November 6, 2006
FSM 423 — November 2006
FD/MM/FM
By the International JT board
Dear Family,
We love you and are so thankful for such wonderful and dedicated teammates to journey with into our exciting future.
By now you have probably heard about the Family Discipleship Training Program (FDTP), either from Grapevine #205 ("Brotherhood Academy Report," pgs.1, 4-5) or from watching the FDTP promotional video. In this FSM we will go into greater detail about the FDTP, how it came about, and just what it means for our teens.
Our senior teens receive a wide variety of training from the Word, their scholastic and vocational training, and the ministries they're involved in within their Homes. However, over the last few years, the Lord has shown us that if our young people are to become pillars in our winning-team Homes and fully grow into the ministries and callings that He has for them, they need to receive concentrated training in both the spiritual and practical aspects of Family discipleship.
In "Our Pre-Attack Plan," Peter said: "You, as an individual, need to understand the important role you will be playing in [the witnessing offensive] in the not-too-distant future, and start getting prepared for it now. This means making a concerted effort to progress in your spiritual life, to grow in the use of the spiritual weapons, to overcome weak areas in your life. It also means becoming proficient in your ministry, so that you will be able to teach others. It means making a commitment to the winning team the Lord has called you to be a part of. It means striving to become professional in your work, cultivating a solid work ethic and seriously studying the training material available so you will have what you need to make disciples out of the soon-to-be-reaped harvest" (ML #3600:73, GN 1177).
Family disciples are held to a high standard of discipleship and believe that the Words of Jesus can and are meant to be lived 100%. We are active and radical and are committed to witnessing, winning souls, and to bearing much fruit. We need to maintain a high level of dedication, where loyalty, yieldedness, and obedience are our hearts' desires. Considering this, it stands to reason that active training in discipleship, as we are called to live it in the Family today, is not only extremely helpful, but is in fact essential! This is why the Lord has led us to put together a training program for our 17-year-olds. This program is the Family Discipleship Training Program, the FDTP.
At this time, the FDTP is specifically for 17-year-olds, because the training offered through this program is designed for those who are preparing to sign the "Family Discipleship Contract" upon turning 18. This is a watershed decision, and we want our 17-year-olds to be prepared for it and to fully understand the meaning of their commitment to Family discipleship and all that it entails.
The FDTP is meant to be an ongoing program, so that as our new teens turn 17, they can benefit from this discipleship training. The plan that the Lord has shown us for the FDTP is to develop it into a broad program that includes many aspects of training for our senior teens, both in their Homes, as well as "classroom" training at an FDTP Academy.
The FDTP Academy is not meant to be the complete Family Discipleship Training Program, but is essentially a feature of it. The goal is for the FDTP itself to be a much broader program than solely the academy portion. However, at this time the portion of the FDTP that is developed is the academy, and that is the feature of the FDTP that we will be focusing on in this FSM. As time and resources allow, we will work on developing other aspects of the FDTP.
The FDTP is something that the International JT board has been discussing and praying about since the end of 2003. After much work, planning and prayer, in January 2006 the India and Middle East JT boards, along with other members of the International JT board, hosted the first FDTP Academy in India. The purpose of this pioneer FDTP Academy was to not only provide this training program for the young people of those regions, but also to create a package that could be used for future FDTP Academies held in other regions. With the experience gained through this first FDTP Academy, the International JT board met in March 2006 and finalized the details of the FDTP Academy package.
Later in this FSM, we'll share more details about the FDTP Academy hosted for India and the Middle East, which they named the Brotherhood Academy (BA). We are happy to say that it was a greater success than we had anticipated.
In this FSM, we will take you through the goals and benefits of the Family Discipleship Training Program, explain the details and logistics of the FDTP Academy, as well as give further insight into the behind-the-scenes work that took place at the India/ME FDTP Academy.
It is our hope that this FSM will provide you with an understanding of the training that will be made available to our senior teens, as well as inspire you to want to be a part of it!
(Jesus:) This is the year of strengthening, and a big part of strengthening is training. Anything you want to learn in life takes training. When you want to lose weight or tone your muscles, it takes training. When you want to learn how to master a skill, it takes training. Any vocation in life that you want to learn takes time, effort and training.
Through the restructuring and strengthening of the Family I'm sharpening your skills as disciples and as winning Homes, and in order to do that I have to train you.
Training is high on My agenda right now. ("Introduction to 'Training Winning Teams,'" ML #3550:27-28, 30, GN 1141)
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(Jesus:) [This] is going to have repercussions for all eternity! You don't know exactly what I have destined for that JETT or teen in your Home. Only I know the future. But one thing you can be sure of is that if you train up a … teen in the way that he or she should go—and that word "train" encompasses the whole criteria—when they are old, they will not depart from it. It'll all be used.
And let Me tell you, if you are faithful to pour into them, many of them will choose Me, and the disciples you will have gained will shake the world! And I'm not just talking about the future when they are My Endtime prophets, but I'm talking about today and the very near future, when they are your fellow laborers, teachers, shepherds of flocks, and so much more. Don't lose that vision. Don't let your focus be diverted from this. ("Feast 2005 Workshops, Part 2," GN 1116)
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(Dad:) When soldiers join the army, for the first several months or years, depending on their rank, they don't do anything but learn. … They have classes, they train to develop their physical or mental skills and coordination, they have firing practice, they go out on maneuvers with other troops, and they study whatever it is they're going to be called on to do in wartime. All that time they're being trained, but they're not able to put much of that training to use. Of course, they're preparing, but that doesn't seem so important to them at the time.
[Our teens] may not feel like [they're] getting anything done, but [they are] preparing too. [They're] doing the most important thing [they] could be doing right now—being a good student and learning what the Lord knows [they're] going to need to know in the days to come.
If soldiers don't learn what they're supposed to, then they won't be ready for battle. They'll be handicapped, and they could wind up injured or killed. And if [our teens] don't learn what [they] need to, [they'll] be handicapped in the battle of life. [They'll] be an unskilled, uneducated soldier, and in some cases that might make [them] easy prey for the Enemy. ("Mama's Memos!—No.10," ML #3246:22-23, 25; Vol.27)
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(Dad:) Now is the day of the youth, and you need to pull … them in! You need their help, and they need your help. And all of our youth need to see that their generation, their peers, are moving into places of major responsibility.
They're young! They're vibrant! They're alive! And they're moldable! You can help them. You can train them. You can pour into them. You can lead them to the Word. You can pray with them. You can teach them. You can answer their questions. You can be a good sample to them.
(Mama:) We have a wealth of manpower, talent, strength, enthusiasm, determination and fresh ideas at our fingertips in the younger generation! ("Overcoming the Generation Gap!" ML #3161:85-86,187, Vol.24)
It's important to understand the purpose of the FDTP, so that when it is initiated in your area, you will be well informed and prepared to pray about your decision to apply for the program and the academy (if a senior teen), or, as a Home, to encourage your 17-year-olds to pray about applying.
Those of us who have grown up in the Family can often become familiar with our training and the abundance of Word we receive, and it's easy to lose sight of why a high standard of discipleship is required.
