- Framework
- Online Framework
Together Growing Fruitful Disciples Framework
Connecting
with God, self, and others.
View Commitments and Indicators- To develop a dynamic, deepening relationship with God, I am:
- communing with God regularly through His word, prayer, and other Christian disciplines.
- participating with other believers in worshiping God on Sabbath and at other times.
- worshiping God daily as a living sacrifice by choosing His will over my own will.
- paying attention to what God is doing and praising Him for His love and faithfulness.
- participating with God in His mission of reconciliation and restoration.
- To develop an individual identity that is complete in Christ, I am:
- surrendering my heart and my will to God.
- learning that God places infinite value on me.
- recognizing my continual need of God’s forgiving and empowering grace.
- inviting the Holy Spirit to guide in my ongoing self-reflection and actions.
- embracing cultural expectations that are aligned with the Bible and replacing those that are not.
- To develop Christ-centered family relationships, I am:
- recognizing that my commitment to Christ takes priority over every human relationship.
- contributing, supporting, and extending unconditional love to those within my family circle.
- holding as sacred my family commitments and responsibilities to parents, spouse, and children.
- passing on the Christian faith to my children through both teaching and living an authentic Christian life.
- practicing hospitality, welcoming into my family or home those who God brings to my attention.
- committing to live by biblical standards of sexual morality.
- To develop Christ-centered relationships in the local and global church as a member of the body of Christ, I am:
- being supported and nurtured by the community of believers.
- praying with and for fellow believers, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and caring for those who are in need.
- loving and serving the church’s children, and continuing to disciple them as they mature into adults.
- treating others redemptively when they are disciplined or shunned by church or society.
- keeping informed and responding to news and stories of the world church.
- To develop positive relationships with those outside my church or family, I am:
- respecting and praying for non-believers because all are of infinite value to their Creator.
- being a good neighbor, participating in community life, and helping those in need.
- being ethical in all my business dealings and in my professional and personal life.
- reflecting the character of Christ in all my interactions with others.
Understanding
Jesus and His teachings.
View Commitments and Indicators- To understand that Christ calls me to be His disciple, I am realizing that:
- by beholding Jesus and abiding in Him, I will continue to grow more Christ-like.
- the love of Christ constrains me to a life of obedience and self-denial.
- all biblical teachings illustrate the character and mission of Christ.
- being a disciple involves all of my life – my worldview, my relationships, and my purpose and mission.
- I will participate in the body of Christ and its work in the world.
- I accept life – both now and eternally – as a gift from God to be shared with others.
- To understand that God is the source of life, I am realizing that:
- God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, including all people created in His image.
- God is a triune God consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- God reveals Himself to us in many ways, but most clearly through His Son, the Incarnate Word.
- God is love and He desires from me a response of love for Himself and for others.
- the God-given purpose of humanity is to glorify God through daily life, work, and relationships with others.
- To understand the consequences of the human fall from God’s original plan, I am realizing that:
- the Great Controversy between God and Satan originated in heaven.
- because of the disobedience of the first human beings, I have a will to sin and a sinful nature.
- the ten-commandment law of God expresses the character of God and gives the standard for human conduct.
- the natural world no longer reflects the perfection in which God created it.
- the Bible is needed to interpret the natural world as an expression of the character of God.
- To understand that God has provided everything that is needed for my redemption, I am realizing that:
- salvation and eternal life are gifts to me through the grace of God.
- Christ came to Earth to reveal the character of God and to die in my place as atonement for my sin.
- the love of God draws me to feel sorrow for my sin, to confess, and to repent.
- God forgives sin and heals brokenness.
- To understand that God has provided everything needed for my restoration, I am realizing that:
- Jesus died to redeem me from sin and now lives to restore me to physical, mental, and spiritual wholeness.
- through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ will live in me and I will live in Him.
- because every person is created in God’s image, my relationships will be based on love, forgiveness, and respect.
- the Holy Spirit daily prompts me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.
- God expects me to be a steward of all He created.
- 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- To seek opportunities in all daily activities to minister to others, I am:
- inviting God to change me to bear the fruits of the Spirit.
- choosing Jesus as a daily companion and sharing Him joyfully.
- investing myself in service wherever the Holy Spirit leads.
- carrying out my occupation as a calling to ministry.
- building networks for friendship, fellowship, and support.
- To invest myself in the discipleship of others, I am:
- willing to be mentored by maturing Christians, accountable for my spiritual growth.
- willing to be humble and honest when sharing my walk as a disciple.
- committing time and effort to mentoring growing Christians.
- working intentionally to train fellow believers to disciple others.
- To recognize and respond to the needs of God’s suffering children locally and globally, I am:
- looking for physical, mental, social and spiritual needs in the local community.
- responding mercifully to the discovered needs, individually and/or as a church.
- speaking out and acting to relieve suffering and injustice in society.
- reducing human suffering by being a faithful steward of God’s creation.
- acting compassionately on behalf of people who are disadvantaged or at risk.
- To support the ministries of the local and global church with personal resources, I am:
- managing my resources with the understanding that all belong to God.
- returning a faithful tithe and giving offerings systematically.
- serving in one or more ministries of my local church.
- participating personally, as possible, in global service projects or ministries.
- To embrace the evangelistic mission of the church, I am:
- praying for the Holy Spirit to prepare me to reach others for Christ.
- choosing to be aware of the spiritual climate locally and globally.
- using my spiritual gifts to help tell the world the story of Jesus.
- able to give a reason for my faith when asked.
- 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- To walk alongside one another to support, nurture, and strengthen in love, together we are learning to:
- meet regularly with Christians.
- pray for and with one another.
- celebrate one another’s joys and grieve each other’s sorrows.
- assist one another through challenging times.
- retain our relationships even when conflict occurs.
- To deepen our relationship with God, together we are learning to:
- begin the day by offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God.
- set priorities to allow for regular, quality time with God.
- worship and praise God as our Creator and Redeemer.
- communicate with God through prayer and Christian meditation.
- participate in other Christian disciplines to be open to the Holy Spirit.
- To study God’s Word and live in obedience with its teachings, together we are learning to:
- study the Bible to know Christ and to develop a biblical worldview.
- invite the Holy Spirit to open up God’s Word to our hearts and minds.
- use study tools to more effectively interpret biblical meanings.
- apply biblical principles to our lives thoughtfully and faithfully.
- discern spiritual truth in a balanced manner.
- To hold ourselves accountable to one another for growing toward wholeness in Christ, together we are learning to:
- understand that to be restored to the image of God will impact every aspect of our lives—body, mind, and spirit.
- acknowledge our brokenness and come to God for healing.
- confess our faults to trusted believers for the purpose of healing.
- be open to caring questions and suggestions when our behaviors are damaging us and/or others.
- recognize that God uses other people to help us accomplish His work in our lives.
- To discern where God is working in the world and in our lives, together we are learning to:
- pray for a clear understanding of what God wants to accomplish through us.
- recognize the work of the Holy Spirit within and around us.
- detect where God is calling us to serve.
- evaluate the culture in which we are called to serve in order to reach others.
- assess and respond to the needs of those God has called us to serve.
- To support one another in the use of our spiritual gifts to fulfill God’s mission, together we are learning to:
- confer with one another to confirm and refine our areas of spiritual giftedness.
- affirm one another’s spiritual gifts and encourage their use.
- be prepared for mission and ministry by participating in training programs.
- disciple one another by mentoring and modeling with our spiritual gifts.
- support God’s work in the church and the world by both our spiritual and monetary gifts.