Simple frameworks that help believers grow in their faith, love their neighbors, and serve with purpose.
Resources
Growing Together
The Gathering of Neighbors Collective exists to help people form simple, Jesus-centered communities in everyday places. Rather than building complicated structures or requiring formal ministry pathways, the Collective focuses on helping everyday believers take faithful next steps in the places they already live, work, and belong.
BASICS, BLESS, and APEST are not programs to complete. They are tools that help shape a way of life centered on discipleship, community, and mission. As individuals and chapters of Gathering of Neighbors practice these rhythms, they begin to see their everyday environments - homes, streets, workplaces, and neighborhoods - as places where God is actively at work. These simple frameworks help us grow as followers of Jesus while equipping us to love and serve the people around us.
The Gathering of Neighbors is built on simple, practical tools that help everyday believers live out their faith where they already are—within their homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities. These resources are designed to equip individuals and groups with clear frameworks for prayer, hospitality, discipleship, and leadership development.
Three of the foundational tools we encourage every participant to understand and practice are BASICS, BLESS, and APEST. Each one serves a different purpose, but together they provide a simple pathway for living missionally and building healthy communities.
BASICS Guide
The BASICS framework represents the core spiritual foundations that shape our lives as followers of Jesus. These are not complicated theological concepts or academic exercises. They are the everyday practices that help believers grow in their relationship with God and with others.
BASICS focuses on developing a rhythm of faith that is both personal and communal. It emphasizes knowing what we believe, living it out with integrity, and allowing our faith to influence how we interact with the people around us.
Through BASICS, participants are encouraged to grow in areas such as faith, identity in Christ, obedience, and living a life that reflects the teachings of Jesus. These foundations create the spiritual maturity necessary for healthy discipleship and leadership.
The goal of BASICS is simple:
to help believers develop a strong spiritual foundation that supports a life of mission and community.
BLESS Guide
BLESS is a practical model for loving and serving the people around us. It provides a clear and approachable way to live missionally without needing a formal program or complicated strategy. Rather than focusing on events or outreach campaigns, BLESS helps believers build meaningful relationships and naturally share the love of Christ in everyday life.
The BLESS rhythm includes five simple practices:
Begin with Prayer - Pray for the people in your life—your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family. Ask God to open opportunities for meaningful conversations and relationships.
Listen - Take time to truly listen to the people around you. Understand their stories, their struggles, and what matters to them.
Eat - Sharing meals is one of the most natural ways to build relationships. Eating together creates space for connection, trust, and conversation.
Serve - Look for practical ways to serve others. Small acts of kindness often open the door to deeper relationships.
Story - As relationships grow, share your story and how God has worked in your life. These conversations happen naturally when trust and friendship are present.
BLESS helps believers move from simply knowing their neighbors to actively caring for them in tangible ways.
APEST Test
APEST is a leadership framework based on Ephesians 4:11, which describes five ministry expressions within the body of Christ: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers.
Each of these roles reflects a different way that God equips people to serve and strengthen the Church.
APEST helps individuals better understand how they are wired and how they naturally contribute to the mission of the Kingdom. Rather than elevating one role above another, this model highlights the importance of all five working together.
- Apostles help pioneer new initiatives and expand the mission.
- Prophets help keep the community aligned with God’s heart and truth.
- Evangelists focus on reaching new people and sharing the gospel.
- Shepherds care for the spiritual and relational health of the community.
- Teachers help others understand and apply the truth of Scripture.
When these gifts work together, communities become healthier, more balanced, and more effective in their mission.
APEST helps leaders identify their strengths, understand how they function within a team, and appreciate the different ways God equips others.
BASICS, BLESS, and APEST are not separate programs. Together they form a simple framework for spiritual growth, mission, and leadership development within the Gathering of Neighbors.
BASICS establishes the spiritual foundation for discipleship.
BLESS provides a practical rhythm for loving and serving the people around us.
APEST helps individuals understand how God has uniquely wired them to contribute to the mission.
When practiced together, these tools help believers grow in their faith, build meaningful relationships, and serve their communities with purpose.
Working Together
If you are new to the Gathering of Neighbors, the best place to begin is with BASICS. This training walks through the core foundations of faith and prepares participants to live missionally in everyday life.
From there, the BLESS rhythm helps you begin engaging the people around you in practical and relational ways.
As individuals and chapters grow,
APEST helps identify leadership gifts and strengthen healthy team dynamics within the community.
Where to Start
Ready to Go Deeper?
These frameworks are introduced and explored more fully through the Gathering of Neighbors training experience. If you're interested in starting a chapter or learning how to practice these rhythms in your community, the training is the best next step.