Welcome back to Journey of Faith! We are about to embark on our third level of this experience. We believe, now that you've experienced Levels One and Two, this third level will profoundly impact you to take your walk with God to the next level as you begin to prepare yourself for greater leadership and to become a disciple maker.

This third level will last for 11 weeks. The following are the topics we will cover:

• Week 1: Introduction to Level Three
• Week 2: Keying into God's Vision
• Week 3: Ministering and Caring For New Believers
• Week 4: Becoming a Leader of Excellence
• Week 5: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Week 6: A Leader's Relationship with Honor
• Week 7: The Anointing
• Week 8: The Call to Make Disciples
• Week 9: The Principle of Multiplication
• Week 10: How Jesus Made Disciples
• Week 11: Graduation and Celebration

Please label your material with your name and bring it weekly.

• Attend at least one service on Sunday.
• Be open and transparent with your class.
• Be consistent with your attendance — 3 attendance misses are permitted to still graduate.

The vision is often made up of three aspects:

…so that you will accomplish all that God has for you and make an impact on this world through your ongoing relationship with God. In John 15, Jesus teaches about this:

• It is through our relationship with God that we grow. It is through our own strength that we wither.
• Fruitfulness comes from abiding, seeking, and worshiping — abide in His presence, seek Him in the Word, and worship Him in every aspect of your life.
• God designed us as human beings, not human doings. Our connection with God is more important than what we do.
• Through our relationship with God, we become fruitful and productive as we listen and obey what the Lord directs us to do.

• Jesus gave each of us a mission known as The Great Commission. God wants to use every believer's life in the call to make disciples.
• If you are ever unsure of your purpose, there is a standing mission: to help people know Jesus as Lord and see that they are discipled.

Everything God does on earth He has chosen to do through the church He established. The Church is made up of every believer, and of smaller communities of believers around the world.

Through the church we learn biblical doctrine, experience fellowship, observe the Lord's supper, pray, take care of those in need, and are equipped for the work of the ministry. (See also 1 Corinthians 12:12–27.)

• The vision comes from the Father.
• The vision grows and develops as you spend time in the Word of God.
• The vision is imparted by the Holy Spirit.

Ten spies felt like grasshoppers next to the giants (Numbers 13:33), but Caleb believed in the faithfulness of God over the fears of others. We must believe what God says over what our circumstances look like.

On the way to the promised land, the Israelites became weary and lost their faith in God and in Moses (Numbers 14:1–4). If passivity or negative attitudes are not confronted, they turn into bitterness — and bitterness, if not confronted, leads to our demise.

Our own desires and Satan will tempt us to abandon our purpose for pleasure. Like the Israelites craving the food of Egypt (Numbers 11:4–6), we can be tempted to return to our old ways. We must decide to remain strong in our faith and stand on God's promises.

• Through the Cross — when we fully surrender at the cross, we gain access to God and the ability to step into our purpose.
• Through Prayer — at times we speak, and at times He speaks.
• Through Obedience — keying into the vision is on the other side of many decisions to be obedient.
• Through Unity — the vision will line up with the Word, be confirmed by leadership, and bring unity in other important areas such as marriage.

• Just like good parents give their children proper care and attention, we take responsibility to care for those new in the faith.
• All new believers deserve extra attention and care until the character of Christ is developed in them.
• When we make ourselves available to help the lost come to Christ, we reflect the Father's heart toward lost children.

• The Lord added to their number because they cared and gave attention to new believers (Acts 2:47).
• God desires to add to the church daily, so we must prepare ourselves to care for and disciple new believers.
• We bear the responsibility of caring for those who are new to Christ.

• When a believer is connected to the church, we ensure they are cared for until they mature and start to bear fruit.
• As they become part of the body of Christ, we lead them into holiness and fellowship.
• As we mature, we realize God wants us to start meeting the needs of others as we fulfill the Great Commission.

Discipleship means walking with people in the highs and lows of their life. In 2 Corinthians 5:18–21, scripture reminds us how we bring the message of forgiveness and reconciliation to a world that needs a Savior.

When someone gives their life to Jesus, spiritual warfare occurs to rob them of their new life. Although there might be an attack, we know we have the victory and we resist the devil, knowing the Word says he must flee.

Examples in Scripture of connecting new believers:

• Jesus is our primary example (John 4:40; 5:14; 9:35).
• Ananias connected with Paul (Acts 9:17–19).
• Barnabas is another example (Acts 11:23–24).
• Paul connected with those he led to Christ (1 Thess. 2:3–8).

Through the Great Commission we make disciples who can also reproduce disciples — this is called multiplication. There are four things we must pray for and be purposeful about:

• Develop a personal conviction to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20).
• Be personally committed to it (John 12:24–26).
• Be personally interested in new believers (2 Cor. 12:14).
• Have a personal plan for connecting others to the church (Acts 9:10–20).

