Month: August 2015

29.7.15 – Introduction

– Apology
Scouting
4 week guarantee!
Audio-recording
Alert mind & open heart – take notes, revise, reflect, respond, share. Follow-up email.
Are you ready to focus on working with yourself?
Are you willing to change?

– Friendship with Wesley, Bermin

– What is theology?
Scripture + tradition/history + personal experience + reason + culture/church!

– My intro. – testimony

– My ministry ppt

– “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead (American cultural anthropologist & TV personality – 1901-1978)
“Do not be afraid, little flock,
for it is the Father’s good pleasure
to give you the Kingdom.” – Luke 12:32 (Jesus to the 12 disciples/apostles) – theme verse for SFG!

Homework: Brief Bio (in 1-3 sentences)
1. What kind of person am I?
2. What am I passionate about?
3. What is unique about me?
Please give your full name, age, church affiliation and marital status also.

– Definition:
What is spirituality or spiritual life/growth?

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5.8.15 – Clarifications, my testimony, Renovare

– Silence

– Request not to be biased based on presumptions & prejudices.
Allow me to speak uninterrupted for 25-30 min., note down your comments & doubts.
First observe & understand, only then evaluate & criticize!
Further discussion – before or after fellowship meetings…

– Sorry about Dmail.

– Sharing bios
Add marital status & church affiliation.

– Done homework?
Share reflections & responses (discuss on online/mobile forum?).

– Clarification regarding “being biblical”, “holiness”, etc.
Please be aware that your faith (theology & morality) is not formed directly or exclusively by Scripture (or Holy Spirit), but by your religious background (church denomination & leadership), family (childhood/upbringing), personality type, society/culture, education, books, sermons, etc. ALSO. That is why diversity within Christianity (need not cause conflict & division if dealt with maturely)! The inevitability of (subjective) interpretation!
Even Scripture is the (inspired) human record of divine encounters – from divine revelation to human language. Diversity of voices even within Scripture!

– My testimony.

– Renovare – Richard Foster’s vision – the 3 defects/needs in the contemporary church.

– Coming up:
Strategies for SFG, Renovare components, traditional streams & spirituality styles
Calling (vocational guidance – triangle model)

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– Give list of spiritual disciplines to Babu – send “Celebration of Discipline” book

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12.8.15 – Clarifications, Salvation/Gospel/Kingdom, Spirituality/Spiritual Formation

– Silence, homework, sharing

– My responsibility to share the Message in my heart rather than to tell you what you expect/want!

– What is “holiness”?
Gal. 5:22!
Fruit ~ outcome ~ result

– “Renovare” – 2Cor. 4:16b – continual renewal!

– What is salvation?
Eph. 2:8-9 – what is grace? What is faith?
Mk. 1:14-15 – what is repentance?
Shift in emphasis from Heaven/after-life/forgiveness of sins to Kingdom/abundant life/New Creation!

– Spiritual/Christian life – Renovare components

– Strategies for growth – 4 models

– Distinguish:
Theology (comprehensive)
&
Spirituality (personal)

– Discussion

– Prayer

– Next meeting – 19.8.15 – Calling/vocation

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12.8.15 – Clarifications, Salvation/Gospel/Kingdom, Spirituality/Spiritual Formation

– Silence, homework, sharing

– My responsibility to share the Message in my heart rather than to tell you what you expect/want!

– Our expectations & GOD’s redefinitions!
What is “holiness”?
Gal. 5:22!
Fruit ~ outcome ~ result

– “Renovare” – 2Cor. 4:16b – continual renewal!

– What is salvation?
Eph. 2:8-9 – what is grace? What is faith?
Mk. 1:14-15 – what is repentance?
Shift in emphasis from Heaven/after-life/forgiveness of sins to Kingdom/abundant life/New Creation!
The already/always and the coming/not yet – tension!
Acorn & oak
– Spiritual/Christian life – Renovare components

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– Strategies for growth – 4 models

– Distinguish:

Theology (comprehensive/universal)

&

Spirituality (partial/personal)

– Discussion

– Prayer

– Next meeting – 19.8.15 – Gospel of Grace, Calling/vocation

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19.8.15

– Please go through the recording & notes carefully, more than once, and reflect upon them to make specific, personal applications. If you do them, these meetings will definitely be fruitful for you!

– Distinguish:
Eternal life/reconciliation with GOD/forgiveness of sins (universalism)
&
Kingdom of GOD/New Creation/Heavenly City (it’s up to us to choose!)

– The CEO as father (personal/relational/civilian),
And the Father as CEO (professional/missional/military).
Getting out of the childish attitude, to the adult. Compulsion –> freedom –> impulsion!
GRACE – Accepting GOD’s already given acceptance!

– Major decisions & “GOD’s will”
Holy habits (lifestyle alteration)
vs.
Religious programs (accessory activities)
From a negative understanding of holiness to positive

– The prophet
&
The demoniac
Distinguish!
Mat. 4:3-10 + 5:21a,22a, 27a,28a, 33a,34a, 38a,39a, 43a,44a + 15:3,6,8
“It is written” – Devil; “It is written again” – Jesus
“You have heard it said”
Vs.
“But I say unto you!”

– Parable – Mat. 7:21-23 + 25:31-46 + Luk. 3:8
Religious identity (us knowing Him)
Vs.
Spiritual life (Him knowing us)

– Passages on listening to sermons/messages…

Our interaction with Scripture

Mat. 13:10-15 (NET)
Then the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘ You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely  yet will never comprehend .  For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them . ’

Mark 4:14-20:
“The sower sows the Word.
And these are those by the wayside where the Word is sown. And when they hear,
Satan comes at once and takes away the Word having been sown in their hearts.
And likewise, these are the ones having been sown on the rocky places, who, when
they hear the Word, they immediately receive it with joy, yet they have no root in
themselves, but are temporary. Then trouble or persecution having occurred through
the Word, immediately they are offended.
These are those being sown into the thorn bushes, those hearing the Word,
and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts about other
things entering in, they choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.
And these are those being sown on the good ground, who hear and welcome the Word
and bring forth fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundredfold.”

Mark 4:23-25 (NLT):
“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand (If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear)! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand – and even more besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.”

John 13:17
“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

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