When we give ourselves to Jesus, we meet ourselves coming and going in the cemetery. There’s a sense in which we pass from death to life (Eph. 2), but we also pass from life to death (Rom. 6). We’re crucified with Christ, and we die to sin. Many Christians focus on the joys of the New Life and forget about the obligations of the New Death.

When James Calvert sailed as a missionary to the cannibals of Fiji, the captain tried to dissuade him, warning he would lose his life. Calvert replied, “We died before we came here.”

George Müller, when asked the secret of his work, replied, “There came a day when George Müller died, utterly died! No longer did his own desires, preferences, and tastes come first. He knew that from then on Christ had to be all in all.”

I once asked a prominent minister how he remained so visionary and passionate. “I execute myself every day with 220 volts,” he said. “Galatians 2:20—I’m crucified with Christ.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Christian killed by Nazis, wrote, “When God calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

Robert J. Morgan, All to Jesus (Nashville: B&H, 2012).

We have just released a new Bible Study based on the theme: Disciplesship and Mission

These lessons are available on Amazon, as we as a part of my Good Questions Have Groups Talking Subscription Service. Like Netflix for Bible Lessons, one low subscription gives you access to all our lessons--thousands of them. For a medium-sized church, lessons are as little as $10 per teacher per year.

Lessons include:

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #1
Called to Serve
Luke 14.7 - 14

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #2
Called to Sacrifice
Mark 1:16–20; Luke 14:25–33

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #3
Called to Return
Luke 15:11–24

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #4
Called to Repent
Luke 19.1 - 10

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #5
Called to Follow
Matthew 4.12 - 22

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #6
Called to Mission
Matthew 10:1–15

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #7
Called to Remember
Matthew 26:1–13

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #8
Called to Believe the Resurrection
Matthew 28:1–15

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #9
Called to Make Disciples
Matthew 28:16–20; Acts 1:6–8   123

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #10
Called to Righteousness
Romans 3:21–31

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #11
Called to Life in the Spirit
Romans 8:1–14

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #12
Called to Mutual Acceptance
Romans 11:11–24; 10.5 - 13

Discipleship and Mission, Lesson #13
Called to Be Transformed
Romans 12:1 – 8

Each lesson consists of 20 or so ready-to-use questions that get groups talking. Answers are provided in the form of quotes from respected authors such as John Piper, Max Lucado and Beth Moore.

These lessons will save you time as well as provide deep insights from some of the great writers and thinkers from today and generations past.  I also include quotes from the same commentaries that your pastor uses in sermon preparation.

Ultimately, the goal is to create conversations that change lives.