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Staff Evaluation Guide Last Update: October 2018
Staff Evaluation GuideLast Update: October 2018
Table of Contents
Purpose 3
Guidelines 4
Expectations 5
Process 6
Assessment Forms
Self-Assessment 7Peer Assessment 15Spouse Assessment 21Personal Discipleship Plan 26
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Purpose
First and foremost, the Annual Staff Review is a time of affirmation and support. The method of evaluation is meant to focus on both what the staff member has done well and how his/her ministry has enhanced the accomplishment of the mission of Freshwater Church. This evaluation is meant to make the staff member feel and know that they are an important part of the Leadership Team.
Second, it is a time for encouragement that should challenge the staff member to look forward to next year’s work with a positive attitude. Our desire is that the staff member would leave the evaluation process enthusiastically anticipating the next year of ministry.
Third, it is a time for productive criticism. Our goal is that all staff would be operating at 100% efficiency and effectiveness. In reality, none of us are currently as effective and efficient as we could be. The staff evaluation will focus our energy into what areas we need to improve. Any perceived need of improvement should always be seen through the lens of our church mission. Remember that we are more concerned with capitalizing on and perfecting your greatest strengths than we are on forcing you to be awesome at everything.
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Guidelines
This evaluation process is not a one-sided, supervisor to staff member process. Rather, it is a conversation between the one doing the evaluation and the staff. The process therefore focuses on the staff and their relationship with God, their family, and their particular ministry setting. All staff except for the Lead Pastor will be evaluated by the Lead Pastor. The Lead Pastor will be evaluated by the Elders. Information for the evaluation is gathered through Self, Peer, and Spouse Assessment forms. All forms can be seen in the ‘Forms’ section of this Guide.
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Expectations
The expectations for the Annual Staff Review Process are two fold. First, it is expected that the staff member would be able to express concerns and frustrations concerning their position at Freshwater and that the Leadership of the Church would act in accordance with (when considered reasonable) correcting their concerns. Second, it is expected that each staff member would leave the process aware of real, tangible ways and areas that they need to improve.
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Process
The Annual Staff Review Process will generally begin in the Fall by collecting information from the staff members peers and spouse. A self-assessment form will also be mailed out to the staff member. Once the completed evaluation forms are received the Lead Pastor and assigned Elder will schedule a meeting with each staff member to review the information and implement any needed discipleship processes. This will usually take place in November. A Personal Discipleship Plan will be built during that meeting and will be finalized by Dec 1. The timeline of activities will be close to the following:
October Self-Assessment Form is mailed
October Peer and Spouse Assessment Forms are mailed
November Individual Staff Evaluation Meetings
December 1 Submittal of Personal Discipleship Plan to Lead Pastor and/or Elders
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Self-Assessment
-Annual Staff Review-
This self-assessment is meant to accompany the staff review meeting that concludes the Annual Staff Review Process. Please fill out this Self-Assessment and return to Joshua within 2 weeks of receiving the form. When all assessment forms are received I will schedule a meeting with you to review the information received. If additional space is needed please attach additional paper. The assessment is based on your relationship with God, your family, and your ministry setting.
Relationship with God
o Tell me about your current personal spiritual journey.
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o How do you believe those that know you best would describe your current spiritual condition?
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o Describe a current spiritual struggle.
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o What does your regular Bible reading look like? Prayer? Community? Giving? Evangelism?
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o Who are you currently discipling? How have you seen spiritual growth in their life?
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o Spiritually speaking, in what ways do you desire to grow over the next year?
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o What can I or the church do to enhance your spiritual life?
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Relationship with Family
o How is your family doing? Are they happy or frustrated by your service in the church?
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o Do you believe that your family members would describe your ministry setting as a positive or as a negative influence on your family?
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o Do you take enough time off? Do you work too much?
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o How can you see your family members increasing in Christlikeness?
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Relationship with Ministry Setting
o How do you see your particular ministry position as supporting of the values, vision, and mission of the church?
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o Please review your responsibility description. Do you know of anything that needs to be added or taken away?
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o How is your relationship with the other staff members? Who frustrates you? Who energizes you?
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o What might you need to give up or add to your responsibilities?
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o Do you feel like the church expects too much of you? Too little of you? Neither?
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o Do you feel adequately appreciated and compensated for the work you do?
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o Do you feel fulfilled professionally and spiritually through your work?
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o How do you believe those that serve with you perceive your:
o Leadership Skills?
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o Spiritual Maturity?
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o Time Management?
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o Personal Appearance?
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o What are you top 3 strengths in you ministry and how might those be strengthened? What does Freshwater need to do to encourage this growth?
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o What currently frustrates you about Freshwater?
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o What currently energizes you about Freshwater?
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o Do you see yourself still serving at Freshwater in your current capacity in 1 year?
