February 16, 2005
GN 1117 FD/MM/FM / Feast 2005
By the International FED Board
To be done on the afternoon of Day 2 of the Family Feast 2005.
The Home teamwork, in counsel with the Home, should decide on a team of two Home members to lead this workshop; for example, the childcare teamworker plus one parent and/or teacher.
This team should try to take a little time to study this material beforehand, so they have a good understanding of it. Since they will lead this workshop, they will need to be clear on the goal of this session and how to reach this goal.
It would take approximately one hour for this team to read over the material‚ to plan, and be prayed up, so that they can lead the discussions and move them along. This will ensure the success of this workshop.
Please have copies of the following GNs on hand for this workshop:
• The CP/FED Criteria GN (GN 1106)
• "God's Greats," ML #3478 (GN 1065)
The team leaders can appoint a note–taker for this workshop, someone assigned to take notes of the discussion, keep track of the follow-up to-dos, and take note of the deadlines for follow-up P&Ps to be turned in. (Please set realistic deadlines.) This would be the P&P question in the discussion topic(s) you discuss‚ and can be done either in the meeting or afterward.
You may also want to agree on follow-up appointees. These appointees would be one or two Home members who are selected to ensure that the decisions reached are followed through on.
A dictaphone or white board (or blackboard) for notes will be helpful for the discussions and decision-making.
Introductory Prayer and Praise Suggestion
Just prior to the Summit 2003/international board meetings, the Lord revealed that every board has a special spirit helper called a Custodian or Keeper. We've also been given new spiritual helpers in the Letter "God's Greats," which the beginning praise and prayer for this workshop could revolve around:
FED board Custodian
A message in "International Board News 2003" (ML #3476, GN 1063) explains that the Custodians are commissioned to protect, inspire, guide, and help each board in the areas of stretching their faith‚ having tighter unity and communication amongst themselves, and to increase their vision, to help them learn to lean on the power of the keys, and much more.
(From ML #3476:178-182:)
(Jesus:) From the beginning of My creation I have chosen to work in teamwork and unity with My heavenly beings, those whom I have created and formed to help rule over Heaven and Earth. I could have done the job alone, but I have chosen to set an example of working together, so that My children on Earth could benefit and learn from the example of heavenly teamworking.
Let Me introduce you to Herald, the Keeper of the FED board! He is one of My heralding angels, created to be the Custodian of this board. He has no earthly name, so feel at peace to simply call him "Herald." When you refer to Herald, think of a strong, manly Custodian who is at the FED boards' service. Now that he has been revealed, he is at your beck and call.
Herald is created to be of manifold help to the FED board. He is endowed with My love, and you can call on his reservoir of Heaven's love in your interactions with one another. He is My messenger and will aid you with strong drawing power to receive My answers to your many questions. Herald resembles a strong flame that shows you the way to go through the myriad questions and decisions to be made. He is strong and will enable you to discern and work on the majors so that you will see steady progress.
His appearance is that of shining steel. His wings are transparent but mighty‚ and able to encompass you with My protective powers, so that you are safe from the onslaughts of the Enemy and his dark demons. You will see attacks coming and will be very aware of them‚ but you are safe as you call on your Custodian to encompass you. And as you have to press together to be in the circle of his protection, your unity will make you strong, so you can be pillars for My Family children and their educational needs.
Know, My darling brides, that the strength of your board doesn't rest on any particular method, curriculum, or teaching technique. But your strength lies in your unity and teamworking to bring to fruition the solutions I show you. My guardian‚ Herald—Custodian and Keeper of the FED board—is appointed and stands at attention! Call on him, for he is yours, and you will see mighty miracles performed by your board. This goes not only for the international board, but his sphere of influence stretches over the FED boards on all levels. Teamwork with Herald and with one another, and you will gain much insight into My heavenly way of working! (End of message.)
The Illantri
(Spirit helper:) We are the Ilantri. Our commission is to all parents and teachers. Our hearts are infused with the love God feels for each child. It beats within us and we breathe this divine love, care, and skill into those whom we are sent to help.
The struggles of raising and caring for a child are many, and this is why God created us—an elite force of spirit beings: the Ilantri. We are sent to fill your hearts with the inspiration of teaching. We bring ideas. We bring love. We bring practical know-how. We know the hearts of those who teach and those who are taught, for this is our gift, our calling—the purpose for our creation.
In those times when you are faced with the difficult task of caring for your child or teaching another's child, when your inspiration and enthusiasm has run low, when you question your calling in life and when you are discouraged by the struggles and problems, remember that we are here to give you all that you need. Our arms are wrapped tightly about you, filling your heart, body‚ mind, and spirit with the love, help, insight, concern, and skill that you need.
The gifts of our creation are yours for the asking. We know no purpose other than to serve you. This is our design, our reason for existing—to help you. (End of message.) ("God's Greats," ML #3478:113-116, GN 1065).
Our Lover knows of the challenges of raising and teaching a child, so He created the Ilantri to assist us. Praise Him for what the Ilantri help us with!
Billy Bojangles
(Bojangles: ) My portfolio has a dual purpose. I'll help not only you parents and teachers with inspirational ideas on how you can keep a step ahead of your young ones, help you out with ideas on how you can keep your young ones on the upswing, inspired, and motivated‚ but I'll also help the kids. That's my payoff, to help the kids directly, not only by inspiring them, but challenging them to do more—to move forward, to keep at it. I'll help you challenge them‚ and I'll help them too. (ML #3478:133).
Praise our Lord for Bojangles' service to us.
The purpose of this workshop is to help you evaluate the education standard of the children and young people in your Home. The goal is to plan steps to concrete progress and improve in one of the weaker areas within that pillar.
As you evaluate your children and young people's education, please be realistic. The criteria clearly delineate the standard of an FD Home. You're probably reaching many of the criteria points already‚ so give yourself credit where credit is due. You will also have areas of your Home's education standard that need improvement.
The goal of this workshop is
The intent is change and progress.
