Operation Timothy

An excellent resource that I've used repeatedly over the years is the "Operation Timothy" material published by CBMC.   There used to be three study books in the series; First Steps, Operation Timothy 1 and Operation Timothy 2.   If you're familiar with Navigators material, you'll like Operation Timothy.   http://advance.cbmc.com/products/operation-timothy.

The concept of Operation Timothy is the biblical model of Paul (more experienced christian) leading Timothy (new or less experienced christian) through a series of discipleship studies.  See 1 Tim. 1:3, 18-20.

Well, the exciting news is that Operation Timothy has been extensively reviewed and republished by CBMC as a totally free online resource!   (You can still buy hard copies of the study books, leaders guides and other resources at http://www.operationtimothy.com/)

First Steps is now titled Book 1:  Life Questions (foundational, designed to lead a non-believer through questions about the Christian faith).

There are 6 sessions:

1. What's the purpose of life?
2. Is the bible credible?
3. Where is God?
4. Who is Jesus?
5. Why did Jesus come?
6. Can I be accepted and forgiven?


Operation Timothy 1 is now titled Book 2:  Life Foundations.   There are 7 sessions.

Operation Timothy 2 is now titled Book 3:  Life Perspectives.   Again, there are 7 sessions.

The link to the eOperation Timothy is http://advance.cbmc.com/products/operation-timothy.  You will need to create a log-in but it's a very simple process (email+password).

Each session is expected to take a week, followed up by a meeting between "Paul" and "Timothy" in which the session content is discussed.

The website flows well and allows secure log-in, recording of personal notes (that can be viewed by the user only), videos, podcasts and links for deeper studies.

In summary, eOperation Timothy is a very, very good resource for disciple-making.

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.   We implore you on Christ's behalf:  Be reconciled to God."   2 Cor. 5:20 NIV

CBMC referenced with permission.  Photo and screenshot from advance.cbmc.com

The Reality of Persecution

Tom Doyle says that persecution (of the church) is “the new normal”.   He discusses his assertion in a short article in the DTS Magazine, Winter 2016.  Here’s the link:   http://www.dts.edu/read/persecution-the-new-normal-doyle-tom/

I’ve just read Doyle’s excellent book “Killing Christians”, in which he gives a much more detailed account of the persecuted church in countries closed to Christianity by telling personal stories and recounting testimonies showing the love and grace of Jesus.   His stories include a man in a coffin, an empty graveyard, a ruthlessly-controlled wife, an influential professor and accounts of Jesus revealing himself in dreams.   His stories are shocking, captivating and encouraging all at once.   I downloaded the ebook from Amazon.   Be warned:  Don’t read the book if you don’t want to be challenged in your faith, and in standing with those who are persecuted.

The World Watch List is updated annually and lists the worst 50 countries for persecution of believers. (See https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/)  From the WWL homepage, you can download the full annual report, click on individual countries and see video testimonials, request prayer brochures and updates, and offer support.   This video explains the world watch list:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y4bLaRDC_M

India is currently number 17 on the World Watch List.   As a minority of 62.3 million people in a country of 1.3 billion, Christians are not tolerated in a steady increase of radical Hinduism.   The new government does not regularly speak out against the persecution or atrocities committed against Christians.  

Paul says in 1 Cor. 12:24b that “God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 18, 2016, our fellow believers in India will be praying strategically.   Please pray with them as follows:  

• For the seed of the Gospel to be planted in those in authority (1 Tim 2:2-4)
• The President of India and his office, to be wise and uphold the constitution
• The Prime Minister and his cabinet; to be proactive and courageous to govern impartially and remain concerned for the welfare of the marginalised communities
• The Members of Parliament to be efficient in law making, responsible stewards and example-setters
• The Supreme Court and other judicial instruments, to be just, fair and quick in all cases, sustaining the law in light of injustice.
• Military and Police officers, to be dutiful to serve and to protect
• Pray for the defeat of the spiritual strongholds around India, that the light of the gospel will penetrate and banish the darkness (Eph 6:12 )
• For the local church and its continued obedience to God and vision effectiveness, its ministries and its servant leaders.

Photo credits for this article:  

Background map:   https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/

Book cover:  Tom Doyle 2015, ISBN 978-0-7180-3069-8 (ebook)

Magazine cover:   https://issuu.com/dallasseminary/docs/dts_magazine_spring_2016?e=4615024/33166704

Romans 12 Chiasm

A chiasm is a literary form in which a passage of text reinforces itself through an inverted or reflective process, sometimes used in scripture to point to a central truth.

Often when we are submitting ourselves to the teaching of the Holy Spirit, He reveals exciting and new things to us.   Recently, a friend and I committed to study Romans 12.   A week or so into the study, I noticed a similarity between verses 3 and 16 and started digging deeper.   I eventually ended up with a chiastic structure of Romans 12:1-20, pointing to the central application of the chapter as brotherly love, within the big picture of Romans (Righteousness), and the chapter's theme (Righteousness in Practice).

The chiasm is best read with your bible open, comparing the scriptural passage with the chiastic structure copied below.   The letters A, B, and so on to K each have a reflective counterpart designated as A', B' and so on to K'.   L is the central truth, and so does not have a reflective counterpart.

I pray that this small study will be a blessing to you as you study and apply God's Word in your life.

Francis Chan on Rethinking Church

This is well worth watching!  Francis Chan is a Chinese-American Pastor, Author and Church Planter.   In this video, he challenges some common western church (mis)conceptions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50mqagzxU0c

If you'd like to know Francis Chan's background, here's his biography from his website "JustStopAndThink": http://www.juststopandthink.com/francis-chan-bio/

In a week when we are studying joy, Chan's testimony is a great reminder to rejoice always!  (Philippians 4:4)

Awesome DTS Courses!

Are you familiar with Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS)?   It is a (arguably “the”) pre-eminent bible seminary that provides graduate bible training.   The teaching, doctrine and theology is spot-on.

I subscribe to the DTS chapel and subject podcasts which provide great training, and now DTS is offering FREE online study programs in Genesis (presented by Dr. James Allman), John (presented by Dr. Mark Bailey, DTS President) and How to Read the Bible (Dr. Howard Hendricks).   It is very unusual, and a big privilege to do any DTS studies online, especially for free.

Here’s the link:   https://courses.dts.edu/

The courses are video-based with powerpoint slide downloads, and you receive a reminder email each week for the new lesson (you can also work ahead).

If you enrol and want to get together to discuss any aspects of the weekly studies, I’d be keen.   Just let me know. 

1 Peter 5:8-9 and James 3:1- A Warning

We were recently challenged by a list of attributes of Godly men to test ourselves against (http://www.cfcindia.com/books/fifty-marks-of-godly-men-booklet).  Today’s email from me is not so much a challenge, but a warning along the lines of 1 Peter 5:8-9

The first link below is to an article in this week’s Christianity Today magazine in which the Board of Elders at The Journey mega-church has announced Senior Pastor Darrin Patrick’s removal from office.   This also appears to have an impact on his Acts 29 Leadership role as well.  

The second link is the letter from the Board of Elders to the church family.   It is a very sad letter, but this letter is so well written that I want to draw your attention to it.   I have some of Patrick’s books and I’m familiar with his work.   Whilst it is sad to see such a man as Darrin Patrick (or any person at all) fall from leadership, this is not the exact focus of my email - rather the depth of love, compassion and biblical accountability of the men of the Elderships referenced in the letter.   You will need to read the letter to understand, and will not get the impact of this email if you don’t read both links!   They have battled with an unbiblical situation for a number of years, addressed problems and required biblical accountability.   They have made a biblical stand in difficult circumstances, but have not compromised.

Let me remind each one of us (myself included) that according to James 3:1, teaching elders will be judged more strictly.   We must not compromise.

Give thanks for men like the Elders at The Journey who are willing to search, know, live and teach the scriptures, unwilling to compromise, and fulfil their roles in love.   Pray also that we, here, will also be uncompromising in our lives and biblical leadership.   I believe that as we do this, in obedience to our callings, God will grow His church in a mighty way.

Article:  http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/april/darrin-patrick-removed-acts-29-megachurch-journey.html

Letter:  https://gallery.mailchimp.com/403ae4d269435dd5dbbd5c310/files/RemovalfromOfficeLetter.pdf?utm_source=Journey+members&utm_campaign=31a15475a8-Letter_to_ALL_ATTENDERS4_12_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_503455d089-31a15475a8-345860089

5 Dimensions of Discipleship

I was very interested to find this resource (see the chart below).  It is a great overview of a whole-of-life disciple, and the categories for a rounded disciple.

There is a short biblical explanation for each component here:   https://discipleshipdynamics.us/

… and a video interview with the author here:   http://www.dts.edu/thetable/play/spiritual-formation-and-personal-wholeness/#comments

Even though we could and should each apply these categories to our own lives, check and test our positions in these 40 categories, it is also a really good guide to help us with whoever we are discipling.   (I’m going to print it for the wall of my study!)

* links updated 31/01/2020
** Also note, the Discipleship Dynamics chart has changed from 40 outcomes to 35 outcomes, whereas in fact it originally had 39 (named 40) and now has 37 (named 35)!  They have removed "Love Intentionally" and "Teachable spirit" under the Healthy Relationships category.

Exponential books

I have found a source of valuable church planting and multiplication books which are free because it appears that these men want to see the church growing!!

Go to https://www.exponential.org/resource-ebooks/ - there are about 6 pages of free ebooks.

I’ve started reading one - "Sending capacity not seating capacity" - just to make sure these are serious and sound books.   It appears they are going to be good.

Just thought you might appreciate this link.

Keep up the great work!  (James 2:22)