower these individuals to build stronger relationships outside their church while providing better "one another" care within the congregation. The result? Springbrook now boasts multiple lay coaches who are actively training their congregation and other regional leaders across the Southeastern United States in ministry practices and skills.
Many churches are well-positioned to engage their broader communities, but often lack the resources or capacity to equip their members for effective ministry. At Springbrook, we focused on developing ministry competencies within the context of their existing community. By aligning training with their leaders' everyday lives, we enabled them to form new ministry leaders without the need for additional staff or programming.
This approach emphasizes a key principle: discipleship happens not only within the walls of a church but in the spaces where people live, work, and play. By integrating ministry into their daily lives, Springbrook's leaders have become catalysts for spiritual transformation in their communities.
Healthy ministry isn’t just about strategy—it’s about relational wisdom. At Exponent Group, we prioritize helping disciples develop the skills needed to form authentic connections, both cross-culturally and within their local communities.
Through our work with Springbrook, we focused on practical skills like:
These skills equip ministry leaders to respond to relational needs and opportunities as they arise, fostering deeper connections and greater community impact.
At Exponent Group, we believe that leadership development is an ongoing process. With Springbrook, as with all of our partners, we invite leaders to regular gatherings for spiritual direction and peer coaching. These shared spaces allow leaders from different ministries to connect, support one another, and continue growing as disciple-makers.
By facilitating this ongoing formation, we ensure that leaders remain supported and equipped to address the evolving needs of their communities. The relationships formed through these gatherings often lead to lasting networks of support and collaboration, multiplying the impact of our work.
The story of Springbrook Church demonstrates the power of spiritual direction and practical mentoring to transform not just a single congregation, but an entire region. By equipping everyday disciples with the tools they need for relational ministry, Exponent Group helped Springbrook build a foundation for sustained spiritual growth and community restoration.
If your church or ministry is seeking support in spiritual transformation, faith-based counseling, or equipping leaders for Christian discipleship, we invite you to partner with us. Together, we can empower disciples to transform their communities for Christ.
