Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how being Part of Two Churches is essential for multiplication and faithfulness.
In this post we will discuss the Peer Mentoring Group and its importance to multiplication.

Jesus said - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

A Peer Mentoring Group is a group that consists of people who are leading and starting 3/3 Groups. It also follows a 3/3 format and is a powerful way to assess the spiritual health of God’s work in your area.

Peer Mentoring Groups use leader-to-leader mentoring with individual followers of Jesus, with simple churches, with ministry organizations or even with a global simple church network that reaches around the world.

Peer Mentoring Groups follow Jesus’ example of ministry from scripture, ask questions of one another and give feedback -- all using the same basic time structure as a 3/3 Group. The purpose of these groups is not to judge - to lift one member up and tear another down.

Jesus said - “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Instead, the purpose of a Peer Mentoring Group is to provide a simple format for helping followers of Jesus grow through prayer, obedience, application and accountability. In other words -- “to love one another.”

Here’s how it works:

Look Back (VISUAL - 1/3) During the first third - spend time in prayer and care just like you would in a basic 3/3 Group.

Then spend time looking at the group’s vision - How well are we individually abiding in Jesus as we read scripture, pray, trust and obey God, and live out key relationships?
Finally, during this first third, have the group review and respond to each individual’s action plans and commitments made in the last session.

Look Up (VISUAL - 2/3) The middle third of the group’s time is spent Looking Up for God’s wisdom and direction through scripture, discussion and prayer.
Offer a brief and simple prayer, asking God to teach you His will and His ways through His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead your time.

Group members should share what they have learned from the Lord about their area of leadership - either through God’s Word, Prayer or from Other Followers.

Have the group discuss the following simple questions:

• How are you doing in each section of the Four Fields diagram?
• What is working well? What are your biggest challenges?
• Review your current generational map.
• What challenged you or what did you find hard to understand?
• What is God showing you recently?
• Are there any questions and feedback from seasoned leaders or other participants?

Look Forward (VISUAL - 3/3) The final third of the group’s time is spent Looking Forward to how we can each apply and obey what we’ve learned.
Spend time in silent prayer with everyone in the group asking the Holy Spirit to show them how to answer these questions:

• What action plans or goals would God have me put into practice before our next time together? (Use the Four Fields tool to help focus your work)
• How can my Mentor or other Group Members help me in this work?

Finally spend time as a group talking to God in prayer. Have the group pray so that each member is prayed for and ask God to prepare the hearts of all those the group will reach out to during their time apart.

Pray for God to give each member of the group the courage and strength to apply and obey what God has taught them in this session. If a seasoned leader needs to pray specifically for a younger leader, this is the perfect time for that prayer.

Since these groups often meet at a distance, you are unlikely to be able to celebrate The Lord’s Supper or share a meal, but be sure to make time to check-in about health and family and friends.

​Jesus showed us again and again that, even though He accomplished the most important works, He balanced it, always, with time for the ones He loved. A Peer Mentoring Group is a simple but strategic tool to develop stronger leaders.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how Pace Matters because where we all spend our eternity — an existence that outlasts time — is determined in the very short time we call “life.“ And increasing pace has an exponential impact on multiplication.

In this post we will discuss being part of two churches.
Jesus taught us that we are to stay close — to live as a small, spiritual family, to love and give our lives to one another, to celebrate and suffer — together. However, Jesus also taught us to leave our homes and loved ones behind and be willing to go anywhere — and everywhere — to share and start new spiritual families. So how can we do both?

In this post, we’ll learn how followers of Jesus can be a PART OF TWO CHURCHES to accelerate growth and help turn a faithful spiritual family into a growing city-wide body of believers.
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In God’s Word - we learn that His perfect plan is for us to live as a spiritual family. The Bible talks about this family as a church in three forms:
• The universal church -- the gathering of all the believers who were, who are and who will be.
• The regional or city church -- the gathering of all the believers in a city or a part of a country.
• The simple church -- the gathering of believers who meet in a small group like in a building or a home.

This smallest group - this elemental or simple church - is the spiritual family that lives life together and it works best when that family can meet and work together for months or years at a time.

At the same time, Jesus instructed His followers that they should be continuously starting new spiritual families, growing them to be more like Jesus, and helping them learn how to start new spiritual families, too. Jesus told us - make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all I have commanded.

​so how do these two things come together - how can we be a part of a church and be in the process of starting new churches - all at the same time?

Imagine a basic church - just four families. Each pair of symbols represent a different couple who lead their home. All the couples are a part of one church - this is their ongoing  spiritual family. This is who they do life with - the brothers and sisters who encourage   them in love and good works.

​But these same couples are also each working to start a new spiritual family. They’re not participating in the same way they do with their own small group family, but they are helping to MODEL and ASSIST as a new spiritual family gets started and grows.
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Imagine this - just one church starting four new churches at the exact same time. This is how fast God can grow His family. This is how the church can increase its pace.

​In an earlier session, we learned about the TRAINING CYCLE - MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE and we know that these first two phases - MODEL and ASSIST are meant to be moved through quickly - to keep new followers healthy and growing in their faith.

So what happens with the original church and the four churches that they’ve started? After helping them launch by Modeling and Assisting, these couples (original church) have already helped these new churches (1 gen) begin Modeling and Assisting, as well (for 2 gen).

For these four new churches (1 gen), our couples (org. church) are now in the WATCH phase - keeping an eye on the progress of these new churches (1 gen) and coaching as they Model and Assist new churches (2 gen) they help start on their own.

Most people will not be able to Model and Assist for more than one other spiritual family at a time. However, they can watch over and coach multiple churches and help them connect with peer mentors as they grow.

That means one single spiritual family - one elemental or simple church - can be part of launching many other small group churches at exactly the same time. That’s a lot of fruit.

So what happens to all these churches as they grow and start new churches that start new churches that start new churches? How do they stay connected? How do they live life as an extended spiritual family?

The answer is that all of these simple churches are just like the cells in a growing body and they connect together and network into a city or regional church. The churches are related. They share the same spiritual DNA. They are all connected out of the same first multiplying family. And now -- with some guidance - they come together as a larger body to do even more.

​Can you see some potential advantages of maintaining a consistent spiritual family that gives birth to new ones that grow and multiply instead of continually growing a family and splitting it in order to grow?

​Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share this post with others.

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how Non-Sequential Growth and how to break the habit of thinking in a linear pattern as a way of accelerating kingdom growth.

In this session will learn why multiplying matters and why multiplying quickly matters even more.
This session is about PACE. Pace is about time - how quickly or slowly things happen. Pace matters because where we all spend our eternity - an existence that outlasts time - is determined in the short time we call “life”.

God’s Word tells us that God is patient with us - not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to turn around and follow Him. God gives us more time because He knows we only have a short time to do all He’s called us to do and to reach all He’s called us to reach.
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To follow Jesus more closely, we have to pursue His people more quickly. We can’t just take our time. We have to increase our PACE.

The global church -- all followers of Jesus, together -- is larger than it’s ever been. The global church -- all followers of Jesus, together -- is a larger portion of the world’s population than ever before.

But even with those large numbers - the global church is not growing faster than the global population. That means that while there are more of us who follow Jesus than ever before, there are even more who are not following Jesus and will spend their eternity separated from Him, more than there have ever been before.

Making disciples who multiply matters.
Start with just one disciple. If they multiply and make a new disciple once every 18 months - an entire year and a half - and then those disciples do the same - in 10 years, there will be 64 new followers of Jesus. 64 people will spend their forever with a loving God.

But what if they moved a little faster? What if they increased their PACE?
If they multiply now in 4 months - a quarter of year - instead of 18 months, and those disciples do the same - in 10 years, there will now be a billion new followers of Jesus.
Think about that. Instead of less than 100. More than 1,000,000,000. All by increasing PACE. Going from 18 months to 4 months means we’re moving four-and-a-half times faster.

But that acceleration applied to every disciple over the course of 10 years means God’s family is growing 15 MILLION TIMES faster.
Less than a hundred. More than a billion.

PACE matters.

Sharing our story and God’s story and leading someone to follow Jesus grows God’s family.
Sharing with a new follower how to do exactly the same grows God’s family like a wildfire. Exponentially.
Like yeast through a loaf. All because of PACE.

Why is pace important?

What do you need to change in your thinking, your actions, or your attitude to be better aligned with God’s priority for pace?
What is one thing you can do this week that will make a difference?

Leave a comment to let us know. And please share this post with others.

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

​Last time we learned how Shema Statements can be used to launch spiritual discussions with the people around us, whether we know them or not.
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In this session, we’ll learn how to break the habit of thinking in a linear pattern as a way of accelerating kingdom growth.

To make disciples who make disciples more quickly, we have to keep in mind that multiple things can happen at the same time and there is not a certain order in which they need to happen. We have to learn the power of NON-SEQUENTIAL growth.

When people think about disciples multiplying, they often think of it as a step-by-step process. First prayer. Then preparation. Then sharing God’s good news. Then building disciples. Then building churches. Then developing leaders. Then reproduction.

