The Strategy of Jesus 1 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus 2 Manual for Friendship Groups 2016 Homes tHat transform tHe nations 52 lessons for Friendship Groups manual 2016 © 2015 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus, 10807 Laurel Street, Rancho Cucamonga, California, 91730. www.apostolicassembly.org editors: Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo Bishop José G. Zúñiga assistant editor: Ismael Martín del Campo III By Jacob Rodriguez Layout and Design: Eliseo Martín del Campo GroWHt internationaL team GroWtH revoLution team BIShop JoE AGuILAR BIShop FRAnCISCo QuEZAdA pAStoR RoGELIo RAZo pAStoR ARthuR oCEGuERA pAStoR ALEx SAntoS pAStoR JIMMy MoRALES outreacH WorLDWiDe team BIShop Andy pRovEnCIo BIShop JoRGE ContRERAS BIShop SIMón oRtEGA BIShop ELíAS páEZ BIShop ALBERto AhREnS BIShop StEvE MoRán tWo HunDreD team BIShop ISMAEL MARtín dEL CAMpo BIShop GABRIEL CALdERón pAStoR MARIo ALAS SR. pAStoR LuIS MontERo pAStoR ELíAS MontES pAStoR EduARdo SAuCEdo pAStoR ALBERt péREZ produced in the united States of America Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus The Strategy of Jesus 3 Homes that transform the nations 52 Lessons for friendship Groups MAnuAL 2016 apostolic assembly of the faith in Christ Jesus Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus 4 Manual for Friendship Groups 2016 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus The Strategy of Jesus 5 Presentation November 12, 2015 Esteemed pastors and Friendship Group Leaders in the United States and in the whole world, ¡Paz de Cristo! We share with you the 2016 Friendship Groups Manual “Homes that transform the Nations,” which contains 52 lessons. We thank our Bishop President John Fortino for his vision to con- tinue promoting the “Jesus Strategy” program’s original spirit. We also thank the International General Board of Directors for their support of this program. Thanks to this vision and support we can provide free of change this manual to the 750 Apostolic pastors in the United States and the 700 apostolic pastors in all nations. We plead, encourage, and exhort all Apostolic pastors to give this manual’s pdf freely to all Friendship Groups leaders in their churches. We believe that the best way to share this manual is through a pdf (“portable document format”), for in this way we show our steward- ship over creation, we protect hundreds of necessary trees, we cut spending and we make it completely accessible to anyone in the world. In this day and age, practically and friendship group leader can obtain an electronic tablet at a very accessible price and hold within it this manual and many other resources. The International GROWTH Team thanks Missionary Gabriel Pereira for writing the 52 lessons in Spanish and thanks Pastor Jacob Rodríguez for writing the 52 lessons in English. We are taking advantage of the 2015 Ministerial Symposium week in Long Beach, California, to give these lessons to our pastors in the United States. “Go and make disciples of all nations” Matthew 28:19 Bishop Ismael Martín del Campo, International GROWTH Team Coordinator Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus 6 Manual for Friendship Groups 2016 Index Lesson 1. one thing 9 Lesson 2. my things don’t own me 13 Lesson 3. deVeLoPing A PRAyeR LiFe 17 Lesson 4. when LiFe gets heAVy 21 Lesson 5. the PoweR oF ComPAssion 25 Lesson 6. whAt’s in yoUR hAnd? 29 Lesson 7. heARt sCAn 33 Lesson 8. oVeRComing sin 37 Lesson 9. Resisting temPtAtion 41 Lesson 10. UnLeAsh yoUR FAith 45 Lesson 11. the RoLes oF the hoLy sPiRit 49 Lesson 12. iF god is good, why Am i sUFFeRing? 53 Lesson 13. woRKing oUt yoUR sALVAtion 59 Lesson 14. CALLed to LoVe 63 Lesson 15. BALAnCing yoUR LiFe 67 Lesson 16. diReCt my PAth 71 Lesson 17. FRom A FAn to A FoLLoweR 75 Lesson 18. CULtiVAting yoUR ChARACteR 79 Lesson 19. RemoVing FALse LABeLs 83 Lesson 20. PRodUCing seLF-ContRoL 87 Lesson 21. sinsURAnCe 93 Lesson 22. tRUe ConFession 99 Lesson 23. the eVoLUtion oF BitteRness 103 Lesson 24. FoRgiVen to FoRgiVe 107 Lesson 25. heALing LiFe’s hURts 111 Lesson 26. BRoKen to seRVe 115 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus The Strategy of Jesus 7 Index Lesson 27. deCoding god’s wiLL 119 Lesson 28. yoU ARe whAt yoU thinK 123 Lesson 29. ALL things woRK togetheR 127 Lesson 30. CAn yoU heAR me now? 131 Lesson 31. yoUR tRUe seLF-woRth 135 Lesson 32. PURsUe wisdom 139 Lesson 33. PRePARed to woRshiP 143 Lesson 34. RePAiRing BRoKen ReLAtionshiPs 147 Lesson 35. CLose to god’s heARt 151 Lesson 36. JesUs ReVeALed 155 Lesson 37. the PoweR oF BAPtism 159 Lesson 38. LiVing with integRity 163 Lesson 39. United As one 169 Lesson 40. FoLLowing JesUs 175 Lesson 41. FAst FoRwARd 179 Lesson 42. giVing is LiVing 183 Lesson 43. whoLLy hoLy 187 Lesson 44. FRiend ReQUest 191 Lesson 45. FoUnd to Find otheRs 195 Lesson 46. wheRe is the LoVe? 199 Lesson 47. the tRUth ABoUt Lying 203 Lesson 48. sURViVing the stoRms oF LiFe 207 Lesson 49. in PRUsUit oF god 211 Lesson 50. the BARnABAs PReCedenCe 215 Lesson 51. JesUs Vs. woRLd ReLigions 219 Lesson 52. the ReAson FoR the seAson 225 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus 8 Manual for Friendship Groups 2016 Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus The Strategy of Jesus 9 1 one n o s s e L Thing Key Verses: Psalm 27:4; Luke 10:42 Introduction: Life is unpredictable, and sometimes a little crazy. It’s amazing how quickly your plate can fill up with responsibilities, errands, chores, business and yes—problems. To date, I’ve yet to meet a man or woman who is immune to problems. The main difference between people is how they handle their problems. Our two key verses were written ages apart, but share a common thread in life. The psalmist David penned the first as a declaration of faith. In the second verse, Jesus responded to Martha’s busyness and worry. Both instances include the words “one thing” with regards to the presence of God. Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus 10 Manual for Friendship Groups 2016 Let’s take a closer look at David’s words. To fully grasp what David said in Psalm 27:4, you have to look at what he penned in the prior verse. He said, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.” (Psalm 27:1-3). David’s desire for “one thing”—God’s presence—opened up some divine secrets about drawing closer to God. When you nar- row your focus in life and devote yourself to the “one thing” that really matters, you too will discover these secrets. Four Secrets Found in God’s Presence: 1. Secret Light (“The LORD is my light”) When you walk in darkness, you can easily trip and hurt yourself over the smallest things. Because you’re in darkness, you can’t fully guard yourself against danger. When the Lord is your light, however, He illuminates your path. Subtle dips and bumps in the road won’t cause you to lose your way. Light represents rev- elation, clear understanding and focus. When God’s light is shining in your life, you have nothing to fear. 2. Secret Deliverance (“The LORD is…my salvation”) David realized that no matter what trap he fell into, there was always an escape route. No conflict was too strenuous. No pain was too deep. No situation too impossible for God to re- Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus