Are you satisfied with the level of discipleship in your church?
Published: Wed, 12/04/24
Updated: Wed, 12/04/24
Sessions Include:How People Change, Lesson #1 How People Change, Lesson #2 How People Change, Lesson #3 How People Change, Lesson #4 How People Change, Lesson #5 How People Change, Lesson #6 How People Change, Lesson #7 How People Change, Lesson #8 How People Change, Lesson #9 How People Change, Lesson #10 How People Change, Lesson #11 How People Change, Lesson #12 How People Change, Lesson #13 How People Change, Lesson #14 How People Change, Lesson #15 How People Change, Lesson #16 Why Study Books?My church recently transitioned to using books as curriculum in our Sunday School. The reason is simple. My life has been profoundly influenced by the reading of books. I don’t think my life has ever been changed by any curriculum piece I have ever read. Ever. I have actually surveyed a number of groups I have taught over the years, asking: Has your life ever been changed by any curriculum? The most common response is for people to laugh out loud. Our first study was the Bless book by Dave and Jon Ferguson. It is a great study on relational lifestyle evangelism. About half-way through the the study, we did a survey to help determine what we would study next. No one wanted to go back to the curriculum. Not. One. Person. The #1 choice for what to study next was a tie:
We will be studying these two books over the next year and a half or so. Here is what Amazon says about Ortberg’s book: The Me I Want to Be will help you discover spiritual vitality like never before as you learn to "live in the flow of the spirit." Why does spiritual growth seem so difficult? God's vision for your life is not just that you are saved by grace, but that you also learn to live by grace, flourishing with the Spirit flowing through you. And this book will show how God's perfect vision for you starts with a powerful promise: All those who trust in God "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Pastor and best-selling author John Ortberg first helps gauge your spiritual health and measure the gap between where you are now and where God intends you to be. Then he provides detailed tasks and exercises to help you live in the flow of the Spirit, circumventing real-world barriers - pain and sorrow, temptations, self-doubt, sin - to flourish even in a dark and broken world. As you start living in the flow, you will feel:
God invites you to join him in crafting an abundant and joy-filled life. The Me I Want to Be shows you how to graciously accept his invitation. I have just completed a new, 22-week study of John Ortberg’s book, The Me I Want to Be that we will be using in my church. (I had previously done a 7-week study.) I have always thought that using books as a curriculum would be a good idea, and I have written a lot of book studies over the years. One of the things that actually using books as curriculum caused me to realize has to do with cost. By writing a study on every chapter of this book, instead of my previous study that had a lesson for every section, the cost drops to below what we were paying for curriculum. Better curriculum. Cheaper cost. Win. Win.
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Are you satisfied with the level of discipleship in your church? If you’ve ever looked at your church and felt that something was missing, you’re not alone. Many of us long for a deeper sense of transformation within our communities but feel stuck in a cycle of programs, good intentions, and limited results. Paul David Tripp’s How People Change offers a fresh and gospel-centered vision for discipleship that goes far beyond surface-level solutions. It’s not just about improving attendance or implementing a new curriculum; it’s about equipping people to live out their faith in real, everyday life. In How People Change, Tripp and co-author Timothy S. Lane address a question we’ve all asked at one time or another: Why do Christians who know the gospel still struggle to live transformed lives? The answer lies in how we view change itself. Too often, we approach discipleship as behavior management or knowledge transfer. While those things have their place, true change doesn’t happen from the outside in—it happens from the inside out. Tripp and Lane introduce a framework rooted in Scripture that helps believers understand the heart dynamics behind lasting transformation. They explore how the gospel reshapes our identity, motivations, and habits, and they provide practical tools to connect these truths to the everyday challenges we face. Whether it’s dealing with anger, navigating relationships, or battling fear and insecurity, this book helps readers see how the gospel speaks to all of life. But How People Change isn’t just for personal growth; it’s a guide for shaping a culture of discipleship in your church. If you’re a pastor, small group leader, or mentor, this book equips you to disciple others in a way that goes beyond quick fixes and shallow advice. It invites your church to move from surface-level engagement to a deep, heart-level connection with Christ and one another. Through real-life stories, practical examples, and a clear connection to God’s Word, Tripp makes it clear that transformation is not only possible—it’s what the gospel promises. This book doesn’t offer a magic formula, but it does provide a roadmap for understanding how God works through His Word and His people to bring about real change. The process can be messy, but it’s worth it. So, are you satisfied with the level of discipleship in your church? Or are you ready to take a step toward deeper transformation—for yourself, your small group, and your entire church community? How People Change will challenge you, inspire you, and equip you to experience the gospel in a way that changes everything. Transformation is possible. Let the journey begin. If you would like to explore this new study, it is available on Amazon, as well as part of Good Questions Have Groups Talking |
