Becoming A Follower Of Jesus Softcover

THIS SPIRITUAL GUIDE HELPS CHRISTIANS GAIN A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FOLLOWER OF Jesus Christ.Are you living a weak Christian life? Do you fail to connect with other believers and share life on mission? Who is mentoring you and who are you mentoring? Are you tired of saying prayers that go unanswered? Have you failed to read and apply the book that God wrote? Do you find it difficult to get the point when you read the Bible? Are you a good manager in the family business of God? In "Becoming a Follower of Jesus," author, pastor, and teaching chaplain James Kirkland provides a scripture-fueled guide to true discipleship and how to become a genuine follower of Jesus. Based on his own personal transformation, Kirkland helps you gain the knowledge and motivation to walk the walk you talk in a new and powerful way. He explains how to become a true disciple from the inside out. How disciples should do life together, like a family, with Jesus in missional community. How to pray effectively and study the Bible to get the point. And how to manage all of life as stewards of the things of God. Becoming a Follower of Jesus launches Christians on a life long journey of growth and transformed life. Learn about life, community, prayer, study, and management for Jesus. This new walk with Him will become more personal and powerful.

"Would people know I'm a Christian if they didn't see me at church?" This gut-check question was just what Jamie Snyder needed. Like many of us, he sensed his faith had become mechanical rather than meaningful, scheduled rather than passionate. Emboldened, Snyder set out to recapture the sold-out lifestyle of early followers of Jesus. Here he shares how to live the life Jesus desires of us, a life defined by Unbridled generosity Daring courage Rebellious joy Risky faith Relentless hope Scandalous grace Mad love Be challenged. Be encouraged. Be a 24/7 follower of Jesus. "This book will inspire you to take risks and step outside your comfort zone." --Kyle Idleman, author of Not a Fan

LEARNING TO FOLLOW JESUS will help you develop seven essential attributes of a disciple of Jesus Christ. You will learn how to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus by reading the Scripture passages, answering the questions, applying the attributes to your life, and sharing your journey with a spiritual coach.

Christian growth is a deeply personal and spiritual choice that recognizes our unending need for Jesus not only as Savior but also as LORD over our lives. That recognition sometimes comes after losing the things that seemed to matter most and humbly acknowledging before God that we need a new life and not just a better version of the old life, which produced little of lasting value. Discipleship is not and never can be a self-improvement program, because self is actually a big part of the problem. Transforming our lives is not something we can do; because even on our best days, our sin nature opposes such transformation. As the Apostle Paul said, "For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish" (Rom. 7: 19). Our only hope for real change resides in Jesus' assurance that "what is impossible for man is possible for God." Becoming a Disciple of Jesus provides a year in Christian growth composed of fifty-two weekly lessons that develop both our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with others through the works of faith which God has prepared for us. Each work of faith is accomplished by our belief in the Holy Spirit's ability to transform us into instruments of God's peace and love. Over time, this truth becomes both our heart's desire and a glorious reward as we gain freedom from the negative thought patterns and behaviors that previously governed our lives. Paradoxically, admitting the things we struggled with to God unleashes His healing presence at a deep heart level. As beings created in His image, we all resemble partially completed sculptures. God, the Master Sculptor, removes our undesirable traits so we can become complete as the persons He made us to be, able to use our God-given gifts to glorify Him as shining examples of His love.

If the Christian experience is dull, unfulfilling, or boring, then it's time to examine the statements of Jesus concerning discipleship. What the world needs more of today is Christians who are full of joy and completely fearless. That's a snapshot of a real disciple.

"Follow Me." Two of the most powerful and life-changing words to come from Jesus. Those who would accept this invitation would be known as His disciples. Today, Christians still place a lot of emphasis on the importance of becoming a disciple. But what is a disciple? What does a disciple do? What does discipleship look like in real life? Too often, the answers to these questions are assumed to be understood. As a result, although we make the choice to be a disciple, whether recently or years ago, we may not have a clue about what we are supposed to be doing. It doesn't have to be this way. God's Word is very clear and open about discipleship. Maybe you need to start with the basics-Discipleship 101. Perhaps you would like a refresher course. In this book, using Jesus' teachings and stories from the Bible, Pastor Bill leads you to a better understanding of what it means to be a disciple and how you can live as a follower of Jesus.

The book consists primarily of interviews between Strobel (a former legal editor at the Chicago Tribune) and biblical scholars such as Bruce Metzger. Each interview is based on a simple question, concerning historical evidence (for example, "Can the Biographies of Jesus Be Trusted?"), scientific evidence, ("Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?"), and "psychiatric evidence" ("Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?"). Together, these interviews compose a case brief defending Jesus' divinity, and urging readers to reach a verdict of their own.