Today I want to talk about the new class I’m teaching at WFPC; not so much teaching, really, as facilitating.

The point of the new class is to provide a place where those currently not enrolled in adult-education can explore what it means to live as intentional disciples of Jesus, rather than “ho-hum” church members; to “stand on the promises,” instead of merely sitting on the premises.

My homework assignment last Sunday was to simply pay attention to our spiritual lives. I asked people to come to church prepared to share some kind of an example that illustrates what is going on (or not going on) between them and God in the everyday routine.

I’ll be interested to see what stories people bring to the table. For me, it’s going to be this amazing sense of providence I’ve been feeling this week, as I’ve reflected on what God has been up to in my life. Here’s the scripture I’m going to read:

We have this light shining in our hearts –  this treasure in clay jars. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we get up again – we are not destroyed. always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible. – 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

ORDINARY: This week I’ve had a strong sense that it’s nothing less than a miracle that God purposes to shine in and through me. We’re all so ordinary – but God uses us anyway!

And maybe that is the point. Maybe that’s God’s big point through me. Maybe God is reminding me – and all of us – that we overcomplicate everything when we try too hard, when we feel the need to do anything other than simply settle into God, and invite Jesus to shine in and through us.

GET REAL: For the remainder of the hour, we’re going to talk about some of the basic steps we can take if we want to take this decision to follow Jesus to heart, and begin a productive journey.

And for that I’ll be using the four essential principles from my first book, GET REAL. It may have been written specifically for men, but the central ideas pertain to women just as well.

1. Desire: do we really want to move forward in our relationship with God?
2. Discipline: taking the time to invest commitment, and intentionality to worship, prayer, Bible-study, fellowship, and service. Being deliberate about the basic building blocks of faith.
3. Devotion: at some point, we need to allow ourselves to fall in love with Jesus, and to move forward in response to that great love.
4. Daring: do we have the courage to put all this into action, and to live as proactive followers of the living way of Jesus?

The God life isn’t about an easy life, but about a life defined by meaning. This disciple journey is the only way to find – and engage – the living way.

– DEREK