WHAT IS CWF?

CHRISTIAN WHOLENESS FRAMEWORK

The CWF is Christian
• Christian in terms of mainline Christian doctrines.
• Biblically based and illustrating the Scriptures.
• God-centred, especially as illustrated by the God-centred Shapes.

The CWF Promotes Wholeness
• Wholeness refers to the whole church of which the Living Wholeness Community is a very small part, focusing on facilitating God-centred transformation of the whole person, within their local community and church, being more able to receive the whole gospel.
• Encompasses a comprehensive and cohesive, uniting, balanced and broad integrating biblical anthropology of the whole person as demonstrated by the five Circles (see below). It is best summed up in the Hebrew word, “Shalom”.

The CWF is a Framework
• A structure which accommodates all aspects of personhood, and most therapeutic approaches.
• An operating system like the operating system of a smart phone on which can be installed various apps. Likewise, you can install your applications of the CWF onto the Framework.
• A picture language of simply five Steps and five Shapes, which like any language, is developmental, from basic to complex. It is universal and yet unique in that it can be applied to a person of any demographic – of age, gender or culture, or whether someone is struggling or succeeding. Because it is so transferable it can become a common and uniting God-centred language as we speak the truth in love to each other.
• An easy way to bring together the essentials of wholistic God-centred transformation.

CWF is a helpful set of visual aids and reminders that utilizes 5 Steps and 5 Shapes to enhance the counseling process.

CWF-Step-and-Shapes-Card Download

Circle-Card Download

Learn more about the CWF

Summary of The Christian Wholeness Framework

What the CWF Offers

The Christian Wholeness Framework…

is Christian, wholistic, and a framework; based on the Bible, centred on God, promoting the Christian church’s central role in the transformation of individuals across the world. It offers a Biblical anthropology of man, and a dynamic understanding of the process of personal wholistic transformation.
incorporates a robust integrative theology, psychology, biology and sociology of change, and emphasises the need for the individual to connect to both God, and people, to grow.
provides a structure in which various models of therapy or transformation can be integrated; a map assisting the user know where they are, where they want to go, and how to travel; and a therapeutic tool bag.
offers a foundation for training at all levels, equipping church and community-based transformation groups; lay, pastoral, and professional counsellors; supervisors, educators, and researchers. It is sophisticated, well presented, and easily understood.
recognises the need for both healing and sanctification, together bringing transformation.
acknowledges the range of healing disciplines from enrichment and group programs, to coaching, mentoring, spiritual accompaniment, pastoring, to deeper counselling, prayer, and psychotherapy.
encourages, inspires and challenges the finding of a way for wholistic transformation for all people, within their relational systems.
Developed in both East and West, over 30 years, offers probably one of the most comprehensive approaches to working wholistically with people. It is Biblically robust, theologically and psychologically integrative, systematic and teachable, culturally sensitive, and is being increasingly accessed around and is being increasingly accessed in both East and West.

The CWF is the most comprehensive road map to the process of counseling others that I know of.

– Prof. Brad Smith. Lausanne Care and Counsel Committee Chair

CURE: 5 SHAPES

A summary of the 5 Shapes of the CURE method

TRIANGLE

The relational triangle corresponds with the first step, connect. The triangle responds to the question, “Why am I?” It reminds us of the interrelationship between God, others, and ourself. The triangle also represents trialogue; God centered transformation (assisted by the God-centered CWF); and illustrates the new commandments — love God and love others.

CIRCLES

The circles correspond with the understand step. The circles respond to the question, “Who am I?” The five circles, (social, physical, mind, heart and spirit) and their associated sectors, present a Biblical anthropology of man. Understanding one’s five circles and sectors gives rise to the practice of locating, which then facilitates linking. This allows a full and accurate picture to develop, easily recorded, crystallizing often complexly intertwined issues. The circles are the core CWF shape, and essentially contain all the other shapes, with the triangle and pyramid in the social circle, and the shape of the cross in the spirit circle. Any sector can be in any quadrant of the square. The circles highlight the goal and process of internal Transformation, growing in our Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (TASK).

The circles most completely illustrate the CWF, being truly:

Christian: A God centred anthropology of man;
Wholistic: Providing a central (Spirit) source, a balanced wheel (all sectors are equally important) integrating many parts, theories and modalities; and a
Framework in terms of,
- Structure: like a tree, a circular tower/table, a jigsaw puzzle which as assembled shows the full picture, or a directional map. The circles provide a capacity for breath, direction, and a sense of integrated cohesiveness. The circles also illustrate most extensively, the common, uniting, transferable
- Picture language: which can be unique to any individual person, whatever age, culture or gender, and yet also universal.
- Operating system: on which other applications can be placed.

SQUARE

The square corresponds with the understand step. The Square responds to the questions regarding the practice of our lives, “Where am I? (an understanding step question) and, “Where am I going?”; “What difference is God making my life?” (response step questions) It particularly highlights the ultimate goal (heaven) of God centred flourishing and the 2 dimensions of change – healing (bottom up) and sanctification (left to right).

The square indicates at any given time where we or another may be: self centered flourishing or suffering, or God centered flourishing or suffering. One part of us may be in one quadrant while another part is in another quadrant.

THE SHAPE OF THE CROSS

The shape of the cross corresponds with the response step. This shape invites us to answer the question “What difference does Jesus make to my life?” The shape reminds us of what Jesus did in his death and resurrection. The two sides of the vertical line, and underneath the horizontal line, refers to our spiritual position. This needs to be applied daily, accessing the 5 aspects of our relationship with God:
His Person (The Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit);
His Presence (He dwells by His Spirit within our hearts);
His Placing of Us (Forgiven of all sin, life in Gods family as Gods child, reborn to life in Christ, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit);
His Purposes for Us (He calls us to intimacy with God [first commandment]; loving others as ourselves [second commandment] imitation of Christ [the new commandment] and going into all the world with Him [great commission] to do good works and bear good fruit;
His Provisions for Us (unFailing love, Forgiveness, Freedom, Fullness, to Fight the good fight).

PYRAMID

The pyramid corresponds to a number of points of the social circle. It also corresponds with the engage help step – being and accessing the body of Christ for one another. In addition, the base and the sides of the pyramid are where the five steps occur, so that people around the pyramid periphery must connect with, understand, respond to, and engage with each other to serve and lead the recipient/s. The position along any given line is representative of how gifted, trained, experienced, and capable that particular person is in walking these steps with the recipient/s. The pyramid is a symbolic reminder of the body of Christ, its interconnectedness, the equality of all members, the existence of both carer and recipient, and the overarching person of the Trinity, sustaining, and being with, His body. The pyramid is also a way to locate your own position/s within the body of Christ. There are thus three versions:
Support Pyramid: Because we flourish when we have a number of people, with differing gifts, around us.
Serve Pyramid: Because we are called to serve and lead others, with others, to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission.
Link Pyramid: Because we offer best care when we care together for the recipient, as a community.