FAMILY - GOD'S ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR MAN

In the beginning, when God made Adam and Eve, He made the first family. God's command to them, was to continue making families by saying, "Be fruitful and multiply." He didn't have to explain to them how to "be a family' and care for one another. He simply told them to "multiply into all the earth". This was clearly the Father's desire for man..." the family". We believe God's desires and original intent for the human race have never changed.

Over the centuries we have seen God's family turned into business-like structures called churches. The word "church" is not even in the original Greek scriptures as referring to a building structure. The word "church" is actually the word "ecclesia" meaning "called out or set apart ones". Those who had accepted Christ as the Messiah had left their former sinful ways and set themselves apart to follow Jesus and His teachings. The first believers met together in each other's homes.

There were no programs. They simply met together as any group of people sharing something in common. The bond that was created between them was much stronger than a simple commonality. The bond was spiritual, it was true family according to God's original design and purpose for man. The believers in Christ were once again reconciled with God their father, and each other in the Family of God.

FAMILY GATHERINGS

The leader of RMI is Zanild Abarrane (aka: Cindi). Zanild is first a mother of 6 beautiful children, 9 grandchildren, and a mother in the faith. Among her giftings, God has emphasized to her that being a mother is the strongest and most important gift of all. It was this pattern of motherhood and family that the Lord chose to teach Zanild about ministry. It is this pattern of family that she holds as the deepest conviction in caring for the family of God.

Being a mother she cares for her family, as a mother in the faith she cares for God's people. "It is no different." she says. She believes in all aspects it should be the same requiring great patience and complete laying down of your life to place other's needs before your own. It can be difficult when looking at a 35-year-old man and we are seeing a mature man, not realizing this is a "lamb" and critical care is required.

When the Lord began to speak to Zanild about starting house churches, she was met with a very deep and painful conviction. She had witnessed the tragedy that her own son underwent due to the negligence of local pastors in caring for lambs. The result of this pastoral neglect resulted in a catastrophic ending of her son's life.

A cruel and devastating death that should not have happened. Months of sitting in church pews, filling out visitors cards, talking with pastors. Not one of the pastors heard the alarms going off, or took the time to follow-up with her son. This is NOT how the church of Jesus Christ is supposed to operate.

THE WAR INSTITUTE & SAFE HOUSES

Watching the last few weeks of her son's life Zanild had been met with a grievous conviction to step in and bridge the gap in discipleship. For her son, it was too late. Being a firsthand witness to this neglect among pastors she could not let it happen again. Too many lives are at stake, and suicides are taking place under our very noses.

This was the beginning of "The War Institute" to teach spiritual warfare and "Safe Houses" for those new in the faith struggling with addictions and demonic strongholds. We are in a spiritual war, we were never meant to fight alone. Pastoring and discipleship to Zanild is like adopting a newborn baby.

At 62 years old this is a serious undertaking. She had to contemplate the question the Lord was asking her, "Was she willing to adopt a newborn baby and guide this child hand in hand daily, moment by moment teaching, leading, laying down her life until this child reaches full maturity in Christ?" How could she say "No." to the Father? Her utter dependence upon Him was critical and brought the fear of God to her heart to an even greater measure. Read more about The War Institute and Safe Houses here.

LAMB DISCIPLESHIP

At RMI, we believe that Jesus was, and still is, our perfect example of Christian leadership. 

We look at Jesus' life and see His ways of "lamb discipleship" are very close, intimate relationships. He left all he had to walk among those who followed Him. He was with them 24 hours a day and often met at each other's homes. He was intimately involved in their daily lives. We believe this is the perfect example Jesus gave us for true discipleship. This close, intimate caring for lambs is critical to overall life-sustaining health and spiritual development.

This pattern of "lamb discipleship" continued even after Jesus was resurrected, the first apostles had learned from Him and continued to follow His ways. They lived a life of sustained fellowship surrounded by strong "family" values. We at RMI firmly believe this is what today's church is severely lacking...our unwillingness to continue to follow Jesus' ways of doing things has created churches that are neglectful in nature. Lambs are being neglected and the Lord is sorely grieved. Church leaders have strayed from the Father's initial command and Jesus' teachings.

RMI FAMILY LEADERS

The RMI Family Leaders are mature elders in the faith. These elders consist of a presbytery of leaders (fathers and mothers) that have been proven first by the Lord Jesus Christ and commissioned by Him to lead in Christian ministry. These Christian Leaders have been affirmed by the RMI leadership their lives bearing the very image and character of Jesus and living according to His teachings.

These are not just teachers, but mothers and fathers that hold a lifelong commitment to those God has placed in their care, to walk hand-in-hand, moment by moment guiding and helping direct, just as natural children.
 
Family Elders are seasoned and matured spiritually, commissioned by the Lord in His timing to identify, teach, train, and support pastors in their God-ordained ministries; thereby creating a "living net" of leaders working together.

A MINISTER'S COMPASS

We believe that "family bonding" is critical to support and prevent error and deception from infiltrating the body of believers. Like keeping an eye on a compass making sure you are staying on course and heading in the right direction, we need to keep our focus and direction upon the Lord and His teachings. RMI-associated leaders are held in close relationships and required to live a life above reproach, are continually held accountable by the Word of God (scripture), adhere to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and always be open to receive Godly counsel. Pr. 11:14, 15:22, 24:6

RMI assists local pastors in establishing local house fellowships in regions, helping to identify and set in place local teams of Ephesians 4 gifted ministry leaders as well as those with diverse gifts to work together to help and assist in the caring of God's people and proper functioning of Christ's body as a caring family just as the Lord intended.
 
We are a multi-functioning body with diverse gifts, each one precious in uniqueness bearing the image of Christ, yet to be "as one" in the unity of spirit, being led by God's Spirit, teaching "only" the teachings of Jesus and His Kingdom as He taught the first apostles.

Remembering always that we, as the "family of God"; looking and functioning as a "family", caring and sharing, laying down our lives for others before ourselves. By this love for one another, the world will know that we are truly following the teachings of Jesus Christ.  John 13:34,35
 

RMI Family Elders oversee local family house fellowships, pastors are never left alone, but held close in personal relationships for encouragement, safety, and support. Ongoing, daily, face to face relationships are mandatory following Jesus example in His relationships with the first apostles.

We are a Kingdom Family that is one in heart and spirit, interconnecting to be held closely accountable in the fear of the Lord; seeking to bear the image and character of Jesus Christ and fulfill His command to make disciples bearing the same.