The FDTP Academy is designed to help strengthen and envision our youth who are entering into full discipleship through a series of Word classes, vocational training, workshops, open forums and discussion groups, personal shepherding, and activities. It is designed to be a time of both learning and being poured into, as well as a time for spiritual renewal, re-dedication and a time to make solid, commitments, to give all, to take action, and to make progress in their goal of becoming an elite disciple.
We pray that having this concentrated input will not only give our soon-to-be YAs the motivation to value their high calling as Family disciples, but will impart to them a complete understanding of their calling, and aid them in finding their place in the Family.
No doubt you have provided as much training and shepherding for the senior teens in your Home as your busy schedule has allowed. But in the last couple of years, with the focus on building our winning teams, our lives have only gotten busier, and for many of us, it's been more difficult to provide the final touches needed in each of their lives in order to equip them for full discipleship. We can also take it for granted that our teens are getting the proper balance of input and training, only to find out later that some aspect has been overlooked. This is one of the reasons why the JT board would like to make this training available, so that together with you, dear parents, shepherds, and Home members, we can help our teens become the professional disciples they are destined to be.
We will do our best to provide them with quality training, but ultimately what they do with this training is up to them. There will be those who, even after having received this training and shepherding, will still choose another way of life, but at least every teen will receive a unified high standard session of training and shepherding that will aid them in making their calling and election sure.
To prepare our 17-year-olds for the responsibilities of adult Family discipleship; to train and raise professional disciples.
To show them how Family discipleship life should be lived; to give them a clear understanding of what it means for them to be FD, so that they will be prepared to make the decision to sign the FD contract when they turn 18.
To challenge them to have a deep relationship with Jesus, as well as in their connection and interaction with the spirit world.
To help them partake of and contribute to the Family's future.
To teach them to go to the Word and absorb and apply it to their lives.
To give focused, personal shepherding to the attendees and offer help in their weak areas.
For those on the JT board to develop a closer link with the young people and get to know them better.
To provide a place for them to have a time that they can look back on and know they made a conscious decision to serve the Lord in the Family (if they haven't already).
To provide training they can take back home with them so that they can become a strength to their Home and the overall work.
To give them quality vocational training in key ministries on a Home level.
To challenge and motivate them to be the best they can be; to remind them that their Home will be what they as individuals help to make it.
To learn the importance of personal and collective accountability at the Home level.
To train them in how to choose their ministries and grow in them.
We believe that through outlining the responsibilities of Family discipleship, be they spiritual or practical, and by providing discipleship training through the counsel the Lord has given in the Word, our new YAs will be better able to take their place in the Family as disciples, and in their Homes as the witnessers, teachers, parents, Steering Council members, etc., that they may be called on to be.
Lord willing, through the training given in practical and spiritual matters—such as, how to teamwork with fellow Home members; how to communicate in love and honesty; how to use prophecy to make prayerful and wise decisions; how to use the spiritual weapons effectively and offensively for the benefit of the work, personal benefit and the benefit of others; how to develop a close relationship with the Lord; how to work with others to build a growing work and flock—when the time comes for our 17-year-olds to sign the "Family Discipleship Contract," they will be knowledgeable to make that commitment.
Each of our Homes is striving for excellence in implementing the board criteria, training our children, feeding our sheep, and building a lasting work, and any one of these is a big job in itself. To carry out the many and varied ministries and responsibilities that the Lord has given us, we desperately need professional and focused help. We believe that the FDTP will be a part of the process of preparing our upcoming adults to perform the ministries within our Homes and meet the needs of our flocks, both now and in the days to come.
(Mama:) We … need [our teens' and YAs'] youthful enthusiasm and new ideas and the infusion of life, strength, and change that comes from the new blood of the new generation. We need their strength and their radical ways of looking at things. ("Overcoming the Generation Gap!" ML #3161:30, Vol.24)
Over the course of the FDTP, we hope to inspire the participants as to how they can make a positive difference in their Homes, by teaching them how to follow the Lord step by step, stretch their faith in obedience to the New Wine, communicate and teamwork with those who have more experience and can teach and train them, and accept responsibility, both in their personal lives and in their Homes.
Of course, it is also our desire—and very important—that they find joy, fulfillment, challenge, and happiness in their service for the Lord. And if they are giving their 110% to the Lord, then these benefits are guaranteed.
Following are some excerpts of messages received by the International JT board when seeking the Lord for confirmation, counsel, and input on the FDTP. Our wonderful Husband has made it clear to us that this program was of Him and something very needed for our 17-year-olds. This has given us the impetus to move forward with it and the determination to see it become a reality so as to train and equip our youth for their future as Family disciples, if they so choose.
(Jesus:) I am expecting more of My senior teens. They will be fully accountable once they turn 18, so whatever you can do to prepare them for a life of a full-fledged disciple will be well worth the effort. Designing a program to teach them what they need to learn is the first and most important step to take, because all the other things—the logistics and the practical how-tos—will fall into place. The secret to life, fruitfulness, growth, success, and everything they need to be a Family disciple is found in the Word, both old and new. If you can teach them to go to the Word, to absorb the Word and apply it to their lives, they will have gained something very valuable that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
With the changes made in the Family and with the Homes being held more accountable, this push to train the 17-year-olds and prepare them to become full-fledged voting members and young adult disciples in their Homes is very much in line with all that I am doing and the direction that I am leading. Of course, they have had a great deal of training already, but they must be presented with the overall view of the serious responsibility that will soon be placed upon them, if they choose to be full-time disciples and sign the Family Discipleship contract. There must be a time in their life where they make the definite decision to join the Family. It must be a decision that is clear to them, clear to their personal family, and clear to those around them.
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(Jesus:) You cannot send troops, whom you pull up from the civilian ranks, into battle with no gear, no knowledge of how to use their weapons at this new level, and little understanding of what it will now take for them to follow instructions and hear from their officers (and Me) as an adult. For this you need long-term, pragmatic planning; this is what this discipleship course will be. It will give you the tools and opportunity to have trained and ready soldiers in the future who will fight with you in future battles.
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(Dad:) I love to see the Family focusing on their long-term investments, especially when it has to do with "our hope of the future"—our young people and future Endtime warriors, prophets and prophetesses, teachers of nations—and all that the Lord has promised they will be. I love to see people working together to make things happen, to train others to teach others. There is a lot of work to these ventures; but remember that investing in the Lord's work always pays off.
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(Dad:) If there was ever a time to invest and build, it is now! In fact, it was yesterday! Don't be alarmed by this or feel that you are too late and not in sync with the Lord's timing. You are right on time, but I use comments like that to show you that it's very important. Develop the program and then all else will fall into place. But don't just limit yourself to developing the program in theory. Each one involved must be continually seeking the Lord for ways to implement it in your fields. There will be a measure of standardization in some things, but you must do your part to seek out ideas, possibilities, and friends and supporters to help you make this project not only doable, but a major success.
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(Jesus:) Discipleship is chiefly a spiritual principle and cannot only be learned by words on a piece of paper and from textbooks. My young ones desperately need a sample. They desperately crave and cry out, even now, for shepherds—shepherds who care, who want to help them, who want to explain things to them, who will give their time, their life, their love, and their heart to them. This type of giving, this type of caring, this type of interaction is what My young people need in order to become disciples. They long to be in a structured environment where questions can be answered, not just by a person, but through the study of My Word, counsel, and open forums.
