Rocky Creek Equip: Recent Episodes
Rocky Creek
These weekly podcast episodes are the audio recordings for our Equip Sunday night courses at Rocky Creek in Greenville, SC.
Our families are consumed with pursuing achievements and losing each other in the process. Discover biblical principles necessary to further your family toward God’s ideal.
Knowing that power corrupts on an individual level, we understand that political positions can wield an endangering level of corruption. As we process politics, we must keep them subservient to God’s rule and reign over our lives.
Dissatisfaction leads to unnecessary purchases and increasing debt. Discover God’s principles for decreasing debt and living in financial freedom.
The last book of the Bible prepares the Church for our final and eternal reality. The end is nearing, the victory is coming, and our Savior is returning.
As Christianity spread throughout the world after Jesus’ ascension, the leaders attempted to keep the movement to Christ’s example and intention. The mission advanced quickly through the establishment of churches and the spreading of letters.
Saul’s conversion dramatically changed the missional focus of the early Church and Christianity as a whole. During that time, the gospel opened the door to both Jews and Gentiles, and the Jerusalem Council ensured it would stay that way.
The Holy Spirit empowered the disciples on Pentecost, but they required persecution to move them out of Jerusalem. God uses varied catalysts to send His people out on mission.
Without the empty tomb, the Christian faith is an empty religion devoid of any hope. Jesus rose triumphantly from the grave and commissioned us clearly to the world.
While Jesus' death seemed like a shocking defeat to his followers, the crucifixion of Christ was God's plan all along. By studying the context of the event, we can understand what Jesus truly accomplished.
Jesus' ministry centered around his association with two critical groups: sinners and self-righteous. To understand these complex dynamics reveals the nature of Jesus' approach.
When you look at this unique group of disciples that Jesus chose, there isn't anything special about them. Jesus invested three years into these men so they would be mature disciples.
Jesus’ ministry only lasted three years, but the effect of it has completely changed history. In studying the critical components of his ministry, we can better ascertain the purpose for which he came.
We know little about his life between the birth of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry. The gospel authors reported very sparse details, but what we do know provides excellent insight into his preparation for the ministry.
The Son of God came in the flesh to fulfill God’s plan of salvation. The birth of Jesus was not an afterthought but an intentional plan from the beginning.
The four Gospels are books about Jesus but not by Jesus. These accounts show a full picture of Jesus’ message and ministry, delivered to four specific audiences.
Truth has a story, and the Bible puts the entire narrative together. While many people know isolated events and popular phrases from within the pages of the Scriptures, it is important to understand the big picture of what God is doing.
Nine authors wrote the twenty-seven books that comprise the New Testament. Within a few decades, they complied and spread the message of Jesus and the ministry of the early church.
The New Testament highlights the message and ministry of Jesus Christ. Understanding the purpose and position of the section within the Bible helps us know how to apply it better to our lives.
When encountering other religions or cults, it can be difficult to share Christ with people of religious backgrounds effectively. It is important to understand shared language and differing beliefs.
After we have put our faith in Jesus, we can often be led to question our salvation due to our circumstances. What do we do if we have those questions? How can we counsel others by asking those questions? When we put our faith in Jesus, His work has saved us once and for all.
Once people respond to the Gospel what are we to do next? What are they to do next? Jesus gave us an example of baptism, and a command not just to evangelize, but to make disciples.
When we share the gospel, we pray that people respond positively. While few respond to the gospel, most don’t respond at all, and a few will have obstacles they need to overcome in order to respond. We need to understand these obstacles in order to help people move past them.
Even when we understand the message of the Gospel and the method we would like to share, we can struggle to learn the best way to begin a conversation. Crossing the bridge into a spiritual conversation can be difficult but is much needed.
The Gospel is not just for those of a certain age. Jesus himself teaches that we should invite children to believe in Him. Ultimately, Evangelism begins in the home.
Some of the people closest to us need us to share the Gospel with them. Evangelizing family members can be difficult because of the fear of ruining a relationship. If we truly love our family, we will share the Gospel with them.
