November 1, 2004
FD/MM/FM
The essence of the CGO board criteria can be summed up in the following sentence:
A Family discipleship Home must work toward building a well-rounded, lasting missionary work.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) The time has come for you to consolidate the gains you have made. For years you have been winning souls to Me. For years I have taught and trained you. For years you have longed for a work that would grow, that would finance you, and that would make you feel that your sacrifices have been worth it. The time has now come.
You have entered into My era of action, and I am going to fulfill your dreams and My promises. This won't happen overnight, but as you follow My plan—as you dedicate yourselves to feeding, teaching, and training My sheep—I will begin a new work within you and your Homes. It's a multistage program, and will require time, faith, faithfulness, and hard work.
I'm asking you to become teachers, pastors, and shepherds—no longer the roving pioneers‚ but now stable pioneers, building a work, building a following, building a church of believers who will work with you and be part of you, new members of My Endtime army and Family. This will require dedication and stick-to–itiveness. It will require laying down your lives in new ways. ("The Family's Future and Expansion Program!" ML #3308:21-23; GN 908)
(Mama:) You're supposed to be missionaries. … Can you honestly say that your profession is that of a missionary? Is that what you spend most of your time doing? This point is absolutely fundamental to your success: Having a well-rounded missionary work means you have an actual missionary work. …
I can't emphasize this point enough. If you're going to win supporters, kings, and outside members who are willing to give and tithe to you, they'll need to see that you're missionaries. Missionaries have works. They do things that promote the Gospel which people can see, such as host Bible studies and Word classes‚ witness to unsaved people, help the needy, work with youth who don't know the Lord, etc. It's all about witnessing.
How is your missionary work? Are you witnessing faithfully, regularly? Are you ministering spiritually to the needy with the Words of David? Are you following up on the hungry sheep you meet? Are you having Word studies? Are you promoting Activated? Do you have a consistent, organized follow-up program? Are you hosting seminars? Do you have a Church of Love? Are you ministering to the children of your friends and Active members, or opening the door for the children in your neighborhood? Do you have a prayer list for those you minister to, so you can seek the Lord for their needs in intercessory prayer? ("Show Me the Money!—Part 1," ML #3462:37-39; GN 1047)
(Jesus:) I've said it in My Word and through My prophet and prophetess before, but I'll say it again, for the record, for this new day: The Family's calling is to be the leaders of the spiritual revolution of the Endtime. The Family's calling is to preach the Gospel, to make disciples of all nations, and to teach others to teach others. The Family is not merely an evangelistic movement whose goal it is to tell as many people in as many lands as possible about Me. That is part of your commission, but it is only the first step. There is a second step, and a third, and a fourth, and these principles are in the Word, and are now being compiled and condensed for you into an easy-to-follow plan. It's My plan, and My call to you now is to follow this plan.
My plan for you is simple, but it's not easy. It takes a lot to build a well-rounded missionary work. It takes a lot of prayer, faith, and outright blood, sweat, and tears, to make it happen. It's a difficult job being a missionary. It's a tough calling being a disciple. But oh, the joy, the rewards‚ and the blessings that are there for those of you who choose this high calling. There is nothing that can compare with the satisfaction of knowing that you are in My perfect will for you, that you are fulfilling the mission for which I created you, and for which I ordained you—to spread My truth‚ My Words, and to establish many others in the faith so that they can do likewise. There is no honor like that which I give to those who love others into My Kingdom, in faithful service and loving obedience to Me. There is nothing that can equal the reward‚ both on Earth and in Heaven, of a missionary job well done. (previously unpublished prophecy)
It's clear from the New Wine that a discipleship Home must have a well–rounded missionary work, or be working toward establishing a well-rounded missionary work. But exactly what does that mean? As we set out to research the Word on the matter, both Dad's teachings over the years and more recent counsel in GNs such as the "Conviction vs. Compromise" and "Show Me the Money" series, it became evident there are a lot of different witnessing ministries and activities that are good for Homes to be engaged in and that would make up a well–rounded missionary work. In order to make the counsel in the Word simple for all of us to follow, focusing on the priorities‚ the Lord led to categorize or narrow it down to four different primary aspects of outreach, which we termed "The Four Aspects of the Activated Program."
Not all of these aspects specifically have to do with the Activated magazine itself, but since in the Letters over the last few years the Lord has used the term "Activated" to refer not only to the actual magazine and the corresponding subscription program, but to the subsequent follow-up and feeding of those who receive the magazine, it seemed a good handle to describe the overall process of going out and finding the sheep, leading them to the Lord, feeding them the Word (through Activated and other Family materials), and bringing them in closer to a level of membership that they are able to reach or have the faith for.
(Jesus:) When I speak of the Activated ministry‚ although I am referring to the new program I have led you to design, I am also referring to an overall vision and thrust within My Family to follow up, feed, teach and train the souls I bring them into contact with on a daily basis. ("Our Activated Future," ML #3298:141; GN 895)
So therefore in conclusion, we could say that a well-rounded missionary work consists of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program. Or, that in order to build a well-rounded missionary work, a Family discipleship Home must be active in each of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program.
1. Sowing the seed/getting out Family publications and products
2. Bringing people to Jesus/personal witnessing
3. Activated magazine course
4. Church growth/building a local work [follow-up]
It's important to note that these are not listed in order of importance, but rather in the natural chronological order in which they occur. One could argue that number four, building a local work, is the most important, and it's certainly the end goal of the Activated program as a whole. However, the first three are needed before you can build a local work.
For the most part, you start out by sowing the seed in the form of going out to get out the message through Family publications and products ("tools"), which leads you to personally witness to those you meet and lead them to the Lord. Then you get them signed on to the Activated magazine course, which then leads you to follow up on them further and add them to your flock or local work. Of course, it doesn't always happen in that order. Sometimes you personally witness to someone first before they get a single piece of Family lit; or perhaps someone is signed up to Activated for some time before getting saved. But very generally speaking, the preceding four stages or aspects are the general course of events.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) The children of David are primarily missionaries, preachers of the Gospel, shepherds of the lost. This is what I've called you, My dropped–out disciples‚ to be. This should be the profession of each of My brides of the Endtime.
Being a missionary is a complex occupation. It's not just a matter of giving out a few tracts in your free time. The life of a missionary is a tremendous constant challenge; it's thrilling and awesome‚ but it takes work‚ vision, study, and a plan.
Those who are the most successful are those who incorporate all aspects of witnessing into their missionary program. Reaching the lost, winning disciples‚ finding and cultivating regular supporters, promoting Activated, being an influence for good in your community, training outside members, raising your children in My nurture and ways, feeding and caring for the poor‚ and teaching the meat of the Word are all part of being a successful missionary.
You can't just concentrate on one aspect of this outreach. You can't have a narrow vision and decide you only want to do this or that, whatever your particular burden is, or whatever you feel most comfortable with‚ or whatever seems to be immediately fruitful, less humbling, or not as "risky."
To have a good, well-rounded missionary work, you must live the life of a missionary. Missionaries are always giving out, witnessing, and taking advantage of every single open door and opportunity to make progress and get out the message. As a fruitful, faithful missionary, you would be using all of the lit and tools available; you would be using as many methods of outreach as possible—such as following up through the mail, e–mail, phone and in person, going door to door, hosting seminars, having Bible studies, personal witnessing, and doing Holy Ghost samples.
I do not define "success" in the same terms as those in the world. I don't mean acclaim, acceptance, and a place of compromised coexistence with those in the System. I'm talking about having a work that is visible, something that people can look at when they're getting to know you and see that you're doing something, you're serving Me, you're investing your time in a spiritual goal and you're getting somewhere.
It's that kind of testimony and lifestyle and personal convictions that bring fruit, win disciples, and change the world. So look at your life, your ministry, your Home. Are you using every possible means at your disposal to build a missionary work? Are you taking advantage of all the tremendous witnessing tools that are provided for you? Are you organized and is your work well planned, so that you're not missing golden opportunities to witness and open doors to walk through that can lead you to new sheep and the top? Are you promoting Activated and follow-up? Is each person in your Home using their gifts and talents to the full for your outreach? Is everyone devoting time, attention and study to learning the local language? Are you becoming one and relating to the national people and culture? Is each person in your Home actively involved in the outreach‚ witnessing and follow–up in some way according to their talents and the time they have available? If you had to leave your field unexpectedly, would there be a national church of trained believers to continue your missionary work?
These are questions to ask yourselves. These are the things that help to build a well-rounded missionary work. It's a way of life, it's a passion, it's being driven with a vision, it's letting My love compel you to do more, go further, and stop at nothing less than success and lasting fruit! ("Show Me the Money!—Part 2‚" ML #3462:191-195, 197, 199–200; GN 1048)
(Mama:) All of the following things must be present if you are to be successful. You must:
Please take some time to evaluate your missionary work. How do you fare with the six points mentioned above? … Stand back and look at your Home‚ your ministries, how you raise your money. Do you look like dedicated missionaries with a purpose, with vision, who know how to build a successful, well-rounded, admirable work for the Lord? ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:71-72; GN 992)
(Jesus:) Identifying the main aspects of the Activated vision, its phases or stages, and the various ministries or methods that fall within each of those stages, will be a great help to you in gauging whether your Home is engaged in outreach activities which are in accordance with the Word and which are bearing fruit. It will also be a help to the review bodies‚ in determining whether your Home is living the discipleship standard in the realm of your outreach and Christian service.
Dividing up the primary necessary areas of witnessing in this way, and giving them the official title of "getting activated," will help everyone in the Family to put into practice what I have said in My Word. Many of you want to strive for higher goals and bear more fruit in your witnessing, but you've had difficulty in clearly knowing what the goals are. Within the great abundance of Word that has been put out, some of you have lost your focus as to what are the essentials and what are the "frills," so to speak.
The standard will now be spelled out and put into a checklist, a report, so that your Home can regularly "touch base" as a team to see how you're doing and evaluate whether you're moving forward in the right direction. As this standard is set clearly, and as your Home works within these main pillars of Activated, you will bear good fruit. (previously unpublished prophecy)
rAn overall vision and thrust within My Family to follow up, feed, teach and train the souls I bring them into contact with on a daily basis
rA program for feeding, follow–up‚ and building a work
rA witnessing explosion
rActivated magazine promotion
rFollow-up
rTraining disciples—live-ins and live-outs
rWidening our base of Family membership to build a bigger church of believers
rBeing teachers to all nations
rNot limited to only the monthly magazine—that's just the first step. It includes personal follow-up in a major way
r[Also] reaching the rich, winning new disciples, and cultivating Active members
rThe beginning step is the Activated magazine‚ but the ultimate goal is to bring all these dear ones into your fold
rFor the purpose of broadening your borders and enlarging your tents‚ expanding the Family
So far we've established that in order to have a well-rounded and fruitful missionary work, your Home must be active in, or making a concerted effort to bear fruit in, each of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program outlined earlier. In order to help your Home evaluate whether or not you're being active in each of these Four Aspects‚ we've broken them down into a number of sub-points, which are the criteria by which your Home will be reviewed within the CGO board pillar.
You'll notice that some of the criteria points that follow have an asterisk (*) by them. These are the points that are considered "essential" in your Home's outreach. There are a number of other witnessing methods and ministries which are good and get out the message‚ but which are not necessarily a "must" in order to have a well–rounded missionary work. Or, in some sections, any one of a set of witnessing ministries might do the job, but not necessarily any one in particular. So that's why below you'll notice that each main point is listed with an asterisk (*), meaning that your Home must be fulfilling that activity in some way, and then underneath it are listed a number of different methods by which you might choose to achieve this, as the Lord leads you. You're free to use whatever methods or ministries the Lord shows you to fulfill each of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program—as long as you're getting the job done! We've just listed some of the main methods as a way to help you evaluate your outreach, and for the CGO board's information so that they can serve you better.
For example, CTP is listed as a ministry, but it doesn't carry an asterisk and therefore it is not essential that your Home have a CTP ministry. Whereas signing up people to the Activated magazine is required (providing it is available in your language).
There are other witnessing methods and ministries which are not listed in the criteria below. They're omitted not because they're considered unacceptable, but rather because they're not that common in the Family and we didn't want to make the list too long—or maybe they haven't even been pioneered yet! But as long as those methods are fulfilling one of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program, then burn free!
There will also be a CGO "handbook" coming your way in early 2005‚ which will explore each point in further detail, giving helpful tips and counsel from the Letters, Family pubs, and new material from experienced witnessing Homes on how to implement each aspect of the Activated program in your Home's outreach. We pray that it will be a blessing to you as you reach for the FD witnessing standard!
A checklist to evaluate your Home's progress in the Four Aspects of the Activated Program, based on the criteria that follow, will be incorporated into your semiannual review. (Some of these criteria points will also likely be incorporated into a future version of the TeleTRF, along with new stats related to follow-up.) When doing the semiannual Home review, in addition to your replies to the checklist (based on the following criteria), the review board will also receive the witnessing statistics from your TRF and factor all of that input into the equation.
It's important to understand that your Home will be reviewed by your performance on those points for the six-month review period overall, and not solely by the stats replies for the particular month of the review. Likewise, your replies should reflect the whole six-month period. (Whatever points are incorporated into the TeleTRF would then be monthly, which will make it easier for you to keep track of.) It is understood that your outreach activities and stats will fluctuate from month to month depending on factors such as personnel changes, pioneering‚ sickness‚ visa trips, etc.
It's also understood that witnessing stats will vary from country to country. In some countries and cultures it is easier and quicker to achieve results than in others, and that will also be taken into consideration at review time. Your Home will be reviewed by a review board from your region‚ and their evaluation will take into account any particulars of your region‚ and your Home won't be compared with Homes from other regions.
For example, a Home in Russia, where it's illegal to openly distribute Family literature, will most likely have lower distribution stats than a Home in Mexico where there are no such restrictions—it wouldn't be fair to compare the two on that level. Likewise, a Home in China might have much lower soul stats than a Home in South Africa, while still being active in the Four Aspects of the Activated Program. Maybe the Home in China didn't win a soul that month because it takes so long or is so difficult to bring people to the point of accepting Jesus—but if they're doing their best to try to lead people to the Lord, even if the results are slow, then they're still fulfilling the criteria.
If your Home is active in each of these essential criteria points‚ then you should be bearing fruit—and if you're hardly bearing any fruit at all‚ no matter where you live, then you should pray and seek the Lord as to how you can hit the mark in your outreach and whether you're giving it the attention that you should. However, your Home won't necessarily be evaluated on the basis of the volume of fruit—that's just one factor in the equation. Of course, if you're a Home in an open field like Brazil and you report that you're active in your Activated program but you hardly have any stats to show for it, then maybe you need to examine whether you really are living up to the FD standard in your outreach. In that case, the review board will look at that and likely ask you why your stats are so low and help you evaluate your Home's witnessing situation.
Witnessing is our purpose for being here, because otherwise, as Dad once said, the Lord could just take you to Heaven the minute you get saved. Reaching the world with the Gospel should be the main goal of your Home, along with raising your children to serve the Lord. There are, of course, many other aspects of running a Home‚ all of which take time and attention, but the overall goal of the Home should be to witness—or, in the case of some Service Homes, to make it possible for other Homes to witness.
So even if you're in a difficult non-Christian field like China, just because you may not bear fruit as quickly and you might not have high stats, it doesn't mean that you don't have to witness. The fruit may grow more slowly or the ground may be harder, but you should be spending just as much time sowing the seed and watering your plants! (There is some more counsel from the Lord specifically on witnessing in sensitive countries at the end of this GN.) And certainly if you're on a field where you can witness openly, you should not only be investing the time and effort, but have the fruit to show for it as well!
This first aspect is divided into two main points—distributing the Activated magazine, and distributing other Family publications and products.