Your 17-year-olds are all potential disciples, leaders, and shepherds. These academies will be excellent training grounds for future shepherds. These academies must have more than just a goal of sustaining themselves, or even that of continuing on; rather their goal should be to train, to teach folks to go back out, to start their own ministries and works, and to build My Endtime church among the harvest.
As mentioned earlier, while there may be more elements to the FDTP in the future, depending on how the Lord leads, at present the focus and element of the FDTP that we have developed and are detailing in this FSM is the FDTP Academy*.
The academy is a training camp specifically designed to impart practical and spiritual principles of discipleship to the attendees. The academy is fairly long, up to 30 days or more, giving the attendees sufficient time to receive focused training in certain ministries and practical aspects of a disciple's life in the FD Family, as well as to make substantial progress in their spiritual lives.
It is our hope that the academy will be an ongoing part of the FDTP within each region, in order to give each new crop of 17-year-olds the chance to receive specialized, power-packed training and shepherding. Please keep this in your prayers, as a lot depends on manpower and resources.
[*Note: The FDTP Academy is the generic term used for the academy portion of the FDTP. Each region may come up with a more individualized name for their academy as India/ME did for theirs.]
In order for you to become familiar with the program and curriculum, we will outline the basic plan of the FDTP Academy. To begin with, here are two main points to keep in mind:
1. Each region may or may not use every Word class, vocational training class, or workshop included in the listings below, depending on how the Lord leads them, their resources, the needs of the young people in their region, etc.
2. Additional classes, workshops, or vocational training may be added to your regional academy according to the needs of your 17-year-olds and the outline planned by your regional JT board.
We want to commend those who helped to create these classes and workshops before, during, and after the India/ME Academy. It was a time-consuming job, but because of their determination and perseverance, the package they put together can be used in all upcoming academies.
The FDTP Academy package can be easily updated and developed so that it remains current with the Family standard and thus becomes more complete each time it is used.
[Note: All of the following classes include some of the following: discussion questions, prophecy questions, activities, or tests, to help the students practically apply the lessons and training in their lives, as well as retain as much as possible.]
The FDTP Academy centers on five areas:
1. Spiritual training, through Word classes and spiritual activities that focus on using and applying the spiritual weapons.
2. Practical life workshops that cover both the spiritual and practical aspects of Family discipleship and Home life.
3. Vocational training in some main Family ministries.
4. Evening activities, including Loving Jesus nights, other activities of a spiritual nature, group discussions for discussing the application of the Word and spiritual principles, and general fun and relaxation.
5. Witnessing trips where teens are given the chance to practice what they have learned during witnessing classes and workshops.
Some of the things the current academy program consists of are:
30 Word classes
21 workshops
4 vocational training courses (with 5 classes in each course)
2 open forums
7 spiritual activity evenings (including 4 evenings set aside for focusing on using and applying the weapon of prayer)
4 evenings for group discussions
Witnessing outings and opportunities
The 30 Word classes* cover these topics:
Art of War
Call to the Rescue
Our Commission: Witnessing
Called, Chosen, and Faithful
The Endtime
Discipleship
Full Possession and the Keys
Generational Issues
Honesty
Insane Dreamers
Law of Love
Living by Faith / Show Me the Money
Living the Word
Loving Jesus
Loyalty / Peer Pressure
One Wife
Praise
Prayer
Prophecy
Sensitivity
Shooting Straight Issues
[*Note: Some topics have multiple classes.]
There are currently four vocational courses created for the FDTP Academy. These are:
1. Business and finances
2. Church growth and outreach
3. Childcare
4. Secretarial
Each student can choose two of these courses which they would like to study during the academy. Class and study time will count towards their study of the CVA course on that topic. The teacher administering this course will make sure that those who complete the course receive credit for what they have studied and the time put towards their study.
The workshops are interactive and include activities to help the students so they can grasp a fuller understanding of the lesson being taught and discussed. The workshops mainly cover practical aspects of discipleship and Home life. These classes are to help the attendees find the calling and ministry the Lord has for him or her, as well as to become more efficient in their current ministries and better assets to a winning team.
The length of each workshop is approximately one-and-a-half to two hours, and will be led by a teacher who is knowledgeable of the topic and who can expound on or answer any questions by students. New aspects to the workshops may be added to the program in the future.
Following are the topics covered in the 21 workshops*:
Charter
Childcare for everyone
Church growth and outreach
Communal living
Elections / Preparing attendees for Steering Council positions
Home accountability
Home finances
Home schedules / Home councils
Persecution
Resolving personal conflicts in the Home
[*Note: Some topics have multiple classes.]
Each region will plan and organize their own academy depending on the available personnel, the needs of the teens attending, the facilities, and ultimately, how the Lord leads them to do it. However, the schedule will generally be tight and full in order to allow for as much training and input as possible. There will, of course, also be time for the attendees, staff, organizers, and shepherds to have sufficient rest and recreation for a balanced life while attending the academy.
Time will also be given for personal and united hearing from the Lord, praise, meditation, and prayer, as well as all practical matters of daily life. The daily class/workshop slots will be held in the mornings and afternoons, along with study time and/or activity time. Evenings will include activities, group discussions, or provide additional time to finish assignments.
During the academy, there will be shepherds available, preferably one shepherd to every five teens, whose sole focus is to shepherd the attendees. They would have regular talk times with the teens, encourage them to hear from the Lord and go to the Word for answers, and help them in their practical applications of the new weapons, as well as the classes.
The duration of this program is much longer than the average camp or board event. The Lord instructed us to do it this way for a variety of reasons, one of which is that there is a lot of material to cover. The program itself contains a wide variety of training that would be impossible to impart to the attendees in a shorter amount of time. The program as a whole includes approximately 230 hours of training.
Another very important reason is that having this event for a longer period of time gives the attendees a chance to receive personal shepherding from those who will have had time to get to know them on a deeper level during the academy. While a week-long event is very inspiring and can impart much to those attending, something that lasts for a longer period helps the attendees to get over the initial excitement of being together with their peers and experiencing a new environment, to actually start living and putting into practice what they're learning so that their gains are long lasting and solid.
Through the academy held in India, we saw the fruits of this closer and more direct shepherding. It proved effective and gave the attendees the opportunity to move forward in their lives and overcome obstacles that were hindering their discipleship.
However, it will be up to each regional JT board to determine the length of time for your area's academy. We, the International board, suggest that the time period be that of four to six weeks, but we understand that due to unavoidable circumstances, such as, not being able to acquire accommodations for that period of time, lack of resources, finances, or personnel, or whatever else may come up, this may not always be feasible. The Lord may also lead certain regions to provide and administer the same training and classes via a different method or through several smaller events.
For the FDTP to be as effective and beneficial as it can be, it will need the involvement and participation of other boards—specifically for the vocational training and workshops offered during the FDTP Academy. Vocational training is an important part of the program because it gives the attendees the opportunity to become more proficient in a ministry of their choosing. The young people will receive professional input and will be given the vision to take on the ministry they have a burden for or have chosen, but may not yet know how to excel in. They will then be able to take what they have learned at the academy and build on it as they learn and grow in their vocations and callings.
