Discipleship Rhythms

our Faith, Lived Out Every Day

At Refuge, we believe our faith is more than something we do on Sunday. More than any single moment, we believe the Christian faith is lived out in the everyday moments of life. From morning prayers and daily acts of kindness to Sunday gatherings and weekly groups, we believe Jesus impacts every moment of our lives. As a result, at Refuge, we seek to live out our faith in three ways: Connecting with God, Growing with Family, and Serving the City. These rhythms aren’t meant to be abstract ideas, though. Rather, we see these three rhythms being lived in daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms that come together to build a life patterned after following Jesus and His ways. We believe this life pattern is what the Bible calls discipleship. That’s why they are called our discipleship rhythms.

Consequently, we believe that participating in these rhythms plugs you into the life of God’s Kingdom and Family, which plugs you into the life of Refuge. In short, these rhythms are how we live out our faith on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these rhythms, taking time to add them into the rhythms of your life, learning to become a disciple of Jesus.

Discipleship Rhythms

  • Connecting with God through Prayer
    This includes spontaneous, liturgical, or contemplative prayer. Regardless of your distinct style, prayer joins us to God. For an introduction to Prayer at Refuge, visit our Prayer Rhythms page.

    Bible Reading
    Engaging in scripture through Bible reading plans, Bible studies, or your own devotional reading. Covenant Members of Refuge receive a free subscription to the Dwell app, a robust audio Bible app built for connecting with God today.

  • Attending Worship Gathering
    We believe Sunday mornings are more than a social gathering or celebration. In a very real way, they are the place the King and his people come together to connect with one another. Attending a worship service connects us to God.

    Attend a Community Group
    At Refuge, we believe one of the best ways to connect with God is through connecting herewith his people. You can regularly hear us say, “following Jesus isn’t a solo project, it’s a group project.” One of the best ways to connect here at Refuge is at one of our Community Groups. You can learn more about them here.

    Revisiting This Week’s Sermon
    One of the best ways to connect with God during the week is simply revisiting this week’s sermon. Perhaps you were distracted on Sunday or weren’t able to attend, you can always revisit this week’s sermon through our YouTube channel, Spotify page, or your favorite podcast platform.

  • First Friday Prayer
    Starting in 2024, we will begin having a monthly prayer meeting on the first Friday of each month. This will be a 30–to-45-minute space dedicated to guided worship, prayer, and contemplation.

Connect with God

  • Connecting with others at Refuge
    Nothing beats connecting with others who are like minded. Whether a message to your Community Group’s group message or a personal phone call to check on someone, connecting with others reminds us that our faith is more than just our world. You can also get involved by requesting to join our church-wide GroupMe message here.

  • Attending Community Group
    We believe God moves in the context of us following Him together. Community groups are the first step in following Jesus in the context of community here at Refuge. Community Groups are where we connect with others and build our faith. Check out our Groups page here to learn more.

    Cultivate
    Cultivate is a ministry at Refuge focused on cultivating our faith in the context of intentional community. Following one of three tracks of growth, Cultivate utilizes three-month commitments to deep relationships and community, offering both a place to connect deeply with others and grow deeply in your faith. Learn more here.

    Join Serving Team
    Joining a team at Refuge connects you with others in a common purpose and mission. Working alongside of others, you have the opportunity to connect and get to know people, while being offered a reminder that we serve a greater purpose than just ourselves. For more information on teams, email Lex Salaar at lex@refugeaustin.com.

  • Family Park Days
    Every quarter, we make it a point to go to the park after church on Sunday as a spiritual family. These days are great opportunities to connect with others and develop your relationships with others t Refuge. Check out our events page for more information.

    Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Gatherings
    No matter what phase of life you find yourself in, we want to provide you regular places to gather and grow with spiritual family. Most months, there will be monthly men’s, women’s, and youth gatherings focused on helping you gather and grow with people you relate to in life and as a follower of Jesus. Check out our events page for more information.

Grow with Family

  • Pray for the City
    One of the best ways you can serve the city everyday is by simply saying a brief prayer for the city. Whether on your commute, during a dedicated prayer time, or for a specific neighbor, prayer for our city is serving our city.

    Daily Wholeness
    Scripture calls followers of Jesus to seek the wholeness of our city (Jer 29.7). We believe we do this daily. Whether picking up a piece of trash, opening the door for someone, or sharing your faith, we encourage you to seek daily wholeness.

  • Attending Worship Gathering
    We believe Sunday mornings are more than a social gathering or celebration. In a very real way, they are the place the King and his people come together to connect with one another. Attending a worship service serves the community by modeling spiritual health for the community.

    Join A Team
    One way we believe we an serve the city is through serving our local church. As members of or church family come together on Sunday, we invite the community around us to gather and worship God together. Preparing a place for them to come together through set up, Refuge Kids, A/V, welcoming, or other teams prepares a place to welcome our community, making them feel safe and seen in the process.

  • Impact Dove Springs Volunteering
    On the third Saturday of each month, our church comes together to distribute food in Dove Springs at Impact Dove Springs. With various serving opportunities, these are great opportunities to Serve the City. You can register here.

    Giving
    At Refuge, we see financial giving as worship. Not only does giving remind our heart and mind of what’s most important, but it also empowers our church to serve South Austin in the way we believe God has called us. You can give online by visiting our giving page.

    Monthly Community Prayer and Care
    Starting in 2024, we will be having monthly prayer and care initiatives. This is a great way to get “boots on the ground,” learning the needs of the community and allowing us to meet them spiritually and practically.

Serve the City