The Path of Church Leaders: The Six Transitions
Below we describe each developmental transition from three perspectives: (1) The Nature of the Transition, (2) The Character, Knowledge, and Skills of the Transition, and (3) The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition.
1. from a Non-Christian to a New Christian
The Nature of the Transition
A person turns from his or her sins and trusts in Jesus Christ, is baptized as a symbol of identification with Jesus, and gets connected within a house church.
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a person will:
Understand and embrace basic truths about God the Father (such as God as Creator, Lord, Provider, Lawgiver, and Judge), sin and judgment (including the nature of sin and its consequences), the nature of the gospel (the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection), repentance (turning from sin) and trust in Jesus, and baptism.
Repent and trust in Jesus to enter a personal, reconciled relationship with God.
Obey Jesus’s command to be baptized.
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition
In order to help non-Christians to know God through Jesus Christ, we:
Pray for them.
Care for them by addressing their physical, social, and emotional needs.
Invite them to a house church to experience biblical community.
Share the gospel with them. As part of that process, we explain The Path to God and invite them to study the book Discover.
Baptize all who turn from their sins and trust in Jesus.
2. from a New Christian to a Maturing Christian
The Nature of the Transition
A Christian begins the process of growing into the likeness of Jesus Christ with the strength and guidance God provides. The person learns to follow Jesus in his or her life settings.
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a person will be able to:
Explain the process of becoming a Christian—with an emphasis on explaining the nature of the gospel (Jesus’s death and resurrection) and his or her conversion (repentance and trust in Jesus).
Explain the nature of God-centered living (including loving God, pursuing the Great Commission, and proclaiming the gospel).
Participate in the public habits for Christian growth within a house church (including fellowship, studying God’s Word, and taking the Lord’s Supper).
Participate in the private habits for Christian growth (including Bible intake, prayer, and fasting).
Set his or her relationships in order according to God’s Word (including how we relate to our spouses, to our children, and to our pastors).
Put off sinful character qualities and put on godly character qualities.
Explain the Bible’s storyline and how each part of it points to Christ.
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition
In order to help Christians mature in their faith, we:
Encourage them to actively participate in a house church gathering once a week.
Encourage them to privately read Scripture and pray to God on a daily basis.
Take them through The Discipleship Series: Foundations of the Faith, a curriculum that introduces participants to the nature of the apostles’ teaching (or sound doctrine).
Encourage them to meet in smaller groups of Christians (men with men and women with women) during the week for personal sharing, ministry to one another, and prayer using the discussion guide called Applying the Word and Praying Together.
3. from a Maturing Christian to a Disciple-making Christian
The Nature of the Transition
A Christian begins the process of making disciples—which includes helping non-Christians to know God through Jesus and helping Christians to obey all that Jesus commanded.
Note Well: Practically speaking, transitions #2 & #3 are intertwined: part of the way we mature in our faith (transition #2) is by sharing our faith and helping others to follow Jesus (transition #3). However, we distinguish these transitions from one another because there is often a large gap between getting established in the basic teachings of the faith and consistency helping others to grow in their relationship with God.
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a person will be able to:
Develop a plan for praying for, caring for, and sharing (the gospel) with the non-Christians in his or her life.
Explain the core beliefs of the Christian faith to non-Christians.
Love one another in Christian community (including speaking the Word to one another, serving one another, and comforting one another).
Use basic shepherding skills (including listening, identifying others’ emotions, and directing people to God’s Word).
Shepherd others through common problems (including temptations to sin and marital problems).
Understand and guard sound doctrine.
Lead others toward God’s purposes.
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition
In order to help Christians to make disciples, we:
Encourage them to pursue the “Pray-Care-Share” strategy for reaching their non-Christian friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Take them through The Discipleship Series: Ministering to Others, a curriculum that introduces participants to the principles and practices of evangelism and discipleship.
Encourage them to teach the book Discover to others.
4. from a Disciple-making Christian to a House Church Pastor
The Nature of the Transition
A Christian man assumes the role of pastor of a house church, where the word of God is rightly taught and the sacraments are rightly administered (which are the two marks of a local church).
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a Christian man needs to:
evaluate and cultivate their own character in light of the qualifications for pastors/elders/overseers as outlined in Scripture
analyze the apostles’ leadership and teaching within the church from individual passages of the Bible
proclaim and explain the gospel, and call for a response of turning from sin and trusting in Jesus
teach the Bible in the context of house churches, small groups, and one-on-one relationships
shepherd others through common problems (such as struggles within marriage, in parenting, and with addictions)
lead others through a process of conflict resolution
train others to evangelize, disciple, and develop leaders
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition:
In order to help Christian men through this transition, we:
Meet with them on a weekly basis for one on one coaching.
Encourage them to actively participate within their respective elder boards.
Take them through The Pastoral Training Program, a curriculum that prepares men to function in the role of pastor/elder/overseer—beginning with leadership in a house church.
Teach others The Discipleship Series.
5. from a House Church Pastor to a Citywide Church Pastor
The Nature of the Transition
A pastor assumes the responsibility of overseeing multiple house churches.
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a Christian man needs to:
Cast vision for the network of house churches—with an emphasis on starting, strengthening, and multiplying house churches.
Teach in public settings when the house churches gather for citywide meetings.
Train aspiring men to lead house churches.
Supervise current house church pastors.
Manage the budget strategically to advance church planting throughout the city and surrounding region.
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition
In order to help Christian men through this transition, we:
Take them through The Network Leadership Program (in development).
Meet with them for one on one coaching.
6. from a Citywide Church Pastor to a Regional Church Pastor
The Nature of the Transition
A pastor assumes the responsibility of mentoring pastors in other cities and planting churches in other cities, thereby exercising influence over a region.
The Character, Knowledge, & Skills of the Transition
In order to successfully navigate this transition, a Christian man needs to:
Cultivate coaching skills to serve citywide church pastors.
Coordinate gatherings of citywide pastors for prayer, encouragement, and training.
The Strategies to Facilitate the Transition
In order to help Christian men through this transition, we:
Continue to take them through The Network Leadership Program (in development).
Meet with them for one on one coaching.