When praying about what vocational training to offer in the FDTP Academy, two points that the regional JT boards will take into consideration are: 1) What would be most beneficial for the young people in their area to learn that will aid them in their Home life, and 2) What personnel is available to impart training and what are their professional areas of expertise?
In order to teach and offer training in the various subjects that we would like to offer to our young people at the academy, we will need professionals available to teach. And that's why involvement from other boards is essential to the FDTP. For example, at the academy in India, having the CGO board involved was a key to getting the young people inspired about witnessing and reaching the lost, as they were the ones who prepared and taught the Word classes, workshops, and vocational training studies on witnessing.
The JT board will counsel and work closely with the other boards within your region, in order to provide a forum by which Family professionals can impart their expertise to our 17-year-olds and to ensure that the training the attendees receive is well rounded. We would like to thank all those who have taken or will take part in the FDTP Academy in some way. Your participation as an individual or a board will have a lasting effect—one that we know you will not want to miss out on. And we will not be able to do it without you!
As you can imagine, any venture of this size and length costs significantly. There will be an attendance fee per attendee to help cover the costs of the academy held in your area. The details on costs will be provided by your JT regional board. The JT regional boards will do their best to find academy accommodations for a reasonable price, so that it is feasible and practical for the 17-year-olds in your area to attend.
In some cases, the JT regional board may decide to combine their academy with one or two other regions. If that's the case, then the travel expenses may be more for the attendees who live farther away from the camp site. Please know that those involved will pray about solutions to this in order to come up with as reasonable a price as possible for all attendees. However, if in some cases the expense is higher than expected, please trust that if it is the Lord's will for the 17-year-olds in your area to attend, He will provide.
We are sure that raising the needed finances will require faith and stretching, fervently claiming the keys, and putting the Lord on the spot, but one way to look at it is that raising the finances needed for the academy will be an important and valuable part of the training for those attending! (Check out the following testimonies from a few of those who attended the Brotherhood Academy in India from the Middle East!)
If this program is something that your senior teens would like to take part in, then it'd be a good idea for your Home to begin praying about ways to raise and/or save funds toward this. And if the Lord touches the hearts of any of you who might be able to donate towards this project, or who have friends and kings who would like to invest in the training of our Family missionary young people, please contact your regional JT board. Thank you.
Steve (19), Middle East: Initially, raising funds to attend the Brotherhood Academy seemed to me like a waste of time. The cost of attendance and travel came close to US$1,000, and in order to raise those funds I would have to leave my current Home and fundraise in a former situation.
I made the move and began fundraising, but during that time the Devil hit me with intense battles, and many times I was tempted to throw in the towel and forget about attending the Brotherhood Academy. But every time I prayed about it, the Lord confirmed that it was His will for me to continue fundraising toward the academy in India. (Many thanks to the Paradise Home for putting me up and helping me raise those funds!)
The months leading up to the Brotherhood Academy were the most difficult of my life. Every day was a battle. But the Lord always reiterated that His will was the same; I was to fundraise to attend the academy.
With the Lord's help, I made it through that time! He did many miracles to supply the funds needed for my trip to India, and my time there was worth every difficult minute. At the risk of it sounding cliché, I'll say that through the Brotherhood Academy my life was changed, and I will never be the same again. The classes filled me with vision. The close, personal shepherding we received showed me in what areas I needed to change in order to become a better disciple. (Many thanks to Steven P. in India for the patience, shepherding, love, and faith he showed in me!)
I had been to camps before, and while they were inspiring, the effect generally rolled off me like water off a duck's back. Sure, the classes were motivating and I'd be on a spiritual high for a while after, but gradually the vision would fade and I would slip back into my old habits and lifestyle. Several months have passed since I left the academy, and the "high" is still there. The vision and anointing have stayed firm.
If there is one thing that I have learned from this entire venture, it is that following the Lord's will is paramount, regardless of how I may feel.
Gabe (18), Middle East: The BA came at just the right time in my life as I was at the point of decision where I was evaluating what I was living for and what personal goals I should strive toward. I only really began to realize the change that the BA was having on my life during one of the workshops. We were asked to write down seven things that were most important to us. That was the first time in my life that I could honestly put Jesus at the top of my list, and I intend to never let that change.
But standing between me and all these wonderful changes was a few thousand miles, which translated into the need for finances. I had to raise a total of US$900 for transport, visa, and the entrance fee. But where God guides, He provides! I put the Lord on the spot and told Him that if He wanted me to attend the BA, then He would have to engineer it, and I would just trust Him.
When the time of departure came, I was still $300 short, which meant that I would need to ask my Home if I could borrow that amount from our budget. Before presenting my need, I seriously wondered whether this trip would really be worth the expense of getting there. Images of several fancy items that my money might be better spent on came to mind. But the Lord kept preempting these thoughts with His confirmation that it would be worth my while, with the end result being true happiness by being in the center of His will. I couldn't reject an offer like that.
I believe that the experience, instruction, and changes that I gained through the BA could not possibly be bought with any amount of money. I have received the best bargain and I couldn't possibly think of anything better to have spent that money on.
Danny (18), Middle East: Upon hearing about the Brotherhood Academy, I thought, What do I need discipleship training for? I felt like I already worked hard, obeyed the rules, and had a good connection with the Lord. My initial reaction was, "What's the point? Am I really going to raise over US$1,000 just to go all the way to India for some giant camp?" I didn't think my Home would even support the idea, but to my surprise, they were determined to make it possible for me to attend.
The first hurdle was the fundraising, which to me seemed impossible. I would have given up had it not been for the faith of those who helped and encouraged me to strive for it. The Lord helped me to raise those funds, and now I can honestly say that it was most definitely worth it!
During the academy, I began to see where I had been falling short in my discipleship. I realized that my life in the Family was not just a job or a different lifestyle, but it was really a love affair between Jesus and me. I started to see things with His perspective, and realized that this was my destiny.
Now, several months later, after many ups and downs, I still have that vision, I still have that fire, and I don't ever want to lose it! I want to sincerely thank all those who made the BA possible. I don't want to imagine not having attended, as I feel that the lessons I've learned and the changes that it's brought about have been priceless and worth every sacrifice.
Entrance to the FDTP Academy will be through application only. Those who are interested in attending the academy in their area must apply to their regional JT board in order to be considered for attendance. The requirements for each academy will be determined by the region. However, since this is an advanced discipleship training academy, only those who are serious about their discipleship and who want to serve the Lord in this capacity should apply.
Some of the items that you can expect to receive from your regional board are:
A message announcing that an FDTP Academy will be held in the near future.
An application form.
The set of criteria that those attending would need to agree to.
A request for a letter of recommendation from the Steering Council.
A request for prophecies from the applicant.
Reading assignments.
And, once applicants are accepted, further communication providing details regarding the time, place, needs, etc.
We pray that this rundown is helpful and inspires you about the FDTP Academy and the training offered within the FDTP!
