Tag Archives: disciple

DRAFT: Fruit Of the Cross

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Practicing to Become More Like Jesus

[A 12-week class I might build. Feedback welcome!]

As Christians, we all want to live and love more like Jesus. But books, sermons, Bible study, quiet times, and even counseling only get us so far.

To fully address our strongholds, woundedness and blind spots requires encountering Jesus in a supportive community that models how to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. In practice, not just in theory.

Fruit of the Cross (FOTC) is a 12-week online course, built around the Fruit of the Spirit, where we learn how to help each other identify and surrender those parts of our “flesh” that hinder us from growing closer to Jesus. By the end, you will be equipped and certified to host your own online or offline FOTC courses, using or adapting our free materials. You also gain membership in our missional social network, where you can continue to grow and plan with like-minded believers.

The course is built around active learning, inspired by Discovery Bible Study and the Minerva Project. Each week focuses on practicing a different Fruit-related learning objective, via:

  • a brief recording, which you listen to on your own time
  • a 2-hour live session where we encounter Jesus through His Word, Spirit, Body & Blood
  • an online chat community where we share questions, testimonies, and encouragement

The course is being developed via the Maven Accelerator Program in January 2022, and we hope to host our first cohort by Lent. Cost will be $14 per student, but scholarships and group discounts are available. For more information, please contact ernest.prabhakar@gmail.com.

Unsolicited Fatherly Advice

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Based on everything I have learned over the last several years, here is my current practice for how to confront someone I love that I am concerned about.

It reflects many painful learnings about what I have found to be counterproductive, but I am sure there is still room for improvement. Let me know your thoughts!

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TGR-S5E7: Jobs to Be Done

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For this week’s episode, we wrap up Season 5 of The Great Reset by attempting to address questions from last week using an updated Challenge Question, plus a more explicit leadership structure.

Questions

What must we do better for the Body of Christ to more effectively make disciples of our cities, and all nations?

And, how can we know we are on the right track?

Perspectives: Google Doc of Core Concerns

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TGR-S5E6: Questionable Authority

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This week on The Great Reset, Ernie argues that his apparent incompetence and immaturity is actually part of a brilliant plan to demonstrate the need for more Christ-like models of authority.

TED Summary

In this document, Ernie:

  • Claims the authority structures he grew up with were built around the Law
  • Acknowledges that they were (and are) necessary
  • Believes those same structures hinder us from becoming mature in Christ
  • Redefines The Great Reset in terms of searching for more robust authority structures built around Grace,
  • Hopes that Season 5 shows us what that should look like
  • Welcomes pointers, examples, suggestions, and corrections
  • Apologizes to anyone he has confused, misled, or offended along the way

Draft 1, 14 Nov 2020

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TGR-S4E6: FBD-1 “Empowering Disciples”

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This week on the Biastes we will be attempting a “FishBowl Dialogue” between Ernie P. and David J. This blog post is Ernie’s attempt to organize his thoughts in advance, based on his current best guess about David’s underlying Concern. Tune in next Tuesday 9/29/2020 to find out what actually happens!

What exactly are we talking about?

Question: What exactly is Ernie trying to accomplish with The Great Reset?

Perspective: Show the Body of Christ how to empower disciples of Jesus to keep growing closer to Him — rather than us.

See also: David and Ernie’s follow-up video.

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TGR-S4E2: ChatScaling

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This week on The Great Reset the Biastes* (and Biasta) try the “Critical Community Protocol” to address an urgent local problem, which might also solve an important global problem.

  • Question: What would it take to focus the whole Body of Christ on fulfilling His Commission and Commandments, by prioritizing the discipling of all peoples into loving as Jesus does?
  • Perspective: A decentralized network of self-replicating Christ-Centered Chat Circles
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TGR-S4E1: Healthy Submission

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We kick off Season 4 of The Great Reset with the Biastes* on 1pm PDT Tuesday, Aug 25, 2020 by wrestling with questions of authority and submission, prompted by a viewer’s email.

Question

How should members of Christ’s Body best relate to internal and external human authorities and institutions, in order to continually increase God’s Kingdom?

Practice healthy submission to existing structures while we continue to design and implement more Christ-centered models
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TGR-S3E6: Re-Cognition of Discipleship

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We wrap up this Season’s discussion of the Biastes Co-Discipleship Network on the 1pm PST Tuesday, Aug 11, 2020 episode of The Great Reset, by attempting to practice what we have been preaching.

Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.

John‬ ‭13:34-35‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Do you recognize His disciples in this conversation?

Question: How can we ensure we are following Jesus, not men?

Perspective: Deliberately practice loving all His followers as Jesus has loved us.

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TGR-S3E2: Biastes Co-Discipling Network (Pitch V1)

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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?

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