About The Author

Tom Kaastra did his graduate work at Calvin Seminary and Michigan State University, and taught “The Basics” of the Bible for 38 years as Pastor of Immanuel Church in the Metro Detroit area. Currently, he devotes the majority of his time to the development of this Basics of Life Ministry. Tom also teaches at Calvary Assembly of God. He is married to Nancy, a volunteers at Alpha Family Centers, and they are blessed with three married children and eight grandchildren. Tom and Nancy are enjoying family experiences rooted in 51 years of walking together with Jesus.

About the Ministry

Jesus described both the purpose and goal of His Ministry in two statements: “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” and “I will build my church.” Simply stated, He came to build a Community of Life.

The church is a building, constructed not of bricks and mortar but of human beings. During three years of ministry Jesus laid a Foundation of Life in twelve persons, revealing the Father’s architectural design. Subsequently, He entrusted the project to the twelve with a specific work order: “Make disciples … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

“Disciple-making” involves two essentials: attachment and training. “Jesus appointed twelve that they might be with Him.” A disciple is a person attached to Jesus … the Source of Life. Being so attached, a disciple is trained by the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus. “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”

Rooted in and motivated by the ministry of Jesus, Basics of Life Ministries, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, was created in 2002 to advance Jesus Christ’s construction project via attachment and training. Its primary tool is Basics of Life, a sixteen section construction manual summarizing the basic building blocks of Life as demonstrated by Jesus.

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