When we learn this way, kingdom growth seems to be an easy-to-follow, linear and sequential process. One problem is that’s not how it always works. A bigger problem is that’s not how it often works best.
​
Imagine a line that represents a person’s life. Here’s birth. Here’s the first time they hear God’s good news. Here’s when they choose to follow Jesus. Here’s when they first share their story and God’s story and they begin to multiply. And here’s where this life ends.

​So from first hearing about Jesus to first sharing about Jesus is what we could consider a spiritual generation. This amount of time before multiplying. This amount of time before God’s family grows. This is how discipleship is usually taught.
But when we use a pattern like Greatest Blessing - watch what happens.

Now a new disciple starts multiplying immediately. The spiritual generation shortens. Someone hears God’s good news sooner. God’s family grows more quickly. More people are saved for eternity.

And all of it - simply by moving when they multiply.

But what if we keep going? What if someone starts multiplying even earlier? What if they begin to share after they first hear instead of after they first believe?

Some are open to gathering a group and sharing what they learn from God’s Word with friends and family before they ever say “yes” to Jesus. If we show those people how to gather a group and share what they learn and show others how to do the same, God’s family grows even faster. Now discipleship is a path to Jesus not just something we share after salvation.

This is a way a family or friends or even a village can come to follow Jesus.

But what if someone can multiply even sooner? What if someone could share God’s ways before they even meet God’s Son?

Sometimes a group may be unable or not ready to hear God’s good news immediately. But this group can still learn God’s patterns - through efforts like community development or leadership training. This group can begin multiplying God’s patterns - learning - obeying - sharing - and teaching others to do the same even before they first hear about Jesus.

When this happens, God’s ways are imprinted into willing hearts. His patterns are woven into a community and individual lives. Then when God has prepared His way - God’s good news can reveal the truth they’ve been receiving all along. This is the way an institution, a community, or even a country can come to follow Jesus.

Non-Sequential growth still requires “What’s Essential?” thinking. No matter what process - the biggest question is always the same - Who is the good soil that will be faithful? Who will learn and practice and share God’s ways?

Uncovering this good soil - discovering these good hearts - is worth all of our time and energy and effort. These are the ones we pour out our hearts to. These are the ones we pour out our lives for. These are the ones who grow God’s kingdom best.

​What can you do to shorten up the spiritual generations?

​(The following is adapted from the Appendix of the Revised First Edition of the new book, More Disciples, available today on Amazon or Kindle. *) One of the hardest parts about launching a disciple-making life is getting from “Hello” to a spiritual conversation or group. Statements like these (below) can help you steer the subject toward spiritual things and even “filter” to see if your friend or listener is open to hearing spiritual things. Some call these “Shema” statements. (Shema is the Aramaic word for “Listen.” It’s the opening word in Deuteronomy 4, “Hear oh Israel…”)

In addition, statements like these can help others realize that you are a genuinely a person of faith. As a result, if/when they have a problem or feel troubled someday, they might remember that you are a Godly person and come to you seeking spiritual help. If they have a dream with some kind of deeper meaning (maybe a spiritual meaning?), for example, or if they feel at the end of their rope, they might ask for guidance. Of course, these statements only work if you’re truly authentic from the inside out in your love and speech. On top of all that, they help us establish more courage in bringing up God in our everyday conversations. Try setting a goal to use one Shema statement per day.

Here are a bunch of samples to get you started. You’ll soon be thinking of others on the spot.

“I read something in the Bible today that seems hard for me to obey”.

“I wonder how (a religious behavior) connects to __ (a heart issue)?”

Verbally long for the day when ugly things will be swept away when Jesus returns.

“God speaks to me in prayer or through his Word.”

“I was having a hard time with _ (an issue), so I _ (a spiritual solution).”

“I asked God for help and He…”

Ask questions like, “How do you show love to God?” or “What was the last thing you heard from God?”

“I read a wonderful story today. May I tell you?”

“God taught me something today.”

“I read something really interesting about God today.”

“God is light, and he shines into the dark places of my heart.”

“Do you think God could stop all of the bloodshed in…?”

“Did you ever have a dream from God?”

Use a Proverb to apply to a current situation.
“How should a person of God act here?”
​
Thank God for something difficult.
“Do you think God cares about….?”

“God wants to walk with me so I walk with Him.”

“I believe only with God there is hope for….”

When telling your children’s names, or your own name, share the meaning.

Mention something that you prayed for and how it was answered.

Response to a social issue.

“Jesus dealt with and said some interesting things about it.” “As I was praying for you today I sensed God…” “I feel encouraged about something that I learned about God.” If you are by the sand or looking at stars in the sky, reminisce about God’s blessing to Abraham. “God healed my friend.” “I feel sad when I see trash, because God created the earth.” “I was reading today and God reminded me…” “I am thankful for ________. What are you thankful for?”

“God hates injustice and he has a lot to say about it.”

“Do you know on which day God created…?”

Context = complaining about their country… “It doesn’t matter which country you are in but to be where God wants you to be.” “I know this is a place of great conflict and God wants you to experience peace.”

“Can I tell you a story?”

“I don’t need _____ to protect me. I pray for God to protect me.”

Children: “Blessing and hard work make me rely more on God.”

Spouse: “God will give me a wife in just the right time.”

In response to not having children… “Marriage is a picture of Jesus and His church.”

“Yes, I miss home, but God meets me in my loneliness. God will never leave me nor forsake me.

“What is most important to you?”

“What do you think are the most important values you can give to your children?”

“When did you feel most safe or secure?”

“Can we pray for this meal?”

“Can we please bless your home or your family?”

Sometimes the most challenging part of discipleship is getting the conversation to spiritual things. These statements go a long way in helping to make that happen.

​Have you other suggestions? Let us know what works for you.

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how the Three Thirds meeting format is a method of meeting that helps followers of Jesus help one another follow Jesus more faithfully.
​
In this post, we’ll learn a Training Cycle that helps disciples go from one to many and turns a mission into a movement.

​Have you ever learned how to ride a bicycle? Have you ever helped someone else learn? If so, chances are you already know THE TRAINING CYCLE.
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It’s as easy as MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

​Think back - before you ever rode a bicycle, you probably saw someone else ride one first.

That’s MODELING.  MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

Modeling is simply showing someone else an example of how it’s done. When a child first sees someone else riding a bike, they get the idea right away. Modeling is like that -- it doesn’t have to be done often, and usually it only needs to be done once.

Think back to that first bike ride. Did you want to just watch? Or were you excited to get on and give it a try? What if nobody ever gave you the chance?

Too much modeling can actually hurt the training process. MODELING is about showing someone just a little - and then giving them a try. So what happened on that first ride? Did they just give you the bicycle and walk away? Probably not.

When most people learn how to ride a bike, someone is right there for the first few pedals. Walking along side and keeping you on track.
That’s ASSISTING.   MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

Assisting is allowing a learner to practice a skill but making sure the falls aren’t too hard. Assisting takes longer than Modeling. But not too long. It requires some hand-holding, some direction and some coaching, but it’s all about passing on the basics. It’s not about getting someone to perfect. It’s about getting them to pedal.

Can you imagine someone running alongside you as you started to pedal fast and gain some speed? They wouldn’t last long, and you’d never learn to keep your balance.

ASSISTING is about getting someone going and allowing them to steer a little on their own. And when they start to move, they’re actually modeling for next learner on the way. Even when no one else’s hands are on the bike, it doesn’t mean you’re all alone. Usually there’s someone keeping an eye out - but from a distance.

That’s WATCHING.  MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

Watching is influencing a learner until they’re competent in their skill, all without having to step in and take control. In bike riding, someone can get up and going fairly quickly, but that doesn’t mean they know all the rules of the road.

Watching is about making sure someone’s going to be safe - even when no one’s around. Watching is about making sure not just that someone knows what to do, but also that they’ll do it - even when no one’s looking.

In this phase of the Training Cycle, the learner will grow and teach others how to grow... so they teach others how to grow... so they teach others how to grow.

Disciples who make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. All the way down to the third and fourth generation.
WATCHING is about making sure a learner matures and is not just willing but also able to help others.

Watching takes awhile. It may be ten times as long as Modeling and Assisting, combined. It may be longer.

But the wait is always worth it. Eventually -- the rider just rides the bike.

That’s what LEAVING is all about.          MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

Leaving is like a graduation. A student becomes a teacher. A worker becomes a co-worker. A disciple becomes a friend. In bike riding, the one who teaches you to ride doesn’t go along for every ride you take. At times they may ride with you. At times you ride separately, or with others, or alone.

LEAVING is about giving one last gift to someone you love - the gift of freedom. Leaving is about equipping someone to go where you’ve already gone but also encouraging them to go where you haven’t gotten to yet.

MODEL, ASSIST, WATCH and LEAVE.

​THE TRAINING CYCLE. From one to many. From a mission to a movement.

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned about that Faithfulness is a much better measure of spiritual maturity than Knowledge and Teaching.

