Introduction
You’re here because you need to grow.

All throughout the Bible, it is abundantly clear that followers of Jesus are not simply those who believe certain facts about him and therefore are accepted to heaven, but those who are united to him, follow him, love him, serve him, and are constantly becoming more like him.

Gardening imagery is often employed: true Christians are like branches connected to the vine (Jesus), and these branches are expected to bear fruit. The central question, then, is this: How do Christians bear fruit? Said more generally: How do we grow?

While there are countless theories of change, Pastor Jake has given years to the work of answering this central question. What has emerged is what he calls the “7 Means of Transformation”: the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, the trials of life, community, the local church, teaching, and practice. Each of these seven are indispensable for the health and growth of disciples.

Over the next 28 days, the goal is to evaluate the health of your discipleship and press into how God is calling you to grow. Four days will be given to each of the seven means of transformation.

Each day will have a select reading from Scripture relevant for that particular means of growth, along with questions to help you understand and apply the passage. Finally, there are suggested prayer prompts you can choose to utilize to conclude your time each day.

 Day 1: Holy Spirit Pt. 1 

Read

• Read John 15:1-11
  
  

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. To use the language of the Nicene Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.” Clearly, God himself is incredibly important in the ongoing growth of a Christian, especially the Holy Spirit (Lord and Giver of Life).

• “Abide” is the key word in this passage. List out everything Jesus says about the nature, purpose, and importance of abiding in him. 
• How does abiding in Christ connect to our relationship with the Holy Spirit? 
• V.5 is central. Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Why is recognition of this truth so foundational to one’s ability to change? 
• Why are God’s love (v.9-10) and joy (v.11) important for a healthy Christian approach to change?

• How would you describe your practice of “abiding” in Christ right now? Take a few minutes and prayerfully reflect on the health of your discipleship. How are you doing as a follower of Jesus? 
• For the next 28 days, you will be especially focused on change and growth as a follower of Jesus. Where do you sense the most need for growth in your discipleship in this season? Where are you struggling? Where do you see room to mature? 
• Jesus says “apart from me, you can do nothing,” but we often try to change by our own willpower anyway. Think of an example from the last month where you tried to change/grow/bear fruit apart from Christ. What happened? 
• Write down 5 aspects of following Jesus that come to mind. How do you need Jesus in order to do each of those?

• Praise God for being the vinedresser who causes us to bear fruit in Christ. 
• Repent of ways you have ignored abiding in Christ, or of ways that you have sought to bear fruit (change) in your life by your own power. 
• Ask that God would bear much fruit in your life, even through the painful but good process of pruning. 
• Yield to God by abiding, resting, dwelling in him. 

Day 2: Holy Spirit Pt. 2

Read

• Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Examine
In the surrounding context, Paul addresses Corinthian Christians who were failing to navigate legal disputes from within the community. Instead of saints and brothers dealing with issues among the group, they were relying on the world to do so–those whom Paul calls “the unrighteous.”

In v.9-11, then, he further clarifies the issue. Not only are the “unrighteous” essentially unfit to rightly judge disputes within the church–they won’t even inherit the kingdom of God (receive salvation and reign with Christ in eternity)! Paul then compares those who will not inherit the kingdom with those who have.

• Recognize that the list in v.9-10 is not exhaustive. What point is Paul making by employing this list–who will not inherit the kingdom? Why do you think Paul spoke about people’s identities rather than actions? 

Note the key text in v.11: “And such were some of you.” Why does it matter that Paul used the word “were” here? How does this statement describe life before Christ?

Paul goes on to say, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v.11). In the Greek, Paul uses the imperfect tense to say such were some of you. The tense implies an ongoing lifestyle characterized by various sins. But in this latter part of the verse, Paul uses three aorists–you were washed, were sanctified, were justified. While the word is the same in English, the different tense here signals decisive, completed action of God.

• What is the theological force of knowing that in Christ, God has purified Christians, made them holy, and declared them righteous? How does salvation impact change? 
• Compare and contrast God’s actions with ours in this passage. How does this shape our understanding of how Christians can change to become more like Jesus? 

Apply

• What sins characterized your life before Christ? In what way have you been freed from them? How has your identity been changed? 
• What sins do you notice yourself particularly struggling with right now? How does the fact that “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified” effect how you approach change? 
• Growth in Christ is about fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness. Given this text of Scripture, take a few moments and consider what sin God is calling you to flee from in order to grow.   

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that “such were some of you,” but that God has rescued you from your previous life of sin. 
• Repent of practices you have continued that are unrighteous and characterize your former self. 
• Ask God to remind you of your identity (washed, sanctified, justified) regularly, so you can be a person living freely from this God-given identity. 
• Yield to God by living today as a person who has been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Christ. 

Day 3: Holy Spirit Pt. 3

Read 

• Read John 16:7-14

Examine 

• Why do you think Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Helper” (v.7)? 
• List the reasons Jesus says it’s to the disciples’ advantage that he go away (resurrect and ascend to heaven) so that the Holy Spirit could come. 
• How does this passage inform our understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in our Christian growth? 
• What is the significance of Jesus calling the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth” (v.12)? 

