HERE'S WHAT CAN HAPPEN
WHEN SOMEONE READS THEIR
BIBLE JUST x4 a week
Findings from Arnold Cole, Ed.D. & Pamela Caudill Ovwigho, Ph.D. “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.”
Feelings of loneliness drop by 30%
Alcohol addictions drop by 57%
Pornography addictions drop by 61%
Following Jesus is the most freeing & fulfilling decision you could ever make.
Jesus is looking for apprentices, ambassadors & disciples in the Kingdom Of God.
Following Jesus is the most freeing & fulfilling decision you could ever make – an undeniable transformation of your whole life! Saying “yes” to Jesus is far greater than a mere acknowledgement that God exists but it is all about becoming a disciple, and making disciples. Similar to an apprenticeship or spending time in a trade – you learn from your superior and spend time doing as they do – until it becomes second nature. In the same way, discipleship is an apprenticeship under Jesus: Spending time with Jesus, being transformed into His likeness and acting as HE did.
We’re here to give you the tools & resources you need to start your journey in going deeper with Christ and letting His love & plan for your life transform your whole world. It’s time to become a disciple and to make disciples.
Called to be a disciple, & to make disciples.
Discover the tools you need to grow deeper in your faith and identity in Jesus; and take them out into the harvest fields!
01
what a disciple is
To put it simply, a disciple is a follower of Jesus. But it doesn't just stop there - as a follower of Jesus, we're called to ACTUALLY follow Him. Similar to how after spending a lot of time with someone you pick up some of the habits & language they have, a disciple is someone who:
a) Spends time with Jesus
b) Becomes like Jesus in word & action, and
c) Brings others to Jesus (then other person falls in love with Jesus and spends time with Him, then they start acting like Him, then they start bringing MORE people to Him... it's the coolest chain reaction that can occur!)
02
What it means to be one
When Jesus called the first disciples, He told them to "Come, follow Me." (Matthew 4:19).
When taken seriously, this simple sentence changes everything.
Following Jesus means to repent (TURN AWAY) from the habits, patterns & things of this world and to TURN TOWARD Jesus: the ONLY Way, the Truth & the Life. (John 14:6).
Being a disciple is so much more than simply being a convert to Christianity. It means to surrender your old life and ways to take up a new life found only in God. This journey can be difficult, but you were not created to do it alone.
03
what it looks like
So, the calling to be a disciple first shared long ago is the SAME calling Jesus extends to you right now: "Come, follow Me." This calling must be answered by every person, and with it must come action.
There are lots of awesome ways to practically be a disciple and to follow Jesus - from spending time reading your Bible (it's like spiritual food: without it your spirit is starving, but with it you grow strong & healthy!) to spending time in worship & prayer, to so much more!
Let's look at some ways to grow in these areas - Keep scrolling!
a few practical ways to live out your faith
reading the bible
The Bible is God's Word - ancient (and yet beautifully applicable for today), infallible records written by various authors who were all inspired by God at different times. Reading the Bible is one of the best ways to grow your relationship with God - it's often described as God's love letter to us. He still uses it to speak to us today. The Bible is literally the BLUEPRINT FOR FAITH! It teaches us, trains us, strengthens us, fuels us, correct us, guides us, comforts us... The Word of God is POWERFUL & it is the best place to start growing your relationship with God.
For a helpful resource on reading the Bible, check out the BibleProject videos online or on Youtube - these short videos give great insight into the story of the Gospel, the individual books of the Bible and more! Plus, they do it in illustrations that are really cool to follow.
spend time praying
Praying is a huge part of growing your relationship with God! Just like in any relationship, it is communication that helps keep things alive. We have this incredible gift of being able to talk to God; to thank Him for what He has done, to ask Him for what we need, to simply sit before Him and wait on Him...
Prayer isn't something you master, it's a means of submission & surrender - coming before God in humility and being vulnerable before Him. God already knows what you need, in fact He knows every thought in your head even before you do. So to some, they might question why it is important to pray if He already knows it all..
HERE'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT:
1) Jesus not only told & modelled to His disciples that prayer was an amazing way to draw close to God, & to seek wisdom which strengthens our faith, but He also taught us how to pray - see Matthew 6:9-13
2) Prayer strengthens our relationship with Jesus, and makes us more like Him in doing so. You pick up the habits of those you spend close time with. IF we want to look like Jesus, the best place to start is by being with Him - and prayer gives us access to that.
Prayer strengthens us, challenges us, encourages us and increases our faith.
journey with a community
A massive part of the Christian walk is doing it alongside others! The Bible tells us that "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17) It also tells us that Christians are like the body of Christ - all having different functions but working together.
When we journey alongside other Christians we have the incredible opportunity to "sharpen one another", to grow and strengthen each other. This can be through sharing our wins & struggles, praying for each other and keeping each other accountable.
The best place to find community is to find a Church you can get linked into and grow with. We can learn more about Jesus through being in fellowship. Want help getting connected? Email [email protected] and we'd love to help you find a church & community close to you.