We can only know which method of sharing the Gospel is most comfortable to us by practice and repetition. Once we have a preferred method, we can start to learn the best way to call for a response.
Once we understand the message of the Gospel, it is time to dive into the method. There is no one method for sharing the Good News of Jesus. The best method is the one that makes us feel the most comfortable.
Once we understand the message of the Gospel, it is time to dive into the method. There is no one method for sharing the Good News of Jesus. The best method is the one that makes us feel the most comfortable.
Prayer is important in the Christian life. Especially when it comes to evangelism. We should pray for guidance, empowering us to effectively share our faith and impact others positively. Additionally, it fosters a deeper connection with God's mission, aligning our hearts with His purpose to bring others into a relationship with Him.
If we want to evangelize properly, we must first have an understanding of the gospel. It is impossible to share about Jesus without knowing the gospel.
As Christians, we are called to evangelism. But why should we be motivated to do so? The more we understand Christ’s love for us, the more we will want to share it with others.
The task of evangelism is an expectation of all followers of Jesus, but few of us feel comfortable in undertaking it. We must understand the foundation of evangelism if we are to prioritize it in our lives.
Piedmont Women's Center exists to help women with unexpected pregnancies choose life and receive help. Listen to Martie Spurgeon discuss the way to address abortion in our culture and in the lives of those around us.
Jesus single-handedly altered the course of history and is the most influential person who ever lived. As a homeless teacher, His ministry emerged from obscurity to a worldwide impact based on uncommon humility and power.
Leaders will experience no shortage of conflicts when they try to make a difference. It’s not a matter of if crises will come but how we will respond when we encounter them.
Ambitious yet isolated individuals will not advance Kingdom work. Jesus’ plan to reach the world hinges on our ability to pass lessons and provide opportunities to those behind us.
We can easily miss leadership opportunities due to perceived inabilities. We must maintain that conviction that God will give us what we need to accomplish what He has called us to do.
A position may grant you the right to give orders, but a true leader is one who diligently works alongside others. Your example lived in front of others will be the most remarkable leadership lesson you could ever teach.
The dismal state of the world can cause a leader to question if positive change is even possible. We must lead with integrity and intentionality no matter how dark this culture becomes.
Failures will either sideline us from future usefulness or motivate us for current development. We will make mistakes, but we don’t have to let them define us.
The world characterizes leaders as those who have achieved so much that others serve them; the Word surprisingly teaches that the best leaders are the humblest of servants. Humility distinguishes authentic leadership.
While many churches desire to send missionaries to the field, few are prepared to support those they send out. Supporting missionaries includes more than simply writing checks – it requires ongoing prayer, encouragement, and connection.
We desire to be more than a mission-minded church; we want to be a mission-guided church. If we are not careful, we will miss opportunities for missional endeavors because of dangerous distractions.
While Scripture does not provide us with a prescriptive plan for how churches should be planted, it does provide us with sufficient guidance to carry out the Missionary Task.
As we think about missions, one important and sometimes neglected aspect of missions is urban missions. Urban missions focus on the cities of the world.
As we undertake the Great Commission, we will share the gospel with people firmly convinced of another religion’s claims. Discover the differences between the major world religions and how the Word interacts with them.
We often strategize ways to impact international fields with the gospel, but Western culture is also in great need. Understanding this mission field is necessary as we seek to engage the people around us.
While each individual Christian must take personal responsibility for Kingdom activity, the Great Commission is not to be accomplished alone. Missions mobilization should be ingrained in the DNA of each healthy local church.
The gospel transcends all cultures, but we must be aware of the context in which we share it worldwide. Dr. Allen McWhite teaches the importance of contextualization in missions.
Throughout the years, Christianity has struggled to maintain the proper balance of sharing both the gospel and compassion. As followers of Jesus, we are called to display His kindness in both word and deed.
We misreport history and misrepresent reality when we consider Christianity a Western religion. The Church is a worldwide phenomenon with trends that will surprise the observant.
Since every nation and every tribe has not heard the good news, the mission of God presses forward with our approaches and methods to Christian Missions under careful evaluation.
