Sublime

You have to spend time with the people you pastor, and one way to take steps in that direction is to gather a few of those people together and talk through your sermon with them.

Dwelling in the Word is a practice in which God’s ordinary people become the listeners to the ways of God in their local contexts. The more this happens, the more confident people become in testing this listening in their own neighborhoods.

Has our faith become so organized and so structured around buildings and times and labels that the church is a place that we go to instead of something that we are? To be devoted to one another means we lay down our lives for one another.

Small groups will thrive when they become the place where we experience life-giving transformation.

Preaching:

The development of our relational and emotional life helps our soil be more fruitful while the spiritual disciplines remove obstacles to our growth. If I lack right-brain relational development, the spiritual disciplines will be less effective. Even healthy seeds will not grow well in depleted soil.

If I want to obey Jesus, I need to focus on right-brain skills that help me love Him and receive His love. My behavior will then take care of itself. Our brains are designed to change us through love.

The Goal of God’s Story of Change People experience human flourishing when they serve as priest-kings, using their mind, affections, will, and body to enjoy loving relationships with God, self, others, and the rest of creation.