Downline

A while back I promised a post on Downline Ministries.  I can't wait to tell you about it.

One of the most important commands in scripture is making disciples for Christ.  It is also one of the areas that seems to be the weakest in "today's church".  Downline ministries seeks to equip today's Christian with tools to be able to disciple others, teaching them about Christ, so that they in turn can go teach someone else, etc.  So it goes "down the line."  Get it?

David and I are participating in their nine-month intesive training program.  We meet every Monday night (6:30-8:30) and Wednesday morning (5:45-7:45) for two hours each time.  Also, there is teaching one Friday a month, with occasional special opportunities through out the year.  The teaching goes through the entire Bible, and also different aspects of discipleship and what it means.   It rotates teaching topics, taught by various teachers, local and national.  There is also a program for young adults/college students which is more intensive.  Many of them come from other places, and live here during the course of the class.  There is also a new on-line program for those who want to participate in this program but do not live where there is a Downline class offerred.  To enhance your learning, to bring comfort to your teaching, Downline provides foreign opportunities to teach around the globe, to all nations.

That's the program in a nutshell.  If you want more info click here.

So, how did we come about doing this?  Our church has had a heavy participation and support of Downline so we had heard about it for a few years.  We had heard how great it was, but the time hadn't been right to bite off that sort of commitment.  Plus, if we could pull of doing it together, the better.  We had also heard what a blessing and benefit it was for couples to do it together.  But we know that is not feasible for most families.  But for this homeschooling, self-employed family, with children who can stay home alone and be trusted, we felt we could make it work.  And we felt God leading us in that direction.  So, we decided the time was right.

Yes, it is a big commitment, for us and for our kids.  But, oh, is it worth it.

Having grown-up in the church, and such a great, Bible teaching church, I have had so many opportunities to hear great teaching.  But, I've never heard it in such a way.  What a unique thing to be able to hear the entire Pentatuch in order, week after week.  Seeing how it ties in together, how it ties in to the New Testament, and learning how to teach it to others.  Oh, so good. 

It makes getting up at 4:30 am worth it.  Getting out of bed is tough, but when we are sitting there listening and learning it is so worth it.

Now, we are waiting to see what God is going to do in our lives with all the stuff we are learning.  We are listening, learning, waiting and praying.