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Peer Assessment
-Annual Staff Review-
Staff member being evaluated ________________________________________________
Name of individual doing evaluation ______________________________________________
Date _______________________________
Each year the staff members of Freshwater are given an annual review. The review process includes evaluation by several people that serve closely with the staff member. We request your participation in evaluating the staff member mentioned above.
Each staff member is evaluated based on their relationship with God, their family, and their ministry setting. We ask that you are:
Honest Constructively Critical Encouraging
Any information given is greatly appreciated. If you have no experience with the particular staff member please write “no experience” in the blank provided. If you need additional space please attach a sheet to this form. When completed please give to Joshua Hartley. We ask that you have the form completed and turned in within 2 weeks of being received. Lastly, the information compiled in this peer assessment might be revealed to the staff member although your handwriting and name will be concealed. Your assessment is confidential.
Relationship With God
o How would you describe their spiritual maturity?
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o What would you say are one of the staff members greatest spiritual struggles?
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o Do you know of anyone that you could say the staff member is personally discipling? If so, who are they?
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o Have you had any exposure to the staff members employment of the spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, bible reading, evangelism, giving, etc.? If so, what is your impression of them?
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o What else would you like me to know about their relationship with God?
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Relationship With Family
o How would you describe their family?
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o Do you have the impression that the staff member has a healthy relationship with their spouse? Please share why you feel as you do.
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o Have you seen the staff member interact with their children? What was your impression of that interaction? Are they leading them in the ways of the Lord?
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o What else would you like me to know about their relationship with their family?
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Relationship With Ministry Setting
o What do you believe is their greatest strength?
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o What do you believe is their greatest weakness?
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o Do you feel as though you can “count on them”? Have they ever disappointed you? Share your experience.
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o Do you have experience with their communication skills? Are they a clear communicator?
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o Do you feel as though they manage their time well? Do you feel as though they procrastinate?
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o How would you describe the staff member’s personal appearance? (Are they sloppy? Are they neat and well kept? Do they need to lose weight? Etc.)
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o What do you believe that the staff member needs to improve on?
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o What would you like me to know about their relationship with their ministry setting?
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Thank you for participating in this assessment. Please hand completed form in to Joshua.
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Spouse Assessment
-Annual Staff Review-
Staff member being evaluated ________________________________________________
Date _______________________________
Each year the staff members of Freshwater are given an annual review. The review process includes evaluation by several people that serve closely with the staff member.
Each staff member is evaluated based on their relationship with God, their family, and their ministry setting. We ask that you are:
Honest Constructively Critical Encouraging
Any information given is greatly appreciated. If you need additional space please attach a sheet to this form. When completed please give to Joshua Hartley. We ask that you have the form completed and turned in within 2 week of being received.
Also, we know that ministry is a team sport. This spouse assessment is not designed to put spouse against spouse. It is not designed to be taken secretly. You are encouraged instead to talk about your answers with your spouse. In addition to this, it is designed to keep us aware of unnecessary strains that are placed on your relationship with your spouse or between your spouse and your family because of their ministry at Freshwater. Therefore, there is no opinion that matters more regarding your spouse’s ministry setting than does yours. Our desire is that your family would benefit from the service that your spouse gives through Freshwater Church. We hope that this Spouse Assessment would help us to be proactive in ensuring that Freshwater Church is a place that your family can spiritually thrive. You will notice that the questions are related to both you and your spouses spiritual development at Freshwater. Thank you in advance for your participation!
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Relationship With God
o Do you feel as though Freshwater has been a positive or a negative influence on your spouses relationship with God? Why do you feel as you do?
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o Do you feel as though Freshwater has been a positive or a negative influence on your relationship with God? Why do you feel as you do?
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o Do you and your spouse have friends at Freshwater? If so, who are they?
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o What else would you like me to know about Freshwater and the influence that it has on you and your spouses relationship with God?
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Relationship With Family
o Do you believe that your spouse is given enough time off?
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o Do you feel as though the church places unfair and unbiblical expectations on you and your children because of your spouse’s position? If so, why do you feel as though you do?
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o On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like being at Freshwater?
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o Is Freshwater a good place for your children to mature spiritually? Why do you feel as you do?
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o What can I (Joshua) do to better encourage the spiritual health of your family?
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Relationship With Ministry Setting
o Do you feel as though too much is expected of your spouse as a result of their responsibilities at Freshwater?
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o Do you feel as though your spouse is under-appreciated, over-appreciated, or appropriately-appreciated by the other staff and by the church? Feel free to share why you feel as you do.
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o Do you believe that your spouse is adequately compensated financially for their service?
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o Do you believe that your spouse's position at Freshwater places an undo or unmanageable burden on your family?
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o What else would you like me to know regarding your spouses service at Freshwater?