By the India Regional JT board
During the international board meetings in 2003 and 2004, the Lord confirmed the need for the FDTP, and we created a basic plan for the implementation and creation of the program. The next step was to put skin on it. Each regional JT RBC then took this basic plan to their regional boards to brainstorm all the aspects of such a program, such as, the length of time, which subjects needed to be created into workshops, the vocational training needed, class topics, and much more. These ideas were then shared between all regional and international JT board members in early 2005.
Along with the Middle East JT board, we began working on the practicalities of the initial plan for our FDTP Academy. The time, place, and team were set, and we were ready to put skin on many of the ideas that had been generated for the FDTP.
In August 2005, messages were sent to the Homes in our region informing them that our FDTP Academy, which the Lord led us to name the Brotherhood Academy, would be launched in early 2006. Then began the tedious work of producing and documenting the details of the program. Each class, workshop, and vocational training course needed to be created, adjusted, and eventually taught. Thank the Lord, we had excellent creators, visionaries, and teachers who helped us to build this program. Soon we began receiving the applications from those interested in attending, which then resulted in further communication with the Homes.
The very first FDTP Academy was launched on January 12th, 2006, in Mumbai, India. There were 37 attendees in total—32 from India and 5 from the Middle East. In counsel with the CS board, the Lord led us to also open the Brotherhood Academy to the 18- and 19-year-olds in our region, as the training and input being given would prove to be very helpful for these YAs who were consolidating their commitments and ministries in the Family.
A number of JT IB members attended the first academy: Mark and Beth (India), Emmy (Middle East), Sam (Brazil), and Nathaniel (JT international chairperson). These IB members assisted in the program by not only participating in the event itself, but also working with the India JT board to document and format the class and workshop material so that it could be easily used and reproduced by other regions.
By the end of the Brotherhood Academy on February 12th, 2006, the main package of the academy portion of the FDTP was completed. In March 2006, the International JT board met, at which time the FDTP Academy was finalized and is now ready to be used around the world.
Following are testimonies from some of those who played a part in organizing the Brotherhood Academy in India, as well as from several of the attendees and a few of their parents.
Beth and Mark (regional JT board chairpersons), India: It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of the BA in India! Although it took a lot of work, time, desperate prayer, and preparation to get it off the ground and rolling, there was no doubt in our minds that it was ordained of the Lord, and He was in control of every detail.
Some of the workshops that were put together are on topics that hadn't ever been taught in a workshop before, for example, the subject of communal living and why we live the way we do, the importance and responsibility of Home Councils, how Home accountability plays out in our everyday life, the new governing structure of the FD Homes, and preparation for Steering Council positions.
The shepherding also truly made a major impact and was an integral part of the BA's success. This aspect might have taken a very small amount of preparation, but it received more attention, time, and consideration during the academy than anything else. We believe that the long-lasting benefits of the BA can be attributed in a major way to the consistent shepherding throughout the month-long event. Also, the length of the academy is a crucial part of the success of the shepherding plan.
Having the training span a considerable length of time provided time for the attendees to live their commitments and put feet to what they were learning. It also gave the Lord time to work in their lives through battles and trials that might not have come up in a week-long event. This resulted in personal shepherding in those areas, which helped the young people to fight to win concrete victories in their lives. This bonded us together as a team, so that now, many months later, we still feel connected as one team moving forward together to win the world for Jesus.
A number of attendees commented that the training during the BA was different than what they had received before. The classes left them feeling responsible, accountable, and challenged. The approach was a challenge of, "You are our next generation who have said yes to the Lord. You are the ones who will be the leaders and pillars of our future. Now, what are you going to about it? What will become of the Family that was born in the white-hot fires of revolution and witnessing? What will you, as the next generation, do to carry on?" When the attendees applied for the BA, which was their declaration that they wanted to be FD, we took their word for it, and every challenge and class reflected this.
One workshop that made a big impression was on the topic of returning home. Usually during any meeting or camp, there's a high and inspiration that you take home with you. But with time, that "high" has a tendency to die down, as it can be hard to consistently live what you learned through that camp or meeting in your daily home life. So this workshop provided practical landing gear to what they had learned in the BA. The Lord gave a message addressing their questions or concerns regarding returning home. The theme of His message was simple. He said: "Do what you can, and I will do in and through you all that I have promised—that which you can't do but have sought desperately for these past 30 days."
The attendees understood that the daily battles and discipleship struggles would still be present with them upon returning home, but what they had gained in long-term commitments, newfound faith, the vision for professionalism, and a deeper love for the Lord, would always accompany them.
Many exclaimed that realizing their importance to the Lord and their place in world history has impacted them forever. The Family isn't just their Home or the way they were brought up, but they now recognize it as their path of faith amidst a faithless society, their out-of-this-world destiny, the Kingdom of God in the Last Days.
There was just no way that you could be there and not be affected. The desire to follow the Lord and His Word was so strong that even as staff members and shepherds we left this time changed and recommitted in our own discipleship.
We give all the credit and glory to Jesus, Who gave the plan and the vision, Who supplied every need and worked out every detail along the way, and Who made this a life-changing experience for all of us. Praise His wonderful Name!
We would also like to extend a huge amount of thanks to the wonderful field Homes! Conducting such an operation for the duration of a month would have been impossible without their support, backing, and willingness to let their young people attend. We love you all so much!
Emmy (regional JT board chairperson), Middle East: As the saying goes, "Anything that's worth something, costs something." The India/ME Brotherhood Academy was a major sacrifice and investment of time, personnel, and finances for all involved—but it was certainly worth it!
Embarking on this major project, we were desperate for this to not just be "another camp" or "another high" for the young people, but a life-changing experience, and an opportunity to grow in discipleship. And the Lord did just that! During the BA, I watched as the young attendees focused on applying and living discipleship. Because everyone knew that this academy was about professional discipleship, the peer pressure, spiritual energy, and vacuum was focused in that direction. Of course, only the Lord could work the magic to make the classes and training a success—and He certainly did!
The BA was an inspiration for me personally, as I saw and felt the revolution changing the lives and hearts of our dedicated young people. I'm thrilled that we can provide an opportunity and program like this for Family young people, and I pray that it will spark the fires of revolution in the hearts of many more disciples around the globe!
Sam (regional JT board chairperson), Brazil: To me, attending the BA is what I would imagine attending a babe's ranch in the early days of the Family would have been like. What amazed me the most was seeing the Lord's Spirit change each attendee, so that they left the BA positively transformed from when they first arrived.
Picture a group of teens on the first day of the BA sitting down for the first inspiration. Many came from difficult situations on the field, having just gone through intense battles, and some on the verge of giving up the fight. Some were sad, others were full of expectation, and others were simply tired and looked like they could use an injection of joy and inspiration.
Two weeks into the program those same teens were drinking in the Word as if it was going out of style, fully participating in classes, taking notes and asking questions. They were praising in tongues, receiving public prophecies, laying hands on each other and praying for one another in prayer meetings. During one prayer meeting, the whole room of attendees became so filled with the Spirit that they all stood up and sang in tongues—and didn't want to stop. That was the heaviest Holy Ghost sample many of those teens had ever experienced!
