Frontline Warriors

God has a Plan and Purpose with Specific Designs and Objectives

Relationships Revolve Around Spaces, Stages, and Steps

Spaces of Relationship – Where

Just as God set up spaces to fill with His creation, He has set up spaces for us to walk in. Some would call it our sphere of activity. These are the spaces where we live, work and recreate.

From a view of the family of God we could categorize these by Cs – Crowd, Congregation, Community, and Core

Crowd – The larger group of people in your sphere. Employees at your workplace, neighbors in your town, people that you are in close proximity to as you live out your life.
Congregation – This is your church family. Depending on church size you may know everyone OR not. This is more of a surface level of knowledge. You have chosen to be in the same group, but you may not interact with everyone.
Community – This is a smaller group that you interact with. This is usually a subset of your church but could incorporate people from other groups as well.
Core – This is the most trusted group. These are the people that you let get closer to you than the other groupings. This is where accountability can thrive, support can be given and felt and growth can occur as “iron sharpens iron”.

Stages of Maturity – Who

While spaces are where you interact with others, stages give us a structure of our maturing process. These can be captured by 4 chairs.

Chair 1 – The Unbeliever
Chair 2 – The New Believer
Chair 3 – The Worker
Chair 4 – The Disciple Maker

Steps of Ministry – What

We have seen the where and the who, now comes the what. These I’ve categorized into 4 Ls – Love, Liberate, Lead and Launch. They are connected to the Where and Who. But they are about the actions we take with others.

Love – Live it out. – This action encompasses our entire sphere. We are to live out the love of God for His humanity. Those that He created in His image, a.k.a. people.
Liberate – Invite them in. – As we love people, some are open to our message and so we share who Jesus is. These are People of Peace. We share the gospel and what He has done for us (our testimony). Liberation comes when people move from unbelief to belief. It can happen in all the stages as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us.
Lead – Disciple – This is an action that involves trust, accountability, and support. This can start to happen in all the spaces but will accelerate most in the Core group. Coming into a discipling relationship we decide we are all in. If you didn’t know, Jesus requires it.
Launch – Send – This action sends out the dependable and mature to multiply (2 Tim 2:2 CSB).

(1) You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2) What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (3) Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (4) No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer.

– 2 Timothy 2:1-4 CSB

This brings us to Frontline Warriors. For the next year, we are on a mission to go to Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training to fill in the gaps of our faith.

Frontline Warriors takes us beyond being the sons and daughters of God, into becoming the Army of God.

Basic Training

Basic Combat Training, often known as “boot camp”, is your introduction to Army service, and where you will learn the traditions, tactics, and methods of becoming a Soldier.

During Basic, you’ll learn how to work as a member of a team to accomplish tasks. You’ll learn discipline, including proper dress, marching, and grooming standards. Most importantly, you’ll be instilled with the Seven Core Army Values and the Soldier Creed.

Basic Combat Training comes in three phases and lasts about ten weeks.

Subject Area 1: Individual Conduct and Laws of War
Subject Area 2: First Aid
Subject Area 3: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear
Subject Area 4: Survive (Combat Techniques)
Subject Area 5: Navigate
Subject Area 6: Communication
Subject Area 7: Hand Grenades and Land Mines
… Subject Area 17: Defense Measures

In God’s Army, there are a variety of core truths that you need to know in order to operate. We will be covering them using the Purple Book. There are over 50 core teachings that we will take a look at and discuss. This isn’t for the weak of heart.

Think of it as a refresher of what you know so you can teach others. In addition, I think we will all find that we will see a different layer in even the basic things that will help us grow.

Some of the topics covered are:

Sin & Salvation
Lordship & Obedience
Repentance & Baptism
The Holy Spirit & Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Hunger & God’s Word
Discipleship & Leadership
… and more

Advanced Individual Training

After you complete Basic Combat Training, you’re ready for the next step. Advanced Individual Training (AIT) is where you will learn the skills to perform your Army job.

At one of many diverse AIT schools, you’ll receive hands-on training and field instruction to make you an expert in that specific career field. You’ll also gain the discipline and work ethic to help you no matter what path you take in life.

Our AIT will be experiencing Schools of Ministry that prepare us for spiritual warfare. There are 10 core revelations. At this time I’m not sure how many we will get through. I reviewed them all in the last 6 months.

I will say this, it was worth going through again. We need to be continually reminded that we are in a war.

Jesus won the victory over sin and death, but it still wants to overtake you. We must overcome it and this we do through abiding in Christ. We have been given the power to overcome.

Pause today and think of all the things God has done for you in the past. Think of all the victories you have won and the prayers that have been answered. Today, you are at the border of a new land — a new year, a new vision, a new ministry, a new step of faith. God has positioned you for victory!

Make this declaration:

Lord, I am ready to enter into my spiritual destiny during the coming year. Thank you for your promise to go before me, leading, instructing, protecting, and guiding.