This sponsored post is provided by AccessTruth.
Despite the title, this post and the resources it presents won’t introduce some new, out of control or outrageous way of achieving growth and fruit in the church. It isn’t the latest and greatest addition to the many strategies out there that make such extravagant claims. And although it may not claim to evangelize an entire people group with a mobile app, that doesn’t mean it isn’t exciting.
Where does “WILD” fit in then? Well, it happens to be a helpful acronym for a framework made up of 4 categories:
Word
Identity
Life
Discipleship
This framework is about working alongside God’s Spirit, drawing on the authority of Jesus, unleashing the power of His Word and activating the Body of Christ. And that is nothing short of exhilarating, whatever the challenges may be.
Perhaps you’ve joined the growing chorus of voices these days who are questioning the many models for evangelism and church planting out there that promise broadest reach, quickest results and biggest numbers. Of course, none of us who are serious about God’s purposes want to prematurely dismiss something that claims to “work”. But as we listen to these claims, it’s more than valid for us to respond with, “Okay, you say that it works, but what were you trying to do in the first place…what will we be successful in?”
We have all been called – or perhaps more appropriately, sent – to be Christ’s co-workers in his great work of constructing his Building (or Temple), bringing his Body to maturity, and preparing his Bride. This presents the most amazing opportunity, but it also represents an awesome responsibility. That is what Paul was talking about in his 1 Corinthians 3 “expert builder” passage, where he shares about his own careful approach while cautioning other builders to work in a similar way.
So, it’s perfectly valid to ask, “What works?” but it has to be in the light of the Architect’s vision and according to his standards for construction. It has to be about the way he communicates truth as the great Communicator (Word); who he says he is and who we are (Identity); the kind of life that he wants to produce in and through his people (Life); and the intentional relationships his Son calls us into with himself and others (Discipleship).
The WILD framework is grounded in that perspective. It asks 20 main questions (with another 60 supplementary questions) to help set objectives for any context in which God’s Word is being shared on a consistent basis. It was developed by experienced church planters who have had over a decade of seeing it applied in a range of contexts worldwide, and have continued to hone this tool accordingly.
The framework is designed as a stand-alone resource that can be understood and applied by anyone. It is available as a free download (download here). But, for those who want a more in-depth introduction to the underlying principles and concepts this method encapsulates, a set of 22 tutorials (available in PDF and Video) have been developed. These make up Module 7 of the AccessTruth material that is itself a comprehensive curriculum for Biblical, Communication, Church and Contextual Foundations. This Module, introducing the WILD framework, is proving to be valuable for personal study, missions courses, and churches equipping members for leadership or church planting roles.
