Linda's 4-Part Process to Equip Believers to be Faithful Followers of Jesus
Learning labs for new and renewing Christians. Members' community for life-long learning.
Trying to be the perfect Christian is overwhelming.
If you don't have a process...
Your connections with others of faith will become superficial relationships.
You waste time trying to be like other "perfect" Christians and pastors.
You guess about how to be faithful instead of acting with confidence
And this way of living leads to disconnection with self, God, and others. I don't want you to feel this way, like a life of faith is not attainable. I've supported Christians of all levels of faith from local church members to denominational faith leaders. I am confident that the 4-part process they have experienced from me through countless events, programs, workshops, courses, and other offerings can work for you too.
Learn and Apply the 4-Step Process to Your Faith Formation
Step 1
Replant
Listen in a Community that Cares
Listen and learn within an online community designed to bring together people who care about one another while applying teachings for replanting success.
Here you will write down and make it plain what your personal values, vision, and mission statements are in ways that light up from Christ within and help you be a faithful servant leader within your local community of faith.
Step 2
Grow Roots
Dialogue with people who show respect
Follow the guides for intentional dialogue for Christians focused on respecting our differences using this dedicated community to practice what is taught before using it in your local ministry context.
Drop the judgment and criticism in both your sharing and receiving so that you can focus on discovering the paths that lead toward a deeper and more rooted relationship with Jesus. Good news / bad news: this is not something you can do by yourself, so let our community help you grow with purpose.
Step 3
Be Strong
Commit to showing up with a growth mindset
With live events and additional support, make the commitment to being present and interacting consistently, vulnerably, and wholeheartedly.
Take on the challenges we offer to stretch you as you show up face-to-face with other community members. Expect God to be at work in you through hands-on approaches to walking the walk of faith with other Christians. I know, this part of the process might just make or break what you think being a Christian requires. However, we are here to help you understand what will best help you to keep living to the fullest through all the ups and downs life brings.
Step 4
Give Life
Repeat what works then do what works better
Re-evaluate and rest yourself for success with tools to ensure the good you've inspired in this world continues to lead people to Christ rather than to you.
No matter how fruitful your life is or has been, doing what you've always done because it has worked for all this time is never good enough. Expecting the same results of past faithfulness easily leads to complacency, stubbornness, and self-dependent justifications.
From striking the rock to speaking to the rock, we spend this final step diving into maintaining a full and active life in Christ as we embrace what God has for now and next without falling into burnout and overwhelm for trying to maintain the status quo of past fruitfulness.
You are invited to be part of a Christian community that focuses on being more like Christ. We value honesty, putting Jesus first, and being willing to fail, learn, and try again. Being imperfect is expected, but always seeking perfection in love as people determined to grow in faith with the heart and mind of Jesus. With time, we grow more vunlerable, confident, and faithful while protecting one another from harmful teachings and lies often taught to Christians about perfect behaviors, physical prosperity, and "the good life." Here we value the central belief in Jesus Christ of all Christan denomications and the ability have different theological perspectives while yet supporting each other. Our membership is for you if you who want a place to share your own experience with others and respect all opinions without offer criticizim. You can request help, but this is not the place to offer unsolicited advice. You can ask for prayers from the community, but here we don't post prayers to change one another. Let's live life together and transform our churches, starting with transforming ourselves.
WHAT MAKES THIS ONLINE MEMBERSHIP DIFFERENT
Not a church -
but supports your relationship with God, yourself, others, and your church
Built on Scripture, Wesleyan practice, creativity, and holistic discipleship
Focused on action -
body, mind, spirit, self, and others
A process
that Once learned doesn't require membership To LIVE IT
Labs for deep transformation
and focused intensive learning
+ community
for ongoing support and accountability
Get a 30 Day Free Trial Membership!
EXPERIENCE The Living Story Collective
the online community for Christian growth in life, ministry, and Leadership
Discussions
For chats, downloadables, QnA, and more topical channels.
Learning
Member-only and lab-only courses and resource modules.
Events
Calendar for member-only and lab-only live events.
Leaderboard
Earn points to earn perks such as private channels and events.
STILL NOT SURE?
Paid Member Benefits
We understand that the labs can be a lot to invest for some at one time. So, we've created an access plan for active members of the community.