During this workshop you'll need to discuss and determine the area(s) in your Home that need help, and invest time in praying about and discussing the specific how-tos of improving the weaker area(s). If you feel there are several areas in your Home within the FED pillar that need help, but you only have the time to make improvement plans for one of those areas, please don't feel bad. If you make solid plans and stick to them‚ then progress is guaranteed as you commit to putting these plans into action with the Lord's help.
If you have time to tackle a second area that needs strengthening, then this is good, but it's not necessary to do so. This could be saved for a follow-up meeting, such as upcoming childcare meetings and/or workshops.
Text box:
Key promise
The power of the keys that I have given you will give you the strength to fight and overcome. Remember My promise: "Nothing can stand before the power of the keys of the Kingdom." Through the keys you will have the perseverance to keep going. Call out to Me! Claim the keys, and nothing will hold you back (ML #3478:53).
End of text box.
Let's begin by taking a brief look at the FED criteria topics. We assume you have already studied the FED Criteria GN, so we are just listing the topics here. Then please discuss which are your strong points and which are your weaker areas. Decide together which one topic (or possibly two topics) your Home should concentrate on for this workshop. The workshop should zero in on the area(s) where your education standard needs to be improved rather than your strong points. For example, if you have an excellent early education setup but your teens lack sufficient oversight in their schooling, then you'd do better to choose the teens' schooling as your topic.
FED criteria topics
1. Education of our children 0 through 5 years old
2. Education of our children 6 through 13 years old
3. Education of our teenagers 14 through 17 years old
4. Education of young people 18 years and over
5. Language Study
6. Record-keeping
7. Parents and Teachers
8. Educational Resources and Presentation
9. Education of Children with Special Needs
Read the descriptions of the required standard from the FED Criteria GN on the one (or two) topic(s) you have chosen, so you are all of one mind as to what is expected. (It's not necessary to read the Word basis for the criteria at this point, as you will have done so already. The important thing is to be sure all are familiar with what the required standard is for each topic.)
Use the questions and points that follow to guide you as you discuss the weak area(s) you have decided to focus on. Brainstorm how you're going to strengthen these areas. What mindset changes do you need to make to move forward? What specifics do you have to seek the Lord about to receive His tailor-made instruction for your Home?
Evaluate‚ discuss, brainstorm and ask the Lord how to improve in these areas. You may want to hear from the Lord during your meeting, or you may find it easier to formulate questions for follow–up P&Ps. (Note: If your Home is larger, you may find it helpful to divide into smaller teams or subcommittees for the discussions, and then come back together toward the end of your workshop time to present the subcommittees' results.)
* Please see the CS (Coaching and Shepherding) workshop for a message and key promises about brainstorming.
Draw the net and set concrete goals. Assign times, people, places and deadlines to put into effect what has been discussed and prayed about. For follow-up P&Ps (after you have agreed on a time by which they have been done), arrange a follow-up meeting to share the P&Ps and discuss further steps to be taken as a result of the Lord's counsel.
Text box:
Key promise
The power of the keys will become a personal reality to you as you claim their strength in your fight for change. They will not fail you, as long as you don't fail to avail yourself of their power.
End of text box.
[Important note: Go now to the topic(s) you decided on in the "Evaluate" section above. The other topics will be good to read and discuss at another time, but for this workshop, please zero in on your agreed-upon topic(s).]
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Dear loving Husband, You have asked that we bring the little children to You. We are doing that‚ Jesus, and we ask You to please show us how we can more effectively employ our many early learning materials and techniques in the training of our babies and young children. (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Dear Lord, thank You for Your promise that our children shall be taught of You, and great shall be their peace. What more can we do to meet their educational needs? Is there more we can do to motivate and inspire them in their learning? (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
• Is someone in the Home familiar with the CVC course? Do we have a CVC supervisor? Can we set a goal that at least one person in the Home will read or get a handle on the program so they can help others? (Please contact your FED board if you need help.)
• Have we been able to tap into the possibilities CVC offers, whether the academic side for high school diplomas, or certificates for Christian Studies and Vocational Training?
• Which of us parents or teachers could sign up and get certificates ourselves? (Note: This is a great way to become more familiar with the program.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them‚ and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Dear Jesus, we do earnestly desire that Your young people learn what they should during their schooling time. Are the hours our teens spend on schooling bearing good fruit? Are they getting sufficient education and training? What more can we do to motivate and inspire them? (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss. Young people over the age of 18 are adults, and so will obviously be in this meeting and participating in this discussion. The goals that are set should be ones that they, as well as the Home, have faith for and want to pursue.)
Draw the net: Is this an area in our Home we need to do something about? If so, what can we do about it, what deadlines can we set, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: (To ask the Lord if appropriate.) Dear Jesus, please give me Your counsel about this: Should I work toward a high school diploma and/or do You want me to work on certain courses that would be beneficial for my ministry? I want to learn what You have for me and more about my place in Your service. (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
d). What are the biggest hindrances that hold our children back from speaking their national language or the local language, and how can we overcome these weaknesses? How can we be more persevering?
e) If our children are fluent in the local language, are they progressing in learning English so that they can converse in it, as well as read the Family pubs?
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Dear Love, we know You have commissioned us to go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature. A part of this is to speak the language of the country in which we reside—that is‚ besides English‚ which is our Family language. Sadly, some of us and our children are lacking in speaking the language of our field. Please show us how we can overcome this lack.
There have been a lot of pushes and we all want to learn, but we need Your help to succeed. Please help us to not give up, not to start and then let it fizzle out. What can we do to succeed? Please show us the practical ways to go about this and to stick to it, to not let go of the goal!
We want to be effective witnesses and we want our children to converse confidently in the language of our field. Please show us why it's so difficult to achieve this goal and how we can overcome. This is the era of action and greater miracles! We claim this victory! (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Dear Jesus, it is a sacrifice of our time, and an effort, to diligently keep our children's schooling records. Please show us the importance of faithfulness in this, and anything You have to say that would affect the way we go about it. (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Lord, we are so thankful for our children, and want to do all we can to give them the education they need. What more can we do to provide a situation where the teachers and parents are inspired and have the encouragement, time, and training they need to do the job? (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: Jesus, we know that a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. So we are not desirous of more things for things' sake, but we believe You want us to have what we and our children need for their schooling. Please speak to us specifically about our school needs and how we can go about obtaining them. (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
(Choose one or more of these points to discuss.)
