King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship
King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship

Author: David Young

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2020-07-28

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 0310537762

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What does it mean to be a disciple? The call of discipleship is more than programs and Bible study. In King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship, David Young presents a bold call for obedience-based discipleship and argues that it alone is the proper response to the kingship of Jesus. Many have wrongly associated obedience with bad theology, believing that Jesus' demand for obedience is a form of works righteousness or legalism. Others simply don't like obedience and resist the demands Jesus makes in calling us to follow him. But if we surrender to the kingship of Jesus, we will find the life we were designed to live. We are accustomed to calling Jesus "Savior." And we should. But until recently, many in the Western church have not learned to call Jesus "King." The kingship of Jesus has implications for how we live. We can either rebel against him, raising puppet kings and constructing our own kingdoms, or we can submit to him in obedience-based discipleship. Could it be that you are still sitting on the throne of your life, treating King Jesus as a mere advisor? What would change in your life if you started treating Jesus as nothing short of your King? Young unpacks five principles for those who wish to follow Jesus as King. Surrender to the authority of King Jesus Embrace the mission of King Jesus Live immersed in King Jesus Obey the teachings of King Jesus Behold the presence of King Jesus Following these five steps awakens us to a life truly worth living, a life of power, peace, beauty, and love. This is eternal life, that we would know and follow Jesus as King of the Universe, and king over our lives. After all, you don’t merely believe in kings. You obey them.

Following Jesus, the Servant King
Following Jesus, the Servant King

Author: Jonathan Lunde

Publisher: Zondervan Academic

Published: 2010-11-23

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 0310322685

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"This book presents a biblical theology of discipleship that gives the “big picture” of God’s relationship with humanity. It surveys God’s interaction with humankind from Eden, through the sequence of the biblical covenants, and on into the fulfillment that comes in Jesus. Throughout, the twin themes emerge—one of God’s demand of righteousness and another of his prior, enabling grace. Discipleship to Jesus stands in relation to its Old Testament precedents, preserving continuity in the grace/demand interplay. Jesus’ ministry to Israel is the fulfillment of the interactions between God and his people, assuming the roles of righteous King and gracious Servant. Faithful discipleship to Jesus the King, therefore, must always involve responding to his bracing call for righteousness, but doing so in the ongoing experience of the Servant’s prior, enabling grace. This book provides an understanding of Jesus that will facilitate ongoing experiences of transforming grace, which in turn will enable faithful discipleship. As such, it presents a view of Christian discipleship that is grounded in an informed Christology of Jesus, the Servant King."

Discipleship on the Edge
Discipleship on the Edge

Author: Darrell W. Johnson

Publisher: Regent College Publishing

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 420

ISBN-13: 9781573832120

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Revelation is probably the most read, but least understood book of the Bible. History is replete with examples of how not to interpret it, and books featuring end-of-world prophecy claims based on Revelation consistently top the bestseller lists. But how can the message of such an enigmatic book be applied to our lives today? In Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson drives home the challenging and practical message of Revelation in thirty carefully crafted sermons. Paying careful attention to the original context of Revelation and the circumstances surrounding its composition, Johnson shows that the book is not a "crystal ball" but rather a "discipleship manual." Thoroughly researched and yet accessible, this collection of sermons is a helpful resource for pastors and small group leaders who are looking for models to help them preach and teach the message of Revelation in a time when there is much confusion about the end times. Darrell W. Johnson serves as Scholar-in-Residence at The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A popular conference and retreat speaker, he has also served as the preaching pastor for a number of congregations in North America and the Philippines, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor of Preaching for the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. His other books include Experiencing the Trinity and Fifty-Seven Words That Change The World.

Following Jesus
Following Jesus

Author: Phillip C. Thrailkill

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2022-10-17

Total Pages: 483

ISBN-13: 1666743488

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Two questions are braided together in Luke’s Gospel. Who is Jesus, and what does it mean to be his student and apprentice? The church has spent much of its intellectual energies on the first question, but not so much on the second. We are precise in our Christology and vague in our Discipleology (my new word!). Of the four biographies that open the New Testament, Luke is perhaps the best equipped to answer the question of what it means to follow Jesus along with others, and what we can expect in the process. Luke’s Gospel is dense with story after story about Jesus’s stumbling, goofy, persistent disciples. And his second volume—Acts—continues the tale. There is a deep continuity, as Luke teaches, between Jesus’s original disciples and the ones who later declared their allegiance to him after his resurrection. We walk in the footsteps of pioneers in this new way of living with a Jesus who is always near but just beyond sight. The aim of this book is to plunder the fruits of New Testament scholarship, especially the tools of rhetorical and narrative criticism, to highlight what an incredible adventure came with the call to follow me.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

Author: Eugene H. Peterson

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2019-04-02

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 0830855475

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Since Eugene Peterson first wrote this spiritual formation classic nearly forty years ago, hundreds of thousands of Christians have been inspired by Peterson's prophetic and pastoral wisdom and the call to deeper discipleship found in the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134). This special commemorative edition includes a new preface taken from Leif Peterson's eulogy at his father's memorial service.

