JUNE 2009

In Discipleship, Expect The Unexpected
Teachers often say, "Some of the most unexpected students are the one's who excel the most." We have a male disciple who has shown this to be true.

First, you must remember a primary thesis of Christ's discipleship invocation is that it is our job to "learn to Follow Him!;" it is God's job to "make us become...") ("Follow Me" is our job;" He "will make us become fishers of Men" is God's job).

QLD Disciple Seen As A Failure
After sharing our discipleship ministry with an associate pastor at a rather "successful" Dallas church, this minister looked at me rather confused. He said, "How is it that this man who says he has been so impacted by Quantum L.E.A.P. Discipleship, went through one divorce in the past, and has recently been through another divorce?" I responded, "If you judge the success of your ministry in "how well people are performing," your focus is upon trying to fulfill God's job." The question is that "can someone be learning to follow God more closely through failures?" Contemporary church ministry is focused on trying to get people to perform so they don't fail.

But God Must Work In The Heart, Before The Outward Appearance Will Change
Yes, this man has been through his second divorce. But, what was happening in his soul through seeing himself fail again? Christ had broken him to see his flesh in a new light. And, through the death of himself, he is seeing the resurrection of God living through him. The impact over the years continues. No he is not where he needs to be--who of us are!! But, he is becoming more sensitive to listening to and following God in where he is. And, God is changing him through this.

In fact, this man is the one disciple of all those whom we have discipled to initiate the process of forming a discipleship group for new men. Currently, he has several men interested in beginning the journey of growing in Christ's "Follow Me" discipleship process. Please pray that as God continues to work in Him -- that he as well as all of us will become "fishers of men" -- excited about seeing others growing in their faith relationship with God because our relationship is vital, alive and growing as well. REMEMBER...we can not pass on what we do not possess ourselves.

JULY 2009

God's Discipleship Process Found in Romans Too!!
Christ's discipleship process is NOT just found in the book of Mark--even though this is our roadmap for leading others in "following God" in their lives. One critical passage we spend some time in with our groups in Romans 6-8, arguably one of the most difficult and misunderstood passages in scripture.

Romans 6       FACT:
God Crucified Our Old Spirit (the one with "the" Sin Nature) and Resurrected a New Spirit (one that is as perfect and righteous as Christ is)

Romans 7       QUESTION:
If that is true---Why do I still find myself sinning as I did before this occurred? The more I try the more I find myself failing.

Romans 8      THE PROBLEM is not my IDENTITY;  it is my BEHAVIOR.
The new process, no longer based upon LAW (justice- based consequences // i.e. obey=rewards; disobey=punishment. This process does NOT produce change; it only controls behavior). But, it is based upon a new relationship and process under LIBERTY (mercy-based responses // i.e. faith response=life to the spirit // flesh response=death to my soul (i.e. who I am becoming). Both responses are necessary to create true change), The Spirit is now at work to bring my BEHAVIOR (my Flesh) in line with my IDENTITY (my spirit) through life experiences to which I will apply one of these two responses.

Romans 8       A NEW PROCESS of how God is working in my life to fulfill this.
a. A New Standard (8:1)...There is no condemnation (guilt, fear, shame, anger), because there is no LAW. I am not criticized, judged, or punished for my behavior. I am given freedom, even to fail, so that the Spirit might guide me to supernatural change.

b. A New Power (8:2)...My spirit is now able to relate with God's Spirit, who will relate to me not under LAW-based consequences (the LAW of Sin and Death), but under LIBERTY-based responses of learning to live by faith, one step at a time (the LAW of Spirit and Life).

c. A New Identity and Relationship (8:9.10,14)...I am no longer a slave under the law; but a friend/adopted son or daughter under liberty. I am able to relate with God's Spirit and follow Him, since my identity is now a perfect and righteous spirit.

d. A New Process (8:12,13)...It is necessary for me to experience the cycles of BOTH energizing my spirit (responses of faith that leads to life) and crucifying my flesh (responses of flesh that leads to death). I grow supernaturally and become just like a plant which needs to go through the cycles of growth and life as well as the cycles of wilting and death each year to "become" a mature tree.

e. A New Motive (8:15,16)...I am motivated by God's unconditional love (showing mercy even when I deserve justice); not motivated by a spirit of fear when living under law.

f. A New Plan (8:17-30) (for true and permanent change)...I am an Heir...who needs to get to know God's power and inheritance (by experiencing the miraculous power of His resurrection) in my life. But, I must also follow God through times of Suffering (by experiencing the fellowship of His sufferings). If I follow God and see Him work in both of these ways in my life, then He promises "all things will work together for good" (Rom. 8:28).

QLD Women Disciples Relate Romans 6-8 To Their Lives
The women in this discipleship group seemed to have "new eyes" opened, and the their "hearts" illumined as they begin to put some of the pieces together from the journey through Mark and relate it to the concepts of learning to live under a new relationship of liberty with God as described in Romans 6-8. How do we know that is happening? Because these women are seeing how this new plan and process is working in the day to day experiences of their life today. As we discuss these concepts, they begin to share how the life experiences they are in are tied to these issues. And, how they are responding through steps of faith (life to the spirit) and repentance (death to the flesh) is leading them to change and "become" someone who is "not expecting to be served." But, they are "serving and giving up the right to their own agenda, willing to sacrifice for others." (Mark 10:45).