If the Activated magazine is available in the language of the country where you live—whether it's a monthly magazine course or a series of 6, 12, or 20—your Home members should be regularly distributing the Activated magazine as part of your outreach. Because of the significance the Lord has placed on the Activated magazine and Activated program in the New Wine in recent years, it's important that each Home, no matter what your main method of outreach is or what your primary distribution is, is also getting out the Activated magazine, whether it be subscriptions, giving it to those you sell tools to, to those you follow up on‚ those you encounter on the street, etc. (A great way to do this is by ordering a certain amount of mags each month from your Activated desk through their "mag of the month" program.)
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Go to it! Push Activated subscriptions like they're going out of style and must be gotten today! Set the world on fire with Activated, My loves, for this will be the hook that will hook many. Advertise, publish, promote…
My will now is for you to get out the message of Activated, to have the faith to claim and climb upon the highest places of the land! I will open doors for you that no man can shut. Stretch your faith, and know that the time has come for you to make yourself known and to claim that which is rightfully yours.
(Mama:) The Lord's plug for Activated is unmistakable here. You can't miss it! … There's no way that we're going to flood the world with the message of the Lord in the Activated products if you, our salesmen, don't advertise‚ publicize, market, campaign for, talk about‚ and push them in every way possible! ... ("What the Future Holds‚ Part 3," ML #3354:50, 64, 66; GN 947)
(Jesus:) Share Activated! Get Activated! Do Activated! Be Activated! Live Activated! Dream Activated! Minister Activated! Distribute Activated! Go Activated! Walk Activated! Talk Activated! Envision Activated! Give Activated! Teach Activated! Motivate Activated! Activate Activated! ("Activate the World, Part 8," ML #3460:26; GN 1045)
(Peter:) ... When a Home signs up for the "Mag of the Month" program‚ they automatically receive a set quantity of the latest Activated magazine each month‚ which they can then use in trying to sign people up as subscribers, as well as use for distribution, for witnessing outings, on the street or at stoplights in the place of posters or tracts‚ in their personal mail ministry, or to share with friends that they are in touch with regularly (although it's best to get people signed up so that you're sure they're getting a regular feeding from the Activated desk, even if you don't see them that month).
Order from your Activated desk today, so that along with getting subscriptions you can incorporate the Activated magazine in other aspects of your tool distribution and follow-up. Remember, each Activated mag contains a lot of Word and is a great witness. As a distribution tool it's hard to beat‚ so if you aren't distributing it yet, give it a try! ("Heading Into 2002!—Part 1," ML #3382A:25-26; GN 978)
This covers the distribution of all Family "tools" aside from the Activated magazine—books, CDs/CD cards, videos/DVDs, posters, etc. There is a wide variety of Family GP products and you're not expected to distribute them all. Which ones you distribute or "push" is determined by how the Lord leads you, the country you're in, and the type of people you're primarily reaching in your witnessing activities. But no matter where you are or what your circumstances, you should be getting out some Family products. You may not be going door to door, but maybe you're offering them to those you witness to personally or through other ministries.
The amount of tools distributed will vary from Home to Home depending on the focus of your witnessing ministries, but every Family discipleship Home should be distributing Family publications and products to some degree. Not only should you be offering the Family's products to those you're regularly ministering to, but it's one of the best ways to meet new people who you can then follow up on and bring further along into deeper feeding.
Even if you have a fruitful follow-up ministry and flock that keeps you busy much of the time, your Home should still be getting out the door to meet new sheep and offer them the Activated magazine and other Family publications and products. If you don't, your work will stagnate, plus you'll miss out on the joy and inspiration that comes from leading new sheep to the Lord and bringing them to His Word. And if your Home has such a flock, one aspect of their training would certainly be going out witnessing with them.
Also remember that the witnessing that your Home's sheep and other members (General members, Active members, and Missionary members who tithe to your Home*) do, and the tools that they distribute, count toward your Home's fulfilling of all of these criteria points, as well as on your Home's stats! So even if you personally aren't able to spend a lot of time getting out the tools because you're shepherding your flock and personally witnessing to new sheep, if your sheep are doing so, that will give your Home a big boost in your outreach standard. So train them to get out the message via our GP products either on their own or with you (teach by example). But in any case, your Home members should be getting the publications out too! (*As explained in "The Family Membership Expands," ML #3507‚ GN 1096, these are General or Active members who have gone through the 12 Bridges course and become Missionary members who report and tithe to your Home. These are not former FD members who are now Missionary members—they report directly to WS.)
Word basis:
(Jesus: ) You have within your cupboards the means to meet every need of the human heart! You have within your storerooms the answers to the world's problems and questions. Are you doing all you can to disseminate those? Are you sharing the wealth? These treasures have not been given to you just for your own benefit or for you to use to reach and touch a select few. No, they are meant to be spread far and wide—to the world, to the masses!
Focusing on distributing tools is ... one of the means by which you will both meet those who will become your solid flock and church‚ and by which you will support My work as you establish a solid follow-up work. ("Heading Into 2002!—Part 1‚" ML #3382A:94, 106; GN 978)
(Mama: ) The Lord is asking us to increase our preaching of the Gospel—that's one of the main thrusts of the [Conviction vs. Compromise] series. One of the primary methods that He has given us for doing so is tool distribution. Our tools—the CD cards, tapes, videos‚ posters, calendars, books, etc.—have been an instrumental part of our witness for many years, and they still should be! ("Getting Out The Tools Is in Line with the 'Conviction' Series!" Grapevine 123)
(Mama:) We have such tremendous witnessing tools, such an effective means to build a work and feed His sheep, that it's a reproach to the cause and the Family and the Words of David when brethren depend on meager and limited fundraising methods, without also having other ministries that get out the full range of tools and promote a deeper witness.
You should be proud of your profession as a Family missionary! You should feel confident approaching anyone and explaining what you do and how you live. You should be proud to be a salesman for a worldwide missionary organization that has the best products and literature available! But if you're not using those tools and promoting a work based on those tools, what do you say when people ask you what you do or to explain your special missionary work? ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:111-112; GN 992)
This is not a comprehensive list of all possible methods. Some of these may not be suitable or possible in all countries, and others may need to be adapted for your local culture. The main point is that you are distributing Activated mags and other Family publications and products in some form. The details of how you go about it are up to you as a Home, and to be determined by how the Lord leads you and what is feasible in your country. The specific methods you choose‚ whether those listed below or others that you may pioneer, will not have a bearing on your Home's evaluation at the semiannual review. However, you should be doing some of them, and you'll probably find that you're doing a number of them already, and this list will help you evaluate that. It will also provide helpful input for your region's CGO board so that they can help service the Homes better due to having a better understanding of your witnessing ministries.
As mentioned earlier, getting out the Activated magazine in some form is a requirement. But this method refers specifically to focusing on distributing the magazine in larger quantities, such as on the street or in the course of your other outreach, mail ministry, etc., as opposed to primarily just using them in your follow-up.
(Note: Activated subscriptions are covered a bit later in this criteria, under aspect 3.)
Word basis:
(WS:) The Activated magazines are a great distribution tool, and if we sow the seed we're sure to reach some people who are going to want to continue getting the magazines.
The Activated magazine is a tool that you are free to use in any way you want to. If you want to use the magazines to send out to your contacts, friends or family in your mail ministry, or if you want to distribute them on the street at streetlights, or in parking lots, or use them with your Bible studies, or pass them out for free instead of tracts, that is all perfectly fine.
The Activated magazines are a wonderful new follow-up tool! There is no restriction or limitation on who you can give an Activated magazine to. ("Activated Q'As," Grapevine 120)
"Direct sales" is a term that describes many of the often-used methods of tool distribution—including DTD, STS, OTO, distribution at schools, companies, factories, etc. Basically this means any methods by which Family members sell our GP publications and products directly to the public.
Word basis:
(Jesus: ) There are many ways and avenues through which you can be a part of flooding the world with My Word seeds‚ whether in person‚ door to door and store to store‚ or whether in a more massive and widespread manner. Are you doing it? If not, why not? What are you waiting for? The harvest fields are white, ripe and ready! They need My Words, My truth.
Heed My call to you now! Take up arms to join in this battle to flood the world with My truth. Fill your arms‚ your bags, and your cupboards with the life-giving Words that work wonders! Feed the sheep. Attract them to the truth of My Words. Use whatever means I show you in your situation—whether it's to hit the streets with Activated mags, to hit the schools with children's books, or to hit the stores with CDs and cards. There are no limits! There are no fences! There are simply open doors everywhere, just begging to be walked through. ("Heading Into 2002!—Part 1‚" ML #3382A:95, 101; GN 978)
(Peter: ) We're very proud of those of you who are letting go of your System jobs and are launching out once again by faith, with your bag full of Activated magazines and subscription cards, Family tools, and Word-filled books to hit the streets, offices, shops and apartments, doing mass marketing and reaching the world for Jesus!—And are then following up‚ feeding, teaching and training your converts. You're doing the job! Keep at it! (From "Heading Into 2002!—Part 1," ML #3382A:115; GN 978)
This includes distribution methods such as having a stand or booth with tools at fairs, expos, conventions, malls, schools, etc.
Word basis:
(See Word on the previous point, which also covers this one.)
This involves selling Family publications and products through stores, kiosks, System distributors, etc. This could be either directly to retail outlets or on consignment.
Word basis:
(Peter:) The benefits of mass marketing are many. It will allow more videos, tapes, books, etc., to be distributed, and in places and countries where we have little or no representation. Plus, more people will know about our products, which should increase the demand even at the one–on–one level, as people will know about the tools, will have accepted them, and will be more aware of their value. So hopefully mass marketing should increase our distribution of all types‚ and ultimately increase the finances for the whole Family. ("Victories of 1996 and Plans for 1997!" ML #3102:92; Lifelines 24)
(Jesus: ) As the Last Days approach, I wish for My message and Words to flood the Earth like never before! I have poured out an increased abundance of My Words—not so that they might be stored up and preserved, but that they might be let loose upon the world in the Time of the End! …
Through the books which will give forth My Words ... and the marketing of videos and audio tapes, I will bring many to receive Me. The video and audio cassettes will provide inspiration, hope and encouragement to many, and will open the doors to the children, that I may tenderly gather them in. The printed books and materials will find their way into the homes of many, and My Words of prophecy and life-giving truth will change lives and heal hearts.
As your materials become more known to the world, your outreach will be more recognizable‚ and many who are searching will be able to find you and be fed at your hands. New doors will be opened to you as a result of these investments, and you will be able to reach people that you were never able to reach before. Hundreds of thousands shall see the light through these avenues, and My Gospel shall travel where you have never set foot. By your fruits the world shall know you. The samples set forth in your videos and publications are clearly the fruit of a good tree‚ and no one with an open and honest mind can deny that. ("Mama's Memos!—No.6," ML #3156:156, 158, 159; Lifelines 24)
There are many occasions in which a Family singing group performs, for a variety of witnessing and CTP purposes. Such performances can be a good avenue for the distribution of Family products—and some degree of distribution of Family publications should be included in your performances as much as the occasion permits. Always look for a way to leave your audience with something that will feed them!
Word basis:
(Mama:) The Family brings a very unique and valuable contribution to any and all events, whether through performances of our meaningful and beautiful music, or through faithful, competent, willing help as staff and organizers. Rather than thinking someone is doing you a favor by allowing you to be involved in whatever they're doing, you need to see it as a give-and-take situation. While you're using your contact's situation or project as an open door to witness and get out the message, they're also using you to provide something that they obviously can't get anywhere else.
It's not wrong for you to expect to also receive something in return, and I'm not just talking about good PR and getting to know people. When you do something for those who can afford to do something for you, then you should at least be able to sell your tools‚ or ask that participants buy an Activated subscription, or pass the hat, or request a cover charge for the entertainment, etc. There has to be some way that you can cash in on something more practical than just "making friends." Or, if nothing else, you can follow up on some of the attendees later and explain your work and needs to them in more detail, and ask for help then. ("Show Me the Money!—Part 1," ML #3462:78, 79; GN 1047)
Basically, litnessing! This would cover both en masse distribution to a large group or crowd or in a public place, or discreetly giving out tracts to those you interact or talk with on a personal basis.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Just a simple tract or poster is like gold to them! It's power-packed! It's like giving an injection of life serum to someone who is sick. When you hand a tract to that nameless person on the street, you could literally be saving their life! You don't know anything about them. Maybe you don't even have time to talk to them or you don't even speak their language. Maybe they don't even feel like talking at that moment. But if you're faithful to hand them a tract or poster, your name goes down as being instrumental in saving their life and giving them a chance to know Me. You have no idea what problems that man or woman on the street might be facing in his or her life as they walk by, but the seeds of My Word can be planted with each tract or poster and give them comfort and hope.
Each tract or poster that you give to a receptive soul is never wasted. You're giving water to a parched soul! You're pouring a healing elixir on a sick heart. You're turning the light on in the darkness of someone's life. You're handing them the answer, and it's going to thrill their heart!
(Mama:) You may be on your way to take care of some important business and too busy to talk to them personally right then, but you always have time to witness to them by handing them a tract! That's what we did! There's always time for a tract, and I hope you carry some with you wherever you go. You may not be able to take posters or tapes and some of our tools with you wherever you go‚ but there's always room for a few tracts in your pocket, purse or pouch. ("Instant Witnessing!" ML #3137:29,33,101; Lifelines 24)
While follow-up is a separate aspect of the Activated program, mail ministry being a part of that, we have included this point here as a reminder that it's good to regularly offer new Family products to those who you follow up on, whether in person or by mail. The more Word and feeding you can give them‚ and the more you can leave with them to read and study and even pass on to others, the better.
(Dad: ) The ministry of the mail is not to be underestimated! ... Are we being faithful in all the windows of our ministry, and in this case, the ministry of the mail? Are we feeding His sheep‚ are we giving them green pastures, still waters‚ and the sunshine of His love through the windows of His Word, and our words to them—this window of the mail? We dare not fail them! We must give them what they need! How are we to do it? What can we do more than we are now doing? We can pour out more! We can give more! We can write more! We can answer more! We can send more—and God will send us more—in blessing, fruitfulness, ministration, support, helpers, laborers, and new disciples for His Kingdom! We cannot stop! ("Letters I," ML #51:1, 23; Vol.1)
Whenever possible, CTP ministries should include not just performances or charitable works‚ but also the printed Word in the form of one or more of our Family publications—something that will stay with the recipients, continue to speak to them, and encourage them and build their faith. Our primary ministry is not to minister physically, although there is a time and place for that; our spiritual ministry to those in need is the most important.
Word basis:
(Dad:) Right now your main job is to change the world with the Words of David … The foremost job He's given you is to preach the Gospel, and not just the Gospel but the meat of the Word, the Words of David, the Endtime message, and not only to preach the Word, but to win, teach and train disciples.
If maintaining a CTP ministry will help you do that‚ fine. If you are cultivating kings and queens that will sponsor you and help you pass out the printed Word and distribute videos and other tools to the poor so you can feed them spiritually‚ great. If those same kings and queens will help you pass out material goods to the poor, that's great too, as long as you're not neglecting your main job of spreading the Word through getting out tracts‚ posters, CDs‚ videos, magazines, books and booklets‚ and winning disciples—labor leaders! ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:134, 135; GN 992)
This includes two points, both of which are essential:
It is expected that Family disciples will personally witness in some form. We are not listing all the different ways and means and situations in which one could personally witness—as they are too numerous to even begin listing, since we should be witnesses to anyone‚ any time, and any place. While a personal witness will often go along with the distribution of Activated magazines or other Family publications, we are listing this as a separate criteria point‚ to highlight the importance of not only getting out our products, but personally communicating with the sheep the Lord brings across our path, and bringing them to understand His love and salvation.
