GUEST POST ~ Toxic Positivity

Kate Bowler, professor of the history of Christianity in North America at Duke Divinity University, is a person I admire but have never met. I came across her account of American “prosperity” Christianity about two year ago. Later I read her book about her experience of dealing with stage four colon cancer. She continues this battle to this day. The realism of Kate’s faith, tested in the fire of suffering, has been a valuable source for me in my struggle with chronic physical challenges for two-plus decades. (You can check out Kate’a work at her webpage: https://katebowler.com).

On her most recent podcast Kate interviewed Harvard professor, Dr. Susan David. The subject was “toxic positivity.” This dialogue helped me see how this toxic teaching has often tripped me up. Let me explain why this matters for the church in America. 

Toxic positivity deprives us of the serious motivation to make healthy changes. We face some massive challenges in the early 21st century. But forms of toxic positivity tell us all we need to do is seek to be more positive and trust God. In so doing this limits our awareness of almost every negative, and uncomfortable, reality that would lead us to make serious changes. It sets us up to judge those we think too negative. It easily leads many Christians to live a life that is set up for massive failure. You hear this when a person says, “We should just trust God and everything will be better.” I often hear Christians say things like: "We should not fear COVID19, the death of our loved ones or the problems of the poor and oppressed. Stop seeking to solve problems and just look for the world to come.” 

Here is a major personal example of what I refer to – a person with toxic positivity will likely return (repeatedly) to an abusive relationship “because I want to just focus on the positive aspects of our relationship and hold out hope that he will change!" Another might run up huge credit card bills on frivolous things because they’re "staying positive" about their future earnings. Some Christians use Scripture to argue that they should give more generously because this will lead to bigger blessings. I could list dozens of examples but you get the picture. 

Make no mistake about this – we do need to have a heart filled with Christ-centered hope. But real Christian hope is not positive thinking. Jesus was filled with hope and suffered immeasurably. If you think you might have been infected with some form(s) of toxic positivity ask questions like these:  Are you afraid of conflict? Do you lack confidence in your problem-solving skills? Do you have a belief that certain emotions like anger are “bad” rather than recognizing that anger is often a healthy indicator that someone may be violating our boundaries? Christians commonly dodge such probing questions. They look for peace, in the wrong place, and end up embracing toxic positivity in new forms. 

I am learning to face each day with hope, not positive energy generated by toxic self-help talk. The way to keep hope alive is to experience divine love leading me to deep joy in all circumstances. Can we find a way to seek joy in our suffering and darkest moments? Jesus did when he became God forsaken on Calvary. Look to him, not to cultural cliches and self-help counsel.

Pax Christi,

John H. Armstrong
www.theinitiative.org

GUEST POST ~  "Wipe The Slate Clean!"

Wipe the slate clean A new year is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean.  Dare to dream for more than just a continuation of last year. Don't miss the mindset advantages of a new year to beginning fresh and starting new. I'm not referring to New Year's resolutions. I'm mean making changes. And January is a great time to make changes.  I use a basic two-step process: 1. To start new, you have to decide what you want to be different this year. At the beginning of 2021, I wanted to have a different work, family, friends, and life rhythm. I reflected on my, then current, rhythm and what I didn't like about it. Then prayed and thought about how I'd like it to be. About here, in the middle of dreaming, the doubts started speaking up, "You can't do this. You've tried before." Which leads to the second step.  2. Consider how you're going to change to make it different. Notice I didn't write, "what you're going to do..." It's more than just doing something. You have to change something. Which is more difficult. You have to not do the things that got you your previous result, and instead do other things that will get you your new result. For my new rhythm this meant not working on the weekends, scheduling time with friends and family, planning activities (not just work) ahead of time, and getting vacations and staycations in the calendar. Did I get the exact rhythm I dreamt of in January? No, but I got about 2/3 the way there, which is much better than the previous year! I see this "missed the goal, but did way better than before" often when coaching. It's a win! Go for progress, not perfection.    Grace & Peace,  Keith Webb

Change your conversations, and your results. The Coaching Mastery Certificate Program will equip you to have more productive conversations with everyone. Coaching conversations, yes, but also conversations with your teammates, direct reports, kids, and friends. I'm not overstating it, just ask anyone who has joined the program. I'm thankful for the dozens of people I had the privilege of working with this year, and look forward to new plans for 2022!

GUEST POST ~ Time For A Change

"Those Who Say It Can't Be Done, 

Should Never Interrupt Those Who Are Doing It!"

Time For A Change

Well, we are down to the wire of a new year approaching. Many of us use this time to reflect on the current year we've had, good, bad or indifferent. The majority of us have made many life adjustments during the last couple of years. Sometimes when things are going array in our lives, and it seems complicated to grasp our lives, we think about making changes; however, we wonder when is the right time. The answer is NOW! Many times we make excuses for making changes in our life. We say things like "Only if I had enough time," "When the money is right," "When the pandemic is over," "In the new year," and the infamous answer "One Day..."

Sometimes it may look like the goal you want to achieve is unattainable, and we make excuses cause we are scared and unsure of the outcome. Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and help move us in the right direction.

If you start on the journey slowly, you have the chance to look around and consider other options as you learn and grow. We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not. Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find a secure footing on our new path.

As you can attest, "time waits for no one." And the one lesson I have learned throughout this whole ordeal is not every bad moment makes for a bad life, and sometimes a challenging moment is simply that. And there can be times when feeling stuck turns out to be a good thing, and especially when it forces us to stop and notice what's happening around us.

Life doesn't always allow us to anticipate or prepare for a significant change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us, by choosing to move forward in our goals and focusing our attention on our change. Eventually, we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.  Different results will only be available to you as you make the necessary choices to understand that you are more significant than any current problem. It's time to make that change!  As our fearless leader Dr. Wilkins says, "Welcome To One Day!"

By Tammy Montgomery-Doz'ier , SPAA's National Vice President

GUEST POST ~ Rethink God's "Wrath"

GUEST POST ~ Praying for People Who Do Not Fear Death. But Should.

By Dr. Jim Denison

...a cultural apologist who helps people respond biblically and redemptively to the vital issues of our day. He is also the co-founder and Chief Vision Officer of the Denison Forum, a Dallas-based nonprofit that comments on current issues through a biblical lens.

As the news constantly reminds us, any of us could die at any time. And yet, if you ask Americans to name their top fears, their personal death ranks surprisingly low. More than half of us either are “not very afraid” (27 percent) or “not at all afraid” (25 percent) of death. Only 11 percent of us are “very afraid” of death, while 31 percent are “somewhat afraid” to die and 7 percent “don’t know.” 

We are more afraid of the way we might die than the fact of our death. In a list of our “top ten fears,” “mass shootings” comes in at #3, followed by “terrorism” at #5 and “becoming terminally ill” at #7. Each points to how we might die rather than the fact of death itself. 

Why are we mortals not more afraid of our mortality? 

The answer is tragically not that we are prepared to meet God. Only 35 percent of American adults believe salvation comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And yet, 54 percent believe they will go to heaven, many of them because they think they have earned their place in paradise through their good works. 

What of the rest? 

• 15 percent say they don’t know what will happen after they die.
• 13 percent say there is no life after death.
• 8 percent expect to be reincarnated.
• 8 percent believe they will go to a place of purification prior to entering heaven.
• Just 2 percent believe they will go to hell.

“I don’t believe in the queen of England” 

I remember a day when an intense fear of hell was commonplace. Even though our family never attended church before I heard the gospel at the age of fifteen, I have strong memories of fearing what would happen to me if I died. Evangelists and pastors could present the “plan of salvation” in the knowledge that most who heard them wanted to know and then follow that “plan.” 

However, one of the many ways Satan is using the postmodern denial of objective truth is to convince millions that their opinion of the afterlife determines the afterlife they will experience. A man once confidently told me “I don’t believe in hell” as if that changed the existence of hell. 

We would not make this assumption in any other dimension of reality. Imagine your response if I assured you that the queen of England does not exist because I don’t believe in her existence. On the contrary, we know that denying reality typically harms us far more than it helps us, as when a doctor tells us we have cancer or the meteorologist warns of severe weather. 

But “the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). This is because “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

Unlike those who are directionally lost and stop for directions, most who are spiritually lost don’t know they are lost. If Satan has his way, they will persist in this condition until it is too late. 

Four empowering prayers 

What can we do to help them? 

I doubt your first response is to inform them that they are lost and destined for hell. If a Muslim told you that you would go to hell unless you converted to Islam, would this make you more or less interested in his faith? While lost people definitely need to know their peril and need for salvation, four preceding steps can make this news much more effective. 

1. Ask God to make our lives consistent with our message (cf. Romans 12:1–2). 

People are far more likely to believe our faith is relevant to them when it is obviously relevant to us. 

2. Ask our Father to give us his love for the lost. 

We will risk anything for those we love. When we love others as Jesus loves us (cf. John 13:34–35), our words will be empowered and inspired by compassion and grace. While no one wants to be told they are wrong and we are right, everyone wants to be loved. 

3. Ask the Spirit to lead us to those he has prepared for our witness. 

He is actively cultivating the minds and hearts of the lost to hear the good news of God’s grace. He is thus preparing someone specifically for your compassionate witness today. 

4. Ask the Spirit to inspire your words and actions. 

He knows just what this person needs to hear and see from you. If you submit to the Spirit each day (Ephesians 5:18), even when facing skeptics and critics, your words will be God’s words because “it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:20). 

If we will make these four requests of our Lord every day, our lives and our witness will be transformed. We will know Jesus and make him known with passion and compassion out of the overflow of his Spirit in our hearts. 

The late Senate chaplain Richard Halverson noted, “New Testament Christians did not witness because they had to but because they could not help it.” 

Will you join them today?

NOTE: For more practical advice on being used by the Spirit, please see my latest personal blog, “Going barefoot in winter.”

Original posting >>>

GUEST POST~ How Your Worldview Affects How You Make Disciples

Worldview Discipleship

By Freddy Davis

In years past, in America, Christians could easily get away with a superficial understanding of their faith because it was pretty rare that anyone would challenge their beliefs. That was a time when most people actually went to church, at least on Easter and Christmas, when schools would not schedule sporting events on Wednesday evenings because that was prayer meeting night, when school children prayed The Lord’s Prayer at the beginning of the school day, and when being a member of a church was a good look for one’s business. In those days, it was pretty much assumed that people believed in God, and if someone came out as an Atheist, it was considered socially scandalous.