Draw the net: What are the main problem areas? How do we correct the problems? What deadlines can we set for correcting them, and who will be responsible?
P&P question: (Personal question) Dear Love, we know that not one sparrow falls but that You are aware of it. And we certainly know that each one of these children is precious in Your sight. Please speak to me about what my attitude should be toward a child with special needs, and how we as a Home can do better about meeting their needs. (Please feel free to adapt this P&P question to fit your specific need.)
By the International PR Board
To be held on the morning of Day 3 of the Family Feast 2005
The person who will lead this meeting should be sure to read the following workshop plan beforehand to help know what to do and how to lead the meeting. Prayerfully planning ahead will help the meeting flow smoothly and productively. You may want to start the meeting with a couple of appropriate songs along the lines of how the Family has come so far by faith over the past 35 years, then have a short time praising our Husband for His power and protection, thanking Him for how He continues to bring the Family from victory to victory through every seemingly impossible situation. The banner of David keeps marching on. Last of all, have opening prayer together asking the Lord to help everyone get the most possible out of this workshop; and be sure to ask Acumon‚ the PR board custodian (ML #3476:118-120, GN 1063), for his instruction in the strength of humility and the power of truth. We pray that this workshop will be both fun and educational for everyone in your Home as you read and discuss the following:
Welcome to the Public Relations board workshop! We love you and pray that our dearest Love will anoint and strengthen us as your PR board to be a blessing to you, dear Family. We also pray that the Lord will continue to empower you in your wonderful witness to many. When we entered the era of action, the Lord promised that He would cause us to be a mightier witness than ever to the multitudes, causing our light to shine throughout the world. We have much to look forward to!
(Jesus:) The era of action has begun‚ and I'm positioning you, placing each of My brides in strategic positions around the globe. I wish to stretch your faith to limits which not only you have never experienced, but that no other humans who have ever lived have experienced! This is the destiny of the children of David of the Time of the End—to exercise greater faith than the world has ever seen. I want your faith to reach the outer limits! As your need and dependence on Me grows, so does My power within you grow, until you reach the point where My Spirit and power rests fully upon you. Then you truly become a new creature in Me, one who defies all the odds and can do the impossible! (Excerpts from ML #3316:4, 6, 9, GN 920.)
(Jesus:) You have been faithful to preach the Gospel, to get out and witness, to pour forth My message. But now you must also make disciples of all nations. You must win, feed, and cultivate, for in the days and years ahead you will have need of those who can help you do the job. I wish for My Family to grow, and thus you must open your doors wide. You must enlarge the borders of your tent. I wish for this era of action to be an era of growth. (Excerpts from ML #3298:150-151, 153, GN 895.)
Public Relations is ultimately about witnessing and presenting ourselves to the public in such a way as to make it easier for those unfamiliar with us and our doctrines to understand us and relate to us, and accept the unique way the Lord has made us. If we look at it as an integral part of our lives as disciples, it's easy to see the goal, which is to proclaim the Word and be faithful to the message by standing up for all our doctrines with conviction. It helps to keep our vision clear if we remember that the goal in all that we do is to lead others to Jesus, to proclaim His truth, and be a sample of His love.
Thus our workshop will focus on helping us to evaluate ways in which we can grow in the areas of our proactive work and presentation of the Family. This workshop will cover areas such as learning to confidently articulate our doctrines and beliefs, how to become known as a positive force in the local community, becoming one, proactive goals in building a work and promoting the Family, etc.
Our goal as a board is to help us shine our light brightly, as we boldly and wisely proclaim the truths that have been entrusted to us, and stand strong through the keys of conviction to give an answer to any that ask us about the reason for our faith. As we all continue to move together into this new day‚ we pray that the Lord will make us more powerful witnesses and use us as never before to reach others with His truth, as we learn to better explain and teach our doctrines to others and take on the leadership role the Lord has promised we will play in the Endtime.
In discussing and praying about the topics listed below, please bear in mind that the Family is comprised of us as individuals and collectively as our Homes. In effect, each individual and each Home is the face of the Family. As D. L. Moody said, the only Gospel most people will hear is the one bound in shoe leather. Similarly, the only Family most people will ever see is us as individuals or our Homes. Public relations, therefore, is about each of us and our Homes‚ and our witness and sample.
We pray that this workshop will provide you with tools to discuss how to strengthen your proactive work, and be a springboard to help us all to continue to move "forward, ever forward" into all the marvelous victories the Lord has promised us. We love you and look forward to working side by side with you in presenting our wonderful Family to the world!
We will work on four broad areas of public relations: 1) Presenting the Family International and its doctrines, as well as your local work and yourself as a Family member; 2) Becoming known as a positive force in your local community; 3) Proactive goals for your Home to promote the Family and its good works; and 4) Your Home's sample.
Under each topic, you will find two to three assignments, except for topic 4‚ which only has one. From each topic, decide together on one assignment that you feel is most needed by your Home. We suggest that you devote about 30 minutes to each of the four assignments. That would leave 30 minutes for introducing the workshop to the Home and deciding which four assignments you will choose, and another 30 minutes total for prayer and praise at the beginning and end of the workshop. Please try to stick to these time limits so that you are able to cover at least one assignment in each topic, as each topic is important to your Home's public relations. There are optional prophecy questions after each topic, which members of your Home might want to take‚ and which you could compile the answers to and read unitedly at a later date, if you so choose. God bless you!
The Lord has indicated that we are always to be prepared to "give an answer to him that asketh." As such, each Home should elect a person who will be responsible for keeping abreast of the Family statements, persecution preparedness and public relations as passed on by the PR board or WS‚ and help the Home's Steering Council to assess on an ongoing basis that their Home is up to par should it fall under official scrutiny. It is suggested that each Home member should also be prepared to explain all the Family's doctrines and answer local authorities about their work. ("Basic Responsibilities of a Family Discipleship Home," from the updated Charter)
a. Studying the statements.