Word basis:
(Mama:) You have to be willing to be instant in season and out of season. You have to be willing to see each person that you meet as someone who needs the Lord, someone whose soul is in your hands, because you have the opportunity to either tell them about the Lord and give them a chance for salvation, or to let them languish on in their emptiness. You have to be willing to set aside your fear, pride, laziness, or whatever it is that hinders you from being an instant witness‚ and determine in your heart that you're not going to miss any of the Lord's setups. ("Instant Witnessing!" ML #3137:100; Lifelines 24)
(Jesus:) I would that My children everywhere be ready, instant in season and out of season, to give My love and My Word to all they meet. …
Where are My missionaries who see things as I do? Who look upon the sheep as I do? Who long to seek and to save that which is lost as I do? These are the days of testing your love, when great blessings, great open doors and great supply hinge on tiny decisions of yieldedness, tiny demonstrations of faithfulness, and tiny sacrifices of love.
When you walk through the world as My messengers, I walk with you, and I watch your behavior. I know your attitudes and I hear your words. When you stop to help that elderly man or woman across the street and give them a tract, I take note. When you take a moment to encourage the beggars and give them a coin and a tract, I take note.
When you humble yourself to approach that group of teenagers, even though you feel embarrassed and out of place, and you give them a little encouragement and a tract, I take note. When you smile at the bus driver and show him appreciation for his faithful labors as a servant of the city, and give him a tract, I take note. When you go to the bakery to pick up your bread, or when you shake the clerk's hand and tell him that you appreciate his faithfulness to do his job day in and day out so that you might have what you need‚ and you give him a tract, I take note. When you go to the video store to pick up a video and you take a few minutes to encourage the attendant about his problems and to pray for him and to give him a tract, I take note.
When you're waiting in the dentist's office and you reach out to that person sitting beside you and strike up a conversation and help to calm their fears and reassure them‚ and you give them a tract, I take note. When you see that young mother with a stroller and a couple of little children by her side, struggling with her groceries trying to make it home, and you take your time to help her and to compliment her on the beauty and blessing of her children‚ and you give her a tract‚ I take note.
There are so many times throughout the day when you have the opportunity to be a vessel of My love and a carrier of My Words to those in need. All of these situations seem insignificant, and it seems you have so little to receive in return; yet unbeknownst to you, all the while I am seeing your faithfulness. I am able, according to My promises‚ to give to you as you give to others. ("Instant Witnessing!"
ML #3137:120, 123–127; Lifelines 24)
It goes without saying that we should be winning souls—it's something that Dad has drilled into us from the early days of the Revolution. Leading people to the Lord is one of our most important jobs! Of course‚ we should follow up on those who are more potential and bring them along to a level of service to the Lord, but salvation is one of the first and most important steps.
In some countries soul-winning is an everyday event—or certainly could or should be. However, there are other countries with predominantly non-Christian cultures where it takes a considerable amount of time and a lot of personal follow-up and preparation of heart to bring someone along to the point where they're ready to accept Jesus.
This point in the criteria isn't meant to imply that you have to win souls every month in countries where it is difficult to do so or it takes a long time to get people saved, and as explained earlier, the review board will take such regional considerations into account when evaluating whether your Home has a well-rounded missionary work. (See more on this in Appendix D, on "Sensitive Countries.")
Word basis:
(Jesus:) I wish to speak to you about a matter which is very close to My heart, and that is soul-winning. Witnessing and winning souls—leading them to Me‚ showing them the pathway to salvation—is your main ministry. Everything else is secondary, for this is the purpose for which I have called you—to win the lost to Me. ("Mama's Memos!—No.7," ML #3229:4; GN 830)
(Dad:) If we obey the Lord and we get out the Word and we win souls, then no matter what, the Lord will take care of us. ("Seek First," ML #697:30; Vol.5)
(Dad:) The Lord wants you to do all you can right now to win as many as you can to His Kingdom! If you miss God's golden opportunity right now to tell that soul about Jesus, they miss out on a lot, and others miss out or have to wait.
Keep on winning and loving them into the Kingdom, and you will never regret it! Great is your reward in Heaven! … Bring them in, bring them in‚ bring them in from the fields of sin! You'll never regret it. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Jesus will last." ("Why Witness?" ML #3132:40, 80; Lifelines 24)
(Jesus: ) I plead with you‚ My Family‚ to continue to run the race and carry the torch of My message to those in the world who are dying spiritually without Me. Please do your best to reach them, to give them the hope of My message and to show them My love, to fill their aching and empty hearts…. Please give them My love! Please don't fail them. They need you! You're the only link I have with them. You're the only ones I can depend on to faithfully go forth with My love and My message.
Tell them I love them! Tell them that I will help them if they will only turn to Me and receive Me. Be faithful, and you will never be sorry, for great will be your reward in Heaven for your faithfulness to reach out to the least and to the lowly and to the lost. Great will be your reward in Heaven! ("Why Witness?" ML #3132:183, 184; Lifelines 24)
There are two ways of signing people up for the Activated magazine. (This is different than distribution of the magazine itself‚ which was covered in aspect #1.)
1. Signing up subscriptions to the Activated magazine via the Activated desk. The subscriber receives one year's worth of magazines‚ with the option to renew for those languages where we have more mags available. In some languages the first 12 magazines is a set course, whereas in English, Spanish, and some other languages, the first 9 magazines are a set course, and after that subscribers receive whatever new magazine comes out that month.
2. Delivering the Activated magazine monthly, in person or via your Home's mail ministry‚ to your sheep. (These would be called Activated Readers, rather than Activated subscribers. This was explained in detail in the GN "The Family Membership Expands," on pages 24-27.)
A note on getting out Activated subscriptions. As you probably know, when the Activated program was launched, the subscription price was structured to include a commission for the Home distributor selling the subscription. This was intended as an incentive to encourage Homes to collect subscriptions. It seems that some Homes may have gotten the impression from this that selling Activated subscriptions is a fundraiser in itself, and have even asked if the commissions could be higher, or have explained that they're unable to support their Home through selling Activated subscriptions. So we'd like to make it clear that selling Activated subscriptions was never intended to be a fundraiser in itself. Rather, it's part of your duty as a witness to give an ongoing feeding to those you meet—in addition to your fundraising activities and follow-up generated support.
Some of those who you sign up to Activated will also become supporters of your Home as you follow up on them further, and that's where the financial benefits of the subscription program for your Home come into play. And they will be significant if you're faithful! But there are many more people who you can sign up to the magazine than you are able to follow up on personally and turn into regular supporters. So collecting Activated subscriptions is part of your witness—and the commission itself doesn't represent a "fundraising opportunity." (In fact, in some countries the Homes and Activated desk have agreed to drop the commission altogether in order to make the subscriptions available at a lower price and make it easier to collect them.)
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Go to it! Push Activated subscriptions like they're going out of style and must be gotten today! Set the world on fire with Activated, My loves, for this will be the hook that will hook many. Advertise, publish, promote, and I will bring in the finances to cover your needs and will see that your efforts and products are multiplied—yes, even by the Devil's own systems—for he cannot stand against My Spirit.
Yes, this is the era of action, and by "action" I mean to get up and get out and start to act on My behalf! Go on the offense on My behalf! Make yourselves known as those who promote Activated! Don't cower. It's no longer time to hide, or to be content playing the defense, but it's time to get up and get out and begin to take over the Enemy's land, to go on the offense—score those points‚ claiming Activated subscriptions everywhere you go! ("What the Future Holds, Part 3," ML #3354:50, 57; GN 947)
(Jesus: ) In getting out Activated you're fulfilling My heart's desire. You're fulfilling the greatest duty of mankind—loving others and telling them of My love and salvation. In fact‚ when you're giving out Activated, selling those subscriptions, you're going above and beyond the call of Mark 16:15—you're teaching and training disciples. You're doing more than giving My sheep salvation. You're drawing them closer to Me and teaching them to reach others with My love also. It's a chain reaction! Through Activated you will reach many more lost souls than you ever could on your own, because those that you reach are in training to teach others, who will then teach others, and yet more others—and on and on it goes. ("Activate the World, Part 4!" ML #3371:50; GN 968)
(Peter:) Some folks have reported that they haven't sent in addresses or collected subscriptions because they don't have the time to "go out selling subscriptions." Selling subscriptions is not meant to be a new form of outreach that takes the place of other forms of outreach. Getting out the Activated magazine and collecting addresses and subscriptions is something that you can do no matter what other kind of witnessing you're doing! Every time you sell a video or a tape, show someone the Activated magazine and offer them the opportunity to subscribe. Every time you lead someone to the Lord, ask if they'd like to receive three free issues, or sign them up for a subscription right then.
Don't wait until you have time to go out and collect addresses or sell subscriptions; instead make it a part of all the other witnessing you do, whether personal witnessing‚ DTD, STS, tapenessing‚ etc. In fact, you can even make it one of your mainstays of tool distribution by purchasing copies of the Activated magazine and distributing them for donations just as you do with the posters, tapes, and videos.
Folks, we must feed the sheep! Not just once through a tool or a personal witness‚ but again and again through regular feeding. That's what Activated is all about—feeding the hungry‚ helping the newly saved grow in the Lord, bringing people along to membership and discipleship. It's our duty to our wonderful Husband, who said, "Lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep" (John 21:16). ("End of a Millennium! A Look at 1999!" ML #3291:51-53; GN 884)
This includes:
As explained in "The Family Membership Expands" (GN 1096), these two courses have been created to bring a new Family member step by step through learning the essentials of the Christian life in the 12 Foundation Stones, and then the essentials of Family doctrine in the 12 Bridges. These courses provide a united standard in our teaching and training of new members joining each category of Family membership.
Some Homes may not have sheep who have completed the 12 Foundation Stones and are ready for the 12 Bridges course, and we don't expect every Home to have sheep at that level right away—although you should be working toward that goal with those who are most potential. In some cases it will even be some time before you have a group to whom you can begin teaching the 12 Foundation Stones, particularly in some non-Christian cultures. The expectation is not that you will have a huge following of people taking these courses if you are in fields where it takes more time to introduce these concepts to your sheep. In more open countries or Christian cultures, more would be expected of you in this regard.
But regardless of where you are, if you're just starting out with your follow-up ministry, or your Home is relatively new, you may have just one or two people ready for the courses—or none at all. In those cases, this aspect of building a local work should then be fulfilled through other personal follow-up and/or Word-based classes that will bring your sheep along to the point where they are ready to take these courses. Not all of your sheep will be willing or able to take the 12 Foundation Stones course (and even fewer the 12 Bridges), but you should be actively seeking out those who are, so as to bring them further along spiritually and so that they can also attain higher-commitment levels of Family membership. This is a very important part of the overall Activated program and a key to establishing your well-rounded missionary work, and therefore required to use in teaching those who are at that level.
You might be wondering how every Home can do this, since the 12 Foundation Stones is only translated into a couple of languages. Well, if you're meeting sheep and following up on them, it's assumed that either they speak your language (i.e.‚ English), or you speak theirs, and that you're able to give them classes of some sort. So in that case, in the classes that you give you should either verbally translate the 12 Foundation Stones class material as you teach them‚ or follow the class outline but use available translated Word in your local language. So even if the 12 Foundation Stones and 12 Bridges do not exist in your language, you can still teach classes based on the class outlines and therefore fulfill this criterion and bring your sheep to the same level of spiritual training as those taking the course in other parts of the world.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) The children of David will fulfill their destiny as being the teachers of all nations‚ for they will train the leaders‚ those who speak the language of their land‚ who can go out and reach their own people in the distant fields, towns and villages. What begins as a pleasant breeze will grow to a mighty wind of power and fruitfulness. ("Our Activated Future!" ML #3298:118; GN 895)
(Dad: ) Back to my point here about the Activated vision. I want to make sure you get the point that it's not just a little push that we're going to do for a year or two and then pat ourselves on the back that we fed all the sheep we did and won all the disciples we did. That's not the vision. The vision is that this Family is going to become a feeding-the–sheep, following-up, disciple-winning Family which will grow, and grow, and grow some more, from now on until we leave this Earth! ("Activate the World, Part 1!" ML #3348:38; GN 943)
(Dad:) Having the Word in these courses‚ at these different steps and levels, will help the Family to live up to the potential it has. If we are going to live up to being the living Bride of Christ, a truly vibrant, fruitful, on-fire, radical, iconoclastic church, then we need the truth and the Word of God in its purest form to strengthen our witness. Requiring the Family to have a standard and follow a structured course will in the long run help win and build the right kind of disciples and members. It may take time in certain parts of the world, and it may take more prayer and desperation in others, and overall it will require the Family to ask and seek the Lord in different situations as to how to feed and teach these standard courses, but it will move the Family forward from strength to strength.
(Dad:) The Activated mags are good, solid feeding, and every month a brand-new magazine reaches the sheep. And then it's the next step—and a vital one—that the Homes start using the 12 Foundation Stones to feed their sheep further and bring them along toward membership or discipleship. It's good to require that the Homes use this course, and it's not too much to ask. Once people start seeing how easy it is to feed their sheep with these classes, they'll get on board with them.
(Jesus:) For those who wish to have Missionary member status and be fed by all the WS mailings on a regular basis, it is vital for them to go through the 12 Bridges course to help prepare them for the meat of the Word. For someone to become a Missionary member, they must have a strong foundation in My Word to help them to understand the spiritual principles behind the standard that they are required to live by. Going through these Bridges will give them the connection they need with Me and will prepare them for future mailings they will be eligible to receive. It's an entrance course and a unifying standard for new Missionary members. ("The Family Membership Expands," ML #3507, GN 1096)
This point generally covers a majority of most Homes' follow-up ministries. Personal contact with those who you have signed up for the Activated magazine (or whose addresses you've received from your Activated desk) or who you deliver it to monthly, and others who you are feeding—whether in the form of visiting them, inviting them to your Home, calling them, or involving them in meetings and classes—is a must if you are going to establish a lasting and solid work.
You'll notice the above says that your Home needs to "actively participate" in Activated meetings, retreats, etc. Actively participating would mean that your Home has brought a sheep along and/or that you are involved in the teaching‚ singing, organizing, or somehow contributing to the event‚ as well as witnessing at the event itself—not merely passively attending a function organized by another Home for your own inspiration.
Word basis:
(Dad: ) You are to preach the Words of David, the special Words Jesus has given you for the Time of the End. That's your main job, to be His Endtime witnesses, to preach the Gospel, the unique message He's given to the children of David—the Gospel of the Last Days. And what's the best and most effective way you can do this today?—By activating your country‚ distributing the tools, winning friends and supporters in your land, and training labor leaders who can help you get the job done. ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:126; GN 992)
(Peter:) Many Homes already have blossoming follow–up works and are giving regular Bible studies‚ holding weekly or monthly Church of Love meetings, seminars, retreats‚ etc. Active members, Activated subscribers, sheep, and friends are becoming a bigger focus in daily Family life. They're coming over and visiting, helping with your Home's projects, and growing in the faith. But it's just the beginning. These ones are the initial fruit, the first fruit. As we sow the seed in great abundance, the full harvest will come into view and will be much more immense than you can possibly imagine right now. ("2003, Here We Come!" ML #3438:121; GN 1021)
(Peter:) Once you Homes who choose to participate in the Activated follow–up program start receiving addresses from your desks, you can invite these new converts to your Home's "Church of Love" or Bible study on a weekly basis, and this will eventually turn into your local "Family Chapter" or "Family Church."
We also see this potential ministry as being a tremendous opportunity for some of our older Family members who have a more difficult time keeping up with the strenuous job of day-to-day outreach. Any Home interested in feeding and following up on these very potential sheep will need pastors for their new congregation—those who are dedicated and committed to feeding and shepherding them, prayerfully selecting Word classes, planning weekly meetings, witnessing outings, Bible studies, etc. Through this program you could help to cultivate others to help you in your witness, in your CTP work, in your ministering. They could help physically by getting in there and doing the job with you. These folks would most likely be willing to help you financially, and in the dark days ahead they would be a source of invaluable help, protection and support.
