Foundations - Session 1

At our church we are teaching a group class called ‘Foundations’ that is designed to help people pursue becoming more like Christ. This is the outline I put together for the first session. The outline is from the book ‘Fully Devoted: living each day in Jesus’ name’ but also included are some comments by me. I think this simplifies as well as adds some things to the book. Becoming like Christ requires us to make a continuous effort and this is identified in the Ten Core Values section.

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Summary of Main Points from Sunday Foundations Class

Book used for this class is: ‘Fully Devoted: living each day in Jesus’ name’ by John Ortberg et al.

Sections from the book used for this summary Include

·         Pursuing Spiritual Transformation - p7

·         Ten Core Values - p9

·         Fully Devoted: Living Each Day in Jesus’ Name – p11

·         Session One – What is true Spirituality? – p13

What is Spiritual Transformation?

Being transformed into likeness of Christ (Internal change leads to external change)

Order your way of life in such a way that you stay connected to Christ – Thinking as He thought, Speaking as He spoke and Walking as He walked

 To become more like Christ

Practice (Bible Reading, Prayer, Meditation, Church attendance, etc. – a/k/a the Disciplines), experience and relationships (group and /or one-on-one) help you live intimately with Christ  

Supreme diagnostic (Ask yourself)

Are you becoming more like Christ – more loving toward God and others?

Are the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) beginning to be exhibited in your life and are you ‘making every effort’ to add to your faith the ‘add to’s’ (2Peter 1:5-11) as a way to make that determination

Question to ask yourself and answer daily

How is your Spiritual Life?

(See Supreme Diagnostic above)

If your heart isn’t changing (toward God and others), you will look for more superficial and visible ways (external things) of demonstrating that you are spiritual (like the Pharisees in Luke 11:37-54), such as:

Bragging about how much we know

Thinking we need to be immersed in many spiritual practices

Looking down on people who (we think) are not working as hard as we are

Focusing on outward behaviors – things that people can see

The book (‘Fully Devoted’) is presented as a tool by Ortberg et al (with the 5 G’s Framework of Grace, Growth, Groups, Gifts and Giving) that will work like a Doctor to:

Help diagnose your Spiritual condition

Then prescribe the practices, experiences and relationships you need to make progress

 Your responsibility each week, as a participant, for each session as identified in the book

Complete the exercises

Do the Bible Study

Complete the Spiritual Exercises

Be willing to join in the discussion – with questions or disagreements

Listen attentively

Don’t dominate the discussion

Review the story of Hank – (does this describe you or someone you know?) These are the highlights

He attended church a long time

He wasn’t changing or being transformed

No one in church was

Surprised

Expected Hank to change

Surprised when he didn’t change

Other expectations of the church (Can these expectations alone identified below really change someone to become like Christ?)

Attend services

Read the Bible

Affirm right beliefs

Give money

Do church work

Volunteer

I think without having a desire of wanting to become like Christ and a hunger to know Christ it is hard to love God and love others. It involves internal change (heart change) not just external change or actions. See reference above to the Fruit of the Spirit and the Add to’s.