Course Framework

We are excited that you have decided to participate in Rooted. We have created this discipleship series as a clear pathway to follow so that you might grow in your life with Jesus as a participant in the life of our church. We’ve clustered key concepts in the series into three groups: Life with God, Life with Others and Life on Mission. Accompanying each key concept are two key practices which will give you tools to engage in each area of discipleship.

While we cannot possibly cover everything in one discipleship series, our desire is to touch on a few key practices so this might be a starting place for your further growth. We believe that as we live into these three areas in increasing measure, we will become more fully formed disciples of Jesus who join God in the transformation of everything. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

Biblical Engagement

We believe a vital spiritual life includes a robust understanding of the Story of Scripture as a whole, along with a regular personal reading of the Bible.

Therefore, a thread woven throughout our Rooted series includes videos from The Bible Project which will teach you a basic framework for understanding the Scriptures as a whole. In addition to this, we’ve included a few questions for comprehension and contemplation to go with each video. Our hope is that this will lay a solid foundation for your understanding of the Story of the Scriptures and give you confidence to engage in regular personal Bible reading!

Course Content

Course Learning Objective:

  • By the end of Rooted, you will be able to articulate a basic understanding of three primary areas of discipleship in the Christian life: holiness, community and mission. In addition to this, you will have begun to develop personal spiritual disciplines, learned to pray for others in a way that the power of the Holy Spirit is present, have personal practice and practical tools for sharing Jesus with others in your everyday life, and more.

 

Course Participants:

  • Rooted is a great discipleship course for those who desire to form a spiritually integrated life—not only through greater understanding, but more importantly through developing key practices around life with God, with others, and on mission in the world.

 

Course Length:

  • Rooted is a 9-week course during in which participants will spend time on the three key discipleship areas of: Life with God, Life with Others, and Life on Mission.

 

Course Format:

  • Rooted is designed to be used in a mentor/apprentice setting or a small group setting.
  • For the participant, Rooted is a combination of pre-work in which they engage in videos, reading and reflection, and action-steps followed by meeting with their mentor or small group to process what they are learning.
  • For the mentor/leader, material is given as a framework for your discussions; while it is recommended that you follow the guide it is not required. The purpose of your meetings, rather, is to coach for learning and help participants address any areas where they may be stuck.
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Course Sections

Life with God
Week 1
Lesson 1.1 | Life with God

Read:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:1–5, NIV

 

“Made in God’s image, humans are invested with a nonnegotiable dignity. We are compatriots of God, not just creatures of God. Even more astounding, God chose us to be his friends. That imputed status was never annulled, despite our sinful rebellion and declarations of independence. Creation was God’s plan for friendship. We were not brought into existence simply so that we could worship God. Nor were we created simply for service. Human beings exist because of God’s desire for companionship. We are the fruit of God’s love reaching out toward creatures who share enough similarity that relationship is possible. Humans were created for this intimate communion with their head-over-heels-in-love-Creator God.”

—David G. Benner,  Surrender to Love, 23

Have a conversation with someone about where you are currently at in your connection with Jesus, however that may look. Be specific in what you currently do and how you currently feel. Then, describe for them where you hope to be at the conclusion of this discipleship series. Be specific in what you would like to do and how you would like to feel.

Lesson 2.1 | A Devotional Life

Read:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:16

 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:4–9

 

“What happens is that the almighty Creator, the Lord of hosts, the great God before whom the nations are as a drop in a bucket, comes to you and begins to talk to you through the words and truth of Holy Scripture. Perhaps you have been acquainted with the Bible and Christian truth for many years, and it has meant little to you; but one day you wake up to the fact that God is actually speaking to you—you!—through the biblical message. As you listen to what God is saying, you find yourself brought very low; for God talks to you about your sin, and guilt, and weakness, and blindness, and folly, and compels you to judge yourself hopeless and helpless, and to cry out for forgiveness. But this is not all. You come to realize as you listen that God is actually opening his heart to you, making friends with you and enlisting you as a colleague—in Barth’s phrase, a covenant partner. It is a staggering thing, but it is true—the relationship in which sinful human beings know God is one in which God, so to speak, takes them onto his staff, to be henceforth his fellow workers and personal friends.” 

