Apprentice 2 Jesus

Discipleship/Spiritual Formation

  • The goal is not “using” God

    The worldviews we have employed, especially as western Christians, have limited us. Our views of God have become myopic. The goal needs to be life WITH God. Skye Jethani in his book, With, lays out the four worldviews we’ve used are summed up in four words: Read more

  • The manipulation of living “FOR” God

    The book, With, by Skye Jethani is deeply challenging. As I read I realized the deep flaws in my thinking and living because I have this deep urge to “feel bad” and wish I could go back and start over. That arises from my warped view of how to live “for” God. The point is… Read more

  • Our ways of manipulating God

    I am working my way through Skye Jethani’s book, With. It is a look into ways we manipulate God and the call to live life WITH God rather than in other ways that manipulate God’s response… or at least TRY to manipulate a response. We don’t even know it’s manipulation. Yet, we live life exhausted… Read more

  • Living life WITH God

    I have begun a new book called With by Skye Jethani and it is refreshing to my soul. I will have more to post along the way, but I wanted to note this deep challenge in my life. I have lived my life in a couple of different ways: Read more

  • The need of the hour

    The need of the hour is the reality of the Kingdom of God. We need disciples who are bathed in the power of the Kingdom who then live out that power. They are ones taught by Jesus and the world can see it in their character, their words, and their actions. Live in resurrection power.… Read more

  • The deep need of American Christianity

    I grew up Pentecostal. I grew up learning a history of “revivals” and revival movements in North America. What is needed in the white American church today isn’t “revival.” It’s never been “revival.” The need is discipleship. It is to know what it’s like to live out the Sermon on the Mount as we live… Read more

  • The greatest discipleship lessons, pt. 4

    I am at post 4,999 on this blog. As I reflect on why I began this blog, I am also walking through John 13-17 in my reading and it gives me a wonderful opportunity to reflect on those great lessons of discipleship. This is why I started this blog: to learn more about spiritual formation… Read more

  • The greatest discipleship lesson, pt. 3

    As I approach 5,000 posts on this blog, I reflect on why I got started. Some thoughts begin HERE and then continue HERE. This being post 4998, I find myself in John 15:1-17 with the greatest thoughts on “abiding” and “pruning.” Read more

  • The greatest discipleship lessons

    I am coming up on 5000 posts on this blog. 5000. Read more

  • John 6 and holy ground

    My daily reading from the Daily Office takes me through John 6 regularly and every time I walk through it is the sense I am on holy ground. This is a moving text for me because it drives so deeply into our human motives and the desire of Jesus to strip us of all other… Read more