Vision 2008 - Discipleship Pathway

By Pastor Jonathan Del Turco
Contributors: IFC’s pastoral staff.

God’s mandate to us in 2007 was “put things in order – tie up loose ends.” With these instructions in mind, we took the better part of the year reviewing, analyzing, reworking and evaluating many areas of IFC. Hundreds of hours were spent researching, strategizing, and praying about IFC’s future – all for one purpose – you.

Our focus was to simplify IFC’s discipleship process so that it would be clear, focused and effective for your spiritual growth. Every believer should embrace the mission to know the One who has redeemed them and to make Him known to their generation. A believer who embraces the mission has an expectation! They see themselves as becoming someone who emulates Christ’s character carrying His presence and power to the lost world around them.

God’s plan and purpose is simple. Are you achieving your God-given purpose in life or has life become so complicated and busy that you have lost your way from God’s plan for your life? Misguided priorities, multiple demands upon daily life, worries about the future, money issues, trying to measure up to other people’s expectations, trying to be someone you are not… Do you tend to let things pile up and then wonder why your life seems so complex? When life gets crowded with “things” that do not matter, God usually gets left out. There is no room for Him to do what He wants. What is the answer? Simplify your life! Embrace His mission, which is to know Him and the power of His resurrection – pursue what is really important!

Catch HIS vision – see who God created you to be! Step out on His path – commit yourself to a process that will take you there!

Observe the pattern of Jesus’ life and ministry and you’ll see how He established a process that is so simple. Jesus poured Himself into 12 men in the course of 3 ½ years. Jesus called the 12 – Jesus did life with the 12 – Jesus trained the 12 – Jesus sent out the 12. That is a discipleship process. In the span of 3 ½ years, the disciples discovered God’s purpose, they connected with each other and became world changers.

Our discipleship pathway has three distinct characteristics. It is intentional. The one doing the discipling and the one being discipled are doing it with purpose. It is life-giving. It can set you free to be who God wants you to be. Finally it is transforming. The power of God is at work radically changing you from the inside out. As you look over the discipleship process at IFC, it is meant to be simple. It shows you how you can Discover God – Get Connected – and Make A Difference! As you step out on your discipleship pathway, remember it is all about who you are becoming and who you are influencing.

There are great discoveries on this new path… new friendships… new opportunities – all waiting for you on this pathway. It’s so simple! The best way to explain the stages in the discipleship process is to compared them to three environments in your home – the foyer, the living room and the kitchen.

Every home has a foyer. It is the place in your home that serves as the welcome area for guests, family and new friends. It is the first step toward making your guests feel comfortable and welcome. You greet your guests, exchange introductions, and set the stage for a warm inviting experience. Your guest goes through the foyer first on the way to fulfilling the reason for their visit. The first step, or foyer, in our discipleship pathway is Discover.

Discovery happens on a very special day in a very special environment – Sunday! When you walk through the doors of International Family Church, you will discover real people. People just like you in an authentic loving community. People from over 40 nations and all walks of life. People, who are looking to discover more out of life – a place to belong. You will find the real God! His manifest presence and power through corporate worship, praise and celebration. You will find real truth, the authority and power of God’s Word which is able to frame your world, change your circumstances, and establish your future. Finally, you will find real leadership. Leadership that will guide you on a pathway to God’s highest and best for your life.

The nature of discovery is that it is an on going process. While some are just beginning the process, others have traveled further down the path. At International Family Church there are four specific areas of ministry that facilitate the discovery process regardless of how far down the path you find yourself. Discovery can happen for you at:

• Weekly Sunday Services - a place of worship, celebration, relevant ministry and a variety of faith building classes.

• All Stars Children’s ministry - a safe and exciting place to learn and grow!

• Legacy Youth - where teens people discover their identity and purpose.

• Victory Bible Training Center - a place of impartation and biblical training for adults (ages 16+).