If we don't build a broader base of believers and fellow laborers, our ability to be and do all the Lord has for us in the future will be greatly hindered. If we don't begin to place more of an emphasis on following up on others, teaching, training and feeding those we win to the Lord and helping them to learn and grow in the truths the Lord's given us, then our effectiveness in the days, months and years ahead will be limited. There is only so much that we can do without more help. We are dedicated, sold-out‚ 100% disciples who have the vision and the burden to reach the world with the Gospel. We are giving our lives, doing all we can, burning the candle at both ends to get the job done. If we are going to accomplish more, then we need help in the form of manpower‚ money and materials‚ which the Activated program can potentially supply. ("The Activated Program," ML #3238:89, 93, 96; GN 849)
Building a lasting work requires a solid base of support. And cultivating a solid base of support can only come about by faithfully feeding and following up on those who have the means by which to support your work. As you minister to them spiritually‚ the Lord has promised that they will minister to you physically.
It's important to remember‚ as Mama brings out in the quote below, that this doesn't necessarily mean trying to meet the very top or the wealthiest people in your country. But it means that you should be investing time and effort to reach the professional and middle class, the labor leaders who not only can support and protect you, but who are also "go–getters" who can help you win your part of the world for Jesus.
These are some of the same people who you should be following up on‚ feeding the Word to, and teaching the 12 Foundation Stones to, so this point goes along with the previous two. (Of course, you're probably also going to be teaching the 12 Foundation Stones and following up on those who don't fit in the "reach the rich" category, and that's fine—not everyone you follow up on has to be a "reach the rich" type of person.)
Word basis:
(Jesus:) The vision to reach the rich was one of the primary things that set the children of David apart from all the other missionaries and humanitarian organizations in the world, because most other groups and individuals were nearly completely consumed with reaching the poor, and the poorer and more destitute the people were, the more the missionaries or other volunteers felt attracted to them and considered them worthy mission fields. The fact that the Family knew that the rich were the most Gospel-neglected class of all and you were willing to concentrate on reaching them was a new approach to winning the world. Others didn't usually have the vision of reaching the educated nationals in the cities, and training them to reach their own people in the villages.
(Jesus: ) You folks need to get stirred up and strengthened in your convictions as My ambassadors. You need to get out there and claim the land! Claim your country for Me! Claim its leaders, its upper levels of society, for Me. Get out there and reach them—and not just gently and lightly, but challenge them to do something for Me and others. Make disciples of your nation.
You're only going to make disciples by reaching the top, and you're only going to reach the top if you change your mentality. You have to focus on the power, not on the obstacles. You have to look at the untapped potential that there is, not at the poverty and the lacks. You have to lift up your eyes and look on the white fields that are ready to harvest.
(Mama:) Now I want to make something clear, and it's important that you really get this: Not every labor leader will be rich. Some of your potential leaders will be found at the university, some will be young professionals, some will be self-made men and women. Please do not limit your vision or become narrow-minded so that you don't recognize real potential unless it's wrapped in a Mercedes. ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:14, 57, 58, 101; GN 992)
If we are faithful to witness and teach the Word and help our sheep to grow in the Lord, the Lord will add new laborers to our ranks! Training labor leaders and winning disciples takes time—longer in some places than others—and "many are called but few are chosen," so while it's important that we are expanding our ranks in this way, it isn't possible or realistic to make it a requirement that each Home must win a certain number of new Missionary members or disciples within each review period. It is a goal, however, that each Home should be striving for, and progress of some sort in this direction will be a factor in consideration during the Home review. If you're bringing your sheep through the 12 Foundation Stones and 12 Bridges‚ then you're on your way to winning disciples already!
Word basis:
(Dad: ) If the Revolution is anything at all it is a soul-winning‚ disciple-making Revolution or it is nothing at all and no better than the rest of the churches! The Revolution was born in the white-hot fires of a soul-winning explosion amongst the spiritually-starving youth of this generation, and a disciple–gaining movement of a salvation army on fire for God to win youth of the world from pitiful hopeless lives of drugs, vice, crime, nothingness and uselessness to the thrilling, exciting‚ inspiring‚ glorious life of love and usefulness to others in the Kingdom of God on Earth!
If we have ceased to be such soul–winning disciple-makers and lovers of the lost, desiring to save them and train them to serve God and others, then we have lost our reason for living and have no longer any excuse for existence and might as well cease our operations as just another dead church that has gone to sleep and left its engine running! We might as well cut it off and save fuel and quit pretending to be a revolution when we've stopped revoluting! ("The Disciple Revolution," ML #328B:79-80; Vol.3)
(Jesus:) ... You must pray daily that I will bring the sheep in. You must begin now to pray and ask Me to bring those across your paths who are hungry—not only for My truth, but hungry to involve Me in their lives. You must pray for disciples, for I intend to bring new disciples to you—those who want to serve Me in whatever capacity they can. ("The Family's Future and Expansion Program!" ML #3308:28; GN 908)
This is a follow-up related ministry that some Homes and individuals have been called to by the Lord, and have borne good fruit, God bless them! It is not something that every Home can actively pursue, but as the Lord has made significant mention of it in recent GNs, we felt that it was good to include it here (although not as an essential point). In many cases it would be helpful for your region's CGO board to be able to advise and counsel those involved in what can sometimes be a delicate ministry.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) You now enter a time in which My power in you will be manifested in a way that will be visible to each other and to the world. You've proven yourself worthy through your humility and yieldedness, and I can now reward you with the gifts and manifestations of My Spirit that are showy, magnificent‚ and obviously miraculous.
You will do the same type of miracles that I did, only more and greater. There will be more of you performing such miracles‚ and the news of such events will draw great publicity and attention.
Now, beginning today, I will enhance the gifts of My Spirit within you and you will see raised up from among you those who will perform miracles of healing, deliverance, casting out devils, foretelling the future‚ and eventually even raising the dead and calling down fire from Heaven. There will be those of you who will begin to step out by faith to exercise such gifts, for you will feel an undeniable pull on your heart, and the gift of faith that I have loosed within you will enable you to reach up and pull down miracles from Heaven. ("What the Future Holds, Part 1!" ML #3349:41‚ 45, 49; GN 942)
Contact via phone, mail‚ and e–mail should be a part of most Homes' follow-up programs, almost as essential as personal contact with your sheep, friends and contacts in some cases. It can be a good addition, supplement, or substitute for visitation and personal follow-up.
Word basis:
(Peter:) Those individuals who are willing to faithfully and consistently minister to the sheep, take the time to answer their questions, read their mail and answer it, are the heart of our follow-up, and that heart beats because of their love and faithfulness. God bless all of you who are doing that, whether on a small or large scale. If you have a heart for the sheep and you keep in touch with them via mail, sending them Word and feeding material to read, answering their questions‚ praying for them, hearing from the Lord for them—you are an integral and essential part of the follow-up revolution that the Lord is bringing about in the Family. We need more of you! ("A Look at 2000," ML #3321:188; GN 926)
(Dad:) Neglect not to communicate—and good communication is vital to synchronizing and coordinating our overall operation, as well as rescuing those in need! And don't underestimate the power of the telephone—and the Telephone Ministry of witnessing on the phone! What if God couldn't hear our cries for help? We've got to have some of our telephones available to the crying need of this generation, and you should take this ministry very seriously! … Be sure to get the names and addresses of these callers if you can, so you can at least send them some literature, even if they never come around! ("Personal Answers II," ML #67:67; Vol.1)
The following list covers a variety of witnessing methods that Homes may or may not choose to participate in. These don't fall under the Four Aspects of the Activated Program, as while they are in many cases worth pursuing as the Lord leads you, they are not essential to establishing a missionary work. Homes will not be evaluated at Home review as to whether or not they are engaged in these particular ministries. The purpose of listing these here is to help you in evaluating what ministries your Home is involved in and also to help your CGO board assist you better.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Your CTP ministries are precious and very important, but don't let them cause you to get your eyes off of the main purpose, the main goal of performing them, and that is to lead the sheep to Me, to feed their souls, to heal their broken hearts. Salvation of the soul is the ultimate goal of caring for their bodies and their physical needs.
Remember, the sample proves the sermon. Your example of love and caring, of your consistency of ministering to the poor and the needy, is to many proof of both your love and My love. This helps them to be more receptive when you speak to them of Me and My love and sacrifice and salvation. Yet although the sample speaks very loudly‚ still the sermon must be preached.
So be wise, be winsome‚ be wonderful. But know that the ultimate goal of these CTP works is to reach them with My wonderful salvation. And for those who receive My gift of salvation‚ it will take care of all of their needs for eternity. ("Mama's Memos!—No.7‚" ML #3229:6, 10, 11; GN 830)
Word basis:
(Dad: ) A provisioner is … a man of prayer and faith! ... God has many different and sometimes seemingly crazy ways of supplying our needs‚ so to really bring forth fruit, a provisioner must really hear from the Lord and be led directly by the Spirit. "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" (Ps.24:1). He has promised us the world, but we will only actually receive as much as we have faith for.
A provisioner is ... an ambassador! Provisioners must be ambassadors also, reaching and bringing the sample of God's Family to the rich and influential, who are the most spiritually neglected. Much of our ministry consists of meeting and ministering to and winning these important kings and officers of the System, teaching them how to live by teaching them how to give.
A real provisioner has a shepherd's heart. He will be in contact with people in all sections of business who help us, and he will be taking a personal responsibility for the spiritual welfare of each of these "sheep."
It's only because we minister to them of our spiritual riches that we can expect to receive their material riches. The most important thing we can do is to show them that we sincerely love and appreciate them. ("Provisioning," ML #860:8, 10‚ 12, 20-21; Vol.7)
This is also covered under mail/phone/e-mail/web follow-up. But if your Home has a full-fledged ongoing regular (i.e., monthly) mail ministry, please indicate this on the checklist.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Neglect not the ministry of the mail in this season. Find those who are like-minded, those whom you can minister to, and send the message through the mail to them during this time. For if they are sheep and they are My children, you can still minister to them, even though you may not be there in person. ("World Currents!—No.83," ML #3075:127; Lifelines 23)
(Dad:) If you like writing, start a mail ministry in which you correspond with the various sheep that you meet in the course of your outreach or CTP ministries. You'd be surprised how much it means to people to receive a personal letter from someone they hardly know. And you'll be inspired and warmed by the responses you get in return! Keep them fed with the Word, encourage them to ask their questions, and then study up for the answers‚ or get others to help you find them in the Word (use the HomeARC if you have a computer), to help you formulate the replies! ("Hold on to Your Crown!" ML #3168:184; Lifelines 24)
Word basis:
(Mama: ) Not only have our tapes, videos and posters provided readily available gifts, but our children's performances have brought meaning to many a Christmas "party" that needed joyful entertainment. In my opinion, the Christmas songs we sing are the most beautiful there are, not only because of their appealing melodies‚ but most of all because their message tells of a Father of love who sent His Son of love into this world to share that love with each of us‚ so that we can receive Him into our hearts and have a wonderful life of love, not only now but forever!
What greater Christmas gift could we give them than to share the Lord of love with them in song? The beauty of those songs becomes multiplied many times over when sung with enthusiasm and warmth and love and spirit by you children and young people. No one can withstand the power and light of the children of David! ("Mama's Christmas Message to You!" ML #2948:2, 4; Lifelines 21)
Word basis:
(Spirit helper, Daniel:) You can have a tremendously fruitful follow-up program, giving classes to individuals or groups. ... There's nothing like feeding sheep the Word to get you inspired! You can also turn your Home into a hub of activity with all sorts of visitors coming over to be fed. You can put on shows and seminars and other things that you haven't yet dreamed of. The sky is not even the limit. There are no limits! ("Activate the World, Part 3!" ML #3370:33; GN 966)
Word basis:
(Jesus: ) I say unto you that I can do the job. As you follow Me step by step‚ I can lead you and guide you to those who will broadcast these shows and who will be the conduits to get out My message—the love of My Words, the love portrayed in the pictures, in the songs, in the stories, in the joy, in the inspiration that pours forth through these videos. These conduits will pour forth the videos‚ broadcasting them for the millions!
Have I not said to streamline? Have I not said to prepare? Have I not said that I will pour forth, but that I cannot until you are prepared? So I say to these: Plan and prepare! For My wind blows in this direction—the direction of sending forth My message across the airwaves to millions. But you must plan and prepare and realize the great responsibility that it is to go forth with My message in this way, for there is much that must be done: Much technical support must begin, and much streamlining must happen. ("Where We're Headed!" ML #3136:77-78; Lifelines 24)
In addition to the preceding specifics outlining the Four Aspects of the Activated Program, following are various points that the Word tells us are important parts of the CGO-related standard for Family discipleship Homes. These points will be added to the above-mentioned Activated program semiannual review checklist to help the Homes and the review board evaluate how things are going in regards to each of the points listed below.
Every Family member should of course be getting daily quality time in the Word and receiving shepherding from their Home teamwork and fellow Home members. That is part of discipleship. We want to highlight this, however, for those who are following up on and shepherding your live-out members and those who your Home is teaching and training. Especially as your follow-up work grows, you will find the demands on your follow-up shepherds increase, and pouring out so much can be spiritually taxing. You can't do the Master's work without the Master's power, and it's especially needed for those who are pouring out a lot to the sheep, sometimes at all hours, so that their spiritual batteries stay charged‚ or at least get recharged if they are run-down. God bless all of you who are laying down your lives for the sheep in this sacrificial ministry!
There are also dangers and pitfalls that the witness or teacher who does not get sufficient personal Word time could easily fall into, such as pride, not being open to shepherding‚ promoting their own teachings and ideas instead of the Word, or neglecting their time with the Lord or others in the Home. Your sheep probably interact with other members of your Home (or they should)‚ but your main follow-up teachers/shepherds/witnesses are the ones your outside members will see the most and be most affected by. So it's important that their personal sample and standard is up to par!
Reading the Word together with those you are ministering to‚ or researching the Word for classes to teach, is not enough. Your witnesses and follow-up teachers and shepherds must spend quality Word time, as defined in "What is Jesus Worth to You," to feed their own souls. (See ML #3433:228-292, GN 1016.) It is also a good idea that the witnesses and teachers meet often with members of the teamwork or with other fellow workers in order to assess their progress, review their mistakes‚ and counsel together with openness and humility.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) The worker is more important than the work. Getting in the Word is more important than getting it out. Putting the fruit of the Word above the Word itself in your life is not fruitful. These principles you must retain in the foundation that you are building‚ or alas‚ these too shall crumble.
It's a good thing to minister to your sheep; that's one of the main things you are here for. But what is the greatest commandment?—To love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and all of your soul, and all of your mind, and all of your strength. If you're putting your sheep before your own spiritual feeding or strength, what will happen? You will get weakened. And what happens when you get weakened? You don't have the spiritual strength to perform My service and to do a good work.
If you allow the tending of your flock to be put before Me and My Word in your life, you simply will not prosper—not in the long run. You will weaken and fade away; it's only a matter of time. So the policy of 24/7 availability has an inherent weakness, and that is, if taken to the extreme, it results in the weakening of the shepherd, which results in the weakening of the sheep. ("Putting 'Skin' on Sin," ML #3453:53-55; GN 1038)
(Jesus:) My help and instruction will often come in the form of another person, or if another person is not immediately available, you can seek Me‚ and I will counsel you and correct you and keep you on the straight and narrow. You must receive My direct instruction regarding the matter and those you are witnessing to. It is also important that you share this instruction I give you with your shepherds and counselors, so they can help you apply it. As My Word says, in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. So don't neglect either hearing from Me or keeping in touch with your co-workers concerning your interactions with those you minister to.
It's a dangerous mission to rescue the hearts and souls of men held captive by the Enemy—treading far into the Enemy's territory in order to do so—and to keep yourself from getting ensnared. The way that a soldier accomplishes this, as he heads out into hostile territory, is by having a direct link with headquarters. They can inform him of the pitfalls and the danger spots, and they can warn him and pull him back if he gets too close to the danger areas. In this way he is able to successfully maneuver through to the prisoner who has been held hostage, rescue him, and make his way out again!
