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!
FAQ's Around Faith
Derived From the Insights™ Course
Christianity: Is it real & more than just another religion?
Many people today have written off Christianity because they have seen it as just another religion. Jesus did not come just to establish a religion...we get the word religion from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means to ‘bind’ or to ‘tie’...something that religion has done to countless millions of people throughout history in bringing them under bondage and tying them up with practices and ideas that have not brought them life. By contrast Jesus said. “I have come to give people life, that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Religion is man’s effort working to reach God, whereas the basis of Christianity is God freely reaching down to provide man with the only way to have relationship with HIM. If you’ve thought of Christian faith as merely ‘getting religious’, we hope this course will demonstrate the massive difference between religious activity and a genuine relationship with God through Jesus.
Who is jesus?
Some people see becoming a Christian as a blind leap of faith. The type of faith that offers nothing to base belief on. But it is not a blind leap of faith but a step of faith based on firm historical evidence. There is indeed a step of faith required and commitment is necessary... In this section we will examine some of the vast historical evidence that provides 'reasons to believe' and makes commitment to Jesus a reasonable thing. Apparently in a communist Russian dictionary Jesus is described as 'a mythical figure who never existed'. No serious historian could maintain that position.
why did jesus die?
The cross has often been a fashionable item on jewellery items like bracelets, necklaces, earrings etc. We are so used to seeing it that we are not shocked by it. Imagine someone wearing a gallows or an electric chair on a chain! Yet the cross was a form of execution - and a very cruel one. The Romans abolished it in AD315 because it was considered too inhumane. The cross has always been regarded as the symbol of Christian faith. A high proportion of the Gospels is about the death of Jesus. Much of the New Testament is concerned with explaining what happened on the cross. An important service of the church is 'Communion' when the body of the Lord Jesus and his shed blood are considered. Many churches have a cross on them because Jesus’ death (as much as his life) has impacted the face of human history. Why is there a concentration on the death of Jesus? Why is his death different from any martyr or war hero and what did it achieve? What does it mean when the New Testament says "He died for our sins?" These are the questions we will now try to answer.
how can i be sure of my faith?
When a person becomes committed to the Lord Jesus, having accepted him to be their Saviour they are in for a new adventure! Paul wrote: “When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17) For some people they know immediately a difference. Experiences vary, for others it is more gradual. What matters more than our experience is the fact that when we receive Christ we become a child of God. It is the start of a new relationship. As the apostle John wrote, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gives the right to become the children of God". (John 1:2) The New Testament makes it clear that it is possible for us to be sure that we are Christians and that we have life. John’s words,"I write these things unto you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life". (1 John 5:3) Imagine a three legged stool, relying on each leg for its stability. Each leg can represent three components upon which our faith can be firmly based. 1. The Word of God 2. The Work of Jesus 3. The Witness of the Holy Spirit
reading the bible: for all it's worth!
In America there is an average of 6.8 Bibles in every household. To a great deal of people the Bible is an utter mystery and while it has some gripping stories and interesting history in it, seems to be relegated to a dusty shelf for all practical purposes. To a person who has put their faith in Jesus Christ the Bible can be a source of strength, comfort, encouragement and a delight in their life. The Psalmist says: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” Psalm 1:1-3 In this section we will took at why and how the Bible can become a 'delight' for each of us.
prayer: why & how should i pray?
It is a fact that prayer is something more people engage in, than would actually admit it. For some, prayer is the last resort when everything else has failed. When people get in a jam, it's quite amazing how 'prayer' suddenly becomes an option. In World War I the fighting was at times atrocious as men faced each at close range in the trenches. One veteran remarked that when the deadly mustard gas came over, the most hardened started praying fervently (to 'someone' they often did not believe in).
who is the holy spirit?
A certain amount of knowledge about God the Father and Jesus the Son is claimed by some people... But there is a great deal of ignorance about the Holy Spirit. Who is this third Person of the Trinity? Some translations speak of the 'Holy Ghost' and this can sound a little frightening! The Holy Spirit is a Person. He has all the characteristics of Personhood. He thinks (Acts 15:28), speaks (Acts 1:16), leads (Romans 8:14), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He is sometimes described as the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9) or the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7).
"grow" on then!
We only get one shot at life. We might wish for more. D. H. Lawrence said, 'If only one could have two lives. The first to make your mistakes in, the second in which to profit by them’. But there are no dress rehearsals for life; we are on stage straightaway. Even if we have made mistakes in the past, it is wonderful to know that God is able to 'redeem' (or buy back) and make something worthwhile of our lives. In this section we will look at some of the ways we can do this.