Included After 60 days: "Replant" 8-Week Lab Access
After your 30-day free trial, maintain your paid membership for 60 days straight, and you will have the Replant lab resources added to your membership access for the life of your concurrently active membership. While one-time purchasers only get access for 8 weeks, you'll have access to the lab for the life of your membership.
Included After 10 months: "Grow Roots" 8-week Lab Access
The next free lab release comes to member accounts with 10 months of uninterrupted active membership. At this point, users will be granted access to the Grow Roots lab. I hope that as an active member, you will have grown with the community and be prepared to thrive in the growing roots practices if you haven't already explored this 8-week lab experience.
Included After 26 months: "Be Strong" 8-week Lab Access
You guessed it, there is a third release period for free access to the labs for members, and this one comes after 26 months of consecutive active membership. Active users will then be granted access to the Be Strong lab resources, which will allow you to build on what you have learned from both of the previous lab resource sets.
Sorry, No Time-Released "Give Life" 8-week Lab Access
This product is a premium experience with one-to-one support and consultation services. We will offer discounted offers for members occasionally, but it is not included in the free lab content release schedule at this time.
For All Members: Points-Based Access
Whether a temporary member by purchasing access to the community for one of the 8-week labs or one of our active sustaining subscribed members, you can earn points and the benefits that come with leveling up.
Points Process:
You earn points when other members like your posts or comments. 1 like = 1 point. This encourages everyone to produce quality content and interact with other members in the Living Story Collective, our Minister's Helper members-only community.
As you gain points, you level up. Your level is shown at the bottom right of your avatar in the member listing inside the Living Story Collective community dashboard. The number of points required to get to the next level is shown via the progress bar on the Leaderboard screen.
There are no benefits for being a "leader" on the leaderboard, but as you level up, you will get notifications of new courses and events that only members who have achieved certain levels can access.
NOTE: The points system has not been tested for members who leave and return. I can not guarantee that your past earned points will still be available to you if you end your subscription, whether by not joining at the end of an 8-week lab, not signing up for another lab before your current lab expires, or canceling a membership and then rejoining at a later date.
About Leaderboard Points
The offerings are subject to change and more will be added over time, but below are some levels you can anticipate:
🔰 Level 1 (0 Points) – Explorer
Unlocked Perks:
Access to the member-only community channels
Opportunity to post member-written reflections for the community
🌱 Level 2 (5 Points) – Encourager
Unlocked Perks:
Access to live weekly prayer meet-ups
Visibility on community leaderboards
Eligible for monthly “Featured Reflection” highlight post (staff selected)
🔥 Level 3 (20 Points) – Sharer
Unlocked Perks:
Access to 7-Day Prayer Habit Challenge mini-course
Invitation to share prayer reflections or creative writing for community blog (staff curated)
💎 Level 4 (65 Points) – Contributor
Unlocked Perks:
Access to “Prayer Tools Resource Library” (e.g., printable guides, prompts, journaling pages)
Special member-only online event: Seasonal Prayer Workshop (1 per season, offered up to 4 times per year)
🕊 Level 5 (155 Points) – Practitioner
Unlocked Perks:
Full access to the 31-Day Guided Prayer Challenge Course
Access to archived replays of past seasonal prayer workshops
Access to a private “Practitioner” thread for deeper dialogue and reflection
This level provides the first major course unlock and deeper content threads.
🧭 Level 6 (515 Points) – Leader
Unlocked Perks:
Invitation to apply to lead a prayer channel on a topical focus of your choosing.
Early access to upcoming mini-courses (before general release)
Access to “Prayer + Leadership” mini-series (3 videos on spiritual leadership)
You've invested in the community, so these benefits are an investment in you. Thank you for your leadership and contribution to community health.
🌿 Level 7 (2015 Points) – Elder
Unlocked Perks:
Invitation-only quarterly online spiritual formation circle
Downloadable bundle of printable devotional guides, prompts, and seasonal templates
Listed in “Community Mentors," a feature on the Minister's Helper website akin do sponsors and donors, but only possible to join as a Level 7 member.
🕯 Level 8 (8015 Points) – Pillar
Unlocked Perks:
Free access to all mini-courses (past and future) for the life of your membership including all contents in the Living Story Labs
Priority access to sign up for limited-capacity online events
Recognition post within the community with optional spotlight story
🌟 Level 9 (33,015 Points) – Luminary
Unlocked Perks:
Invitation to in-person retreat or special online retreat
“Lifetime Learner” status: guaranteed access to all future digital content offerings through the platform at no additional cost
Acknowledgement in the community to all members as a foundational voice that helps to shape the life of the collective.
