About Us: The Principle of 12
The Vision of Multiplication
When Jesus left the earth, he also left us with the Great
Commission (Matt 28:18), to go and make disciples of all
nations. How can we do this? Jesus showed us the way. By
one leader taking a group of 12 men or women as Jesus did and
loving them, believing in them and developing them in character until there are evident signs of spiritual health. This way multiplication takes place - and only through multiplication, not addition, will we see our cities and world saved for Jesus.
The number twelve is the number of government in the Scriptures. At creation, God established 12 months to govern each year. Each day is governed by two twelve hour periods. To govern Israel, God established twelve tribes. David organized his kingdom around multiples of twelve. Solomon appointed twelve governors. And Jesus selected twelve disciples to reach the multitudes. He stayed with them, personally trained them, and empowered them to disciple nations.
There are four basics of our vision and these are based on the great commission of Matthew 28:19 to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations". The four basics of the Principle of 12 vision are to win souls, connect them in the body, train them and empower them by sending them out with a blessing. This was the great commission that Jesus left us and we will be obedient servants in Auckland, New Zealand and to the ends of the earth as part of the global harvest of souls.
1. Win
The heart of God beats for souls and winning is seeing these souls get saved. It is up to us to respond to this desire of God's heart. That is why the Lord has commissioned all believers to win souls and make disciples. Souls are won through personal evangelism, church services and cell groups. Cells can be defined as "groups of people who meet together at least once a week, focusing on the Word of God, with the purpose of development and growth." Cells are places where non-believers can come and hear the Word of God and be won for Christ.
2. Connect - The Journey
Once a person has been saved they need to be connected into a family - to feel and know that they are loved, accepted and wanted. Connecting is the care that must be given to a new believer until the character of Christ is formed in them. By immediately building friendships with new believers through the cell groups you will connect them in and be able to begin to disciple them on the Journey.
We use a three-step process called The Journey to help all new believers get connected to our church and the body of Christ. Each Phase of this Journey is centered on the cross. Phase 1 is The Journey to the Cross which is 4 classes about the new believer's relationship with God. Phase 2 is The Journey through the Cross which is an 'Encounter with God' weekend away. At this weekend, the believer has an 'Encounter with God' through teachings on inner healing, deliverance, the fire of the Holy Spirit and the vision of the church. Phase 3 is The Journey with the Cross which is a seven-week new believer's class after the Encounter Weekend.
3. Train - The Discovery
The third step is also about forming character but through teaching and discipline. After completing the connecting process, the new disciple enters The Discovery classes for Leaders, which consists of three ten-week trimesters of study. During the second trimester, the students will open their own cells, if they are ready, but will also continue meeting in their original cells, which now become their leadership groups. This step of the vision brings Christians to a new level of commitment to prepare them to serve as faithful leaders in the church.
Discovery Term 1 is themed "Finding the Rock." It focuses on developing a firm foundation for the student's life and family.
Discovery Term 2 is themed "Staying the Course." It launches the student into a lifestyle of compassion and conquest in the vision.
Discovery Term 3 is themed "Reaching the Summit." It assists the student in developing solid principles of leadership for a lifetime of fruitfulness.
4. Send
- The Principle of 12
The last step of the vision is the exciting step of laying hands on faithful men and women and releasing them as examples of mature Christians that have proved themselves and are now ready to mentor others. As the disciple progresses through The Discovery classes for Leaders, he or she opens their own cell after the second trimester and begins to develop their twelve, taking them through each step of the vision: winning them, connecting them, training them, and eventually sending them "to make disciples of all nations."
In the words of Dr. Robert Coleman, the author of The Master Plan of Evangelism, Jesus never neglected the multitudes; however, he did concentrate the majority of his time and effort on building his 12. Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we believe that the best way to reach the multitudes in the harvest is by discipling 12 people and then sending them out to do the same until everyone has heard the gospel.