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Thank you for participating in this assessment. Please hand completed form in to Joshua.
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Personal Discipleship Plan
-Annual Staff Review-
As we follow Christ, he transforms our minds, our desires, our wills, our relationships, and our ultimate reason for living. Every disciple of Jesus exists to make disciples of Jesus, here and among every people group on the planet. There are no spectators. We are all born to reproduce the life of Christ in others. So how are you going to reproduce?
The purpose in asking this question is to spur you on to consider how the life of Christ in you might be multiplied through you in the world. And in response to this question, we want to encourage every staff member to write out a “personal discipleship plan.” Our prayer at Freshwater is that every follower of Christ in our church might have an intentional plan for following Jesus and fishing for men (Matthew 4:19; Matthew 28:18-- 20).‐
So consider the following six straightforward questions. After a brief overview of the questions, there are sub-questions and space provided to answer as you flesh out what it means to follow Jesus in each of these ways. Certainly don’t feel like you need to come up with new and creative things to do in response to each of the questions. It is helpful with many questions simply to identify normal patterns of Christian obedience that may already be present in your life. In the end, these questions are not exhaustive, but they are essential. Our hope and prayer is that they will serve us as we consider what it means to be disciples of Jesus and make disciples of Jesus.
1. How Will I Fill My Mind with Truth? – The life of the disciple is the life of a learner. We constantly attune our ears to the words of our Master. As He teaches us through His Word, He transforms us in the world. Consider a plan for reading, memorizing, and learning God’s Word, but don’t forget that disciples do these things not for information, but for transformation. Our goal as disciples is never just to believe God’s Word; our goal is to obey God’s Word.
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2. How Will I Fuel My Affections for God? – There is a dangerous tendency for discipline in the disciple’s life to become mechanical and monotonous. Our aim is not simply to know God; our aim is to love God, and the more we read His Word, the more we delight in His glory. Our aim in other spiritual disciplines is similar. As we worship, pray, fast, and give, we fuel affection for God. It is impossible to separate true faith in Christ from profound feelings for Christ. So as disciples of Jesus, we intentionally worship, pray, fast, and give in order to fuel affection for God.
3. How Will I Share God’s Love as a Witness in the World? – God’s will in the world and for our lives is to spread His gospel, grace, and glory to all peoples. Instead of asking what God’s will is for our lives, disciples of Jesus ask, “How can my life align with His will for me to be His witness in the world?” Every person that God has graciously put around you is a sinner eternally in need of a Savior. You were once that person, yet someone intentionally sought you out to share the gospel with you. And now this is the purpose for which God has graciously created, saved, and blessed you. So with the Word of God in your mouth and the Spirit of God in your heart, end your quest to find God’s will by deciding today to follow it.
4. How Will I Show God’s Love as a Partner and Staff Member of my Church? – The Bible flies in the face of American individualism and church consumerism, prompting followers of Christ to ask the question, “Am I committed to my local church where I am sharing life with other followers of Christ in mutual accountability under biblical leadership for the glory of God?” To follow Christ is to love His church. It is biblically, spiritually, and practically impossible to be a disciple of Christ (much less make disciples of Christ) apart from total devotion to a family of Christians.
5. How Will I Spread God’s Glory among All Peoples? – The eternal purpose of God is to save people through Christ. The clear commission of Christ for every single disciple is to make disciples not just generally, but of all nations. So regardless of where you live, how is your life going to impact every nation, tribe, tongue, and people in the world? This is not a question for extraordinary missionaries; this is a question for ordinary disciples. God wants His will to be accomplished through us more than we do. And as we follow Him, He will lead us to the people, places, and positions where we can most effectively make disciples of all nations for the glory of His name.
6. How Will I Make Disciple Makers among a Few People? – Jesus spent his life investing in a few people. His strategy for reaching all peoples was clear: make disciple-makers among a few people. God will lead us to live in all kinds of different places in the world. Yet regardless of where we live, the task we have is the same. No Christian is excused from the command to make disciples, and no Christian would want to escape this command. So every one
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of us looks around and asks, “How will I make disciple-makers among a few people?”
No child of God is intended by God to be sidelined as a spectator in the Great Commission. Every child of God has been invited by God to be on the front lines of the supreme mission in all of history. Every disciple of Jesus has been called, loved, created, and saved to make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus until the grace of God is enjoyed and the glory of God is exalted among every people group on the planet. Making a personal plan for how we are going to join God in His mission is a huge step in joyfully experiencing the fullness of His grace in our lives as we join Him in His mission for the world.
1 – How Will I Fill My Mind with Truth?
How will I read God’s Word?You might start with a plan to read a chapter a day, or you could consider using an intentional Bible reading plan that covers all of Scripture over a certain period of time. As a starting point, you might consider using the weekly Bible Reading Plan in the Freshwater App. Or you might explore a list of suggested Bible reading guides at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/12/27/reading-the-bible--in-2013/.
