We believe it is God’s will for every believer to be active in ministry. We are saved to serve.
“It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” Ephesians 2:10 TLV
God has a specific task for you to do in His Church. At Turning Point, our goal is to help you discover that task and prepare you to fulfill it effectively. Whether you are a new believer or a new attendee at Turning Point, we have a plan to get you active in ministry as soon as possible. Here’s how it happens.
As a new Christian, while it is important to be involved with ministry, it is more important to first take the time to develop a relationship with the Lord; get a basic working knowledge of what the Bible teaches; and get better acquainted with the ministries and members of our church family. The Bible gives this instruction for those involved in ministry:
“He must not be a man who has been recently converted; else he will swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was.”
1 Timothy 3:6 (Today’s English Version)
And so we have developed a plan to help our members grow in their faith and be prepared for effective service in the church.
Those who have been a Christian for some time and have recently begun attending our church fit into this plan as well. We believe God has a specific purpose for Turning Point. Our methods and structure for ministry are designed to help us accomplish that purpose. We are unique. And so before a person gets started in ministry, we want them to understand and embrace the purpose of Mountain View with its methods and structures.
New Believer’s Support
Child psychologists tell us the formative years of early childhood are the most critical in determining the development of a child. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Those first few weeks and months are critical for the new believer as they establish themselves in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of the importance of this phase, new believers are the focus of much attention at Turning Point – including prayer, accountability, along with encouragement and support from the church family. Each new believer is encouraged to immediately commit themselves to the discipleship process at Turning Point.
Discipleship Placement
Each new believer will start with the Basic Christianity Class and will be required to participate in each of the four discipleship classes. For Christians who transfer to Turning Point, what class they start with will be determined after an interview about their previous training. If they have had previous discipleship training and been baptized in water, they will begin with the New Members Class. If not, they will start with the Basic Christianity Class.
Basic Christianity
(Videos for Basic Christianity are found under the Media tab, on the Basic Christianity tab)
The Basic Christianity Class is designed to introduce the new believer to the basic practices of the Christian life. This eight-part study course is provided in a couple of different ways: as a live class taught during our Sunday Buffet, Wednesday Night Discipleship Classes, or at a unique time determined by the participants’ schedule OR through self-study via the church’s website or DVDs. Self-study students will meet with a leader to discuss the content of the lessons to ensure that they have understood the study material. Upon completion of this class, the participant will be awarded with a certificate and encouraged to be baptized in water.
New Members
(Videos for New Members are found under the Media tab, on the New Members tab)
Having completed the Basic Christianity Class and water baptism, the new believer is now ready to move on in their spiritual development by participating in the New Members Class. The New Members Class is designed to introduce participants to the purpose, vision, and strategy of Turning Point Church. Just as no two people are exactly alike, neither are any two churches. We believe God has raised up our congregation for a very specific and unique purpose. We want each of our members to understand and appreciate the journey that has helped to form Turning Point into the church it is today. Our goal is NOT to imitate other church models. We want to be and do what God desires. The New Members Class will help prospective members to share the vision of Turning Point.If a believer transfers to our church from another Church of God congregation or another denomination, their journey to ministry begins with this class (depending on previous training). Before they engage in ministry we want them to understand the mission, vision, and strategy of this church.
The New Members Class will also study our Declaration of Faith (Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee). This will provide new believers with a basic doctrinal overview of what Turning Point teaches and practices. For those who are established Christians, this review will help to prepare them for effective service in the church.
Graduates of the New Members Class are asked to indicate their commitment to Turning Point by signing a Membership Covenant. Those who complete the class and sign the covenant will be welcomed into the membership of the church with a public ceremony.
Those who complete this class will be asked to sign a Maturity Covenant which is a public commitment to the daily habits which promote spiritual growth and a Christian witness. This covenant will be renewed each year (January 1) by each member who desires to continue growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
Experiencing God
Following church membership, those desiring to continue in their spiritual development and journey to ministry involvement will graduate into the Experiencing God Class. This 14-week class is designed to take participants to a deeper level of study and understanding of God’s Word. The major emphasis of this course is understanding how God works in our lives to have an intimate love relationship with us and His desire to work through our lives to accomplish His purpose on the earth. Daily reading and class participation is an important requirement of this class.
Discovering Your Ministry
Having completed the Experiencing God Class, you are now ready to enter into ministry. This begins by participating in the Discovering Your Ministry Class. This six-week course is designed to introduce the participants to the ministries of Turning Point, assist the believer in discovering their S.H.A.P.E. for ministry; and train them for the ministry position in which they will be most productive for God’s kingdom.
At the close of this class, those desiring to be active in the ministries of Turning Point will sign a Ministry Covenant, be given an intercessory prayer assignment, and then be placed in active service.
But once you are active in ministry, the expectations for spiritual growth are not over. In fact, we believe Christians should strive to become more like Christ every day for the rest of their earthly lives. The apostle Paul stated the goal:
“until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:13
Those involved in the ministries of Turning Point are asked to participate in two events designed to encourage their continued spiritual development.
Bi-Monthly FOCUS Meetings
These meetings for church leaders are for fellowship, leadership training, and vision casting. It is during these meetings that the leaders will seek to retain the church’s focus concerning God’s will for us. These meetings are conducted on Sunday evenings at 6pm.
Annual Growth Plan
Those involved in ministry are also asked to develop a Personal Growth Plan each year. This is designed to challenge the believer to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus and more effective service in His kingdom. Accountability will be provided by fellow ministry participants and testimonies with prayer will be offered during the FOCUS Meetings.
The Time Involved
Finally, the question is always anticipated, “How long will all of this take?” The initial phase leading into active ministry can be completed in six months. Once in ministry, the pursuit of Christ-likeness is a lifelong commitment.