(Peter:) We all need to be prepared to give an answer to him that asketh us (1Pet.3:15). One of the best ways to prepare is by reading and studying the statements. It's advantageous for all of us to be familiar with the statements, because even if we're not suffering persecution right now, we need to be able to properly answer the questions people ask us when we're out witnessing. (Peter #72:47‚ DB 11.)
• Discuss how familiar your Home members are with the Family's statements.
• Put together a plan regarding studying the statements and learning how to present the Family's work and doctrines, such as:
1. Hold regular debates with questions and answers based on the statements.
2. Devote an hour once a week to studying and discussing the statements together as a Home.
3. Ensure that where available, the statements are being studied in the local language.
b. Being prepared to confidently explain your local work, your personal situation, financing, paperwork, etc.
Act out the following scenario: Appoint one person to be a local official who knocks at your door to make enquiries, and choose some Home members to answer questions such as:
• Who lives here and why are so many people living together?
• Who's in charge and who rents the property?
• What do you do for a living?
• How do you finance yourselves?
• What school do the children attend?
• If there are foreigners in the Home, what are they doing in the country?
Now act out the following scenario: The same official returns, having researched the Family on the Internet, and asks the following questions:
• What is the Family‚ and is it a sect or cult?
• Are you converting people or proselytizing?
• Do you believe in free sex and do you spread that message?
• Are you the COG?
• Is your organization registered in this country? If not, why not?
• Where do you get your finances?
• Why don't your children go to public school? Aren't you depriving your children of a normal upbringing?
*
Prophecy question corresponding with workshop assignment: a.) Ask the Lord to give you a good‚ workable plan and schedule of familiarizing yourselves with and learning the statements, and ideas of how to improve your presentation; or b.) Ask Acumon, the PR board spirit helper, for his advice concerning a simple, clear, concise way to present your local work, your personal situation, your Home's support and financing‚ etc.
(Dad:) The Lord is leading you‚ dear Family, to further strengthen and expand your witness, encouraging you to build the reputation of your local works‚ showing that the Family is a positive force for good in your local community. Build around the new restructured Family; build on how the Family helps and encourages the lives of others; build, so that your good will not be evil spoken of. Face outward to the fields and the harvest. Get out witnessing and winning, being a testimony for good. Get out building your contacts, encouraging your friends, and giving to others. Strengthen your follow-up programs. Build the influence of your work. Set the foundation of your local work on a rock, testifying of the Family. (ML #3420:66-67, GN 1007.)
a. Building a presence in your local community.
This would be carried out keeping in mind the local customs and expectations of the community and the country you live in. Please note that these and other suggestions of local community projects are not an indication that we're encouraging a push for every Home to get involved in time–consuming CTPs. Following up on people and feeding them, building churches and getting out Activated are the Family's main drives. The suggestion of involvement in these part-time local projects is meant only to help your Home build an open and positive presence in your community through limited involvement.
Discuss how to develop this as a Home. Here are a few ideas to get your discussion started:
• Participate in local community, city, or town council meetings, offering to help in needy situations.
• Join in community projects, cleanups, etc.
• Assist local orphanages, shelters, etc., as a show of solidarity with the local community.
• Do benefit performances with your kids at the local fire station, old folks' home, or other public institutions.
• Give donations to local projects, such as books to the local library‚ needed materials to the local public school, etc.
• Form a language club for your local area.
b. "Becoming one."
An important part of our testimony is being able to "become one" with the people to whom we are witnessing, as a sample of love and respect for their culture and customs‚ on mission and western fields alike. Discuss the following points, and rate yourselves on a one-to–five scale, with one being unacceptable and five being excellent:
• Is your Home's dress code and appearance conducive to "reaching the rich" and becoming one, and does it reflect positively on the Family as missionaries?
• Are non-nationals learning the local language?
• Are your national second and third generation members fluent in the local language?
• Do your Home members adopt the traditional dress code where appropriate and needful?
• Is your Home mindful of local holidays, and respectful of local customs?
• Are your Home members generally knowledgeable of the basic history and current affairs of your country (such as elections, name of current leadership, name of political parties, important historical and current events‚ etc.)?
Tally up your score and evaluate your Home along the following general lines:
25 - 30: Excellent
20 - 24: Good
15 - 19: Needs attention
Under 15: Needs serious attention
Bearing in mind your score, discuss ways to remedy the weak points in your Home's sample.
c. Discuss ways in which your Home could further build the reputation of your local work, ensuring that the Family gets the credit for it.
*
Prophecy question: Ask the Lord about specific ways that your Home could grow in becoming known as a positive force in your local community.
Every Home should prepare an album to present their local work, complete with photos, news clippings, letters of recommendation, thank-yous, etc. Presentation albums should be updated regularly. Keep an album or binder of positive materials about our worldwide Family, including summaries of favorable court rulings, positive evaluations by leading academics and prominent individuals‚ outstanding news clips, selected DFO testimony pubs, etc. ("Persecution Tips!—Part One‚" FSM 253 p.1.)
Homes can also contact their PR board concerning what materials, other than documents pertaining to your local work, may be good to have in your album or dossier. This should help avoid the question of what materials to have on hand and the duplication of effort involved with every Home trying to come up with or find these on its own.
When discussing the following points, keep in mind that you are the only Home that many people will ever encounter, so use the discussion to define and then set goals as to how you can improve your presentation in these areas.
a. Critique your Home's PR album and presentation tools. Are they up to date? Do they accurately reflect your current work? Do they promote the Family?
• Discuss practical ways and set deadlines to upgrade your PR presentation by such means as getting newer recommendation or thank-you letters, current photos of your work, CTP documentation, etc.
• Discuss how your Home could further document its good works, so that both your Home and the Family can be credited for these.
b. Critique your presentation of the Family, our history, and controversial doctrines to your friends and ongoing contacts.
