The Venture Overview

Venture In Discipleship (VID) is a team-led weekend renewal event designed for laypeople to come to your local church to share their personal faith experiences with Jesus Christ.

Created as a follow-up to the Lay Witness Mission, the VID is a strategy where laypersons share their personal experiences in trying to live the Christian life with others. The central focus is on personal commitment to Christ and His ministry. The Venture is designed to help people know the direction in which Jesus is leading them. It brings the congregation to a new sense of ministry to the surrounding community and greatly strengthens the bonds of love and service within the fellowship of faith.

Friday evening begins with a congregational fellowship time which often includes a covered dish dinner. This is followed by a general session with singing and team testimonies and small group discussions. After a re-assembly to hear small group reports, everyone is released for the evening.

Saturday includes meeting in home groups, youth sessions and luncheon meetings for men and women. That evening, following a covered dish meal, general sessions are held.

Sunday the Venture coordinator and team will be present and available during Sunday school and to lead the morning worship service. The coordinator shares a personal witness and challenges the people to make a commitment to ministry using a response guide prepared by the church.

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Setting Up A Weekend

The request for scheduling (click here) by the pastor of the church. 
A minimum of six months lead time is desirable to provide ample opportunity for preparation.

If you have any questions or comments, Rev. Dr. Frank Billman would love to talk to you by phone at 1-877-857-9372.

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Expense To The Church

The church will be responsible for a non-refundable registration fee of $150* which includes the local church preparation materials. The church is also asked to help with the VID Coordinator’s travel expenses. During the weekend the church agrees to take up a love offering or make a contribution to ARM for Venture In Discipleship. Churches are further encouraged to make ARM a part of the church's annual mission budget.

The rest of the team members travel at their own expense to live for the weekend with members of the congregation.  The church will need to provide meals and suitable housing for the team.

Each adult participant needs a guidebook at $5 each.  Many churches charge a $5 registration fee to help defray this expense.  Others prefer to fund this from the church budget.

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Venture Leadership

The leadership team is made up of a coordinator (often a couple) and several team members. The coordinators are persons who are committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by the sharing of their faith in Jesus Christ for the encouragement of the body of Christ and renewal of the church. Coordinators will be carefully selected by ARM.

Team members are prayerfully selected because of their openness and willingness to share their experiences as they also learn to walk with Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to lead them.

Team members will provide programming for your church’s elementary aged children and youth throughout the weekend.

The coordinator works closely with the pastor and general chairperson of the local church in preparing for the weekend.

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New Tools & Resources Help Promote Your VID

• Posters, postcards, flyers and email blasts
• Church bulletin inserts
• Venture In Discipleship preparation CD
• Venture In Discipleship brochures
• Venture In Discipleship graphics for presentation software