Probably the biggest bombshell Supreme Court decisions in the last number of years is the overturning of Roe v. Wade last summer. For pro-life evangelical Christians, this was a welcome victory in a 49-year battle, and there has been much celebration.

Unsurprisingly, there has been some major blowback, including some directed at pro-life evangelicals, accusing them of only caring about birth, and not caring about the mother or the circumstances around the possible abortion.

And while that is undoubtedly true of some, I don’t believe that’s the case for the majority. Most Christians I know care deeply about the mother, and want to help as much as possible.

The question we have to deal with is this: How do we tangibly step into caring for those who would have considered abortion and now can’t because of the law?

First we need to recognize that the decision did not outlaw abortion. The decision gives states the right to determine their own abortion laws.

While this makes abortion very restricted in some states (my own state of South Dakota now only allows abortion if the life of the mother is at stake), it will become even more available in some other states.

Pro-life people rejoiced and celebrated the victory they have fought for since the original decision in January of 1973. On the other hand, the reactions from the pro-choice side have been angry, apocalyptic, and some on the pro-life side have been threatened.

The posts on my own FB page have shown these two reactions. Those rejoicing in the decision are, thankfully, not gloating. Those upset with the decision, however, are posting angry and fearful words and memes about how people need to mind their own business and stay away from their bodies, since they feel abortion should only be a decision the mother should ultimately make.

They say politicians should not be making decisions regarding abortion. However, this whole thing has played out in the political arena – in the state and national legislatures, and in the courts, made up of political appointees and officials elected by the political process.

We are told that people without vaginas should have no say about abortion. But the Supreme Court in 1973 was ALL men. And what about men who are pro-choice? Certainly you wouldn’t silence them, right? And women who are pro-life would want the support of their men as much or more as pro-choice women would want the support of their men.

What about in the case of rape and incest? Why should a woman or young girl be punished by carrying this daily/hourly reminder of a horrible, traumatic incident?

There are no easy answers to these. And the quick pat answers of some in the pro-life camp are less than helpful. In my own experience, I can point to two women I personally know who became pregnant after a date rape, and not only carried the child, but raised them. I’ve read about another woman who was violently raped by a person of another color, with the child being of that same color, being raised in the woman’s family with her husband and other children.

But obviously, I am in no position to say I can relate to the trauma of rape and having to make a decision about the child, who, just as obviously, had no choice in his/her conception.

My only goal in this post is to help Christians show tangible love and understanding to those who disagree and to those who face an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy.

On a broader level, our interactions need to reflect the love, grace, and peace of Jesus. When talking, posting, etc., our speech needs to be gracious, truthful, and loving. It shouldn’t be snarky, sarcastic, condescending, or mean. There is no place for gloating. Also, we are not to respond in kind to those who treat us badly or say untrue things about us or the pro-life movement.

On a more personal level, there are a number of things we can do. But the main thing is that we need to get past words. 1 John 3:18 says –

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

How can Christians tangibly show the love of Jesus to those who disagree and especially to women with unplanned and unwanted pregnancies?

1. Start with listening.

I hate to break it to you, but chances are slim that you have all the answers to every situation. And unless you are a woman who is facing an unplanned pregnancy, your ability to relate is pretty limited.

As we discussed in the podcast, there are myriads of reasons women seek abortion: economic pressures (especially in poorer areas), family pressure to terminate (including the husband/boyfriend), shame about getting pregnant, rape, incest, or whatever. Don’t assume everyone who looks to abortion is just a cold-hearted meanie-head that is more concerned with her personal freedom than the life of the baby.

Listen to the stories and try to empathize. Even if you aren’t able to convince the woman to keep the baby through birth, you will at least learn the backstory.

2. Get involved with your local crisis pregnancy center.

Learn what it means to tangibly love someone who is scared or even angry about their pregnancy, and needs loving support in the name of Jesus.

3. Be willing to materially help someone with the needs associated with pregnancy.

Things like rides to the doctor’s office, picking up groceries, cooking some meals, babysitting the other kids, meals at YOUR house, buying clothes and food for the baby – and toys and such for the other kids who might feel ignored.

4. Celebrate the life of the baby.

Even if you’re not in favor of how the conception happened, you can still celebrate the new life. Pray for mom and the baby throughout the pregnancy. Encourage and show your love for them.

5. Get involved in foster care and adoption. 

If there was ever a place in society where we need more Jesus-loving people, it’s the foster care system. You can show the love of Jesus to hurting, traumatized children who are in a world of confusion and pain. Yes, it hurts to give them back, but it’s not about you – it’s about them. Even short-term placements give you the opportunity to be Jesus to these kids, who may never get another real exposure to Him.

My wife and I have fostered dozens of children during our 15 years as foster parents. Some of those kids still connect with us on occasion, and it’s great to hear that their experience in our house was a bright spot for them. In addition, we have adopted 7 kids from foster care, including 5 bi-racial children. Maybe in a future episode/blog post I will tell you the stories of how we came to adopt our kids.

6. Continue to pray. 

Pray that God would move in the hearts of pro-choice people, the hearts of men to take responsibility for the baby and mother’s welfare, and the abortion industry to focus on care, not termination.

7. Refuse to respond in anger to those who accuse you of not caring for women.

The vast majority of these folks are deeply concerned about health care for women, even if we don’t see abortion as health care. Their anger is born out of their perception that women will be harmed by new restrictions.