This is a mission that requires direct contact with headquarters, and counsel and guidance from your teammates, for it is deadly and dangerous. ("Witnessing and Follow-up Pitfalls!" ML #3245:47-49; GN 847)
Since these courses are our standard teaching level for the training of our sheep and new members, those who will be teaching the courses should take sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the material, read the "how to" and introductory pubs about them, and get to know them well.
Word basis:
(International CGO board: ) The Lord has shown Mama and Peter that we must have a united standard of training for those who we bring into the Family's membership circles. We need to all "speak the same thing" in our training of our new members, so that we can be guaranteed that those who are at a certain level of Family membership have the proper foundation in the Word that they need to live that level of membership.
(Dad: ) Having the Word in these courses, at these different steps and levels, will help the Family to live up to the potential it has. If we are going to live up to being the living Bride of Christ, a truly vibrant, fruitful, on-fire, radical, iconoclastic church, then we need the truth and the Word of God in its purest form to strengthen our witness. Requiring the Family to have a standard and follow a structured course will in the long run help win and build the right kind of disciples and members. It may take time in certain parts of the world, and it may take more prayer and desperation in others, and overall it will require the Family to ask and seek the Lord in different situations as to how to feed and teach these standard courses‚ but it will move the Family forward from strength to strength. (ML #3507; GN 1096)
The New Wine makes it very clear that we need to be teaching the meat of the Word to our sheep. There have been some questions, however, as to what exactly constitutes the "meat of the Word." There have also been questions as to how much or how often it is expected that we teach the meat of the Word. Does all our witnessing need to include or focus on the meat of the Word? Or is it to be used at select times and given to select people? How quickly are we expected to start teaching people the meat of the Word? What is the balance?
Mama recently sought the Lord for the answers to these questions‚ and included below are excerpts of the counsel received. As you'll see, the Lord clarifies what constitutes the meat of the Word—the Word that He has given us which sets us apart from today's church system. However, He does not set hard-and-fast rules or guidelines as to exactly when you should teach these to your sheep. Some will be ready for it right away; for others it will take longer‚ depending on their receptivity, cultural background‚ etc. For some sheep, certain meaty doctrines will be easy to accept and others will be difficult, so it's not possible to lump all of the "meat" together and set overall guidelines. You will have to seek the Lord as to when you should introduce what meat to your sheep. If you take them through the 12 Foundation Stones they'll be introduced to some of it in a gradual fashion, and that's the ideal. Then‚ for those who are willing and receptive, the 12 Bridges covers most of the rest. So if you're taking them through those courses, then you're introducing them to the meat of the Word at a steady pace.
One thing is clear—it's not a question of if you'll introduce some of the meat of the Word to your sheep—the only question is when. There can be no compromise on this or we risk solidifying like many other churches today. Pray and use wisdom, but don't hold back because of fear or compromise.
Following is the Lord's counsel on this topic:
(Jesus:) The meat of the Word is what makes the Family different from the rest of the Christians in the world. I have not revealed to other Christians the revelations and spiritual weapons and mysteries of the spirit world as I have to the Family. This is the meat of the Word to you, the Family.
Christians in the world have not received My call to live the Law of Love, to practice Loving Jesus, to hear from the spirit world as a daily practice, to ask Me everything‚ to use the weapons of the spirit, such as the power of the keys, but the Family has received and obeyed My call and has stepped forward to be counted as My mighty warriors. This is your meat of the Word. These are the beliefs and doctrines that are peculiar to the Family, and that no one else can teach. Other Christians can teach about salvation, the Holy Spirit, prayer, communion, healing, and a few can teach about hearing from the spirit world, but none like the Family, because none have the gifts of the spirit that I've given to the Family.
The meat of the Word for the Family is the doctrine that I have revealed to you and have asked that you commit yourselves to following. It is the radical beliefs, doctrines, and gifts of the spirit that the world will not hear about from anyone else. These are things that only you can teach. I've entrusted this meat into your hands and you are therefore responsible to teach it to others. If you do not teach the meat of the Word that you have been blessed with, who will?
As for how to teach it, how fast the training program for your sheep and babes should be, that is something I will show each Family Home according to the country and culture of the sheep. Being willing to teach the meat of the Word and even taking risks in order to do so, but perhaps not being able to proceed as quickly as you would like with each sheep, is different from compromising or being ashamed to teach it.
There is always some level where the meat of the Word can be taught, and those who have the freedom and opportunity to teach will be held accountable. Those who must go at a slower pace for security, I will still hold accountable, but will allow them to go at a slower pace.
(Jesus:) In the original context of the passage that has given rise to the term "meat of the Word," Paul was referring to the milk being basics such as salvation and faith, and meat being all the deeper and heavier doctrines. And this is still the basic understanding of what the meat means. It is the "solid food" eaten by anyone other than babies. It is going past the basics and on to more.
The Family has a lot of meaty doctrines and practices. The Family believes and does a lot more than the average church Christian. Anything beyond basic church level can be regarded as meat. Commitment to service rather than just being a believer is meat. Belief in the imminent Endtime is meat. Preaching that you will go through the Tribulation is meat. Practicing and preaching communal living and forsaking all is meat. Your anti-churchianity and anti-System messages are meat.
Then you have the heavier meat of the sexual liberation of the Law of Love, being My brides, following your Endtime prophets, your controversial history, and hearing from beyond. These are all meatier topics. And then of course there are what might be thought of as unusual things, such as the power of the keys.
You see‚ I want you to get people beyond the nice little basics fairly quickly. I want you to take them up a level and to show them that there is a heaven of a lot more to you than the Baptist church on the corner. They need to see that you are a radical bunch and they need to understand that I and My Word are a lot deeper and stronger than they may think. Many churches don't go further than salvation. They spend all their time figuring out and arguing about whether they are saved or not. They preach being little goody-goodies who are also compliant little slaves of the System. Their poor little congregants have to spend all week long rendering unto Caesar‚ and then Sundays rendering unto the church.
I want people to understand that I am different and that you are different. I don't want people to think My Family is doing no more than all those poor little church folks. I want you to get people saved, but then get them past the whole idea that you are just a "church" as quickly as you can. Yes‚ you're a church, but you are not like the rest of the churches! People have an idea of what a church is, and it is not often flattering. My Words are powerful and not pusillanimous! My message is a strong one, not the little goody–goody one that is often portrayed.
For goodness' sake! I was condemned as a criminal by the Jews and executed by the Romans. The System tortured Me and put Me to death as a treasonous rebel. That is what the religionists and the Systemites thought of Me then, and that is what you ought to invoke in many of them today. But the people who had been under their thumb heard Me gladly and rejoiced at My doctrines, because it brought them liberty. My Words made them free. The world has to know that you are different and know why you are different, and hear the Words and the doctrine that will make them free.
Now with all that said‚ people will take varying amounts of time to be brought along. But you do have to be bringing them along and introducing them to more and more meat. You cannot stop at the milk. Call on Me in the power of the keys to give you the wisdom you need and I will help you. (End of messages.)
Word basis on the need to preach the meat of the Word:
(Jesus:) Only if the Family members are strong in faith and willing to preach the truth as given in the Words of David will you fulfill your special place in the big Endtime picture. It's that uncompromising witness that will allow Me to continue to give My full blessing to the Family. This is one of those spiritual principles which is contrary to the mind of natural man. You would think that the Family would grow and prosper and become strong and financially powerful by recruiting sheer numbers‚ by tickling people's ears with what they want to hear, by making them feel good about themselves and not "blowing them away" with strong unconventional doctrine. But the opposite is true.
By remaining true to your unique calling, by preaching the Word—even the uncomfortable, seemingly unpopular Word—and winning those who are willing to follow in your footsteps in spirit, will your new members be strong, powerful, and fruitful, and the result, with time, will be much, much more than had you tried to walk the more conventional route and not tested and tried your new members with the strong meat. ("Coming Persecution?" ML #3361:57, 58; GN 957)
(Dad: ) Who else in the world can feed people's spirits like you can? Who else has the Word for the Last Days? There is no one else who can feed the world spiritually like you can. No one else is called to do the job He's given you—to spread His Endtime Gospel, to spread Activated, to win disciples! …
The foremost job He's given you is to preach the Gospel, and not just the Gospel but the meat of the Word, the Words of David, the Endtime message, and not only to preach the Word, but to win, teach and train disciples. ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:133, 134; GN 992)
There are many ways to incorporate this wonderful gift of the spirit into your witnessing and follow-up. For starters, you can hear from the Lord about those you are ministering to, and get His guidance. Then, it's also often a wonderful blessing to them if you receive messages from the Lord for them. And, of course, it's good to be training them to hear from the Lord in prophecy themselves—whether doing it together with them, encouraging them to do it privately‚ or both.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) You will not use this weapon, this treasure, this precious gift only for yourself, for your own edification or for the supply of your own needs and protection, but you will also use it for others. You will use this gift to answer their questions, and to be a testimony to them that I am the living God, that I love and I care and I speak today, and that I have a personal interest in each of My children.
You are My prophets of the End; My prophets of warning, yes, but also My prophets of mercy. Because as you speak My Words and receive the messages that I will give you from this side, it will be a testimony of My love. It will be a testimony of My existence to those who want to believe. Many will come to you with their heartcries and their questions. They will beg you to hear from the God of Heaven for them, on their behalf. Or they will come to you to hear from their loved one who has departed.
Not only will I use this gift to lead you and your loved ones personally‚ ... but I will also use this gift as a mighty witness—both a one–on-one witness, and a vast mass witness. For as I have said, I am even now working in the hearts of the people‚ of the multitudes, and putting a desire within them to know about the unknown. ("Endtime Prophecy Power!" ML #3140:40, 43‚ 52; Lifelines 24)
Following the principle of 2 Timothy 2:2 is essential to the Family's survival, growth, and fulfilling of the Lord's commission. You should encourage your sheep to personally witness to their family and friends, as well as take your outside members along with you when you go personal witnessing, on follow-up visits, or to lead a class or meeting, etc. In addition to personal witnessing, something that is very worthwhile training your sheep and new members in is getting out the tools—doing it with them and teaching them to do it. Having their help will no doubt help your distribution go farther and wider‚ and in many cases they can get Family publications and products, and the witness they contain‚ into places where you are not able to.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) You must minister to and feed your friends and sheep and lead them to greater growth, greater commitment, greater love for Me and others, and even to discipleship.
(Mama:) Teach your converts to be actively involved in your work through such things as witnessing to their friends and colleagues, selling Activated subscriptions and products‚ being the samples and witnesses they should to their family and others, helping plan and prepare classes and seminars, etc. ("Reach the Rich," ML #3400:55, 71; GN 992)
(Peter:) Go out witnessing with these new outside members, … enabling you to win more souls and get more done for the Lord! They could also help with tool distribution, purchasing their distribution tools from you, which will also help the support of your Home. The souls that they win could be fed by the Activated program, or you could purchase the Activated course material and take on their feeding yourselves if you prefer. The new converts could be invited to your weekly meetings, and thus, if you'll be faithful and diligent, you could gradually build up a broader base of support for your local work. ("The Activated Program," ML #3238:92; GN 849)
There are many ways that you can do this, either on paper or by using a number of computer programs. A simple chart that some Homes or areas have used successfully for this purpose will be made available on the CGO section of the MO site for your benefit. (More resources for this will also be available in the CGO Handbook.)
Word basis:
(Mama:) Are you witnessing faithfully, regularly? Are you ministering spiritually to the needy with the Words of David? Are you following up on the hungry sheep you meet? Are you having Word studies? Are you promoting Activated? Do you have a consistent, organized follow-up program? Are you hosting seminars? Do you have a Church of Love? Are you ministering to the children of your friends and Active members, or opening the door for the children in your neighborhood? Do you have a prayer list for those you minister to, so you can seek the Lord for their needs in intercessory prayer? ("Show Me the Money!—Part 1," ML #3462:39; GN 1047)
The "becoming one" principle has always been an important part of our sample and therefore our witness. We should do what we can in each situation to fit in with the surrounding culture and customs of the country where we live, and not dress or otherwise behave in a way that would cause offense and therefore cause people to not be receptive to the message we have to give.
Word basis:
(Mama:) You'd probably find it helpful to review Dad's wise words of counsel in the Letter "Become One," where he explains that the most fruitful missionaries are those who try to blend in with the local people and take on their customs and adapt to their way of living‚ as much as is possible and convenient, while still maintaining our Family standard. (See ML #208.)
It's a poor testimony and sample when our people come across as if they're above the people they're ministering to. This is mostly a matter of the spirit that you carry‚ although wearing inappropriate clothing, make–up, etc., can add to it. Your appearance is a big part of your witness, since "man looketh on the outward appearance."
It takes humility to become one. Truly blending in with the local people means that you have to forsake some of your own Western ways and maybe even some of your own particular styles of dress, make-up or jewelry that you brought with you. Those are some of the "trinkets" that the Lord has issued the call to "trash" if you're going to be His missionary. So take up the challenge to again do the humble thing—in this case, by becoming one and being a positive sample and testimony to the local people.
Many of the great missionaries and men and women of God of years past won their first souls through their sample. The local people knew that they meant business and truly loved them because they were willing to forsake so much to come to their land and live as they did. But what will people think if they see that you've carried your old life with you to their country? That doesn't show much love or respect for their customs or culture, does it? And it's certainly not going to help convince them that your message is worth very much‚ if you're not even willing to give up some of your habits, hang-ups, attitudes and lifestyles for it. ("Witnessing and Follow-up Pitfalls!" ML #3245:19, 20‚ 23, 24; GN 847)
(Note: In order to have an effective follow-up ministry, you also need to have a good physical standard, good stewardship and a clean‚ inspiring Home to be able to bring the sheep to "come and see." This also helps prove to those who have the desire and means to support you that you are worth investing in, and is therefore an important part of "reaching the rich." However, since these points appear on the VS Board Criteria checklist, we are not including them here so as not to duplicate. Word basis on this point can be found at ML #3400:64-67; GN 992, among others.)
Except for a very few rare situations, such as sensitive countries where you would actually be in physical danger if you witness as the Family‚ it is an essential part of being a Family disciple to be open about your Family membership in your witnessing.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) It is important to instruct My children that they cannot truly get out Activated without being willing to associate themselves with the Family, and if they will not become a part of the Activated program or are not faithful with their follow-up in other ways, through fear of being associated with the Family, their future is in jeopardy.
There is both a time and a place for not openly saying you are part of the Family, and you know these times well—when you are in a country where your work is banned, or where the authorities would imprison you, or where being a Christian is itself dangerous. But there are other times and places where saying you are a Family member would merely bring upon yourself and your work unpopularity, or negative media and name calling. Will you deny your link with the Family during these times as well? Beware of compromising for gain or solely for the opinions of men, for what you think to be security. Am I not the best security, your true security?
In these Last Days, in this Era of Action, I desire to cause you, My Family, to stand up as a witness to the nations—to stand in My Name and in the name that I have given you, to be known as My brides of the End of the house of David, those who follow Me closely‚ those who have My Words for the Last Days. ("Activate the World, Part 1!" ML #3348:60‚ 61, 68; GN 943)
(Jesus: ) Not associating yourself with the name of the Family‚ especially in countries where there is a strong anti-cult movement, reinforces in people's minds that all new religious movements are bad, because they never hear or see otherwise. They're left with that delusion, and with time grow more and more close-minded about it. They don't have an opportunity to see the truth. Whereas if you're continuing with your good, solid, Christian sample‚ while at the same time being honest about who you belong to and what you believe‚ then people can see the truth for themselves‚ and it breaks down the negative, twisted perspective built up by the media and the ACs.
