E-Net:  A Network of Equipping Churches

Enet
E-Net (a network of Equipping Churches), is dedicated to awakening churches to the challenge of equipping ALL the saints for the work of the ministry, seeing every believer become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness in Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-16).

The vitality and future of your church will  grow out of a three-fold vision—

  1. an upward vision of the glory of the Lord manifested in His Church.
    (Ephesians 3:20-21: the great manifestation)
  2. an inward vision of the potential of your people for ministry.
    (Ephesians 4:9-16:  the great prescription)
  3. an outward vision of the mission of your church to the world
    (Matthew 28:18-20:  the great commission)


Neglect of any one of  these three will result in eventual spiritual stagnation.

E-Net is a network of churches with a dual purpose:

  • To seek to infuse and implement an equipping culture in each church.
  • To seek to develop meaningful relationships between churches and trainers.

The main focus for equipping is the non-vocational leadership of the church, the “joints and ligaments” that allow the church to function as a unified body in which every part does its work.

An Equipping Church is NOT just a church where ministry leaders DO ministry,
but a church where ministry leaders involve OTHERS in ministry.

Equipping means empowering for ministry through intercession, involvement, identification, instruction and inspiration.

  •  
  • Intercession.   God calls and prepares His workers through prayer.
  • Involvement.  Training is most effective for people already involved in ministering.
  • Identification. Giftedness and calling are revealed when people are actively serving.
  • Instruction.  Equipping must be transformational, training in knowledge, character and skill.
  • Inspiration.  Positive affirmation is the most effective means of increasing effectiveness.


Two penetrating questions:

  • Are the members of your current church leadership focused primarily on doing ministry, or on equipping others to do ministry?
  • Do you add staff members primarily to do ministry or to prepare others for doing ministry?

Elements of an Equipping Church

Though each E-Net Church will develop according to its resources and particular needs, they will have the following basic elements:

  • Commitment:  the church leadership will commit to becoming a part of the E-Net team.
  • Coordinator.  a coordinator will be responsible for the oversight of the equipping ministries in his/her church.  The Coordinator will put together an E-Net team, a task force to oversee the equipping ministry.
  • Culture:  the church will commit to infusing and implementing an equipping culture into all aspects of the church.
  • Collaboration:  the E-Net churches and coordinators will seek to share resources with other churches of their area.  Each Coordinator will be a part of a fellowship-wide team.

For further information, please contact the office of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Box 384, Winona Lake, IN, 46580, telephone 574 269 1269.