In this session, we’ll learn how the 3/3 (NOTE: PRONOUNCE AS “Three-Thirds”) meeting format is a method of meeting that helps followers of Jesus help one another follow Jesus more closely.
Jesus said -- “where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” That’s a powerful promise, and one that every follower of Jesus should take advantage of. But when you come together as a group, how should you spend your time?

A 3/3 (NOTE: PRONOUNCE AS “Three-Thirds”) Group is one that divides their time together into 3 parts, so that they can practice obeying some of the most important things that Jesus commands. This is how it works:

Look Back (VISUAL - 1/3) The first third of the group’s time is spent looking back at what’s happened since we’ve been together.
Look Up (VISUAL - 2/3) The middle third of the group’s time is spent Looking Up for God’s wisdom and direction through scripture, discussion and prayer.
Look Forward (VISUAL - 3/3) The final third of the group’s time is spent Looking Forward to how we can each apply and obey what we’ve learned.

Remember the blog post on spiritual breathing? Breathe in, hear from God. Breathe out, obey what you hear and share it with others. That’s what a 3/3rds group is all about.
A 3/3 Group is one that divides their time together into 3 parts, so that they can practice hearing from God and obeying and sharing some of the most important things that Jesus commands. Remember a 3/3 Group is not the same as a Bible Study - that's on purpose! We are not looking for knowledge or teaching but faithfulness.

LOOKING BACK - We spend the first third of our time looking back by caring for each other through giving thanks, sharing our struggles and praying for other members of our group. We’ll also check in to see if each person in the group has had the opportunity to obey and share what they learned the last time we were together.

Step One - “Giving Thanks.” Take some time to have each person share something they are thankful for.

Step Two - “Sharing your Struggles” and “Praying for One Another.” Each person in your group will briefly share something they are struggling with. Have someone else pray for them about what they share.

Step Three - “Focusing the Group.” Every time you meet, you’ll want to take time and remember why you’re together - to love God, to love others, to share Jesus, and help others share Him too. This is most effectively done by having someone read a passage like Matthew 22:37-38 out loud to the group.

Step Four - “Checking In.” This is the part that some groups want to skip, because it means asking questions that can sometimes be hard. Please don’t skip. Jesus loved His followers enough to ask hard questions. If we want to be like Jesus, we should love one another enough to do that, too. In this step, you’ll have each person in the group report on whether they obeyed what they heard God ask them to do the last time you were together. Each person needs answer the following questions honestly: How have you obeyed what you’ve learned so far? Who have you trained in what you’ve learned? Who have you shared your story or God’s story with since we’ve been together as a group.

LOOKING UP During the middle third of your time together, you will invite God’s Holy Spirit to lead your group to better understand God’s Word. The group will read a passage from the Bible out loud and then ask and answer some simple questions as a group to help explore and understand better God’s purposes and plans.

Step One - Take a moment to pray. Talk with God simply and briefly. Ask His Holy Spirit to teach you from the passage you are about to read.

Step Two - Have someone in the group read from the Bible. When you’ve finished reading, the group should answer these two questions: What did you like about this passage? What did you find challenging or hard to understand? If there are oral learners - people who don’t read well or prefer to learn by hearing - in your group, make sure you read through the passage at least twice. Now, have the group answer these two questions: What can we learn about people from this passage? What can we learn about God from this passage? Remember stick to the passage and keep it simple! Quick Tip: When you’re studying God’s Word, focus on His words instead of other books, teachers, or opinions. Instead of asking, “What do you think this means?” ask “What does this passage say?” If someone in your group likes to teach, gently remind them that God’s Holy Spirit and perfect Word can teach the group. We’re all here to learn, together. And don’t be afraid of silence or a pause in the discussion. God is working even when it’s quiet. Stay focused on His Word, stick to the passage, and trust God to do the rest.

LOOKING FORWARD In the last third of our time, we’ll focus on looking forward to discover how we can obey and train others by what we’ve learned from God’s word. Each member of the group asks God a few simple questions and then waits for His answer in prayer. Then each will share and practice their commitments and pray to end the time, together.

Step One - Have each person in your group pray silently and ask God these questions: God, how can I obey and apply what You’re teaching me? Who can I train from this passage so they can learn to obey and love You more? Who would you have me share my testimony or Your Good News of Jesus with? Ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you specific answers, specific names, and specific steps that you can take in the time between now and when your group meets again.

Step Two - Ask each person in your group to share what they heard from the Lord for each question. Someone may not have heard anything from the Lord on one, two, or even all three questions. They can simply report that they didn’t hear. But remember, the group should hear from the Lord. Jesus said - “My sheep hear My voice.” And the more specific your obedience steps are, the easier it will be to obey them before you meet again.

Step Three - Before you end your time together, have your 3/3 Group break into smaller groups of two or three and practice what you’ve heard the Lord ask you to do. Remember - practice isn’t obeying, training or sharing, but it does get you ready to do those things better. Have each smaller group end its practice time together in prayer. Pray specifically for those people and plans God has put on your hearts. Anyone who doesn’t have specific commitments should practice sharing their testimony story or God’s Story.

​Around the world, 3/3rds groups often share the Lord’s Supper, or a meal and more casual conversations as part of their time together. God gave us this kind of fellowship -- intentional learning and growth and intentional living and relationship to help strengthen, encourage, and build us up to be more like His Son, Jesus.
 
And that's the 3/3 Meeting Format -- Looking Back to check in on what we've accomplished since the last time we met, Looking Up to understand what God has for us to learn in this time together, and Looking Forward to put into action what God has put on our hearts while we're apart.
3/3 Groups - a simple and practical way to meet that helps us become more like Jesus by building accountability for faithfulness right in.

​Are you interested in trying this format? We would be happy to run a sample 3/3 Group with you via Zoom. Send us an email or call the office.

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you have not read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned about the BLESS prayer pattern which gives a framework of five things about which to pray for a person.

This week we will learn that faithfulness is a much better measure of spiritual maturity than knowledge and teaching. There are two ideas that have caused a number of problems in the church today.

The first is that a person’s spiritual maturity is connected to how much they know about God’s Word. They act as if RIGHT BELIEF – or orthodoxy – is a good measure of someone’s faith.

The second is the idea that a person’s ability to lead requires a “full training” before they begin in ministry. They act as if COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE is a good measure of someone’s ability to lead.

The problem with the first idea – relying on orthodoxy – or right belief is that Satan himself knows more Scripture than any human. God’s Word says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (James 2:19).

A better measure of someone’s spiritual maturity is ORTHOPRAXY – “right practice”.

We ought to be more concerned with FAITHFULNESS in OBEYING and SHARING than measuring maturity based only on what we know.

The problem with the second idea – that a person must be fully trained before they lead is that no one is ever really fully trained.

Jesus modelled sending out young leaders who still had many things to learn to do some of the most important work in the Kingdom.

God’s Word says, “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” Then he sent them to tell about God’s kingdom and to heal the sick.

These men were sent before Peter stated his belief that Jesus was Saviour – something we would consider a first step of faith. And even after being sent Jesus had to rebuke Peter multiple times for mistakes and Peter would still later deny Jesus completely. Other followers argued over who was the greatest and what role each would play in God’s future Kingdom.

They all still had a lot to learn but Jesus put them to work sharing what they already knew. Faithfulness – more than knowledge – is something that can start as soon as someone begins to follow Jesus.

​Faithfulness – more than training – is something that can be measured by what we do with what we have been given. (Matthew 25:14-30)

If we OBEY and SHARE what we hear and learn with others, we are faithful.

​If we hear but REFUSE to obey and share, we are unfaithful.
As we multiply disciples, let’s make sure we’re measuring the right things.
 

​Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned about the importance of finding that Person of Peace.

This week we will learn about the BLESS pattern for prayer.
It is true that one of the very best ways to identify a potential person of peace is to offer to pray for him or her. This will pretty quickly get to the point of whether this person is willing to engage with you on spiritual matters.

​Here are five ways you can pray for people you meet during your Prayer Walk:

​As you walk and pray, be alert for opportunities and listen for promptings by God’s Spirit to pray for individuals and groups you meet along the way.

You can say, “We’re praying for this community, is there anything in particular we can pray for you about?” Or say, “I’m praying for this area.  Do you know anything in particular we should pray for?” After listening to their response, you can ask about their own needs. If they share, pray for them right away. If the Lord leads, you may pray about other needs as well.
​
 Use the word B.L.E.S.S. to help you remember 5 different ways you can pray:
•        Body [health]
•        Labour [job and finances]
•        Emotional [morale]
•        Social [relationships]
•        Spiritual [knowing and loving God more]
 
In most cases, people are grateful you care enough to pray.

If the person is not a Christian, your prayer may open the door to a spiritual conversation and an opportunity to share your story and God’s story. You can invite them to be a part of a Discovery Bible study or even host one in their home.

If the person is a Christian, you can invite them to join your Prayer Walk or train them how they can Prayer Walk and use simple steps like praying for areas of influence or the B.L.E.S.S. Prayer to grow God’s family even more.

So go out and practice this. God will bless your faithfulness with fruit.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.
Last time we learned how to impact our neighbourhood and connect with people by Prayer Walking.

