Ministry Manual
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The Most Excellent Way I N T E R N A T I O N A L The Christian Solution to Chemical Dependency “Becoming GOD-Dependent” MINISTRY MANUAL “And now I will show you The Most Excellent Way . .” I Corinthians 12:31 . Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness Copyright ©1992, 2009 - 2013 by The Most Excellent Way Christian Fellowship. All rights reserved INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY HEADQUARTERS 19361 Brookhurst St ~ S161, Huntington Beach, CA 92646 USA 800-548-8854 Websites: www.tmewcf.org | www.mostexcellentway.org MINISTRY MANUAL The Most Excellent Way Table of Contents I. “WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO” Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Mission | Our Beginning ...................................................................................................................... 3 Our Vision ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Our Name | Our Organization ............................................................................................................. 5 Our Beliefs ............................................................................................................................................ 6 We Love, Accept & Forgive ................................................................................................................. 7 We Disciple | We Support One Another ............................................................................................. 8 We Fellowship ....................................................................................................................................... 9 II. “CHURCH’S & ORGANIZATION’S RESPONSIBILITY” The Church’s Commitment | Selecting A Leader for the “Dependent Meeting” ................................ 11 The Ministry Team ................................................................................................................................ 12 Publishing Your Meeting On TMEW Website ...................................................................................... 13 III. “MEETING & MINISTRY LEADER’S RESPONSIBILITIES” Responsibilities to “The Most Excellent Way” | Responsibilities to the Church .................................. 15 Qualifications for Assistant Meeting Leaders ....................................................................................... 16 Meeting for Men & Women | Who Should Attend Fellowship Meetings? ......................................... 17 Teaching The Word ............................................................................................................................... 18 Successful Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 19 Discipleship/Mentoring — Fellowship .................................................................................................. 22 Backsliding............................................................................................................................................. 24 Confidentiality | Restoration Programs | Counseling | Family & Friends Fellowship Meeting......... 25 “The Children’s Meeting” and Childcare............................................................................................... 27 IV. “DEPENDENT FELLOWSHIP & SUPPORT MEETINGS” “Meeting Leader’s Guidelines”.............................................................................................................. 29 “Opening Statement” ............................................................................................................................. 31 “Ten Attitudes of Victorious Living”..................................................................................................... 33 “Titus 3:3-8” .......................................................................................................................................... 35 V. “FAMILY & FRIENDS FELLOWSHIP & SUPPORT MEETINGS” “Meeting Leader’s Guidelines”.............................................................................................................. 37 “Opening Statement”.............................................................................................................................. 39 “Ten Attitudes of Victorious Living”..................................................................................................... 41 “Titus 3:3-8”........................................................................................................................................... 43 VI. “TEN ATTITUDES OF VICTORIOUS LIVING” – “Condensed Bible Study” (41 Pages) VII. “MINISTERING TO SPOUSES OF ADDICTS AND ALCOHOLICS” Christianity and “Codependency” | A Biblical Perspective (25 Pages) VIII. “SCRIPTURE TOPICS FOR SUPPORT MEETINGS” Seventy-three topics for use in preparing Bible studies, and as handouts for Meetings (73 Pages) IX. ADDENDA: A.A. and the Church (10 Pages) | Addiction: Sin? Disease? (1 Page) “Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness” by Pastor Jerry Cook (Excerpt; 8 Pages) Ministry Team Application (2 Pages) | Spiritual Leadership (6 Pages) Copyright © 1992 The Most Excellent Way Christian Fellowship. Lastest revision March, 2008; July, 2009. All rights reserved. MINISTRY MANUAL The Most Excellent Way MINISTRY MANUAL The Most Excellent Way PART I “WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO” • INTRODUCTION “The Most Excellent Way” Ministry Manual (Leader’s Manual) is designed to be a guideline for your church or organization to successfully start a restoration ministry for those who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, pornography, sex, gambling, and other life-controlling problems (eating disorders, codependency, etc.). The Meeting Leader is accountable to his/her pastor, director, or their designee — not “The Most Excellent Way” International Director. The weekly Fellowship/Support Meeting guidelines are for a one-and-one-half-hour meeting, providing time for prayer, Bible teaching and sharing by the group. No one is expected to continue attending the meetings once they are strong enough in the Lord to pass through the “revolving door” into a daily walk with Him, free of addiction — this can occur within thirty days or up to one year. Our goal is to win and disciple new believers, and encourage them in the Word of God, so they will desire to become responsible members of your church or organization, their family and community. Once you decide to begin “The Most Excellent Way” ministry in your church or organization, PLEASE provide us with the following information: 1. Name, address and telephone number of meeting leaders; 2. Meeting day, time, location; 3. Appropriate telephone numbers, so we are able to provide accurate information to those looking for a Christian meeting in your area. In order to be good stewards of this ministry, we must rely on you for up-to-date information. PLEASE let us know of changes as they occur, or if you discontinue meetings. The USA Meeting List is updated every four to six weeks and posted on our website. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected] or call 800-548- 8854, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time. May our Lord richly bless you as you minister in the most excellent way. Sincerely In Christ, Glenn Wright Pastor / Director PART I — WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO 1 The Most Excellent Way MINISTRY MANUAL 2 PART I — WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO MINISTRY MANUAL The Most Excellent Way • OUR MISSION — THE LOST SHEEP “The Most Excellent Way” has a singular mission: to find the lost sheep who are wandering aimlessly under the bondage of life-dominating sins — the addicts and their families — to bring them into the fold. These lost sheep can be found in church pews, in homes, on the streets, in a hospital ward, behind prison bars, in secular recovery meetings, in Sunday school classes, etc. “The Most Excellent Way“ is a body of born again believers who understand the plight of lost sheep — we too were once lost. We have experienced the difficult struggle to be free of our self- centered addiction. Jesus, our Shepherd, did not find us in church. He found most of us in the company of worldly sheep. We gather together to lick our wounds, to feed our souls and to help each other to follow our Shepherd into the fold. We rejoice as each reclaimed sheep is mature enough to venture over their stile into greener pastures, ready to fulfill their individual mission. Those of us who remain understand we will never complete our mission until there are no more drugs — or until our Shepherd comes for us! Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:3-7 NIV “The Most Excellent Way” is to help churches and ministries reach this particular multitude of lost sheep for Jesus’ sake. May we help you? • OUR BEGINNING “The Most Excellent Way” began in 1986 as a small prayer group seeking God’s will for our desire to minister to those addicted