Teaching Articles (Page 2)
The Simple Practices of Missional Discipleship (B.L.E.S.S. model)
“Discover life with God for the good of the world,” is the mission statement of Grace Chapel, where Tim Ghali serves as the Pastor of Group Life. The church has embraced the call to make disciples, nurture disciples, and equip them to live on mission in their everyday lives. “We want to invite people to see the deeper way of Jesus,” he says. Tim knows that people are approaching discipleship from different places. Some people are already sold on it…
How Do Relationships Equip Whole-Life Disciples?
When Dan Sylvia reflects on his own discipleship journey, he can’t help but mention his friends. The communities that have been formative in his growth have not been about a revolutionary Sunday morning service but about the relationships that have focused him on the reality that “every day, all day, you’re never not a Christian.” This vision of whole-life discipleship has shaped the support and relationships he seeks out as a pastor. A few years ago, he and another pastor…
The “Great Outlet” – An overflowing work of God
A few years ago, Paul Ragusa had an encounter with God that changed his life. Though he had gone to church for most of his life, he found himself missing something critical. But then he had an experience he can only refer to as being “born again,” dramatically transformed into a new person in Christ. “I feel as though I have become an entirely different species of man with completely different capabilities,” he says. “All of the interactions that I…
What Does Discipleship Really Mean? Whole-Life Discipleship
What does discipleship really mean? It’s been a question Stephen Johnson has been on a journey to answer for years. “Whatever discipleship means,” he says, “it must be relevant to everyone, everywhere, at all times, or it isn’t real discipleship.” The model of whole-life discipleship has offered this all-inclusive vision of life to Fellowship Bible Church, where Stephen has pastored for the last eleven years. It has also made discipleship very relational and situational, inviting everyone to ask what the…
Lord of “My” Time / Being Open to God’s Timeframe on our Frontlines
Our church has been blessed by God with the arrival of a refugee family into our congregation. It wasn’t something we planned or prepared for, but in God’s unique and perfect way, they were added to our number. In many ways it is clear that we were not prepared for them. We had no idea the connections and resources that they need to resettle here in our community. We were and remain confused by the process and the regulations and…
Spiritual Connectivity / 6Ms of Fruitfulness on the Frontline
The yellow light blinked slowly, alerting me that there was a problem. I asked Alexa for help, and she told me plainly, “I’m having problems connecting to the internet.” So I called the help desk to get the wireless router back online, but when the technician told me to cycle the power on the modem, the call dropped unexpectedly—I had forgotten that the phone also required an internet connection! Since you’re reading this, you know that I eventually did get…
Thank You for Your Service
I spent the first 10 years of my career in the U.S. Navy. Since that time, on several occasions after telling someone about my history, someone would say, “Thank you for your service.” I was always honored to hear it, and humbled too. As I’ve reflected on this, it strikes me how little I thank people for something. For example, when I check out at the grocery store, I may exchange “Thank you’s” with the person behind the counter. This…
New Year’s Resolution – Connecting My Goals to God’s Mission
I’ve always been a fan of New Year’s. I’m not necessarily talking about the big events like they do in Times Square (although I do like to watch the ball drop on TV!). No, for me it’s all about the ‘new’ – the possibilities that it brings. A new year is a chance to make changes, to do something different, to be different. So, as you might imagine, I have made a few resolutions over the years. As I’ve started…
Frontline Redeployment: 3 Truths for When God Sends us Someplace New
Over the course of my life, I’ve had a few occasions where God has ‘redeployed’ me to a new frontline – in fact, since I began my career in the Navy, many of these were actual redeployments! Sometimes we welcome these changes. For example, I was really excited when I was heading off to college and about to embark on that new adventure. Other redeployments are not as welcome. Several years ago, when I learned that my team was going…
Worshipful Shopping: Honoring God at Checkout
As I was waiting in line to buy something a few weeks back, I asked myself, “What does it mean to worship God here?” I’m not sure about you, but there are few places I find less worshipful than standing in line waiting to check out. Instead, I just want to get through the line as quickly as possible, and get to the next item on my to-do list! But the reality is that the checkout line is just as…
Worship Leaders Needed / Whole-Life Worship
If your church is typical, you’ll have at least one person who is designated as a ‘worship leader.’ While the responsibilities of this individual vary from church to church, it often includes welcoming the congregation, offering prayers, and inviting everyone to sing songs in adoration to Jesus. As one of the lay leaders in my congregation, over the past year I’ve had the privilege and responsibility to do this. It has been an honor to be able to lead the…
Faithful to the End – John Stott’s Last Week
When we talk about ‘whole-life discipleship’, often what we are referring to is every aspect of our lives – our work, play, volunteering, etc. In other words, how can we live for Christ every day of the week. But it also means every phase of our lives. For example, living as a whole-life disciple will look very different for a freshman in college, as compared to someone in mid-life, or someone who’s recently retired. I recently heard someone share a…