History is HIStory. It begins and ends with God. However, it involves God’s people as they respond to His Commission to “make disciples of all peoples.” Over time, God’s people have responded differently to this commission, with obvious varying results.
Mission originates and culminates with God. It is His work, not ours. We are not called to bring our mission into a local context; instead we are called to partner with God in His mission.
The Bible does not contain missional sections; the Bible itself is a missional book. The overarching narrative of Scripture depicts a God going to a lost world with the hope of the gospel.
As followers of Jesus, our mission is to make disciples of all nations. Discover the redemptive plan of God and His expectation for how you are to be involved.
There's a new name. A new logo. What's happening? We're so glad you asked. Hear what God is doing through the Entrust Institute and our plans for the coming year.
God is willing and able to address us in our difficult circumstances. In this course, Travis Satterfield talks about the importance of knowing God through the suffering of life.
Remember that doubts, like many difficulties in life, are opportunities to know God more. In this course, Travis Satterfield talks about the importance of knowing God.
God does not simply call us to know things about Him; He calls us into an interactive relationship with Him – to know Him. In this course, Travis Satterfield talks about the importance of knowing God.
There is coming a day when Jesus will declare the eternal state for every person. What Jesus will do with us then depends on what we do with Him now.
Scripture is clear that a severe period of Tribulation will impact the earth before the end. People disagree on the presence of Christians on the earth during that time.
Christians believe Christ will return but disagree on how His return will progress. An understanding of the coming millennium is essential to how someone will interpret this concept.
Jesus expects a local church to do their part in carrying out the Great Commission. Our activities, when we gather together, should originate from His call on our lives.
Since a local church is a body instead of a building, certain necessary distinctives must be present. To have a biblical church, we cannot ignore biblical requirements.
We will never understand what the Church should do until we know what the Church actually is. The Church is the people of God united for the purposes of God.
The chance of losing salvation depends on whose work it is ultimately. While we could undeniably fumble, God is entirely faithful.
Many people have attempted to reconcile God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, but the Bible never claims them to be at odds with one another. Discover the biblical approach for salvation regarding God’s part and our involvement.
Salvation is a major tenet of Christianity while many aspects of it are debated within the Church. Without a biblical description of our salvation, we are in danger of sharing a faith of which we do not understand.
While Scripture is clear on the work of the Holy Spirit, Christians have debated specific roles based on assumptions or experiences. We must be careful not to alter His role to fit our expectations.
Many Christians know the Holy Spirit exists but are unsure what He actually does. Join us as we study the Scriptures to discover His pivotal roles in our lives.
The role of the Holy Spirit is essential in the life of the Christian, yet we often neglect Him to our detriment. Once we know who the Holy Spirit is, we will better understand the power He brings into our lives.
The study of God is the essential discipline to get accurate during our lifetimes. This course will study four significant doctrines: pneumatology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology.
As individuals and as a church, we desire to steward our resources to the best of our ability for God's work in our lifetimes and beyond. In this session, hear how you can conduct personal estate planning at a reduction of the cost and how you can set up your will to ensure that a portion of your resources are invested in Kingdom causes.
As our society continually explores and emphasizes sexual variations, the Church must consider staying faithful to God’s Word while remaining loving to all people. As representatives of Jesus, we must display grace and truth to our closest relationships and the culture at large.
With the rise of gun violence and sexual abuse cases, it is important to know what we do as a church for precautionary measures. While no steps can guarantee the avoidance of such a tragedy, we seek to be diligent to minimize the possibilities.
We partner with the North American Mission Board to plant churches and evangelize people. In addition, we have created the Recommission Network to focus our church partnership efforts. Learn about both of these groups through this course.
Learn from two leaders within the International Mission Board about the scope of the organization. As you hear about the strategy, we can better find our personal and churchwide responsibility regarding world missions.
The Southern Baptist Convention is a fellowship of over 47,000 Baptist churches scattered across the United States and its territories. With growing concerns at the national level, it is important for our church to consistently evaluate our ongoing involvement with this group for the sake of the Great Commission.
If we are to obey the message of Jesus, complete discipleship of the whole person is our mandate. By identifying any needed areas and establishing a specific plan, you can make continual and substantial progress in the things that matter most.
