The text below examines each of these six corresponding pairs, looking at three issues for each one:
- Equipper commitments. The core commitments necessary for those who seek to help ministers develop Christ-like character.
- Environmental characteristics. The defining characteristics of environments that are conducive to the development of the specific character attribute. One of the roles of equippers is to see that these characteristics are consistently present.
- Equipping toolbox. This section recommends resources that equippers and developing ministers can use to enhance growth in the noted attribute of Christ-like character.
The foundation of GOD'S LOVE - yielding grace-based ministers
As a developing minister experiences an atmosphere that expresses God’s love, they increasingly relate to God on the basis of his grace (acceptance and provision) in Christ. This produces within them a heart for and commitment to ministry relationships based in grace rather than in human performance or a desire for personal power or gain.
Equipper commitments- Great Commandment living that expresses God’s compassion, love and grace
- Concern for spiritual health over running programs—being over doing
- Influencing through grace and love, not coercive power, unwarranted guilt or arbitrary rules
- An environment within which the protégé experiences unconditional acceptance with an emphasis on God’s gracious provision in Christ
- Book: Relational Christianity by Steve Meeks
- Book: Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell
The foundation of GOD'S PERSON - yielding Christ-centered ministers
As a developing minister experiences the joy and awe in knowing God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, they will learn to trust in and live for God through loving allegiance to Christ their Lord.
Equipper commitments- Commitment to a Christ-centered life: from the Father, in the Son, through the Holy Spirit
- An environment where the protégé encounters an accurate picture of who God is as Father, with an emphasis on the person of Christ and on incarnational ministry through the Spirit
- Book: How To Read T.F. Torrance by Elmer Colyer
- Book: Hearing God by Dallas Willard
- Book: The Call by Os Guinness
The foundation of GOD'S STORY - yielding Word-directed ministers
As a developing minister is immersed in God’s story of creation and redemption conveyed in the written Word - the Bible, they will, through the Holy Spirit’s illumination, increasingly have their hearts and minds molded by and conformed to the living Word, Jesus Christ.
Equipper commitments- Seeing our story as part of God’s story and practicing Word-directed living
- An environment that is expressive of a Biblical worldview, that emphasizes Scripture focused on the gospel, and that models Word-directed being and doing
- Book: God's Big Picture: Tracing the story line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts
- Book: Connecting Your Journey with the Story of God: Disciplemaking in Diverse Contexts by Dave Livermore
The foundation of GOD'S WILL - yielding Spirit-formed ministers
As a developing minister experiences dependence on God, they will increasingly embrace through the spiritual disciplines the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit. Out of this spiritual formation will flow whole-life stewardship that bears the fruit of the Spirit rather than the works of the flesh.
Equipper commitments- Dependence on God’s sovereignty
- Faith-filled, Spirit-formed living
- Faithful, moment-by-moment surrender to God
- An environment that is rich with devotion to the spiritual disciplines (prayer in particular) and within which walking in step with the Spirit is modeled
- ACCM course:spiritual formation.
- Book: Celebration of Discipline: the path to spiritual growth by Richard Foster
- Book: Renovation of the Heart: putting on the character of Christ by Dallas Willard
The foundation of GOD'S PEOPLE - yielding fellowship-building ministers
As a developing minister experiences hope-filled and expectant vision for ministry, they will develop a deep and abiding sense of personal calling to active participation in the local church. This participation will emphasize mutually accountable relationships through collaborative leadership that utilizes ministry teams. This approach to ministry will also reflect Christ-like concern for the well-being and ministry involvement of the minister's spouse and children.
- Living in communal authority (willingly accountable)
- The church as Christ’s presence in the world - expressing his passion and extending his global mission
- The local church as God’s chosen instrument to advance his purpose in the world
- Ministry as a ‘team sport’ to be lived out through collaborative, shared leadership
- An environment that expresses a deep commitment to the local church as God’s tool to advance the Kingdom in partnership with the WCG denominational family and the larger body of Christ
- An environment that expresses a deep commitment to being willingly accountable to peers, supervisors and ministry constituents
- An environment that engenders spiritual fellowship (koinonia) through sharing and collaboration
- Servants Passage: This program is sponsored by GCI Ministry Development as a tool to help develop emerging ministers.
- Book: The Body by Charles Colson
The foundation of GOD'S PURPOSE - yielding disciplemaking ministers
As developing ministers encounter passionate commitment to the Great Commission, they will increasingly be emboldened to reach out to build redemptive relationships through which disciplemaking followers of Jesus of all ages are multiplied.
Equipper commitments- Great Commission living: extending God’s mission through disciplemaking ministry
- Incarnational ministry within and through the body of Christ
- An environment that expresses devotion to Christ’s Great Commission for ‘making disciples who make disciples’ - viewing this mission as a life-style not a mere program
- Book: Growing a Healthy Church by Dann Spader and Gary Mayes
- Seminar: The Everyday Commission. This seminar is offered by the ministry development team.