Andrews D3 Conference Reimagines Disciple Making

From Oct. 16–18, 2025

The conference featured a panel discussion on Friday, Oct. 17. (Photo by Geyvison Ludugerio)

Andrews University hosted the D3: Re-Imagining Disciple Making Conference from Oct. 16–18 in the Seminary chapel. Faculty, pastors, students and leaders from various church entities gathered in person and on Zoom to discuss discipleship in a new way.

“We wanted to cast a vision for discipleship as more than a one-size-fits-all training program,” says Scott Ward, executive director of the Discipleship Center and chair of the Department of Discipleship. “If we can help people work through trauma and understand where they are developmentally, we can nurture more active disciples—which is what discipleship should be: nurturing.”

This vision of discipleship shaped the entire weekend. Instead of offering parallel breakout sessions where participants were split between different topics, the conference kept everyone in the same room. “We didn’t offer breakouts so people couldn’t just go to their favorite silo,” Ward explains. “Everyone heard everything, together.”

The theme of investing into discipling relationships instead of discipleship programs emerged several times. Attendees discussed research indicating that many young adults have drifted from the church due to a lack of belonging. In response, the conference explored how people-centered discipleship—which attends to the heart as much as the head—can become a pathway to healing and formation.

“It was eye-opening to see how discipleship connects to mental health and education,” says Esteban Grajales, a Master of Divinity student. “I left thinking differently about how we walk with people in our churches.”

Over the course of the conference, participants learned that a people-centered approach to discipleship highlights three main areas. The first is the necessity of developmental awareness. Speakers noted that just as educators regularly adapt to a child’s stage of growth, churches should, too. For instance, discipleship for a teen will look different from discipleship for a retiree—not because the gospel changes, but because people do.

The second area is trauma-informed ministry. Those in attendance acknowledged that many who walk into Adventist sanctuaries carry wounds. They learned that beginning with listening, compassion and emotional awareness isn’t optional, but rather Christlike. “We’ve been very cognitive,” Ward says. “We haven’t reached the heart.”

The third area of importance is cultural and generational sensitivity. The conference highlighted that discipleship happens in complex spaces, from the global 10/40 Window—where most of the world’s unreached populations live and where the need for mission work is great—to the intergenerational dynamics inside a local congregation. Ultimately, the event asked how the church can serve faithfully across those differences—together.

This notion of togetherness was a distinctive element of the D3 conference. While acknowledging that Adventism has developed robust ecosystems in many different areas, the event emphasized that the church is strongest when those ecosystems collaborate. “Our denomination has grown in theology, education, and health—but we’ve become siloed,” Ward shares. “We need the voices at the same table again.”

The conference was well attended by a variety of individuals, including a large number of students. Many gave positive feedback on the programming and conversations. Master of Divinity student Josnel Lache, shared, “What I appreciated most was that the conference wasn’t about programs—it was about people.”

“There’s a hunger out there,” Ward adds. “People may not have known exactly what they were looking for, but they saw this and felt impressed to come.

The gathering closed with the statement “God has more for us,” advocating for a church that listens first, heals as it teaches, and forms disciples for every stage and story. While the D3 conference was originally created as a one-time gathering, several attendees encouraged a regular rhythm. “We need to do this at least every two years,” multiple people shared with Ward. “There’s more to explore—and God seems to be opening doors.”