The content of each class, the dynamism of each inspiration and witnessing adventure, and the training imparted through each workshop was so rich and well prepared, that it made you want to change and rededicate your own life to the Lord, and never think of being anything less than a disciple.
I've since been in contact with several of the attendees, and it's inspiring to hear how they've grown and are being used of the Lord. Some are now on their Home's Steering Councils, and others are going on faith trips and becoming key members in their Homes. It's rewarding to see them taking their place in the Lord's army by becoming full-fledged disciples and comrades in arms.
This year, I was blessed to receive some personal prophecies from Mama and Peter, where the Lord said that as I pour out to the JTs and worked with others to bring down His Spirit to touch their lives, that same power would reach out and touch my life as well. Nothing could be more true! At the end of the academy, I stood before the teens and thanked them for the change that they effected in my life through their sample of taking up the torch and joining the Revolution. This experience gave me a renewed vision to fight harder for our Family teens.
I am fully convinced that this program is part of the step that the Lord is placing before us to prepare our older teens to become His professional disciples. My prayer is that, with His help and the support of each one of you, dear Family, we'll be able to launch the FDTP in all of our regions and make this training a reality for all of our teens! Let's make it happen together!
Editor's note: The majority of the following attendee reactions are from YAs. This is because most of these reactions were written several months after the academy had taken place, and after a number of the teens had turned 18. A number of 18- and 19-year-olds also attended the event.
Angie (19, attendee): Every day of the BA we were striving to live the high standard of discipleship and each day we received input on how to do this.
Devotions wasn't only a time of straight reading, but there was variety in each one, with inspiration, skits, and more, which made it inspiring and empowering. When I returned home, I wanted to see how I could help our Home's devotions be the same way. The BA was a learning experience.
Through the classes and workshops, we were shown that the Family needs us young people, and it motivated me to want to live up to the standard, and to put my best foot forward. The CGO workshops were especially helpful. Even though those who led the workshops were professionals with years of experience in outreach, they continually stressed that the key to success was hearing from the Lord and relying on Him. They gave practical tips as well, and stressed that ideas, tips, and answers to problems could all be found in the Word. Because of this, when I returned to the field, I wasn't left feeling incapable just because I wasn't a "professional" outreacher, because I knew that the same power was available to me, as I depended on the Lord and was faithful to ask Him everything.
After returning home, I had the desire to take on more responsibility and to help others experience the same spiritual "highs" that I had while at the BA. I now realize that it is possible to break out of the routine at home, and that it's not necessary for every devotions or prayer vigil to be exactly the same. We can always have the Lord's new-bottle Spirit flowing in our midst. We can make the Family as exciting and revolutionary as we want it to be!
After the academy I felt a stronger bond between my peers and shepherds. I know that I can be open and honest about my battles and I don't worry that others will think I am being self righteous, because we were all striving together for the same goal, and I can rely on them to fight for me in the spirit.
Reuben (19, attendee): Before the BA, I felt like my spiritual life was just a nudge away from falling off a cliff. The BA was a lifesaver, and if it wasn't for it, I don't know where I would be today.
I especially enjoyed the classes on discipleship. Knowing that the Lord is asking each one of us to be a leader in the Family has re-envisioned me. We also had some amazing classes on Loving Jesus, which made that revelation come alive to me. Jesus and I now have an awesome relationship!
I would like to thank the JT board and the shepherds for making the BA possible. I am a changed person because of it!
Dawei (20, attendee): Before the BA, I hadn't been doing my best for the Lord and I was lacking in vision as to my place in the Family. But due to the BA and the united prayer power, Word-based activities, positive peer pressure, and the Lord working in my heart, a change has been brought into my life that I don't think could have taken place any other way.
The Lord has given me a new outlook which has breathed life into my daily living. I'm finally receiving that "peace that passes understanding" because I've found that it comes from obedience and commitment to the Lord and the true discipleship standard. I'm grateful for the BA and to those who organized it. I will never be the same.
Celeste (19, attendee): As cliché as it sounds, the BA changed my life. I'm serious! Not only spiritually, but professionally. The BA defined discipleship, broke my heart for the lost, taught me how to effectively intercede in prayer, challenged my service for God, moved me to fall in love with Jesus, and a whole lot more. But it also went beyond the spiritual and delved into the practical.
Before attending the BA we were each instructed to choose a vocational course that we would like to study in and attend workshops for. My heart's desire was to dive into the CGO workshops and learn all I could about being a professional missionary, but this was not to be. Instead, when I prayed about it, the Lord showed me to take the course that seemed to be the most diametrically opposed to my will—Secretarial/Office. This went beyond all elements of logic.
Stage One: Typing ("What the heck is QWERTY?")
Stage Two: Note-taking ("Could you repeat that in slow motion?")
Stage Three: Organization ("Of course I have that file! It's in this folder … I guess not. Oh, now I remember, I put it in that one … hmm, no it's not here either. Um.")
Stage Four: Well, I'll just say that I wasn't even a "babe in the woods" when it came to being a secretary. Heck, I was barely an embryo!
By natural deduction, I did not have what it took, but I decided to obey the Lord and take the course anyway. I began the secretarial workshops and after several classes (during which I evoked much sympathy with my incessant stream of quasi-intelligent questions), a few assignments and a very patient teacher's steady guidance, I found myself at the end of the course thinking, That was nice. Now it's back to outreach!
But the Lord had another plan. He wasn't about to allow all that good input to go to waste. Two-and-a-half months after the BA, I received an invitation to join the India Activated Desk Home as a secretary for the regional CGO board.
So, here I am today, in a situation that I never would have imagined myself in, doing a job that I never would have chosen, and all because of a discipleship program that not only strengthened me spiritually, but also helped me to find my niche in the Family.
And it's not that I've become an organizational wonder overnight, or that my fingers travel at light speed when they touch the keys. I unfortunately still use the tedious "hunt and peck" method, and I'm frequently encouraged to learn to touch type. But the BA helped me to find my present calling and vocation, and gave me the faith to believe that even though I was incapable, God was more than capable, and He would compensate for my lacks because this was what He had called me to do.
Anna Maria (18, attendee): In August 2005, my mom asked me if I was interested in applying for the Brotherhood Academy. However, due to certain experiences at the time, I was already questioning my place as a disciple, so I wasn't sure that I wanted to apply. God bless my mom, who hadn't given up on me, and a month later she again encouraged me to apply.
I applied, but wasn't sure if I would be accepted because of the state I was in. But the Lord is merciful and I was accepted. At the BA I felt loved, but I also knew that I had to shape up my spiritual life a bit.
The first few days were difficult, as I knew the Lord was indeed calling me to full-time discipleship, and He was asking me to give up certain things in order to fulfill His highest will. It was a battle, but thanks to many of the shepherds who were there for me and encouraged me, I finally said yes to Him. I know that if it wasn't for the BA and the Lord's challenge to be professional disciples, I wouldn't be here today. I am very thankful and grateful to be a part of the Family and God's elite.
