Jesus invites all people to become His disciples. Our definition of a disciple flows right out of Matthew 4:19. A disciple of Jesus is someone who
• is following Jesus
• is being changed by Jesus
• is committed to the mission of Jesus
This involves getting to know Jesus personally; to follow Him and actively engage in a relationship with Him. It also involves knowing and living out His teaching. A disciple is also being changed by Jesus. We can’t change our own hearts but Jesus is in the business of changing hearts and lives. He is the One who makes us more like Him. A disciple is also committed to Jesus’ mission of making disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). The disciple will naturally become more like his or her Master (Luke 6:40). The disciple of Jesus grows daily to Live Like Jesus.
This doesn’t happen overnight. It requires some practice. Whether you want to play an instrument or a sport, to improve requires practice, training. We could try to run a marathon and depending on our level of fitness, we might succeed. However, if we train for a marathon, our chances of succeeding are multiplied.
We believe that Living Like Jesus involves the 4 Practices of seeking, connecting, serving and multiplying. These are not checklist activities.They are practices that help us grow as Jesus’ disciples, in fact they come to characterize our lives as Jesus’ disciples. For instance, in order to follow Jesus, we must seek Him. Once we have given ourselves over to seeking Him, we continue to do as He commanded and seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Next, humans are wired for community. We believe that connecting with other believers in Christ’s body is necessary for our growth and ministry. Serving and multiplying naturally flow from the life of the disciple of Jesus who is following the Master’s pattern of life.
The resources provided through the links, above or below, are not an exhaustive listing of all the tools available. They are provided as a beginning to encourage you, to get you going and growing in these practices. We hope they are helpful to you! You certainly may read and watch on your own … but why not go through one or more of these resources with someone else? You can practice connecting along the way!
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This is the relationship-with-Jesus practice. Whether you’re seeking to check out Jesus for the first time, wanting to discover what this Christian thing is all about, or you’ve been a Jesus follower for decades and you are seeking diligently after God’s reign and righteousness (Matthew 6:33), the practice of seeking is necessary for life in Christ. God told His wayward people that they would find Him when they sought Him with all their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). This practice also comes with a promise from Jesus. He said that the one who seeks after God will find that He is a gracious Father who cares for His children (Matthew 7:7) Below are some suggested books, videos and websites that we hope will help you on your journey with Jesus. After each brief introduction to the tool, you will find possible other practices for which that tool may be useful.
* Tools marked with an asterisk are introductory or foundational to this and other practices.
The relationship-with-other-people practice. We need one another. As Jesus followers, connected to Him, we are connected to one another. The Apostle Paul said it like this to the Corinthian church, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Cor. 12:27). We believe that it is vital that we are connected to one another to grow in relationship with Jesus. There are things that Jesus has for us that we can only learn through relationship with one another. Therefore, we seek to encourage and foster relational environments where each of us can know others and be known by others, where we can experience the love of Christ in real relationships. We encourage you to get connected!
Below are some tools to help you. Some of these are books or videos that you might read or watch about the importance of community . . . OR . . . better yet, you might pull together some friends and go through these together in community! There are also links to our Life Groups page and other possible connecting points. After each brief introduction to the tool, you will find possible other practices for which that tool may be useful
* Tools marked with an asterisk are introductory or foundational to this and other practices.
The exercising-your-ministry-muscles practice. Jesus served. As we follow His teaching and manner of life, we will naturally serve our brothers and sisters within the church body as well as the community in which we live and the world. We want to lift up Jesus in our service so that He is honored. This is why we seek to be a church that is #ForFernCreek. The resources and links below are offered as on-ramps to get you prepared for and involved in the practice of serving. After each brief introduction to the tool, you will find possible other practices for which the tool may be useful.
* Tools marked with an asterisk are introductory or foundational to this and other practices.
The making-disciples practice. As we examine Jesus’ life, we see that He came to establish a disciple-making movement. He called the Twelve to be with Him and so that He might send them out to proclaim the kingdom of God (Mark 3:14). Later He also sent out seventy-two to proclaim the kingdom and heal the sick (Luke 10:1-9). At the close of His earthly ministry, Jesus gave us the Great Commission instructing His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) who would obey everything He had commanded, including making disciples of all nations.
We believe that this practice is vital for all Jesus followers. Even the newest or young Jesus follower can do something to practice multiplying (like inviting a friend to a group or service opportunity). We offer these resources to help us all grow in this practice and find God’s Spirit encouraging us forward as we take these steps of faith. After each brief introduction to the tool, you will find possible other practices for which that tool may be useful
* Tools marked with an asterisk are introductory or foundational to this and other practices.
