DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY

INTRODUCTION

Devoted To Jesus

God has called us to follow Jesus and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The kingdom of God grows through intentional multiplication. As a pastor, I have observed three gaps that are very common and have caught my attention. It’s become a deep passion to eliminate the gap between what God has called us to do and what we are doing. It’s time to destroy the gaps through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We want to be on fire for God, not lukewarm.

We need a discipleship movement. Gap 1: We are called with Scripture to read it, do it, and share it (Ezra 7:10). This full three-fold purpose is being neglected. Gap 2: We are called to make disciples who make disciples (2 Timothy 2:2). We appear to be very distracted in this area. Gap 3: We are called to saturate our cities with the gospel (Acts 1:8). We seem to be far too fearful, casual, and silent. How do we rise to be faithful to Jesus in our generation?

Biblical Christianity

It’s time to shift from cultural Christianity to Biblical Christianity (Romans 12:1-2). God has called us to follow Jesus, become like Jesus, love like Jesus, and lead people to Jesus (Mark 3:13-14). God’s commission plan has always been multiplication, but we are often stuck, passive, isolated, discouraged, and small-minded. Like seedless grapes, we are not reproducing spiritually.

Culture influences the church more than the church influences culture in so many ways.

The world is bold about sin, and we need to be bold about Jesus (Acts 4:29). God will give us courage and empower us. (2 Timothy 1:7). We need to make intentional shifts and strengthen our relationships with God (Matthew 6:33). We need Scripture to renew our minds and vision, personally and collectively (Habakkuk 2:2). Our ultimate goal and the North Star of our lives is to be faithful to God (John 17:4). Our food is to do God’s will (John 4:34). When our lives are finished, we want God to hear “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

A Seven-Week Journey

This seven-week journey is designed to help us abide with Jesus and align with God’s Word (John 15:5). Replace lies with truth, despair with hope, and darkness with light (John 1:5).

We reject self-sufficiency. We need God and each other.

We want to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). We commit to returning to God with all our hearts, trusting the Bible, making disciples, and spreading the good news about Jesus (Jeremiah 24:7). Every person commits to both going through this series with a group then leading a new group through it too (2 Timothy 2:2). This is the key to multiplication and impact, locally and globally (Mark 16:15). We are not just thinking about ourselves but building up the kingdom of God (Matthew 9:35-38). We are saying yes together to following Jesus and His plan to transform the world (Ephesians 5:1-2).

When we open the Bible, we want to read it, do it, and share it.

A distracted generation has neglected these three aspects. God wants to fill us with fresh vision, purpose, and passion. The indestructible hope of Jesus is available for everyone (Romans 15:13).