The Discipleship of the Good Shepherd (DGS) has grown out of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) to better suit protestant churches and to be a more basic, compact and less material required approach to better match resources available in many churches and schools.
DGS started with the three traditional levels of 3 to 6 years, level 1; 6 to 9 years, level 2 and 9 to 12 years, level 3. Because there was a need to provide for early teens an extra level was developed for DGS, called Teen for 13, 14 years.
More recently, CGS after many years of research developed 0 to 3 years and DGS now has Prenatal to 3 years.
Because of the vulnerability of the prenatal child and the hunger for Christian spiritual input DGS is now putting increased emphasis on helping couples having children to have a good awareness of what is needed.
It has now become clear that parents by and large are not putting the spiritual development of their child at a high level throughout childhood as evidenced by the words of Jesus about children. There is a sad reality that often the result is a needless lostness of the wonderful fullness and love in the life of young people.
DGS calls the space where children gather for Good Shepherd work an atrium and the adults that assist, guides. They are called guides to reinforce the reality that the adult is there simply to guide the child and listen together with them to our Lord and, that the actual teacher is the Holy Spirit.
The formation of a guide and help with setting up of atriums is the work of carefully trained people called formation leaders and formation leaders who have some years of experience work to train other formation leaders.
Nurturing children today to prepare them for a strong future in the church is crucial for the growth and sustainability of faith communities. By providing them with Discipleship of the Good Shepherd overcomes any early life trauma and builds a sound foundation for their faith, enabling them to embrace and actively participate in the church's mission.
DGS recognizes the critical importance of spiritual formation even before birth. We provide resources and support for expectant parents to understand the spiritual needs and awareness of the unborn child.
The Prenatal to 3 years atrium (Pre-Pre): A specially designed space and approach for the youngest members of our faith community, acknowledging their spiritual hunger and capacity.
The Level 1 atrium for 3 to 6 years: Children at this age engage in foundational presentations about God's love, the Good Shepherd, and basic biblical truths through hands-on materials and meditation.
Level 2 (6 to 9 years): Children explore deeper theological concepts, moral parables, and the life of Christ with increasing independence and reflection.
Level 3 (9 to 12 years): Pre-teens engage with church history, the Holy Spirit's work, and their personal relationship with God through Scripture and tradition.
Teen Level (13-14 years): Teenagers explore their faith in the context of their emerging identity, focusing on discipleship and active participation in the church community.
DGS recognizes that the Holy Spirit is the true teacher. Guides facilitate an environment where children can encounter God directly and develop their own authentic relationship with Jesus.
We honor the spiritual capacity of children from before birth through adolescence, providing age-appropriate materials and presentations that respect their innate ability to connect with God.
Adapted from CGS to better suit Protestant churches and resource-limited contexts, DGS provides a compact, essential approach that maintains spiritual depth while being practically accessible.