Discovery is just the first step. While discovery never really comes to an end, it is the first step toward God’s highest and best for your life. Trying to do this by yourself can seem like a daunting task. At IFC, in the environment of discovery you will find hope, encouragement and challenge. Hope for what seems so big and impossible. Encouragement for when you feel like you can no longer do it and you want to give up. Challenge to keep you from settling for where you currently are and what you currently have. God has more for you!

After guests are made to feel welcome in the foyer they are invited to move to the living room. The living room environment is where relationships are made. We get comfortable, we converse and begin to get to know each others life story. We get below the surface and begin to connect.

Life is better when you have people in your life who truly care. Connecting enables you to be a part of an community where opportunity exists for you to find friends that will respect, esteem, believe in and encourage you. It provides a caring and secure environment that appreciates your unique gifts and accepts you for who God created you to be. However, while connection has many individual benefits, its true power lies in the way it strengthens the community as a whole. When strong individuals and strong families come together, they make a strong church. International Family Church is a community that is passionate about building a church without walls that is equipped and single-minded about reaching their world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. All of that is made possible through connection with others.

Life groups provide you the opportunity to connect with new friends, have fun, and experience support, community, and life coaching. At International Family Church we believe in doing life together. There are several different types of groups available for you to connect with. Enrichment Groups are designed for those who are looking to fellowship and grow spiritually with other believers. Interest Groups are designed to build friendships, have fun, and connect with the un-churched. Support Groups are designed to help others with specific needs to succeed in life, find support, and encouragement for life issues. Regardless of the stage of life that you find yourself, there is a way for you to connect at International Family Church!

Once connection happens, it allows the third and most important part of the Discipleship Pathway to take place.

• Enrichment Groups – grow together with others in the Word.

• Interest Groups – build relationships, have fun, and connect with the un-churched.

• Support Groups – help others win in life, find support, and encouragement for life issues.

• Partnership Class – link up with the mission of IFC.

The kitchen is the most popular room in the house. It is the heart of every home. It is where everyone wants to be. Life happens sitting at the kitchen table – lasting friendships are made, problems are solved and loving service makes a difference in the lives of people. It is where our conversations, discussions and commitments go deeper – all in the kitchen. Our discipleship pathway started in an environment where we discover, moved into an environment where we connect, and in the final step of the process, we move into the environment where we make a difference.

The second part of Matthew 10:8 tells us “…freely you have received, freely give.” The Christian life is not complete without engaging in some form of ministry to others. Join a ministry team and make a HUGE difference in someone’s life. Just like somebody did for you! Ministry Teams provide you an opportunity to use your gifts and talents to serve God and serve others. The Ministry teams include: the Ministry of Helps Team, Pastoral Care Team, Small Group Team, Outreach and Evangelism Team and the Missions Team. It is these people that make fulfilling the mission God has given IFC a reality.

You don’t have to do it alone. For a complete list of opportunities to make a difference, see the Ministry Teams section of the Life Groups Directory. Join a winning team and make a huge difference through:

• The Ministry of Helps Team - these teams are made up of hundreds of volunteers who make Sunday morning and life at IFC happen. This includes dynamic ministry to children and youth.

• Pastoral Care Team - this is how we care for you our IFC family. This includes: emergencies, hospital and home visits, altar care, meals, encouraging phone calls, and prayer.

• Small Group Team - Life Groups is a ministry where you can host, lead, coach, and care for people.

• Outreach and Evangelism Teams - this is where we become the "church without walls" and fulfill the Great Commission. These teams feeding the hungry, clean and serve our neighborhoods through Adopt-A-Block, care for the elderly, reach and love the unchurched and demonstrate the Gospel.

• Missions Teams - we are committed to world missions through financial support, sending equipment and resources, short-term missions trips and medical missions trips.

This discipleship process is God’s mandate for IFC. We are committed to helping you fulfill your destiny by equipping and empowering you to become a fully-devoted follower of Christ. We have gone to great lengths to put things in order and tie up loose ends. We have worked hard on budgets to be good stewards and we are working hard to prepare for the increase that we know belongs to us so we can finish what we have started and gain new ground for the glory of God.