My favorite classes were the ones on "Loyalty/Peer pressure" and the "Call to the Rescue." These classes helped me to see how intense the spiritual warfare is, and how the Enemy is also out to get our younger brothers and sisters. Since coming home, I've more clearly seen how the Devil is using his System to distract them. This was a real wake-up call for me to get out and do something for them.
I've seen and felt personal results in my life after some of the heavy prayer evenings. I now have much more fire and desire to do anything for Jesus. I am also more tuned in to the needs of the others, especially our JETTs and junior teens. I have faith that if I could make it, each one of them can too. The BA was a life-changing experience. Even though things may still be tough, I want to be a disciple. I am willing to endure, no matter what!
Anisa (18, attendee): Before I went to the Brotherhood Academy, I had already decided that I wanted to be a disciple, and I made my commitment to the Lord. However, during the academy I was given a very clear picture of what discipleship is really all about. I had read about being a disciple in the GNs and had heard from shepherds what a disciple's life is all about, but through the academy I received real-life experience. As soon as we received the counsel via a class or workshop, we were expected to implement it.
One of the strongest factors of the academy was the brotherhood and unity we felt as disciples who are fighting the Enemy together. One thing which helped to bring that unity was the discussion groups and meetings which were held. These times gave us a platform for sharing lessons and experiences, asking for prayer, humbling ourselves before our peers, and being our brother's keeper.
God bless all those who organized and put together the classes and the workshops, as well as the various assignments and the exciting witnessing events and activities. The Revolution carries on!
And if I could say one thing to those who will be attending an FDTP Academy in the future, I would say that in order to partake of all that it has to offer you, you have to put everything else aside. You can't have any preconceived ideas or mindsets about the Word, the Family, or being a disciple. You have to come emptied of yourself, and ready to let the Lord write His Words fresh, clear, and new upon you.
John A. (17, attendee): During the BA I chose to answer the Lord's call for me. The Word classes were heavy and powerful, as they outlined what was expected of a disciple—and not just a mediocre disciple, but a top-notch, professional disciple in the Lord's service. I felt the Lord's call in my heart to be that disciple, and I was desperate to be all that the Lord wanted me to be.
The real tests, however, came when I returned home. The BA began the "breaking process," so when it was over I thought, I've graduated! But the Lord told me, "Wait. I have more to do."
In the months after the BA, the Lord brought along further tests on yieldedness and saying yes to Him. And as I soaked in the Word more, He gave me a fuller understanding of my role as an Endtime warrior. The future is going to be marvelous, especially after the 18 months of strengthening. I just pray that I will never lose that desperation and fire that I gained at the academy.
David W. (18, attendee): The BA realigned my discipleship focus. I always knew that I wanted to remain in the Family. I knew that this was my destiny and the place where I would be the happiest, and the academy helped me to build on that foundation. It showed me what I was doing with my life in the Family as well as what the Lord wanted me to become.
The main thing I learned at the academy was desperation. I had been to a camp a year before and I returned home inspired and high in the spirit, as it was one of the best camps I had ever attended. After a while, though, the inspiration died down and I felt myself slipping into old ruts. With the BA, the Lord showed me that He was giving me a second chance to make lasting changes, and I knew it was now or never. He told me that He was going to ask me to forsake my will—and forsake everything.
The BA helped me to make solid commitments. And because it lasted for a month, I was able to consolidate the progress that I had gained, and maintain my commitments. It was also easy for others to notice if you were "lagging behind" or not living up to your commitments!
Johnny (18, attendee): The workshops showed me what was expected of me as a Home member and gave me a clear perspective on our purpose and goals as a Family.
The "Call to the Rescue" class motivated me to do more with the young people in my Home. I want to help them to get on fire about witnessing, the Word, Activated, and all the other aspects of Family discipleship. Previously, I never did much to pour into them, but now my heart goes out to them and I want to do what I can to help them catch the vision too.
Before the BA, I was a bit dull to the spiritual warfare. I was lethargic and not on the attack spiritually. But the BA helped me to get my priorities straight and now I know what the Lord expects of me as a disciple. My hunger for the Word has increased and my connection with the Lord has improved. I am motivated to do more for Jesus.
Phillip (18, attendee): A personal highlight was the call to be a professional disciple. Before the academy, I did what I needed to do, but I didn't have the desire to be a maximizer. But the academy helped me to change. Shortly after the academy, I moved to a new Home, which helped me to have a fresh start. I now know what the benchmark is for a disciple, and I want to strive to reach that level.
In my previous Home, there were no JETTs and junior teens, but my current Home has several. I now have more faith and vision to see them become the disciples that the Lord wants them to be. I enjoy taking them out witnessing and watching them get on fire for the Lord. These are things that I never enjoyed before.
The Word classes on Loving Jesus turned me on to using this weapon more, as it was something that I was not into before. This class showed me what an honor and privilege it is to be Jesus' bride.
Before the academy, my spiritual life was on the back burner, but since then I've realized that the spiritual and physical realm work hand in hand, and that if I do not succeed in the spiritual realm, I'll never succeed in the physical realm.
Steve (19, attendee), Middle East: During the academy, we were asked to pray about and receive what the ministry was that the Lord had called us to. Previously, I had been given the job of JT counselor, but I hadn't taken that role seriously. But when I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do, He told me to work with the teens in the Home I was currently staying in, to pass on to them the vision that I was then receiving.
Needless to say, I was a little leery about this, but I agreed to obey the Lord. And since then, I have felt such fulfillment and usefulness as I never felt before!
The Brotherhood Academy was not easy for me. Every day was a fight and a struggle to receive and accept all that the Lord was showing me. It hurt my pride and pricked my conscience. It forced me to examine my life and heart. But in the end, it made me into a disciple! And that's worth it all.
Many thanks to all who put their time and effort into organizing the FDTP Brotherhood Academy in India. You've changed all our lives and hearts through it!
Richard (18, attendee): The Brotherhood Academy showed me what it meant to be a Family disciple. It helped me to understand the commitments required in order to be a disciple in this day and age. It impressed upon me the fact that we young people need to help move the Family forward.
Victor Newman (FGA, parent and JT board member): I was invited to help as a shepherd at the BA. It was thrilling to see the change taking place in each attendee's life. God bless those young and vibrant brides who came forth to answer the Lord's call for their life.
On the last day, we had a laying on of hands and prayer for each individual, and in the end there was not a dry eye in the crowd. Everyone was touched as they renewed their pledges of service and dedication.
I am encouraged to see our second generation take hold of the baton and get set to "run that race." It was the fulfillment of every parent's dream to see their young people charge forward and take off for the exciting Endtime events that are unfolding. Our young people are power houses! They are going to cause the Enemy to quake in his boots, as they rescue the lost for Christ's Kingdom!
Ruth (FGA, parent): I am so thankful for the FDTP! The teens have come back inspired and on fire, as lovers of the Word, eager to move forward, and have changed so much. They are lifting up the Word, talking about the Word, and they love to witness and feed the sheep. Thank you for all the labors of love that went into the Brotherhood Academy!
Matthew (FGA, parent): Our Home was in the throes of major restructuring in the form of personnel moves. We had reached a crisis point as far as the work was concerned, as a majority of those who left were SGAs whom we had come to depend on greatly. It was at this time that we heard about the FDTP Academy, and our two YAs, who are very much a part of our workforce, applied for it.
