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12 Week Programme

The Way – Discipleship School

The Way – Dicipleship School

A Christian discipleship training school equipping believers to grow in spiritual resilience, emotional health, and lifelong devotion to Jesus.

In a culture marked by distraction, burnout, and spiritual fatigue, we exist to strengthen those who want to stay rooted in Christ for the long journey of faith.

Held onsite at Orama’s coastal campus on Great Barrier Island, The Way – Discipleship School offers an immersive experience in a unique setting of beauty and community.

It is a space to step away from everyday noise and engage in intentional discipleship, inner healing, and personal growth in God.

Here, you are invited to slow down, deepen your relationship with God, and learn to walk with Him in every season of life.

School Dates

Starts: February 15th 2027
Ends: May 8th 2027

Contact Us
Enrol Now
Orama Academy Lecture Rooms

Joe shares his experience from the Discipleship School

Orama Academy is more than a place of study—it is an environment intentionally shaped for transformation.

To learn more Download our prospectus.

2027 Prospectus Available soon

Modules

School schedule is subject to change.

Foundations: Building Spiritual Resilience

In the first two weeks, we’ll explore why foundations matter: what they are, why they’re important, and how we can start putting together the building blocks of a sustainable, resilient faith.

Spiritual Formation & Soul Care

This is one of the most important modules in the school calendar. This fortnight takes you on a journey to deepen your devotional life by practicing the way of Jesus. Developing a more resilient faith by exploring and establishing spiritual rhythms of prayer, silence and solitude, Sabbath, and biblical meditation. Developing a rule of life.

Identity in Christ

Understanding our identity is fundamental to all that we are as human. Are we being intentional with allowing Christ to shape that identity? Or are we being shaped by a dominant world culture that desires to mould us into its own image? We explore what it means to be ‘in’ Christ? Why is that important? How does it form how we see ourselves and how we interact with the world around us.

Hearing the Voice of God

This week, we’ll be exploring the challenging, yet critical questions, does God speak to us? And if He does, can we learn to listen and discern how God speaks? While also discussing what the important guard rails might be.

Spiritual Gifts & Spiritual Battle

We are at war. Not with a foreign government or domestic terrorists or a creepy new artificial intelligence hell-bent on taking over the world. No, it’s a war we feel deep inside our own chests: we are at war with lies… the choice is not whether to fight or not fight, but whether we win or surrender.” (John Mark Comer – ‘Live No Lies’).

The bible makes it clear – the battle is real and the weapons we’ve been given to fight with are spiritual, and they come in the form of Spiritual Gifts, we ignore these at our peril. Learn what it means to engage in Spiritual Battle and to function in Spiritual Gifts.

The Prophetic

What is the Prophetic? Does God want to speak to us and through us? How do we hear God’s voice? We will explore the importance of the Prophetic gifts and their role in our world today and in our own personal lives.

Understanding Biblical Prophecy

The story of Israel is fascinating. As Christians we spiritually whakapapa back to Israel, but as Christians do we truly understand God’s purpose for this nation? As ancient Israel, and in its current form as the state of Israel? Does it still have a part to play in God’s plans?

Learn about the story of Israel, and to help us understand the importance of good biblical hermeneutics and exegesis when it comes to understand end times.

Apologetics

The need for apologetics has never been greater in our pluralistic and secularised culture. The confusion is systemic, and apologetics can be a great tool for providing some much-needed clarity.
So prepare well, and “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Comissioning & Release

This is a time of commissioning, prayer, and blessing, offering students clarity and encouragement as they discern their next steps in faith, ministry, or mission.

Our Story
Orama Academy Lecture Rooms
Orama Academy Campus
Student life at Orama academy
Orama Academy Campus
Student life at Orama academy

About The Way – Discipleship School

The Way is designed for anyone aged 18+ who desires to grow in faith, gain deeper biblical understanding, and explore their calling.

Whether you are preparing for ministry, considering missions, or seeking spiritual clarity and direction, this three-month journey offers a supportive and inspiring environment to grow in Christ.

Students engage both teaching and community life in a way that shapes lasting transformation.

A Transformational Learning Environment

Our Classroom – Formation Through Truth

The lecture room is central and deeply valued. It is not about information alone, but transformation. Here we speak, listen, and wrestle with truth together through the lens of Scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Teaching is interactive, reflective, and designed to form both understanding and conviction.

