Institute for Training In Ministry
Your Ministry
at Home
Maryann Samms
and
Cathy Doguiles
This 12 lesson study course provides practical principles in how to establish and maintain a truly Christian home. It is designed for use with small groups and is part of the Church Ministry track of iTIM.
© 2016 by Discipleship Overseas, Inc.
To purchase copies of this book, or its Leader’s Guide,
log on to:
TrainingInMinistry.com
Locate the title, then click on:
Introducing
iTIM
The Institute for Training In Ministry (iTIM) is a church-based program to help pastors “equip the saints for the work of ministry”. The iTIM curriculum begins with, a basic discipleship course, Christianity 101, and builds from there, including the training of pastors.
Each iTIM course has a related practicum. These ministry assignments help assure that learning results in ministry—“for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12)
Your possession of this iTIM book is an indicator that God may be calling you to serve our Lord. Jesus’ commission to his followers is simply: “make disciples”. Disciples are learners—who learn from him, do his bidding, and make more disciples.
How iTIM Started. The Institute for Training In Ministry was begun with a vision on the part of missionary educators Bob and Maryann Samms. They returned from the Philippines in 1979 with a vision to help churches equip people for ministry. As God blessed, courses were developed, tested, and first used in the Denver area.
iTIM now has a fuller vision—to make this ministry available to every church, in every country of the world. We believe that every church needs iTIM.
Denominations can adapt the course content, design their own covers, and print their own iTIM courses. Email admin@traininginministrycom for details.
About the Authors. Maryann Samms and Cathy Doguiles are both active wives and mothers, although Maryann's five children are now grown. Cathy was born in the Philippines, but has spent most of her life in the U.S. Maryann served in the Philippines for twenty years as a missionary educator, especially focused on children's ministry.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Table
of Contents
For Study Leaders 4
The iTIM Curriculum 5
Weekly Devotional Readings 8
1 Foundation of the Home 9
2 Two Becoming One 15
3 Two Kinds of Forgiveness 23
4 Strength In Communication 29
5 Rhythm and Time 35
6 Direct Your Money 42
7 When Two Become Three or More 50
8 Sex After Children, Oh My! 57
9 Basic Training of Your Children 63
10 Family Togetherness 70
11 Family Nutrition 78
12 Family to Families 85
For Study Leaders
Jesus’ last Great Commission was: “make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20). Every iTIM course will help you do this.
First, log on to TrainingInMinistry.com to obtain a copy of the iTIM Operations Manual. This Manual contains sections on:
· Discovering iTIM
· The iTIM Ministry Tracks
· Preparing Your Church for iTIM
· How to Implement Your iTIM
Next, purchase copies of the iTIM course you plan to start with from the website: traininginministry.com. We recommend begin with the discipling course, Christianity 101, and its Leader’s Guide.
Educational Philosophy
Every iTIM course incorporates a head, heart, and hands approach to learning. Head represents content to be learned, heart the application of this truth to one’s own life, and hands, involvement in ministry through using the course content.
Time Commitment
As the Group Study Leader, you need to carefully: 1) Prepare the workbook lesson—as thoroughly as you want your learners to prepare theirs. 2) Read the Leader’s Guide and mark questions you want to ask during the group sessions.
The Weekly Group Meeting
This 60-90 minute weekly meeting should feature a discussion of the lesson. The Leader’s Guide focuses on integrative and application type questions. It should consist of an hour of interaction with the lesson, as well as time for prayer and group fellowship.
Ministry Involvement
This iTIM course-related ministry opportunity should be appropriate to the gifts and ministry experiences of each learner, resulting in their growth; and the “building up” of the Body of Christ.
The iTIM
Curriculum
The Institute for Training In Ministry will enable you to “equip the saints for the work of ministry and so build up the body of Christ.” iTIM courses are organized under 5 ministry tracks.
To purchase these courses and their Leader’s Guides, log on to TrainingInMinistry.com; select the track, then the course. We recommend that you start with Track 1 courses.
Discipleship Track
Christianity 101 is designed to disciple new Christians, either in small groups, or one-to-one. Outcome: Learners will lead another person through this course.