This week we will learn about the Person of Peace.

In an earlier session you were introduced to the idea of a Person of Peace. In this session we'll go into more detail about who that person might be and how to know when you've found one. A Person of Peace can help rapidly reproduce disciple-making even in a place where followers of Jesus are few and far between.

When Jesus sent out His disciples to new territory to make disciples, He gave them a simple but strategic command. This is found in Luke 10:1-9.

Jesus said -- Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.

But what does all that mean?

When we think of making disciples, our first thought might be -- We better get our finances in order, pick an obvious target, and have a clear plan of action. If Jesus said - “Go”, we better “go” and keep on going! Tell Everyone! Everywhere!! All the time!!!

​However, in His instructions, Jesus seemed a lot less worried about finances and fervour, and a lot more concerned about focus.
Jesus wanted His disciples looking for - and investing in - a Person of Peace.
When you want to make disciples in a place where not many - or maybe even any - exist, then looking for a Person of Peace might be the most important thing you do.

A Person of Peace is:

• Someone who is OPEN to hearing Your Story, God’s Story and the Good News of Jesus.
• Someone who is HOSPITABLE and WELCOMES you into their home or their workplace or to join events with family and friends.
• Someone who KNOWS OTHERS (or is KNOWN BY OTHERS) and who is excited to draw together a small group or even a crowd.
• Someone who is FAITHFUL and SHARES what they learn with others - even after you are gone.

In the Bible, we learn of Jesus and His followers meeting Persons of Peace that are a little - unexpected.

In the region of the Gadarenes, Jesus met a demon-possessed man who lived isolated and in chains. We would never think of Him as a Person of Peace, but He was OPEN to hear from Jesus. He was HOSPITABLE and WELCOMED Jesus to where He lived. He was WELL KNOWN and could easily draw a crowd - even if only for his outrageous behavior.

And Jesus found that he was FAITHFUL and SHARED what Jesus meant to him with his family, his community and his whole country. In fact, when Jesus came back to that area, a great crowd gathered, excited to see the Man they had heard so much about.

In Samaria, Jesus met a woman at a well. She was OPEN to Jesus, willing to be HOSPITABLE and answer His request for a drink. We learn she had had five husbands and was living with still another man, and so in a small town, she was sure to be KNOWN BY OTHERS. And after Jesus spoke to her, she was FAITHFUL and SHARED - so much and so quickly that the entire town asked Jesus to stay and share with them, too. And He did.

So, if a Person of Peace can live almost anywhere, do almost anything, and be almost anyone we know or meet - how do we find one?

Here are three simple ways --

We ASK for recommendations from people in the community - Who is someone that is trusted here? Is there someone in this place who thinks of others before themselves? If we hear the same name again and again - we try to meet them, share spiritual ideas, and see if they’re open to hear and share.

We OFFER to pray for someone while Prayer Walking, or at work, or at the game - wherever there is an opportunity - and then turn that prayer into a spiritual conversation.

We INTRODUCE spiritual ideas into every conversation to see if God is working in a person’s life. These are often referred to SHEMA statements. If they are open and willing, then we ask if they would be willing to gather a group to discuss even more.

ASK for recommendations, OFFER to pray, INTRODUCE spiritual ideas. These are all ways we can begin the process of finding a Person of Peace.

And no matter how we find them, remember Jesus said a Person of Peace is someone with whom we should be spending most of our disciple-making time.
It is easy to think that the most “fair” use of our time is to give away a little bit of ourselves to everyone, equally. However, Jesus said - and showed - that He does not want us to be shallow with everyone but to give deeply to a few.

Jesus often attracted crowds, but the Bible tells us repeatedly that Jesus would draw away from those crowds to spend most of His time with just twelve of His closest followers.
There were a number of times, where Jesus would invest even more time with a smaller group of just three.

If Jesus, who had much more power, much more energy, much more authority, discipline, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and compassion chose to spend His time investing deeply in just a few and told His own disciples to do the same, doesn’t it make sense that we should follow and share His perfect pattern?

A Person of Peace.
​
They’re not easy to find - maybe one in a thousand. But like a hidden treasure that’s worth the search, their value in growing God’s family can’t be measured.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how every disciple - every follower of Jesus - needs to be able to see not just where God’s Kingdom is, but where God’s kingdom isn’t.

This week we are learning about Prayer Walking.

God’s Word says that we should “petition, pray, intercede and give thanksgiving for all people, for kings and all those in authority – so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:2-4).

​Prayer Walking is a simple way to obey God’s command to pray for others. Prayer Walking is just what it sounds like - praying to God while walking around.

Instead of closing our eyes and bowing our heads, we keep our eyes open to the needs we see around us and bow our hearts to ask humbly for God to intervene.

You can prayer walk in small groups of two or three or you can prayer walk by yourself.

If you go in a group - try having everyone pray aloud, a conversation with God about what everyone is seeing and the needs that God brings to their hearts.
If you go by yourself - pray silently or aloud if you pray with someone you meet along the way.

Here are four ways you can know what to pray for during your prayer walk:

• Observation -- What do you see? If you see a child’s toy in a yard, you might be prompted to pray for the neighborhood’s children, for families or for schools in the area.
• Research -- What do you know? If you have read up about the neighborhood, you might know something about the people who live there, or if the area suffers from crime or injustice. Pray about these things and ask God to act.
• Revelation -- The Holy Spirit may nudge your heart or bring an idea to mind for a particular need or area of prayer. Listen - and pray!
• Scripture - You may have read part of God’s Word in preparation for your walk or as you walk, the Holy Spirit may bring a Scripture to mind. Pray about that passage and how it might affect the people in that area.

Here are five areas of influence that you can focus on during your prayer walk:

• Government - Look for and pray over Government centers such as courthouses, commission buildings or law enforcement offices. Pray for the area’s protection, for justice and for godly wisdom for its leaders.
• Business and Commerce - Look for and pray over Commercial centers such as financial districts or shopping area. Pray for righteous investments and good stewardship of resources. Pray for economic justice and opportunity and for generous and godly givers who put people before profits.
• Education - Look for and pray over Educational centers such as schools and administration buildings, vocational training centers, community colleges and universities. Pray for righteous educators to teach God’s truth and protect the minds of their students. Pray that God would intervene in every effort to promote lies or confusion. Pray that these places would send out wise citizens who have a heart to serve and lead.
• Communication - Look for and pray over Communication centers such as radio stations, tv stations and newspaper publishers. Pray for God’s Story and the testimony of His followers to be spread throughout the city and around the world. Pray that His message is delivered through His medium to His multitudes and that God’s people everywhere will see God’s work.
• Spirituality - Look for and pray over Spiritual centers such as church buildings, mosques or temples. Pray that every spiritual seeker would find peace and comfort in Jesus and not be distracted or confused by any false religion.

Finally, here are five ways you can pray for people you meet during your prayer walk:
As you walk and pray, be alert for opportunities and listen for promptings by God’s Spirit to pray for individuals and groups you meet along the way.

You can say, “We’re praying for this community, is there anything in particular we can pray for you about?”

Alternatively, say, “I’m praying for this area. Do you know anything in particular we should pray for?”
After listening to their response, you can ask about their own needs. If they share, pray for them right away. If the Lord leads, you may pray about other needs as well.

Use the word BLESS to help you remember five different ways you can pray:

• Body (health)
• Labor (job and finances)
• Emotional (morale)
• Social (relationships)
• Spiritual

 In most cases, people are grateful you care enough to pray.

If the person is not a Christian, your prayer may open the door to a spiritual conversation and an opportunity to share your story and God’s story. You can invite them to be a part of a Bible study or even host one in their home.

If the person is a Christian you can invite them to join your prayer walk or train them how they can prayer walk and use simple steps like praying for areas of influence or the BLESS prayer to grow God’s family even more.

Prayer Walking - another simple tool to help you make disciples.

​Do you prayer-walk?
If so, how do people respond?
If not, will you try?
Let us know in the comments.
 

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned  that, just like ducklings, we can and should follow and lead in discipleship at the same time.
This week we’ll learn how disciples multiply far and fast when they start to see where God’s Kingdom isn’t.

As humans, we think about, focus on and work for things that we can see. We call it reality. The way things are. But the kingdom grows more quickly when we focus on things we can’t see.

Things that aren’t there. Or things that aren’t there, yet.

There are places all around us where God’s will is not being done on earth as it is in heaven - giant gaps where brokenness, pain, persecution, suffering and even death are a part of normal, everyday life.

Every disciple - every follower of Jesus - needs to be able to see not just where God’s Kingdom is, but where God’s kingdom isn’t.

Kingdom work is about entering into those gaps and into those dark places and working to close the chasms and bring light and life during our time here on earth.

We can see where God’s Kingdom isn’t in two ways -- through people we already know and through people we haven’t yet met.

The first way is through people we already know - our ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS of friends and family, coworkers, classmates, neighbors and more.

This is the way God’s Story travels FASTEST. We love and care about these people because we know them already. It’s natural.

