What do you mean, 4 Streams?
“From Eden a river flowed to water the park, which on leaving the park branched into four streams.”
In Waking the Dead, John Eldredge credits Saint Bonaventure with identifying this ever-flowing fountain as “a great and living river with four channels to water the garden of the entire Church."
These life giving streams are Discipleship, Counsel, Deep Healing and Spiritual Warfare. Most people are only aware of one or two of these terms. Very few of us are immersed or trained in all of the ways that the Life of Christ can come to us or through us. One man may desperately need the clarity that comes from someone trained to listen and offer deep Counsel. Another may need to trust that God still speaks to him on this day. (Discipleship). If it is true that we live in a world at war, learning to fight is critical (Spiritual Warfare). In the course of great warfare, everyone, whether or not they acknowledge it, needs deep restoration (Healing).
Click Here For a One Page Look at the 4 Streams
walking with god
We used to refer to this stream as ‘Discipleship’. We know a lot ABOUT God, but Jesus seemed to focus less on knowing things about God than on knowing His Father and obeying His Father’s voice. Jesus invited his disciples to come alongside him, teaching them how to become followers within a context of close, personal relationship. He now continues to draw us into conversational intimacy with Himself, so that we may become "mature and complete." We believe this model of personal relationship is essential for stepping into maturity.
“And this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
deep healing & restoration
Throughout Scripture, we see an emphasis on healing as part of Christ's ministry. As beautiful and as powerful as it was, it wasn't the point of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Rather it was the Illustration that His message of the Kingdom of God had power -- and does to this day -- to reach into our everyday lives. Physical healing, yes, but every one of us is in utter need of all kinds of restoration. Every man has experienced what it means to weather life's storms. Everyone has taken a hit. We believe the Gospel's power includes a call for us to contend for increasing levels of wholeness in the midst of a 'world at war'.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
receiving god’s intimate counsel
We often think of 'counseling' as a clinical experience administered only by professionals. But Jesus did send 'The Counselor' to live within us. And we are in great need of His counsel, because clarity about living this life well often seems elusive. Proverbs 20:5 tells us that, “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” The call of every Christian is to walk in community, capable of receiving and giving sound counsel. We need it for our families, our friends and those others who live in our sphere of influence.
“Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come.”
spiritual Warfare
The Bible depicts war as the backdrop for all of our days. This misunderstood stream of God’s Life requires a radical shift in our thinking and believing, one that requires us to fight for our own heart and on behalf of others.
Mental and emotional resilience can be had… and we can contend for this resilience that comes from God. It does not roll in on a silver platter. God, Himself, is a Warrior. We get to contend for right thinking and emotional and spiritual maturity by partnering with God.
“The Christian is engaged in a three-front war. The Bible, replete with martial language, bears this out. The great evil trinity against which we fight is the world, the flesh, and the Devil. In our day we have made friends with the world, and we have reduced our flesh down to a few psychological crossed wires. We have lost sight of these two battlefields precisely because we have lost sight of the third. In other words, we miss that we are at war with the world and our flesh because the Devil has defeated us in battle — we have forgotten that he exists.”
“Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person - our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause - He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus. ”
“The Lord is a Warrior. The Lord is His Name. ”