• Ask yourselves how each of your friends, contacts and associates would fare if they encountered information regarding our history and doctrines via the media or Internet.
• Plan a future Home Council to map out a concrete plan to progressively introduce your friends and ongoing contacts to the Family's history and controversial doctrines as may be needed.
*
Prophecy question: Ask the Lord for a plan on how to introduce your friends and contacts to the Family's history and the Family's controversial doctrines.
(Peter: ) In order to receive your neighbors or local officials into your Home, you'll need to make sure it is "up to snuff" as far as the physical sample goes. We all need to make sure we're living the standard of the Letters and the [Charter] as much as possible.
The goal is to be ready to invite a visitor to see your whole Home—from the kitchen to the children's rooms to the laundry area, etc. If we are prepared for our friendly contacts and neighbors to tour our Homes, then we'll also be prepared should antagonistic officials arrive at our doorstep. (Peter #72:58-59, DB 11.)
a. Critique your Home's setup and standard, including the following points in your discussion.
• Counsel together about and make a list of the changes or improvements you need to make to get your Home up to a standard appropriate for your local area. Sometimes we get so familiar with our situations that we may not realize that some aspects of our Homes or standard of dress might be offensive or unsightly to outsiders.
• Take a tour of your house room by room and ask yourselves if there's anything about each room that would look substandard to a visitor or that would leave a bad impression with them. Take note as to whether some rooms may need painting or improvement‚ or whether the living conditions are cramped. Is there broken furniture or other items that may need repair or replacing, etc.? Afterwards, brainstorm a list of any needed improvements or procedures to implement to bring the Home up to an appropriate standard, and pray together for the Lord's miraculous supply of any needs, claiming His keys of faith.
*
Prophecy question: Ask the Lord for His leading and confirmation of the list of needed changes you feel you need to make for your Home.
By the International CGO Board
To be held on the afternoon of Day 3 of the Family Feast 2005
(This section should be read beforehand by those who will be leading this meeting during the Feast.)
In this CGO Feast workshop we will be focusing on our obedience and fruitfulness in the CGO pillar within our Homes. This will be a time to set goals for the year and hear from the Lord about those goals and how to reach them.—Goals that will bring your Home closer to building a well–rounded missionary work and enlarging the borders of your tents to bring in the disciples‚ outside members, and supporters that the Lord has waiting for you. Praise the Lord!
The workshop will be broken up into three sections, each of which has an approximate time frame. (The time frame is not hard and fast, simply an estimate of how long it might take, to assist in your planning.)
1. Start with inspiration (15 minutes—three to five songs): Sing songs about witnessing, or songs you would use when witnessing, songs that made the Revolution‚ or songs about love for the lost.
2. Reading (45 minutes): Read pages 17-24 of this GN, which include some brand-new messages from our Husband specifically for this meeting, plus a short compilation of key Word from recent GNs on the Lord's vision for Activated and our expanded Family.
3. Discussion/Hearing from the Lord (1½ hours): For this discussion time‚ you may want to have the GNs "CGO Home Review Criteria for Family Discipleship Homes" (GN 1099/GN 1099a) and "The Family Membership Expands" (GN 1096) available to refer to if questions come up.
• The focus of this discussion is to look at the "four aspects of the Activated program" outlined in the criteria GN (a brief summary is included at the end of this workshop material, page 24), and discuss areas in your Home that you'd like to improve in, in order to be fulfilling your part in each of the main aspects of your outreach. Focus on determining the one or two major goals that you agree are the greatest need. Please plan on discussing the details of these goals, and how to reach them, at your Home's next monthly witnessing meeting (you can start discussing them in this workshop if you have time). You don't need to come up with a long list of goals—it's better to "do few things and do them well" than to set a bunch of unrealistic goals that you can't attain.
(Assign someone to take notes of the conclusions reached in your discussion, so that the decisions made can be posted for all to see. That person can also note down any P&P questions that you formulate or modify from the list on page 16, which can be assigned then or later.)
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(Dad:) Setting goals is really a key to victory‚ because it puts on a believable, attainable level what might otherwise look like an unobtainable victory. If you're having a hard time figuring out how you're going to climb some mountain in your life, then set yourself some goals. Break down the mountain into step-size goals, and then don't worry about reaching the top all in one jump; just take one step at a time! (ML #3160:23; Vol.24)
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• Hear from the Lord in prophecy. You may want to hear from the Lord in prophecy before you discuss and set your goals‚ or you may want to hear from the Lord at the end of the meeting, for a confirmation and further instruction.—Or you might want to do both. This would be up to the person(s) leading the meeting to decide. The important thing is that you give the Lord some time during this meeting to give His general counsel and guidance regarding your Home's outreach.
• Make a list of further questions that you would like to ask the Lord about concerning your outreach (see suggested list below for ideas). These could be assigned to various individuals during the workshop meeting, prayed about privately, and then shared with the Home at upcoming Home witnessing meetings.
Although you will be discussing and outlining the various areas you want to work on and set goals in for the coming year‚ you won't have time to get into an in-depth discussion about how to put each goal into effect, or what you're going to do about each "need work on" area. You will need to reserve that for your upcoming monthly outreach meeting(s). This Feast is a time to step back and look at the big picture of your overall work. Then from there you can continue discussing and praying about how to put "feet" to your goals. Have fun! Expand your horizons! We love you!
Possible P&P questions to assign to Home members as a follow-up to the Feast workshop. You don't need to assign all of these, or use these questions at all. You can come up with your own questions or just use the ones below that you feel are most important to hear from the Lord on at this time. Some of these questions you may want to ask the Lord about later in the year.
• In what ways does our Home need to progress in order to build a well-rounded missionary work?
• Are we doing all we can to promote Activated, through subscriptions and follow-up on our subscribers? If not, what more should we be doing?
• [If you have a group of outside members:] What more should we be doing to feed our members and help them to grow spiritually and/or integrate them more into our Home's work?
• [If you don't have a group of outside members yet:] What steps should we take to start up a group of new members?
