San Diego Church

Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus' vision for the world is to "win souls and make disciples". This He clearly stated in Matthew 28:19-20: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . . ." To achieve His vision, Jesus worked closely with twelve men that He mentored to take His place on the earth. Following Jesus' pattern, the apostle Paul also trained a number of young men ("Timothy(s)") who later became the great leaders of the New Testament Church. We call this mentoring technique the "principle of twelve."

Jesus turned a small group of common men into a dynamic extraordinary team that revolutionized the world. Jesus started with people where they were and just simply responded to them at their areas of need.

In stage one, Jesus demonstrated credibility and authenticity allowing people to come and see His character, commitment, and compassion. He was building a personal intimate relationship with them by including them in His circle of love with other believers, a commitment to membership.

In stage two, Jesus modeled for them basic disciplines of prayer, study of the Word, obedience and commitment, etc. He wanted them to embody the values and character of the Kingdom so they could achieve their God-given potential. He wanted them to commit to life-long spiritual growth and maturity.

In stage three, Jesus helped the disciples to discover and develop their gifts and calling. He wanted them to find their place in God's plan. Jesus allowed the disciples to develop in ministry through instruction, observation and participation. He wanted them to commit themselves to ministry.

In stage four, Jesus was preparing His disciples to own and advance the mission. In preparing His disciples for His departure, Jesus reinforced the importance of maintaining the right relationship with God as well as following His model in developing people. He was investing His purpose into them and asking them to commit themselves to the mission.

Developing people to reach their potential in Jesus Christ involves helping people grow in each of the four steps.

By understanding the discipleship process New Life has adopted a strategy that will help more people to become disciples. All the ministries of our Fellowship have been designed to serve specific purposes within the Jesus Model. The ministries are not be an end in themselves, but rather a part of the total discipleship process.

When we view discipleship as a process, we focus on people instead of ministries. The ministries and programs are a means of developing people.

Traditionally, the church has been viewed as a building where a series of unconnected events took place. It was a place Christians attended because it was good for them. New Life has taken a different approach. We see the church as a group of people who work together in process, like parts of the body. This process has focus and direction, and like the current of a river, takes us somewhere.

By design, the Jesus Model guides individuals from the point of investigating New Life, to experiencing who we are, and then becoming a part of Jesus' family. Ultimately, our desire is to see people understand how God has gifted them so that they may impact the lives of others. As individuals understand this, they will minister to their community, their region, and ultimately, the world.

Let's look at a three level process that will help New Life develop disciples. We symbolize this process with the "The School of Leaders".

This process has three critical levels designed to take you from being a weekend guest to a growing Christian, ministering in New Life's family and making a difference for Jesus in your daily world.

The Three Levels of the School Of Leaders are conducted in the form of lectures and seminars.

The lectures in Level One cover doctrines such as salvation, repentance, the word of God and the Holy Spirit. There are different seminars for the Men's, Women's, and Youth Networks catering to their different needs. Level One focuses on theology and Christian living.

The lectures in Level Two cover topics such as the G12 vision, Life Cells and strategies for growth. It also teaches the Life Cell leader how to solve problems and how to choose a leadership team. The seminars are on intercession, evangelism and service. This level focuses on Life Cells and ministry.

The lessons in Level Three are on leadership. They cover topics such as the call to leadership and the cost of leadership, principles of excellence in leadership and types of leadership. The lecturers also cover practical advice for preaching. The seminars are on consolidation, Holy Spirit and counseling. Level Three focuses on establishing and developing the disciple as a leader.

 The School of Leaders gives comprehensive and effective training for you to discover and fulfill your calling in Christ within the G12 Vision. Through the School of Leaders, we can continue to grow together, fulfilling the vision of God not only in the homes, families and city of the San Diego, but in the region and world for the glory of God!