Stage 1: Discern

The journey begins here. In Stage 1, the Team Lead and Development Team step into active, hands-on work—casting vision, gathering key insights, and taking the first steps toward building a thriving Love INC affiliate.

As you move through this page, you’ll access resources and online courses designed to equip you to act with clarity and confidence. Engage with and lean into the materials, and keep pressing forward. Every action you take here strengthens the foundation for what God is preparing next.
Write your awesome label here.

Stage 1 Meditations

As you and your team step into this Kingdom-sized mission, we want to encourage you to intentionally ground yourselves in God's truth. Because we know that stepping into Kingdom work can invite spiritual resistance at times, every stage includes passages, prayers, and studies chosen specifically to strengthen and guide you and your team along the journey.

Scripture

Philippians `1: 9-11

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Prayer

Lord God, let our love abound more and more in knowledge, wisdom, and depth of insight as we begin this journey of developing a Love INC affiliate. Lead us by your Spirit. Give us discernment to know what is best, courage to follow where you guide, and unity as we take each next step.

Create the path before us. Open the right doors, bring together the right people, and form this work according to your will. May those who carry this ministry be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, so that every decision, relationship, and act of service brings glory and praise to you. Amen

Devotions

Journeying through our Meditation on Love INC’s Core Values has been a great way for many developing Love INC affiliates to center and engage their leadership team. If you’d like to use this material personally or with local leaders, simply access it below. 
 Meditations on our Love INC Core Values
Consider reading Build and Resist, a hope-filled devotional from our friends at CCDA that offers reflections relevant to developing a Love INC affiliate.

Courses

Write your awesome label here.

The DNA Library offers you quick access to commonly used templates, pdfs, images, and links! Click below to check out the DNA Stage 1 Resources.

Write your awesome label here.

Training Opportunities

Many ongoing Love INC training opportunities are available to Developing Affiliates depending on their particular stage or staffing/board progress. To learn more, click the link below to view our Training Catalog. Once on that landing page, look for the red Developing Affiliates button on the right side of the training pathways, and click to reveal the most current list of recommended trainings for DNAs.

Write your awesome label here.

Stage 1 Checklist - To Be Completed by Development Team Lead

Team Leads, use this checklist to view all your primary Stage 1 objectives in one place.