The Vision For Discipleship
The vision is to establish homes for men, women, and families, for the purpose of Christian discipleship, as we mature in relationship with God and others, to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
Christian Discipleship Homes – www.christiandiscipleshiphomes.org – For born-again believers who have repented, have made Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives, and have participated in discipleship in the past. These homes are for men and women who believe there is a calling on their lives to serve God and others; they want to be discipled and disciple others; they want to grow in stewardship and leadership roles and responsibilities.
This may include brothers and sisters:
- Who have participated in a Christian discipleship ministry in prison, like Prison Fellowship, Along Side Ministries, or Kairos Prison Ministries.
- Who have participated in a Christian discipleship ministry in an addiction recovery program, like Teen Challenge, a Rescue Mission, or Dream Center.
- Who have participated in Christian discipleship in a local church body.
- Who may also have been a Bible college or seminary student or graduate.
- Who love the Lord and have a love for the Word of God (the only essential qualification!)
Open Your Home – www.openyourhome.org – The mounting challenge of affordable housing, due to inflation and looming economic recession, possibly depression, has created an urgent opportunity for the followers of Christ to walk out their faith by opening their homes to individuals or families in need.
Isaiah 58:7 “Bring the poor and homeless into your house.”
Open Your Home, as a discipleship ministry, can be pursued as a church-sponsored program, or, at a minimum, conducted with the guidance and supervision of pastoral oversight. A structure of spiritual rhythms, family expectations, accountability, and protective safeguards that reflect the agape love of Christ, are foundational.
View a sample Family Expectations document.
Transformational Living Homes – For the broken and lost who God is drawing to Himself. This includes men and women on the street who are able to meet a threshold of functionality and commit to the structure and spirit of the community in Christ. In addition to discipleship there is also a focus on life skill and educational development.
My Father’s House – For young adults who are aging out of foster care and desire to be discipled and mentored in Christ, and live in community with a family of believers.
The vision includes connecting local bodies of Christ with the discipleship homes for the purpose of establishing community in Christ, discipleship, and accountability.
Our vision also includes forming and managing non-profit businesses for the purposes of funding, income, stewardship, and discipleship. Christianusedbooks.org is one such non-profit business.
*There is no specific time designated for discipleship; while there are phases of maturity, stewardship, and leadership, discipleship is ongoing, and as such, discipleship residents may stay as long as they desire, provided they believe they are continuing to grow and are fulfilling their community obligations. The most important consideration for disciples transitioning out of the home is that they are established in the family of God, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ.
Matthew 28:16-20 “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Image: Our first Christian discipleship home for men in San Tan Valley, AZ. Click for more details >>> Men’s Discipleship Home Flyer