Of course, even in those days, not everyone was a Christian – even those who self-identified that way. A lot of people who did go to church only did it for show, or because that was their tradition. While they might not have had other scheduled events on Wednesdays, they, themselves, never went to prayer meeting. While the children may have repeated The Lord’s Prayer at school, many, if not most, didn’t really pray it sincerely – it was just a tradition repeated by rote. And many of the business people who were active in church really did view it as a means for making a good impression on people, and networking to promote their business. Yeah, those might have seemed like the “good ol days” for the church on a superficial level, but in some ways the church was a mile wide and an inch deep.

So how is it different today? Well, it’s different in a very profound way. In modern society, the script has, in many places, been completely flipped. Now, many people consider it scandalous to be associated with a church, church activities are not considered at all when schools schedule sporting, and other, events, it is against the law to have a school sanctioned prayer, and church is not considered to be a reputation enhancer for business. And, on top of that, it is not unusual at all for people to openly challenge the beliefs of Christians.

While in the past, a superficial understanding of one’s Christian faith may have been sufficient in order to successfully navigate local society, in many places that is just not the case anymore. In fact, for people who actually do want to live out their Christian faith, it is not even enough to simply know what we believe – even at a deeper level. If we want to be able to stand upright in the radical anti-Christian society that currently exists, we not only need to know what we believe, but why what we believe is the truth. But even that is not enough in many cases. We even need to know why the beliefs of those coming against us is NOT the truth.

So how do we do that? We do it by understanding worldview concepts, and by using those concepts to understand our own faith and the faith of those who oppose us.

What is Worldview?

So just what is a worldview? The quick formal definition is that a worldview is the assumptions people make about the nature of reality. That is, it is a set of beliefs that define for an individual what they consider to be real vs. what they consider to be fantasy. Now that is an easy definition to quote, but the depth and significance of the definition needs to be pondered a bit for it to truly hit home in our lives.

Interestingly, most people’s worldview beliefs are assumed to the degree that they are totally unconscious. After all, if a person considers certain particular beliefs to be fantasy, it is not even worth the time to give deep thought to them at all. People consider their own worldview beliefs to be true – just because they are true.

For example, as a Christian, you believe in God. The idea that someone would say they don’t believe in God seems rather senseless – a fantasy. It seems that way because your experience, at the most foundational level, has brought you to the place where you believe. You have met Christ and interact personally with God in your spiritual life. Many Christians reason that, “Yeah, they say they don’t believe in God, but just wait until a serious crisis hits ....”

But here’s the kicker, those Atheists have the same sense of assurance that God does not exist that you have that he does. They look at your belief in God as a fantasy. Very few have ever considered why they believe that way. It is just that, to them, the idea of God simply doesn’t make sense.

So a worldview is a set of assumptions that people hold, generally at an unconscious level, that helps them organize their thoughts about what is real and what is fantasy.

How Do We Recognize a Worldview?

The next question relates to where a person’s worldview comes from. And there are actually three different possibilities.

•Circumstances

The first possibility relates to the environment a person was raised in. Every person has been raised by people who, themselves, held some set of worldview beliefs. Those beliefs were simply assumed to be true, and they taught them to their children by word and by deed without even realizing they were doing so. A social environment just is what it is, and those raised in it just pick it up. It’s never questioned because children don’t know enough to question them.

•Conversion

The second place a worldview can come from is by conversion. At some point in life, most people will come face-to-face with an opposing worldview. In many cases, the beliefs they were raised in are strong enough that the conflicting worldview beliefs are merely seen as fantasy – nonsensical.

But some people encountering those new beliefs are challenged by them – they somehow make sense. When that happens, it shakes them to the core, because if those new beliefs are true, that means their previous understanding of reality is a lie.

This is what happens when a person comes face-to-face with the realization that God is a real person that they can know in an objectively real personal relationship, and they invite Christ into their life. It is a conversion experience. It also sometimes happens the other way around. When a person who was raised in a Christian home is taught the Theory of Evolution in school, for instance, and it somehow ends up making makes more sense to them than the belief that God created life, they will convert to Atheism. The shock of the new belief is such that they change their understanding of reality and convert to believing a different narrative.

•Choice

The third place a worldview belief can come from is choice. Since most people’s worldview beliefs are completely unconscious, there is not a conscious choice to be made. But if a person comes to a place where they actually study worldview concepts and learn the various possibilities, it is then possible to analyze those possibilities and choose the one that seems to best match up with what they experience as reality. This is probably the least common way people come to their worldview beliefs because so few people actually ever study worldview concepts.

What Are the Implications of Thinking in Worldview Terms?

It is important to understand that grasping worldview concepts is not simply an academic exercise. There are very real and practical implications in these concepts that relate to real life. These implications not only affect our understanding, but also the way we think about our own, and other people’s, beliefs, and the way we interact with other people. There are five primary areas where the practical implications of worldview knowledge come into play.

