Paradigm Ministries International
Wings
&
Waves
"And Jesus said unto them . . . 'I will make you fishers of men.'" (Matthew 4:19)
Quarterly Event
The Quarterly Event:
What is a Quarterly Event? The main reason for the establishment of Paradigm Ministries is to establish and foster cooperation of the Body of Christ (The Church) with other facets of the church. As the Apostle Paul related that the divisions within the body are cumbersome and detrimental to the proclamation of the Gospel. There is ONLY ONE BODY with many members. (). True he was speaking in the context of spiritual gifts but there are other places where the fragmentation of the Body has lessened, diminished, and even destroyed the witness of the Body in the world. The old Christian song "Oh Buddha" aptly characterizes the problems we have developed and allowed to persist and dictate how the message of Christ is promulgated to a lost and dying world.
I am in agreement with the Casting Crowns song; "If We Are The Body . . . why?!" Instead of sequestering ourselves to cooperation with like denominational affiliations the Body of Christ should be the epitome of cooperation, but it isn't ... thus the reason for Paradigm.
The initial ministry proposed by myself was the Quarterly Event. I see ministry through eyes that are more over reaching than just a one or two week spiritual focus/emphasis. In the encounter with Peter after His resurrection Jesus ask "Do you love me . . . [then] feed my sheep" (John). It takes more than just a one or two week spiritual heightened event to "feed the sheep." A Quarterly Event is comprised of 3 Phases which span over MORE than 16 weeks. I say more because the initial phase continues on after the close of the Event itself. If I were to say what a Quarterly Event was it would comprise mission/ministry with a two week spiritual emphasis couched WITHIN the actual 3 months formal mission/ministry activity. A breakdown of an event is as follows:
Phase 1: DAT (Diagnosis and Assessment Team). What this is is a group of believers ca. 15 from Christian denominations who believe they have a calling to serve in the respective area in which they are sent. These denominations are varied. Some may be Charismatic, evangelical, traditional (Baptists) who all FIRST believe that God has truly called them to be of service in and to those of the area in which they will be sent. Secondly THEY MUST BE ABLE TO WORK WITH CHRISTIANS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY OF THEIR SAME TYPE OF WORSHIP COMMUNITY. Once this team is established they are sent into the area of request and have committed to AT LEAST spend 5 years of their lives in the area to which they are sent. Their function is basically "Prepare the Way" for the Quarterly Event. They will get involved in the respective 7 seven churches which have agreed to work together to further the Gospel of Christ. They will work in the community diagnosis the spiritual condition and assess the needs of the community with respect to ALL facets of the community including, but not limited to, medical, physical (such as buildings, and community centers, etc.), and such. They will survey the community as to their needs if they are willing to cooperate. They will provide on site support and act as liesion between Paradigm and the community. They will pray for their community daily and will provide the Worship Team pertinent information as to how best to serve and provide for the community when the spiritual emphais portion will occur.