New Wineskins Discipleship Training Program

Foundational Beliefs

As a training ministry, our goal is to grow in our understanding of God and His instruction for His people. We do not subscribe to one doctrinal position or another, but seek to know the heart and will of God through continual study. What we believe about end times or election or other doctrinal topics may change as we grow in our understanding and practice of the life described by Scripture. As such, our Statement of Faith contains only the foundational beliefs we consider necessary to carry out our training mission. Students will need to indicate agreement and acceptance of our positions.

• The Bible: We believe the 66 books of the Protestant Bible in their original languages to be the inerrant, inspired revelation of God to man. It is both foundational and sufficient for understanding who God truly is, what God’s people are to believe, and how His people are to live.

  • We understand that whether we learn the original languages or depend on the careful work of learned translators, there will always be a gap in understanding between us and the original languages. We trust the Holy Spirit to bridge that gap as we depend on a multitude of translations and tools to draw as near as possible to the meaning of God in His written revelation.

  • We believe in only one true and correct interpretation, that all believers can arrive at the Truth God intends, though it may take years of diligent study and application to arrive at that correct understanding. Variation in interpretation and doctrine should fade as all believers strive in humility and teachability for complete maturity in Christ. Therefore, we believe doctrinal differences should not divide believers and believers should hold conflicting doctrinal positions as incomplete and subject to refinement and/or correction. Conflicting doctrines may actually reveal part of the whole truth that can be reconciled with greater understanding, or one position may be more correct than another. Therefore, conflicting doctrines should be held lightly and grace extended to those who believe differently.

• God: We believe in the Most High God as revealed in the Bible (see above) who created all things and revealed Himself through the three eternally-existent Persons of the Trinity: the Father, the only-begotten Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.

• Salvation: We believe that salvation is by faith alone, believing in the true Jesus as revealed in the Bible (see above), fully God and fully Man, True God and True Man, who lived a perfect, righteous life. Salvation comes by trusting in Jesus’ death alone to pay for all sin, believing in His resurrection from the dead for our justification and His ascension to the right hand of God the Father until the day He returns to claim this world and rule over it. Good works contribute nothing to salvation, but are the correct and expected outworking of saving faith.

Character Expectations

This is not an exhausted list of behavioral expectations, but foundational qualities necessary for successful training and beneficial interrelationships. Students will need to indicate acceptance and a commitment to live out these traits.

• Humility: Consider others better than yourself (Philippians 2:3-4); let go of yourself and your desires and serve, help and bless others above yourself

• Charity (grace and love): Extend to others the kindness you would like to receive from them. Take them at their word, believe what they say, trust (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

• Teachability: Come to learn, not to teach. Be willing to lay aside things you consider to be true if our study of the Bible requires it. (Hebrews 13:7-8)

• Integrity: Do what you say, mean what you say. Require of yourself what you would like from others. Be honest and truthful. (Psalm 15:1-5)

• Curiosity: Ask questions to learn, not to challenge or refute. Ask lots of questions, especially to people when you don’t understand why another person says or does what they do, or when you don’t understand what the Bible is teaching. Don’t make others guess what you’re not understanding. (Ecclesiastes 12:9-11)

• Diligence: Work hard, both in study and assigned duties. Work as if you’re serving the Lord. (Colossians 3:17, 23-24)

Our Goals

“For God so loved the World that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)

We join in fellowship over God’s Word

• “For God”: to know God
• “so loved”: to know His love
• “the world”: to understand ourself and others
• “that He gave”: to emulate His love
• “His only Son”: to know Jesus Christ
• “that whoever believes in Him”:
  to exercise true faith in Christ
• “should not perish”: to rescue the perishing
• “but have eternal life”: and to live true life

Program Content

Semester structure:

• 4 months of classes
  • September through December
  • Mid-January through mid-May
• 2 weeks for an international trip
  • Early January
  • Late May

Course Content:

• Shared Living (Trainers with Trainees) for mutual
  • challenge
  • encouragement
  • accountability
• Old Testament Study & Discussion
• New Testament Study & Discussion
• Ministry Skills, including
  • Personal Devotions
  • Discipleship tools
  • Gospel presentation
  • Bible Study methods
  • Teaching/Preaching