​I am sometimes asked if I can recommend a commentary or Bible study tool to help someone understand the Bible on a deeper level. Below is a list of free online tools I use each week as I study the Bible. 

​God intended for us to share our lives in the context of community. The natural result is spiritual growth. Today, accountability is the missing discipleship component in most Christian's lives. No one is watching out for their soul. They are not open, honest, and vulnerable with anyone. 

​Would it work? Did He get it right? After all, He's starting with an eclectic group of men who were not educated and were not likely to be influential. Would this grand discipleship experiment actually work?

I truly believe that practicing gratitude on a daily basis will change our lives. It refocuses our attention, gives us perspective, and guards our hearts from discouragment.

When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of the Apostle Paul's words, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) It's an amazing thought isn't it? It's God's will for us to be thankful...in everything! I truly believe that practicing gratitude daily will change our lives. It refocuses our attention, gives us perspective, and guards our hearts against discouragement.​

How we practice gratitude? Consider the following ways:

• Recognize that each day is a gift from God.
• Begin and end your day with gratitude. Everyday, thank God for his blessings.
• Start a gratitude journal and write down your thanks for three things every day.
• Use the grateful app.
• Write a handwritten card or letter and thank someone for their influence in your life.
• Give thanks before meals.
• Remember who and where you were before knowing Jesus as your Savior.
• Refuse to compare yourself to others. We are not in competition.
• Go down memory lane and count your blessings.
• Commit to a complaint-free day or week.
• Make a gratitude list of everyday blessings you take for granted.
• Begin to develop the habit of saying thank you to others more often.
• Tell someone today how much you love and appreciate them.
• Look for people who are overlooked and thank them for what they do.
• Show your gratitude by serving someone and meeting a need.
• Text someone right now and thank them for being a blessing in your life.
• Write a kind review and express thanks on Yelp or Amazon.
• Send an email of thanks to your employer, pastor, or teacher.
• Take pictures of things you are thankful for and keep a folder on your phone to review.
• Show appreciation to your parents, grandparents, or children.
• Practice daily praise and worship as a spiritual discipline.

"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds." (Psalm 9:1)

To subscribe to this weekly blog click here!

If you enjoyed this article, I would be honored if you would share it on social media. 

Missed last week's article? Check it out here... How to Find More Time to Read

Listen to The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• Google Podcasts

Interested in starting your own podcast? Click here to learn how.
​

​Undoubtedly, many factors cause this decline in reading: our fast-paced lives, family responsibilities, financial pressures, and increased visual media consumption. Worldwide, the average person spends 144 minutes per day on social media. The current TV viewership is two hours and 46 minutes per day. Yet, I often hear people lament they don't have enough time to read.

What does this have to do with discipleship?

One of the great spiritual disciplines is reading. Being a disciple of Jesus is about a daily pursuit of knowing and being like Christ. We grow as we are intentional about knowing Him more. Reading allows us to go deeper. Whether it's reading Scripture, Bible study tools, blog posts, or books that inspire us, reading is a valuable resource.

So how can we find more time to read? Here are 15 tips to help you get started.

• Utilize your commute. While this is technically not reading, you can still consume written content through audiobooks.
• If cost is an issue, don't forget about your local public library.
• Use the Kindle app so you can read across all your devices.
• Keep track of your progress by using GoodReads.
• Take a book with you everywhere you go. 
• Make reading a part of your morning routine.
• Read before bedtime.
• Commit to reading with friends. Accountability helps.
• Set a reminder on your phone.
• Set a timer to read for 15 or 20 minutes.
• Don't be afraid to quit a book that you don't enjoy.
• Limit your social media and tv consumption.
• Read on your lunch break.
• Always have the next book ready.
• Consider setting a goal of 20 pages per day.

I hope these tips help you find more time to read! If you are looking for book recommendations on discipleship and spiritual growth, check out this list.

To subscribe to this weekly blog click here!

If you enjoyed this article, I would be honored if you would share it on social media. 

Missed last week's article? Check it out here... Why You May Not Be Growing Spiritually

Listen to The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• Google Podcasts

Interested in starting your own podcast? Click here to learn how.