1. It Defines the Essential Elements of the Christian Faith

We are all aware that there is a lot of variety within the Christian faith. Sadly, this variety accounts for much of the division we see within the Christian community. The variety, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes a problem when people who hold certain theological views are not willing to accept those who hold differing views.

At this point there is a certain distinction that needs to be made. Not all beliefs within the Christian faith are equal. There are certain beliefs that are essential and others that are not essential.

The essential ones actually define the outer boundaries of the faith itself. Those who hold to beliefs that are outside of the essentials are actually outside of the Christian faith. Those essential beliefs relate to what the Bible teaches about God, man, and salvation. We get at these beliefs by answering three questions:

1. Who is God?

2. What is man?

3. What is salvation and how do we achieve it?

The non-essential beliefs relate to other doctrines such as what one believes about baptism, predestination, eschatology (last things), and the like. Note, it is not that these other doctrines are not important. They actually are. But they are not important to the extent that they affect whether or not one is legitimately a Christian. A person can even have absolutely wrong beliefs about these non-essential things and still be within the family of believers.

Having a firm grasp on what the Bible teaches about God, man, and salvation provides Christians with the absolute essential core elements of the faith. This is the starting point for being able to use worldview knowledge in ways that strengthen our Christian faith.

2. It Defines the Essential Elements of Other Faith Systems

The essential beliefs that were referred to in the previous section also have an important part to play in our understanding of other, non-Christian, belief systems. In fact, every belief system in existence has some way that it answers the three essential questions about God, man, and salvation. The answer to these three questions based on the beliefs of any given belief system, defines it’s essential core beliefs. Having that information allows us to understand other beliefs, and gives us a tool to analyze them for truth.

3. It Defines the Core of the Gospel Message

There is a third value for understanding a worldview paradigm when it comes to expressing our Christian faith out in the world. As it turns out, not only does knowing the biblical answers to the three essential worldview questions help us understand the core essentials of our Christian faith, it also provides us with the information we need to share our faith. In fact, the biblical answers to the three questions comprise the Christian plan of salvation. We are sharing the gospel message when we share with a non-believer how the Bible answers those three questions.

4. It Can Be Used as a Means of Bible Study

Another value of understanding the worldview paradigm is that it helps us focus in on the essential elements of biblical faith as we read the Bible. There are a lot of topics that are addressed in the Bible, and it is possible to discern various doctrines from the biblical text as we read it. Proper biblical interpretation would have us search the entire Bible to see what it says on particular topics, and that gives us the whole counsel of Scripture on those topics. More importantly, as we study the Bible, if we read with a view to how particular passages and verses answer the three essential questions, we have a way of studying the Bible that keeps us focused on the essential core of the Bible’s message.

5. It Can Be Used in Incursion Apologetics to Break down Non-biblical Beliefs

One other value in understanding the worldview paradigm is that it gives Christians the tools to stand strong against those who try to attack the Christian faith. These days, many people, particularly those who hold a naturalistic worldview, are not content to merely believe something different, they want to destroy Christians to the greatest degree possible. To do that, they use all kinds of arguments and tactics – from questioning the validity of the Bible’s message, to condemning the beliefs and values of Christianity, to asserting that the Bible has been accurately preserved through the centuries, and others.

When people become antagonistic like that, it is generally not sufficient to merely answer their taunts. Rather, one must actually question the validity of the attack itself. The use of a worldview paradigm to understand the beliefs and weaknesses of an attacker is extremely valuable in pulling off that kind of response. When we know what other people believe and why what they believe is not true, we are in a position to make them justify their attack before being required to answer them. This approach also puts us in a position to express the truth of the gospel message and share a Christian witness to them.

What Does a Church Need to Do to Prepare its People?

In these days, false beliefs are ubiquitous – that is, there are scores of different false beliefs that are prominent in the public square. So how can a church help its people deal with this issue – not only for helping them discern between true and false beliefs, but also help them become able to share an effective Christian witness in this complicated societal soup?

The key is to do what the Bible teaches in Ephesians 4:11-13 – to equip the saints for the work of ministry. We should not abandon the ministry that is already being done, but at the same time an increased emphasis must be placed on Christian discipleship efforts. And a special emphasis needs to be placed on biblical worldview training.

Make no mistake about it, this is much easier said than done. People get settled into their regular routines in all areas of life – including church life. But unless this new emphasis is intentionally implemented, Christians will continue falling further and further behind. We need to be equipped!

MarketFaith Ministries exists to equip Christians to become more knowledgeable of and confident in their Christian faith by providing worldview training. We have resources to help individuals as well as the ability to train congregations to stand strong for Christ in our rapidly declining society. Contact us today at 850-383-9756 or info@marketfaith.org and let’s discuss how to bring this cutting edge training to you. Also, be sure and check out the free worldview training resources as well as those available for purchase on the MarketFaith Ministries website at www.marketfaith.org.

Reprinted from Worldview Made Practical; a free e-zine produced by MarketFaith Ministries featuring practical teaching and life tools to help Christians become more effective in their faith life. Discover MarketFaith Ministries at www.marketfaith.org. 

***Related articles:

The Danger of A Homogeneous Blindspot by Phil Miglioratti

Discipleship That FLows From A CHristian Worldview

https://reimaginenetwork.ning.com/forum/topics/mini-course-discipleship-flowing-from-a-christian-worldview

GUEST POST~ Discipleship Principles vs. Methodology

New blog post from Bob Logan

Methods, approaches, and styles change over time. Different strategies work in different seasons. Trends in ministry come and go. Yet I wonder: among all the change, what stays the same? As the culture shifts and changes around us, what proven principles remain firm and reliable? Applying those principles to discipleship methodologies can help your church grow more and better disciples. So, what are discipleship principles?

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” —Isaiah 40:8

6 Principles of Discipleship

When you study the way Christ discipled his followers, a pattern emerges. He applied different methods but the heart and purpose—the principles—behind the method is consistent. These are the principles behind discipleship:

     1.Discipleship is personal. It’s always tailored and customized to the individual and their own unique journey of growth. Their path of discipleship must fit them… otherwise it’s like David in Saul’s armor. 

     2.Discipleship is relational. It’s always done in connection with other people: never alone. One can never disciple oneself. 

     3.Discipleship is intentional. It’s never accidental, but on-purpose. There is a direction and flow of energy in that direction: toward fullness in Christ. 

     4.Discipleship is consistent. It’s constant over time, not one-and-done. “A long obedience in the same direction,” as Eugene Peterson put it. 

     5.Discipleship is Spirit-led. The Holy Spirit must lead the process because we don’t know ahead of time where he wants to take us or what specifically he wants us to do. There is no prefab template to follow; what we need to follow is the in-the-moment leading of the Holy Spirit. 

     6.Discipleship is outcome-focused. Obedience takes precedence over knowledge as we move more and more towards forming the character of Christ and the following the mission of Christ. What matters is what we do with it. 

    Consider: can you find any exceptions? Any instances in which the above items were not an essential component of discipleship?

Methodologies Measured by Principles

Principles never change. Methods can and should change. If you are doing discipleship the way it’s always been done or you are not experiencing growth, it’s time to take a hard look at effectiveness of your discipleship methods. People change. Cultures change. Context changes. If you are serious about living out the Great Commission, you have to ensure your discipleship methods are effectively reaching your community.

Take an honest look at your current discipleship methodologies by holding them up to the timeless principles. Here are some examples of low, average, and high effectiveness in each principle. Where does your discipleship program land?

Discipleship is personal.

•(L) If people are involved in our ministries we assume that they are growing as disciples.

•(A) We have a linear discipleship program. Everyone starts in the same place and follows the same path.

•(H) We meet people where they are at and help them determine and take their next best step toward Jesus.

Discipleship is relational.

•(L) We don’t have intentional, personal discipleship conversations.

•(A) We have some mature Christians who meet one-on-one to disciple others.

•(H) Our congregants have healthy relationships inside and outside of the church. People are growing as disciples while making more disciples.

Discipleship is intentional.

•(L) We seek to address discipleship needs through sermons and curriculum.

•(A) A high percentage of our people attend a small group.

•(H) We equip people to discern and live into their gifts and calling.

Discipleship is consistent.

•(L) Discipleship relationships tend to fall apart without ongoing staff involvement.

•(A) Our church has rhythms for classes and small groups that address discipleship.

•(H) We continually help people engage in their spiritual formation and build redemptive relationships.

Discipleship is Spirit-led.

•(L) We stick to a curriculum based approach to discipleship.

•(A) When the Spirit provides a word that directly speaks to someone we don’t follow up on it.

•(H) We discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit and maintain focus until the vision becomes reality.

Discipleship is outcome-focused.

•(L) Church is a come and see model. We provide solid biblical teaching for those who enter our doors.

•(A) We have a solid mission statement but only a few are actively engaged pursuing that mission.

•(H) We have stated goals and objectives that relate directly to the Great Commandments and Great Commission. We regularly assess our methodologies and adapt them for greater effectiveness.

Principle-based Discipleship Programs

Where did you come out? A good way to check your answers is to measure the overall fruit produced. If you landed on the Low side, your church has likely plateaued or even experiencing slow decline. If you determined you are Average, you likely have a solid core group of people who are close to one another. Growth is slow and mostly church transfers. However, if you are seeing new people come to Christ and people are experiencing lasting transformation, it’s safe to confirm you are indeed on the High end of discipleship programming.

Wherever you land, it’s always good to make sure your methods—and your people—are solidly formed in discipleship principles.

In what ways can you ensure that each of the principles listed above remains present and central in the discipleship process used by your ministry? What methods or trends are you including in your discipleship process are no longer working? How can you better connect them to the discipleship principles?

Resources

The Discipleship Difference– Are you frustrated with your discipleship efforts? Are you noticing an imbalance between personal growth as a disciple and passing it on? The Discipleship Difference lays out an intentional, holistic, and relational approach to discipleship. It is simple in structure and flexible enough to meet each person wherever they are and help them take their next best step in their relationship with God.

Guide for Discipling- Ready for serious growth as a disciple of Christ? This scripture-based guide will challenge you to take the next steps. This nonlinear guide is great for personal study but better done in community with others. Grab a couple of people to walk through this guide together to experience transformation. Available for the Lutheran, Vineyard, and Episcopal church cultures as well.

The post Discipleship Principles vs. Methodology appeared first on Logan Leadership.

 Copyright © 2022 Robert E. Logan, All rights reserved.

GUEST POST: A New Call for Extraordinary Prayer

GUEST POST ~ New Prayers for a New Year

• Make time.
• Practice quiet listening.​ ​
• Express trust that God knows all the things you are not saying with a simple one-word prayer​.
• Declare hope that as you submit your mind/thinking, the Word of the Lord will come to you to reveal truths about yourself and the circumstances you are facing.

Be That Person!

For Your Family. Ministry. City

Why? #Reimagne...

GUEST POST~ #ReimagineCHURCH... As A Society of Redeemers

Francis Frangipane

There exists a certain degree of hypocrisy among us. What I mean is, without qualms, we condemn the world for not being Christian, yet without remorse we accept we are not Christlike.

I am not saying we shouldn't cry out against evil; sin exists and we must reprove it. However, at some point we must recognize there is more to our destiny than judging sin. God is looking for the perfection of mercy within us. "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13), and to follow Christ is to walk the path of mercy toward full redemption.

Recall the words of Paul. He tells us to "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). He goes on to explain that Christ existed in the form of God, yet He emptied Himself, took the form of a man, and died for our sins. In other words, He saw the need, but instead of condemning man, He died for man. Paul says we are to have this same attitude in us.

I do not want to be a typical American Christian. I am hungry for more. I want to "grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head [of the church], even Christ" (Eph. 4:15). Our call is to attain "the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (v. 13).

Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:21). As Christ was sent into the world to pay the price for sin, so in following Him we become a society of redeemers. When wounded, we forgive; when forced to go one mile, we go two. We bless those who curse us and turn the other cheek to those who strike us. As Christ hung on the cross at Calvary and prayed, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34), so we stand before God, and on behalf of our sinful world, we pray the mercy prayer as well.

I am convinced that the more Christlike the church becomes, the greater will be the backing of Heaven. The more we become a society of redeemers, the more hope we have to see our nation turned back to God.

Adapted from Francis Frangipane's ebook, Spiritual Discernment and the Mind of Christ available in ebook format at www.arrowbookstore.com

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This eBook is part of our FREE library of more than 80 eBooks by national leaders. Click here to download other eBooks.Right now—at this time in history—the church is poised to participate in an awakening. A moment when the Holy Spirit comes and empowers God’s people for more. What begins with holy dissatisfaction—“there must be more”—is fulfilled in a newfound empowerment to action. The same empowered commission promised to the first followers of Jesus is promised to us as well. In 2022, we’ll discover a growing awareness of the Spirit’s work and leadership while also realizing that we will always be more effective if we move with the Holy Spirit. Our goal is to help inspire and shape your paradigm for multiplication of Jesus' mission, connect you to a community of Kingdom activists, and equip you to turn ideas into action. We want to personally invite you to Empowered Orlando 2022—and also encourage you to check out our free online community where you can connect with like-minded Kingdom leaders!

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Guest Post ~ You Are Not Inerrant

“You must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Physicist Richard Feynman

In Leo Tolstoy’s novel The Death of Ivan Ilych, the protagonist, Ivan Ilych, is a smart, competent attorney dying from an unknown cause. Tolstoy describes a scene in which Ivan has a sobering realization while gazing at his sleeping daughter, Gerasim.

“Ivan Ilych’s physical sufferings were terrible, but worse than the physical sufferings were his mental sufferings which were his chief torture.

“His mental sufferings were due to the fact that at night, as he looked at Gerasim’s sleepy, good-natured face with its prominent cheek-bones, the question suddenly occurred to him: ‘What if my whole life has been wrong?’

“It occurred to him that what had appeared perfectly impossible before, namely that he had not spent his life as he should have done, might after all be true.”

What a probing and hopefully troubling question.

We are all wrong. Both as individuals and collectively, we are wrong about many things.

As a species (homo sapiens), we are undoubtedly and currently doing things that are terribly wrong. Just look at some of the failings of the recent past.

• • Slavery in the United States was the legal institution of human chattel, primarily of Africans and African-Americans, that existed from our country’s founding in 1776 until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 (only 250 years ago).
  • After 3,000 years of being considered a wise medical procedure, bloodletting has only recently—in the late 19th century—been discredited as a treatment for most ailments. America’s first president, George Washington, allegedly had 80 ounces of blood drained from his body in a last-ditch effort to save his life.

In the near and distant future, and for the rest of human history, humans will look with aghast at things we now consider normal and acceptable. What we accept as best-practices in the 21st century will be considered uninformed, unnecessary, even harmful, and wrong. (I’ll make a prediction: in the near future we will wonder why, in this modern era, health care was not readily available to every person on the planet.)

On a personal level, you and I are wrong about many things. There are specific areas of our lives that are wrong and need to change. 

• • • What if you have lived a self-centered life?
    • What if you have neglected your family?
    • What if you have not lived authentically?
    • What if you have pursued the wrong career?
    • What if you are racist?