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How will I memorize God’s Word?As you read, look for verses, paragraphs, or even chapters that seem particularly significant and applicable to your life. Then commit them to memory. Again, maybe you can start by memorizing a verse a week, and then eventually can take on more.
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How will I learn God’s Word from others?Reading, studying, and understanding the Bible is not just an individual effort; it’s a community project. We all need pastors who are teaching God’s Word faithfully to us and brothers and sisters who are consistently encouraging us with God’s Word. Identify simple and intentional ways you will learn God’s Word from others, whether that’s in a worship gathering, a small group, or through particular books and resources.
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2 – How Will I fuel My Affections for God?
How will I worship?Consider intentional ways that you might focus on worship in every facet of your life. Then consider what priority you will place on weekly worship together with the church.
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How will I pray?What will be your place and when will be your time simply to be with the Father? Concentrated prayer at a specific time is the best fuel for continual prayer all the time. Simply setting aside this time and place will substantially change your life as a disciple of Jesus.
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How will I fast?Once a week or once every few weeks, instead of eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner, spend that hour praying and reading God’s Word. Once you’ve grown accustomed to this practice, plan to fast for two meals in one day, and then for an entire twenty-four-hour period.
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How will I give?One of the most effective ways to fuel affection for God is to give your resources in obedience to God. This starts with giving to the church, though it may extend above and beyond this, as well. Giving intentionally, generously, sacrificially, and cheerfully fuels selfless love for God that overcomes selfish desires for the things of this world.
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3 – How Will I share God’s Love as a Witness in the World?
Who?Take some time to write down the names of three, five, or maybe ten unbelievers God has placed in your life. Then begin praying specifically for God, through the power of his Spirit, to draw them to his salvation and to use you to share the gospel with them.
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How?Think through how, in the context of where you live, work, and play, and with the people God has put in your sphere of influence, you can begin to speak intentionally about God’s character, man’s sin, Christ’s provision, and our need to respond to that provision. Identify how you might most effectively share the gospel with the people you identified above.
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When?It’s wise to consider when you will actively share Christ’s love by creating opportunities to tell people about Jesus. As you think about the people you identified above, consider when you might intentionally share the gospel with them (i.e., over a meal, during an activity together, after inviting them to a worship gathering, etc.).
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4 – How Will I show God’s Love as a Member of a Church?
What?As you look across the church as a whole and your small group in particular, consider what things you can do to build up the body of Christ and what you will do to make sure that you have people who are
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watching out for your life in Christ. Identify specific ways that you will clearly express the love of Christ in and through the church.
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5 – How Will I spread God’s Glory Among All Peoples?
How will I pray for the nations?Pray passionately for God’s Kingdom to come and will to be done across the earth. Plan to deliberately focus your praying generally on the nations and specifically on the unreached people groups of the world. You may consider using Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org) as a guide for praying for the nations.
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How will I give to the nations?Plan to sacrifice and spend for the sake of the nations. Sacrifice the wants in your budget to give to the needs of the world—most particularly the need for every people group to hear the gospel. This may simply involve giving to the church as the church gives to the nations, or it may involve giving to and through other avenues above and beyond your regular giving to the church.
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How will I go to the nations?Consider all the avenues in which you might spend your life, lead your family, or leverage your work to penetrate the people groups of the world with the gospel, for this is what you were created for. Maybe you can go on a short-term mission trip. Or maybe the Lord is leading you to go for a little bit longer…or a lot longer (i.e., for the rest of your life). Intentionally plan how you might go to the nations, as the Lord leads.
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6 – How Will I Make Disciples Among a Few People?
How will I bring them in?Consider two, three, or four people God has put in your sphere of influence whom you can lead to make disciples. Then invite those few people to spend intentional time with you in the days ahead for the express purpose of growing in Christ together.
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How will I teach them to obey?Think through how you can teach the few people your life is focused on how to obey everything Christ has commanded you. Focus on seeing their transformation. You might start by using these questions to lead them to develop their own disciple-making plans. You might use other resources in this process, as well, including the Multiply Material which is available at http://multiplymovement.com.
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How will I model obedience?As you focus your life on the few people God has given you, they need to see and hear and sense the life of Christ in you. Making disciple makers involves saying to them: “Follow me.” So identify intentional ways in which you will serve them and model before them what it means to follow Christ. Include here specific ways that you will intentionally guard and cultivate purity and Christlikeness in your thoughts and actions as a disciple of Jesus who is making disciples of Jesus.
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How will I send them out?The goal is not just for these few people you are focused on to follow Jesus; the goal is for them to lead other people to follow Jesus. So think through how you will commission those few to begin making disciples. And consider how you will serve them as you send them out.
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