As leaders, we lead out of love for others — not for position, title, or accolades. Jesus modeled this when He said He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

Prayer is the heartbeat of the mature believer. Every area of our life is affected by our prayerlessness or prayerfulness. A few thoughts from great men and women of God:

• "To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees." — Billy Graham
• "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" — Corrie ten Boom
• "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." — Martin Luther

The qualities of leaders who are entrusted with much are listed in 1 Timothy 3:1–13:

• Above reproach — not perfect, but someone who loves the Lord, deserves their good reputation, and can be trusted.
• Faithful to his spouse — a leader's marriage must honor God and be in order.
• Temperate — self-restrained and balanced.
• Self-controlled — leaders take their responsibility seriously.
• Respectable — consistently living to bring respect to themselves and Jesus.
• Hospitable — radiating an atmosphere of grace and provision.
• Able to teach — fruitful leaders busy helping others through their leadership.
• Not given to drunkenness — aware of their influence and witness to the world.
• Not violent but gentle — like Jesus, we never offer evil for evil.
• Not quarrelsome — we pursue peace, not gossip or arguments.
• Not a lover of money — the things of this world are not a top priority.
• Manage their family well — leaders maintain godly order at home.
• Not a recent convert — must first demonstrate maturity in the Lord.
• Good reputation — well thought of by those inside and outside the church.
• Hold to the deep truths of the faith — settled in the truth of the cross, holding to the entire Word of God.

• The gifts are meant "for the common good" — each works together to bring unity and wholeness to the body of Christ.
• They build up and unify the church and never lead to isolation, condemnation, or division.
• They are not mystical or magical, but are given and orchestrated by the Holy Spirit for the greater good.
• Spiritual gifts are different from talents. Gifts from God can't be bought, taught, or worked for — they are a gift for the common good.

• Words of Wisdom — to make choices and give leadership according to God's will.
• Words of Knowledge — a comprehensive understanding of a spiritual issue or circumstance.
• Faith — to trust God and inspire others to trust Him, no matter the conditions.
• Healing — to use God's healing power to cure a person who is ill, wounded, or suffering.
• Miracles — to display signs and miracles that give credibility to God's Word.
• Prophecy — to declare a message from God about you, a person, or a circumstance.
• Discernment — to recognize whether something is truly from God.
• Tongues — to communicate in a foreign or unknown language; in a public setting it edifies the church only if there is an interpretation.
• Interpretation of Tongues — to interpret the speech spoken through the gift of tongues.

• Don't get sidetracked chasing the gifts instead of the Giver.
• Signs and wonders follow believers — we do not follow them.
• A good question is not "what gifts do I have?" but "what gift do I need right now?"
• We use the gifts for God's glory, not our own. Like dynamite, handled rightly they bring explosions of faith and unity.
• Speaking in tongues is the evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit — practiced privately to edify the believer, and corporately only if there is an interpretation. God is a God of order.

Because the gifts can seem "messy," there can be a hesitation to use them, but Scripture commands us to pursue them:

• "Do not quench the Spirit" — 1 Thessalonians 5:19
• "Do not forbid speaking in tongues" — 1 Corinthians 14:39
• "Be zealous to prophesy" — 1 Corinthians 14:39
• "Do not despise prophecies" — 1 Thessalonians 5:20

A leader's identity flows in three directions: up to God and those in leadership over you; sideways to your peers and fellow leaders; and down to those God has entrusted you to lead. The key is to walk in honor in every direction, rather than in offense.

Humility can be hard to gain and easy to lose. Many times we are tempted to slip out of humility and into offense due to pride.

Jesus gave us the example of servant leadership: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

Honor keeps you in the "game" while dishonor puts you on the "sidelines."

In His hometown, they took offense at Jesus — "He could not do any miracles there… and he was amazed at their lack of faith." (Mark 6:1–6) If our lives and leadership don't honor the Lord, we close ourselves off to the power of God's moving. Honor allows faith. Dishonor blocks faith.

We first honor God, then give honor to those in leadership God has placed over us. There are three mentalities a leader can carry:

It is easy to honor those above us, but how do we honor peers and team members? As leaders, we never seek to be the center of attention — we are happy when our fellow leaders succeed.

Just like Jesus came not to be served but to serve, as we lead we do it with a heart to be a blessing and a shepherd pointing those we lead to Jesus.

We see a picture of an insecure leader in 1 Samuel 18: the people rejoiced at David's victories, yet King Saul became jealous, and his jealousy consumed him — leading to his downfall.

