Hackney curate and Stepney Ministry Experience Scheme leader, Robyn-Ann Russell-Jones, describes an approach to discipleship that begins with taking time to truly see, listen to, and walk alongside others.
For the Revd Robyn-Ann Russell-Jones, discipleship begins not with programmes or structures, but with people – being noticed, listened to, and walked alongside.
“I didn’t grow up in the church,” she reflects, “so discipleship was incredibly important. I needed people to explain things, to journey with me, to take time.” Without the assumptions often inherited through a Christian upbringing, her faith was formed through intentional relationships – people who paused, paid attention, and helped her recognise God at work in her life.
That pattern has become foundational to how she now understands discipleship. “It’s that moment where someone feels completely seen,” she says. “You stop, you listen to their story, and you recognise what God is doing.” For Robyn, this is not just personal experience but a deeply biblical model – echoing Jesus’ habit of focusing on the individual and then drawing them into community.
From Encounter to Community
A significant turning point came after university, including time spent living in China. There, the absence of visible Christian presence made her increasingly aware of a deeper absence in her own life. Returning to the UK, she encountered key figures who helped her explore faith more seriously, including the Revd Tamsin Merchant, who “took her under her wing” during a formative placement at St Mary’s Hornsey Rise.
“That time was hugely shaping,” she says. “The phrase that stuck with me was: come as you are, do what you can.” For Robyn, this encapsulates the heart of discipleship – honesty about where we are, coupled with a conviction that everyone has something to offer.
This conviction continues to shape her ministry. She is passionate about helping people recognise their God-given gifts – not just in formal roles, but in the everyday life of the Church. “I don’t think people always believe they’re called to ministry,” she explains. “But as baptised Christians, we’re all gifted. One priest can’t do everything—nor are they meant to.”
A Call Emerging Through Practice
Robyn’s sense of vocation emerged not through a single moment, but through lived experience – particularly during her time as a secondary school teacher. Alongside her teaching role, she gathered colleagues for prayer, organised informal acts of worship, and saw faith come alive among staff and students.
Looking back, she recognises this as a key stage in her discernment. “My heart was drawn to ministry,” she says. “I loved teaching, but what was energising me most was building community, praying together, nurturing faith.” Encouraged by those around her, she entered the discernment process and eventually trained for ordination.
Yet her experience also shapes how she views lay vocation. “We need people in workplaces living out the gospel,” she says. “Discipleship isn’t about moving everyone into church leadership – it’s about equipping people wherever they are.”
Slow, Intentional, Transformational
Now serving as a curate at St John of Jerusalem, alongside her role as Stepney Ministry Experience Scheme (MES) leader, Robyn continues to prioritise relational discipleship.
She describes it as “slow work” – not always efficient, but deeply impactful. A simple example illustrates this: when a newcomer who was a gifted singer arrived expressing a desire to participate in the church’s contemporary evensong, instead of directing her straight to the rehearsal, Robyn encouraged a one-to-one conversation over coffee. “Find out her story,” she urged. “That’s the difference between someone attending and someone belonging.”
This kind of intentional investment, she believes, creates lasting transformation. “When we look back, we recognise God at work in those moments where someone took time with us.”
Formed in Community
Robyn’s own discipleship today remains deeply communal. Alongside a spiritual director and personal rhythms of prayer, scripture, and sacramental life, she emphasises the formative power of people – colleagues, friends, and those she journeys with through the Ministry Experience Scheme.
“Just being with people disciples me,” she says. “The questions, the curiosity – it keeps everything alive.” Working with others in ministry continually brings her back to the core questions: Who is Jesus? What does it mean to follow him? How do we grow together?
Looking Ahead: Intentional Discipleship in a Distracted World
Looking to the future, Robyn hopes to develop increasingly intentional and strategic approaches to discipleship – without losing its relational heart.
“We’re competing for attention,” she acknowledges. “There are so many voices shaping our desires and priorities. If we’re not intentional, discipleship just won’t grow as it could.”
Yet this intentionality is not about marketing or control, but about creating space for deeper allegiance to Christ – what she describes as “that complete devotion… like the Magi, setting out to worship without fully knowing the journey ahead.”
At its heart, her vision is both simple and profound: individuals deeply known and nurtured, drawn into community, and equipped to disciple others in turn.
“It starts one-to-one,” she says, “but it’s always about bringing people into a community where they belong – and where they can help others belong too.”
Related resources and articles:
Communal practices for churches
Spiritual direction: a gift for everyone
For more communal formation and discipleship resources click here.