That might not seem like such an important point now, but in the future it will have great consequences. The Antichrist is trying to condition people to think a certain way, to be closed to anything out of the norm, to assume the worst about small groups who don't do things the established way. He's preparing them for his takeover and total control. ("Be True to the Revolution!" ML #3364:151-152; GN 960)
It's always better for your friends and contacts to hear "the scoop" about the Family's beliefs from you than from someone else. In many countries and cultures you have to bring people along slowly to an understanding of Family beliefs and teachings, but you should be making progress in this direction. It starts with being up-front about being a Family member, and the further specific steps after that must be taken in prayer‚ in counsel, and in accordance with what your friends and sheep are ready to receive.
Word basis:
(Jesus:) Bring them along gently and slowly; strengthen them little by little. The time will come when they will hear of the radical doctrines; but if you have prepared them well, many will be able to accept such things, even if they don't understand them or receive them personally. They will not reject you and your work because they will have seen the sample and they will know that you are of Me.
If you seek Me and follow My leadings and are faithful to give My message, then I will keep the hearts of those who you are ministering to, and they will remain strong with you through the storms of persecution and the attacks of the Enemy. Fear not, My John the Baptists of the End, but continue to prepare the way for My coming.
(Mama:) Of course, sharing all these things with your supporters and friends will take time. The Lord expects you to be prayerful, careful, and wise. In order to know how and when to present these matters, you will need to ask Him for specific guidance. Some of your friends may be able to receive these things more quickly than others; with some you may have to go more slowly. But the Lord will bless you and keep your work hedged about with His protection if you are looking to Him and doing what you can to diligently feed and care for the sheep that He's placed in your care. If you fail to do this because you're afraid of the negative repercussions if it causes your contacts to waver or have battles, you may find that you have a more difficult situation on your hands at a later date. ("Mama's Memos!—No.9," ML #3243:102, 111, 114; GN 845)
Your testimonies and photos are the "proof of the pudding." While not sending in testimonies or articles will not count against you at Home review, it's a great blessing for the CGO and PR boards to receive the news of the progress being made and fruit being borne by your Home, and thereby gain a better understanding of what is happening on the witnessing front. They can also pass them on to WS for publication, or you can send them directly. It's a blessing for the whole Family, and the GP in some cases, to be able to read these testimonies in the Family Activity Report and other Family publications. So keep them coming!
Word basis:
(CGO International Board: ) As a Family, we're continually learning‚ growing, and changing in our outreach and church growth methods, and a big part of that learning is hearing what others have done and are doing, so that we can learn from each other. We continue to need as much as we can get in the way of your testimonies and tips regarding getting activated‚ building a flock, and witnessing testimonies of every kind. So whenever you have witnessing and follow-up related news, photos‚ testimonies, or tips, please send them in to your regional CGO board and to us in WS—either to fsm@wsfamily.com‚ or to gp@wsfamily.com if you aren't sure what pub your contribution is appropriate for. ("International Board News 2003‚" ML #3476:62; GN 1063)
In some countries it's not hard to find sheep who speak English (or another language you speak), but in many others if you don't learn the local language you'll end up being seriously hampered in your follow-up efforts. Especially when it comes time to feed people more deeply with the 12 Foundation Stones, etc., it's important that someone in your Home speaks the local language well enough to be able to properly teach your sheep and understand their questions.
This also includes teaching the local language to your children and teens so that they can be effective witnesses.
At the same time, however, when it comes to your close Active members or Missionary members—those who are taking or have completed the 12 Bridges course—please encourage them to learn English and assist them in doing so if possible. If they join the Family as disciples, Missionary members, or long-term Active members, it'll be much easier for them to get fed, and they'll have more available to them‚ if they can read English. So if they're going to stick around, the sooner they can learn the better.
Word basis:
(Dad:) You can't very well tell people that you love them if you don't make the slightest attempt to learn their language, their customs, culture, history, religion, characteristics, nationality traits‚ etc., which are all a part of them. ("Become One!" ML #208:2; Vol.2)
(Dad:) It's certainly a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the language of the people to whom you are going to witness, to show interest in them and concern for them and respect for them, genuine love for them, to show that you're concerned enough to try to learn their language and try to speak to them in their own language. ("Learn the Language," ML #2033:18; Vol.16)
CTP ministries are often an important part of our sample to those we are ministering to, and besides being a witness can provide financial or other goodwill benefits for our missionary Homes. However, there are also some inherent weaknesses that come with either focusing too much on CTP ministries, or being involved in unfruitful ones. So to help our Family Homes avoid falling into those, the Word strongly recommends that all CTP ministries involve not only physical ministration but some form of spiritual ministration—through the distribution of Family publications and products, follow-up and further feeding of those you are working with in these ministries, etc.
Word basis:
(Dad:) There's nothing wrong with CTP ministries‚ as long as you keep your eyes on the goal and remember that any involvement you have in a CTP ministry should not be your sole focus. If you're spending your time and effort on CTP only, it's time to reevaluate where you're heading. A CTP ministry should not be the end, but merely a means to an end—a means to help you promote the Word and activate your part of the world.
Right now your main job is to change the world with the Words of David … The foremost job He's given you is to preach the Gospel, and not just the Gospel but the meat of the Word, the Words of David, the Endtime message, and not only to preach the Word, but to win, teach and train disciples.
If maintaining a CTP ministry will help you do that‚ fine. If you are cultivating kings and queens that will sponsor you and help you pass out the printed Word and distribute videos and other tools to the poor so you can feed them spiritually, great. If those same kings and queens will help you pass out material goods to the poor, that's great too, as long as you're not neglecting your main job of spreading the Word through getting out tracts, posters, CDs‚ videos, magazines, books and booklets, and winning disciples—labor leaders!
Please ask yourselves‚ and ask the Lord in prophecy:
(Note: CTP work should be conducted in the name of the Family‚ or in association with the name of the Family. However, since that is covered in the PR Board Criteria checklist, we're not including it here. Nevertheless, we mention it, as it's a very important point to bear in mind. See ML #3400:117.)
All our Family Homes and members are very busy, and it can sometimes seem tedious to take the time to read a "memo" from your local Activated desk or PC (production center)‚ or an advisory or other such publication from your CGO board—but if you don't, you might miss something important that will prove to be a real benefit to your outreach.
Working with churches or religious groups should be done with a lot of prayer and evaluation of whether it is a worthwhile and wise investment of your time and energy. We would like to ask that you keep your regional CGO and PR boards informed of your working relationship with churches and other religious groups. It is often beneficial on the PR front to have a good working relationship on some level with interfaith groups, and it can be a blessing to your witnessing ministries in some cases. On the other hand, there are also dangers in working too much or too closely with them, such as compromising the standard or taking too much of your time away from reaching the lost who need you the most.
Word basis:
(Dad:) Going to some churches is like an attack on enemy territory! But nothing ventured, nothing gained! You have a possibility of either winning or losing when you attack!
Church witnessing is one area which we haven't done much of in years! But it has tremendous potential of getting new ready-made disciples who can help in teaching others to teach others to witness etc. But, of course, it also has very serious risks that, in getting in with them, you might be tempted to compromise and get sucked in all the way!
Our little "first family" did it for years! That was one of our main ministries, going to the churches. (Maria: But we kept getting kicked out!) Yeah‚ but we'd still go and minister till we got kicked out! We kept going and they usually kept resisting. But we'd always glean a few, particularly the young people who were hungry and liked us. ("The Church Ministry!—The Dangers of Going to Church!" ML #848_2:48-50; Vol.7)
(Jesus:) Through closer ties with the churches … and seeking to curry their favor, some have become weakened in their own convictions and have been influenced by the ways of My weak children.
It is a great temptation to feel inferior and like you should be doing what the churches do, so that you will be more "blessed." But these false balances of judging how greatly you are being used or how fruitful your work is by how rich and increased with goods you are, and how popular you are, is a deadly trap which is slowly strangling the spirit and life from some.
(Peter:) A lot of you have moved toward the churches; your main ministries are trying to sell the evangelicals our tools, which in itself isn't bad. As I said to someone the other day, "Well, if the evangelicals will buy all our tools and give us money so that we can go reach the lost, so be it. Praise God!" But if that's your only ministry, if that's your main ministry, and if you're kind of watering the message down and being afraid to say who you are and all the rest, then you've got some problems. And if you're taking in any of their spirit and comparing yourself to them or judging yourself by them, you're in trouble. ("Deliverance," ML #3455:140-142; GN 1039)
There may be times when it would be acceptable and beneficial to use select material from Christian groups or other System publications, for the purpose of additional anecdotes or practical tips or examples that illustrate points you're teaching from the Word. Some such material is already included in Family publications like Reflections and the CLTP mags‚ as well as the 12 Foundation Stones. But when it comes to actually teaching material from System publications (Christian or otherwise), this should be the rare exception‚ and should be done with a lot of prayer and a considerable measure of caution. If you do feel led to use System Christian material in your teaching, we ask that you communicate with your regional CGO board at the time of the Home review‚ explaining that you are doing so and why, and what the Lord has showed you about it.
Word basis:
(Peter:) Teach your sheep—your contacts‚ friends, relatives‚ Active members, or supporters—the Words of David in the form of publications produced by WS. Promote the Activated program. Refrain from teaching material from System Christian books. ("Loss of Privileges/Requirements for the Brazilian Family," ML #3454:8; GN 1038)
(Note: The aspects of witnessing with children and teens are included in the CP and JT board criteria respectively. Teaching our teens, JETTs, and children how to witness and taking them witnessing is a very important part of both their training and our Homes' witnessing. In the interest‚ however, of not duplicating either information or questions for the Homes, we are not including these aspects on the CGO board criteria.)
Regarding Missionary members reporting to your Home:
rEnsure that Missionary members reporting to your Home are fellowshipping at least monthly with your Home, and are receiving faithful feeding and shepherding.
rEnsure that any Missionary members reporting to your Home are abiding by the standard outlined in the MM Statutes.
Regarding General and Active members:
rEnsure that your Home's General and Active members are receiving faithful feeding.
rEnsure that your Home's General and Active members are fulfilling the requirements of membership and conducting themselves according to the "General Member Declaration."
As stated earlier, unless your Home is specifically designated as a Service Home that is providing services to the local or worldwide Family, then the primary purpose of your Home's existence is to witness and build a well-rounded missionary work. The Word also makes it clear that there is a direct connection between the amount of time put into a Home's witnessing ministries, and the fruitfulness as well as financial success of that Home. But with so much else going on in Homes and things to take care of‚ it's easy for other things to push the witnessing aside. Often it's hard to find the time for it, or sometimes to even gauge whether you're putting in enough time. There is the Charter requirement that every Home member spend 2 hours a week, or 8 hours a month, witnessing. But that's just the minimum, and some of your Home members should of course be doing much more than that. So in order to help each Home devote sufficient time to this vital part of our service for the Lord, the Lord has led to set a goal of average witnessing hours per FD Home.
On average‚ the adult members of a Family discipleship Home (ages 18 and up) should be able to spend at least 15-20 hours a week in witnessing activities. To help you and your review board keep track of what your weekly average is, a box will be added to the next version of the TeleTRF where you can list your average witnessing hours per week for that month.
We don't expect everyone in your Home to get out witnessing 15-20 hours a week—some folks need to take care of the children and other Home duties. That's why this is an average for the whole Home. For example, let's say a Home has 10 members, 18 and up, with a number of children and JETTs/teens. Four adult members are primarily involved in the care of the children and Home, and are only able to fulfill the minimum 2 hours of witnessing a week as required in the Charter. Two members are able to witness part-time, putting in a dozen hours a week each (perhaps some or much of that at home), while spending the rest of the time in Home ministries. Another four members are full-time witnesses, putting in about 32.5 hours a week in witnessing activities (6.5 hours a day, 5 days a week). The Home's total weekly witnessing hours would then be (4x2)+(2x12)+(4x32.5)=162. When divided by the Home's 10 adult members, the average would come to 16.2 hours a week.
Please understand that 15-20 hours is a recommended average. It is not a fixed minimum requirement. Your Home will not be penalized for falling shy of it on a particular month, or even regularly just barely under. For example, if your Home is regularly getting 13 or 14 hours, then it's probably okay, if you're bearing fruit in your witnessing and are doing well in the various aspects of the Activated program. But if your average is consistently 7 or 8, then something is wrong and you risk getting a failing grade on your CGO Home review. This new recommended average will cause some Homes to have to adjust their priorities, and that's good—because if you're not putting in the witnessing hours, you're not going to be reaping the results that the Lord wants you to have and that are expected of you as a Family discipleship Home.
Of course, this average would be affected by the personnel makeup of the Home. A Home with many children will likely have a lower average than a Home comprised of all singles—even falling below the 15-20 recommended average on a regular basis due to their situation. That's understandable. On the other hand, a Home with less children would be expected to hit the recommended average fairly consistently.
It is also understood that some months your Home will get less witnessing hours than other months for various reasons or factors beyond your control (e.g., sickness, personnel changes‚ visa trips, etc.). Your Home will be reviewed on how you fare in relation to this average over the course of a whole six-month period, not according to your statistics on a specific month. The overall average witnessing hours will just be one factor in a Home's review evaluation, combined with the visible fruit that the Home is bearing‚ including their stats, and your replies to the questions on the criteria checklist. If a Home has a low average of witnessing hours, but has high stats and visible signs of a progressing work, that will be noted, and such a Home would receive a higher evaluation mark than a Home which has both low statistics and low witnessing hours. (Although for the most part, it's difficult to bear the fruit without putting the time in!)
The main purpose of establishing the average witnessing hours is as a gauge in helping you determine whether your Home is a full-time missionary Home. If your Home is consistently falling fairly short of the average, you would want to reevaluate your Home's priorities and the activities on which your members spend their time, or if getting near the average is incompatible with your Home lifestyle and goals, then you may want to consider moving to a less rigorous level of Family membership.
Time spent engaging in the activities outlined in the Four Aspects of the Activated Program and other outreach methods/specialized witnessing ministries listed in this criteria will all count toward this witnessing hour average. Witnessing hours would not include fundraising activities or CTP ministries which do not include any witness, nor would they include time spent traveling to your witnessing location, unless you're being an "instant witness" along the way. However, this average does include witnessing inside the Home‚ such as time spent teaching or actively participating or contributing in Word classes, or preparing those classes, personal follow-up on sheep within the Home, mail or phone witnessing, phone provisioning, follow-up, preparing for follow-up appointments or receiving prophecies for/about your sheep‚ etc.
It would be difficult to come up with a comprehensive list that encompasses everything that either does or does not count as "witnessing hours" for this average. So having given the general guidelines above, we trust that if you're unsure as to whether to count a certain activity as witnessing you'll ask the Lord about it and won't be looking for loopholes. Remember‚ it's a recommended average, not a hard–and-fast minimum that must be reached every single month in order to pass review. If there were some months where you weren't able to make the average, just be honest about it and explain why on your review report. God bless you!
The 15–20 average witnessing hours goal will also be reevaluated after a year or so, at which time the Lord might indicate whether it's realistic and/or should be lowered or raised.
See also details regarding senior teens and Service Homes or service personnel below.
Word basis:
(Mama:) To have a successful work, you must also have a willingness to work hard and put in the hours. Some Homes and Family missionaries aren't successful financially simply because they don't work hard enough at it. Any businessman or salesman realizes that success comes with putting in the hours. It doesn't matter how gifted, smart, educated, talented, or skilled the person might be, if they don't work, they won't make any money. If they just casually sort of play at their job, showing up to work whenever they feel like it‚ not concentrating or focusing on their production, not requiring themselves to work at least the minimum of 40 or 50 hours a week, then they'll not get rich. If fact, they'll make very little money and probably get fired or their business will go belly up.
I don't know how so many people in the Family got the idea that their workday should be so short. Many Family missionaries get out witnessing late in the morning or even in the afternoon, and they hardly devote any hours to the actual job of witnessing, and then they wonder why they're broke. …
In the System they sacrifice, wake up early, work late, and hardly have any time at all for recreation, sleep, exercise, hanging out with friends, chatting on e-mail, etc. There's hardly time for anything at all but work, as they're tied to a very rigorous and stressful schedule for their new System boss. Now what I can't figure out is why people are willing to put so much more into their work in the System than our Family members are for the Lord.