• Are we doing enough distribution of Family publications and products (a.k.a. "tools") as a Home? If not, what is holding us back or hindering us from getting them out?
• Is our Home involved in any forms of fundraising or outreach-related ministries that are unfruitful and compromised? If so, what steps should we take to move into full-time witnessing, distribution of Family products, and follow-up?
(These don't all have to be done in the same monthly outreach meeting.)
• Follow up the Feast workshop by discussing and praying about the practical implementation of your agreed-upon outreach goals.
• Look through the Aurora 2005 catalog and your PC's order form to see if you have a good variety of the follow-up products available from your PC and are using them in feeding your sheep and in outreach.
• Have a little "show and tell" led by your Home's outreach teamworker, or someone familiar with the Family products‚ to look over the ones you have on hand. You could even read snippets of them together. Know your "weapons" well!
• This is not a meeting point, but some time in the next couple of months, those involved in outreach and follow-up in the Home, including your Home's CGO criteria monitor, should read over the Introduction to the 12 Foundation Stones, found in the 12 Foundation Stones Class Book (pages iv-xxviii), if they haven't done so already‚ in order to be familiar with the program.
*
(To read unitedly during the CGO Feast workshop: )
Welcome to the CGO Feast workshop meeting! As we answer the Lord's call to greater obedience and dedication, He has promised to pour out His blessings on our witnessing and make us more fruitful than ever before! "The days to come will bring a fresh wind of My Spirit, which will renew, revitalize, and bring to life the testimony of My New Church. … Your light will be seen across the continents, and the heat of your love will be felt over the seas. … You will begin to see the marvelous fulfillment of many promises that you have until now thought were reserved for the very days of the End." (ML #3479:13-14; GN 1067)
To start off, here are some brand–new vision–increasing and stirring messages from Jesus, specifically for this occasion, on a topic very dear to His heart.
(Jesus:) Dear Family, I have some exciting news for you! Phase one of your ultimate mission is accomplished! Good job! You have gone into all the world; you are thoroughly and extensively dispersed. You're not clustered in your home fields‚ but you're scattered abroad‚ taking My message with you everywhere you have gone. For this I greatly congratulate you.
Now, although you have already been doing so to some degree, it is time to turn your full attention to the second portion of the great commission—"and preach the Gospel to every creature." That's what this meeting is all about. Through the tools, instructions, criteria, and guidance that is available to you at this stage of the Family's growth, you are going to do a better job of preaching the Gospel than you have ever done in your history.
First I had to shoot you all over the world‚ and for a while many of you bounced around like pinballs going here, going there, finding your place where you could best serve Me. Now I have established you, and have led most of you to find your team, find your field, and get down to the hard but rewarding work of reaping that harvest, which includes building a strong base from which to reap—your Home.
Because I always provide where I guide, I have provided you with leadership and counsel from your queen and king, as well as the structure, manpower‚ and tools wherewith to reap this harvest. Don't ignore the wealth of material that is at your disposal, and in particular don't neglect the follow-up programs and teaching courses (the 12 Foundation Stones and 12 Bridges) just because at first glance they seem complicated, complex, long, laborious, or because of any other misguided opinions. These things are in fact stronger, sharper, faster tools for you to use to reap the harvest. You cannot afford to ignore them a day longer.
These tools will enable you to fulfill your mission and bear the most fruit that you can possibly bear. This is why it's important that you follow the instruction in the Word, focusing on the CGO board criteria, familiarize yourself with the methods outlined‚ implement the recommendations and get accustomed to using the new tools for the new job. And what is the new job? The new job is not just bearing fruit‚ but bearing lasting fruit that remains. It's building a work that is strong and expanding, as the people you reach become stronger in faith and in turn reach many more who reach many more.
It's the ultimate "Change the World" vision. Imagine the delighted surprise of that old French shepherd if halfway through his planting, the oldest trees he planted had begun to get the vision themselves and if they would have literally plucked nuts and seeds from their own branches and had begun consciously flinging them in great abundance into unseeded earth. His forest spread and propagated itself as it was, through natural means, but imagine how much faster his forest would have spread if each tree, once it had reached a certain maturity‚ had begun to deliberately sow its own seed far and wide. Southern France would be an impassable forest of growth by this time!
That's what My plan is for you through follow-up and the Activated program. Each seed you sow will grow into another sower of seed‚ thus creating a massive rainforest of souls—a jungle for My glory. But to reap in new ways you must learn the new methods. Whether you've been a reaper for three months, three years, or 30 years, there's always more to learn. Don't ever let yourself get closed off to how I want you to do things now because of how you used to do them.
Are any of you satisfied with what you've accomplished thus far? Do any of you feel like you have changed enough of the world that now I can call you Home? Do any of you feel that you could stand before Me and say that you've done enough and that now you can take it easy? No! I know that all of you see the need and are praying that I, the Lord of the Harvest, will provide more laborers so that you can reap many more acres of good grain before the final storm.
I won't always drop those new laborers into your laps. I'm telling you that those new laborers, that fruit that remains, is out there in the fields. But to get it, you've got to go reap‚ and you can't go reaping "business as usual"—you must change your whole mindset. You must look at things differently and change your approach in many cases. This might sound hard, but the good news is that I've provided the platform for you. You have the message in the Word, you have the methods‚ you have the tools in all the new GP pubs that have come out over the last years, you have the courses with the 12 Foundation Stones and 12 Bridges, you have the structure with the new membership categories, and you have the vision and inspiration from the Word!
It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful‚ and if you all are applying yourself to faithfully studying and implementing what the Word has to say about Activated, follow-up, sowing the seed, and reaping the harvest, you will be found faithful. You will be faithful husbandmen who are doing their utmost to bring in sheaves of good‚ lasting fruit. You will not be lacking in My sight, and you will be fulfilling not just phase one of the great commission, but the entire job, thus paving the way for the End to come.
(Jesus:) You stand now at the threshold of a new beginning, a new day, with your restructured Family and Homes, with your vision defined, with your sharpened scythe in hand, ready to reap the harvest in earnest.
