Tell Me A Story (Jason Brown)

So, we're a month into DJ08. That means we've been reading about Jesus for a month. That means we're memorizing our 4th scripture. That means we've had 4 weeks of videos on the web -- Chris Cano's dance moves and teaching are well worth checking out this week! That means we're at the front end of forming DJ08 groups and intentionally investing in our family and friends. That means this is already my 4th blog. Get ready, friends, there are 48 more to come!

This rainy Monday morning seems a good time to reflect on a month of DJ08. Personally, I am loving the fact that I don't wake up wondering what scripture I should read that day. I just turn to the "Golden Insert" and it gives me direction for my personal study time. I'm loving the fact that the Sunday morning sermons, daily quiet times, weekly discussion questions, web teachings and blogs are focused on the same thing. I like the common language this develops and believe it helps us function more like a church than 2,000 individuals. I'm also hearing great stories of people who feel like they don't know what they're doing, getting friends or family members together to discuss the DJ08 material.

So, what's been good about DJ08 up to this point? What's been hard? Join the discussion

Posted on Mon, January 28, 2008 by Jason Brown

6 comments (Add your own)

1. Cory Halbardier wrote:: I was inspired by the story at church a few weeks ago and have been feeling God leading me toward my local community (the people on my street.) So yesterday, Valerie baked about 100 cookies, I made fliers, and we set out to knock on every door on our street immediate street (55 doors), inviting them to a neighborhood BBQ, and giving them a few homemade cookies. It was fun!!! There were so many people who said something to the effect of, "I've been here for 10 years and we've never had anything like this. I've always wanted to but never did. I'm excited!" We enjoyed meeting several other people on our street. We also made a list of who lives at which address so we can start to learn names. Our BBQ will be 2 weeks from yesterday (on February 10th) after church. We're very excited to see how God will work in this community. The point of this story is that you can do it too. I already received an email from a friend this morning who was inspired and is going to do the same thing in his neighborhood. Special note: I don't know what I'm doing either, so if you're like me, shoot me an email. Let's "not know what we're doing" together. :-)
Mon, January 28, 2008 @ 10:43 AM
2. lilnda parsonson wrote:: In LUKE 7, we read the story of the centurion with a sick sevant. At the end of the story, Jesus says, "Not even in Israel have I found such faith." When I read that word, faith, my memory went back to a verse we learned lst year. WE memorized 2 PETER 1:5 " for this rason make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness knowledge, and to knowledge self-control, and to self-control perserverance, and to perseverance godliness, and to godliness brotherly-kindness love".
I looked at the centurion to see if he displayed these qualities. I think he did. H e had faith, a respect for the Jewish religion, or he would not have built a synagogue. He was kind in trying to help his Jewish servant. He made to effort to find where Jesus was. He took the time to talk some Jewish leaders into going to Jesus. He showed compassion and respect in the messages he sent to Jesus. AS a Roman soldier, he could have sent soldiers to just order Jesus to come.
The story appealed to me because it shows the experiences which turned Peter the fisherman into Peter the apostle who dictated the book of PETER.
I am enjoying reading 1 chapter over and overs. It gives more opportunity to think about it. Thank-you
Mon, January 28, 2008 @ 4:39 PM
3. joannie wrote:: DJ08 is exciting to me. It has helped me want to learn more and be more like Jesus and also helped me want to seek knowledge so that I can be a good disciple for the Lord. I don't know a whole lot yet, but I am well on my way to learning. I want to thank "everyone" at Emmanuel church, because whether people realize it or not, they are discipling in just the way the show themselves and their actions. Sometimes, they don't even have to speak to me, but just a friendly smile or a handshake and I can see the connection that I want to get closer to. The people at Emmanuel Church are extrordinary! I am well on my way to a closer walk with Jesus and looking forward everyday to be closer and closer to get the dust in my eyes. I can't wait for the day that I have the confidence to be the discipler, as I know it will come. Praise God!
Mon, January 28, 2008 @ 7:23 PM
4. Kristina Alvarez - Age 12 wrote:: A disciple is someone you share your life with. Jesus' disciples followed Him everywhere and they shared life with Jesus. Wherever Jesus went, they wanted to go with Him too. Whatever Jesus did, they also wanted to do.

I am taking part in the journey just by being at home with my family. To me, my mom is someone who I follow around anywhere, and if she is doing something, I want to do it, too. She is my teacher and I am her disciple. She sets examples for me, and I watch and follow. I am a teacher, too. I set examples for my brother and sister. They watch me and they even try to act like me sometimes.

My mom and dad don't just disciple me and my siblings, but they disciple other people, too. Every Monday Night, we have teenagers and adults come over for fun and we talk, eat, and share life together. A lot of teenagers go bowling with us on Thursdays, and not only that, but they go to other places with us, too... like stores, church, singing in the choir, and so much more. Some of them even lived with us for a little while.

On Sundays, my family and I go to church together. My dad and I take notes during church so if we are discipling someone-else we can show that person some things we wrote, or if we have a problem we can look back and it might help.

I feel good about DJ08 because I think it will bring my family closer to each other, and it might bring us closer to God. As a family, we share life together, we love each other, and we set examples for each other. We bring other people closer to God by setting examples, too.

I think we are doing good now but if we do better, I think more people will be closer to God and that is a wonderful thing."
Tue, January 29, 2008 @ 1:39 PM
5. Rob Gerdes wrote:: DJ08 has been a blessing to me. It's made me much more intentional and disciplined in reading the Bible. We all know we're supposed to read God's Word and spend time in prayer daily. Having the DJ08 gold page as a reference has made it easier for me to make that happen.

I have so much more to learn and so much further to go in my relationship with the Lord, but I've grown and experienced God in a new way this past month. Just this past Monday, as I was praying, I was overcome with a feeling of greatfulness. I was just so thankful to God, not even for specific things but just for everything. I have so much to be thankful for, God is so generous. As I prayed, the only words that I could say were "Thank you God, thank you". I must have said that 100 times, I was just overcome with gratitude.

I know that by spending time with God daily has brought me closer to Him, and allowed me to have this great experience. I also know that if I continue to seek Him, He will show me exactly the way I was meant to disciple.

Thank You God
Wed, January 30, 2008 @ 7:26 PM
6. brenda carruth wrote:: There is a group of women who meet Tuesday evenings in the Chapel.We are studying the Old Testament stories together and discussing why God put these stories in his Word and how they apply to our lives.Some weeks we discuss a point or two from the DJ08 materials, like the evening we looked at the creation story with God resting on the seventh day and had also read that week about Jesus teaching about doing good on the Sabbath.
We are learning how to read, meditate on and apply God's Word.It is so exciting to watch women realize the power of these "old" stories.This week we get to talk about Noah's Ark and then to discuss what "ark" the Lord is calling us to build!
Fri, February 1, 2008 @ 11:38 AM

Add a New Comment

Your Name:

Your Email/URL (Optional):

Your Comment:

Enter the code you see below:
code

Comment Guidelines: No HTML is allowed. Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted. Thanks.