The Disciple Maker's Handbook
The Disciple Maker's Handbook

Author: Bobby Harrington

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2017-02-07

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 0310525284

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Many people believe that discipleship is important, but they need help. In fact, the vast majority of Christians report that they have never been personally discipled by a more mature follower of Jesus. Is it any wonder that they have a difficult time knowing how to disciple others? If making disciples of Jesus is the greatest cause on earth, how should we equip people to do it? This handbook is a practical guide for how to embrace the discipleship lifestyle – being a disciple of Jesus and how to make other disciples of Jesus. With contributions from pastors and teachers like Francis Chan, Jeff Vanderstelt, Bill Hull, Jim Putman, KP Yohannan, and Robert Coleman, the authors present seven elements that are necessary for disciple making to occur: Jesus—the original disciple maker and centerpiece of discipleship. Holy Spirit—fuels the disciple-making process. Intentionality—making disciples utilizing a strategy and a roadmap. Relationships—creating a loving, genuine connection with others who trust and follow Jesus. Bible—using the Word of God as the manual for making disciples. Journey—forging a traceable growth story from a new birth to spiritual parenthood. Multiply—reproducing the discipleship process so that the disciple becomes a disciple maker. Whether you are a parent who wants to disciple your children, a small group leader who wants to disciple those in your group, or a church leader who wants to disciple future leaders, the seven key elements in this handbook form a framework for understanding discipleship that can be applied in countless situations. In addition, there are questions provided in each section to help you think through how to apply the material to your disciple making efforts.

Gospel-Centered Discipleship
Gospel-Centered Discipleship

Author: Jonathan K. Dodson

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2012-03-31

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 1433530244

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Reflecting on the practice of disciple making in young adult, college, graduate, and local church contexts, Jonathan Dodson has discerned some common pitfalls. For many, discipleship is reduced to a form of religious performance before God. For others, it devolves into spiritual license and a loose adherence to spiritual facts. Both approaches distort biblical motivations for Christian obedience and are in need of reform. By explaining various motivations for discipleship, Dodson charts a biblically faithful, grace-driven alternative. Additionally, he provides a practical model for creating gospel-centered discipleship groups—small, reproducible, missional, gender-specific groups of believers that fight for faith together. This book blends both theology and practice to inspire and equip Christians to effectively fight sin, keep Jesus central, and make gospel-centered discipleship a way of life. Both new and growing Christians will learn to trust the gospel in community as they fight together for holiness as well as how to start gospel-centered community groups in any local church.

The King Jesus Gospel
The King Jesus Gospel

Author: Scot McKnight

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2011-09-20

Total Pages: 236

ISBN-13: 0310492998

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Contemporary evangelicals have built a "salvation culture" but not a "gospel culture." Evangelicals have reduced the gospel to the message of personal salvation. This book makes a plea for us to recover the old gospel as that which is still new and still fresh. The book stands on four arguments: that the gospel is defined by the apostles in 1 Corinthians 15 as the completion of the Story of Israel in the saving Story of Jesus; that the gospel is found in the Four Gospels; that the gospel was preached by Jesus; and that the sermons in the Book of Acts are the best example of gospeling in the New Testament. The King Jesus Gospel ends with practical suggestions about evangelism and about building a gospel culture.

The Heart of Evangelism
The Heart of Evangelism

Author: Jerram Barrs

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2005-02-08

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1433518368

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All Christians are called. Called to love God with all that we are. Called to serve Him. Called to reach out to the lost. However, if we are honest, the majority of us would admit that we find this last calling the most difficult. While we gladly support the evangelistic ministries of others, many of us feel discouraged by our own attempts at witnessing because our memorized approaches don't seem to work. This biblical study of evangelism gracefully reminds us that the New Testament model of witnessing is not a one-size-fits-all methodology. With compassion for the lost filling every page, Jerram Barrs shows the variety of approaches used in the New Testament-where the same uncompromised Gospel was packaged as differently as the audience-and calls you to follow its example. You can learn to witness comfortably in your particular circumstances so that sharing Christ doesn't feel like a chore. And as you watch God work in the lives of others and see the great blessings He brings, you'll discover what a privilege it is to live out the heart of evangelism: truly loving others to Christ.