It's not that you haven't already been reaping the harvest—you have! You have done a wonderful job of gathering up the harvest and bundling the sheaves together. Countless thousands, yea, millions, have been touched by your sacrifice of love. You have obeyed My commission and you have gone into all the world and preached the Gospel. You have fulfilled My longing with each of My lost sheep that has been brought safely into the fold.
But it's not over yet, My loves! Now the harvest must be gathered into the barns before the storm hits. Your work must be consolidated. While you continue to reach out to bring My love to the millions who do not know Me yet, or who do not know Me as their personal Friend and Savior, there are those whom you have begun reaching‚ whom you have led to Me‚ that need to be brought into shelter while there is still time. They need to be nurtured and cared for, taught and trained, so that in turn you will have an even bigger force wherewith to finish the job and spread My message to every corner of the world‚ thus fulfilling this sign of the End and hastening My return.
I know it might seem that you have to do double duty now, but as your workforce grows in numbers and strength through your local church being established‚ you will see your work blossom in ways you never dreamed possible, through these whom you've trained going on to reach their own people, or heading off to new lands to conquer hearts for My glory. It will be worth all the time and effort—all the blood, sweat, and tears of your life poured out on the altar of sacrifice. For what other reason is there to exist on this Earth than to fulfill your great commission?
Many of you have banded into stronger and bigger teams, and I challenge you to use these new teams and make them winning teams for My glory—teams that will really win the world in the most effective and fruitful way, teams that won't hold back, teams that are willing to branch out and try new things, teams that are not afraid to stand up for the truth and preach the Word that I've given you, teams that are set on a hill and cannot be hid. Each member of your team plays a part; each one is part of the whole. Each one should in some way be involved in reaping the harvest together.
I have promised much for the Family's future—many beautiful and wonderful promises are yours for the taking. I just need your vessels to work through to fulfill these promises. I need your hands‚ your eyes, your ears, your feet, your heart to reach out to the lost around you, and to reach out to your new brethren‚ your new fold, to bring them in and let them become a part of you, a part of your lives and Homes. Even if they can't live with you full–time, they need to feel that they are part of you, and they need to be involved in a fruitful work that is changing lives and hearts.
So let them into your hearts, into your Homes, into your witnessing ventures. Let them see your sample in action. They will follow, and the ripple effect will never end. Each life that is touched through My love affects another life, and another, and on and on the ripple effect goes.
So do not belittle the day to day—what may sometimes appear to be routine and mundane in your outreach, in your classes, in your feeding. As you keep plugging away, the harvest is steadily being reaped, the sheaves are being gathered in, and My heart's desire is being fulfilled. The ripple effect will go on and on into eternity, not only blessing other lives, but blessing yours as a result, as you reap the rewards of your labor—forever!
Go forth, bearing the precious seeds of My Word, and you will doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you. (End of messages.)
As you can see, the main thing the Lord is asking the Family to focus on in this coming year in regards to our witnessing is making forward progress in building a local work and establishing a church of believers.
This will be a year of enlarging the borders of our tents and bringing them in! It's time to focus on putting all of the counsel from years past about Activated‚ feeding the sheep, and building a local church, into practice.
In another prophecy about the goals within the CGO pillar this year, the Lord said: "The Activated program is ongoing with a new feeding magazine coming out every month; the Family has created a large store of new GP products that are ideal for meeting and feeding new sheep; the 12 Foundation Stones is out and the 12 Bridges is being worked on; Homes will be larger and therefore better able to care for their sheep; I have given the plan and structure for the winning, training, and feeding of your outside members. So everything is there: the plan, the materials, the vision. All that is needed is the obedience, and then I will give the results!"
This workshop will be a time to take a look at your Home and work overall and see how you're faring in regards to the "four aspects of the Activated program," as spelled out in the "CGO Home Review Criteria" (GN 1099).
Following you'll find a compilation of some of the key passages that have been published in the GNs over the past few years, giving the vision of what Activated means, and what the Lord is expecting us to accomplish.
(Jesus:) The Activated program is My vision for the future. It is a feeding program, a follow-up program, a work-building program. It's the future-of-the-Family program. I can't emphasize this enough. Activated is the future. (ML #3308:20; GN 908)
(Jesus:) Activated isn't just a new ministry or way to get out My message. It isn't just the latest fad or distribution tool. Activated is a lifestyle! It's the lifestyle of feeding the sheep and bringing them into the folds.
This is a new day, and Activated is the new way for this new day! You can't be fully in My will as a missionary on the field if you aren't pushing Activated as much as you can. Fruit that remains is very important, because that's the kind of fruit that will help you bear more fruit. That's what Activated does; it feeds those who can and will become disciples, friends, supporters and protectors, and who will help others do the same. (ML #3460:13-14; GN 1045)
• An overall vision and thrust within My Family to follow up, feed, teach and train the souls I bring [you] into contact with on a daily basis.
• A program for feeding‚ follow–up, and building a work.
• A witnessing explosion.
• Activated magazine promotion.
• Follow-up.
• Training disciples—live–ins and live-outs.
• Widening our base of Family membership to build a bigger church of believers.
• Being teachers to all nations.
• Not limited to only the monthly magazine—that's just the first step. It includes personal follow-up in a major way.
• [Also] reaching the rich, winning new disciples, and cultivating Active members.
• The beginning step is the Activated magazine, but the ultimate goal is to bring all these dear ones into your fold.
• For the purpose of broadening your borders and enlarging your tents, expanding the Family. ("CGO Home Review Criteria," GN 1099)
(Jesus: ) The time has come for you to consolidate the gains you have made. … 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. (ML #3308:21-23; GN 908)
(Jesus:) ...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 [outlined in the CGO board criteria and the GN "Family Membership Expands"]. 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. ("CGO Home Review Criteria," GN 1099)
(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.
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! (ML #3462:191-193,195,197‚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? (ML #3400:71-72; GN 992)
(Jesus:) After the Family has tried and proven their faith in this new anointing, and shown their willingness to believe and accept it and put Me to the test, then the new battlefield will come more into focus. That battlefield is the hearts and minds of men. That battlefield is the winning of new laborers‚ the harvesting of entire fields for My glory. That battlefield is the training of new leaders and ministering to multitudes with My Word.
