Philosophy
Lifelines has developed into an increasingly effective evangelistic philosophy as well as an effective means for developing staff and student leaders. Lifelines uses the outdoors as the context for development and a springboard for students to take further responsibility for growth that they would not normally take in a campus setting. The foundational material comes from the Growth and Leadership Models. Lifelines uses the material and the “outdoors” to help students grow and learn. The program becomes a personal apologetic (students cannot argue with their own experience). It is our goal for students to experience the grace and truth of the Gospel as they connect with each other and God.
The outdoors combined with a quality, professional program enables the groups to maximize and be responsible for their own growth experience. Staff and student leaders are trained in the art of asking questions, small group facilitation, and the growth process making them a key part of the success of the strategy.
Thinking of Lifelines as only an outdoor ministry misses the underlying concepts that make it effective. Lifelines is a way of doing campus ministry with preexisting groups over a period of time to bring them to Christ and start Multiple Movements. It gives staff and students the ability to practice the Evangelism Model and apply the Growth Model in a wide variety of campus situations, not only the outdoors.
Lifelines believes that through process learning and group activities students can make great strides towards understanding themselves and the impact they have on those around them. Equally important in that philosophy is the belief that as spiritual beings our relational growth will be incomplete without a relationship with God. We operate on the studied premise that all people have the same needs, physical, emotional and spiritual. Just as all people need food to survive so all people need relationships with others and a relationship with God in order to experience life at its fullest.
Values:
Intimacy- With God and man
Risk- Faith risks for the kingdom
Ownership- Everyone owns, not rents
Teams- Power is multiplied through numbers
Process- Life is process- both Christian growth and coming to Christ are processes