Understanding that will go a long way to help you respond in a caring way, even in deep disagreement.

Folks, we have an unprecedented opportunity to display the love and compassion of Christ to people who believe we have neither. Let’s show them that followers of Christ are compelled to show love in every situation.

The post Episodes 4 & 5 – The Overturning of Roe v. Wade appeared first on Discipleship DNA.

Today I want us to look at something that is of utmost importance for evangelicals to grasp and make a foundational principle in every area of our lives, but particularly when it comes to interacting about politics, social issues, and even theology.

It’s the fact that SCRIPTURE has to be our filter and our guide. In doing so I want to look specifically at three ways that can happen. There are more ways to be sure, but because of space, time, and caffeine levels, I’ll stop at three…

Why is this so important?

First, because I see way too many Christians decide something is true just because they see it on Facebook or X, especially if it’s about their least-favorite politician or political figure. Oftentimes, what they’re seeing and forwarding is filled with half-truths, errors, and even blatant lies.

Here’s a hard truth: when Christians pass this stuff on, we are literally aiding the enemy – Satan, the father of lies – instead of Jesus, who said that He is the truth itself.

I don’t know about you, but I cringe when I see things posted on Facebook and X that I know for a fact aren’t true, and that literally 2 minutes of research will show. I see accusations and insinuations from Christians that are untrue or based on errant information, but they are passed on as true.

Sometimes they are mistakes made by well-meaning Christians who honestly believe what they’re passing on without checking it out. Been there, done that, and know that embarrassment. But even in that case, Christians need to be much more diligent in checking things out before passing them forward.

As we talked about last time, we are COMMANDED by Scripture to be discerning and to speak truth – and to speak it in love. When we neglect this we are doing a major disservice to the Scriptures, Jesus, and the people reading your posts.

Second, because Jesus is truth. When we spread misinformation, whether mistakenly or on purpose because you think it serves the greater good, you are working against the character of the one you claim to love and follow.

Can you see the contradiction in that? Can you see how that would make you appear unChristlike and take away any credibility you have when it comes to the things of God? Can you see how people would be uninterested about anything you have to say when it comes to sharing the good news of Jesus with them?

That’s why this is so important. Now let’s look at how the Scripture can be our filter and guide.

1. Scripture is the filter for truth.

What do I mean by that?

• If someone makes a claim regarding the things of God, the Scriptures, Christianity, or whatever, we can look to the Scriptures to find a solid, biblical answer.

“Jesus says…” Really? Show me.

“Christians should believe…” Really? Show me where we’re supposed to believe that.

“God wouldn’t do that or say that.” Really? What Scripture do you base that on?

I expect people who don’t follow Jesus to make statements about God, Jesus, and the Scriptures that are in error, because most simply don’t have the exposure to the Scriptures that followers of Jesus do, and they don’t have the Holy Spirit living in them to help them learn and discern truth through the lens of Scripture.

But when supposedly mature followers of Jesus are making such statements, it’s a cause for concern.

• Just like a water filter cleans out the impurities in the water, Scripture can help us reject error and even call it out when appropriate.

Here’s a silly example, then I’ll go on to a more serious one.

We have all seen Facebook memes that show a picture of Jesus saying, “My people will pass this on, but those who don’t love me will keep scrolling.”

False, right?

Or the posts that say if you’re not ashamed of Jesus you’ll paste this post on your wall.

So because I don’t obey guilt-laden Facebook posts, I’m someone who doesn’t love or follow Jesus? I don’t think you’ll find any Scripture rightly handled that supports either of those.

Here’s a more serious example: If you’re a Christian, you’ll vote Republican, because the Democrat party supports abortion on demand.

First of all, nothing in Scripture supports such a notion. And second, did you know there is a very vocal group within the Democrat party that is solidly and vocally pro-life? Some of these are born-again evangelical believers who agree with Democrat stances on most things, but disagree vehemently about abortion on demand.

Second, polls show that approximately 90% of Black Evangelicals vote Democrat! There are numerous reasons for this, according to people who actually research this stuff. Are you ready to say that all these people are not believers and followers of Jesus because they vote blue instead of red? I can guarantee that there are some of these people who think you can’t be a Christian and vote Republican. And while that is just as wrong, you might find it instructive to find out why they believe that.

2. Scripture is the guide for how we respond to and treat others.

Even if Scripture isn’t clear about a specific issue, it is VERY clear about how we

interact with people, including people we disagree with vehemently. For instance:

• Scripture says we are to gently teach those who oppose you. (2 Timothy 2:23-26)
• Speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)
• Speak to win the person rather than the argument. (While there is not a specific Scripture passage referring to this, it is apparent through the Gospels that this was the model of Jesus.)

3. Scripture is the guide for how we pray about what’s going on.

• Panic that the world is going to hell and we’re going to “lose” America if this person is elected is not a “faith-full” response. God is in control, and as we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, we can rest assured of His care and provision.
• Trust that God is sovereign and His plans will go forward regardless of who is in the White House is much better (Isaiah 40, anyone?).
• Prayer “for” or “against” a certain president or policy. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) You’ll have a hard time convincing me that Jesus wants us to pray for the death of a leader or other public servant – especially given the fact that when Paul wrote this, Nero was the emperor and was putting Christians to death left and right. Oh yeah – he killed Peter. And Paul…

Making sure the Scriptures are your filter and guide is so important because with all the voices calling out, we need to be people who listen to the voice of God above all else, no matter who the other voices are and no matter how well-intentioned they are.