Jesus told a story of a selfish rich man - arrogant in life and now being punished in hell. The rich man begged - “send Lazarus to my father’s home. Let him warn my five brothers, so they won’t come to this horrible place.”
Jesus showed us how even the selfish and suffering have some love and concern for those close to them.

The people we know are placed in our lives because God loves us and wants us to love them. We need to be good stewards of those relationships with love and patience and persistence.

Disciples multiply when they’re concerned for the people God’s placed around them and they have a plan to do something about it.

​You can help increase their care and build a simple plan to multiply in just a few steps.
Here’s how - Have them write a list of 100 people they already know. Have them break that list into 3 categories.

●Those who follow Jesus.
●Those who don’t follow Jesus.
●Those who they’re not sure whether they follow or not.

For the followers - disciples can equip and encourage them to be more fruitful and faithful.

For the non-followers - disciples can learn how to share and introduce them to a loving God.

For those who they’re not sure - disciples can learn to invest their time and learn more.

There’s also a way we see where God’s Kingdom isn’t through people we haven’t met.
These are people OUTSIDE OUR RELATIONSHIPS - people we don’t know, neighbors we’ve never said more than “hello” to, businessmen and women we pass on the street, strangers in every village, town or city we’ve never even visited, yet. Jesus said - make disciples of all nations.
Jesus said - you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Sharing with people we know is the way God’s Story travels FASTEST. Sharing with people we don’t know yet is the way God’s Story travels FARTHEST.

If we love and care about these people we don’t know, that’s not natural. It’s supernatural and evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.
God’s favorites are the least, the last and the lost. These are the ones He pours out His heart to over and over again.

If we want to be like God, then these are the ones we have to invest our lives in. God commands us to go. And part of going is to go not just to those who are close by but also to those who live in the spiritually darkest corners of the world - people who sometimes have never even heard the name, Jesus.

God’s Word says - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. As followers of Jesus we must give grace as He gives it - to the humble, to the desperate, and to the lost.

Disciples multiply when they’re concerned for the people God’s placed in their lives. Disciples multiply even more when they’re concerned for the people God’s placed nowhere near them.
But even then they still need a plan.

You can help increase a disciple’s care for others and build a simple plan to multiply by training them to look for the people God’s already prepared to hear.

Jesus said - As soon as you enter a home, say, “God bless this home with peace.” If the people living there are peace-loving, your prayer for peace will bless them. But if they are not peace loving, your prayer will return to you.”

We call someone who God has already prepared to hear a PERSON OF PEACE - someone responsive to God’s message and faithful in OBEYING and SHARING with others.

In a place where we know very few, instead of sharing with our friends, families, co-workers, classmates and neighbors, we train a person of peace how to reach theirs.
But the best results always come when we focus on the faithful. Remember faithfulness is demonstrated by OBEYING what God tells us and SHARING it with others.
Faithful people who obey and share are like the good soil that Jesus talked about.

Jesus said - a few seeds fell on good ground where the plants produced thirty or sixty or a hundred times as much as was scattered.

●Faithful people don’t have hard hearts that reject God’s Word.
●Faithful people don’t fall away when they’re persecuted or when times get hard.
●Faithful people aren’t distracted by the worries of this world or riches that don’t last.
●Faithful people are like the demon-possessed man in the Gerasenes who obeyed and shared what Jesus showed him.

One faithful man who obeyed and shared produced many, many people who wanted to know Jesus more.

​Opening our eyes to see where the Kingdom isn’t and reaching out through people we know and people we don’t know yet is how disciples multiply and God’s Kingdom grows far and fast.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned about God’s Great, Greater, and Greatest Blessings and how you can share them with others.

This week we’ll learn that, just like ducklings, we can and should follow and lead in discipleship at the same time.

Disciples are like ducklings. To be a leader, they don’t have to know everything. They just have to be one step ahead.

​God wants His family to grow in faithfulness - and so He expects every leader to be a follower, every sharer to be a believer, and every disciple-maker to be a disciple - at exactly the same time, too.

Another trap we fall into, as disciples and disciple-makers, is the false belief that someone, somewhere knows everything and if we just find and follow them, then we’re set.

But that’s not how discipleship works, either.

In God’s Kingdom, there’s only one “Mother Duck” that all of us follow -- and that’s Jesus Christ.

No missionary. No pastor. No seminary professor. Only Jesus deserves the full measure of our faith.

The rest of us are “in process.”

There will always be someone closer to Jesus that we can follow. And there will always be someone further away that we can lead. But no matter our position, our eyes - and our hearts - should always be fully fixed on Jesus.

In the Bible, Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament and started many of the first churches, didn’t just write - “Follow me.” He wrote, “Follow me, as I follow Christ,” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Paul knew what ducklings everywhere know and what every disciple should know, too - every leader in God’s Kingdom has to be a follower - and all of us follow Jesus.

​In the Bible, Paul also wrote: “What you have heard from me… share with faithful men, who will be able to teach others, too,” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Paul knew what ducklings everywhere know and what every disciple should know, too.
Every follower in God’s Kingdom has to be a leader - and all of us should lead like Jesus, laying down our lives for others.

If you want to see God’s family grow far and grow in faithfulness, then think of disciple making like ducklings - become a follower and a leader at exactly the same time.

What is one area of discipleship (reading/understanding the Bible, praying, sharing God's Story, etc.) that you want to learn more about? Who is someone that could help you learn?

What is one area of discipleship that you feel you could share with others? Who is someone that you could share with?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned about baptism and how to baptize a disciple.

In today’s post, we will learn about God’s Greatest Blessing.
​
In this session, we’ll talk about God’s GREAT, GREATER and GREATEST BLESSINGS and how you can share them with others.

When someone chooses to follow Jesus, how do you help them move down the right path? How do you help them become a producer in God’s kingdom and not just another consumer? How do you help them receive all the blessings that God is willing to give?

I start by telling them this…
• It is a blessing to follow Jesus.
• It is a great blessing to lead others to follow Jesus.
• It is a greater blessing to start a new spiritual family.
• It is the greatest blessing to equip others to start new spiritual families.

You have chosen to follow Jesus and so God has blessed you. I want you to have God’s great blessing, greater blessing and greatest blessing, too. Can I show you how?

If they want to know more, I ask them to make a list of 100 people they already know.

Then I ask them to choose five people from that list - five people who do not know Jesus - five people they want to share with right away. It is a blessing to follow Jesus. Who else do you want to share this blessing with?

I teach them to share their TESTIMONY - the story of what God is doing in their life.
I teach them to share the GOSPEL - the story of what God is doing in the world.
I teach them how to share about God’s great, greater and greatest blessings.
I have them practice these things one time for each of the five people they’ve chosen to share with. First their story. Then God’s story. Then God’s blessings.

Each time, I pretend to be one of the five people from their list.

Each time, they share their story. They share God’s story. They invite me to become a follower of Jesus, too. They teach about God’s great, greater and greatest blessing.

Each time, I ask them questions or make comments that I think that person might make. After we’ve practiced, I ask to meet them again - just two days later if possible - to see how this sharing is going.

I want to give them enough time to meet with the five from their list, but I don’t want to give so much time that they put it off or forget.

I always ask for a phone number or email address or another way to keep in touch.

I pray with them that God will give the right words just as they’ve shared with me. Two days later, we meet again and talk about how the sharing is going.

If they haven’t shared, I offer to practice with them more. I offer to go with them right then to any of the five who might be available. I do everything I can to help them begin sharing.

But I won’t talk about new things. I want to give them the best opportunity to be faithful with what they’ve already learned.

If they refuse or make excuses, I ask God if this is really “good soil” that will be fruitful for His kingdom or if there is somewhere else where I should be investing.

But, if they have shared - we celebrate! Even if none on their list believed, I’m excited that they HEARD, OBEYED and SHARED. That’s being faithful.

And since they’ve been faithful with a little, I’m glad to share more. I share about BAPTISM and give them another tool they can use.

I ask them to choose some other people from their list of 100 - people who don’t know or don’t follow Jesus. And then I practice with them - just like before - with their story, with God’s story and with God’s blessings. And we pray.

Now if they shared AND someone on their list believed, we really CELEBRATE! God’s family is getting bigger!

I always ask if they shared about the great, greater and greatest blessing, because this is what keeps God’s family growing. If they didn’t share about God’s blessings, we go over it again -- the blessings, how a new follower of Jesus can make a list, how they can share their story, share God’s story and share the blessings -- all so that new followers of Jesus can learn to share, too.

After we’ve practiced, I send them back to that new believer so they can continue sharing.

But what about those who have shared AND someone on their list believed AND they shared the blessings?

When that happens I am OVERJOYED. This person is what God’s word calls “good soil” -- someone who may grow God’s family in ways that are greater than I’ve ever seen!

Whenever I find someone like this, I make plans to meet with them often. I invest heavily in their spiritual development. I share new lessons like BAPTISM and how to start a THREE-THIRDS GROUP.

Now they can begin to grow a spiritual family - starting with those same new followers of Jesus. Since they are so faithful, I’m excited to share as much as I can and see what God does next.

Always a step at a time.
Always giving them a chance to LEARN, OBEY and SHARE what they know.

