Where does Spirit’s Fruit fit in?

The Spirit’s Fruit collection was the second set of books Ascending Leaders published for small group use, after Christ Habits, but we recommend you start with these as soon as you’ve gone through Your Pathways and before you dive into the spiritual disciplines found in Christ Habits.

There are nine books in this collection, and we suggest you use them in the following order:

  1. Fruitful Living
  2. Thriving Love
  3. Giving Forgiveness
  4. Living Joy
  5. Practicing Peace
  6. Choosing Patience (Gentleness and Humility)
  7. Nurturing Goodness (Kindness, Generosity and Compassion)
  8. Fulfilling Faithfulness
  9. Satisfying Self-Control

Each book has six sessions for your small group. In general, each session is divided into three unique learning experiences.

  1. Personal preparation: Each participant should read the session material and do the short exercise at the end of the reading. If you are ever short on time, you will be better served if you skim the reading and do the exercise, than if you skip the experience of the exercise.
  2. Small-group discussion: The group discussion questions follow the exercise page for each session. You are NOT expected to have answers for these questions before you meet. Join in the discussion and share your thoughts and insights.
  3.  Hiking Partners: The last question on the group discussion page can be most effective in smaller sub-groups of 3-4 people, which we call “hiking partners.” This is a time to step out and apply the principles from the session. If it is feasible to keep the same “hiking partners” each week, the encouragement experience is even stronger.

Our desire is that this is not simply a learning experience, but an opportunity for the Spirit of God to work in our hearts to make our natural behaviors be more like Jesus.

Becoming like Jesus is what the Christian walk is all about. And becoming like Jesus requires us to change how we live, think, talk and love. And this is where the Spirit’s Fruit collection is so meaningful: It challenges us to not only discover the truth about who we really are, but it takes us on a “journey of sanctification.” It helps us cultivate the Spirit’s fruit in every part of our being. It is my privilege, therefore, to commend this resource to all readers.

Look Inside

Once you’ve completed the Spirit’s Fruit studies, you’ll be ready for Christ Habits! Stay tuned for more information next week…

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Where to start with our small group studies

One of the questions we hear a lot is where to start with our small group studies. To answer that question, we’re starting up a series of blog posts to give you a peek inside each of our study collections! If you want to dive in, the best place to get started right away is with Your Pathways: Strong Connection with God.

The core idea behind this study is that the most meaningful way that one person relates to God may be very different from the way another feels closest to or best communicates with their Maker. What works for one person may not work for another. That is the beauty of our diversity and the majesty of our God.

As a participant in this study, you will:

  • Become more aware of the unique features of your pathways as a first step to experiencing life change, even if in an elementary way.
  • Begin to understand the pathways and how they impact your life.
  • Grow closer to God your Creator by gaining greater understanding of your personal primary pathways.
  • Develop discernment into your primary pathways.
  • Gain insight into how to use your pathways to deepen your love for God.

The single most important and powerful body of information a leader possess is self-awareness. Please take this study seriously. Do it for you.

Look Inside

 

Once you’ve completed Your Pathways, next up we recommend jumping into the Spirit’s Fruit collection. Come back next week to learn more!

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Congregational Impact from DiscipleOn Season 2

In a continuing effort to improve our support of discipleship in churches, we recently asked the members of DiscipleOn! to complete an end-of-season survey. Here’s just a sample of the congregational impact stories shared in the survey:

”Our staff and the discipleship team have a much greater understanding of how to review our programs and we seek to make our classes and programs cover all of the stages as a core planning tool.”

”It kept me focused on developing the spiritual pathway.”

”We were able to learn from the community and the vault about a team charter for our discipleship team – which was timely and wonderful for renewing the team’s commitment.”

We are also taking some of the feedback on where we can improve and making some important changes for next season. The biggest change is that we’re offering a “BASICS” community for people who are newer to the concepts of the stages of faith and a discipleship continuum approach. This group will have access to everything the other groups have, but will have a set series of topics for their monthly catalytic gatherings. Our desire is for this to address the needs of those who felt overwhelmed and unsure about where to start.

Our favorite takeaway from the survey?

100% of respondents agreed (or strongly agreed) that “I am likely to recommend DiscipleOn to others!”

 

Spiritual Guides: Experts at Listening

Spiritual guides are not experts at talking and giving opinions; they are experts at listening.

1 Samuel 3:1-18 illustrates the role of a spiritual guide in a disciple’s life. In this passage, the young Samuel hears a voice call his name three times, and each time, he runs to Eli – but the voice is not Eli’s. Although his eyesight is failing, Eli sees what Samuel does not; he understands that God is trying to speak and instructs the boy to listen.

Eli provides excellent spiritual guidance; as a priest who has studied God’s word longer than Samuel, he recognizes that the voice could be from God. He does not make assumptions about what God wants to tell Samuel, but rather he instructs Samuel to simply listen and obey. He also encourages Samuel to be honest and report exactly what God has told him, even though it is difficult. And finally, he confirms spiritual truth to Samuel, telling him, “He is the Lord. He will do what He thinks is good” (3:18).

Samuel, for his part, persistently comes to Eli and shows eagerness to listen. The Bible says that “the boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence” (3:1); his whole spiritual life lies before Eli, and he remains open to correction, unlike Eli’s notorious sons.

Ask yourself, how would you have responded to Samuel’s persistence? Identify the “Eli’s” in your life who have listened to you with patience and helped you name your experience of God.

A spiritual guide will not replace God’s voice in your life but will help you to better discern His voice in your daily life.  

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