No more happenstance growth, we must be intentional to experience strategic formation in our discipleship. Let your spiritually frustrated fatigue launch you out of complacency and into maturity.
One of the most glaringly apparent omissions in our discipleship is the person doing the discipling. Our commitment to fleshing out our personal walks with Christ overlooks our need to learn from one another.
Sanctification is God’s work in our lives to make us holier gradually. We must understand God’s work in sanctification to understand our role in discipleship.
Most Christians can easily communicate the importance of making disciples, but few can articulate how they are personally engaging in the process. For all our numerous ministry activities, we must reorient to the task of personal discipleship.
The Great Commission was never “Plan B” according to God’s agenda. From the very beginning, God desired to create a community of people helping one another to follow Him.
If we are called to pray continually and cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, why do we often get so discouraged when trying to pray? Prayer is God's gift for us to communicate with God. Learn how to cultivate a lifestyle of prayer.
To embrace a biblical theology, we cannot pick and choose which doctrines to accept. By developing a thorough theology grounded in Scripture, we understand God as He truly is rather than who we think He ought to be.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ provide the path for us to experience true life. In Christ’s work, we find our salvation and purpose.
Jesus Christ changed everything. Through His person and His work, God brought about the only way to salvation.
God's intention for humanity was perfect communion with Him, each other, and His creation. However, sin caused a cosmic disruption in each of those relationships.
Mankind’s distinct nature derives from being made in the image of God. As image-bearers, men and women are called to be like God.
Biblical theology includes an understanding of angelic and demonic forces. The spiritual realm is a war field with stakes higher than we could possibly imagine.
The doctrine of creation is a critical issue for theology, because it sets up the foundation for all other doctrines within the Christian worldview. In the Scriptures, we discover a transcendent God who has sovereignly created all things.
The doctrine of the Trinity is a challenge for many believers, but this doctrine cannot be avoided. Seeking wisdom from the Scriptures and avoiding errors throughout history will help develop a biblical understanding of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
God’s providential work among creation ensures that His benevolent identity guides His sovereign activity. To know the heart of God is to trust the hand of God.
Knowing who God is helps us comprehend what it is that God does. Within Scripture, we discover the glorious nature of God by embracing all of His attributes.
The reality of Scripture indicates a glorious message – the omniscient God desires to communicate with us. The way we undertake bibliology will be the single most determining factor in developing our theology.
While general revelation sends a message to all people of all time, special revelation is a unique message for a unique people at a unique time. Learn the theological understanding of special revelation and what it means for us today.
God has graciously revealed Himself to Mankind through His Creation and His Word. Natural Revelation is God’s attempt outside of Scripture to awaken our need for Him.
The Old Testament archives the beginning of God's work to redeem God's people. From the very beginning, God had a plan that no enmity or enemy could stop.
The very fact that we study the Bible in English implies that someone has already interpreted the original message into our language. Discover the Bible’s organization and its numerous translations to understand some of our interpretive challenges.
We know that screens are very present in our world, but how can we ensure they don’t control us or those we love? Discover how you can protect yourself and your family against the dangers of technology.
While the entire Bible has interpretive challenges, none is so difficult to navigate as the Book of Revelation. Despite the debated details, the main point of the book is full of glorious and guaranteed promises.
Epistles are letters written for specific purposes. It is essential to determine who wrote the letter, who received it, and why it was sent.
The four Gospels all tell the story of Jesus but are delivered to different audiences from different perspectives. To understand the truth contained fully within them, we must understand the context in which they were written.
Our church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention for the sake of fulfilling the Great Commission. With increasing conflicts within the denomination, we must clarify our church’s roles and responsibilities due to this connection.
The Old Testament prophets spoke a specific message to a particular people. We can safely unpack the timeless truth and correctly interpret it for our situations with proper hermeneutical guidelines.
Wisdom Literature in the Old Testament is that portion of Scripture that helps us understand how to apply God’s wisdom in our lives. It makes sense to reason that if the LORD created the world, He knows the best way to navigate through it.
