An Immersion Experience

A few weeks ago, the other guys on the leadership team and a couple of our Elders and I had the opportunity to participate in a training experience in Idaho titled "Immersion 1."  The event is hosted and led by Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, ID.  This is a church that began 11 years ago with 4 people meeting in a home and now has over 8.000 attend their weekend services.  The point of the conference, and it is something that RLM does very well, is to help churches focus on their primary goal - making disciples who make disciples.


This conference brought great clarity and conviction to our team that we are on the right path with our vision and mission, but we need the laser focus on our goal - making disciples who make disciples.  We were created for relationship with God, but we were also created for relationship with one another.  Without relationship with one another, we are not complete.  Our relationship with God and with others is the key to becoming, and making, disciples.


Jesus told those who would become His disciples, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  From this, we can see that:

• A disciple is one who is committed to following Christ - has made Jesus Lord of their life.  Luke 9:23; John 8:31 - being changed at the head level.
• A disciple is one who is committed to being changed by Christ - is becoming like Christ in attitude and action.  John 15:8; Romans 8:29; Galatians 5:22; John 13:35 - moving God from the head level to the heart level.
• A disciple is one who is committed to the mission of Christ - the ministry of reconciliation.  John 15:8; Matthew 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 - when people know God - head - and their relationship with God begins to change their heart, that's when they begin to engage - putting their faith in action with their hands.

Our goal at FCC-Phoenix is to make disciples who make disciples by connecting with God, growing together, and serving others to see real life change in Central Phoenix.  I'm really excited we are on this journey together.