This document was adopted by the leaders of our fellowship as a picture of the target, what we’re aiming at in all our ministries, a description of the kind of people we ourselves want to become and where we want to take our people:
A disciple is a Christ-follower who is, by the sanctifying power of God’s Spirit and His Word, constantly learning how to bring every aspect of his or her life into obedience to Christ.
A disciple is a Christ-follower who is, by the sanctifying power of God’s Spirit and His Word, constantly learning how to bring every aspect of his or her life into obedience to Christ.
KNOW: The love of Christ compels me to understand the Gospel not just as an initial spiritual experience but as an ongoing reality in my spiritual life. I recognize that I am just as dependent on God’s grace in my daily walk as I was when I first put my trust in Christ, so I must continue to “preach the Gospel to myself.”
My identity and security: Because God sees in me not my own sin and rebellion but the perfect righteousness of His Son, I know and understand that…
…my deepest and most significant identity lies not in my accomplishments or self-discipline or virtue (or failures) but in my secure standing as a beloved child of the King.
…my standing before God is secure: although I may grieve Him by my sin, I can never separate myself from His love.
My ongoing need for repentance: I have put my faith and trust in Christ: this means not only that I continually repent of my sin but also that I continually repent of all the schemes and devices I have used to justify and rationalize and manage my sin and my guilt.
My dependence on God’s Spirit: Because my heart still bends toward sin and I am not capable of obeying God in my own strength, I consciously and intentionally depend on the Holy Spirit to help me find my identity not in my obedience but in Christ.
…my deepest and most significant identity lies not in my accomplishments or self-discipline or virtue (or failures) but in my secure standing as a beloved child of the King.
…my standing before God is secure: although I may grieve Him by my sin, I can never separate myself from His love.
My ongoing need for repentance: I have put my faith and trust in Christ: this means not only that I continually repent of my sin but also that I continually repent of all the schemes and devices I have used to justify and rationalize and manage my sin and my guilt.
My dependence on God’s Spirit: Because my heart still bends toward sin and I am not capable of obeying God in my own strength, I consciously and intentionally depend on the Holy Spirit to help me find my identity not in my obedience but in Christ.
GROW: The love of Christ compels me to cultivate the personal and corporate habits that will create the depth and space I need to flourish spiritually.
My engagement with Scripture: Because of what God has given me in Christ, I love God’s Word.
I engage regularly with Scripture and reflect on it both personally and with other believers so I can discern how to obey God more fully and completely.
I am motivated to obey God’s Word not out of guilt and fear but out of joy and gratitude.
My confession of sin: Because I am secure in my knowledge that I am in Christ, I can deal with my sin both ruthlessly (because I hate it) and gratefully (because I know that God loves me even on my worst days).
My prayer life: Because I love God and want to know Him more, I am learning how to carry on a life-long conversation with God: I am cultivating an active prayer life that includes not just supplication and intercession but also adoration (worship, praise), confession, and thanksgiving.
My fellowship with other believers in my local body: Because I understand that trusting Christ means I am part of his family, I have committed myself to my local body of believers by participating in my fellowship.
My corporate worship: I faithfully attend worship services where I can hear God’s Word and celebrate the goodness of God with the people of God.
I have made a public declaration of my faith by following Christ in baptism, as he commanded.
I observe the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
My corporate commitment: I have committed myself to my local body of believers by becoming a member of my fellowship.
My corporate service: I understand how God has gifted and equipped me for service, and I am cultivating and deploying those gifts in service to other believers.
My corporate support: I faithfully support the ministries of the body not just with my ministry activity but also with my finances.
My corporate growth opportunities: I am taking advantage of opportunities for spiritual growth with other believers in a smaller learning environment (class, small group, etc.)
I engage regularly with Scripture and reflect on it both personally and with other believers so I can discern how to obey God more fully and completely.
I am motivated to obey God’s Word not out of guilt and fear but out of joy and gratitude.
My confession of sin: Because I am secure in my knowledge that I am in Christ, I can deal with my sin both ruthlessly (because I hate it) and gratefully (because I know that God loves me even on my worst days).
My prayer life: Because I love God and want to know Him more, I am learning how to carry on a life-long conversation with God: I am cultivating an active prayer life that includes not just supplication and intercession but also adoration (worship, praise), confession, and thanksgiving.
My fellowship with other believers in my local body: Because I understand that trusting Christ means I am part of his family, I have committed myself to my local body of believers by participating in my fellowship.
My corporate worship: I faithfully attend worship services where I can hear God’s Word and celebrate the goodness of God with the people of God.
I have made a public declaration of my faith by following Christ in baptism, as he commanded.
I observe the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
My corporate commitment: I have committed myself to my local body of believers by becoming a member of my fellowship.
My corporate service: I understand how God has gifted and equipped me for service, and I am cultivating and deploying those gifts in service to other believers.
My corporate support: I faithfully support the ministries of the body not just with my ministry activity but also with my finances.
My corporate growth opportunities: I am taking advantage of opportunities for spiritual growth with other believers in a smaller learning environment (class, small group, etc.)
GO: The love of Christ compels me to move intentionally toward others in service and ministry.
Evangelism: I am cultivating relationships with neighbors and co-workers, creating the space and depth that will support spiritual conversations where I can explain how the Good News about Jesus has changed my life.
Missions: I support and encourage the effort to take the Gospel to the nations in a variety of ways (prayer, financial support, participation in short-term trips, perhaps considering long-term cross-cultural ministry).
Discipling: I am personally investing in the lives of other believers, to help them to move toward maturity in Christ.
Service: I am looking for opportunities to use my spiritual and natural gifts and passions in service to the people who are already in my life, beginning with those who are closest to me:
…(if married) to disciple and be discipled by my spouse.
…(if a parent) to disciple my own children.
…to serve other believers in my fellowship.
…to serve my neighbors and co-workers/classmates.
…to serve my community
Missions: I support and encourage the effort to take the Gospel to the nations in a variety of ways (prayer, financial support, participation in short-term trips, perhaps considering long-term cross-cultural ministry).
Discipling: I am personally investing in the lives of other believers, to help them to move toward maturity in Christ.
Service: I am looking for opportunities to use my spiritual and natural gifts and passions in service to the people who are already in my life, beginning with those who are closest to me:
…(if married) to disciple and be discipled by my spouse.
…(if a parent) to disciple my own children.
…to serve other believers in my fellowship.
…to serve my neighbors and co-workers/classmates.
…to serve my community