People need to hear the truth of GOD above the noise of the politicians and special-interest groups. And Scripture is the primary source of the truth of God.

2 Questions: 

What if your idea of what God says is different from someone else’s? 

First, determine if the both of you are getting your positions from actually reading and studying Scripture or if it’s from your favorite preacher/teacher/politician who you WANT to be right… If you honestly come to your positions, then fine. If the other person honestly came to their positions, then you need to respect the fact that people who love Jesus and love the Scriptures can come to different conclusions about stuff – even important stuff.

What do we do if we find out something we said or posted was wrong?

• Remove the post.

You don’t want the wrong information to continue circulating, so delete it wherever possible.

• Set the record straight.

Put out a new post that references the deleted one, describing the false information, what makes it false, and giving the correct information.

• Commit to being more diligent.

Decide never to be suckered in by false information. Commit to actually taking the time to research something before posting it. Be VERY careful to not post anything you can’t verify. It generally takes very little time to make sure you’re being accurate.

• Alternatively, simply edit the original post with an explanation that the information in the post is erroneous, and that this edit describes the error and how it is incorrect.

How do we really get to the point where we filter everything through Scripture?

Surprise! Read, listen, study, meditate, and apply the Scriptures.

I know – you’ve heard all that in Sunday School and church. And with good reason: it’s true. Time in the Scriptures is THE way to develop this skill. Not to mention what it does to develop your character in Christlikeness, right?

Also meeting with other believers to help you do these better helps (iron sharpens iron).

And then there’s good old-fashioned prayer that God gives you the discernment to see things clearly and can respond in a Christlike manner.

One last thing: make Scripture the default, not the back-up. Go to Scripture first, not last.

Be wise, people!

The post Episode 3 – Scripture is the Filter and Guide appeared first on Discipleship DNA.

Sorry for ending the sentence with a preposition, but I thought “Becoming a person to whom others listen” sounded kinda high-falootin’ and might not really communicate what I was hoping… I promise to try and get gooder at this down the road…

We want to be people who can influence others with our opinions, beliefs, and convictions. That’s why we write letters to the editor, leave comments on websites, and put stuff on social media.

But sometimes (most of the time?), we might as well be talking to a wall because no one seems to be responding with “Oh WOW – I never thought of it that way. I’m changing my complete perspective right now based solely on the wisdom displayed in that political cartoon lampooning Kamala Harris. Thank you so much!”

In this episode, Josh and I discuss how to become people others listen to and consider when it comes to important stuff, whether that’s politics, faith, or whatever you find yourself discussing with others.

Some of this might sound familiar from the last episode, because we talked a little bit about some of these things, but today we get to go a little deeper on some of them.

Be discerning.

In other words, don’t believe everything you see, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET.

Take the time to actually see if what you’re reading/hearing is actually from a reliable source – and we don’t mean just your Facebook friend. Just because a friend passes something on doesn’t mean it’s automatically factually correct.

I’ve been called out on this, and it’s embarrassing to find out you’ve been duped because your well-meaning friend posted something that was actually false.

And related to that, don’t post it unless you can verify it. Again, it’s no fun being called out for passing along false information.

Christians are COMMANDED by God to be discerning. When we aren’t, we show a level of gullibility that has no business among God’s people.

In the last episode I mentioned Proctor and Gamble. There are also fake liberal sites meant to trick conservatives. In other words, they post made-up stories to see how many conservatives simply copy and paste instead of researching whether or not it’s true.

We can’t be doing that, folks. It’s foolish, and casts a bad look on Jesus and His Church around the US and the world.

Respond instead of reacting.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, says in his letter that we are to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19-20)

I honestly think that if more Christians would take that passage seriously, we’d go a long way to busting the negative stereotypes of Christians and actually being positive influences for Christ.

This means taking time to digest what you’re taking in, considering the sources, whether or not it’s true, and whether or not it’s actually useful or edifying to people, especially anyone you want to share it with.

It also means taking time to thoughtfully craft a response that is pertinent to whatever it is – in other words addresses the actual issue being brought up – and shows you’ve actually made the effort to understand before responding.

You might need to wait a day or two or more to digest and craft a response. You might need to wait a week or two. The world won’t end if you don’t get your response out right away. Take the time necessary to get past the initial emotional response and talking point rebuttals. Your impact will be greater because you will have shown that you are more thoughtful than the average evangelical bear…

And guess what? This might actually mean NOT responding.

News flash: you don’t have to respond to everything you see, read, or hear, especially on your social media feeds.

Display a willingness to learn.

Here’s another news flash: the person you’re arguing with might actually have a better grasp on an issue than you!

When I joined the staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, I learned very quickly that not everyone – and not every Christian or Christian leader viewed things through my upper midwest white conservative theological, social, and political lens. That was a huge wake-up call for me. It really forced me to think about WHY I believed things, and HOW I came to believe them, particularly in the social and political realms.

I found out that people can be conservative in their theology and yet have what would be considered liberal positions socially and politically, at least in this very “red” part of the USA.

I had to learn that there are people who love Jesus and the Scriptures every bit as much as I do – maybe even more – but would vote completely differently than I would. That was hard for me to swallow, and I still struggle with some of that.