Planted in Christian Community

The Way is intentionally embedded within an established Christian community. Students are invited into Orama’s daily and weekly rhythms of prayer, worship, devotion, and Sabbath. Life together becomes a key space of learning—where we eat, pray, worship, work, and grow side by side. This lived community experience is where teaching is processed, tested, and integrated into real life.

Karaka Bay – A Unique Environment for Encounter and Rest

Set in the breathtaking natural environment of Orama’s coastal campus at Karaka Bay, students are invited to step away from distraction and into the beauty of God’s creation. Native bush, beach walks, swimming, kayaking, and fishing become spaces for reflection, rest, and personal encounter with God.

Creative Processing – The Woolshed Art Studio

Our Woolshed Art Studio provides space for creative reflection and processing. Students take what they are learning in the classroom and explore it through guided creative expression. These sessions are often described as beautiful, challenging, healing, and deeply rewarding.

Outcomes

By the end of The Way – Discipleship School, students will:

  • Understand their identity in Christ and how to live from it
  • Grow in spiritual resilience and discernment
  • Gain biblical understanding of spiritual gifts, prophecy, and healing
  • Be equipped for Christian ministry, leadership, or service

Students leave with a certificate of completion, a strong foundation of faith, and clarity for their next step—wherever God leads.

Pricing

Programme
Contribution

$5,800

Your Programme Contribution covers the core costs of delivering the Discipleship School. This investment supports high-quality teaching, materials, and the experiences that make Orama Academy unique.
  • All lectures and teaching content
  • Study materials and resources
  • Guest speakers and workshops
  • Access to optional programme streams and electives
  • Flights from Auckland Airport to Orama and back included
  • Graduation celebration and certificate

Living
Expenses

$4560

Approx $380 NZD per week

Your Living Expenses cover day-to-day needs during your time at Orama. We aim to create a comfortable and nourishing environment so you can focus fully on your formation journey.

  • All meals and dietary needs while onsite at Orama
  • Accommodation at Orama’s Great Barrier Island campus
  • Utilities and campus facilities (laundry, internet, communal areas)
Our Story

Payment
Options

Amounts are shown in New Zealand Dollars and include GST.

DEPOSIT

$2,200

A $2,200 deposit is required to secure your placement at Orama Academy. This will be due for payment on acceptance of your application.

Course Fees

$3,600

The balance of the programme fees is payable prior to the commencement of the course. This covers study materials and resources, lectures, workshops, and other programme costs.

Weekly Expenses

$380 p/w

A weekly living expense payment of $380 is required while attending Orama Academy (12 weeks in total). This payment covers your food, accommodation, utilities while staying at Orama, and during your placement.

INSTALLMENTS

Installment
Plan

As we don’t want finances to be a barrier, so we may be able to provide a payment plan for eligable students, allowing them to pay course fees and weekly living expenses off over an extended period of time (up to 18 months). Please contact us if you require an installment plan to attend Orama Academy.

Our Story

Still Wondering if This Is Right for You?

We’ve answered some of the most common questions about the programme below — from who it’s for, to what’s included, to what you’ll walk away with.
Do I need to have prior ministry experience or Bible knowledge to join?

No prior ministry experience is required. The school is designed to meet people where they’re at, regardless if you’re new to faith or have been walking with God for years. We focus on building strong biblical foundations and helping each student grow in confidence, understanding, and spiritual maturity.

What does the cost include, and are payment plans available?

The course fees are $10,360 NZD, and includes all teaching, lectures, accommodation, and food during your time on Great Barrier Island. Students are responsible for their own travel to and from New Zealand. Payment plans and financing options are available, and a deposit will be required to confirm your place in the 2027 cohort.

Can international students apply, and what support is available for travel or visas?

Yes, international students are welcome! You’ll need to cover your own flights and obtain a suitable visa to enter New Zealand.  Our team is happy to help answer questions as you prepare.

Will I receive a qualification at the end of the programme?
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Orama Academy, acknowledging the time, commitment, and learning undertaken throughout the course. While this is not an NZQA accredited qualification, it reflects a meaningful level of discipleship training and personal development, and can be valuable in ministry, mission, or church based roles.
ENQUIRE NOW

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re confident this is for you, or still have a few questions — we’d love to hear from you. Enroll now to secure your spot in the 2027 cohort, or reach out to learn more about the school and what to expect.

Enroll Now