​While talking with a friend who has much more experience, we learned that the soil was the issue. The plants needed new soil because they weren't getting the nutrients necessary for the roots to go deep. The vitality of the plant is in direct proportion to the health of the soil. We had been preoccupied with the visible part of the plant with no consideration of the hidden part.

The same can be true of our spiritual lives, and it reveals why some Christians are not growing. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." The soil, the inner (unseen) part of us, must be healthy to have spiritual growth.

​What gets in the way of us growing spiritually? Consider these possibilities.

• sin
• neglect
• apathy
• busyness
• distractions
• negativity
• pride
• judgmental spirit
• fear of change

Spiritual growth is the process of becoming more mature in one's relationship with Jesus Christ. Someone who is growing spiritually will become more and more like Christ. Our spiritual growth begins when we come to faith in Christ and should continue until we enter Christ's presence after this life. 

How do we prepare the soil of our hearts for optimum spiritual growth? Three things are essential.

1.  Humility

A humble heart acknowledges our desperate need for God. We recognize that pride keeps us from experiencing the presence and power of God. Pride closes the door to spiritual growth, but humility opens the door of your life to a healthy spiritual life. If our roots are planted in the soil of humility, the result will be the fruit of the Spirit.  

James 4:6 - "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

2.  Hunger

Let me ask you a question. How is your spiritual appetite? 

Our hunger determines our pursuit. We all know the power of appetite. It gets satisfied every time. To grow spiritually, we need a hunger for God. What amazing is that the more we pursue a deeper relationship with God, the more our appetite grows. It seems the more we experience in God, the more our desire for Him increases.

I love this quote from Pastor John Piper - "Our appetites dictate the direction of our lives — whether it be the cravings of our stomachs, the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longings of our spirits for God."

Jeremiah 29:3 - "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

3.  Habits

The most practical and powerful way for us to move towards Christ-like maturity is to establish habits that promote spiritual growth. Most often, we call these habits "spiritual disciplines."  It is the consistent, faithful, and intentional pursuit of Christ that develops our character and makes us like Jesus. We must pay close attention to our spiritual lives because no one accidentally grows spiritually. 

What beneficial habits are you developing in your life? Determine to do them daily. We can't change our lives until we change what we do every day. Remember Paul's words in 1 Timothy 4:7-8:

"Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

Are you not growing spiritually? Check your roots. Make sure you are growing in the soil of humility, hunger, and habits. These three ingredients produce a healthy and growing spiritual life. Let's tend the garden for optimum spiritual growth. As we abide in Jesus, he produces the fruit He desires us to bear.

To subscribe to this weekly blog click here!

If you enjoyed this article, I would be honored if you would share it on social media. 

Missed last week's article? Check it out here... 30 Next Steps for Growing Christians

Interested in starting your own podcast? Click here to learn how.

​Discipleship is about continually taking the next steps. To be a follower of Jesus, you have to follow. So many Christians move forward until they find a place of comfort in their faith. It's here that, tragically, they plateau in their faith and stop growing. This is not God's plan, nor his will.

​Like a fence around my property, I need borders in my life. Boundaries are essential for several reasons. They clearly identify what belongs to me. They outline areas that are permissible. Within the limitations, I have accessibility and freedom. Boundaries also protect things that might bring danger or harm to my life. 

​I was sad to hear she was leaving our congregation, but I wished before her departure, she had sat down with me to talk about the importance of doctrine. Even the love of God, she wanted me to focus on, is a doctrine.

In the New Testament, there are many warnings about continuing in sound doctrine and being alert for false teachers. Check out these words from the Apostle Paul.

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3)

I believe the time Paul was referring to is happening right now.  We live in a culture where many people, even professing, committed believers, do not want to hear sound doctrine. We gravitate towards teaching that is easy to accept and doesn't require any change.

In recent years, I've heard attacks against the doctrine of the deity of Jesus, the virgin birth, the return of Christ, the inerrancy of Scripture, the lostness of humanity, and salvation by grace. One major error that is sweeping the church is an acceptance of universalism, which proclaims that in the end, because God is loving, everyone will be saved. This teaching is deadly, and its origin is from Satan.