In the opening books in the Bible, God establishes the Law upon which the Israelites were expected to live. As New Testament disciples, we must use careful interpretative guidelines as we study and apply this portion of Scripture.
Narrative is the literary genre that communicates through story form. Within the Bible, narratives intend to teach truth through what has happened to highlighted individuals.
The Bible is one book made up of 66 smaller books with distinct genres differing from each other. To interpret the Bible accurately, we must understand the nature of genres and how the Bible is organized.
Even without acknowledging it, we project our context upon Scripture in order for it to say what we want it to say. As we study Scripture, we must filter the reader’s context through the knowledge of the author’s context.
A study of Scripture lacking thorough interpretative guidelines can lead to inaccurate beliefs. The foundational task of hermeneutics is deciding who determines the meaning of Scripture.
If God took the lead to communicate to us through the Bible, we must take our time to interpret that truth diligently. The task of hermeneutics is interpreting God’s Word into our context.
Before we attempt to interpret the Bible correctly, we must first recognize what this book is in the first place. The Bible is God’s Word so that we can truly know Him.
We all say that we should know the Bible better than we do. Don’t you think it's time that we did something about it?
God’s Word exposes numerous issues for any family to address in order to walk in conformity with his standard and design. A misunderstanding of generational curses can discourage people from making noble attempts to turn a family’s legacy around.
Due to many factors, many parents cannot find a healthy balance when it comes to discipline. Scripture teaches that we cannot neglect that responsibility but must handle it with care.
After Adam and Eve’s sin, God did not hide from sharing the truth and delivering the consequences. Sin’s effects on marriage are undeniable, but God’s guidance is unmistakable.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they were inclined to hide in shame and point in blame. All marriages can fall into the same trap of refusing responsibility for sin.
God gave this first couple one commandment, and they quickly made compromises in order to break it. In all marriages, we are called to help each other fulfill God’s Word over meet our expectations.
As God placed His stamp upon Adam and Eve, He intended them to spread that image throughout the world. He calls families to be fruitful and multiply through their homes.
God designed sexual intimacy to be experienced solely within the confines of marriage. Like all gifts from God, it is enjoyed to the fullest extent when it is guided by God’s directives.
A marriage cannot work if someone or someones have a higher priority than the spouse. There must be a thorough yet healthy leaving of one’s initial family and a complete and eager cleaving of one’s unique spouse.
God categorized the only creation made in His image as helpless and alone. Within the gift of a spouse, God intends to meet these two needs for his sole purpose.
Just as God formed and filled every aspect of Creation, we must realize that our lives and marriages were addressed in the same way. We cannot truly appreciate the gift of marriage until we comprehend why God gave it to us in the first place.
After Elijah experienced God move mightily upon the mountaintop, his joy was short-lived due to following opposition. God’s instruction to Elijah during his depressed state provides direction for our own troubled souls.
How do we address anxiety from a biblical perspective? Listen to Jeremy Johns share life-changing truths to help you in your battle.
Anxiety effects every single one of us in different ways and varying degrees. Learn some biblical ways to address your anxiety.
Jesus taught the necessity of obedience to His words, but we cannot apply them if we don’t first study them. Create a plan where you can work through studying the entire Bible.
When we decide to follow Jesus, we venture down the narrow path, but we are not alone. Baptism is a public declaration that you belong to Christ and a community.
Many people's experience with earthly fathers taint the idea of God as Heavenly Father. We cannot follow God fully if we are unable to embrace Him as Father.
Jesus calls us not to be harshly judgmental but to be intentionally confrontational. We must be concerned enough about the Body of Christ to address sin when it is present among us.
All Christians deal with differing levels of stress, fear, and anxiety. Learn how to process through these feelings and walk in truth.
Learn from Miracle Hill's President and Rocky Creek member, Ryan Duerk, as he describes their ministry and teaches on a nontoxic approach to helping the least and the lost. You can offer a hand up, not just a hand out.
No disciples grows by accident. Through spiritual disciplines, we grow more into who Christ calls us to be.
There is a difference between forgiveness and enablement. In our commitment to showing grace to others, we must consider the ramifications of enabling others to continue in sin.
