Discipleship is all the rage today.
Some of the pop-stars in the evangelical world have sold best-selling books on the subject.
But there’s something missing in virtually all of these books.
And, ironically, the missing ingredient is the core of discipleship itself.
The message of most of these books is simply: “Pray, read the Bible, go to church, tithe, witness, and do your best to do what Jesus said to do.”
And then . . . “disciple others by teaching them to do these same things.”
But is that what the New Testament envisions for the life of a disciple? Is that what we see in the apostles and the early Christians?
Discipleship According to the New Testament
Well, let’s take each point one by one:
Pray – yes, the early Christians prayed, but not like we do. They understood the highest form of prayer to be fellowship, a two-way communication.
Read the Bible – the early disciples didn’t have Bibles. The Old Testament was virtually inaccessible and the New Testament hadn’t been written. (When Paul’s letters and the Gospels were written, they were circulated. But there were no printing presses in those days, so they were scarce. And most of the early Christians couldn’t read or write.)
The Jewish Christians certainly heard the Scriptures read in the synagogue from childhood and they had outstanding memories. And when the apostles came around, the Christians heard the preaching of the Word.
But their encounters with the Word of God were much more than learning the written Scriptures, which they learned orally. There was something else involved.
Tithe – the early Christians didn’t tithe until well after the death of the apostles. They gave, but they didn’t follow Israel’s income tax system (which was actually more than 10%).
Go to church – the early Christians didn’t “go to church.” They were the church and they gathered regularly, living as a shared-life community.
Witness – the early Christians witnessed to the life of Christ by their deeds. And the apostles and evangelists proclaimed the gospel in different parts. But there was no evangelistic program that the early believers obsessed over. They certainly shared their faith by the leading of the Spirit, but their lives were epistles written by God’s Spirit.
Do your best to do what Jesus said – the early believers didn’t take the words of Jesus like they took the Old Testament Law, in a legal way, trying to fulfill His words in their own power and strength. There was something else at work.
Consequently, there is a MISSING INGREDIENT in discipleship today that answers the question of how to become like Jesus.
I’ve offered solutions to common problems in Christian growth and discipleship in the following FREE resources:
1. Epic Jesus: The Christ You Never Knew – This is the Introduction to my new online discipleship course.
This message does the following:
a. explains how Paul dealt with lukewarmness and church problems. And why we should do the same.
b. how to ignite love for the Lord in a believer’s heart who has lost their first love.
c. identifies the missing ingredient to modern-day discipleship.
Click here to listen to the message for free.
2. My free eBook Discipleship in Crisis.
The missing ingredient of discipleship today is learning how to live by the indwelling life of Christ.
This reality is all over the New Testament. In fact, it’s the kernel of New Covenant revelation.
Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Not I, but Christ lives in me.
Frank Viola
Psalm 115:1
Introducing a new online discipleship training course!
Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ
This course is designed to help Christians develop and grow in their spiritual life. Specifically, the course expands our understanding of what it means for Christ to live in us by the Spirit, and more importantly, it explains how to live by His life.
“Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ by Frank Viola is more than study, more than facts, more than crossing off your spiritual to do list. It’s the absolutely stunning life of Jesus imparted to you. If your heart’s felt stale and you’ve lost your passion for life and Jesus, dive into this study and experience the renewal that only comes by encountering Jesus face to face.” ~ Mary DeMuth, author of The Wall Around Your Heart
“I’ve listened to enough of this course to tell you that Frank presents a beautiful and compelling vision of what it means to live in Christ while insightfully addressing one of the most significant challenges that confronts contemporary disciples: namely, the challenge of learning how to grow in Christ, not by relying on our own self-effort, but by yielding to the life of Christ within us while growing in the truth of who we already are in him. And it’s a course that is as practically orientated as it is theologically informative. Judging from everything I’ve heard about it, people have found this course to be incredibly powerful, and in some cases, absolutely life-changing! ~ Greg Boyd, author of The Myth of a Christian Nation
“Ever been frustrated trying to live the Christian life? Check out this great new resource by my friend Frank Viola.” ~ Tommy Tenney, author of The God Chasers
“When I read the accounts of Christ’s life on earth, and I compare those accounts to my own, I realize I need to close in on the target. So how do we live out the life of Christ? I am finding at least some of the answers in a new discipleship course which was created by my friend Frank Viola. I recommend getting this resource. If you are looking for a closer walk with the Lord, I believe it will help.” ~ Ray Edwards, best-selling author and copywriter
“I heard all the messages for this course live and I recommend them to all organic churches and individual Christians who want to go deeper in the Lord.” ~ Milt Rodriguez, church planter and author.
A New Kind of Discipleship Training
You won’t receive “discipleship emails” or piece of the course in installments. Instead, once you register, you get complete access to the entire course. And you can work through it at your own pace.
Being a Disciple Today
Following Jesus today means following His Spirit. Or to put it another way, following His indwelling life.
Those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God.
Disciples, in the New Testament, were apprentices. They learned the Jesus way. It wasn’t just learning a set of teachings; it was learning a way of life.
For this reason, the early Christian faith was called “The Way” in the book of Acts.
