Discipleship Experiment
The "Discipleship Experiment" is a one year commitment to five disciplines for helping us learn what it means to follow Christ, that is, to be disciples of Jesus. These disciplines are by no means all there is to following Jesus. They are an attempt to provide some concrete introductory application steps in response to our message series in Luke's Gospel, "The Jesus Driven Life". Specifically, how do we begin to put into practice Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" ? (see also Luke 14:33)
The commitment is called an "experiment" in the sense of "testing to discover what results" from doing these things. Romans 2:2 "be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God." The commitment is for one year because some will want to reevaluate after a time period. Of course, Jesus didn't call people to follow Him for only a year. This experiment is not an end in itself, but a means to the end of following Jesus with greater earnestness in light of His call to discipleship as recorded in the gospels.
We hope this year long "experiment" will be used by God's Spirit to transform us so that we may discover that the will of God to deny ourselves and follow Jesus is good, acceptable and perfect. We hope through these disciplines our love for Christ and joy in Him will deepen and He will receive more glory in our community and among the nations.
The Discipleship Experiment will involve commiting to five specific challenges for one year:
- To pray for God's work in our community and among the nations
- To read through the whole Bible
- To commit our lives to a discipling community
- To sacrifice our money for works of missional mercy
- To give our time in works of missional mercy
Pray for God's work in our community and among the nations
Pray for movements of God's Spirit in the Camas area, both to open our eyes and hearts to needs in the community and for people to be drawn to Jesus. Globally, using pray resources such as Global Prayer Digest and Called to Pray, we will pray together for God's work among the nations over the course of a year.
Read through the whole Bible
Using a Bible reading plan, we will read through the entire Bible in one year. For a Bible reading plan for 2012, see the Discipleship Experiment bulletin board for a copy of the Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan, or visit http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/all for a variety of Bible reading plans to choose from to fit your needs.
Commit to a discipling community
We will wholeheartedly commit ourselves to the local church. But even deeper than that, we will commit ourselves to a small group or one-on-one relationship that is intentionally sharing, showing and teaching the Word while serving the community and world together, using our spiritual gifts, abilities and passions.
Sacrifice our money for works of missional mercy
We will commit to increasing our funding of works of missional mercy as individuals, families and as a church.
Spend our time in works of missional mercy
We will commit, as individuals and/or families, to give 1% (3-4days) of our time in Gospel works of missional mercy for the sake of God's glory in the entire world.