You will never intensify your prayer life on accident. In order to pray continually, you must first pray intentionally.
To be generous entails more than giving an amount; it requires possessing an attitude. Learn how to be wise with what you give and how you give it.
Living in this world guarantees that anger will be a common emotion. God's Word provides helpful wisdom regarding how to handle our anger.
Since our words are consistently unreliable, it causes distrust to grow as we relate to one another. When trust is broken, we must find biblical ways to find forgiveness and healing.
No matter how challenging your marriage is, you can find help. Discover potential marriage separators, and do what you can to avoid them in your relationship.
To fight against lust, we must have a plan to protect ourselves from pornography. Using scriptural insight and practical wisdom, you can find hope with this struggle.
You will not grow by accident. To have the blessed life that Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount, we must follow Him on the path of discipleship. We must keep growing.
Matthew 5-7 archives the greatest sermon in the history of the world. As Jesus gathered His growing followers together, He taught a simple yet thorough overview of how Kingdom citizens should live. Christianity is more than a mere association of rules, but it is a complete dedication to a countercultural lifestyle.
When it comes to governmental leadership, we often believe that most is accomplished through some type of conquering force. Jesus was a different type of King and set up a different kind of Kingdom.
As the United States continues to further the philosophical divide, the greatest point of conflict has to do with how all citizens respond to God. As all nations rage against God, He has a sovereign plan to deal with every single one.
While the standard of morality within the United States continues to drift, Christians are left facing a different spiritual landscape. With the changing of the majority's beliefs, we must adapt to ensure biblical faithfulness in rebellious times.
Our culture changes the standard of what is acceptable by the year. As our culture moves further from biblical morality, the church must clarify the ideal and define our approach.
With growing political animosity, authorities and citizens alike have discarded common civility. As tempers flare, insults fly, and resistance increases, Christians must stand out as people who can disagree respectably.
With increasing pressure to fall into particular political camps, how are Christians supposed to navigate faithfully? We cannot give in to any cultural system, no matter how widely accepted it is, if it contradicts the truths of Scripture.
As we navigate this contentious election season, how are Christians supposed to respond? In light of the state of disunity within the United States of America, disciples of Jesus must prove themselves to be different from society.
While Jesus' death seemed like a shocking defeat to his followers, the crucifixion of Christ was God's plan all along. By studying the context of the event, we can understand what Jesus truly accomplished.
Jesus' ministry was framed around his association with two critical groups of people: sinners and self-righteous. To understand these complex dynamics reveals the nature of Jesus' approach.
Jesus' calling of the disciples displayed the attribute of grace. When you look at this unique group of men he chose, there isn't anything special about them. They weren't obvious choices, and yet, they were Jesus' choices. Due to that reason, they would develop into what Christ had called them to be.
Jesus’ ministry only lasted three years, but the effect of it has completely changed history. In studying the critical components of his ministry, we can better ascertain the purpose for which he came.
Between the birth of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry, little is known about his life. The gospel authors reported very sparse details, but what we do know provides great insight into his preparation for the ministry.
The New Testament begins with the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God came in the flesh to rescue us.
As we study the New Testament, we must unpack the reasoning, audience, and direction of the 4 Gospels.
The New Testament is 27 books that tell 1 story. Learn how the New Testament was compiled and organized in order to observe the impact it has made.
In this Resurrection Sunday edition of Ask Pastor Trav, we engage one simple question: Can God be trusted during difficult times?
To answer this question, Pastor Travis reads a writing he compiled called Jesus' resume to remind us of his power, concern, and willingness.
This week’s edition of Ask Pastor Trav prepares us to answer questions regarding Jesus’ death and resurrection.
5 Questions 1. Did Jesus have a substitute on the cross?
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Did Jesus actually die?
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Do the Gospels agree about the resurrection details?
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Is the tomb really empty?
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Did the disciples lie about the resurrection?
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain [1 Cor. 15:14].
Join Pastor Trav as he answers these submitted questions:
- Where did Jesus go after he died?
- Should we obey the government’s gathering guidelines?
- Should we treat Easter Sunday differently?
- What could God be teaching the Church during this time?
