VISION
IMPACT is a student-driven strategy designed to ignite a disciple-making movement among peers on school campuses. The vision is to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) by giving every student on each campus the opportunity to discover more about God through the disciple making strategy outlined below.
The strategy emphasizes student-to-student interaction, leadership, and ownership. As a result, the presence of adult leaders on campus is not necessary for the success of the movement. However, adult leaders play a crucial off-campus role by providing leadership through training and coaching. Training involves explaining, modeling, and practicing various tools associated with each phase of the strategy. Coaching is essential for nurturing and supporting the growth of the movement. Use Coach as a template to guide coaching meetings and ensure ongoing encouragement for student leaders.
Each phase of IMPACT comes with tailored Action Steps designed to assist leaders in effectively implementing the ministry. Moreover, it's important to ensure that students are aware of the tools associated with IMPACT, conveniently located on this website's drop-down menu under "Tools" and as an icon on the landing page. Encouraging students to follow along on their devices during training sessions can enhance their understanding and engagement with the materials.
The process comprises several key steps: Bible, Pray, Discover, Disciple, and Spotlight, each of which is explained below.
Action Step
Introduce IMPACT to your group, clearly articulating the vision (see above) and informing students that upcoming meetings will focus on training them to utilize various tools, coaching them for encouragement during weekly gatherings. This paves the way for their active participation in the movement.
BIBLE
Personal devotions that prioritize reading and obeying Scripture serve as the cornerstone of disciple-making. The One Thing Study is a tool designed precisely for this very purpose. It is simple, powerful, and proven, guiding individuals toward obedience-based disciple-making rather than mere acquisition of knowledge. This approach aligns with the directive in James 1:22.
Action Step
Introduce your group to the One Thing Study method by providing clear explanations, engaging in hands-on practice sessions, and leading by example. Share your own personal experiences with the tool to inspire and encourage others in the group. Don't proceed to the next stage until key students have established a habit of conducting One Thing Studies for their devotionals.
Resource:
PRAY
Every disciple-making movement starts with prayer—a united, fervent, and consistent outpouring. The book of Acts shows how every significant breakthrough in the early church was powered by earnest prayer. Prayer connects us to God's presence, aligning us with His purposes and releasing His power to advance His Kingdom.
Two key applications emerge for prayer: group prayer at the weekly gathering and prayer on campus.
For group prayer at the weekly gathering, consider using either Pray or the Open Prayers as a guide. The Open Prayers involve seeking the Lord's guidance to open our eyes to the spiritual needs of the lost (John 4:35 NIV; Matthew 9:36), open doors for outreach opportunities (Colossians 4:3 NIV), open mouths to empower our witness with boldness and clarity (Colossians 4:4; Ephesians 6:19 NIV), and open hearts of the lost to receive the truth of God (Acts 16:14).
Designate Mondays as the day dedicated to campus-wide prayer. On this day, encourage students to pray for others on campus both individually and in teams. Individual prayer involves praying throughout the day for classmates, friends, acquaintances, and strangers, focusing on those of the same gender. For team prayer, organize group gatherings at a designated time and place on Mondays, such as during lunch. Pray pairs, ideally comprising one male and one female, participants can walk around campus and pray for individuals without engaging in conversation.
Action Steps
Set aside a dedicated time during your weekly gathering for your group to participate in either the Open Prayers or the Seven Sail Prayers, as detailed in Pray. This focused prayer time can be incorporated, perhaps once a month, to enrich the prayer culture within your community.
Encourage students interested in praying for others in teams on Mondays to organize by school. Have them come together to decide on a suitable time and location to meet to form two-person prayer teams. It's beneficial for these teams to consist of both male and female participants.
Delay transitioning to the next step until the entire group has engaged in collective prayer at least once, and students are actively participating in Monday prayers, either individually or in teams.
Encourage students interested in praying for others in teams on Mondays to organize by school. Have them come together to decide on a suitable time and location to meet to form two-person prayer teams. It's beneficial for these teams to consist of both male and female participants.
Delay transitioning to the next step until the entire group has engaged in collective prayer at least once, and students are actively participating in Monday prayers, either individually or in teams.
DISCOVER
Welcome to Tuesday, the day dedicated to Discovery! During this phase, our focus is on finding people of peace—those who are open to being prayed for, receptive to spiritual conversations and willing to study the Bible with us. As Rick Warren said, "If the fruit is ripe you don't have to pull hard." We're seeking individuals whose hearts are ready to respond to the invitation to learn more about God. This aligns with the wisdom found in John 4:35.