Some say, "it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere." Stop for a moment, and think about how silly this statement is. Sincerity has great value, but we all know you can be sincere and be sincerely wrong. 

So, why do people reject sound biblical doctrine?

• They are afraid of argument, conflict, and division in the church.
• They are afraid doctrinal teaching will not draw a large crowd.
• They are afraid of being "out of touch" with today's culture.
• They are afraid it will require them to change their lifestyle.

It seems like the root of the issue is fear. Tragically, we have lost our fear of the Lord.

As disciples of Jesus, let's reaffirm our belief in the authority of God's Word over our beliefs and our lifestyles. With a firm grip on the Bible, we should believe, practice, teach and preach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, right out of the pages of the Holy Bible.

Here are five reasons biblical doctrine still matters:

1.  Biblical doctrine gives us boundaries for faith and practice. Without the guidelines of Scripture, we will believe and do whatever seems right in our own eyes. 

2.  Sound doctrine gives us a biblical worldview. Doctrine is essential because it forms the lens through which you view almost everything.

3.  Biblical doctrine protects us from false teaching. If a person's beliefs or the doctrine they teach is different from the Bible, you and I can conclude they hold to a false doctrine. 

4.  Doctrine provides the next generation with truth to stand on. Is there anything more important than the discipleship of our children? We must begin the teaching of God's truth to our children at a very young age.

5.  Doctrine ensures we have the right beliefs about eternity. Yes, what we believe has eternal implications.

Albert Mohler said, "When a denomination begins to consider doctrine divisive, theology troublesome, and convictions inconvenient, consider that denomination on its way to a well-deserved death."

If the Bible is the final authority for life, belief, and practice, there is no need to make it relevant to the culture. Culture must bow to the Bible. Let's reaffirm our belief that sound, biblical doctrine matters because it does. And let's remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:13 - "the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

To subscribe to this weekly blog click here!

If you enjoyed this article, I would be honored if you would share it on social media. 

Missed last week's article? Check it out here... One Big Lesson I Learned about Discipleship.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Click here to learn how.

​I was smart enough to respect his 50 plus years of ministry, and he was kind enough to give me a chance to serve when few others would have. We would spend two years together until he retired. Looking back now, I recognize how formative those 24 months were in my life. They were so impactful because of the pastor's intentional discipleship and mentoring of my character and ministry.

I can get emotional thinking about how much he included me in his life and church ministry. Looking back now, I realize just how different those two years could have been. Recognizing his retirement was right around the corner, he could have stayed in his office, ignored the new guy on staff, and rode out his time. 

During our short stint together, the pastor intentionally included me in countless opportunities and conversations. Together we traveled, attended denominational meetings, painted walls, raked leaves, went on hospital visits, counseled hurting people, and ate good BBQ. He was available for conversations about sermons, doctrine, church conflict, family, and more. 

Today, I recognize his invaluable influence in my life and seek to emulate his character and approach to ministry.

Here's the one big lesson I learned: Discipleship doesn't happen unless we are intentional. The life and character of a disciple are caught as we are in proximity to another disciple. 

After the Apostle Paul discipled Timothy, he released him to serve with this instruction. 

"The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Tim. 2:2).

Notice several powerful things in this verse.

1) "The things you have heard me say..." Paul had been intentional in his discipleship of Timothy. His influence was memorable.

2) "...in the presence of many witnesses..." Timothy wasn't the only person Paul was discipling. There were many others.

3) "...entrust to reliable people..." The work of discipleship isn't over until the person you are teaching is now discipling others.

4) "...who will be qualified to teach others." This is where discipleship is no longer about addition. The ministry of discipleship is multiplied. 

Now imagine with me what would happen if this process occurred in your church and every church. Isn't this really what Jesus had in mind when he called us to "make disciples of all nations?"

Discipleship, the work of helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus, who, in turn, help others, is not a program. It is our mission. 

Imagine what could happen. Imagine if it started with you.

To subscribe to this weekly blog click here!

If you enjoyed this article, I would be honored if you would share it on social media. 

Missed last week's article? Check it out here... Four Things That Impede our Spiritual Journey.

Interested in starting your own podcast? Click here to learn how.