- What could God be teaching your family during this time?
Since we can't gather for Equip tonight, Pastor Trav is answering 5 submitted questions in a 30-minute segment called, "Ask Pastor Trav." Enjoy!
The Bible is not a collection of disconnected, moralistic stories. It is the one overarching story of how the cross of Christ will rescue a fallen people.
If you look at your current financial picture, you might notice too many issues to address at once. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the numerous tasks, rely on biblical wisdom and align your plan with immediate obedience and gradual progression.
Christians often feel tension with knowing how to respond to God based upon our blessings in the light of others’ misfortunes. If we give credit to God for our blessings, how should we show an adequate attitude of gratitude?
The more that God blesses us financially, the more we can bless others as well. Within the heart of God, we learn how to further our personal generosity.
While none of us know the time or the manner of our passing, we know we must be prepared. In an effort not to be a burden to others but to be a blessing to others at the time of our passing, you must make preparations now.
Debt seeks to secure our happiness now by committing to pay more for it later. Regardless of how much debt you have accumulated, learn some biblical and practical steps to reduce your debt now, and remove the opportunity to increase more debt later.
If you don’t make a plan for how you use your finances, someone or something else will make a plan for you. Preparing a budget shows you are a responsible steward with what God has entrusted to you.
We tend to polarize financial convictions, but the Bible provides surprising wisdom to obtain balance. If we learn God’s financial perspective, we will benefit from obeying biblical practices.
Discontentment will lead to justifying debt. When your finances get overwhelming, it drastically alters every other aspect of your life.
We all experience moments of transition with decisions we make or situations beyond our control. How do you determine your path when you are unsure of God’s direction?
While divorce may seem like a desirable path for some couples, it is never a simple escape from trouble. Before going down this path, there are many things that must be considered.
After making a bad decision, we are often left with the unfortunate reality of consequences. How should we go forward when we are dealing with effects from previous decisions?
Are you depressed or know someone who is? How can you help someone who struggles with a bleak perspective? Let’s draw strength from God’s Word to help in dark times of the soul.
Even though you haven’t implemented the entire Distinctive Discipleship process yet, hopefully, you are already beginning to see some growth. In this last session, you will put all the pieces together and initiate your plan. While you have experienced progress, now it is time to define your distinctive strategy which you will use for the months to come.
Paul described his work in discipleship as something for which he toiled (Col. 1:29). If that sounds like work to you, it is because spiritual disciplines require consistent, diligent effort on your part. In Session 6 of Distinctive Discipleship, you are going to select the most vital spiritual discipline to strengthen at this time in your life. You will determine which one is best for your soul’s health and get to work on it this very day. This discipline will begin to train the habits necessary for your discipleship.
In what ways do you need development? It all depends upon what you have been given and where you have been placed. As particularly gifted and positioned disciples, we each should pursue the needed maturity to do what God has called us to accomplish.
Are you confident in the fundamentals of your faith? Maybe the better question is, do you believe what you believe? As a follower of Jesus, you have a set of doctrinal beliefs that come along with the territory. Biblical Christianity is blatant on topics in which the culture will struggle to accept. In Session 4 of Distinctive Discipleship, we are going to hone in on 1-2 doctrinal concepts that you need to study next.
Distinctive Discipleship is all about discovering delight. If we can truly comprehend that the fullness of God dwelt in Christ (Col. 1:19), and now the fullness of Christ dwells in us (Col. 1:27), it should cause us to become overwhelmed with a joy that energizes our desire to take advantage of that blessed nearness.
There is a sin or a few sins that easily entangle you. While we all can struggle with every possible sin imaginable, there are certain sins with which we regularly drift. In Session 3 of Distinctive Discipleship, we are going to narrow down a list of sins to the 1-3 areas which are critical for you to address right now.
Generalized approaches can never adequately address distinct disciples. In order to see legitimate discipleship take place in your life and in the lives of those around you, we cannot depend upon widespread methods hoping to address the specific needs of everyone.
While jobs can bring stress, weariness, and drama, it can also provide Kingdom opportunities. Learn how to reinstate your work as a platform for worship and mission.