And “The Way” is a Person. Jesus of Nazareth, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Discipleship according to Jesus is learning to live by Him . . . that is, by His indwelling life.
As the Father has sent me and I live by the Father, so the one who consumes me shall live by me.
The Online Discipleship Course is a new and exciting resource that offers valuable ministry on the life of Jesus Christ, as He is today.
The course looks at how to live by Him in our 21st-century world.
It’s very practical, showing you step-by-step how to live by the real Tree of Life vs. the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (what many Christians eat from today).
Who Is The Discipleship Training Course For?
The online discipleship course is for all serious Christians who wish to be trained in following the indwelling life of Christ.
It’s for churches that wish to journey together in this pursuit.
It’s for pastors and teachers who wish to learn how to live by Christ so they can pass these practical things on to those to whom they serve.
The discipleship course is individual and/or relational.
You can go through it with a partner, a small group, a church, or by yourself.
It’s not just aimed at your head, but your heart and spirit.
Each session has a practical assignment designed to put you into the experience of what’s taught.
This is what’s missing in much of Christianity today. We have our notebooks full, but very few practical handles to experience what we have in our notebooks.
Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The Struggle of Living the Christian Life
Many Christians know from experience how frustrating it can be trying to live the Christian life. In fact, it’s humanly impossible to live such a life.
The secret to living the Christian life can be juiced down to one statement: Not I but Christ.
But how?
What are the practical handles that enable us to live by Christ?
What is the switch that allows Him to live His life through us?
Best-selling author Frank Viola’s new course – Living by the Indwelling Life of Christ – is a 10 session audio program. It also includes a 40 page digital workbook and a bonus eBook.
This image is for illustration purposes only.This product is a digital download not a physical product,giving you immediate access to the content. There are no physical CDs or physical books.
“These messages were completely life-changing and something that I had never heard before. I was utterly elated to hear Frank share from the Scriptures that we can live by Christ’s own eternal life. Not only is it possible, but it can be achieved today. Thank God that He literally dwells in each believer, and that apart from Him we can truly do nothing!” ~ Jason Pranger
Biblical, Practical, Experiential
This discipleship training course blends sound Scriptural teaching with practical exercises that have come out of real-life experience.
This image is for illustration purposes only.This product is a digital download not a physical product,giving you immediate access to the content.
Course Content
The course is made up of 10 audio messages containing almost 9 hours of in-depth instruction.
Overview: Personal welcome and course overview. 15 minutes.
Message 1: Introduction to living by the Lord’s indwelling life in the Gospel of John. A look at how Jesus lived by His Father’s indwelling life. 57 minutes.
Message 2: Regeneration, the consciousness of divine life, and the five spiritual senses. Practical instruction on all of these themes. 45 minutes.
Message 3: The nature of divine life in Galatians. Underscores what Galatians teaches us about how to live by Christ practically today. 51 minutes.
Message 4: The fruit of the Spirit vs. the works of the flesh. The nature of divine life in 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians. Underscores what 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians teach us about how to live by Christ practically today. 69 minutes.
Message 5: The nature of divine life in 2 Corinthians. Underscores what 2 Corinthians teaches us about how to live by Christ practically today. 63 minutes.
Message 6: The nature of divine life in Romans. Underscores what Romans teaches us about how to live by Christ practically today. 61 minutes.
Message 7: The nature of divine life in Colossians and Ephesians. Underscores what Colossians and Ephesians teach us about how to live by Christ practically today. 73 minutes.
Message 8: The nature of divine life in Philippians. Underscores what Philippians teaches us about how to live by Christ practically today. 49 minutes.
Message 9: Concluding thoughts in the Gospel of John. A re-look at the way Jesus lived the Christian life and how this applies to us today. 42 minutes.
You have access to the entire course at all times. So you can go through the messages at your own pace any time you wish.
Those of you who know Frank Viola’s work are aware that he loves to give away valuable resources. For example . . .
* You can access his over 120 audio messages for free.
* You can read his over 900 articles for free.
* You can get his book Rethinking the Will of God (Revised) for free.
* You can get his Next Reformation Seminar for free.
Frank’s new course is not free, however. There is a one-time charge because it required money and many hours of labor over several years to create. Yet the price for the course is far lower than any other online course of the same quality — including online seminary courses.
The price of the discipleship course includes the following:
* The 10 audio messages containing almost 9 hours of in-depth teaching. (All the messages are digital and you can access them immediately.)
* The 40 page workbook containing text, supplemental resources, and action plans. (The workbook is also digital.)
* A special access page to interact with Frank about the content once you finish the course.
* Frank’s digital eBook When the Pages Are Blank: How to Bring the Bible Back to Life.
*You have access to the entire course at all times and can work through it at your own pace.
Sample the Course – Two Free Sessions
* Listen to the first message of the course for free.
* Listen to the Introduction to the course for free. It’s called Epic Jesus: The Christ You Never Knew. This course makes this conference message practical.
Click the button below to get the course.
Update: The course is also available as a physical product called “The Home Edition.”
Go here to get on the Waiting List for the next time the course opens
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