But as we talked about in the last episode, we also need to recognize that our experiences don’t necessarily translate to other areas of the country and the situations faced there.

We need to be willing to learn, even from sources we disagree with.

I like the way our local newspaper carries columns from both liberal and conservative voices. I try to intentionally read those from the liberals so I can learn where they’re coming from, even if I never agree with them.

In a future episode, we’re going to discuss the value of reading and learning from those you disagree with, but let me encourage you to do it. It’s hard at times, but you might even find something you DO agree with (gasp!).

Be willing to listen and learn, even when it’s difficult to hear. It’s a sign of maturity that you can wade into uncomfortable settings to better understand something.

Learn to communicate in ways that show you care.

Christians shouldn’t be known for ranting. Scripture says we’re supposed to GENTLY INSTRUCT those who oppose us.

No one is willing to learn from someone who rants. But many are willing to listen to someone who knows how to communicate in a civil, grown-up manner.

When someone is yelling about how wrong they think I am about something, I automatically shut them out. I think most people do. But there have been instances where I’ve been shown to be in error or just when I’ve been asked to consider a different viewpoint – and I do, simply because the person I’m talking to is talking like a grown-up and not a spoiled toddler.

Those are just some thoughts running through my brain as I think through the interactions I’ve had with people over the years, especially about political stuff.

And the thing is, many Christians don’t do this stuff. They blindly believe whatever their favorite president/preacher/teacher says about things without bothering to check out whether it’s true or not, or whether or not it’s even worth wasting their time about.

Folks, don’t follow that pattern. Show that you’re not going to let Facebook or your political party do your thinking and speaking for you. You’re better than that.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit to help you become more discerning, caring, and more Christlike in how you communicate and interact with people.

Let Him speak to you through the Scriptures to transform you to be more like Jesus – and watch what He does to help you become someone others will listen to. Ask Him to display His fruit in every area of your life, and especially when trying to influence others. If the fruit is not evident in your responses, you need to step away.

Be intentional about becoming someone others listen to – even if they disagree.

The post Podcast Episode 2 – Becoming Someone Others Listen To appeared first on Discipleship DNA.

So why would we think that adding ONE MORE will make a difference? It’s not like there aren’t other podcasts doing what we are – and you’re busy; just like everyone else, right?

I had broached this idea with my friend, marketing dude for DiscipleshipDNA, and eventual co-host, Josh Latterell. Josh is the kind of guy who will give honest and gracious feedback about stuff, so I thought I’d talk to him first to see if I would just be embarrassing myself and hurting the cause of Christ by pursuing this. But alas, he ENCOURAGED the idea, so we moved forward. It took months for us to get our ducks (and schedules) in a row, but now we’re up and running, and generally having a blast.

If I had know then that there are close to 5 million podcasts, I might have been more hesitant, but sometimes ignorance is bliss, right? So in spite of there being a bajillion podcasts out there…

Here are 4 Reasons We’re Doing This Podcast:

1. Because we can. Podcasting is easy and relatively cheap. Anyone can start a podcast and have it up and running on a number of different platforms quickly.

2. Because of who we’re trying to reach. We’re not trying to reach everyone. We’re mainly trying to reach conservative evangelical Christians who would consider themselves Boomers or Busters.

We obviously want to reach others – younger conservative evangelicals, as well as others who wouldn’t consider themselves conservative, evangelical, or Christian, but would like to hear from people who don’t fit the stereotypes associated with those labels.

3. Some might find that this resource “fits” them better than other podcasts.

For instance, there are a number of podcasts doing what we’re doing, but I prefer some over others. Right now, my favorite podcast in this particular vein is The Holy Post with Phil Vischer and Skye Jethani. Their conversations about evangelicals, faith, politics, and how Christians interact with those outside of the faith is awesome. Their style of conversation is refreshing – very conversational. And, I’ve been accused of sounding like Bob the Tomato and Dad Asparagus over the years… Others include Unbelievable? and Truth Over Tribe.

My favorite podcast regarding the importance of integrating a relationship with Christ with our work is Mere Christians with Jordan Raynor. And my favorite podcaster regarding how to have an excellent online presence and business is Graham Cochrane.

There are other evangelical Christians making podcasts in each of these areas, but I relate best to these currently. It’s possible that Living Beyond Your Memes will relate to some better than others, so I want to be available for that, if that makes sense.

4. We believe this podcast can be a positive voice for conservative evangelicals who truly want to make a lasting impact for Christ, especially here in the US. I think the principles and stuff can be applied elsewhere, but the focus will be the US.

The Big Idea here: Evangelicals need to bust out of the negative stereotypes.

Many people see evangelicals as mind-numbed Republicans who blindly follow President Trump and can’t think for themselves.

I obviously think it’s inaccurate to paint all evangelicals with that brush, but truth be told, I know some of these people! These are born-again evangelical Christians who love Jesus, are active in their churches, and want other people to find Jesus – but for whom President Trump can do no wrong, whose re-election was hindered by the dark forces of the Democrats, and for whom President Biden can do no right.

And don’t even get them started on Covid and the evil Democrat vaccines!

It breaks my heart to hear these friends of mine talk like this, and it displays, in my opinion, a decided lack of faith in the God of Scripture and almost total faith in the Republican party.

I’m not anti-Republican. (Full disclosure: I’m a registered Independent who generally votes Republican) I just don’t like some of what I see in terms of some evangelicals’ fervent belief that the US and the world are ending if the “wrong” candidate is elected, in spite of God’s assurances that HIS will will be accomplished no matter who is leading ANY country.

So how does that relate to what we’re trying to accomplish with this podcast?

Simply that we want to be a voice that challenges those who live up to the stereotypes to be people who put Scripture above political rhetoric, who put biblical love above division, who put love of Christ above love of party.

I talk as someone who had to be brought kicking and screaming out of this myself.

I’ve been thinking that if I had to boil this podcast down to the basics of what we’re hoping to accomplish, I came up with 7 words that will give the direction of where we’re headed.

• Discerning

In other words, people who can tell the difference between fact and fiction.

A lot of the panic that comes to Christians is due to blind acceptance of whatever we’re told, especially if it’s the “they are out to get us” rhetoric. Or the “Satanists are out to take over with the money they make when you buy Proctor & Gamble products.”

• Reasoned

Being people who come to conclusions based on an actual thought process and research.

• Reasonable

Being able to COMMUNICATE their conclusions in a calm, civil manner, and be willing to listen with an open mind and heart to those who disagree.

• Understanding

Getting the fact that people with different beliefs, opinions, and convictions can care just as deeply about something.

• Loving

Especially toward enemies – or as Josh points out so well, our opponents. Here in the US we are not in danger of losing our lives, being arrested, etc., as Jesus and His followers were in their time (and as some face in different places around the world). If someone disagrees with us about something, it does not necessarily mean they are an enemy – it makes them an opponent.

• Compassionate

Not just filled with pity, but moved to ACT toward those outside of their political, social, economic, health, and lifestyle, for THEIR sake (Philippians 2:3-4), not for the sake of winning an argument.

• Christlike

This is really the bottom-line. We need to be Christlike in how we live, work, play, and interact with the world around us.

We can all think of people who call themselves Christians but don’t live and act like He did, or only obey Jesus when it’s convenient.

That’s been me more often than I know or care to admit. And quite frankly, that is one of the driving forces for me in this whole deal. I recognize myself in the concerns we address and want others to avoid or get out of the pitfalls that come with that.

This podcast is meant to not only encourage you to Christlikeness, but give you some practical insight on how that looks and acts in the real world.

We’ll have some fun along the way. We’ll laugh together, maybe tell some embarrassing stories about ourselves, and I’m pretty sure we’ll throw in the occasional dad joke. And you can be guaranteed a Chuck Norris fact or two.

If you’d like to chime in about the episodes, comment on what you hear or read, offer suggestions (graciously, of course!!!), ideas for episodes, etc., we’d love to hear from you. If the platform you’re listening to allows, you can leave comments there. Or you can go to our Facebook page here.

God bless!!

The post Podcast Episode 1: What Are We Trying to Accomplish with the Podcast? appeared first on Discipleship DNA.

So below are some ways you can encourage mature in their Bible reading. Oh – and these would also be great ways for YOU to mature in your reading.

Two things very quickly: (a.) I’m not going to discuss how to STUDY the Bible, just ways to enhance and deepen their reading of it; and (b) I’m also not going to discuss praying about what’s being read, because I’m just gonna go ahead and assume that (1) YOU are praying about what you are reading, and (2) you’ve taught THEM to pray about what they are reading. (Right? Tell me I’m right about this…)

Here are 10 ways to help someone mature in their Bible reading:

1. Point out that the Bible is not a book, it’s a library.

   Why is this important? Because the Bible can be intimidating, especially for a new believer. If they see the Bible as a book, they’re logically going to want to start at the beginning – which can be intimidating for even seasoned believers. And since the Bible is not put together chronologically, it can be confusing, especially when getting into the prophets.

   You don’t walk into a library and grab the book closest to the door and work your way to the back. You go to the section that has the information you need at the time, allowing you to by-pass the sections you don’t need yet (or ever – for instance, you’ll never see me in the home improvement section…).

   In the same way, get them started in the section that is most relevant for the new believer, which leads me to suggest that you…

2. Have them begin the Gospels and Acts.

   Start with the historical biographies of Jesus. These were written by eyewitnesses and investigators, so they are the place for every believer to start.

   It doesn’t really matter which one they start with, although I generally start with Mark, because it is shorter, is more “action-based,” and doesn’t deal with genealogies, which a new believer might get lost in. Yes, the genealogies are important, and in truth, I enjoy reading them – but I suggest getting into Matthew and Luke after Mark. Again, how you do it is up to you. Many disciplers have their people start with John, and that’s awesome, too.

   The point is, start with JESUS, not Paul, Peter, Moses, or David.

   This will provide the best foundation for a new believer, right? After all, learning about the One they’ve recently put their trust in would be a good place to begin…

   After that, have them…

3. Finish the New Testament before transitioning to the Old Testament.

   The NT is where all the foundational theology, doctrine, and application for the new believer is found. They need to start there. Since the whole NT is about Jesus, and the idea is to help new believers become devoted followers of his, it’s vitally important that the new believer be grounded there before trying to tackle the Old Testament.

   Expose them to the great teachings and promises of God for the Church. Help them appreciate how practical and relevant Jesus’ teachings (and the rest of the teachings of the NT) are for our everyday living here in the 21st century. Let them gain some foundational growth by getting rooted in Jesus first of all, then getting fed through the rest of the NT as they mature a bit in Christ.

   When they’ve read through the NT, reading through the OT becomes a bit more feasible and the get a better grasp of the flow of Scripture.

   Speaking of the OT…

   Since the OT is put together in “types” of literature, it’s okay to skip around a bit in terms of what books to read.

   For newer believers, I suggest they begin their OT journey in the Psalms and then Proverbs, because they give great theology about God and His care for His people as well as great practical advice for daily living.

   You might have them start in Genesis and work through the first 5 books, since those obviously set the foundation of the rest of the OT. That’s up to you. However, be ready to discuss the issues of stoning rebellious children, tattoos, homosexual relationships, and mixing fabrics, not to mention eating pork.

   As a “pre-believer” reading the OT, I was racked with guilt each time I ate a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, because I had no one to explain that Jesus had taken care of that when declared all foods clean in the NT. This is another reason for a new believer to start in the NT instead the OT.

4. Encourage reading Scripture instead of devotional books at first.

   I’m not against devotional books. I’ve used a couple myself over the years.

   But too often they are used to REPLACE reading Scripture instead of SUPPLEMENTING the Scripture reading. And often they use a snippet of a verse without any context whatsoever, which can lead to misunderstanding and misapplication.

   Also, if they are leaning too much on the writings of the devotional writer, they might never develop the habit of meditating on the Scriptures for themselves, almost guaranteeing a “devotion” to Christ that rarely goes below surface level. This can lead to a very nominal life and casual commitment to Jesus.

   Obviously, some are better than others, and some of the classic devotional books never lose their punch over time. But I’m willing to bet my sister-in-law’s cat that even these authors would caution against using their books to replace actually reading the Scriptures.

   After developing a healthy Bible reading habit and exhibiting a solid walk with Jesus through the Scriptures, then maybe the occasional devotional can be a beneficial addition to their time in Scripture – but only as a supplement, never as the main dish.

5. Have them journal their insights and questions.

   Encourage them to write these things down. Invite them to ask you the questions that come up. Let them know that these things are great to look back on as they mature and see how God worked in their lives. And I have found in my own relationships with new believers that hearing what God is teaching them is a great encouragement to me. Why? Because new believers haven’t yet lost that “pure and simple devotion” to Jesus that can often get pushed aside in more mature believers if we’re not careful.

6. Discourage random reading.

   Maybe you know people who think that the best way to read the Scriptures is to just open the Bible at random, throw their finger on the page, and read that – believing that God will direct them to what they need for that day. Let me point out two problems with that:

   • God commands us to study and learn the Scriptures. Random reading doesn’t allow that – rather, it often leads to error, as passages are taken wildly out of context and used to for a basis for belief and living.
   • God put the Scriptures together in BOOKS and LETTERS for a reason: He wanted us to understand His Word in the context of what else is written and the history in which it was written. Again, random reading keeps this from happening. Not only can error occur, it robs us of understanding what was going on when that passage was written and therefore, what God was up to – so we lose an opportunity to further be in awe of Him.

     There is a humorous story of someone who used this method to read the Scriptures. One day, his finger landed on, “…and Judas hanged himself.” Puzzled, he tried it again, and his finger landed on, “Go and do likewise.”

     Obviously, that wasn’t the Lord leading his reading!

     To me, this is one of dangers of devotional books. As I mentioned a little bit ago, they often take a single verse (or FRAGMENT) of a verse and make a lesson from it. But there is little or no context given, and very little or no encouragement to read the material surrounding the verse of the day.

     Simply put, reading through BOOKS of the Bible instead of mere verses or passages gives the best foundation for understanding and applying the Scripture (with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, of course!)

     Another way to help this is to make sure the Bible your new believer is reading is printed in paragraph form rather than each verse on a separate line. Seeing a verse or phrase in a paragraph will automatically alert them that there is a context to consider when reading.

     A sign of a person maturing in their Bible reading will be recognizing context as they pray over the passage and look for application.

7. Stress baby steps, then walking.

   Have them start with baby steps of 5-10 minutes reading. New believers don’t need to spend 30-60 minutes per day reading, or even get through a whole chapter each time they sit down to read.

   The important thing is to read in a way that allows them to think, ask questions, meditate on what they are reading and pray about what they are reading so they can apply it to their lives.

   As their love for Jesus and the Scriptures grow, they will naturally want to spend more time in the Word.

8. Investigate reading programs.

   There are TONS of great Bible reading programs (Ok – I don’t know how much they actually weigh…). My favorite place to look for them is www.Youversion.com. You can find reading programs that will help a person read through the New or Old Testament, books of the Bible, or even topical programs.

   If you are helping someone establish a habit of daily reading, you might choose one of these to help them. Many of them have reading calendars to help keep track and let them see their progress, which can be very encouraging. These are especially helpful if you do them together.

   But choose one that starts with gospels if they haven’t read through them yet.

9. Read the Bible chronologically.

   This one is for the more mature and advanced Bible reader, but it is one of my favorite ways to read through the Scriptures when I read through the Bible.

   This arranges the passages in the chronological order of the events as they happened. This way, you see what was going on when David wrote that particular psalm or when Haggai wrote his prophecies. It really puts these things into perspective and enhances the understanding of those passages.

   This may seem to go against my earlier admonition to read books, not mere portions lifted from here or there. However, reading through the Scriptures this way takes you through the entire Bible and the arrangement actually FOCUSES on the context of the verses. This also helps in avoiding errors from not recognizing the context of a particular passage.

   My favorite one is HERE. It takes you through in a year, but obviously you can go at your own pace.

10. Read the same passage as the person you’re discipling between meeting times.

    This is a great way to encourage regular Bible reading. If you’re reading the same portions of Scripture, your new person is more likely to actually do the reading. And it’s a great foundation for your conversations as you disciple your new believer. Asking them what they’ve learned in those passages and if they have any questions is a great way to help them grow in Christ – even if you have been meeting for years.

    I’m doing this right now with someone, and I’m really enjoying it.

So there are 10 ways to help a growing believer mature in their Bible reading, but these are good for any believer, even if they’ve been walking with Jesus for many years.

I would suggest that the next time you meet with the person you’re discipling that you discuss some of these options. If the person has never read through the gospels and Acts, start there right away.

These are just suggestions, of course. You will have a better handle of where your person is in terms of their handle on Scripture. A lot can be affected by their background – whether they had a lot of exposure to Scripture prior to coming to Christ or not much, if any. That will make a difference in how you approach it.

But again, regardless of their past exposure to Scripture, if someone is new to Jesus they should begin with the gospels. Having them start in the “Jesus” section of the library instead of the “Israel” section, or the “Church Leaders” section will help build the solid foundation of their life in Christ.

On a related note, I believe everyone should read through the Scriptures at least a few times in their lives. But I think it’s a mistake to ask a new Christian to do that. Sadly, I don’t even think most Christians have read through the Bible. You can set an example of that down the road a couple of years, and maybe even do it together then.

Other suggestions for moving on after covering the gospels would be to use great book studies which work through various books of the Bible. This will enhance their reading while also exposing them to the discipline of studying a book of Scripture.

God bless you as you invest in helping someone mature in their reading and understanding of Scripture. It’s absolutely crucial they learn to make this a habit early. Not only is it a great discipline, it brings the foundation to solid rock – so when the storms inevitably come, they will stand strong – as you can probably attest to in your own life.

Obviously, there are other ways to help people mature in this area. I would LOVE to hear what you are doing to help people. Please comment below and share with the rest of us what works for you as you work with new believers.

The post Ten Ways to Help Someone Mature in Their Bible Reading appeared first on Discipleship DNA.

I thought I should probably give you a bit of history so you’ll know more about my heart and my history – all of which serve as foundational material for who I am and what I’m trying to accomplish through Discipleship DNA and this blog.

Outside of about 2 ½ years in Colorado and Florida, South Dakota has been my home for my entire life. I was born and raised in western South Dakota, growing up on some of the Indian reservations there. I currently live in Aberdeen, SD, having migrated to the eastern part of the state when I started college at South Dakota State University (Go Jackrabbits!!) in Brookings, SD in the fall of 1982.

I was raised Catholic, and was stronger about that during high school, although like a lot of people, I felt God was mainly for Sundays and Wednesdays, and the weekends were for partying. I was never much of a partyer, getting drunk and stoned only occasionally. I tried my darndest to chase girls, but truth be told, I was too much of a geek; and despite the best efforts of my much cooler stepbrothers, was never successful at it (for which I thank God now).

My parents split when I was about 12, and I bounced between them a couple of times before settling in with my dad, stepmother, and 5 new step-siblings (I’m the oldest of 4 biological siblings, having 2 brothers and a sister.).

Dad worked for the federal government, which meant getting moved around every so often. Between those moves and my parents’ divorce, I went to 10 different schools growing up, with 3 of those during the first semester of my 9^th grade year. I graduated from Todd County High School in Mission, SD (Go Falcons!!) in 1982. Here’s my senior picture:

Yeah, I know. Quite a change. But that’s what ministry and 12 kids will do for you…

I came to Christ while a freshman at SDSU (Go Jacks!! Oh wait – did I already say that?). A guy on my dorm floor name Stuart took me to a concert by a Christian comedian and I gave my life to Jesus that night.

The next morning, Stuart met with me to discuss my decision from the night before and gave me some Scripture to memorize about the assurance of my salvation – 1 John 5:11-12. He started discipling me, and later introduced me to the ministry of the Navigators where I served as a student, being discipled by great guys and learning how to disciple others as well.

I found a great church in town to attend, getting baptized and serving as a student and later as a layman.

I met my wife, Debra, in college, although we didn’t really notice each other until I was graduated and living with two college buddies. It took her sister to get us together, because I was too stupid to notice…

We got married in February of 1988, and moved to Colorado and then Florida, before getting smart enough to move back to South Dakota, where I became active again at my church, leading the occasional Sunday School class, directing the choir, and starting a men’s group to pray for pastors.

It was during one of those prayer sessions that God spoke to my heart calling me to full-time ministry. One thing led to another, and I became the pastor of Aberdeen Wesleyan Church, in Aberdeen, SD in August of 2001. I was in my mid-30s, with a wife and 5 kiddos at the time.

The small salary of the church was not going to be enough to support my family, so I knew right away that working outside the church was in the cards. I got various jobs in retail to help with that. At the church I was doing everything a small church pastor does, which is pretty much…everything. There was a great Youth leader, so he could handle that, which was great because I was NOT good at that. I didn’t have the patience for it at all. And someone also led the singing most Sundays.