When was the last time you admitted being wrong and revised your opinion accordingly? Know this: there are areas of your life in which you are wrong. If you think you’re an exception to this statement, your pushback betrays your naiveté, lack of self-awareness, and error.

The good news is, we can change. Thoreau said, “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life through conscious endeavor.”

Take an audit of your life; particularly consider areas in which you have a fixed mindset – areas that have been unassailable, uneditable, and beyond reproach. Also investigate areas that are part of your cultural heritage – ideologies that you inherited from your family and society. (Remember, you were not born with any opinions or beliefs; they’re not part of your DNA, you choose to endorse them.) Consider your blind spots; everyone has at least one. (You’ll need help you on this issue because you are…blinded…to your your blind spot.)

If taken seriously, this exploration could be one of the most significant and revealing events of your life.

We often think that if we admit we are wrong, people will think less of us. I think just the opposite; people will admire us. I’ll close with this story from Adam Grant’s book, Think Again (page 73).

“In the early 1990s, the British physicist Andrew Lyne published a major discovery in the world’s most prestigious science journal. He presented the first evidence that a planet could orbit a neutron star – a star that had exploded into a supernova. Several months later, while preparing to give a presentation at an astronomy conference, he noticed that he hadn’t adjusted for the fact that the Earth moves in an elliptical orbit, not a circular one. He was embarrassingly, horribly wrong. The planet he had discovered didn’t exist.

“In front of hundreds of colleagues, Andrew walked onto the ballroom stage and admitted his mistake. When he finished his confession, the room exploded in a standing ovation. One astrophysicist called it “the most honorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

Guest Post ~ Why Most Churches Need Revitalization 

Sam Rainer 

A need for revitalization does not necessarily mean an entire church is unhealthy. Even the healthiest of established churches have at least one area requiring work, if not several. Sometimes the entire church needs revitalization. In other cases, a particular area of the church needs revitalization.

In fact, the majority of established churches could use some degree of revitalization. Around 65% of churches are in plateau or decline. This one statistic reveals close to 7 out of 10 churches are in need of revitalization. Granted, a lack of growth does not mean the entire church is failing, but it does indicate something is missing—somewhere the church is deficient.

What happens to cause this problem? The reasons are numerous, and each church’s story is different. However, one key theme is simply the patterns a church develops over time. Established churches have established patterns. These congregations have a consistent (or established) schedule. They keep doing the same established programs year after year. Annual events become embedded into the culture. Such is the nature of an established church. But these patterns can create either a healthy movement or an unhealthy movement in the church.

Healthy established patterns create healthy churches. Unhealthy established patterns create unhealthy churches. Clearly, more churches have unhealthy patterns as compared with healthy patterns. The stats are undeniable. But I’ll dig deeper. There is more beneath the surface. Numerical declines are merely a symptom, not the root problem.

Pastors become comfortable. Status quo pastors have status quo churches. Once a church has accepted a pastor, it’s easy for that pastor to cruise. Change always comes with a level of risk. Shepherding is impossible detached from risk-taking. When pastors stop taking risks, churches become complacent.

Budgets get messy. Churches can go years without a budget strategy, creating a jumbled mess of operating line items and an endless list of designated accounts. I recently saw a church budget with a designated account for a cassette tape ministry. Church budgets are often the most common area in need of revitalization.

Ministries linger without purpose. Established patterns of programs are wonderful, until they stop working. Unfortunately, churches are guilty of hanging on to programs instead of desiring the fruit they produce. When the program itself is more important than the results, a church loses the purpose of ministry.

Facilities become cluttered and dated. Deferred maintenance has killed numerous ministers with good intentions. Neglected facilities become an albatross around the neck of many pastors. Even the best established churches often have closets full of junk—old trophies, dusty puppets, and binders of music from the 1970s. In severe cases, the entire campus has not been touched in decades.

Technology outpaces staff. When a church has established patterns and rhythms, the temptation is to neglect technology. In a lot of churches, a decade can pass before it becomes necessary to adopt new technology. Unfortunately, by then it’s often too late and staff are too far behind.

A church needing revitalization in one of these areas is not necessarily unhealthy. However, most established churches need help with at least one. When multiple areas of the church fall behind, the effects are compounded.

Being the Church: Witness

What Did Jesus Do?

and what can we do?

by Alan Doswald

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,”

            Hebrews 10:24_NIV

Several years ago, people had bracelets and bumper stickers that said “WWJD”-what would Jesus do?  It might be better to ask, “What did Jesus do?”  We don’t have to wonder about that.  In His keynote address Jesus told us what He came to do:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19_NIV

James was anointed or set apart by God to do these 4 things:

1. To preach good news to the poor.
2. To proclaim freedom for the prisoners.
3. To bring recovery of sight for the blind.
4. To release the oppressed.

The gospels tell us how Jesus did these things.

He preached good news to the poor.  

He shared good news with a despised Samaritan woman that changed her life and her entire community.  He also started his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount with, “blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God.”  Luke 6:20_NIV  He preached good news to the harassed and helpless-the lost. (Matthew 9:35)  Jesus loves the poor-in fact the first people to hear about Jesus coming were very poor-the shepherds. 

