The Importance of Discipleship to Cedarville University Students

Student discipleship is the fabric of campus life at Cedarville University. 

Whether through residence hall and classroom experiences or student organizations and growing friendships, students are spurred to spiritual discipleship. This helps each student who graduates to be spiritually prepared for their vocation and ministry in their local church. 

The growth in students engaged in discipleship groups (d-groups) is a testament to the importance of this ministry. And, during the current academic year, d-groups have seen a 61% increase of freshman students registering to be in a group.  

At the helm of this thriving ministry is Aaron Cook, director of discipleship ministries. It is his passion to help students become Psalm 1 individuals — students who are like a tree planted by streams of water and remain fruitful and resilient despite difficult circumstances.  

“Discipleship is the heartbeat of the university,” says Cook. “We offer academically strong programs, but I believe how we build into the lives of students through d-groups sets us apart from other Christian universities.”  

The structure of the d-groups is modeled after 2 Timothy 2:2, emphasizing mentorship and training to create growth and raise up new leaders.  

The leadership and growth that comes from d-groups reaches beyond campus, as church planters in Denver, Colorado, and other cities have expressed to Cook their desire to recruit Cedarville students. These church planters would love to see Cedarville students become leaders and members who contribute to their communities and encourage spiritual growth in their churches. 

“We are not interested in just giving students a neat experience for a year or two,” says Cook. “We want these experiences to be training for the future, helping them be fruitful in their local churches.” 

D-groups provide a space for students to learn and grow from one another and share their life experiences. These d-group experiences are further training for after college and for membership in a church, whether that is in a leadership or faithful ministry. With their emphasis on joining these groups, Cedarville University guides students to be faithful and active members of the local church.   

Cedarville University, a Baptist institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by the Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu