Discipleship and Mentoring in the G12 System

The Lord God works through His people by first starting with a vision of His plan and purposes. Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18). But with the God given vision we can win the lost, raise up a mighty church, take a city and see Jesus’ gospel spread through the entire earth. The G12 model has a firm system of discipleship and mentoring which means that every person from top to bottom is accountable to his over-shepherd in matters great and small, both religious and secular.

Jesus Christ started by finding 12 people that He could disciple to become world-changers. He did this by praying all night before choosing His twelve. Then, he mentored and molded them over the next three years, making them into a powerful team. Later, in the book of Acts, the apostles also were choosing and mentoring their twelve also. The principal of twelve is dynamic and explosive yet simple to understand and easy to be implemented.

The G12 system as we have seen is based around the number twelve. Also highly structured, it aims at reproducing its cells by making every member a leader who is tasked with producing his own cell of twelve. Here all staff no matter what their position lead a cell and at the same time mentor other cell leaders or disciples. Each cell member is being trained to form his or her own cell of twelve by making recruits from friends and family but at the same time each person is still being mentored by his or her own cell leader. Members therefore are expected both to lead and to attend different cell groups. Every new believer goes through discipleship training to equip him or her to become a new cell leader.

Thus discipleship and mentoring are factors in the success of adopting the G12 system. The senior pastor disciples the assistant pastors, the assistant pastors disciple the area leaders, the area leaders disciple the cell leaders, and the cell leaders disciple the cell members and so on. Every activity and belief as well as personal relationships and the details of life is funneled through the discipleship pyramid.

Cell Your Life!

Our bodies and every living creature consist of millions and millions of cells working in unity. The reality is we cannot live without them. Within each cell is carried the DNA, the genetic coding of life itself. With our bodies, we can reach out and touch the world around us. Or else, we would be disembodied spirits, unable to influence and impact our world. Naturally, cells will seek to multiply themselves, reproducing after their own kind, or transitioning to fulfill different functions according to hormonal influences. What is real of the physical body is true of the body of Christ, the Church.

We see the origins of the church began with Jesus calling the 12 to Him. His Master plan was to make a small intimate fellowship of disciples around Him, pouring His life - His "DNA" - into them. It was in this small "Life Cell" meeting that Jesus built relationship with them, taught and trained them, imparted authority and power, and sent them out to minister and witness. "Then He selected twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sicknesses and cast out demons" (Mark 3:14-15). Later, the Holy Spirit would replicate the same kind of ministry in the lives of subsequent believers.

The DNA of Jesus has been successfully reproduced from Christ's "twelve" to this burgeoning new church in Acts (Acts 4:13). They knew how to build their lives upon the Word of God. They knew how to make close fellowship with each other so that no one is in need. Throughout the history of the Church, whenever the Holy Spirit needed to move in revival power, the phenomena of Life Cells was used as the structure to convey His healing works. A main example is the ministry of John Wesley and his "classes" for believers. In more recent history, over the last thirty years, we see those churches throughout the world who are experiencing explosive growth are Life Cell Churches.

The Importance of Prayer in the G12 System

In Matthew 9:37-38 it is said there that "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest,” Doing G12 system without prayer is useless. Prayer is very important in the life of a Disciple. Without prayer it would be impossible for a Christian to do Discipleship. The absence of prayer in a Christian life will only result to a far less effective and far more vulnerable to the enemy. The reality is when you do Discipleship you need the blessing and support of the Lord. You need to be intimate with Him. When the Disciples pray, God will work.

When you share the good news you plant the seeds of the Gospel, but it is still the Lord God who causes the growth (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Through prayer and petition you ask God to give that growth. Through prayer you ask God to convict the unrepentant of their sin and by that awaken in them the need for salvation.

Jesus is very successful in making Disciples because He prayed frequently (Matt. 14:23; 26:36; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17). Apostle Paul prayed (Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16). Stephen also prayed (Acts 7:55-60). God wants us to pray to Him and have an intimate relationship with Him (John 1:1-4). In prayer there is power against our enemy because there is a battle and our battle is not against flesh and blood but against powers and the spiritual forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12). Prayer is one of God's ordained means for you to do spiritual warfare, and winning souls is definitely a spiritual warfare.

In general, without prayer it is impossible for us to do the G12 model of Jesus Christ. We have to constantly and earnestly pray to God who has in control of everything. If we are faithful in our prayer life, establishing our generation is easy.

School of Leaders in the G12 System

Disciple making is a continuous process. It will not just end up in Post-Encounter stage. After the Post- Encounter, the student will now enter the School of Leaders. The School of Leaders prepares cell members to fulfill Christ's call upon their lives carefully preparing them for disciple making and cell leading. The topics in this school type gathering include foundational Christian doctrine. Students also will be taught in personal development, Christian life skills and cell leadership. Along with the Encounters, the School of Leadership gives complete and effective training in disciple making.

One of the reasons why a believer should undergo the School of Leaders is to prepare that believer to become an efficient cell leader with the ability to win lives for Christ. This trained leader now can duplicate the process and continue to disciple new believers until they become successful leaders. It is a course of uncomplicated teaching, orientated to practical things, which motivates people to learn themselves.

Basically the courses cover three primary areas of study and ministry activation. The number one area is building the foundations in Christ. This focuses on building a strong and meaningful foundation for your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as well as a foundation for Christian living. It actually includes the doctrines of the Bible as well as seminars on the family and courtship.

Another is about cell group ministry. This focuses on preparing and training the believer in the fundamentals of leading a Cell Group as well as seminars on intercession, evangelism and service. After the Disciples knew how to lead a cell group they will be taught now on the leadership skills through the Government of 12. Essential leadership skills and anointing necessary to mentor leaders will now be imparted. This is necessary to multiply cell groups and build groups of 12. There is then deeper instruction in the process of Consolidation, the role of Holy Spirit in their lives and ministry, and counseling. This School of Leaders will usually last for three semesters of ten weeks each.

Post-Encounter in the G12 System

After experiencing a fresh, powerful and life-changing weekend with the Lord Jesus Christ, it comes as no surprise that the enemy of our souls, Satan, is not very happy! He will do his best to snatch back the newly freed people. That is why the G12 System designed a Post-Encounter sessions. This session is a ten-week course designed to establish basic biblical truths in the life of the new believers and to lay the foundation for a whole new lifestyle built upon God's Word and prayer. This is basically a follow-up class and is intended to help the participants continue to grow and solidify what God began in their lives at the Encounter God Retreat.

The main purpose of this Post-Encounter is to sustain the fire and also help people grow in their relationship with God and commit to coming alongside them as they learn more about themselves and God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Post-Encounter classes offer additional teachings, people committed to pray for you and to be available to you to help you walk out what God is showing and teaching you, and the opportunity to be able to go further with God on your spiritual journey.

Classes for Post-Encounter begin 1 or 2 weeks after the Encounter God Retreat. The School of Leaders Director will usually make the schedule for the Post-Encounter Classes. Some churches designed it every Wednesday evening others also depending on the availability of the majority. The class will normally consist of worship, lessons, small group discussion and group prayer. Some teachers of the Post-Encounter also will give exams to their students.