He proclaimed freedom for the prisoners. 

Jesus delivered several people that were possessed by demons.  In one town, Jesus freed 2 men from bondage to demons and in doing so, he freed their town from having to put up with them (Matthew 8).  He also freed a woman caught in adultery from a death sentence (John 8).  Even on the cross, he gave freedom to a dying criminal and said he would see him in paradise (Luke 23:43).  Jesus freed those trapped in many types of bondage. 

He provided recovery of sight for the blind. 

He healed people who were physically blind (Matthew 9, Mark 8, John 9).  One of them was challenged by enemies of Jesus and said in reply, “one thing I do know, I was blind, but now I see” (John 9:25_NIV).  What a testimony!  Jesus also made one man blind, then restored his sight and gave him his marching orders-the Apostle Paul. 

He released the oppressed. 

In Mark 1, a leper came to Jesus and asked to be made clean.  Lepers were the most oppressed group in that day-totally excluded from society.  Jesus had compassion on him, touched him and healed him.  By the way, no one touched lepers.  In Luke 7, Jesus forgave and restored a sinful woman, who was oppressed by those around her.  Jesus told her “your faith has saved you, go in peace” Luke 7:50_NIV. 

As followers of Jesus what can we do as we follow Jesus and His example?  1 John 2:6_NIV says, “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”  As children, many of us played “follow the leader”.  Let’s never stop following our leader.  Acts 10:38_NIV says that Jesus went around doing good.  We can do that.

We can preach good news to the poor.

They’re all around us, even people with lots of money, can be poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).  Look around you-your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow students.  Ask God to open your eyes to their poverty.  A few years ago I got to know an elderly man across the street.  In time we became friends and he learned I was a minister.  He asked to be born again and baptized.  Later he told me “this is the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life.”  It’s good news.

We can proclaim freedom for prisoners.

One night, years ago, I got a call from a friend that I knew was an alcoholic.  He was in the hospital and he told me he had been an alcoholic for many years and couldn’t stop drinking.  He asked me if God could help and I said yes.  I immediately took him a Bible and led him to Christ.  God freed him that night and he never took another drink.  I know that it doesn’t always work like that, but God has the power to free people from addictions of all kinds.  We can lead people to freedom.

We can provide recovery of sight for the blind.

Blindness is both physical and spiritual.  In 2 Corinthians 4:4_NIV it says that Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers so they can’t see the light of the Gospel.  We can shine our light into their darkness and help the blind to see.  John Newton, a former slave ship captain, wrote a song called Amazing Grace that said “I once was blind, but now I see.”  Do you know people who are blind?

We can release the oppressed.

The oppressed are those who suffer the consequences of someone else’s sin.  Do you know people who are abused, neglected, bullied, left out, lonely, lost?  You can, help free them from their oppression by simply loving and befriending them.  Every child in school can befriend someone who is lonely and left out-it will change their life.  Even during COVID, people are only a phone call away. 

One thing Jesus did that we can’t do is to atone for our sins.  Jesus was called, “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29_NIV).  The Bible says that Jesus would save His people from their sins, which is the very thing that can change our lives forever.  We can follow Jesus and serve others as Jesus did.  Jesus said that He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for others.  Let’s be followers of Jesus and serve others.

“…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16_NIV

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Introduction 

A leading global mission to pray for the spheres of influence in all nations.  

Check our latest Proclaiming Pentecost video on zoom. https://youtu.be/T12gwXQVrvY 

On this page you will find latest and former prayer strategies for each mountain/domain/sphere http://prayerstrategy.org/ 

Prayer Initiatives 

1. Prayer mapping http://prayerstrategy.org/prayer-mapping/
2. Prayer Walking http://prayerstrategy.org/prayer-walking/
3. Adopt a Suburb http://prayerstrategy.org/adopt-a-suburb/
4. Praying for Government http://prayerstrategy.org/adopt-a-senator-mp/
5. Prayer Triplets http://prayerstrategy.org/prayer-triplets/
6. Prayer Calendar for the Spheres http://prayerstrategy.org/calendar/category/spheres/
7. Prayer for USA and Neighbours http://prayerstrategy.org/calendar/category/usa/
8. Prayers for Australia and Asia Pacific http://prayerstrategy.org/calendar/category/australia/
9. Pentecost http://prayerstrategy.org/proclaimingpentecost/
10. Coming soon to pray for Europe. 
11. Check Endorsements http://prayerstrategy.org/endorsements/
12. Prayer Partners http://prayerstrategy.org/prayerpartners/

The prayer focus is on the spheres/mountains of influence in all nations for: 

Marriage 

Family 

Church (Ecclesia) 

Immigrant Churches 

Houses of Prayers 

Government 

Military 

Business 

Law and Justice                                                                                                                   

Religion 

Arts 

Education 

Charity and Not for Profit Welfare 

Health 

Science 

Media 

Entertainment 

Sport and Recreation 

Jesus Prays for All Believers 

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you have known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I may be in them.” 

God bless 

Lilian Schmid 

Prayer Strategist and Coordinator  

lilianschmid@prayerstrategy.org 

https://prayerstrategy.org/  

Sydney – Australia