Sometimes a lack of money is a simple mathematical equation. It goes like this: Very few hours working equals very little money. Just as that's true in the System, it's also true in your service for the Lord. If you expect God to support you, you have to work for Him, and hard.
I suggest you take a look at your schedule. How much time are you actually on the field, ministering to others, witnessing, pouring out, giving classes, praying with people, selling tools‚ doing follow-up—being a professional missionary? I'm not talking about your travel time. I'm not talking about the time it takes to maintain your Home, like JJTs‚ required meetings, cooking, etc. I'm not talking about the time it takes to maintain your own spiritual life—Word‚ prayer, prophecy, etc. No one in the System gets credit with his employer for driving to work or for anything involved with taking care of himself as a person. You get paid for working. Well‚ the same can be said for your missionary work. You get paid by the Lord for the time you're pouring out to others, witnessing, and being a professional missionary. Everything else is your personal life or your communal life, but it's not your missionary work!
Each person in your Home should also be accountable for his time‚ and should be working hard. People can't just lounge around‚ waste time, shoot the breeze, sleep in‚ hang out, and then complain because the finances are low. Your schedule should be reasonable and workable, but also enforced, efficient, and productive. Being diligent with your time and working hard are part of being faithful missionaries, good stewards. (When I talk about working hard, I mean each person should be working hard within the limits of their abilities, as I hope you understand I'm not necessarily including those who are sick or infirm, pregnant or nursing mothers, and others whose age or health don't permit it.)
Of course, some people in your Home probably have the ministry of teaching the children, in which case they couldn't be expected to put in so many hours on the field witnessing. They're professional teachers, so their required work hours would be fulfilled as they teach the children, prepare the materials, and keep the homeschooling records. The same principle of diligence could be applied to those Home members who work mainly in the Home. For example, the teachers shouldn't think they're teaching the children if they're really just plopping them in front of the TV while they goof around or do some personal project.
This is all about quality work and it's about working hard, putting in the hours‚ no matter what your ministry. I talked about witnessing hours specifically because we're talking about being professional missionaries. Your Home needs to have a balanced enough ministry and schedule, and each member needs to be putting in enough quality work hours so that you do have a good, solid, well-rounded missionary work! Having professional teachers, professional handymen, professional shepherds, etc., is not enough. You must also, together as a body, put in enough hours so that you have a missionary work with people outside your Home! And if your Home is one which provides services to other missionary Homes and you can't devote as much time to witnessing as you'd like, then you should be working hard to help those other missionaries help others. ("Show Me the Money!—Part 1," ML #3462:93-97, 102-104; GN 1047)
(Jesus:) It's so important that you raise the standard high, that you make the issues clear, that you set the goals and requirements at a level that causes the Family to stretch, to move forward, to live the revolutionary missionary discipleship lifestyle. It's a tough lifestyle. The demands of full-time discipleship are high—and I mean for them to be high. I mean to expect a lot of My full-time disciples.
I really do expect every Family member to put in the hours, to focus themselves and their efforts on My work, on the commission of winning souls and disciples. This is the focus of every Family member—whether you're a full-time witnesser, or whether you're a provider of a service for the Family. Either way, your commission is to win souls and disciples, and I haven't given you all eternity to do it! In the big picture, yes, we have all eternity to reach the universe; but in the short-term goal, you have this planet to reach, and millions, billions of souls to reach, to share My message with; and thousands, rather tens of thousands, whom I can use you to feed, to train, and to teach how to teach others, to some degree. So it's a big job, and it takes both time and effort.
Time isn't enough—the effort, the umph, must be there as well. Effort isn't enough either. You can't "put your all into it" but only do so for very short periods of time. There must be the effort, the time‚ the consistency, the faithfulness.
Having the per person minimum witnessing hours serves to ensure that everyone witnesses; having the Home goal of average witnessing hours serves as an incentive toward Home accountability; having the four "pillars" of a Home's witnessing ministry ensures that the missionary work is not only happening, but balanced and growing. These various factors act as safeguards, the one supporting the other; and if all are adhered to, the "structure" of the Family's missionary service will stand. Your foundation is solid. Your bases are well covered. (previously unpublished prophecy)
You'll notice that the average is for the adults 18 and up. We have not included 16- and 17-year–olds in the average Home witnessing hours calculation. The reason for this is that we understand that most 16– and 17–year-olds still have scholastic requirements that can take a fair bit of their time, and including them would therefore bring down your Home's average.
However, a 16- or 17–year-old's quality witnessing hours (such as the activities listed within the Four Aspects of the Activated Program) can be included with your Home's total witnessing hours when calculating your average. In other words, the hours that your senior teens spend witnessing count as "bonus" hours that up your average! For example‚ if a Home has 10 members over the age of 18, plus two 16-year-olds, the 16-year–olds' quality witnessing hours will be included in the total witnessing hours by the Home, but that total would only be divided by 10 and not by 12 when calculating the Home average. (So using the previous example of a Home with 10 members that witnesses a combined 162 hours a week, if the Home also had 2 senior teens who witness 6 hours a week each, then the total would be 174 and, when divided by the Home's 10 adult members, the Home's average would jump from 16.2 to 17.4.)
16- and 17-year-olds are required to fulfill their two hours per week (8 hours per month) minimum witnessing requirement as per the Charter.
It will be understood that Service Homes will not be able to put in as many witnessing hours as a full-time witnessing Home, because a Service Home's main goal is to provide services to other Homes in order to help them be full-time missionary Homes. Therefore Service Homes will not be expected to hit the 15-20 hours per person average. Nevertheless, personnel in Service Homes should still do some witnessing, and would need to report their Home's witnessing hours on the semiannual review checklist or the TeleTRF (once a space for that is made available). But their Home will not be evaluated on their witnessing hours average. (See more on Service Homes a bit later in this GN.)
There are some Service Homes which are designated as a Service Home under the Charter but which primarily engage in witnessing activities like most other Homes, as compared with office-type Service Homes that primarily provide support-type services to the area‚ such as production centers [PCs], Activated desks, LIMs, Regional desks, etc. Such Service Homes that don't fall into the office-type category would for the most part be expected to hit the average witnessing hours just like any other Home. If you're not sure whether your Service Home should be expected to hit the average or not, please check with your Regional Council.
Some Homes, although they are not designated as Service Homes, house members who have ministries that provide an important service to the field which takes up a major part of their time—for example, a CO, a VS, a Regional or National board chairperson, a field artist employed by WS or a field translator employed by a LIM. These members would not be included when calculating the Home's overall average witnessing hours per member 18 and up. This is the same principle as for the 16- and 17-year-olds explained above.
So if a "service personnel" member is in a Home of 8 adults, the service personnel member's witnessing hours would be included in the total witnessing hours by the Home, but the Home's total witnessing hours would be divided by 7 members, rather than 8, to find the average. All VSs, COs, and Regional and National board chairpersons would automatically count as "service personnel"; all other members providing a service to the Family or local area would need to receive authorization from the Regional COs to be counted as "service personnel" and receive this exemption. Authorized service personnel members are still required to fulfill their two hours per week (8 hours per month) minimum witnessing requirement as per the Charter.
A number of people have asked why the Charter requires that every Family disciple fulfill a minimum of 2 witnessing hours per week (8 per month) outside the Home. They point out that in some climates getting out of the house is difficult (think winter in Moscow or summer in Madras). They also bring up the very valid point that witnessing inside the Home, such as teaching classes and phone or e-mail follow-up, is just as important and in some cases better.
It's a question that was discussed at the CGO IB meetings held at Summit 2003, and brought before the Lord several times for His guidance and direction. The reason the rule was originally put in the Charter is that, while witnessing inside the Home is very important, and in fact much of the follow-up aspect of the Activated program is likely to be fulfilled in the Home, it's also important to be regularly going out and meeting new people. And it's good spiritually for everyone in the Home to have the opportunity to get out and witness, even if it's just taking the kids to the park to pass out some posters and win souls, or going on a follow-up visit, doing a show, getting out the tools, etc. This requirement was also meant to protect Home members from getting buried in Home activities to the point that they lose the love for the lost, the inspiration and joy, and the flexing of the faith muscles that are used when going out witnessing. This requirement can be fulfilled on a week–to-week basis, or with two four-hour witnessing outings, or by going out for one full 8–hour witnessing day a month. Any combination is fine—whatever works best for the different personnel in the Home—as long as the total is at least 8 hours per month.
This has been a Charter requirement from the beginning‚ so we asked the Lord whether we should drop it in light of doing follow–up in the Home. The Lord made it clear that the requirement should stay, for several reasons:
(Jesus: ) It's good for everyone to get out witnessing, and it's good to keep this Charter requirement in place.
Witnessing in the Home‚ giving follow-up classes and ministering to visitors is also very important—essential, in fact—and people should be doing it and participating in it. And it is going to happen as Homes are obedient and do their part to fulfill the Four Aspects of the Activated Program. It's still good, and spiritually and even mentally healthy, however‚ for people to get out and do some witnessing outside the Home. Two hours a week [or 8 hours a month] really isn't much, and it's something that people need to keep them stirred up and stretching and keep their boldness muscles and "instant witnessing" muscles in shape.
Another important point to keep in mind is that, while following up on people you know is good and important, you've got to keep meeting new people or else you'll stagnate—as an individual, as a Home, or as a Family. So by requiring everyone to get out a couple of hours a week, which usually means they'll be doing some tool distribution, tract distribution, soul-winning, etc., you're requiring that people put themselves in a position where it's easy to have an opportunity to meet new sheep, to come across the paths of the people I want to lead you to, and who you can then follow up on and bring home to "come and see" and have classes with and all that.
The follow–up is important, and much of that can and should be done in the Homes—but many Homes don't have a follow-up ministry because they haven't met enough people to follow up on! And even Homes that do have a fruitful ministry should continue meeting new people, lest they become old-bottlish with not enough flow and change and growth and forward movement and receiving of new blood.—And getting out on a regular basis and doing some witnessing outside the Home is the best safeguard against letting that happen.
As for Service Homes, or individuals in specialized situations who genuinely can't or don't need to go outside the Home and who merit an exception, they can be given one. There is already provision for that in the Charter (to allow witnessing in the Home to count toward this requirement in some cases) and you should keep that provision open. However, the very fact that it's an exception clause makes it clear that it's only for a minority, and for the most part, people should get out and witness‚ plain and simple.
Remember‚ I didn't just say, "Call the multitudes and preach to and teach them." I said, "GO ye … and preach the Gospel." It's part of being a genuine Christian to get out and witness. It's part of being in the Family. It's part of being part of an active revolutionary missionary movement that's going places and doing things and always growing and expanding and enlarging your circle.
(Jesus:) Generally speaking, it is good for everyone in the Family who can‚ to get out witnessing from time to time, even if they have witnessing ministries in the Home, and especially if they have service ministries in the Home. Going out witnessing, whether it's to the park with the kids, or a follow–up visit‚ or getting out the tools, or personal witnessing with the teens, etc., causes you to stretch your faith‚ to get out of yourself, to reach out in ways that you can't really do at home. It's tough, it's a sacrifice, but it's an important part of being a witness for Me and one of My servants. It exercises your spirit in different ways that are vital to your spiritual growth and discipleship.
That's not to say that witnessing outside the Home is more important than witnessing inside the Home. To the contrary, sometimes the witnessing that you do inside is more important‚ with sheep coming over for training and classes, etc. But going out into the highways and byways and compelling them to come in is a part of being a witness, and something that you cannot neglect.
Nevertheless, there are times when it is nearly impossible to go witnessing outside the Home, and there are certain people who have a difficult time getting out for health or other legitimate reasons. So while it is good to have the rule in general, you have to allow for exceptions and you can't make it hard and fast. A Home won't have to feel like they're going to automatically get a bad mark if not everyone in their Home was able to get in the 8 hours that month, but they can explain the reasons why. But if Homes are consistently not getting the witnessing hours in‚ then they need to change something. And if there are folks who are never getting out witnessing, then something needs to change as well.
In the Charter clause stating the 2-hours-per-week minimum witnessing hours, the wording will be revised to reflect that these hours should be "quality" witnessing hours. Quality witnessing is defined as time spent fulfilling any of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program.
If you're a Service Home, you're probably wondering whether you have to fulfill all the same criteria, covering each of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program, as non-Service Homes. Some questions you might have are whether, since most of your time is focused on ministries that benefit the Family, you should be exempt from some of these. Are Service Home members expected to fulfill the minimum witnessing requirements? What about the average Home witnessing hours?
The topic of Service Homes and what witnessing requirements should be expected of them has been one of much prayer and counsel and hearing from the Lord, and each time it has been taken back to the Lord, He has confirmed that, while those in Service Homes have important jobs to do for the Family, He also wants them to get out witnessing on a regular basis—both as part of their missionary service and for their own spiritual health and happiness.
Therefore Service Homes should be active to some degree in each of the Four Aspects of the Activated Program. That means they should be getting out Family products, personal witnessing and winning souls, promoting Activated, and doing some follow-up on the sheep that they meet, bringing them closer to the Lord and the Family. However, the expectations of Service Homes will be considerably lower than those of non-Service Homes as far as the amount of time that they're able to put into their witnessing ministries, the amount of fruit that they will bear and their witnessing stats.
Service Homes are expected to be "active to some degree," which means you should at least be doing some witnessing, even if it's while you're out taking care of other Family business; you should be getting out some Family tools and pushing Activated subscriptions, even if it's just to the sheep you meet or your contacts or neighbors because you don't have much time to "go on outreach." And you should be trying to meet some sheep who you can follow up on and teach the Word to—even if it's just one sheep that you regularly teach and are bringing along. You might not have many sheep or much time to feed them, but you should have something. You might not be able to establish a well-rounded missionary work, but you're doing what you can in each of the main aspects of it.
You might wonder why this is necessary since, if you're a Service Home, you are expected to be devoting your time to whatever service you're providing for the Family, and witnessing activities would seem to detract from that. It's true that your Home members might be able to get more done in their ministry if they didn't have to worry about spending any time witnessing—but is that good for them spiritually as Family disciples? Is it good for the inspiration level of your Home, for your children's and teens' training, for your overall Home standard? Going out witnessing helps keep you alive spiritually. It's especially important for Service Home personnel, young or old, because while they are blessed for sacrificially working behind the scenes for others, the hazard of their position is that they run the risk of losing the vision as to what the Family is all about‚ or losing their love for the lost. When that happens, a Service Home ministry can almost become like a System job—God forbid!
We realize that this may entail a pretty big change for some Service Homes who have been used to not having to do any witnessing at all. But it's a good change—one that will revitalize your Home spiritually‚ strengthen you, and make you better able to perform your other service ministries, PTL!
At the time of the semiannual review, when it comes to the CGO pillar, Service Homes will not be primarily evaluated on their witnessing stats or fruit, but rather on the services that they provide to the Family. However, their witnessing life will be factored in as a part of the overall equation, since it's a part of Family discipleship for everyone. If they're not doing any witnessing‚ or hardly any, and they're not active in some way in the Activated program, they risk getting a failing grade in CGO.
Also‚ as currently under the Charter, the minimum of two hours of witnessing time outside the Home per person per week (or eight hours per month) will be required for Service Home members. Because of the way the Charter was worded, some may have assumed that being a Service Home automatically exempted them from this requirement. That isn't the case. There is‚ and will still be, an option for individual members or a Service Home to be exempt with the approval of the Regional COs, but this will be more the exception than the rule.
As explained earlier‚ Service Homes will not, however, be expected to reach the average Home witnessing hours goal. That would take too much time away from their ministries and service to the Family and would be unrealistic. But the Lord has confirmed that it is important and spiritually healthy for everyone to get out witnessing. (There is still the exception that some WS Homes and a very few selah Service Homes, such as CO Offices who for security reasons are not able to witness locally at all, are exempt from all CGO witnessing-related requirements. These would, however‚ need permission from WS. However, even in these situations, it is a blessing and healthy for a selah Home's members to have opportunities to witness from time to time, whenever possible, such as on a road trip or relative visit, time in a field Home, etc.)