• The anointing is the overflow from God occurring in our lives as we live set apart for Him.
• It makes us spiritually able to impart what God has done in us so it can affect the lives of others.
• It goes beyond our natural abilities and imparts supernatural ability to minister.
• It draws others closer to God, rather than closer to us.

Two Hebrew words are used for anointing: balal ("to overflow, especially with oil") and mashach ("to anoint," "to consecrate"). Two Greek words are used: chrio ("to smear or rub with oil") and aleipho ("to oil with perfume").

Even Jesus needed the anointing — to preach, to heal, for spiritual warfare, to set captives free, and to discern and deliver. The Apostles, too, waited in prayer until they were "clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). Paul depended on the anointing and took no credit, giving all glory to the Holy Spirit.

• Walk in Holiness — wear a spiritual garment of holiness that comes from living a set-apart life (Exodus 28:41).
• Walk in Unity — "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!… there the Lord bestows his blessing." (Psalm 133:1–3)
• Walk in Diligence — when we are consistent and diligent with the things of God, we can be trusted with more (Proverbs 13:4; 28:25).
• Walk in Generosity — "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25)
• Walk in Righteousness.

• It consecrates us — to make or declare sacred, set apart (Leviticus 8:10–12).
• It enables you to minister or serve (Exodus 28:41).
• It helps you to see and discern (Revelation 3:18).
• It enables you to do good works (Acts 10:38).
• It empowers you to preach (Luke 4:18–19).
• It will give you victory (Isaiah 10:27).

Not only does God save you and establish you in the faith, He also gives you the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of all that is to come!

• The Greek word for "go" can mean "to conduct yourself," or "to make going a lifestyle."
• We are empowered through the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).
• Jesus' plan is for His followers to go to the lost and teach them to become followers of Him — a lifestyle, not an occasional activity.
• We are Christ's ambassadors — God makes His appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20).

• He allowed others to observe the way He lived (John 1:38–39).
• He invited people to follow Him (Matthew 4:19).
• He trained disciples to become fishers of men (Mark 1:16–20).
• He modeled a life of servanthood discipleship (John 13:12–17).
• He taught His disciples to abide in Him (John 15:4).

• Disciples put Jesus first — "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)
• They give Him total commitment — offering their bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
• They love and respect the Word of God — living by what it says.
• They have lives filled with prayer — the single most important discipline a new believer must develop.
• They serve others — committed to unconditional, sacrificial agape love (John 13:34–35).
• They share Jesus Christ and are dedicated to the Great Commission.
• The goal of discipleship is to make more disciples, not just converts.

• Jesus knew the difference between addition and multiplication. Addition happens when you win a soul; multiplication happens when you develop that soul into a soul-winner.
• Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion because they were "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36)
• The driving force for making disciples is compassion — every person matters to God.
• "Net fishing" (a team working together) is faster and more effective than "hook fishing." A hallmark of healthy discipleship is doing it as a team (John 21:6).

The 12 tribes of Israel marched through the wilderness; Elijah stacked 12 stones; Jesus found 5 of His 12 in one day, and the principle of multiplication began. Consider the impact of your discipleship over five years:

It is not just the number of disciples but the quality. When we disciple people, we should be comfortable being the example — "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1) Here is how:

As it relates to discipleship, relationships are everything:

• Relationships are valuable — Jesus formed them because He values people.
• Relationships are eternal — they can last a lifetime and beyond.
• Relationships are the church — our relationship with God and each other makes up God's church.
• Relationships change people — it is through relationships that discipleship happens.

Discipleship relationships need to be purposeful: Jesus spent great time with His disciples, chose a diverse team of different ages and backgrounds, followed the lines of relationship, and was strategic — always looking for ways they could grow.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus washed His disciples' feet, modeling servanthood while encouraging them at a most trying time (John 13:1). He spoke words of hope and never used His position to harm those He led.

Jesus spoke into Peter's ability (Matthew 4:18), his character, his personal life, his spiritual life (Luke 22:31–34), his failure (John 21:15), and his destiny (Matthew 16:18).

It's not about the number of people — it's simply about the people. Jesus made disciples; now it is your turn.

Congratulations! You have completed all three levels of Journey of Faith.

Over these eleven weeks you learned to key into God's vision, to care for new believers, to become a leader of excellence, to walk in the gifts and the anointing, to live a life of honor, and to answer the call to make and multiply disciples. You are being released as a disciple who is ready to make disciples.

Leadership is not complete until what you know is committed to people who can carry it further than you. This is not the end of your journey — it is a commissioning into it.

Prayerfully choose where you will serve and grow next — as a Journey of Faith coach, a connect group leader, or serving in another area of the body of Christ — and keep growing through the leadership and study tracks available to you. (See the Next Steps on the Week 10 page.)