The Cost of Discipleship

Ryan Lowery

Luke 14:27-33

While God's love is a free gift, it is a costly decision to be a disciple. It requires following Christ over comfort and possessions. It also means choosing God over certain familial obligations. Finally, being a disciple requires a denial of distractions that hinder our focus or pull us off course.

The Truth Will Set You Free

Jeff Gordon

John 8:31-59

Jesus teaches that the sin nature enslaves people while following his truth sets people free. To have freedom in this life means to become Jesus' disciple and follow his teachings. The religious leaders were not able to understand Jesus' message because of their pride. As a result, they believed Satan's lies. The only way to counter lies is with the truth. Freedom is a result of following the truth.

Who Do You Say I Am?

Ryan Lowery

Isaiah 52:13-54:1

Jesus turns the attention of his disciples to a crucial question: who is Jesus? Christ puts himself over and above a prophet or a good teacher. Instead, Jesus fulfills many Old Testament prophecies to prove that he is the Christ. Every person has a choice to be saved, and then to entrust their lives to Jesus by becoming his disciple.\r\n\r\n

I Am the Bread of Life

Jeff Gordon

John 6:30-71

Jesus claims he is the bread of life and whoever believes in him will never hunger or thirst again. He miraculously feeds a crowd of more than five thousand by using his disciples' availability rather than their ability. Though they were tired and challenged by the task, the disciples had twelve baskets of food left over for themselves after distributing food to the crowd. Jesus meets their needs as they follow him. After being challenged to seek eternal life through Jesus rather than seek temporal food for a meal, some people desert him and others follow. What response will you have?

Sermon on the Plain - Part 1

Ryan Lowery

Luke 6:12-26

Jesus teaches about four blessings for the poor, hungry, weeping, and ostracized; as well as four corresponding woes for the rich, fed, laughers, and popular. Jesus is teaching a paradigm of reversal: that a disciple who adopts God's values will gain fulfillment, while one who adopts material values will end up with sorrow. Those who sacrifice these selfish values now will receive great joy in heaven.

Multiplication in an Urban Context

Scott Arnold

Jeremiah 17:9

Multiplication within an urban context is a unique goal that has its own breadth and depth of challenges. Barriers to people accomplishing functional and spiritual goals can run incredibly deep as we consider the potential lack of helpful family support, negative examples, the stigma of success, lack of funds, and transportation. Discipleship is still the goal to strive for, so we must recognize and consider practical steps to the unique challenges presented. Some of these suggestions include being honest and open about our own struggles, teaching them to distrust themselves, studying God's faithfulness and goodness, and both praying and going with them to help resolve conflict with other Christians.

Intro to the Xenos Home Group Model

Phil Franck

Hebrews 10:24-25

This workshop includes a brief overview of the number and structure of home groups in Xenos, the history of how Xenos came to be, and how these home groups plant new groups. When a plant happens, new leaders must be considered through biblical criteria and raised up. There are several main areas that are crucial for leaders within the groups to focus on and emphasize, which include both evangelism and discipleship. We can promote both of these focuses in our home groups in numerous ways as we equip ourselves with some practical suggestions.

Faithfulness in Multiplication Ministry

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Faithfulness in multiplication ministry is accomplished through four means: 1) regular strengthening by God's Word; 2) peer friendships; 3) appreciating your ministry role as a privilege of God's grace; 4) build a biblically-informed focus on your eternal destination. These four things need prioritized or they will not happen. Multiplication is difficult work that takes a long time. Cultivating these will ensure faithfulness to God's call in our lives.\r\n

Raising Up Leaders Using Discipleship

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 4:11-13

While many churches avoid discipleship because of its difficult behind-the-scenes labor and its tendency to require much investment before producing tangible fruit, we see the example of discipleship littered across the New Testament. Through properly defined and committed discipleship, we can effectively raise up leaders throughout the church, instead of just replacing leaders at the front of the church. This allows for multiplication, a powerful result of this biblically prescribed tool.