Although it seemed like a huge sacrifice for us to let them attend, we knew that this was for their good. Thankfully, the Lord made it possible for us to make it through that month and He did many miracles for us. But the greatest miracle of all was when we saw the good fruit that the BA bore in the lives of our YA men.
Previously these two YAs' commitment level was lacking. But after the BA, there was a definite change in their spirits. It was refreshing to see them taking prophecy time on their own and getting desperate in prayer. Their hunger for the Word had increased tremendously and they returned with the attitude of being a blessing, and with the vision to help take the Home forward.
I feel that this is an important aspect to consider when our young folks go for such training. We have to be willing to support the changes and commitments they have made, so that we will be open to the new ways and methods and ideas that they may have.
One of these YAs is my son, and I can honestly say that he is a different person now. He returned from the BA as a responsible, committed disciple, with a deeper love for the Lord. The lessons he shared with me are beautiful and heartfelt.
After the BA, a few more dedicated SGAs joined our Home and they were essential in helping our YAs to stick to the commitments they had just made. I don't think we could have made it without the SGAs' help.
The ripple effect of our YAs returning as changed persons and committed disciples affected the other young people in our Home as well. My 16-year-old daughter had been through many difficulties over the past year, and it was encouraging to see her jump on the bandwagon of discipleship after the YAs returned.
So often we talk about reaching the lost and winning disciples "out there," but we have a whole slew of disciples right here in our Homes whom we could be paying more attention to, who could be brought in further, and who could be getting fed a lot deeper in the Word. It has changed my outlook on life, as far as these young ones are concerned.
Before the academy, I wondered if it was necessary to pull all of these young people away from their Homes for a time of training, but the rewards and changes have been so amazing that I fully endorse this new direction of the Family Discipleship Training Program!
Doesn't this sound tremendous so far? If you're thinking, "Wow! How is the JTB going to pull this off?" We've got exciting news for you: The FDTP isn't something we can do for you, but it's something we can do with you!
We can't possibly pull this off on our own; we need your help! This is going to be a major undertaking (at least initially), and it's certainly going to cost us something. But aren't our beloved teens worth it? We sure think so! We're willing to do what we can, and our prayer is that you, dear Family, will also be willing to do your part to make this fabulous-sounding program a reality in your region for your teens.
We will depend on your desperate prayer power, great faith, and claiming the keys. What's more, we won't be able to do this without your backing, assistance, participation, involvement, services, financial aid, and support. The only way we can do this for our teens is to do it together, to work hard as a team and to make every effort to unite around this goal.
You're most likely eager to know when and how the FDTP program and academy will take place in your region. Your regional JTB will contact you with the details of the program, as well as the specifics of how your help and support would be appreciated. We're looking forward to the many miracles the Lord will do for us as we wield the keys, roll up our sleeves, and go to work to answer His "call to the rescue!"
Before we close, we'd like to include a message from Dad on training and the importance of it. We are so thankful for Dad's challenging perspective to help us see the need for the Family Discipleship Training Program. We couldn't have said it better than this.
(Dad:) What is that in thy hand? Let me tell you, the potential that your senior teens have is just tremendous! They are incredible tools, ready and waiting to be used fully in the Lord's hands. They have so much to give and so much that they want to give. They truly are the hope of the future. They are those who will cause the gates of Hell to shake at their very presence. They are destined to be solid pillars of discipleship in your Homes.
At present, many of them are diamonds in the rough. They have all the needed elements for brilliance and luster in their discipleship lives, but like any diamond, your senior teens need to be worked on and polished in order for the true beauty and fire to shine out in all its glory. They need training. They need opportunity to develop their talents. They need to see others manifest faith in them. The latent potential within them needs to be unlocked. Their key needs to be turned so that the full potential of all that they are capable of as disciples can be released.
This is the day of training and the Lord is doing a new thing in the Family. He's opening up opportunities to each one of you and He's asking you to take advantage of this training. The Family Discipleship Training Program provides training that is key to the next big step in the process of unlocking the potential that your senior teens have; it will thrust them to greater heights of discipleship and responsibility.
The FDTP heralds the beginning of a wave of discipleship, a wave of winning, and a wave of victory that will come upon the youth of the Family. It's the start of great things! This wave will continue to grow and build strength until your youth are an unstoppable force that will crash upon Satan and his forces. Now is the time for your senior teens to catch that wave and be propelled toward their destiny.
I know that it's a sacrifice to give up your young people [for a period of time] in order for them to have an opportunity to receive training. They are so needed in your Homes. They are responsible voting members who do a great deal to keep the fabric of your Home life together. But please don't be shortsighted and look only at the needs of today. Look beyond. Open your eyes to the potential of the future … because these teens are your future.
They are the ones [who] will stand by your side in the quest to change the world. They are the ones who will play a major role in fulfilling the commission to reach all the world with the Gospel as the darkness covers the earth. They are the ones who will help do the "heavy lifting" as the ripe and plenteous harvest is brought in. As your outside flocks grow and the witnessing offensive booms, you are going to need more skilled and professional disciples to bring in that harvest, and your senior teens are part of that workforce.
The FDTP is going to change the Family for the better. It's not only going to revolutionize your senior teens and unlock the full potential of discipleship within them; it's going to change you and your Homes too. It's going to make your Homes stronger and more unified because you will all be of the same mind, with one goal—to reach the last harvest and give your all to the Lord as disciples and maximizers. It's going to lighten your burdens as your teens sink their energies into reaping the harvest with you and helping to strengthen your winning teams.
The wave is coming. Are you going to help them catch it? Will you play your part in building and supporting this army of fearless knights that will shatter the gates of Hell, tear down the Enemy's strongholds, and wrestle the last great harvest from the grasp of the Evil One? You play a crucial part in this goal being achieved. Your sacrifices, your encouragement, your show of faith, and the support you give to your senior teens are vital in helping them to become part of this great wave of discipleship.
The Lord has shown me a preview of the great things to come, and I can assure you that your every sacrifice and investment [in] your senior teens will reap greater dividends than you could ever dream of. Those [young ones] who take up the challenge will return to you as strong men and women of God, ready to take their place among His greats. They won't be perfect, but they will be on that wave. They'll be charged and going in the right direction, and they'll be ready to serve and fulfill their commission—for God and the Kingdom of Heaven! (End of message.)
Wow! We have a lot to look forward to. We are excited about all that is in store for our senior teens, as well as for our Family. One thing we know is that we won't be able to accomplish the big job that is ahead of us without their help, as well as without the sacrifices that you—their Home, parents, and loved ones—will make in helping them to receive this training.
We love you and will be claiming the keys of decision making, as you go over the details of the FDTP program and academy, and as you and your 17-year-olds pray about whether they should apply for this training program.
"To effectively stand strong in My power and live the life of a revolutionary disciple, claim the keys of conviction, boldness, and My direction to guide you, as you walk the glorious path of My will that is lined with fulfillment and joys the world only dreams of" ("Discipleship / Relationship to the world," Key Promises).
Copyright © 2006 by The Family International