Faithful disciples taking the good news of Jesus out into the world often come off as charlatans, uninvited guests entrusted with a free gift to offer the nations, yet many refuse to listen. Paul’s ministry among the Gentiles was no different. Join us in 1 Thessalonians 2 as Paul combats the salesman stigma by reflecting on the life to life discipleship they enjoyed together when he was present with them.
What’s the difference between being hit by a moving car and being hit by a clumsy fly? One definitely makes a bigger impact than another. In this first installment of our series we’re looking at the lasting effect on people, culture, and history that can be made when a church of disciples is moving. Join us in Thessalonians chapter 1, as we talk about the impact of the discipled church.
What is the reasonable response to being healed? What is the logical response to being freed from slavery? Winning a massive victory? Celebration is the only thing that makes sense here, and yet Christians have a reputation of being... kill-joys? Join us as we contend this week with the discipline and nature of Celebration!
The first major family dysfunction occurred with Cain and Able, and Cain's response to God was“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This was an overt attempt to deny responsibility others. How would you answer Cain’s questions? What is my responsibility as regards those around me? Join us this week as we talk about the practice and discipline of guidance.
Every week in church gatherings around the world people come together to worship. How many view it as a spiritual discipline? Join us as we discuss misconceptions about worship, the Biblical conception of worship, and how to practically engage in this corporate discipline.
When you do wrong, who do you talk to about it and why? Confession is a discipline that not many people embrace within the church, but perhaps the all-knowing God has a reason for telling us to involve others when we are struggling with sin. Join us as we investigate rightly understanding and practicing the discipline of confession.
When it comes to the labors of this life Christians should have some very different goals and motivations than those outside of Christ. Join us as we look at the Christian discipline of service, and its role in spiritual formation.
Quiz most folks in our culture and you’d likely find that the general sentiments regarding “submission” is that it’s all about who has the most power. But is submission really just an indication of weakness? Join us as we look at the Biblical command to engage in the discipline of submission, and what that practice should look like.
Throughout Scripture deserts are places of solitude and markets are places of community. What then does it mean for our culture and for our communities that we’ve transformed our markets into deserts and our deserts into markets? Join us this Sunday as we explore how solitude shapes the world around us.
Life is complex, life is difficult, life is cluttered... but does it have to be? This week we begin investigating the outward disciplines by looking at what the scripture has to say about simplicity, and then considering how to put this discipline into practice.
Christianity is full of symbols. Emblems that bring forth ideas and instruction each time we look at them. During this year we are focusing on Christian discipleship and have brought forth three emblems (three symbols) to help us understand the role of a disciple. Join us as we process the death and resurrection of Christ by examining the crown, the nail, and the gears.
When it comes to the spiritual disciplines; study of the Bible features prominently in most of our minds. There’s no question that Bible study bears fruit, and yet it’s so easily neglected. Join us as we discuss what’s so special about the Bible and talk about practical methods for beginning the discipline of study.
As we consider the discipline of fasting we can liken it to the garden tiller. It pierces. It disrupts. It uproots. It tears apart. It exposes. It breaks up what has grown hard and compact not to destroy, but to prepare the ground to sustain something new, something growing, something good and fruitful. Join us as we turn ou r attention to this often dreaded tool.
Like breathing out and in functions for the flesh, so meditation and prayer function for the spirit! Join us as we address some prayer pitfalls and learn to use Jesus’ prayer prototype as a template for structuring our daily interactions with God.
Are you capable of being still, slowing down, and becoming aware of God’s presence? If you reach that state, what ought you do next? In this message we will discuss practical preparation and methods for implementing Christian meditation.
Imagine you’re asked the question “When am I a Disciple?” You might respond by trying to qualify the question by pinning down what a person means by “when?” Asking “when” the questioner may be seeking: “at what point? Or how often? Or how long?” This week we’ll attempt to answer all three.
Jesus makes a big to-do on numerous occasions about the importance of obeying his commands. What does this obedience entail and what does it look like in the life of a believer?
1st John 2:15 tells us to not love the world. But doesn't "the world" mean basically everything? Who is John talking to and what is he talking about?
Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me" (Lk. 9:23) Perhaps you’ve read that and wondered, “What have I gotten myself into?” Join us to find out!
It seems like the call to discipleship is asking a lot! What if I only want to be a regular Christian? Join us as we examine the full scope of commitment-level options afforded to a follower of Jesus.
What must every Rabbi have in order to be a Rabbi? Students! Disciples! This week we continue our series “Why Discipleship” by beginning to unpack the role and function of a disciple.
Jesus is referenced as Rabbi numerous times in the New Testament, but what does that term mean and what relevance does it have to a modern Christian? Join us as we investigate the role of itinerate Rabbi, and its relevance to our relationship to the Christ.
It’s time once again for our look back at what we’ve studied during 2023 and our look ahead to what we’ll be studying in 2024. Join us as we pivot to a new year!
This is the ninth and final week of our series looking at lives interrupted, people called by God or at times re-called by God. As we wrap up we turn to the book of Hebrews to consider not an individual, but a community of believers plagued by doubt, tempted to turn back to their old way of life rather than endure imminent persecution.
What makes a person special in God’s sight? What makes someone worthy of calling? This week we’ll look at the calling of someone with very little in the way of ambition… a veritable nobody whose story becomes one of the most compelling in the history of the world. Join us as we discuss Mary the mother of Jesus and the calling of a “nobody.”
Some of the greatest figures in Christian history started out as openly antagonistic to the Christian position. This week we’ll be looking at the calling of one such “enemy” as a young man named Saul hears from God and all of human history pivots (Acts 9).
If you were able to watch a dialogue between one human and God, what human would you want to see conducting that interview? In the third chapter of John, Jesus has a clandestine meeting with one of the most brilliant and well-respected leaders of the Jewish people. The perfect person to interview this person claiming to be Messiah. What follows is the calling of an academic, an elaborate tapestry of mysteries hidden and revealed, and an invitation beyond this academic: a calling for the audience...
When Jesus was asked to perform miracles (signs), he stated that no sign would be given to such a generation except the sign of Jonah. But what is the sign of Jonah? If you’ve ever said “no” to God, if you’ve ever failed to do what God said, if you’ve ever been bitter that God’s mercy is being extended to those you think deserve God’s wrath: well, this is a calling you need to hear.
Fear is powerful. And the most powerful fear is the one that dominates your thinking and behavior. Fear might lead to cowardice, or ironically it can lead to bravery. This week we’ll examine God’s calling of a coward, and the ironic solution to cowardice: the right kind of fear.
Ever found yourself in a group or situation where you were hiding and longing to be seen at the same time? An outcast, out of place and without hope of connection? How many of our biggest failures and regrets were done in the name of belonging, of fitting in, of being affirmed and recognized, of finally being seen? Join us as we consider who Jesus interrupts the lives of those on the fringe of society.
