Track Description and Objectives

Track Description

Living-Out-Your-Faith is about learning what it means to be a good apprentice to the Master Jesus. Together we will learn - among other things:

• To grow more to the fullness of life as God has in mind for us
• To “own” better our “born-from-above” reality in the midst of our ordinary life
• To make a daily commitment to apprentice ourselves to the Master Jesus

Track Objectives

• Disciple 101: Understand and be able to explain the key points of being a disciple of Jesus by discussing Jesus' inaugural speech (availability of the Kingdom, entering it, Salt & Light, …)
• Get to know and practice spiritual exercises to foster personal growth and usefulness in God’s Kingdom. Examples: to communicate with Christ on a deeper level, to deepen our understanding of cultural entanglements, …
• Be able and comfortable to tell my story with my God (may serve as an invitation to the Kingdom for others)
• Get to know some "role models" for inspiration and personal challenge (role models: people in the church family who are advanced examples of the life of a disciple by following a particular calling)

Track Content

To achieve the objectives listed above, the following are some of the topics that will be addressed. Special emphasis is on topics that were identified from responses provided by the class participants submitted via index cards. Members of the class were provided an index card and asked to list those topics they felt would be valuable to them during that session.
The formats utilized in the development of concepts and topics are diversified and unique to each instructor. Activities are designed to be interactive and allow optimum discussion among small group members and group members and the instructors.

Topics are organized to align with the class objectives (see above)

1. General

• Introduction / Your Expectations (index cards)
• Review and Evaluation
  
  

2. Disciple 101

• Why is faith fundamental? What is the essence of faith?
• Faith and this culture: how can I understand culture, respond adequately, help my children?
• At work, how can I live out faith there? I really want to start a prayer meeting again, but I’m not sure how or when. The problem is finding a time and place…?
• With our family of five children, how can my wife and I teach them and model Jesus to them more effectively as we go through our days?
• End-of-life issues - something nearly everyone either has dealt with or will be dealing with in connection with their parents and themselves

3. Spiritual Disciplines (Tools to help me allow Christ into the areas of my life where I have been trying to do things by myself)

Your inputs are organized according to spiritual disciplines that might be most useful to address the concern you raised:

[General benefits of spiritual disciplines]

A way of living worthy of His salvation

Learn the things you can do on a daily basis to get closer to God. How to “walk the talk”

Habits or exercise to increase faith

"You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 20:7). Set yourself apart from evil, turn to the Lord, and be prepared to be used by God

How to be in the world, yet not of the world?

How to commit to total transformation – the steps that lead us there

[Study]

How can I challenge myself to go deeper in my walk of faith?

Going deeper in the Word.

[Sacrifice]

Trusting in God

[Confession]

Sin and Failure: Hints on how to remain faithful when you spend most of your life with the unfaithful!

[Solitude/Silence]

How to block out the world of work and things to do. And think only on the Lord; first thing in the morning. My mind is so cluttered with things. I try reading first or praying but nothing seems to work. Too many interruptions.

To keep Christ at the center of our lives, actions and relations

Really listening to God’s voice all day long.

[Prayer]

Prayer for others: what should we pray for? What should we ask for? Info on places to retreat and become silent before the Lord

Ways to keep Jesus in front of me during the day. After morning devotions, the tasks of the day take over and my role as parent or planner or worker or --- absorb me, and often my role as Christ’s follower and servant become secondary

To keep Christ at the center of our lives, actions and relations

Putting up boundaries for God – how time is spent through the day not getting distracted.


[Service]

Finding time to serve God: how, in the Business of life?

Tithing, financial stewardship

Stronger desire to save others

Serve the Lord 100% in everyday life. For example, when I am working, how do I be a “100% servant”? When I am relaxing, how do I be a “100% servant”? What do I need to add to or remove from my life to be a “100% servant”? How will I know what is good to keep and good to drop?

[Submission]

Allowing Him to reach a maximum potential in me

[Secrecy]

Separating the worldly honor from our lives

[Fasting]

Dealing with stress and pressure from the perspective of the Bible

Suffering and trials

Keeping eyes on God and others and not being so self-absorbed

4. Tell My Story

a. How to see life’s circumstances from a Godly perspective instead of from a worldly, selfish perspective
b. Sharing my faith without fear of rejection
c. What about those who think I (as a Christian) can pray them salvation? Or blessings? Paul faced discouragement and countered with threats and revelation of destruction. How do I inform “educated” people who don’t believe in God’s vengeance? (I am not a theologian or comfortable as a “quoter”)
d. How do you get people to understand that believing isn’t enough (actions are necessary, too)?
e. Working with and witnessing to the people who are consistently refusing the Gospel, so that I am not shoving religion down their throat or completely avoiding the topic
f. How do I make it relevant to the people around me? How do I recognize the opportunities to tell my story before the moment is lost? Should I have a different story for the different audiences with which I come into contact?