Apply 

• Do you tend to think of it as an advantage that Jesus is in heaven now? Why or why not? 
• Which of Jesus’ reasons for the importance of sending the Holy Spirit resonates with you most? Why? 
• The Holy Spirit indwells Christians. How does an awareness that the Spirit lives in you shape your approach to daily life as a Christian? 
• What would change in your life if you had a constant awareness that God’s Spirit is in you?  

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that, in his faithfulness and wisdom, he has sent the Holy Spirit to us to be our helper. 
• Repent if you have ignored the Holy Spirit’s role in your life. 
• Ask God to make you more aware of the Holy Spirit’s work in you, that you can truly know and experience that his presence is “to your advantage.” 
• Yield to the Holy Spirit by allowing him to guide you into truth.

Day 4: Holy Spirit Pt. 4

Read 

• Read Titus 3:3-7

Examine 

• What is the significance of the language “we ourselves were once…” (v.3)?
• V. 3 describes life apart from Christ as slavery “to various passions and pleasures.” Why is slavery a powerful image for this condition? 
• What do these verses teach about God’s role in salvation? What do they teach about our role in salvation? 
• Why does it matter that salvation is “according to his own mercy,” rather than “because of works done by us in righteousness” (v.5)? 

Regeneration is “the new birth experienced by those who repent of their sin and put their trust completely and exclusively in Jesus Christ… Regeneration consists negatively of removal of filth and positively of a renewing, both brought about by the Holy Spirit” (Akin, Platt, and Merida).

• Given this definition, how would you explain in your own words how the Holy Spirit effects change in the life of believers? 
• According to v.7, what is the result of our salvation? 

Apply 

• What are the “various passions and pleasures” you’ve especially found yourself in slavery to throughout life? Which are especially tempting now? 
• When you think of God, do you tend to think about his “goodness and loving kindness”? Why or why not? Take a few moments and meditate on these attributes of God. 
• If your salvation is accomplished by God and not by you, how does this compel you to respond? 
• How does the language of washing and renewal change how you approach daily life? 
• Reflecting on the last few days’ emphasis on the Holy Spirit, what major takeaways do you have about the Holy Spirit and change? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he was kind to you by saving you despite having no righteous works to earn it yourself. 
• Repent of any idolatrous, prideful attempts to wash and renew yourself apart from the work of the Spirit. 
• Ask God to help you experience more fully the renewal of the Holy Spirit. 
• Yield to God by resting in Christ and his work, rather than your own good works. 

Day 5: The Gospel Pt. 1

Read 

• Read Ephesians 2:1-10

Examine 
The Christian gospel, put succinctly, is that “Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God fully accomplishes salvation for us, rescuing us from judgment for sin into fellowship with him, and then restores the creation in which we can enjoy our new life together with him forever” (Tim Keller). For those who have been followers of Jesus for a while, this may sound elementary. However, as Christians grow in spiritual maturity they never outgrow this good news. Instead, they must push deeper into it. As Keller often pointed out, the gospel is not the ABC’s of the Christian life, it is the A to Z.

• Focusing on v.1-3, identify the various aspects of the human condition apart from Christ. 
• Why does it matter that Jesus said, “You were dead,” rather than, “You were struggling,” or something similar? 
• What is God’s motivation for saving sinners according to this passage? How does this shape an understanding of God’s nature and character? 
• How is a person saved according to this text? How does this differ from other (false) gospels?
• How does v.10 fit with the first nine verses? 
• According to this passage, how does the gospel change a person? 

Apply 

• What is your “death to life” story? How did God save you? 
• JD Greear often says, “The gospel is not the diving board into the Christian life; it’s the whole pool.” How does the gospel continue to change you beyond your initial transition from spiritual death to spiritual life? 
• How does this passage encourage you to relate and respond to God? 
• In light of this gospel message, what kinds of things should a believer be concerned with changing in his or her life? 
• Knowing that you’re “created in Christ Jesus for good works… that [you] should walk in them” (v.10), list as many of these good works as you can think of. Do these good works characterize the way you live now? Why or why not? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for his glorious grace and rich mercy, that he saw fit to save you when you were dead in your sins. 
• Repent of any ways that you have returned to the trespasses and sins that characterized your former life before Christ. 
• Ask God to make clear to you the power of the gospel in your life, that he would help you see that you are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. 
• Yield to God by walking today in the good works you’ve been created for. 

Day 6: The Gospel Pt. 2

Read 

• Read Titus 2:11-14

Examine

• What are the effects of God’s grace and salvation according to this passage? 
• What is implied by the word “training” and the fact that it is in the present tense? 
• How does this passage compare to Ephesians 2:1-10? 
• What is the Christian’s ongoing role in living out the gospel according to this passage? 

Apply 

• What “ungodliness and worldly passions” (v.12) are particularly tempting for you? 
• How can pressing further into the gospel help train you to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and instead to live a godly life? 
• What is your gut reaction to the word “training”? 
• Are you “zealous for good works” (v.14)? Why or why not?

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that the gospel doesn’t just save us, but trains us to live holy lives. 
• Repent of any ungodliness you have not renounced or are struggling to renounce. 
• Ask God to, in the gospel, strengthen you to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. 
• Yield to God by living in accordance with his word, waiting well for the return of Christ. 

Day 7: The Gospel Pt. 3

Read 

• Read Romans 12:1-2

Examine
In the first 11 chapters of Romans, Paul gives a detailed exposition of the gospel message. Here, in the opening of chapter 12, he forms a bridge to the gospel’s application that will be fleshed out in the rest of the letter.

• In what way do these two verses form a bridge from understanding the gospel to applying it personally (and communally)? 
• How is it possible to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (v.1) according to the passage? 
• Explain the “living sacrifice” image. What is the purpose of Paul’s oxymoron here? What is he saying about the Christian life? 
• What is the difference between conformity and transformation? What does v.2 teach about the world? What about discipleship? 
• What is the relationship between the gospel and change according to these verses? 

Apply 

• Do you struggle to ongoingly present your body (life/whole being) to God as a living sacrifice? Why or why not? 
• What do you think it looks like to be “conformed to this world”? Where do you struggle with conformity to the world in your personal life? 
• How have you seen the gospel transform you by the renewal of your mind? 
• Where in your life are you currently desiring transformation rather than conformity? How might deeper knowledge of and experience with the gospel factor into this transformation? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is merciful towards you. 
• Repent of any conformity to the world in your life. 
• Ask God to continue to renew your mind. 
• Yield to God by rejecting the conformity of the world today. 

Day 8: The Gospel Pt. 4

Read 

• Read Colossians 1:3-14

Examine

• Why does Paul refer to the gospel as “the word of the truth” (v.5)? 
• Paul uses agricultural language (“bearing fruit and increasing”) to describe the advancement of the gospel (v.6). How does this imagery help explain what the gospel does? 
• What might it mean for the gospel to bear fruit and increase in the life of a church community? What about in the life of an individual Christian? 
• According to v.9-14, what should the gospel produce in someone’s life? 
• What do v.13-14 teach about salvation? What does it reveal about God, and what does it reveal about us? 

Apply 

• How have you seen the gospel “bear fruit and increase” in your life since it came to you? 
• How have you seen the gospel “bear fruit and increase” in your church community? 
• What does this passage inspire you to do in response? 
• How does an awareness of deliverance, redemption, and forgiveness affect the way you live? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is causing the gospel to bear fruit and increase in your life, as in the whole world. 
• Repent of any ways the Spirit convicts you that you are not walking “in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him.” 
• Ask God to cause the gospel to continue to bear fruit in your life. 
• Yield to God by resolving to live a life pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work. 

Day 9: Trials of Life Pt. 1

Read 

• Read James 1:2-4

Examine
The trials of life are the various events, aspects, moments, and seasons that–no matter the direct cause–God sovereignly uses for our good. We would likely not choose to endure these trials on our own, but see over and over again throughout the Bible that God is over these trials, causing us to become more like Christ through them.

• Why can Christians “count it all joy” when experiencing suffering? Is James’ advice just wishful thinking, or rooted in something more firm? 
• James was vague in referencing “trials of various kinds.” What kind of trials might that phrase include? 
• “Steadfastness” refers to “the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty.” Why is this an important quality for a Christian? 
• How does God use trials/suffering to bring about change and maturity in the life of a disciple? 
• What does this passage teach about God? 

Apply 

• What is your typical response when encountering suffering or trials? Do you consider them joy? Why do you think you respond the way you do? 
• In what ways has your faith been tested since becoming a Christian? What were the results of the test? 
• Would you define yourself as steadfast? Why or why not? What effect would increasing steadfastness have on your everyday life? 
• Are there any trials you’re currently going through? How is this text challenging or encouraging you to respond to them? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that, in Christ, it is possible to genuinely consider trials as joy because we know that God is utilizing them for our sanctification. 
• Repent of any examples in your life of refusing to count suffering as joy, but instead complaining, etc. 
• Ask God to give you the strength and endurance to consider your trials as joy today. 
• Yield to God by letting steadfastness have its full effect as you submit to God and his sovereignty, instead of complaining about your circumstances. 

Day 10: Trials of Life Pt. 2

Read 

• Read Romans 8:17-39

Examine 

• Why must Christians share in the sufferings of Christ? What does this mean? 
• How does this passage reframe the way we understand suffering? 
• What does Paul mean in v.28? How should this verse be best understood? What would be a misapplication of his words? 
• How does this passage reinforce what a Christian’s identity is in the midst of suffering? Why is our identity so important? 
• Why does Paul tie the idea of suffering together with glory and love? What does this passage teach about suffering and about God?

Apply 

• The New Living Translation talks about our future experience of “glorious freedom from death and decay” (v.21). How does this phrase make you feel?  
• Reflecting on past trials/suffering, can you think of an example of God working something together for your good? How does this cause you to reinterpret that experience? 
• What do you think it would mean for you to suffer well according to this passage? 
• How can you personally experience God’s love in the midst of suffering?

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is faithfully working all things for the good of those who love him, and that nothing is able to separate us from his love. 
• Repent of any unbelief in God’s power or love. 
• Ask God to help you see the truth of these spiritual realities more clearly, that you wouldn’t be drawn into unbelief by the world. 
• Yield to God by living confidently in light of this passage, knowing that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. 

Day 11: Trials of Life Pt. 3

Read 

• Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Examine 

• What is the motivation for not losing heart as a Christian according to these verses? 
• What is the relationship between the “inner self” and “outer self”? How are both important to Christian discipleship? 
• Why do you think Paul–a man who suffered deeply, often–referred to suffering as “light momentary affliction”? Does this invalidate real suffering? Why or why not? 
• What is the “eternal weight of glory” (v.17) Paul speaks of?  

Apply 

• How does Paul’s view of suffering compare to your own? 
• Do you tend to think of your suffering as “light momentary affliction”? Why or why not? 
• In what ways have you experienced your inner self being renewed daily as a follower of Jesus? Have you ever considered how your inner renewal is juxtaposed with your physical body’s ongoing decline toward death? 
• How might you practically “look to the things that are unseen” in daily life as you navigate suffering? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that even the worst of earthly sufferings can be counted as “light momentary affliction.” 
• Repent of lost heart through suffering. 
• Ask God to help you not lose heart, and to help you see the things which are unseen. 
• Yield to God by committing to your daily spiritual renewal, rather than trying to prevent your outer self from wasting away.

Day 12: Trials of Life Pt. 4

Read 

• Read 1 Peter 4:12-19

Examine

• Why can Christians rejoice in suffering? What does it mean to “share Christ’s sufferings”? 
• What specific kind of suffering does Peter refer to in this passage? What does it mean to suffer “as a Christian” in particular (v.16)? 
• According to v.17-18, how does God use suffering to refine and grow Christians?
• How does this passage’s view of suffering compare and contrast with different worldly perspectives on suffering?

Apply 

• Are you typically surprised when you experience trials? Why or why not?  
• Have you ever suffered specifically for your faith? What happened? How did you respond? 
• In what ways have you seen yourself refined and grown through the experience of suffering? 
• What might it look like for you to commit yourself to your faithful Creator and continue to do good while suffering (v.19)? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God, even in the midst of the fiery trials you may be currently experiencing, knowing that you are sharing in Christ. 
• Repent of any sins that have caused you to suffer unnecessarily. 
• Ask God to give you the strength to continually entrust your souls to your faithful Creator and continue to do good. 
• Yield to God by doing good today even in the midst of your circumstances. 

Day 13: Community Pt. 1

Read 

• Read Acts 2:42-47

Examine 
Consider the following quote from Dr. Joseph Hellerman on the importance of Christian community:

“Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. People who remain connected with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding, and they mature in their ability to relate in healthy ways to God and to their fellow human beings. This is especially the case for those courageous Christians who stick it out through the often messy process of interpersonal discord and conflict resolution. Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay… grow. People who leave do not grow.”

• List the different elements of the early church’s devotion. Why was fellowship so important to the early church? What effect did fellowship have? 
• Do you think v.44-45 is descriptive (describing what happened at a particular moment in time) or prescriptive (prescribing an ongoing way for Christians to live)? Why? 
• How does “day by day” shape your understanding of the passage?  
• How does community affect the growth of believers? 

Apply 

• How does this passage’s portrayal of community compare and contrast to our modern culture’s view of community? 
• How does this passage’s portrayal of community challenge your comforts, assumptions, etc.? 
• What about the practice of community is personally challenging for you? 
• What sacrifices are you currently making to experience godly community? 
• How would you evaluate your current experience with Christian community? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for how he has used Christian community to grow the church. 
• Repent of any ways that you have not prioritized Christian community. 
• Ask God to reveal to you ways he wants you to grow in your practice of community. If you have struggled to experience true community, petition God to help you. 
• Yield to God by devoting yourself to community today. 

Day 14: Community Pt. 2

Read

• Read John 13:31-35

Examine

• What is the relationship between v.31-33 and v.34-35? 
• Why do you think Jesus called his command to love “a new commandment” (v.34)? Why is love commanded rather than suggested, encouraged, etc.? 
• What is the basis of interpersonal Christian love? How does the gospel inform the way people love? 
• According to Jesus, what is the result of Christian love?

Apply

• With this passage as background, how does the practice of community grow and change a Christian? 
• Have you ever seen an example of v.35 in your own life? What happened? 
• Have you ever seen an example of the opposite of v.35 happening?
• How do evangelism and community work together in your life? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for his magnificent, unending love that he has shown to us in Christ. 
• Repent of any ways that you have failed to love others as God has loved you. 
• Ask God to reveal to you specific people to practically love in action today. 
• Yield to God by committing yourself to the action, not simply the feeling, of love for others. 

Day 15: Community Pt. 3

Read 

• Read 1 John 1:1-10

Examine 

• What is the relationship between the gospel and community? What is the relationship between fellowship between Christians and fellowship between Christians and God? 
• What does it mean to walk in the light? How might this practice aid in a Christian’s growth? 
• What is the difference between an individual’s confession of sin to God, and an individual’s confession of sin to trusted people within Christianity community? Why are both important to the Christian life? 
• According to this passage, what would a lack of true community imply for a Christian? What would they be lacking? 

Apply 

• It is impractical and unwise to confess sin to everyone in our community. But do you have any trusted Christians in your community with whom you regularly confess sin? If not, why? How can you pursue this kind of community if you don’t currently have it? 
• Are you walking in the darkness or the light right now? 
• What does it look like practically to “walk in the light” in the context of community? How do you do this alongside others? 
• How does this passage challenge and reshape your expectations and assumptions about Christian community?  

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise Christ for his holiness, that God is light and no darkness is in him. 
• Repent of any examples in your life of walking in the darkness. Choose to walk in the light through confession of sin. 
• If you have a trusted Christian with whom you confess sin, ask God to grow you through this relationship. If you don’t, ask that God would provide a person in your life who you can confess sin with. 
• Yield to God by walking in the light. 

Day 16: Community Pt. 4

Read 

• Read Ephesians 4:25-32

Examine

• List out the various aspects of Christian community according to this passage. 
• Why is Christian community indispensable and necessary for Christian growth? What happens to a Christian living totally outside of community? 
• How does the gospel relate to the practice of community according to this passage? 
• What do things like anger, thievery, corrupting talk, etc. do to Christian community? How does the gospel address these things? 

Apply 

• Many of these practices would be hard or impossible to do with everyone in the church. Do you have a smaller group of people (ex: a Community Group) with whom you can live out these community practices?  
• What would you say to a Christian who attends the church’s worship service a couple times each month, but doesn’t think she needs any sense of “community” beyond that? 
• Which of the aspects of community from this passage do you struggle with most? How might you address that directly? What would it take for you to grow in this area? 
• Reflecting on the past four days, what action steps is God calling you to take with regard to your practice of community? How is God using community to grow you? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for sealing you by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. 
• As you read through these verses, consider the commands against sin. If the Holy Spirit reveals to you any ways you have been disobedient in these areas, repent. 
• Ask God to grow you in your practice of community. 
• Yield to God by choosing to make sacrifices to live in and prioritize biblical community. 

Day 17: The Local Church Pt. 1

Read 

• Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:13

Examine
Pastor Jake wrote, “Christians are called to community, and this can be found in many different ways, but it also must be pointed out that community alone is not enough. Christians are called to membership in a local body of believers, and our spiritual formation can never be divorced from this fact. It must be remembered that ‘the local church is the primary place that God intends to make and form holistic disciples. We cannot disconnect the task of deep discipleship from the institution that owns it: the local church. The local church is the tool, God’s providential instrument, that he uses to shape and form his people into maturing followers of Christ’” (J.T. English).

Then, in Kevin Vanhoozer’s words, “We go to church to rehearse, to celebrate, and to better understand the drama of redemption. We go out from church to serve the world, to play our part in the drama of redemption. The church is thus the theater wherein the world sees God’s love played out time and time again.”

The church is indispensable to the health and growth of disciples. Consider the church and your relationship with her over the next several days.

• How does Paul’s use of the “body” metaphor shape a biblical understanding for what the church is? 
• Why is love a “more excellent way”? 
• Why does it matter that the church is specifically the body of Christ (v.27)? 
• What can be concluded from the fact that God appoints certain roles within the church? 

Apply 

• How does Paul’s explanation of the church compare and contrast to a modern cultural view of the church?   
• How is your view of the church challenged by this passage? 
• What role do you see yourself having within the church? How has God gifted you to serve as a member of the body? Are you currently serving in this capacity? 
• Are you a church member? Why or why not? If yes, how have you seen your membership in the church shaping the health of your discipleship? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he has made us together into the body of Christ. 
• Repent of any ways you have neglected your role and responsibility within the body of Christ. 
• Ask God to provide you avenues through which you can exercise your spiritual gifts, in love, in the church. 
• Yield to God by unashamedly using your gifts to the glory of God. 

Day 18: The Local Church Pt. 2

Read 

• Read Hebrews 10:19-25

Examine

• What does it mean to “have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus” (v.19)? 
• Tracing the flow of the author’s argument, what is the connection between the gospel and the practice of community in the local church? 
• Why do Christians need to “stir up one another to love and good works” (v.24)? What does this imply about the nature of the church? 
• What does v.25 teach about the importance of presence and participation in church community?   

 
Apply 

• Who in the church stirs you up to love and good works? What impact have these relationships had on your life and discipleship? 
• Who do you stir up to love and good works? If no one currently, who could you? 
• The author specifically says we should not neglect meeting together. How does this relate to church attendance today? Is showing up on Sundays enough? Why or why not? 
• Do you struggle with active participation in the church? Why or why not? What causes you to neglect meeting together? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for the confidence we have through Jesus to enter the holy places. 
• Repent of any ways you have neglected to “meet together.” 
• Ask God to reveal someone you can encourage in Christ today. 
• Yield to God by committing to actively participate in the body of Christ. 

Day 19: The Local Church Pt. 3

Read 

• Read Titus 2:1-10

Examine

• Describe, according to this passage, the responsibilities of older men and women in the church. 
• Describe, according to this passage, the responsibilities of younger men and women in the church? 
• What does this passage teach about the relationship between the local church and a Christian’s growth? 
• How are intergenerational relationships necessary to the Christian life? What happens if Christians only have relationships with people in their age or stage of life? 

Apply 

• Who is an older man or woman who has influenced your discipleship? How have they helped you grow? 
• Who is a younger man or woman whose discipleship you have influenced? How have you helped them grow? If no one, who could you invest in? 
• Is your church experience characterized with relationships across several generations, or do you only have relationships with people in your same stage of life? How has your experience shaped your discipleship? Where would you like to grow? 
• What settings are you involved in with the church that can bring you into meaningful contact with believers of other ages?  

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for his provision of older and younger believers who are involved in our sanctification. 
• Repent of any ways you have disregarded your responsibility to learn from the believers who have gone before you and to teach those coming after you. 
• Ask God to reveal a person who can mentor you in the faith, and a person you can mentor. 
• Yield to God by committing to living out intergenerational community. 

Day 20: The Local Church Pt. 4

Read 

• Read 1 Peter 5:1-5

Examine 

• What does Peter suggest is the role of pastors within the church? 
• What does it mean to “shepherd the flock of God”? Why does Peter clarify that the flock is God’s? 
• In what ways do pastors serve as examples to the flock? What role do pastors play in the growth of individual Christians within the church? 
• Why is it significant that pastors represent Jesus, the “chief Shepherd” (v.4)? 
• What does it mean to be subject to the pastors of a church? 

Apply 

• What is your relationship to the pastors of your church? Has your experience with pastors been generally positive or negative? Why? 
• If pastors are “examples to the flock,” in what ways are you following their example in everyday life? 
• Would you say you are “subject to the elders”? Why or why not? How does that phrase make you feel? 
• How can you grow in practical submission to the church’s pastors? What does healthy submission look like? What is unhealthy submission? 
• If you are a church member, evaluate the health of your membership. How can you continue to grow as a church member? 
• If you’re not yet a church member but see the responsibility you have to become one, seek out a pastor and talk with them about next steps! 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for how amazing he is as our chief Shepherd. 
• Repent of any ways you have disobeyed or rejected or avoided the oversight of shepherds in the body of Christ. 
• Ask God to strengthen and grow your pastors in Christlikeness, that they could more effectively serve and shepherd you. 
• Yield to God by yielding to the oversight and leadership of your pastors.

Day 21: Teaching Pt. 1

Read

• Read Matthew 28:16-20

Examine
Read the following excerpt from Jake Bishop on teaching.

Teaching is essential to the Christian life. The Israelites were commanded to teach God’s commands “diligently” to their children (Deuteronomy 6:7), Jesus is seen teaching throughout the Gospels, and Paul, specifically, is very concerned with the thought life of his brothers and sisters in Christ. He tells Timothy to “devote himself” to teaching (1 Timothy 4:13), calls the Romans to be transformed by the “renewal” of their minds (Romans 12:2), and encourages the Corinthians to take their “thoughts captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Most basically, teaching is a way of transferring information. However, teaching is important for more than just information transfer. Every human being is trying to answer the question, “What is the good life?” And that tiny rectangle in their pocket exposes them to hundreds of advertisements daily that try to convince them that only after buying this certain product will they then find happiness and flourishing. Jesus, however, has his own version of the good life, which is life in his kingdom. Good Bible teaching shows how Jesus’ way leads to true flourishing.

Good teaching also helps in the struggle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Teaching helps open our eyes to Satan’s lies, and it reminds us that the way of Jesus means standing out from the ways of the world. The world is trying to form us in its image but biblical teaching pushes back on this, inviting the apprentice of Jesus to be spiritually formed by thinking how Jesus thought.

A.W. Tozer famously said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Teaching, and specifically theological study, reminds us who God truly is.

• Why is the authority of Jesus significant in this passage? 
• The central command in Jesus’ charge is to make disciples–everything else is part of how disciples make disciples. What are all the pieces Jesus mentions under the umbrella of making disciples? 
• What role does teaching have in making disciples? What is teaching? 
• Jesus says to teach people “to observe all that I have commanded you” (v.20). How is this different from commanding people to teach what Jesus commanded? Why is this difference significant?
• What is the ongoing importance of teaching in the growth of a Christian? 

Apply

• Consider an average week in your life. List all the various ways you receive teaching, and reflect on how they aid in your discipleship. 
• What teaching do you receive (formally or informally) that opposes your discipleship? What effect does this worldly teaching have on you? 
• Would you say that you know “all” that Jesus has commanded you? Why or why not? 
• Would you say you’ve been taught to observe (follow, obey) all that Jesus has commanded you? Why or why not? 
• Who have you taught (or are teaching) how to follow Jesus’ commands? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for the resurrection, and that he has included us in his mission for the world. 
• Repent of any ways you have failed to make discipleship your top priority in life. 
• Ask God to grow you as a disciple for the purpose of making other disciples. Consider a non-believer in your life, and ask God to use you to save them. 
• Yield to God by considering how to make disciples with your life, even today.

Day 22: Teaching Pt. 2

Read

• Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Examine

• Explain Paul’s charge in v.2. What is he telling Timothy to do? 
• Consider Paul’s agricultural imagery in v.2–what does it mean to “be ready in season and out of season”? 
• Why will people “not endure sound teaching” (v.3)? What do v.3-4 reveal about the reality of teaching and the Christian life? 
• What is the difference between the truth and a myth (v.4)? What can you conclude from Paul’s usage of words like accumulate, turn away, wander off? How do these words and phrases compare to what Paul tells Timothy to do in v.2-3 and v.5? 

Apply

• This passage shows the supreme importance of God’s Word. What is your current relationship to Scripture? What are your habits for feeding on God’s Word, both individually and communally? What steps can you take to grow in this? 
• Have you ever seen an example of someone accumulating teachers to suit their own passions? What happened? 
• What areas of your life do you find yourself tempted to find teaching to suit your own passions? How can you guard yourself from doing that? 
• How can you ensure you’re committed to enduring sound teaching and listening to the truth?  

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for being a faithful and just judge. 
• Repent of any ways you have accumulated teachers to suit your own passions, rather than enduring sound teaching. 
• Ask God to use teaching in your life to make you more like him. 
• Yield to God by remaining sober-minded.

Day 23: Teaching Pt. 3

Read

• Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Examine
This passage is one of the most significant in the entire Old Testament. It was the essential prayer for ancient Israelites, said daily.

• V. 4 opens with the instruction to “hear.” What does hearing mean in this context–simply receiving the sounds, or something more? How do you know? 
• What is the relationship between teaching and action according to this passage? 
• In what way is teaching rooted in God’s identity and relationship with him (v.4-5)? 
• What does it mean for commands to “be on your heart” (v.6)? 
• Explain the instructions of v.7-9. Why would the Israelites be told to act like this? What was the purpose?

Apply

• When you think about the concept of teaching, do you see it as connected to loving God? Why or why not? 
• How does your practice of loving God enable you to receive teaching? 
• What practices do you have in your life to keep the commands of God “on your heart”? 
• Paraphrase v.7-9 for a modern audience. How would you explain this message to someone seeking to apply it today?

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is the one true God. 
• Repent of any lack of love for God in your life. 
• Ask God to instill in you a deeper love for him that radically alters every aspect of your life. 
• Yield to God by living in obedience to his commands.

Day 24: Teaching Pt. 4

Read

• Read 1 Timothy 4:6-16

Examine

• What does it mean to “be trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine…” (v.6)? 
• Why does Paul write specifically that Timothy followed good doctrine? How is this different from other words he could have used (like “believed”)? 
• What is the relationship between teaching and practice? Why is good teaching so central to the Christian life? 
• How can a person follow Paul’s charge to “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (v.16)? What is the effect of this? 

Apply

• What is an example of struggling to follow good doctrine, rather than simply believing it to be true? Why is this so dangerous for discipleship? 
• How have you personally seen a focus on good teaching bring about change in your life? How can you remain devoted to teaching? 
• Even if you aren’t involved in any formal teaching, how can you keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching? How can you keep a close watch on the teaching that you receive from others? 
• What settings can you, formally or informally, teach others in accordance with this passage? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is a living Savior. 
• Repent of any unconcern in your life to train yourself for godliness. 
• Ask God to reveal weak spots in your learning, that you might pursue and be devoted to good teaching. 
• Yield to God by devoting yourself to teaching.

Day 25: Practice Pt. 1 

Read

• Read 1 Timothy 4:6-16

Examine
If good teaching illuminates the way of Jesus as the true “good life,” practice is the way to get good teaching into one’s muscle memory. They go together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich–if one’s missing, it’s not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Without practice, there’s no way to train to become the kind of person Jesus desires you to be–a flourishing disciple.

Practice works in a negative direction as well. For instance, if you eat fast food every day, you are (negatively) training your body to a certain end result. It just so happens that the end result is physical unhealth. Christians must be aware of their habits in order to discern whether their habits are making them more like Jesus, or less.  

• Notice that the passage is the same as yesterday. How does Paul weave together the relationship between teaching and practice in this text?  
• If salvation is accomplished by God, why are Christians commanded, “train yourself for godliness” (v.7)? What does it mean to train for godliness? 
• What commands/habits/etc. are outlined in v.11-16? How can one practice them? 
• Explain v.15. 

Apply

• Name something you have trained or practiced for in your life. What was the process like? What about the end result? How would it have gone without training? 
• What is the relationship between physical training and spiritual training? How do you see this relationship play out in your life? 
• What practices and habits can you incorporate in your daily life to live out the commands of this passage? 
• The notion of training and practice implies both failure and improvement. How can you stay disciplined and committed amidst failure as you seek to grow as a disciple? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that he is a living Savior. 
• Repent of any unconcern in your life to train yourself for godliness. 
• Ask God to reveal weak spots in your training for godliness, and to provide clarity as to how you can train yourself. 
• Yield to God by committing to your godliness.

Day 26: Practice Pt. 2

Read

• Read 2 Peter 1:3-11

Examine

• According to Peter, what is the relationship between God’s divine power and our discipleship? 

In v.4, salvation is described in interesting terms–we “become partakers of the divine nature.” That does not mean that we become gods or that become some fourth member of the Trinity. Nothing like that. Rather, as we are united to Christ in our salvation, we are swept up into the trinitarian life of God. To partake in the divine nature is to escape the corruption of the world, to be restored to true human flourishing as an image bearer of the living God.

• Given this description of salvation, what is the effect? What happens in the lives of Christians as a result (v.5-8)? 
• How can Christians “make every effort” to supplement faith with the various qualities and practices listed in v.5-8? 
• V.8 makes clear that these qualities should be increasing, not stagnant, in the life of Christians. What would it look like for a person to be “ineffective or unfruitful” instead? What happens when Christians don’t grow according to the passage? 
• Does v.10 mean that a person can earn salvation by practicing brotherly affection, love, etc.? Why or why not? What is Peter’’s point in this verse? 

Apply

• How is your personal relationship with God shaping the way you grow and change? When you look at your life one year ago, five years ago, twenty years ago, in what ways do you look more like Christ than before? 
• Would you say that you “make every effort to supplement your faith” with the qualities listed in v.5-8? Why or why not? What makes it hard to do this? What can you do practically to make every effort? 
• In seasons of decline or backsliding, have you noticed yourself forgetting the gospel and forgetting your salvation? What happened? 
• How might you “be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election” (v.11)? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God for his divine power and calling which have changed your life. 
• Repent of any ways that you have lacked effort to supplement your faith with godly qualities. 
• Ask God to keep your spiritual eyesight clear, that you might grow in him as you remember the gospel. 
• Yield to God by working diligently today to live out the reality of the gospel.

Day 27: Practice Pt. 3

Read

• Read Colossians 3:1-17

Examine

• List all the commands in this passage. How would you summarize them? Why does Paul instruct Christians to do these things? 
• Why does v.5 say to “put to death therefore what is earthly in you” rather than to simply avoid them? 
• How does the language of walking (v.7) connect to the idea of practice? 
• Why might Paul have focused both on putting off (v.5-11) and putting on (v.12-17)? Why are both necessary? 

Apply

• What is earthly within you that you need to put to death? How might you do this? What’s the difference between killing sin and merely trying to sanitize or avoid it? 
• How have you “put off the old self with its practices” (v.9)? 
• What are you currently doing to put on the new self? What habits and practices do you incorporate on an ongoing basis? 
• How can you live out v.17 today? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Praise God that you have died to sin but been raised with Christ.
• Repent of the earthly practices within you that you have not yet put to death. 
• Ask God to help you put on the new life in Christ. 
• Yield to God by doing everything in Jesus’ name today. 

Day 28: Practice Pt. 4  

For this final day, instead of reading a particular passage of Scripture, consider the following thoughts on spiritual disciplines/practices more broadly (which are all, of course, rooted in Scripture).

There is no exhaustive list of all the spiritual disciplines or practices. Consider the following list from the spiritual formation organization Practicing the Way as representative, rather than complete.

Practicing the Way focuses on nine practices: Scripture, prayer, community, fasting, sabbath, solitude, generosity, service, and witness. (See practicingtheway.org for the following definitions and additional resources.)

Scripture: We interact with Scripture in a variety of ways, including but not limited to hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating.

Prayer: “Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.”

Community: “Despite the unprecedented connectivity of the modern era, genuine community is vanishing. Isolation, transience, and superficiality can sabotage our formation into people of mature love. But through Jesus, we enter a new kind of family that offers intimacy, joy, healing, and commitment.”

Fasting: “Fasting is going without food for a set amount of time to awaken our body and soul to our deep hunger and need for God.”

Sabbath: “The Sabbath is a 24-hour time period set aside to stop, rest, delight, and worship.”

Solitude: This is the practice of retreating from noise and distraction to be alone with God.

Generosity: Generosity is the practice of giving your time, talents, and treasures in service of God and his kingdom, in response to God’s generosity toward you.

Service: “Love is the hallmark of Jesus’ followers, but what does it look like? In the Way of Jesus, it means offering hidden acts of service to those right in front of us, allowing ourselves to be interrupted by unexpected needs, and overlapping our lives with those on the margins.”

Witness: This is the practice of sharing and proclaiming the gospel to those who are far from God.

• Rank these nine practices in order from most consistent/healthy to least in your life. 
• Identify one or two of the nine practices that you feel especially mature in. How do you engage in these practices? What effect have they had on your life and discipleship? 
• Identify one or two of the nine practices that you feel especially immature in. How might you begin to incorporate those practices in your life? What effect might they have on your life and discipleship? 
• Who can you share these insights with, that they might hold you accountable in your growth? 

Considering the last 28 days as whole:

• List your main takeaways from this month. What have you learned? How have you grown? 
• Where do you see God working in your life? 
• How do you want to grow moving forward? What next steps will you take? 

Pray
Consider the following prayer prompts:

• Pray through your list of takeaways, asking God to instill them onto your heart and mind so you don’t forget them. 
• Thank God for how he is working in your life, and ask him to continue. 
• Commit your next steps to him, asking for strength and grace to continue.