A Panorama of the Bible features easy-to-remember visuals for each of the 12 Bible periods. Learners will thrill to find that they can remember the major themes of Bible content and message. Outcome: Learners will satisfactorily pass the Panorama final exam, and, as God gives opportunities, share this course with others
Learning to Serve: Jesus As Role Model teaches the servant life-style of Jesus in many ministry related contexts, and helps learners put this into practice in their ministry. Outcome: Learners will be given a ministry role wherein they demonstrate the servant-leader style of Jesus.
Church Ministry Track
The Church Ministry track consists of the Discipleship Track courses, plus any three of the following courses:
Welcome to Your Ministry teaches the important truth that God has called and gifted all believers for ministry and challenges them to get involved in some basic ministries in the church. Outcome: Learners will commit to getting additional training for ministry, and getting involved in it.
How To Discover Your Spiritual Gifts will provide believers with a better understanding of which spiritual gifts they may have, and how to use their gifts in service for Christ. Outcome: A short-term assignment will be given, wherein learners use one of their gifts in an approved ministry.
Your Ministry of Prayer studies prayer in Scripture, and will help learners become involved in a significant ministry of prayer. Outcome: Participants will commit to a ministry of prayer as suggested in the course content.
Outreach as a Life-style will train lay people to develop friendships with people, leading to sharing Christ with them. Outcome: Learners will practice this personal evangelism approach in their lives of sharing their faith.
Your Ministry at Home provides practical principles in how to establish and maintain a truly Christian home. Outcome: Learners are expected to apply what they’ve learned in their own homes, and be consistent in reading the Bible each day, expecting to meet with God in a personal way.
Touching Tomorrow By Teaching Children is a superb tool to train more workers to serve in the exciting ministry of teaching children. Outcome: Teaming up with an experienced teacher as an assistant for one quarter or more.
Christianity in the Workplace relates faith to practical and ethical issues on the job. Its focus is how to be like Christ in the work world. Outcome: Learners will apply these biblical principles to their areas of work.
Church Leadership Track
The Church Leadership track consists of the three Discipleship Track courses, plus the following courses.
Truth That Transforms will provide learners with a solid foundation in the major doctrines of Scripture, with an emphasis on practical applications. Outcome: Learners will, with the aid of the Leader’s Guide, lead another individual, or group of people through this course.
Equipping for Leadership will encourage, equip, and train Christian men and women for increased effectiveness in leadership. Outcome: learners will demonstrate the skills taught in this course in an assigned ministry position.
Bible Teaching Track
The Bible Teaching track consists of the three Discipleship Track courses, the Church Leadership Track courses, plus the following courses.
A Survey of the New Testament is a 24-lesson N.T. survey. It includes outlines of each book, background information, and questions for individual study. Outcome: Learners will be able to lead Bible studies in any New Testament book.
A Survey of the Old Testament (24 lessons) includes background information, the main idea of each book, an outline of each book, and questions of practical and spiritual value. Outcome: Learners will learn how Old Testament books relate to the New Testament, and will be enabled to lead Bible studies in Old Testament books.
How to Study the Bible (24 lessons) will give students an in-depth exposure to the inductive method of Bible study and help them develop their own outlines for leading Bible studies. Outcome: Based on their study, learners will lead 10 Bible studies in the book of Ephesians.
Pastoral Track
The Pastoral Track consists of the three Discipleship Track courses, all courses in the Bible Teaching Track, plus the following courses:
Preparing to Preach teaches and illustrates the basic elements of the sermon, and helps learners develop, and preach, their own sermon from each of these three types. Outcome: Learners will complete three sermon outlines, and preach one sermon from each: topical, textual, and expository.
A Panorama of Christian History provides a “big picture” view of the Church from the 1st through the 20th century. It also emphasizes practical lessons we can apply to our own ministry. Outcome: Learners will teach this course in another context.
Contending For The Faith is a course on Christian apologetics, which will equip learners to defend and share their faith, especially among intellectual unbelievers. Outcome: Learners will engage in a ministry of defending and sharing their faith.
Weekly Devotional Readings
for Your Ministry at Home
The following devotional readings correlate with the 12 lessons in this course, and give additional perspective on your role in the home. You are encouraged to take a few minutes daily, to write your response to God as you meditate on these Scriptures:
Week 1: Deuteronomy 8:114; Joshua 1:19; Psalm 119:97112; Lamentations 3:1940; Matthew 4:111; Philippians 4:48; Hebrews 4:1216.
Week 2: Genesis 2:1525; Psalm 113:19; Psalm 127:15; Proverbs 12:4; 18:22; 21:131; Ephesians 5:2133; Titus 2:115; 1 Pet. 3:112.
Week 3: Matthew 6:515; Matthew 18:2135; Mark 11:2026; Colossians 3:1214; Luke 6:2742; 11 Cor. 2:511; Ephesians 4:1732; James chapter 4.
Week 4: Proverbs 15:133; Proverbs 16:1328; Proverbs 17:128; Proverbs 18:824; Matthew 5:3348; Col. 3:1517; 4:26; James 1:26; 3:118.
Week 5: Deut. 32:112; Psalm 25:122; Psalm 48:114; Psalm 139:124; Psalm 143:112; Proverbs 16:19; Luke 14:2835.
Week 6: Malachi 3:618; Mark 10:1731; Luke 6:1738; Luke 12:2246; Luke 21:14; 11 Corinthians 8:124; 11 Corinthians 9:115.
Week 7: Psalm 128:16; Genesis 49:128; 1 Corinthians 13:113; Luke 15:1131; Hebrews 12:415; 1 Thessalonians 2:712; 11 Corinthians 12:14, 15; 13:510.
Week 8: Proverbs 5:123; Song of Solomon 1:117; Song of Solomon 2:117; Song of Solomon 5:116; Song of Solomon 7:113; Song of Solomon 8:114; 1 Timothy 3:111; 5:915.
Week 9: Deuteronomy 4:114; Deuteronomy 6:125; Proverbs 23:1226; Isaiah 44:15; Mark 9:3337; 10:1316; 11 Timothy 1:314; Colossians 3:121.
Week 10: Psalm 84; Psalm 90; Psalm 92; Psalm 96; Psalm 100; Psalm 101; Psalm 103.
Week 11: James 1:118; James 1:192:13; James 2:1426; James; 3:118; James 4:112; James 4:135:6; James 5:720.
Week 12: Genesis 18:1-19; Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 10:22-48; Romans 12:1-21; Hebrews 13:1-21; 1 Peter 4:1-11; Revelation 19:1-10.
Lesson 1
The Foundation
of the Home
The Harrington’s house was one of the finest in the neighborhood, but five years after they moved in, cracks began to appear throughout the structure. The builder had made an unfortunate mistake—he had laid the foundation over soil containing bentonite, a type of clay soil that swells when it becomes wet. It is distressing enough to see a fine home damaged in this way, but far more shocking to see an outstanding Christian family fall apart before your eyes. In sad disbelief we murmur, “They were such fine Christians. No one was more generous to the church than they. They had an outstanding witness in the community. How could it ever have happened?”
Clem Guillermo, Pastor and Marriage Counselor from the Philippines, describes how broken marriages happen in a subtle way over long periods of time. Termites were used to illustrate how the walls of a Christian family can be destroyed when they are not carefully attended. Termites are small but destructive, to the point that a Filipino house can easily fall apart.
Let us dedicate and commit to studying God’s truth and surrendering our lives to grow in knowledge and grace. Let us allow the work of the Holy Spirit to teach, counsel, and help us in our ministry that starts at home.
God, the Master Builder
In Psalm 127:1, God lays down a thought-provoking principle. State it in your own words:
______
______
Do we really believe that unless God is the “foundation” for our family that all our efforts will be in vain? What difference will this make in our personal walk with Him? State this briefly: ______
______
______
Men and women throughout history have come to grips with their great need to know God intimately. How did Daniel deal with this need? (Daniel 6:10)
______
______
What step did the Psalmist take to become more intimate with God? (Psalm 119:11)
______
Look at Mark 1:35. How did Jesus maintain His close relationship with His Father?
______
What assurance did God proclaim to His people?
(Psalms 31:21)
______
______
Look at (Isa. 49:16, 17). The wall was used as an example of what?
______
Building Our Lives on God’s Foundation
Daily personal Bible study and prayer are very important for personal spiritual growth. If we hope to build our Christian homes on a firm foundation and guard our family from destructive surroundings, we must establish a growing love-relationship with God. What does I Corinthians 7:12-14 say about the influence of one family member on another?
______
______
Most Christians agree that Bible study and prayer are of utmost importance. But merely agreeing is not enough. Be intentional in setting time aside to read, study, and dedicate ourselves to follow God’s plan through His Word. Discipline and persistence are required!