I also pray for this person - as often as I can - thanking God for allowing me to share and learn with them and always asking Him to give them His GREATEST BLESSING.

Is this the pattern you were taught when you first began following Jesus? IF not, what was different?

After you came to faith, how long was it before you began to disciple others?

​What do you think would happen if new followers started sharing and discipling others immediately?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how to tell your story, your testimony, and how God can use it to save others.
In today’s post, we will learn about baptism.

Jesus said -- “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Baptism - or “Baptizo" in the original language - means a drenching or submerging - like when you dye a cloth and it soaks in the color and comes out transformed.
​
Baptism is a picture of our new life, soaked in the image of Jesus, transformed in obedience to God.

​It is a picture of our death to sin, just as Jesus died for our sins; a burial of our old way of life, just as Jesus was buried; a rebirth to a new life in Christ, just as Jesus was resurrected and lives today.

​If you have never baptized someone before, it may seem intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. Here are some simple steps.

Find some standing water, deep enough to allow the new disciple to be submerged. This can be a pond, river, lake or ocean. It could be a bathtub or another way to gather water.
Let the disciple hold one of your hands with theirs and support their back with the other.
Ask two questions like these to make sure they understand their decision. “Have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” “Will you obey and serve Him as your King for the rest of your life?”
If they answer “Yes,” to both, then say something like this: “Because you’ve professed your faith in the Lord Jesus, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
Help them lower into the water, submerge completely and raise them back up. You’ve baptized a new follower of Jesus - a new citizen of heaven - a new child of the Living God.

It’s time to celebrate!
 
Have you ever baptized someone?

Would you even consider doing so?

If the Great Commission is for every follower of Jesus, does that mean that every follower is allowed to baptize others? Why or why not?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.
Last time we learned to tell God’s story from Creation to Judgement and the reason for telling this story.

In today’s post, we will learn how to share Your Story.

​As followers of Jesus, we are “witnesses" for Him, because we “testify” about the impact Jesus has had on our lives. Your story of your relationship with God is called your Testimony. It's powerful, and it's something no one can share better than you.

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things, (Luke 24:45-48).

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” (Acts 1:8).

Everybody has a story. This is a chance to practice yours.

Choose one or two followers to practice with and then pick 5 names from your List of 100. Make sure you choose people in the category “non-Christian” or “unknown spiritual status.”
Practice your testimony - your story of Jesus - by having your practice partners pretend to be 1 of the 5 people you chose from your list.
Practice shaping your story to make it specific for each of the 5. You should be able to share a short version of your story in about three minutes.

There are endless ways to shape your story, but here are some ways that we’ve seen work well with others: You can share a simple statement about why you chose to follow Jesus. This works well for a brand new believer.
You can share your “before” and “after” story - what your life was like before you knew Jesus and what your life is like now. Simple and powerful.

You can share your “with” and “without” story; what your life is like “with Jesus” and what it would be like “without Him”. This version of your story works well if you came to faith at a young age.
When you finish sharing, let your practice partner take their turn. Keep going back and forth until you’ve both finished your five.

Want to make an even greater impact? When sharing your story, it’s helpful to think of it as part of a three-part process:

• Their story - Ask the person you are talking with to share about their spiritual journey.
• Your story - Then share your testimony shaped around their experience.
• God’s story - Finally share God’s story in a way that connects with their worldview, values and priorities.

And if you’re worried about how to get started - just keep it simple. Just share a statement of why you decided to follow Jesus. God can use your story to change lives, but remember - you’re the one who gets to tell it.
​
Have you practiced your testimony before?

Do you have someone with whom you can practice?

If not, would you consider practicing with us? Give us a call at 289-812-0661 and let’s get started.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we discovered the impact of changing the focus of activity from teaching to training.

In today’s post, we will learn how to share God’s Story - the Gospel - from Creation to Judgement, from the beginning of humankind to the end of this age.

​There are many ways to share God’s story. The best way will depend on the person you’re sharing with and their view of the world and their life experiences.
God uses hearts willing to share to work on hearts willing to hear. It’s His work. He just invites us to join in.
One way to share God’s Story is by explaining what’s happened from God’s Creation to His Judgement at the end of this age. When we tell God’s story in this way, we can make it long or short, detailed or just broad strokes but always connected to the culture of the one who hears.

To help tell His Story across different cultures and world views, you can also use hand motions that make it easier to learn and teach.

Here is God’s Story of Good News.
In the beginning, God made the whole world and everything in it. He created the FIRST MAN and the FIRST WOMAN. He placed them in a beautiful garden. He made them PART OF HIS FAMILY and had a CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with them. He created them to LIVE FOREVER. There was no such thing as death.

Even in this perfect place, man rebelled against God and brought SIN and SUFFERING into the world. God BANISHED man from the garden. The relationship between man and God was BROKEN. Now man would have to face DEATH.

Over many hundreds of years, God kept sending MESSENGERS into the world. They reminded man of his sin but also told him of God’s FAITHFULNESS and PROMISE to send a SAVIOR into the world.

The Savior would RESTORE the close relationship between God and Man. The Savior would RESCUE man from death. The Savior would give ETERNAL LIFE and be with man forever.

God loves us so much that when the time was right, He sent His Son into the world to be that Savior.
Jesus was God’s Son. He was born into the world through a virgin. He lived a perfect life. He never sinned.

Jesus taught people about God. He performed many miracles showing His great power. He cast out many demons. He healed many people. He made the blind see. He made the deaf hear. He made the lame walk. Jesus even raised the dead.

Many religious leaders were THREATENED and JEALOUS of Jesus. They wanted Him killed.
Since He never sinned, Jesus did not have to die. But He CHOSE to die as a SACRIFICE for all of us. His painful death covered up the sins of mankind.

​After this, Jesus was buried in a tomb. God saw the SACRIFICE Jesus made and accepted it. God showed His acceptance by raising Jesus from the dead on the third day.

God said that if we BELIEVE and RECEIVE Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins -- If we TURN AWAY from our sins and FOLLOW Jesus, God CLEANS US from all sin and WELCOMES us back into His family.

God sends the HOLY SPIRIT to live inside us and make us able to follow Jesus.

We are BAPTIZED in water to show and seal this restored relationship. As a symbol of death we are buried beneath the water. As a symbol of new life we are raised out of the water to follow Jesus.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He spent 40 days on earth. Jesus taught His followers to go everywhere and tell the good news of His salvation to everyone around the world. Jesus said - Go and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and TEACHING them to obey all I have commanded. I will be with you always - even to the end of this age.

Jesus was then TAKEN UP before their eyes into heaven.

One day, Jesus will COME AGAIN in the same way He left.
He will PUNISH FOREVER those who did not love and obey Him.
He will RECEIVE and REWARD FOREVER those who did love and obey Him. We will LIVE FOREVER with Him in a New Heaven and on a New Earth.

I BELIEVED and RECEIVED the sacrifice Jesus made for my sins. He has made me clean and restored me as part of God’s family. He loves me, and I love Him and will live with Him forever in His kingdom.

God loves you and wants you to receive this gift, as well. Would you like to do that right now?

What do you learn about mankind from this story?
What do you learn about God?
Do you think it would be easier or harder to share God's Story by telling a story like this?

Let us know in the comments below.

 

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we discovered some significant truths about God’s kingdom economy, that God rewards us based on what we give away.

In today’s post, we will learn about the impact of changing the focus of activity from teaching to training.
At every missions conference we talk about the Great Commission. It is found in several places in the gospels, but is most often referenced from Matthew 28.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”– Matt. 28:18-20 NIV

This verse speaks of actions we all can be involved in. It tells us to;
1) Go
2) make disciples of all nations
3) baptize them and
4) teach them to obey.

Ying Kai and Steve Smith, authors of the book, T4T A Discipleship Re-Revolution, speak of how we are Trainers of Trainers. Ying uses the word trainer for a disciple maker.
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Do you see yourself as a Trainer of Trainers? For many years I saw myself as a teacher. What I didn’t see was that I was to train the people I taught until they could train others! Instead of seeing myself as a teacher, passing on knowledge and information, I began to see myself as a trainer and those who were learning from me as those who in turn would immediately train others. I am a Trainer of Trainers- A Disciple Maker.
​I train one person to follow Jesus and obey His commands, they go and train another, who trains another. In this way the Kingdom multiplies and grows. We call this engaging the one to reach the many.

Making disciples of Jesus (trainers of trainers) is a crucial task not only for pastors, spiritual leaders and missionaries. This is the task of every believer. This is the task of everyone who is a disciple of Christ. As basic as it seems, why do so few get involved directly in disciple making? Why don’t we see ourselves as trainers of others?

We have settled for a model far short of what Jesus taught. Why? There are numerous answers to this question. We could blame anyone from Constantine to today’s clergy for not placing more emphasis on empowering local believers to do the work of the ministry. Blaming them would serve no real purpose, though sometimes it can be helpful to understanding the process that led us to the situation the church is in today.