Start by following up with those personally prayed for on Monday and ask if they'd like to study the Bible. You may find the FARM Conversation useful for initiating discussion.
Additionally, gather again as a group and engage people in Team Discovery, in pairs, using the three steps of: Pray, Witness and Invite (PWI).
- Introduce yourselves and extend an offer to pray for them by saying, "Hi, we're followers of Jesus Christ, and we're going around encouraging people. One of the ways we do this is by praying for people. Can we pray for you, and if so, what can we pray for?" If they agree, offer a prayer for them. Remember to engage both individuals and groups, reaching out to those not in conversation as well as those already engaged.
- Witness by sharing about The Life You Were Created For and The 15 Second Testimony. If you're part of a team, each member can share one testimony. If you're alone, share both. Take your time to share slowly, allowing people to process the message. You can begin by stating, "Another way we like to encourage people is by sharing a verse from the Bible." Start with John 3:16, and explain, "This verse says that God loves you and sacrificed His Son for you, so you could experience the life you were created for—a life of love, joy, hope, peace, power, and purpose." While it's not necessary to cite supporting Bible verses, here are some references you can consider: Psalm 147:3; Romans 4:7; Hebrews 6:19; Philippians 4:7; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 1:11 (MESSAGE).
Then share The 15 Second Testimony by stating, "I'd like to add my own story, there was a time in my life when I was [describe your life before Jesus with two words]. But then I trusted in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, making Him the number one priority in my life. Now, my life is characterized by [describe your life since following Jesus with two words or phrases]." - Invite by asking if they want to know more. After sharing these stories, ask, "Would you like to know more about what I just shared?" If they decline, thank them for their time and move on respectfully. However, if they express interest, you can immediately transition into a Student DBS session right then and there, or schedule a meeting within the next 24 hours. Meeting as soon as possible helps maintain momentum. Encourage them to invite their friends to join as well, emphasizing the communal aspect of discovery and learning with others.
Action Steps
Teach the various steps and relevant tools by explaining and practicing them during group time. You'll need several meetings to teach all these tools.
Hold off on progressing to the next stage until students begin actively inviting other students to learn more, either through personal invitations or by forming teams to discover persons of peace.
- The FARM Conversation. For individual use.
- The PWI steps and tools. For team use.
Hold off on progressing to the next stage until students begin actively inviting other students to learn more, either through personal invitations or by forming teams to discover persons of peace.
Resources
- View FARM Conversation
- The 15 Second Testimony
- The Life You Were Created For
- View Prayer Walk
- Watch Your Oikos Map (6:38)
- Watch Person of Peace. (5:41)
- Watch Compassion. (8:04)
- Watch Prayer Walking (3:11)
- Watch First Contact (4:53)
- Watch Miracles and Healings (5:11)
- Read: The Heart Reader of Franklin High
DISCIPLE
On Wednesdays thru Fridays each week, the focus shifts to disciple making activities. This involves training and coaching. During the training sessions, interested students are guided through the Student DBS, ensuring that all questions are covered. Generally, the training is repeated up to three times, with the goal of encouraging participants to form their own DBS sessions, known as Discovery Groups, with others.
Ideally, after the third training session, the approach shifts to coaching. Coaching differs from training as it emphasizes the application of DBS rather than simply learning about it. Coaching give outside support to those facilitating their own Discovery Groups and follows a simple format outlined in Coach.
Action Steps
Teach your students the following tools by explaining and practicing them during the weekly group gathering: Student DBS, Facilitator Notes, DBS Story Sets and Coach. This will require multiple sessions.
Encourage students to engage in disciple making with interested students they met during Discovery.
Encourage students to engage in disciple making with interested students they met during Discovery.
Resources
SPOTLIGHT (COACH)
At the core of our weekly gatherings is Spotlight, serving as a coaching session specifically designed for Impact, following the organized framework of Coach. In the Look Back segment, students share testimonies each week regarding their progress with the various steps and associated tools. Moving to the Look Up phase, either the group leader or trained students deliver a message tailored from the principles outlined in Teach. Finally, in the Look Ahead portion, students articulate their "I will" statements and participate in sincere prayer for God's blessings upon their disciple-making activities in the upcoming week.
Rather than a mere addition to the meeting, Spotlight serves as its defining essence. Its primary aim is to ignite inspiration and celebrate the faithfulness of youth within their peer circles, all while acknowledging the profound presence and influence of God in both their lives and the movement.
Action Steps
Select a student or team of students to facilitate Spotlight. Initially, an adult leader may need to model the process to give an idea of what is expected. Use the three steps in Coach to guide the event.
Resources