Following is some counsel from the Lord on this topic:
(Jesus:) It's important for everyone in the Family to have the opportunity to reach out and witness on a regular basis. The work that Service Home personnel do is very important for the Family. But if those people are to remain as disciples for Me on the long term and keep the discipleship standard‚ they must be pouring out to others and not just doing their ministry. When you're not faced with the needs of the sheep, it's easier to lose the vision, and the job you're doing then becomes a routine. In some cases it can even become a System-like job within the Family. If you're going to maintain the fire and determination to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, then you've got to have witnessing.
This will constitute a change, because many Service Homes consider themselves exceptions to the witnessing rules and therefore many of their personnel don't get out at all, or even engage in regular witnessing activities within the Home. But it's a good and needed change. It might have an impact on the services those Homes provide to the Family, as they'll be spending a bit more time witnessing, but it will strengthen those Homes spiritually, raise the inspiration and discipleship level, and therefore in the long run help those Homes to provide better service to the Family, get more done in less time and be more anointed in their duties, as well as retain their personnel for longer.
It's important for Service Homes to have witnessing ministries—going outside the Home as well as follow-up within the Home—in order to keep the Home alive and vibrant and keep from getting into a stale routine. It's a sacrifice for sure, but with those sacrifices I am well pleased, and I will bless in many ways!
(Jesus: ) Service Homes should still be witnessing, and although they're not expected to have a huge thriving work with tons of sheep coming over regularly and a regular influx of new disciples, etc., they should be moving in the direction of bearing fruit in the different aspects of the Activated program. The concept that you should feed and follow up on those you witness to is a solid spiritual principle—and whether you have one sheep or a hundred‚ as a Family member you should be required to follow up on and train that sheep and bring him along as far as you can.
While their jobs help make it possible for others to witness, those in Service Homes should still be witnessing themselves, as active Family members and disciples—it's part of their life and lifestyle‚ part of their commitment and obedience to Me. They don't have to do a lot, and the requirements should be minimal compared to other Homes—and they are. (End of messages.)
Some of the types of witnessing listed in this GN portray what seem like very high goals to shoot for if living in non-Christian or sensitive countries. So you might have wondered when reading this whether a Home living in a sensitive Muslim country‚ for example, is expected to fulfill each point in this criteria. If so, is that realistic?
With Family discipleship Homes in so many different situations and cultures, there are also many differences between what methods and degrees of witnessing are suitable in these different countries. Therefore it's understood that progress in certain areas of witnessing and building a work is much easier to come by in some countries than others.
However‚ as explained earlier in this GN‚ Homes in sensitive countries should still be working to "build a well-rounded missionary work." After all‚ that's the purpose of them being in that country—to reach it with the Gospel! Therefore the basic expectations and requirements in each of the aspects of the Activated program are standard for all areas—no matter where you live or what the local culture, each Family discipleship Home should be distributing Family products, witnessing personally and winning souls, participating in the Activated magazine program, and building a local work. However, the "volume" of the distribution, the speed at which the local work is built, and the visible fruit in some areas of outreach will vary from country to country, and especially might be less in sensitive countries.
The goal is, however, that whether progress is made slowly or quickly; whether you win one soul in a month or a thousand; whether you are able to have a group that is going through the 12 Bridges course within one year or five; that in some way, your Home is taking steps to move forward within each aspect of the Activated program, and bringing your sheep along to higher levels of feeding—whether it goes very quickly, very slowly, or somewhere in between. If you're in a situation that is so sensitive you feel you can't do anything at all or work toward fulfilling these requirements, then you should probably ask the Lord whether you should be there, and if so, what His purpose is for your Home.
When the review body goes over the stats and reports from a Home at the semiannual review, the Home's situation and location will be taken into consideration‚ and more stats and quicker progress will be expected in open and Christian countries than it will in closed, sensitive, or non-Christian countries.
(Dad:) One of the Family's gifts is "becoming all things to all men." I've taught you, and you've learned well, that you need to adapt, modify, camouflage, and change tactics, according to the local climate and according to the need. But your goal, your purpose, your focus, remains the same—to witness, to win souls, to get out the Word and the truth, to bring people to Jesus‚ and to build a lasting work.
In some parts of the world these things are done more easily—in fact, in many areas you should be doing a whole lot more than you are in some of these areas of witnessing, because the people are ready for it‚ they can take it, they're hungry‚ and it's just a lack of faith or conviction that you don't give them more meat, more action, and sooner! Then there are other countries where it takes months or years to bring someone along until they're ready to even take the step to get saved. I understand, and the Lord understands, the tests and struggles that those of you in some of those more difficult situations go through. And we also understand that, even though it's more difficult to make more visible progress in some places, it's your calling, and what is expected of you‚ to keep moving forward and keep fighting to make the needed progress. After all, the purpose for which the Lord has called you there is to bear fruit!
The purpose of these criteria isn't to lift up one situation above another or to say that it's better to be in one type of country or the other‚ or that the fruit borne in one or the other is better or more worthwhile. The Lord needs you, His Family, in all parts of the world‚ and wherever He's called you to, He knows you can bear fruit there—and fruit that remains. It may take a long time, but if your focus is right‚ if your approach is bathed in prayer and you are following the Lord step by step, you can always find a way to fulfill the Lord's will. And believe me, these criteria and guidelines that are being sent out now are the Lord's will. The Family has to be stronger, your witness has to be stronger, and your local works and churches have to be stronger. You have to move in that direction. You have to build solid, balanced, well-rounded missionary works.
Every Family discipleship Home has to grow and expand and stretch and move forward in your witnessing in order to keep bearing fruit and keep making progress. But you can't all do it in the same way or at the same speed. The point isn't to keep up with the Joneses or to try to do as much as you hear they're doing in some other country or area. The point isn't to feel condemned or guilty if you only win one soul some months in a difficult country. And the point certainly isn't to get lifted up or self–righteous toward others if you're in a country where it's totally open and receptive and Christian and you're winning souls by the thousands and starting new Bible classes by the dozens.
Everybody is needed! Every method is needed! Missionaries are needed in every land! All that you can do is do your best. You can and should be making progress in each area of the Activated program, but you'll have to pray and seek the Lord, and in some cases counsel with your local CGO board and leadership as well, in order to find that "just balance" which is the Lord's delight, as far as how much you do and how fast or slow you go. (previously unpublished prophecy.)
A related question you might have is whether Family members in sensitive countries are required to use Family-identified lit, such as Activated mags, in order to fulfill the clause about distributing Family publications and products.
This was counseled and prayed about, and the counsel the Lord gave is that in a few sensitive countries the Family can't openly distribute lit with references to the Family for legal reasons. However, even in such countries Homes can always find some way to give out Family lit. In a few instances Family lit may need to be redesigned or modified for such fields, as is already the case in some places. If you're unsure what you should do in your field, please contact your Regional CGO board.
(Jesus:) Every Home should be using Family-created publications and products in their witnessing. The approach and presentation of the tools may vary‚ and that's fine. But they should be using some Family lit. If I show that in certain countries they should modify or change the title or presentation of a publication, or remove the Family web site or other identifying aspects, then the Family in those countries may do so (going through the proper procedure of receiving approval from WS) and be within My will and within the Family standard and criteria.
That is already the case in a number of areas where I have led this way. They are still getting out Family lit—just in a different packaging. It should be required of every Home to get out Family literature in some way. A Home that is just witnessing using their own words, or using the Bible‚ or System Christian publications, is not going to get very far or bear fruit that remains. (End of message.)
God bless and keep you witnessing and bearing fruit for His Kingdom!
For Family Disciple Homes‚ January 2005
(This is a sample of the checklist you will fill out at Home Review, but you do not need to fill out the copy in this GN. You will receive a separate report form for that purpose.)
Notes on how to answer the questions in this section:
*Some of the following questions ask "How often do your Home's members ..." This is referring to how often one or some of your Home's members participate in that activity (such as distributing Activated). Obviously not every member of your Home will be able to participate in these activities frequently, but at least some members of your Home should.
*These questions cover a six–month period‚ which is a long time. Ideally it would be better if you could answer these questions on a monthly basis‚ but doing a monthly review would be a lot of work for you. So you'll need to discuss together as a Home what your general answer for the past six months is, and most importantly‚ what you're doing currently.
*As explained in the criteria, there are certain activities which are essential for any Home to be engaged in regularly in obedience to the Word and in order to be building a well-rounded missionary work. Those were indicated with an asterisk (*) in the criteria. Those same points are listed in this checklist with an asterisk. These questions carry more "weight" in the review than others, and a low score (the two bottom replies in a multiple-choice question or a "no") in any of those questions could result in your Home receiving a failing grade in the CGO pillar overall. However, as explained in the criteria, your review board will take your country into consideration, and Homes in sensitive countries where preaching the Gospel is difficult or limited would be evaluated accordingly; some of the questions are also worded with that in mind.
*There is also a box after each question where you can write an explanation of your answer. Please do use that space to explain any low or "no" answers that you give, as there may be legitimate reasons why you were unable to participate much in that particular activity during the six months, such as prolonged sickness affecting most of your Home, etc. Your comments will also be taken into consideration by the review board. GBY!
r* Distributing the Activated magazine, if available in your local language. How often do your Home's members distribute Activated?
Several times a week
Once a week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Optional explanation:
r* Distributing other Family publications and products. How often do your Home's members distribute Family publications and products other than Activated?
Several times a week
Once a week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Optional explanation:
Possible methods by which to accomplish the distribution of the Activated magazine and other Family publications and products. For informational purposes‚ please check the methods you use (these don't carry any "weight" in your review):
rDistributing the Activated mags en masse.
rDirect sales.
rDisplay marketing.
rWholesale distribution.
rBusking/restaurant singing/shows that include distribution of Family publications or products.
rDistributing posters/tracts on the street or other locations.
rMail ministry or follow-up visits that include distribution/mailing of Family publications or products (i.e., Activated mags).
rCTP ministries which include the distribution of Family publications and products.
r* Personal witnessing, including being an "instant witness." How often do your Home members engage in some form of personal witnessing?
Several times a week
Once a week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Optional explanation:
r* Soul-winning. Are you actively trying to bring people to salvation in a manner corresponding to your field, and how often? (Though it takes longer in some countries than others to actually get people saved.)
Almost daily
Frequently
Occasionally
Not very often
Optional explanation:
r* Signing people up to the Activated magazine, if available in your country. How often are you offering Activated readership (whether via a subscription from the desk or a personal delivery program) to new sheep?
Several times a week
Once a week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Optional explanation:
How many Activated readers do you deliver the magazine to each month in person or via mail?
Approximately how many Activated subscriptions have you sent to your Activated desk in the past six months?
r* Are you teaching the 12 Foundation Stones and/or the 12 Bridges courses, or are you working toward bringing your flock to that level?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
How many 12 Foundation Stones students do you currently have?
How many 12 Foundation Stones students have completed the course in the last six months?
How many 12 Bridges students do you currently have?
How many 12 Bridges students have completed the course in the last six months?
How many General members does your Home currently have?
r* Generally speaking, how often are you following up on each (or the majority) of your Home's Activated readers or General members (besides those who are taking weekly 12FS classes)?
More than once a month
Once a month
Once every three months
Less than once every three months
Optional explanation:
How many Active members does your Home currently have?
r * Generally speaking, how often are you following up on each of your Home's Active members?
Once a week
Once every two weeks
Once a month
Less than once a month
Optional explanation:
r* Are your Home's General and Active members fulfilling the requirements of membership and conducting themselves according to the "General Member Declaration?"
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
How many Missionary members do you have reporting to your Home?
r* Are your Home's Missionary members receiving faithful feeding and shepherding?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
r* Are your Home's Missionary members abiding by the standard outlined in the Missionary Member Statutes, including monthly reporting and fellowship?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
r* Are you actively contributing to and/or bringing your sheep to Activated meetings, Church of Love meetings, retreats, etc., held in your city or area?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
r* Are you actively "reaching the rich" in your city/area, including the middle/upper class and labor leaders?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
Check if you are involved in any of the following ministries:
rWinning disciples and Missionary members, training labor leaders.
rMinistry of miracles (i.e., healing, etc.)
rMail/phone/e-mail/web follow-up
(For informational purposes only:)
Check if you are involved in any of the following ministries:
rCTP ministries
rProvisioning
rMail ministry
rShows and performances (includes puppet shows, clown shows, etc.)
rSeminars
rRadio/TV (getting Family shows on radio/TV)
rAre your main witnesses/follow-up shepherds getting quality Word time and good shepherding?
Almost all of the time
Most of the time
Some of the time
Hardly ever
Optional explanation:
rAre your Home's main teachers and follow-up shepherds familiar with the content‚ structure‚ and goals of the 12 Foundation Stones and the 12 Bridges courses?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rAre you teaching the meat of the Word in your witnessing as appropriate?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rAre you hearing from the Lord for or with those you minister to?
Very often
Regularly
Occasionally
Hardly ever
Optional explanation:
rHow often are you teaching your flock to witness or taking them out witnessing?
Very often
Regularly
Occasionally
Hardly ever
Optional explanation:
rAre you keeping records of your sheep and their feeding and progress in some form, to ensure that you are faithfully and consistently following up on them? [Note: A simple form is available on the Activated section of the MO site that you can use if you wish.]
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rAre your witnesses presentable in dress and appearance, appropriate to your country?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rAre you witnessing in the name of the Family?
All of the time
Most of the time
Some of the time
Hardly ever
If c) or d), please explain:
rAre you introducing your friends, contacts, and supporters to the Family and our teachings at an appropriate time?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rDo you send in testimonies and/or photos of your witnessing activities to your Regional CGO and PR boards, and to WS so they can be published, as much as you are able?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rHow often are your Home's members investing time and making a concerted effort to learn the local language of the field where you live, in order to become one and be effective witnesses? (Check "not applicable" if your Home's members already speak the local language.)
Very often
Regularly
Occasionally
Hardly ever
Not applicable
Optional explanation:
rIf your Home has a CTP ministry‚ are you using it as a means to a greater end‚ such as to minister to people spiritually‚ to cultivate sponsors for your Home's missionary activities, etc?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rDoes your Home read and observe the memos and advisories sent out by your CGO board, local Activated desk and PC?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rIf your Home is engaged in any work with churches or religious groups, have you counseled with your regional CGO board about it?
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
rIn your follow-up ministries and Bible study groups, are you generally sticking to using Family publications, rather than using teaching material from System Christian groups or other System publications? (See ML #3454:8.)
Yes __ No
Optional explanation:
Please feel free to explain anything not covered above that you feel would be helpful for the review board to know regarding your Home's outreach situation:
rAre all of your Home's members meeting the Charter-required minimum of 2 hours per week, or 8 hours per month, of quality witnessing hours outside the Home?
Every month
Almost every month
About half the time
Less than half the time
If not a)‚ please explain why:
If you have anyone in your Home who has received CO exemption from the 2-hour-per-week minimum witnessing requirement‚ please list who and why and for how long. (Exceptions granted will be reviewed yearly.)
rPlease list your average weekly witnessing hours for your Home's members (18 and up) for each of the last six months. Please list your Home average for each month, separated by commas (i.e., October: 12, November: 17, December: 14, January: 19, February: 16, March: 15):
If you have any CO–authorized "service personnel" in your Home who don't count in your average, please list their name(s) and ministry here:
(For informational purposes only:)
rList the approximate percentages of your total income from the following sources
(you can list other significant sources of income in the blank spaces below):
Follow-up and regular supporters (including mail ministry)
Distribution of Family publications and products, including the Activated magazine.
How many people are tithing to your Home?
How many pledgers/monthly/quarterly donors are giving to your Home?
Copyright © 2004 by The Family International
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