I know how Adam must’ve felt
When Eve ate the Apple.
That’s why he ate.
Because he would rather
Die with her
Than live alone.
Satan head-faked him.
She wouldn’t have died.
Or God could have raised her
If he’d only managed to endure
Until God showed up
Eve was deceived by desire
Adam was deceived by despair
That is what kept them
From reaching for
The Tree of Life
Ernie: Seriously, Aphrodite, can you give me a break?
Aphrodite: Hey, I’m on your side. I’m not doing this to you.
Aphrodite: But I have a sister…
Continue readingAnyone is welcome to Host their own Session of Discipling By Jesus. You are free to adapt and reuse the Format and Playlists on this site under the Creative Commons Attribution license by, e.g., simply linking back to https://2transform.us/dbj/.
These materials were initially developed to serve Innovating Gospelized Western English-speaking Technophiles (IGWET). We would love to list alternate Editions from other languages and subcultures. Contact this Edition’s Steward Ernest Prabhakar for details.
Our very first official session (on Thursday) started with me explaining (and arguably demonstrating) the idea of “Dog Park Church.”
Robby built on this with several novel innovations as he launched our first “franchised” session on Friday:
Ernie explains to Robby his current framing of how Discipling By Jesus evolved from Discovery Bible study:
They are joined by Cowboy Timothy, who independently developed a similar practice
Dear friends,
Thank you to everyone who registered for the “Discipling By Jesus” workshop. We look forward to starting this 7-week journey with you and Jesus at two sessions: 7pm PST Thursday or 10:30 AM PST Friday.
Here’s a few things you should know:
Continue readingContinue readingThe eyes of the Lord are upon even the weakest worshipers who love him— those who wait in hope and expectation for the strong, steady love of God.”
Psalms 33:18 TPT
It is a very good thing to be a follower of Jesus. But like people in the gospels, we today can end up following Jesus for many reasons: salvation, miracles, curiosity, etc.
Those are all good things. But they are not the same as actually loving Jesus for Himself. It is good to thank Him for what He does; but it is better to worship Him for who He is.
Continue readingAt this point in my Christian life my one aspiration is for all of us to Keep Growing Closer to Jesus (KGCJ), in terms of:
Previously I had used the phrase “Loving More Like Jesus.” However — while I still agree with that goal in principle — in practice it was starting feel more like Law than Grace. Hence the shift from “loving like” to “growing closer”
Continue readingTickets now available for our inaugural season, starting February 25th/26th
Discipling by Jesus is a novel public co-devotional format, where we help each other learn and demonstrate how to keep growing closer to Jesus, via His Word & Spirit, Body & Blood. We come together online for seven weeks to read, meditate, journal, and respond to how Jesus discipled Peter in the gospels.
Continue readingIt was immense privilege to be interviewed Scott Maderer for the February 13th episode of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. We discussed my crazy career journey, helpful spiritual practices, and how I want to be remembered a century from now.
Below are links to some of the resources and concepts I discussed.
Continue reading[Shout out to blog reader Kate for pushing me to publish this early!]
The premise of Discipling by Jesus is that uniting with Christ is what enables us to become fully human, as we learn to love our Selves and Others as Jesus does.
Continue readingLent has always been a time for the followers of Jesus to reflect and prepare for remembering Christ’s death and resurrection. This year, in light of everything that has happened over the last twelve months, I would like to take that to the next level.
My dream for Lent and Holy Week (Feb 15 to April 6) is to host an online group devotional where every week we publicly model how to vulnerably encounter Jesus via His Word & Spirit, Body & Blood. Continue reading
I recently learned (probably from Seth Godin) that there are two types of roles: certified and performative. Roles defined by certification can be faked; for example, a man can sit in a medical office, examine patients, and give advice without really being a doctor. Conversely, the mere act of executing a performative role makes it authentic: if you get on a stage and sing to an audience, you are a singer, regardless of whether you are “qualified” to be there.
Today, as for much of its history, being a Christian is primarily defined by certifications: baptism, confirmation, membership, statements of faith, etc. As a result, there are endless arguments (and divisions) regarding about who is “really” a Christian.
What if it was other way around? What if there was something we could do, such that the very act of doing it was proof that we are being united with Christ, regardless of our beliefs or motives?
Continue readingThis Friday, 15 Jan 2021 (1PM Pacific) marks the Finale of The Great Reset, a quest for a more resilient Christianity that began six seasons (42 weeks) ago in the shadow of COVID-19. The Biastes and Biastas reflect on what God has done in, through, and among them, while Ernie holds out hope for Something Different in a potential Jubilee Season.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit
John 12:24
Question: Why is it good that all earthly things die?
Perspective: Because every created thing is founded on a contradiction, which God must transcend in order for us to inherit the Kingdom of God
Continue readingWe lost.
Our tour bus is heading back to the hotel.
We thought we had a chance.
We hadn’t known each other at all when this started.
We were just a random group of strangers thrown onto a team.
But something improbable happened.
We fell in love with each other.
We became a troupe.
We started winning.
We dared to believe we could win it all.
Until it all fell apart.
In response to the recent storming of the US Capitol.
I hate it.
I hate You.
Look at You. “All powerful.” “All wise.” “All loving.”
Yeah, right. Have You seen this world?
Worse, have You seen those who dare to call themselves Your people? Your representatives? Your priests?
The only real answer is Jesus.
The only real problem is sin.
The only real work is the cross.
In the end, we only have Him.
A story of Law and Grace
Two men.
Old.
Ghosts.
With a mule.
1897.
Treasure Hunters.
They capture me.
Take me into a dungeon.
Make me dig.
I break free.
Shove them into an abyss
Including their little black dog.
Ignoring their screams for help.
I open the steel door and lock it behind me.
Then turn a corner in the corridor.
There is another door up ahead.
Repeat.
I am always escaping, but never free.
I wake.
Then I meet Jesus.
He sends me back down.
I don’t want to go.
But I obey.
It seems to take forever.
I finally get to the last door.
I look inside.
I see the tormented soul in the ditch.
It is me.
