What's a Disciple?

“A disciple of Jesus never stops learning the gospel, relating the gospel, and communicating the gospel.” (Jonathan Dodson)

The term “discipleship” is often thrown around in churches as a way to communicate one of two things: internal growth and maturity (programs) or external proclamation (evangelism). And often, we have Christians who side with one of these two options and I think we miss it.

Often, we reduce the gospel to a training program for new Christians or a ticket to exchange upon our death and arrival in heaven. If we’re going to be honest, I think we simply don’t know what discipleship really is.

Dodson’s definition of discipleship helps to provide us with clarity in a number of ways.

WORSHIP

We learn that as a disciple of Jesus, we are to worship God by knowing who He is and what He’s done for us in Christ. The grace of God is the air we never stop breathing because our worship and devotion points us back to the Lord Jesus and He reveals Himself to us through His word.

Never stop learning.

TRANSFORMATION

The Bible teaches that we are not only reconciled to God through Christ, but to one another as a result of the transformation of our hearts and minds through the Holy Spirit. While being relational may be difficult for many, it doesn’t mean that we’re not relational at all. The context of the gospel for the disciple is in relationships!

MISSIONAL

The gospel not only matures disciples of Jesus, but makes disciples of Jesus. Discipleship isn’t only maturity and it isn’t only evangelism; they’re not at odds with one another. In fact, they walk alongside of one another.

“The gospel integrates, not dichotomizes, evangelism and discipleship by announcing a grace that saves and sanctifies people!” (Dodson)

At Storehouse, we share life with one another primarily through community groups which means that all of the aspects of healthy disciples are present in each one of our community groups (worship, transformation, and mission).

We’re certainly not against programs or assimilation processes, but that’s ultimately not what is going to make and mature disciples. It’s going to be disciples making and maturing disciple of Jesus with the gospel.

RECOMMENDED READING
• The Masterplan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman
• A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester

3 Reminders About Counseling

I am often asked about counseling at our church. I think providing counsel and care is both a privilege and a burden for any ministry leader because as you aim to point people to the gospel, you carry their grief with you at the same time. I think counseling is an incredibly important ministry in the life of the church as it provides formal avenues to care for people in our churches. I would also add that simply because you provide biblical counsel, that doesn’t make you a counselor and I hope that’s some pressure off of your shoulders because it is for me.

Here are 3 things that I have learned (and have often failed at) about counseling:

1. PRAY

I feel like this sounds obvious, but I cannot stress it enough. During your day, be sure to schedule or block appointed times of prayer, especially before meeting with an individual or couple. This is vital because it'll do a few things.

First, prayer connects you with the God of the Bible and places you in a position of humility before God. Second, prayer helps to remind you that the same God you're asking people to fix their eyes upon is the same God you're turning to. And third, prayer reminds you and whoever you meet with that you're hope is not in yourself or them, but Christ. 

2. PREPARE

While part of your job is to be present, don't be afraid to have an agenda in order to stay on topic, but also to help you bring the conversation back to the gospel. I've walked into several counseling appointments without any sort of a plan and there have been some appointments that should have lasted an hour but went three hours. Or I've had appointments that should have lasted three hours, but I only spent an hour with members. 

An agenda helps you stay on track in the conversation and also reassures those you're meeting that you're looking to get to the heart of their disconnect with God and one another. Additionally, an agenda helps you stay organized should you recommend practical next steps; this helps those you're meeting with a direction.

3. FURTHER CARE

It is perfectly normal to refer people to professional and licensed counselors. You're not going to have all of the answers. Your job is to point them to Jesus AND some need further care that is outside of your wheel house. I think many leaders often place a great deal of pressure on themselves to be someone they’re not or feel pressured by others to be someone they’re not; just because you’ve hit a wall doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

Make sure to have a list of counselors in your area that you trust and potentially have partnered with.

The ministry of counseling is certainly one that needs to be handled with great care and sensitivity, but you should also be aware of your limitations and do not be afraid to ask for help. The goal is to walk others toward hope in Christ and it is also equally important to cast our burdens on God because He cares for us just as much as He care for those we’re caring for.

2019 Approaches

2019 is literally just around the corner and with as much hype as we place on the new year celebration I , too, look forward to it because the new year, in a way, brings a new set of changes, challenges, and simply a desire for some things to be different. For many, this is “the year” that things happen—whether good, bad, or uncertain. But as I think about it, I think that at times we plan for hope in the new year more than we desire for the hope that we have in the gospel; that the new year is going to bring an opportunity that God may not be able to deliver.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t make goals or turn it up to 11 in 2019. I am, however, saying that our desire for these things should be first rooted in what God is doing in you, for your good, and His glory. There is something amazingly comforting about the holiness of God; that His actions are free from corruption, impurity, and failure which means that we can totally, utterly, and freely trust Him, worship Him, and rest in Him.

As 2019 arrives, I hope that you write your goals down. I hope that you think deeply about some of the changes you’re looking to make and that they turn out well for you in the coming year, but more importantly I hope that this new year will be a year for you that is rooted in what matters most: that God is and will always be constant and faithful.

You Need A Morning Routine

I love my morning routine. I’m telling you, I need it. I’ve been on vacation where I’m supposed to relax and get away from the hustle of life and have felt slightly miserable because my morning routine was thrown off. Realistically, I know that’s not how everyone is wired, but this is something I try my hardest to stick to.

For me, clarity is crucial. If everything is simply thrown together at random times, then I can’t function properly. And I’m also aware that my days, particularly my mornings, aren’t always going to look as clean or as tight as I’d like them to be. So, to give you a quick glimpse, here’s what my mornings look like 95% of the time:

6:30 A.M.

I want to be up early enough to where I can take my time getting up and thinking through some of the things I may have on my docket.

7:30 A.M.

At this time, I’ve hung out with Chango, my son, for awhile. He has his own morning routine too and once he’s good to go, it’s off to take him to school.

8:00 A.M.

This time is my jam. I’ll get home after taking Chango to school and I’ll start my brewing some coffee. A friend once came over and saw me make coffee and was annoyed at how long it took me. I’ll spend about 5-10 minutes preparing, grinding, and pouring coffee. This helps me keep the morning quiet and slow. I have no deadlines so I’m taking my time and enjoying the process.

Coffee - 9:00 A.M.

I’m sipping on my coffee and reading my Bible and/or writing until 9. I may put some music on, but still haven’t logged on to my email account or looked at my calendar. I have zero deadlines during this time, but shortly after 9 I begin working on something. Depending on the day, I may have meetings already scheduled or I’m working on developing content or my sermon.

I like my mornings to start off slow and quiet because I know I may not necessarily get that kind of an environment the rest of the day so I take advantage as much as I can. And again, these aren’t all of my mornings so there’s plenty of tweaking throughout the week. As you think through whether or not you should have a morning routine, here are 3 reasons why you should:

1.) Motivation

One of the hardest things for people is waking up and looking forward to something. For me, I genuinely look forward to the coffee making process. For others, it may be working out and getting it all out of the way before the day even begins. Everyone is different, but once you find that one thing you actually look forward to in the morning, waking up becomes easier and less of a pain.

2.) Completion

Mentally, by creating a morning routine you are now able to build a daily habit of starting and accomplishing tasks. Often, we can get swamped in our days where we feel like we’ve done a lot and have finished nothing. A morning routine helps you with a sense of accomplishment.

3.) Quiet Time

Many of the people I talk to with they could have some quiet time whether that would be for 20 minutes or an hour. A morning routine helps you with that. Depending on how you plan it, a morning routine will help you create an environment of silence and solitude.

THINGS TO THINK OF

1.) Prepare

You need to think about what is realistic for you and what your week looks like. For me, my morning routine happens 3 days out of the week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Generally, on Tuesday’s, my first appointment is at 7:30 a.m. and then at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday’s. I try to make changes ahead of time so that I don’t feel thrown off.

2.) Time

Not everyone can have a long morning routine and that’s okay. Think through what it is your time will realistically look like in the morning.

3.) Adjust

Like many things, you’ll need to make adjustments as you move forward and that’s part of the morning routine. Adjustments are okay, but once you’ve found your sweet spot, enjoy!

The morning routine is all about catching momentum for the rest of your day. And often, we’re constantly on the go and looking for convenience and speed. In the mornings, however, it’s all about you. Give it a try. I’d love to hear about what you’re doing doing or trying in the comments!

Four Reasons To Drink Coffee

Let's face it, coffee is basically a source of life for many. In fact, as I write this I'm enjoying a good cigar with a giant mug of freshly brewed coffee. Today's post is going to be super sweet and simple. My hope is to get your brain moving a little and if you're already part of the elite 54 then this should be encouraging.

If you don’t drink coffee and you really don’t have a good reason, then I’m hoping to widen your perspective on this delicious beverage. But before I start, if you're still thinking about the "elite 54" and have no idea what that is (even if you do drink coffee), don't worry because I just made that name up. There's nothing elite about this number except that it explains our addiction. The number 54 represents the percentage of people over the age of 18 who drink coffee in this country every day!

Simply put, coffee is amazing. And this is why...

1. BE A BETTER ATHLETE

If you are training (that is correct, I did not say “working out”), then coffee can help to improve your performance.

Michael Duncan from the University of Exeter in England said (and I freakin' love this), “essentially, we found that with the caffeinated drink, the person felt more able to invest effort…”when testing the performance of athletes during training sessions. This means that athletes who did have caffeine in their system were not only able to focus more on their training, but increase their work capacity.

Additionally, the same study suggested that caffeine would also have a "striking effect on the central nervous system and on those parts of the brain involved in mood, alertness, and fine motor coordination during exercise." Furthermore and conclusively. caffeine increases fatty acids in the bloodstream which means burns those fats for fuel. 

2. LESS STRESS

An article that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by the Seoul National University in South Korea showed that researchers tested labs rats who were sleep deprived to inhale the smell of coffee. Researchers then found that “some of the genes expressed in the coffee-sniffing, stressed rats expressed proteins that have healthful antioxidant properties known to protect nerve cells from stress related damage.”

Now, I wish to note that this is a study that was conducted under the stress of sleep deprivation. And while there are many variables that can lead to stress, this is simply one to further prove my argument for you to drink coffee.

3. COFFEE MAKES YOU SMARTER

If you don't already know, caffeine is a stimulant which means it helps you get stuff done. In other words, caffeine helps to improve neurons, alertness, and cognitive function. One of the first things people do in the morning is have a cup of coffee; part of the reasoning is so that stuff gets done. 

4. COFFEE MAKES YOU HAPPY

A study conducted by the National Institute of Health reported that those who drank at least 4 cups of coffee a day were 10% less likely to be depressed than those who didn't. Additionally, the study surveyed other caffeinated drinks like coke, but they were unfortunately linked back to depression. 

The moral of this post? DRINK COFFEE. Don’t wait for the New Year to “try” something different” and I promise you won’t turn into a hipster if you start drinking coffee. If you do, however, turn into a hipster it’ll be because you wanted to.