We had some really great people who not only helped with the work, but also supported me when I felt I had to push for changes that would allow us to be more relevant and effective to the community around us. They took a few bullets for me in the process, and I’ll always be grateful to them. They genuinely loved Jesus and other people. And they loved me and my family. During the hard times, they were my rock.

We made some progress in outreach, and after a few missteps on my part, we started gaining some traction. We became better known in the community, and we started seeing some growth, with some of it coming as a result of our outreach efforts and some positive press from the local newspaper. We did “40 Days of Purpose,” which was very successful in terms of getting our name out there and working in the hearts of some of our people.

We made some updates in the worship service and the worship space, eventually adding video projection and a computer to run it so we didn’t have to print out the worship choruses in the bulletin anymore, which we did after getting rid of the overhead projector (It caught on fire when a guest preacher was using it during a service not long after I started…). When the organ finally died, we didn’t replace it. We put in a baptistery so we could emphasize the importance of a public declaration for Christ. We had tall banners put up that reflected the concepts from The Purpose Driven Church.

I won’t go into detail, but there were some hard issues we dealt with as we worked to be more effective in reaching the community and surrounding area. Even though the building was less than 10 years old when I arrived, there were some who seemed willing to die (or kill) for whatever they felt the most kinship with. And there were traditions that were harder for some than others to part with.

Pretty much every pastor of an established church reading this can relate, right?

One of the biggest battles I had to fight was in the area of pastoral responsibilities. During one of our monthly board meetings, I was told that I should be doing a certain task. I held my Bible out to the person and said, “Show me in here where that is a pastoral responsibility and I’ll hop right on it. But you won’t find it, because it’s not in here. And which of my THREE OTHER JOBS should I quit so I can do that – oh, and are you willing to make up the difference in my pay?”

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the most tactful guy when it came to making changes; I was focused on helping the church move forward, and sometimes that happened at the expense of people’s feelings. This caused conflict that a wiser and more experienced pastor would probably have avoided by taking a different route to the needed changes.

Because I wasn’t the most sensitive guy, I also ended up hurting people who were already hurting. A lot of people can sense when someone else is hurting. Not me. I have zero clues unless they tell me. Because of this, I blew people off who needed to talk and pray. Not good.

Even though I reached out to the people I was aware of hurting, it turns out there was more I was unaware of. Rather than approach me in a biblical manner (Matthew 18) so I could apologize and ask for forgiveness, an effort was made by a few people to have me removed as the pastor.

You can imagine that while this was going on, it was hard to get ready for sermons each week and finish up my classwork for ordination knowing that there were people in the congregation who would love nothing more than to see me gone and who couldn’t care less that I was now “Reverend” La Croix.

I was honestly trying my hardest to serve God and the church, and we were seeing God do some things, but in the midst of all that, the conflict ate me up.

Also during this time I regularly BEGGED God to let me out and take me to another church, maybe as a staff pastor. He said no, and showed me a passage from Isaiah 50:4-9 –

The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.  The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.  I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.  Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.  He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!  It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. (NIV)

I taped this to my computer monitor. It helped me in the face of being misunderstood and misrepresented, with people working behind the scenes to get me out.

To make a long story even longer…

That fall, everything came to a resolution of sorts. The denominational procedure for voting to retain or remove a pastor was followed, and eventually the furor died down, with some people leaving. I remained another six years, battle-scarred, and a bit wiser.

One day in the fall of 2011 while working on a sermon for a series on discipleship, I felt the Lord telling me that my time as a pastor was coming to an end, and that I would not be serving as a solo or senior pastor again.

The timing was great, because the church was healthier than it had been in a while, there was no conflict that I was aware of, and I wasn’t looking to leave. This gave me more confidence that it was actually the Lord speaking, not my emotional despair crying to get out of a bad situation. I was able to focus on making it easier for the next pastor to come in and help the church move forward.

I went to work for a campus ministry for 2 ½ years before returning full-time to the world of retail, which was what I had done for most of my adult life. My wife and I continued our involvement with the foster care system, eventually adopting 7 kiddos.

Why do I tell you all this? For one reason: to tell you that I get it. I’ve seen the joys and the heartache of pastoral ministry. I’ve gotten to enjoy watching God work in the lives of people as well as watching people work to cause division.

I was able to watch God use an incredibly flawed guy to make a difference as people came to Christ and followed Him as Lord. I’ve seen God in the pit of despair and on the mountaintop.

He was faithful when I failed and He was present in my successes.

I shook my head in wonder as my “best” sermons fell flat and my “worst” sermons impacted people. I saw God move in worship services and across the table as I shared the gospel with someone.

And I am grateful.

I’m grateful to God for allowing me to pastor a church. He used that experience to shape me to be a better person, and maybe better qualified to reach out to you. I wish I could have learned some of the hard lessons from a book or something, but that’s not what happened. God chose to use hard stuff to teach me some hard lessons at times. I believe He’s shaped me to be more like Jesus through it all – the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

So what am I doing now? I’m back to being a layman who enjoys serving my pastor and church. I work with new believers and help churches mobilize their laypeople to do the same thing through my company, Discipleship DNA.

This company is my full-time gig, because I want to be able to focus on helping YOU establish a culture where the people in the seats are automatically working to establish new believers and develop long-term discipling relationships that equip others to do the same with other new believers.

And I love it.

I pray God’s blessings on each of you.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

The post A Bit of My Story… appeared first on Discipleship DNA.