Together Growing Fruitful Disciples Framework

Connecting

with God, self, and others.

View Commitments and Indicators
  1. To develop a dynamic, deepening relationship with God, I am:
    1. communing with God regularly through His word, prayer, and other Christian disciplines.
    2. participating with other believers in worshiping God on Sabbath and at other times.
    3. worshiping God daily as a living sacrifice by choosing His will over my own will.
    4. paying attention to what God is doing and praising Him for His love and faithfulness.
    5. participating with God in His mission of reconciliation and restoration.
  2. To develop an individual identity that is complete in Christ, I am:
    1. surrendering my heart and my will to God.
    2. learning that God places infinite value on me.
    3. recognizing my continual need of God’s forgiving and empowering grace.
    4. inviting the Holy Spirit to guide in my ongoing self-reflection and actions.
    5. embracing cultural expectations that are aligned with the Bible and replacing those that are not.
  3. To develop Christ-centered family relationships, I am:
    1. recognizing that my commitment to Christ takes priority over every human relationship.
    2. contributing, supporting, and extending unconditional love to those within my family circle.
    3. holding as sacred my family commitments and responsibilities to parents, spouse, and children.
    4. passing on the Christian faith to my children through both teaching and living an authentic Christian life.
    5. practicing hospitality, welcoming into my family or home those who God brings to my attention.
    6. committing to live by biblical standards of sexual morality.
  4. To develop Christ-centered relationships in the local and global church as a member of the body of Christ, I am:
    1. being supported and nurtured by the community of believers.
    2. praying with and for fellow believers, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and caring for those who are in need.
    3. loving and serving the church’s children, and continuing to disciple them as they mature into adults.
    4. treating others redemptively when they are disciplined or shunned by church or society.
    5. keeping informed and responding to news and stories of the world church.
  5. To develop positive relationships with those outside my church or family, I am:
    1. respecting and praying for non-believers because all are of infinite value to their Creator.
    2. being a good neighbor, participating in community life, and helping those in need.
    3. being ethical in all my business dealings and in my professional and personal life.
    4. reflecting the character of Christ in all my interactions with others.

Understanding

Jesus and His teachings.

View Commitments and Indicators
  1. To understand that Christ calls me to be His disciple, I am realizing that:
    1. by beholding Jesus and abiding in Him, I will continue to grow more Christ-like.
    2. the love of Christ constrains me to a life of obedience and self-denial.
    3. all biblical teachings illustrate the character and mission of Christ.
    4. being a disciple involves all of my life – my worldview, my relationships, and my purpose and mission.
    5. I will participate in the body of Christ and its work in the world.
    6. I accept life – both now and eternally – as a gift from God to be shared with others.
  2. To understand that God is the source of life, I am realizing that:
    1. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, including all people created in His image.
    2. God is a triune God consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
    3. God reveals Himself to us in many ways, but most clearly through His Son, the Incarnate Word.
    4. God is love and He desires from me a response of love for Himself and for others.
    5. the God-given purpose of humanity is to glorify God through daily life, work, and relationships with others.
  3. To understand the consequences of the human fall from God’s original plan, I am realizing that:
    1. the Great Controversy between God and Satan originated in heaven.
    2. because of the disobedience of the first human beings, I have a will to sin and a sinful nature.
    3. the ten-commandment law of God expresses the character of God and gives the standard for human conduct.
    4. the natural world no longer reflects the perfection in which God created it.
    5. the Bible is needed to interpret the natural world as an expression of the character of God.
  4. To understand that God has provided everything that is needed for my redemption, I am realizing that:
    1. salvation and eternal life are gifts to me through the grace of God.
    2. Christ came to Earth to reveal the character of God and to die in my place as atonement for my sin.
    3. the love of God draws me to feel sorrow for my sin, to confess, and to repent.
    4. God forgives sin and heals brokenness.
  5. To understand that God has provided everything needed for my restoration, I am realizing that:
    1. Jesus died to redeem me from sin and now lives to restore me to physical, mental, and spiritual wholeness.
    2. through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ will live in me and I will live in Him.
    3. because every person is created in God’s image, my relationships will be based on love, forgiveness, and respect.
    4. the Holy Spirit daily prompts me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.
    5. God expects me to be a steward of all He created. 
    6. the great controversy ends when God brings an end to sin and restores Earth to its original perfection.

