The Biastes continue Season 3 of The Great Reset by attempting to articulate concrete commitments we can make together to help us become better husbands and fathers, yet at the same time advance Christ’s purposes on multiple levels.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” — John 3:30
Question: How can we as men, whatever our occupation and family situation, make every action count for the Kingdom of God?
Perspective: Make ourselves accountable for our core relationships to better Experience, Demonstrate and Understand the Love of Christ by, e.g.:
- Honoring our “fathers”. Even when we disagree; or must intelligently disobey.
- Respecting all women as Christ does the church. Even when they disrespect us (or themselves).
- Raising up our “children” to succeed beyond ourselves.
- Expanding our “work” to spread God’s glory to more of creation.
- Purifying our “selves” to better see Christ and act on His truth.
- Forgiving, identifying with and redeeming “others” who oppose or frustrate us, exactly as Christ did (and does) with us.
The Pitch
I don’t claim to be an expert in these areas; merely a student. I share them precisely because they are the areas I struggle with the most, and I need all the help I can get. Because I believe they represent what is most important, in heaven and on earth.
My dream is to build out a [social] network (and culture) where everyone sees me becoming more like Christ (and optionally vice versa :-).
Anybody want in?
References
- https://2transform.us/2020/05/03/tgr-06-good-grief-with-the-biastes/
- “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing [Gk. biazo] , and forceful [Gk. biastes] men lay hold [Gk. harpazo] of it.” Matthew 11:12
- Designing the future of Christianity
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Canticle_for_Leibowitz
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_(Asimov_novel)
- https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/how-st-benedict-reshaped-the-culture/17419/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situated_cognition
Radically Happy 
Rough notes of our discussion today
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Eric … how to make the Bible central to the movement ….
Ernie … said these four elements are important to discipleship … spirit, word, body, blood … foundation of Ernie’s ideas
I reordered them by hierarchy of commitment and elaborated on the meaning
1. Word = understand the Truth of God through the Bible to apply to lives and living, cognitive
2. Spirit = believing in one’s heart, not just mind, to be transformed
3. Body = serving others with ourselves, self, material
4. Blood = sacrifice of self to Christ, a commitment of sacrifice
Steve => add love, the verb … showing people the love of Christ through any conflicts and differences with others …
How to make the four work together … without losing any one of them
“Intimate accountable relationships … to determine
A scalable missional network to serve people who want to …
David … how do we interact with those who disagree? Must be answered to [need an API]
Bill … devil’s advocate … “just love your enemies” …
Ernie is about transformation of self … through the process of Christ
Eric … the path of true discipleship …
Community of Practice … what is the best discipleship experience at the A+ level
Ernie has had … 6 weeks traveling 1983 with Greg Speck living in community … in camp grounds, praying through Proverbs to grow and learn … it was the best for Ernie because he felt horrible for isolation, rejection … until the leader helped show him and the group how much Ernie was loved.
Sharing life together
Keeping the life together for each one
System us like the smart phone … always with you, when you need it to move forward, it has access to resources and people that really help
Discipleship is like an educational experience …
Core relationships == what does Ernie say …
We are all trying to be like Jesus, not Ernie (the leader)
Ernie wants smaller groups to share more intimate sins
Right now our crude tools are not workable for intimacy
How does technology help mediate these experiences
The experience must include Jesus … as imperfect as it might be… each person has a transformation experience
Being rooted in scripture in Christ … push forward and outward
Find Jesus in the mix
Shouldn’t we get better