The Discipleship and Equipping Wheel
The Discipleship and Equipping Wheel shows the cycle or process that N.K.s and L.I.T.s go through during the two programs. The following list will help you better understand this cycle:
God and Church:We understand that the church has the responsibility of discipling and equipping th
e saints of God for ministry. We have the “Great Commission,” Jesus’ mandate, in Matthew 28:19-20. Paul also charged the Ephesian church to equip the saints for works of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).
1. Parent or Family Involvement:We understand that parents have clear direction from God to teach their children at home (Deuteronomy 6:1-8). It is not the church’s role to take on this responsibility; it is the parents’. Both N.K. and L.I.T. materials include “Parent Talk,” a helpful tool for parents to teach their child at home how to apply God’s Word to their lives and the lives of their family. It assists parents at home by providing resources that will teach a Christian worldview as well and help children learn spiritual disciplines early in life that will carry them through the tougher years of adolescence and adulthood (Matthew 7:24).
2. Discipleship and Equipping:The church provides trained leaders who reinforce what the N.K.s and L.I.T.s learn at home. They teach spiritual disciplines in their Disciple Group times and allow N.K.s and L.I.T.s to become leaders in the group and church. Research has shown that a positive role model can have lasting impact on the life of a child. Disciple Group leaders go beyond just teaching a lesson to getting involved in a child’s life through weekly phone calls and encouragement.
3. Ministry Involvement:Research has proven that active involvement in leadership opportunities for preteens has significant effect on the life of a preteen and impacts them through their adult life. Participation in the ministries of the church provides children with an identity in the body of Christ. N.K. and L.I.T. challenge children and preteens by giving them opportunities to serve and become leaders in the church.
4. Mission Trip:The L.I.T. Mission Trip each year has become one of the most impactful events in the life of preteens and their families. On the L.I.T. Mission Trip, if planned properly, L.I.T.s are given full reign of the trip and it becomes their trip. They participate in the planning, and they teach, lead worship, counsel, teach crafts, and much more. The goal of L.I.T. is to train and prepare preteens so they are empowered and released to lead out when they arrive at the mission trip location.
5. Discipling Others: As L.I.T.s mature, they are given the opportunity to teach and disciple younger children in Nehemiah Kids. They are required to do their own personal devotionals as well as the N.K. devotionals, then they spend time teaching and discipling the N.K.s on a weekly basis. They are responsible for calling the N.K.s on a weekly basis in order to develop a relationship with them. These L.I.T.s are selected according to the following criteria: they lead a Christ-like life; they are not a discipline problem at home, school, or church; they are teachable and faithful in their personal quiet times.
6. Serving in the Church:The ultimate goal of N.K. and L.I.T. is to prepare children and preteens for ministry within the church. After completing the L.I.T. program, many youth are allowed to serve in their local churches in various ways.
