What is the Life Model?

The Life Model is a unifying approach to the ministries of counseling, recovery, pastoral care, prayer ministry, deliverance, inner healing, child rearing, body life and health. The Life Model is a multigenerational model of redemption and maturity from conception to death. While the Life Model incorporates the best in science and medicine, we were careful to create a model that was not based on western education, but rather on a biblical worldview that is thousands of years old and well tested for the transformation of identity, character and culture.
The Life Model has three distinctive features.
First, it depends on a multigenerational community for the formation of maturity. Second, it depends upon an Immanuel lifestyle where God’s interactive presence in forms all we do and creates “shalom.” In shalom, everything is in the right place, at the right time, and the right amount for God and people. The third distinctive feature of the Life Model comes from the specific, learned, relational skills needed for a mature human identity. While everyone is born with the brain wiring needed to be a predator, training in the gentle–protector skills are needed to form godly character. These skills have been identified by brain studies and writings beginning about the year 2000. These brain skills are needed in all humans and are only acquired by joyful interactions and relationships with other people who already have those skills.
The absence of key relational skills and maturity are almost always behind the failures of ministers, ministries and missions. Sadly, the lacking skills are rarely identified, and when the lack of skill is seen, no one knows how to restore the skills. Relational skills are the basis for expressing godly character and identity to others around us when the ”heart Jesus gave us” seeks expression. Consequently, Shepherd’s House has developed materials and training to help restore and propagate gentle–protector, relational brain skills.
We are planting seeds that will change whole cultures, alter generational heritages and equip people with the skills they need to thrive!
(Excerpt taken from Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You and presented in greater detail at the Annual Gathering 2016 by Dr. Jim Wilder. The complete presentation is available in the Rare Community DVD Set.)