You see, if you are focusing only on teaching and not training, you are not creating the kind of wise people Jesus talks about in Matthew 7:24-27. The wise man or woman is the one who hears the word and does what it says (is trained). The foolish man or woman is the one who hears the word but does not do what it says (is not trained).

And Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 that the reason that Jesus gives some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers is to prepare (train) God’s people to do the work of ministry.
Instead of analyzing the history or blaming various people, it is time for all who follow Christ to wake up to their identity and to their task. We are disciples. Disciples train other disciples. It’s natural. It’s normal. It requires no special skills or special qualifications. We just need to obey Jesus’ command, and begin to do it.
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Who are you training to obey Christ? Who are they training? Are you a trainer of trainers? A disciple who makes disciples? If not, you can be! Embrace that identity today.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we learned how God has already given us the relationships necessary to make disciples. We made or began making a list of 100 people we knew.

In today’s post, we will discover some significant truths about God’s kingdom economy that might make you go "hmmmm".

So let’s talk about God’s KINGDOM ECONOMY.

In this broken world, people feel rewarded when they take, when they receive and when they gain more than those around them.
In His Scriptures, God tells His people - My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. God shows us in His Kingdom economy we’re rewarded not by what we get - but by what we give away.

God says - I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Jesus said - It is better to give than to receive. Giving away what God gives us and blessing others when God blesses us is the foundation for the SPIRITUAL BREATHING we learned about before.

We breathe IN when we HEAR from God. We breathe OUT when we OBEY what we hear and SHARE with others. When we are faithful to OBEY and SHARE what the Lord has shared with us, then He promises to share even more.
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Jesus said - Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. This is the path to deeper insights, greater intimacy and living the abundant life God created us to live. This is the way we can walk in the good works God has already planned for us to do.

If we want to be rewarded with God’s greatest reward, then we have to practice the two things that He promises to bless.
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We must --
• OBEY and SHARE
• DO and TEACH
• PRACTICE and PASS ON - everything that God tells us to do.

​If we want others to receive God’s greatest reward, then we have to show them how to do the same  thing, too. This is a major part of being a disciple and a major part of making disciples.
We are FOLLOWERS and LEADERS
We are LEARNERS and TEACHERS
We are BLESSED and we are a BLESSING

God doesn’t want us to wait until we know everything before we start obeying and sharing. That day will never come.
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God doesn’t expect us to be fully mature before we start multiplying. He wants us to multiply right away.
God wants us to obey what we already know and to share what we’ve already heard.
And then He wants us to teach others to do the same. After all - that’s obeying and sharing what He’s already told us to do. This is the path to maturity and growth.
 
What are some differences you see between God’s kingdom economy and our earthly way of doing things?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we considered how we can use a structure to help spend more time in prayer, The Prayer Cycle.
In today’s post, we will discover a tool for finding people with whom to share the good news of Jesus and what we are learning from the Word, the breathing out part of Spiritual Breathing.
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Jesus said - “Go and make disciples…” And His followers did just that. They went to their family. They went to their friends. They went to people they knew in town. They went to people they worked with. They went.

Jesus said “Go” and they obeyed. And God’s family grew.

God has already given us the relationships we need to “Go and make disciples.”

​These are our family, friends, neighbours, co-workers and classmates - people we’ve known all our lives, people we’ve just met. Being faithful with the people God has already put in our lives is a great first step in multiplying disciples.
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And it can start with the simple step of making a list.

You can download a form on which to record your list of 100 from here.
Make a list of 100 people you’re in contact with. Next to their name, write down if they’re already a believer, if they’re a non-believer or if you don’t know.

Your List of 100 can include family members, friends or co-workers that you can share your testimony or God’s story with in the next 24 hours. Being faithful with the people God has already put in our lives is a great first step in multiplying disciples.

Ying Kai says there are three truths that exemplify the Father’s heart. God loves you. God has saved you. God wants, through you, to save everyone related to you. This is your list of 100.
Your List of 100 . . . a simple tool in your toolbox that multiplies disciples.
 
●     What names on this list could you share either your testimony or God's Story with in the next 24 hours?

●     When is a regular time in the week you can review this list and take steps to spiritually engage your personal network?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.
Last time we considered how we can help a follower of Jesus become a PRODUCER in God’s kingdom instead of simply a CONSUMER.

In today’s post, we will talk about the importance of prayer and how we can become better pray-ers.

Wesley L Duewel, former missionary to India and former president of OMS International, was also founder of the Evangelical Foreign Missions Association’s Fellowship of Prayer. He said, “Many Christians are so spiritually frail, sickly, and lacking in spiritual vitality that they cannot stick to prayer for more than a few minutes at a time.”

Jesus often taught His followers about the purpose, the practice and the promises of prayer. Jesus said - “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Jesus taught His followers that prayer isn’t for public praise, a selfish wish list or a rambling speech we repeat over and over again. Jesus showed us prayer has power because it’s a direct and ongoing conversation with our Father in heaven who loves us.

Like any good conversation, a good prayer means both sides get to listen -- and speak. But speaking to the God who created the universe can seem intimidating. And actually hearing something back - well for most people that can be downright scary.
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The good news is that getting better at prayer - having better and deeper conversations with a God who loves us - is not only possible - it’s exactly what God wants. But when prayer feels like learning a new language - how do you get better?

The answer is simple - you practice.

The Prayer Cycle is a simple tool for practicing prayer that you can use by yourself and share with any follower. In just 12 simple steps - 5 minutes each - the Prayer Cycle guides you through twelve ways the Bible teaches us to pray. At the end, you’ll have prayed for an hour.
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Begin at #1-Praise and Adoration and work your way around the circle.

The Bible tells us -- “Pray without ceasing.” Not many of us can say we do that. But after this hour of prayer - you’ll be a step closer.

The Prayer Cycle - One more simple tool to help you make disciples.

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• What is your reaction to the thought of spending an hour in prayer?
• How does it make you feel?
• What might life be like if you made this kind of prayer a regular habit?

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last time we considered the value of being accountable to what the Bible tells us to do. Every follower of Jesus will be held accountable by God, so every follower of Jesus should practice accountability with others.

In today’s post, we’ll talk about how we can help a follower of Jesus become a PRODUCER in God’s kingdom instead of simply a CONSUMER.

In His perfect plan, God created us to live in balance - to PRODUCE and to CONSUME, to CREATE and to USE UP, to POUR OUT and to be FILLED so we can POUR OUT again.
But, in our broken world, people have rejected God’s plan, and many spend their energy living out just part of God’s perfect equation.
They LEARN things but they don’t share them. They are FILLED UP but they never pour out. They CONSUME but they don’t produce.

If we’re going to make disciples who multiply, then we need to share with them how they can be producers and not just consumers.
This is how — God uses His Written Word - which we call Scripture or the Bible - to grow us spiritually. Every disciple needs to be equipped to learn, interpret and apply Scripture.

Over thousands of years and through many different authors, God spoke His word into the hearts of faithful men who captured and shared what they heard. The Scriptures teach us God’s story, His plans, His heart, His ways.

In earlier posts, you learned two simple tools - SOAPS Bible Study and Accountability Groups. In an upcoming session, you’ll learn one more simple tool - 3/3rds Groups.
These three tools work together to help equip new followers to learn, interpret and apply God’s Written Word. They will learn not to be just hearers of God’s word but doers and sharers, also.
God also uses His Spoken Word - which we can discern through Prayer - to grow us spiritually.

Prayer is speaking and listening to God. Prayer helps us know God more intimately and understand His heart, His will and His ways. Prayer helps us minister and serve others, helps us teach and share in specific ways that helps individuals or a group know God better.

Two simple tools - Prayer Walking and The Prayer Cycle help followers develop a personal prayer life and learn to pray in ways that serve others. These tools help develop a habit of praying without ceasing and learning to see the world from a spiritual perspective instead of only relying on what we can visibly see.
When used consistently, they help a follower of Jesus, increase their capacity for prayer and enhance their ability to hear from God and share what they hear.

God uses His Body of Believers - which we call The Church or the Followers of Jesus - to grow us spiritually. As the gathering of believers, we are connected. God’s Word says that in Jesus - we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In other words, we’re not just connected to God - we’re connected with each other.

God says to submit to one another. God says to serve one another.

Each of us has different strengths and each has weaknesses. God expects us to use our strengths to help others who may be weak. And He expects us to allow others to help us in our weakness using the strengths He has given them.

​God’s Word says God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.

Simple tools like 3/3rds Groups, Accountability Groups and Peer Mentoring help us encourage one another to love and good works by not only helping us to obey what God tells us to do but also helping us find ways to share what we learn with others.

​God also uses Persecution and Suffering - sacrifice and loss that we suffer on behalf of Jesus – to grow us spiritually.

When people oppress and hurt us because we love and obey Jesus, or when bad things happen even though we love and obey Jesus, God uses those persecutions and sufferings to refine our character and make us more like Jesus.

He develops our character, strengthens and purifies our faith, equips for ministry and allows us to serve others who are suffering in a special way - all while making Himself known more clearly to everyone who watches us and knows our pain.

God tells us that as followers of Jesus we should expect to be persecuted.

