Everyone who is a department head, deacon, lay pastor, elder, or part of the paid staff has been through this entire discipleship/training program.

The overall discipleship plan is as follows:

1. Anyone who joins the church spends three hours with the pastor on a Saturday morning to go over our doctrinal statement, our vision and goals statement, and a mini session on Church government. This is all available in a church handbook for new members.

2. Equipping the saints training. I have my own syllabus for this with both teacher and student manuals. In this training I teach the following:

• The Fivefold ministry gifts of the Son - Ephesians 4
• The motivational gifts of the Father - Romans 12
• The gifts of the Spirit - I Corinthians 12

These three series can be taught separately, in four to six hour segments for each group; or, join the three together in an intense 10 to 12 hour setting.

3. Apostolic Church government. This is also in sermon note form which can be adapted easily to student manual format.

• The Role of Apostolic ministry (Fivefold of Ephesians 4)
• The Role of Senior Elder/”Pastor”
• The Role of Elders
• The Role of Deacons

4. The “Timothy Training Program” by Frank Damazio. This is an excellent resource for helping people discern their calling and get started. The student manual is excellent, and I find the teacher's manual adaptable for use. Manuals for all would be necessary. Though there are eleven “class times,” they are easily combined into “two for one” sessions. It can be taught in eight to twelve hours, depending on the format used and time allotted.

A few of the eleven chapter headings…
The Invitation
The Response
Local Church Preparation
The Selection and Character Factor
Placement and Promotion

5. “The Lay Pastor's Training Program” by Frank Damazio. This, again, is an excellent resource for “across the board” training for those I plan to release into lay pastoring with the elders and staff. This would require a student manual. I adapt the material as we go, though staying basically with the printed text. I would not attempt to teach this in its entirety in less than 20 hours. (It's just too good to rush through!) Some sections could be deleted for more specific training times without loss of overall impact of training.

A few of the fourteen chapter headings:
The Lay Pastor and the Second Reformation (Need for laity to minister)
The Lay Pastor and Vision for the City
The Lay Pastor and the Jethro Principle
The Lay Pastor and Team Convictions
The Lay Pastor's Personal and Pastoral Prayer Life
The Lay Pastor's Personal Revival Experience
The Lay Pastor as Equipper
The Lay Pastor and Handling Conflict
The Lay Pastor and Counseling
The Lay Pastor and Closing the Back Door
The Lay Pastor and Personal Spiritual Warfare

6. “Altar Workers Training Seminar” (for elders and staff only). This is my material with both a teacher and student training manual revolving around four areas of altar ministry. This training is highly adaptable timewise, depending on the depth of doctrinal emphasis given. A decent presentation can be made in six hours. A more thorough presentation can go as long as eight to ten hours.

• Salvation
  In this section the elders and staff are trained to lead a person to Jesus Christ quickly, personally, and effectively. They are required to learn how to share the gospel and lead others to repent and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Various principles from both the “Romans Road” and “Evangelism Explosion” plans are used.
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit
  In this section staff and elders are taught how to minister properly the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Our practice here at CLI is to allow each individual to receive the empowering of the Holy Spirit by faith without pushing for or stirring up an overly emotional atmosphere.
• Deliverance
  Deliverance ministry is explained. (CLI's stance is that a Christian can not be “possessed” by a demon but can be thoroughly “oppressed” in soul and body to the point of needing ministry in this area.) Deliverance ministry is taught with an eye to discern the need for genuine deliverance by simply renewing the mind with the Word of God to overcome besetting sins and sinful patterns in life.
• Healing
  Healing ministry is expounded upon to build faith. Healing ministry is then taught as to its method of release.
  …Gifts of healing operating in the individual or sick person
  …Laying on of hands
  …Anointing of oil
  …Prayer of faith

Last update on 10/15/08
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