What does it mean to be a Phase 4A believer?
You are a mature believer actively serving on ministry teams and you feel a personal responsibility to help others grow systematically. You feel ready to lead a small group or ministry team, or you may have heard others encourage you to lead.
You are ready to learn more theology, practical team-building approaches, healthy ministry leadership skills, advanced evangelism and discipleship practices, and spiritual warfare strategies. You are making efforts to become spiritually and emotionally healthy so your ministry can be as healthy and effective as possible.
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim 2:2)
In Human Development
Like a young adult or young parent, God is challenging you to continue maturing but also systematically help others mature. This requires sacrifice, prioritizing others’ needs, and taking on leadership roles to help others flourish. It requires for certain things to shift in your schedule and focus to ensure there is capacity to lead well, and it requires the ability to model the outcomes and behavior you are trying to reproduce. This requires a reliance on God’s grace and Holy Spirit to guide and equip you. You will experience challenges and obstacles, but these will ultimately shape you into the leader and disciple-maker that God has called you to be.
In The Gospels
Jesus called His disciples and appointed them as full-time “apostles” (chosen teachers) in His movement (Mark 3:13-19). He modeled kingdom ministry and sent them out in groups of two to disciple others. He demonstrated the importance of prayer and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in ministry.
In Relationships
You are building relationships with other leaders who can encourage you and relate to you. You are investing in relationships with those you are leading and discipling, showing them love, care, and respect. You are handling interpersonal conflict with grace, patience, and endurance and you are praying for your ministry and team regularly. You are careful not to neglect your own discipleship through a mentor, accountability partner, or small group.
Growing In This Phase
In Phase 4A, signs of growth include:
- Deepening your understanding of theology (the Bible) and growing emotionally.
- Beginning to lead a small group and discipling someone one-on-one.
- Designing and implementing an evangelistic outreach.
- Developing healthy leadership habits and strategies and discipling those you are leading.
- Practicing a healthy work/life/ministry balance.
The demonstration of these life changes indicates that you are ready to move on to Phase 4B.
Recommendations For Growth:
- Read “Living for Christ” and “Disciple Building: A Biblical Framework.”
- Signing up for the Developing New Leaders 1 course.
- Start a small discipleship group using WDA’s Cornerstone materials.
- Spend time with a mature leader who can mentor and disciple you.
- Become trained as a Restoring Your Heart facilitator (after completing an RYH group)
Contact Worldwide Discipleship Association for more information.