Serving

in God’s mission of revelation and reconciliation.

View Commitments and Indicators
  1. To seek opportunities in all daily activities to minister to others, I am:
    1. inviting God to change me to bear the fruits of the Spirit.
    2. choosing Jesus as a daily companion and sharing Him joyfully.
    3. investing myself in service wherever the Holy Spirit leads.
    4. carrying out my occupation as a calling to ministry.
    5. building networks for friendship, fellowship, and support.
  2. To invest myself in the discipleship of others, I am:
    1. willing to be mentored by maturing Christians, accountable for my spiritual growth.
    2. willing to be humble and honest when sharing my walk as a disciple.
    3. committing time and effort to mentoring growing Christians.
    4. working intentionally to train fellow believers to disciple others.
  3. To recognize and respond to the needs of God’s suffering children locally and globally, I am:
    1. looking for physical, mental, social and spiritual needs in the local community.
    2. responding mercifully to the discovered needs, individually and/or as a church.
    3. speaking out and acting to relieve suffering and injustice in society.
    4. reducing human suffering by being a faithful steward of God’s creation.
    5. acting compassionately on behalf of people who are disadvantaged or at risk.
  4. To support the ministries of the local and global church with personal resources, I am:
    1. managing my resources with the understanding that all belong to God.
    2. returning a faithful tithe and giving offerings systematically.
    3. serving in one or more ministries of my local church.
    4. participating personally, as possible, in global service projects or ministries.
  5. To embrace the evangelistic mission of the church, I am:
    1. praying for the Holy Spirit to prepare me to reach others for Christ.
    2. choosing to be aware of the spiritual climate locally and globally.
    3. using my spiritual gifts to help tell the world the story of Jesus.
    4. able to give a reason for my faith when asked.
    5. sharing the story of my personal relationship with Jesus with community members, family, friends, and co-workers. 

Living in Community

to help one another know, love, and serve God.

View Commitments and Indicators
  1. To walk alongside one another to support, nurture, and strengthen in love, together we are learning to:
    1. meet regularly with Christians.
    2. pray for and with one another.
    3. celebrate one another’s joys and grieve each other’s sorrows.
    4. assist one another through challenging times.
    5. retain our relationships even when conflict occurs.
  2. To deepen our relationship with God, together we are learning to:
    1. begin the day by offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God.
    2. set priorities to allow for regular, quality time with God.
    3. worship and praise God as our Creator and Redeemer.
    4. communicate with God through prayer and Christian meditation.
    5. participate in other Christian disciplines to be open to the Holy Spirit.
  3. To study God’s Word and live in obedience with its teachings, together we are learning to:
    1. study the Bible to know Christ and to develop a biblical worldview.
    2. invite the Holy Spirit to open up God’s Word to our hearts and minds.
    3. use study tools to more effectively interpret biblical meanings.
    4. apply biblical principles to our lives thoughtfully and faithfully.
    5. discern spiritual truth in a balanced manner.
  4. To hold ourselves accountable to one another for growing toward wholeness in Christ, together we are learning to:
    1. understand that to be restored to the image of God will impact every aspect of our lives—body, mind, and spirit.
    2. acknowledge our brokenness and come to God for healing.
    3. confess our faults to trusted believers for the purpose of healing.
    4. be open to caring questions and suggestions when our behaviors are damaging us and/or others.
    5. recognize that God uses other people to help us accomplish His work in our lives.
  5. To discern where God is working in the world and in our lives, together we are learning to:
    1. pray for a clear understanding of what God wants to accomplish through us.
    2. recognize the work of the Holy Spirit within and around us.
    3. detect where God is calling us to serve.
    4. evaluate the culture in which we are called to serve in order to reach others.
    5. assess and respond to the needs of those God has called us to serve.
  6. To support one another in the use of our spiritual gifts to fulfill God’s mission, together we are learning to:
    1. confer with one another to confirm and refine our areas of spiritual giftedness.
    2. affirm one another’s spiritual gifts and encourage their use.
    3. be prepared for mission and ministry by participating in training programs.
    4. disciple one another by mentoring and modeling with our spiritual gifts.
    5. support God’s work in the church and the world by both our spiritual and monetary gifts.