Everyone An Equipper, Everyone Equipped

There are a few principles that are crucial to discipleship. I have carefully crafted our TOUCH equipping track to apply them:

THERE ARE THREE LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

In 1 John 2:12-13 we are given the three stages of spiritual growth:
* The "Little Child" knows two things: "I have a Papa and my sins are forgiven."
* The "Young Person" knows one more thing: "I know the enemy and how to overcome his power."
* The "Father" knows two more things: "I have an intimate knowledge of God and how He works and I have sired a child."

This makes clear there is a path for each person to be equipped while equipping someone else. Who is better suited to mentor the "Little Child" than someone who knows how to "overcome the evil one?"
Who is better suited to care for the "Little Child" and the "Young Person" than the "Father" who led them to Christ? The discipling of all believers is the task of all believers! By forming "'Basic Communities" of these three persons, you have automatic discipling.

The most important issue in discipling is to help each Christian to become a discipler. I have just visited Santarem, Brazil where the PAZ cell church has over 53,000 people in cell groups. Every cell group is formed from disciplers discipling disciples.

Abe Huber calls these "MDA's." He writes,
"Model of Discipleship means 'Apostolic Microcell of Discipleship.' Thus, MDA, in terms of its appearance, is a "microcell" referring to the individual care that all members receive in the Body of Christ, the church. It is personalized, individual, where every Christian has someone who accompanies him as a mentor, helping him grow in Christian life and service to God. As a "model," the MDA includes the entire structure: pastoral, evangelistic, missionary, apostolic, prophetic and teaching of the church. It is how the church exists and operates." - O PURÊ DE BATATAS

I have pressed Abe to get his materials translated into English from Portuguese. The world needs the truths God has given him! I believe the MDA concept is anointed and must be expounded by him for use beyond the PAZ ministry.

Meanwhile, while we wait, I have taught this form of mentoring for 30 years! I have built this into all of my equipping track materials. www.touchusa.org
Leaders are developed at this grass roots level. When the "Young Person" mentors the "Little Child" a leader is being formed. As Abe said to me, "Who is better to supervise this than the "Father" who won the "Child" and mentored the "Young Person?"

Your thoughts?