—J.I. Packer, Knowing God, 36

Take 15 minutes, three times this week, to study your Bible. During that time, try practicing the SOAP method of studying the Scriptures:

  • Scripture: read it, multiple times, slowly.
  • Observation: What do I notice? What seems to be the central thought
  • Application: what might God be saying to me through this? Is there something He wants me to try? A truth He wants me to embrace? An action He wants me to take.
  • Prayer: ask God for courage to do the very thing he showed you in the application portion just now. Ask Him also for a willing heart to obey.
    •  
Lesson 3.1 | Silence and Solitude

Read:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Psalm 46:1–7, NIV

 

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Mark 1:35, NIV

 

“What are some steps into solitude? The first thing we can do is to take advantage of the “little solitudes” that fill our day. Consider the solitude of those early morning moments in bed before the family awakens. Think of the solitude of a morning cup of coffee before beginning the work of the day. There is the solitude of bumper-to-bumper traffic during the freeway rush hour. There can be little moments of rest and refreshment when we turn a corner and see a flower or a tree. Instead of vocal prayer before a meal consider inviting everyone to join into a few moments of gathered silence. Once while driving a car load of chattering children and adults, I exclaimed, “Let’s play a game and see if everyone can be absolutely quiet until we reach the airport” (about five minutes away). It worked, blessedly so. Find new joy and meaning in the little walk from the subway to our apartment. Slip outside just before bed and taste the silent night. These tiny snatches of time are often lost to us. What a pity! They can and should be redeemed. They are times for inner quiet, for reorienting our lives like a compass needle. They are little moments that help us to be genuinely present where we are. 

—Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 105-106

 

“At Sabbath time we suspend dominion work and instead worship the dominion-Maker. We cease reaping for our own cupboards and instead bring an offering to Him. We rest not because we are tired. We don’t cease labor because it is finished. We don’t worship because now there are grapes on the vine and cattle in the stalls. We rest and worship one day in seven simply because He is the Lord.”

—Richard A Swenson, M.D., Margin, p. 201

Often, we have a hard time hearing God because our minds are so cluttered with other things that we don’t have space to hear.

  • This week, practice solitude. Go to a place you can be completely alone for at least 30 minutes. Have a pad and pen with you so you can write down anything that comes into your mind so you can stop thinking about it. Once you get all the noise to stop, practice being silent and still. Listen for God to speak. Write about your experience afterward in a journal entry
Week 4
Lesson 4.1 | Life with Others

Read:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

 

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:18

 

“Psalm 133 presents what we are after: ‘How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!’ The psalm puts into song what is said and demonstrated throughout Scripture and church: community is essential. Scripture knows nothing of the solitary Christian. People of faith are always members of a community. Creation itself was not complete until there was community, Adam needing Eve before humanity was whole. God never works with individuals in isolation, but always with people in community. Some determine to find out what God has in mind by placing them in this community called the church, learn how to function in it harmoniously and joyously, and develop the maturity that is able to share and exchange God’s grace with those who might otherwise be viewed as nuisances.”

—Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, p. 176-177

Relationships take investment. How much? That depends on the depth of friendship you desire. Three levels of friendship you might consider are: caught up (on the essentials), connected (emotionally), and honest (vulnerable).

  • This week, consider what level of depth you’d like to experience with a current friend, then make an intentional investment of your time: invite them out to coffee, over for a meal, or out to enjoy an activity together. Afterwards, reflect on the blessing you received as a result of this investment in relationship and community.
Lesson 5.1 | Spiritual Gifts

Read:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

1 Corinthians 12:4–11

 

“Many Christians are moved by the question, “What might be God’s calling for my life?” In speaking with them, I sometimes get the impression that they believe God enjoys calling us to tasks that in now way correspond to our gifting. God doesn’t call you to a task for which he hasn’t endowed you with the corresponding gifts. Said another way, if you discover your gifts, you know to which areas of ministry God is calling you. If you discover that you have a particular gift, but don’t use it, you can be quite sure that you aren’t living up to your calling. Would you like to find out if God has called you to a leadership position? Test whether you have the gift of leadership. There are other criteria for leaders as well, but without the corresponding gift you will have difficulty in any leadership role. Would you like to know whether God has called you to a counseling ministry? