The view from the mountaintop is breathtaking. The sun is shining, the birds chirping. You are with your closest companions, people who were once strangers (and let’s be honest, enemies at times), and you’re debriefing after several years of work together. Everyone is exhausted, but in that deeply satisfying way when you are certain that […]
Category: Discipleship
Creatively Following Jesus
Following Jesus is an inherently creative act. There are principles—discipleship, obedience, service—but how to implement them is left up to us, with wisdom and guidance from the church. Those popular What Would Jesus Do? bracelets from the 1990s were a silly but often helpful reminder of what it would mean for the divine Savior to […]
How to Pray: Praying When God is Silent
This blog is written by Jarrett Stevens, author of Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God. — Jesus knew the value of silence. He did not run from it; he ran after it. The Gospel writers make sure that we get that silence was a part of how Jesus prayed through his […]
How to Pray When Praying Is Hard
Today’s blog is written by Jarrett Stevens, author of Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God. — I’ve been a pastor for over twenty years, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the following: “I just don’t know how to pray.” “I didn’t grow up doing this kind of […]
How to Pray: How to Make the Lord’s Prayer Your Prayer
Blog brought to you today by Jarrett Stevens, author of Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God. — I have a friend who sums up the Lord’s Prayer this way: “Simply pray, and pray simply.” Don’t overcomplicate it. Don’t smother it in “should.” Don’t make it some sort of spiritual competition with others. […]
How to Pray: Gratitude, Your Wonder Prayer
Blog brought to you today by Jarrett Stevens, author of Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God. — What if I told you that there was a pill that was scientifically proven to dramatically improve your state of being—not just a temporary high but a wholistic enhancement of your body, mind, and […]
Jesus Take The Wheel – How Surrendering Control Brings You Real Freedom
The bent to promote, protect and exalt self starts early in life. One of the first phrases our children said was, “Me first!” Because our self-centeredness is so inbred, Jesus made it clear that if we want to follow him, we must give up our “selves.” Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of this verse in Luke states […]
Why Lifelong Learning is Important to Christians
Today’s special guest post is written by Waldron Scott, adapted for Unfolding Faith. To overcome pride, fear, and complacency in order to keep discovering fresh experiences of new truth—that’s what it means to really live. So what are you learning these days? We can learn from new experiences, but we’re afraid of them. We’re afraid […]
How to Abide in Christ and What That Means for You
Being still before God allows the Lord to speak to us through His Word, which is alive and active and exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Guest post by author Cynthia Heald. Excerpt taken from her book, The Faithful Way, Remaining Steadfast in an Uncertain World. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those […]
Where to Use Your Spiritual Gifts: Hands-On Help for Finding Your Ministry Niche
Adapted from an original article by Jane A. G. Kise, first published in the Discipleship Journal. Used with permission from The Navigators. — I took a deep breath and looked out at the room. Eighty people were in front of me, including most of the church’s elders, a minister whose preaching silenced the audience so that […]
How Your Spiritual Gifts Make You Extraordinary
You’ve heard about spiritual gifts and perhaps even discovered which spiritual gifts God has given you. But do you know why they are important? Or how they make you an extraordinary person? – Don’t know which spiritual gifts you possess? Start here to learn more about the various gifts and techniques the Bible describes to […]
A Quick List of Biblical Spiritual Gifts: Which Gifts Exist and What They Mean.
What are the spiritual gifts that God has given to his people? Here is a list, scroll down for simple definitions of each gift: Administration Being an apostle Discernment Evangelism Exhortation Faith Giving Healing Helps Hospitality Knowledge Leadership Mercy Prophecy Serving Speaking in tongues Teaching (sometimes known as shepherding) Wisdom — Want to identify your […]