Testimonials
Here what others have to say about their experiences with the leader of Minister's Helper, Rev. Linda Furtado
Meet Rev. Linda Furtado, CEO of Minister's Helper
Linda believes in the gifted and grace-filled power of God at work in faith-based communities when they strive to live out and embody the love of Christ with one another. She believes this power is lived out when each member is empowered to share vulnerably, witness boldly, and serve wholeheartedly and holistically in body, mind, spirit, self, and others. Her experiences in training and leading lay and clergy leaders in ministry includes:
Ministry Directors
Visionaries
missional innovators
Pastors
Lay Leaders
Church planters
Board Leaders
newly appointed Clergy
entrepreneurial Leaders
Resources & Consulting
A key challenge in ministry is burnout and the holistic approach to learning and formation I offer is built with prevention in mind. Minister's Helper reimagines spiritual formation and growth as well as practical ways of offering ministry support through servant leadership.
STEP 1: The Christian Assessment
Starting with the free Christian Assessment, participants gain insight into what personal next steps make the most since for their needs in light of body, mind, spirit, self, and others.
STEP 2: The Book - Jesus. Now What?
Jesus. Now What? is a powerful guide for those seeking to navigate life after encountering Christ. Whether you are new to faith, returning after a season away, or longing to deepen your relationship with Jesus, this book provides a pathway forward.
STEP 3: Choose Your Lab
Those looking for more help on the journey can grow alongside others in the faith through resources and online community discussions. With the Living Story Lab, you choose from one of 4 labs based on your Christian Assessment results and what best meets your needs.
STEP 4: The Living Story Collective
Those seeking ongoing support can join the Living Story Collective community for greater support and more personalized opportunities for growth with others. The more you engage in the discussions provided the more you earn in benefits including access to members-only courses, live meet-ups, and private channels.
STEP 5: Consulting and Live Support Services
Any who are looking for more hands-on support can inquire about in-person and online live experiences such as speaking, preaching, group training, and other consultation services.
Take Your Next Best Step In Ministry
Start Your Journey
Go ahead and start with the 30-day free trial. You'll be introduced to free resources, member-only content, and a place to explore and grow your faith with other Christians as you focus on body, mind, spirit, self, and others.
FAQS
What is your experience and background in ministry leadership?
Rev. Linda Furtado, brings over 17 years of rich and diverse experience in ministry leadership. Her journey has spanned a broad spectrum of roles, including lay and clergy leadership positions, where she has exemplified servant leadership in the contexts of home, church, and the corporate world. Linda's multifaceted background includes:
Educational Expertise:
Trained as an educator, Linda has a strong foundation in teaching and learning principles, having served as a public school educator and an instructional designer.
Family Coaching:
As a certified Incredible Family coach through the Working Parent Institute, she specializes in strengthening family dynamics within the Christian faith.
Curriculum Development:
Her skills as a Christian curriculum writer have contributed to the creation of engaging and impactful learning materials for various age groups with global agencies and distribution networks.
Worship and Arts:
Linda's talents extend to worship writing and production, as well as visual and performing arts, enriching worship experiences and ministry outreach.
Theological Training:
She holds a Master in Christian Arts in Ministries degree, underpinning her ministry with deep theological insight and understanding.
United Methodist Tradition: A lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, Linda's approach is deeply rooted in its traditions and values.
Online Ministry Development:
Linda is an adept producer, writer, and developer of online ministry resources, leveraging digital platforms to extend the reach and impact of ministry efforts.
Through her comprehensive experience and skills, Linda is uniquely positioned to guide ministry leaders in enhancing their leadership capabilities, developing effective ministry strategies, and creating enriching worship and educational experiences.
Not sure if what Linda has to offer aligns with your beliefs? See her work in action by joining the online community with a free 30-day trial.
If I join a lab then become a member, will I have to wait the same time period as members for the free lab 8-week experience benefits?
Yes, the benefits are scheduled based on consecutive community membership length. In other words, if you pay for the Replant lab then become a member, it will not update the length of the lab access you currently have, and it also will not add time to the member benefits calculation.
Learn to write, tell, and live your faith story so it transforms you—and the world around you.
- Rev. Linda Furtado
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