The battlefield and the action of which I speak in this new day is outside your courts, outside your Homes, in the hearts and lives of those in need, the lost, the destitute, the poor and needy. One of the greatest fruits of this new anointing for this new era of greater works will be a tremendous outpouring of love and vision for those you have yet to reach and teach and win. You will turn your eyes from within your ranks and Homes‚ and you will look to those who have not heard. No longer will the Family focus so much attention and time solely on each other, but they will focus on those who have more desperate needs. They will bury themselves in ministering to the multitudes who need Me and My Words. They will feel within themselves a passion that will push them out the door to seek out and save the lost.
So many laborers will come to your gates and join your fold! You see the humble beginnings of the Activated program, but you have no idea what is to come of it. Your vision is minute compared to what I know will blossom from these humble beginnings.
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.
The action I speak of in the days of action is outward ministering‚ outward teaching, and outward caring for the needy. The children of David will finally return to their roots, to the basics, and they will find the joy and satisfaction that has escaped them. (ML #3298:100-102,118–119; GN 895)
(Jesus:) I have given you the Activated vision for the purpose of spreading the teachings I have given to the children of David. I have given you the Activated vision for the purpose of broadening your borders and enlarging your tents, expanding the Family. And I have given you the Activated plan and vision because My sheep are sick; they are dying in the fields without the Words of life and power and strength, without shepherds to show them the way. To whom will these go if you‚ My brides‚ do not reach out to save them in this dark hour when so many are in need? I have given you the Activated vision because the world needs to hear My message and those who will follow need to be taught and instructed in how to live. I have given you the Activated vision to pave the way for My Kingdom on Earth; it is the foundation of what is to come.
I have given you the Activated plan and vision, for now is the hour! The time has come when you must reach out, when you must gather them in before the night falls, before it is too late.
Yes, I have given you what would seem to be strange truths, strong doctrine, or radical beliefs to those who oppose the truth of God. But many in the world yearn for the Words of life that I have given to you, My Family. Never has the world seen such trying days as mankind now faces. I tell you, the world is ready and needy. Just as it was when I came in the flesh, so is it now: There are those who hunger and die without the light, without the Words of life, without shepherds to show them the way.
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.
I have called you, instructed you‚ prepared you, taught you‚ and trained you. Now it is time for you in turn to forge ahead with the Activated vision to win and teach and train more disciples. This is your day and it is their day—the day for those you will win to shine. You are a city full of My light and love, a city which I place high on a hill for all the world to see. It cannot be hid.
You have nothing to fear, for I have put the keys to the Kingdom in your hands. I have given you the power to rise above all impossibilities, just as My Father did for Me. Now it is your time to shine and to demonstrate this power. You have nothing to fear, dear loves. Go in faith, believing, making disciples of all nations, and claiming My promises, for all that I have said will come to pass as you walk on in faith. I will lead, protect, and guide you. (ML #3348:64-66‚68,70-71; GN 943)
(Jesus:) You have been preparing for years to expand the Family and enlarge your borders, and now the time has come to do so in full force! You've been moving in the right direction already, but now the time has come for more solid, concrete steps of progress and growth in your expansion. I've revealed the plan, I've shown you how it should be done, and now is the time to do it!
I call on each member of the Family, at every level, to heed the call that I am making now to reap the harvest in a greater way than ever before! It's your day. It's your time to shine as lights in the midst of gross darkness. It's your time to not only let your light shine before men, but to bring in others to bask in your light, to become lights themselves, so that many others might also be brought into the light thereby.
I am now strengthening, cleansing, and restructuring the Family, making the standard clearer‚ causing each of you to make serious choices and causing your commitments to be firmer and surer, and all of this is toward the purpose of your fulfilling your ministry and calling for Me. And what is that calling? That calling is to spread the message of David, the special truth which I have blessed the Family with. That calling is to go and make disciples of all nations, to spread the words and spirit of David, and to teach and train others—those who can help you do more than you could ever do and go farther than you could ever go if you kept trying to do the job on your own with only your full-time Family members.
It's a time for change! I'm enacting change and revolution in every sphere of the Family's lifestyle and structure, and this vision of expanded Family membership is an important part of that change. It is an important part of the restructuring, renewing‚ and preservation of the Family. I have a special calling and place for each Family member, each Family Home, and I want to help each one to find the perfect place for them. There is a place for everyone in My wonderful Family.
The Family has always been ordained and instructed to reach and train labor leaders—to teach others to teach others. Your Father David said long ago that your main calling as a movement was not merely to "preach the Gospel" but to train leaders. It is your destiny to be the leaders of the Christian world in the Endtime. It is the destiny of Family disciples to be examples to the world, not only of Biblical truths, but of the full and radical truths of the Words of David. It is the destiny of all Family members to be proponents and propagators of these truths‚ to share these words, to teach others these words, to whatever degree you are able. That is Family expansion‚ and that is what I seek.
I seek for every Family member to be teaching, giving, sharing, pouring out, and teaching and training another to carry on. I seek to establish a clear‚ organized, and efficient method by which you can carry out this training and multiply your membership. I'm giving the plan, and I'm putting it into your hands to carry out. It will be challenging‚ it will sometimes be difficult, it will cause you to stretch your faith and it will require faith and obedience, but everyone who has the will and desire to be a part of this revolution can be.
Will you heed the call? Will you join in this great endeavor? I need you!—I need all of you Family members, and I need to have more Family members, to get the job done and reach the world with the Words of David. (ML #3507:10-16; GN 1096)
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.
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].
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 [take them through the 12 Foundation Stones course] 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 above four stages or aspects are the general course of events. ("CGO Home Review Criteria," GN 1099)
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This concludes the section to be read during the CGO workshop. Next would come your time of discussion and hearing from the Lord as explained in the workshop outline.
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Copyright © 2005 by The Family International.
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