Jesus said - God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

Simple tools like 3/3rds Groups and Accountability Groups give followers of Jesus an opportunity to share the persecutions and sufferings they experience. These groups give you a chance to teach disciples that God’s word says we should expect hard times and to equip them in how to respond well by trusting God’s love even when things go wrong.

Scripture. Prayer. Body Life. Persecution and Suffering.

These are all ways that God grows us to be more like His perfect Son, Jesus.

Simple tools help us not to just be consumers of these good things that God has given us but to be producers and sharers as well.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.
Last week we looked at a way to study the Bible, the SOAPS Bible study method. This week we will consider accountability.
Jesus said - “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
 
Jesus shared many stories of accountability and told us many truths of how we will be held responsible for what we do and say.
 
Jesus tells us these things now, so we can be ready for later. And because we will be
accountable to him one day, it’s good to practice being accountable to one another now.
 
Accountability Groups are made up of two or three people of the same gender - men with men, women with women - who meet once a week to discuss a set of questions that help reveal areas where things are going right and other areas that need correction.
 
Every follower of Jesus will be held accountable by God, so every follower of Jesus should practice accountability with others.

But what are we accountable for? I think there is an issue with some of the existing kinds of accountability groups in that it’s never really clearly defined what anyone is accountable for. So let’s define it here.
 
Using a set of questions helps to keep the group on track and aware of what the group members are accountable for. Consider the following list of questions that can be used. Some of the terms might not be familiar but future blogs will define the terms and tools associated with them.
 
Accountability questions
Pray that we will become like Jesus.
How are you doing? How is your prayer life?
Do you have any sin to confess? (relational, sexual, financial, pride, integrity, submission to authority,  etc.).
Did you obey what God told you last time? Share details.
Did you pray for the unbelievers on your list of 100 this week? Did you have a chance to share with any of them? Share details.
Did you memorize any Scripture this week? Quote it.
Have you done your Bible reading each day this week?
What did God say to you from the Word this week?
What are you going to specifically do about it?
Did you meet with your discipleship (three-thirds) group this week? How did it go?
Did you model or assist someone in starting a new three-thirds group this week? Share details.
Do you see anything hindering my walk with Christ?
Did you have the opportunity to share the gospel this week? Share details.
Practice 1-3 minute testimonies and the gospel now.
Who can you invite to do a DBS with you?
Close with prayer regarding what was shared.
 
The whole purpose of accountability is to encourage the expectation of obedience. Jesus said that a disciple is one who follows and obeys. Let’s help each other to follow and obey.
 
So, are you part of an accountability group? Does this seem frightening to you? Do you see value in having this kind of accountability? Let us know in the comments below. If you want someplace to start contact Mark at mkroes@omscanada.org and we could put you in touch with someone in person or virtually to get you started.

Welcome back to the Discipleship blog series. If you haven’t read the previous posts, you can find them here.

Last weeks post was about Spiritual Breathing. We breathe in when we interact with God in His word and we breathe out when we obey what we learn and share it with others. But how do we interact with God in His word? What does that look like?

Jesus said -- “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all I that I commanded…”
If every follower of Jesus is going to obey all that Jesus commanded, then they need to know what Jesus commands.

The Great Commandment and The Great Commission are a great summary of what God has to say to us, but if a follower is going to grow into the full measure of what God created them to be, then they need to know and obey even more.
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The SOAPS Bible Study is a method of interacting with God in His word with a view to obedience; or being doers of the word and not simply hearers.

SOAPS stands for

• Scripture
• Observation
• Application
• Prayer
• Sharing

It’s a simple way to learn and remember an effective Bible study method that any follower of Jesus can use. Let’s look at each section a little more.
When you read or listen to the Bible:
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• Scripture: Write out one or more verses from your reading that are particularly meaningful to you, today.
• Observation: Rewrite those verses or key points from those scriptures in your own words to help you better understand the meaning.
• Application: Think about what it means to obey these commands or concepts in your own life. What would you have to do? What would you have to do differently? Write these down.
• Prayer: Write out a prayer that tells God what you’ve read in His word and what you understand about obeying His commands and putting what you’ve learned to work.

• Sharing: Ask God who He wants you to share with about what you’ve learned and how you’re applying it.

So let’s put SOAPS to work:

• Scripture - The Bible says -- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
  
  
• Observation - As a human, I’m limited in what I know and what I know how to do. God is not limited in any way. He sees and knows everything. He can do anything.
  
  
• Application - Since God knows everything and His ways are best, I’ll have much more success in life if I follow Him instead of relying on my way of doing things.
  
  
• Prayer - Lord, I don’t know how to live a good life that pleases you and helps others. My ways lead to mistakes. My thoughts lead to hurt. Please teach me Your ways and Your thoughts, instead. Let Your Holy Spirit guide me as I follow You.
  
  
• Sharing - I will share these verses and this application with my friend, Steve, who is going through a difficult time and needs direction for important decisions he’s facing.
  
  

SOAPS Bible Study. One of the simple tools to help you make disciples who make disciples.

Try the SOAPS Bible Study and post it to social media with the hashtag #soapsbiblestudy

In this third post in the discipleship series, we will talk about hearing from God and obeying what we hear.
Breathing is life. We breathe in. We breathe out. Life.
Breathing is just as important in God’s Kingdom.
In fact, God calls His Spirit - “breath”.

In the Kingdom, we breathe IN when we HEAR from God.

• We breathe in when we HEAR from God through HIS WORD - the Bible.
• We breathe in when we HEAR from God through PRAYER - our conversations with Him.
• We breathe in when we HEAR from God through HIS BODY - the church, other followers of Jesus.
• We breathe in when we HEAR from God through HIS WORKS - the events, experiences and sometimes even the persecutions and sufferings He allows His children to go through.

In the Kingdom, we breathe OUT when we ACT on what we hear from God. We breathe OUT when we OBEY.

Sometimes breathing out to OBEY means changing our thoughts, our words or our actions to align them with Jesus and His will.

Sometimes breathing out to OBEY means sharing what Jesus has shared with us - giving away what He gave us - so that others can be blessed just as God is blessing us.

For a follower of Jesus - this breathing IN and breathing OUT is critical. It’s our very life. And it is the way to move from being hearers of the Word only to being doers of the Word (Matthew 7:24-27).

Jesus said - the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does (John 5:19).

Jesus said - I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.

Jesus said that every word He spoke and every work He accomplished was based on HEARING from God and OBEYING what He heard.

Breathe IN - Hear from God.

Breathe OUT - Obey what you hear and share it with others.

Jesus said that His followers would also hear from God because of His Holy Spirit - His Breath - that would be breathed into every one of us who follows Him.

Jesus said - the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have told you.

Breathe IN - Hear from God.

Breathe OUT - Obey what you hear and share it with others.

Jesus was showing us how to live.

So how do we hear God’s voice? How do we know what to obey?
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Jesus called Himself “The Good Shepherd”. Jesus called His followers His “sheep”.

Jesus said - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Jesus said - Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.

As followers of Jesus, we have to be committed to hearing His voice.

• We HEAR His voice by being still.
• We HEAR His voice by focusing on Jesus.
• We HEAR His voice in our thoughts, our visions, our feelings and impressions.
• We HEAR His voice when we write down and test what we hear.

Not every voice, not every thought, not every vision, feeling or impression is God’s voice. Sometimes it is the voice of the enemy. Jesus said our enemy is a liar and the father of lies. Jesus said our enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.

But God says that we WILL hear from Him and we will know it is Him when He speaks.
With practice and prayer, we can know God’s voice better. We can learn to know whether what we hear is from God or another voice.

Here are some ways to test what we hear:

• When Jesus speaks - His voice will always be consistent with what His Written Word – The Bible - has already told us. His spoken voice will never contradict His written voice.
• When Jesus speaks - His voice will give our hearts a sense of hope and peace. His voice will not leave us condemned or discouraged. Jesus does not condemn. Jesus corrects in love.
• Jesus’s voice will not express the works of the flesh - sexual immorality and impurity, debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred and discord, jealousy and fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness and orgies. These things are not from God’s voice.
• When Jesus speaks - His voice will express the fruit of God’s Spirit - love and joy, peace and patience, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
• When Jesus speaks - His voice gives us a sense of confidence instead of doubt. We experience inside ourselves a knowledge and peace that what we’re hearing is from God. We may not hear everything at once. We may hear only part of what we eventually will need to know. But what we hear will be solid - not shifting or changing.

​The good news for every follower of Jesus is that when we breathe IN and HEAR from God and when we breathe OUT and OBEY what we hear and SHARE with others what we’ve heard – God will speak even more clearly.

His breath will breathe through us even more.
We will HEAR His voice more clearly.
We will KNOW His voice and not another’s.
We will SEE His work in the world and be able to join in and work with Him.
We breathe in. We breathe out. Life.

Consider these questions…

1. Why is it essential to learn to hear and recognize God's voice?
2. Is hearing and responding to the Lord really like breathing? Why or why not?

​Drop your answers and thoughts into the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts on spiritual breathing.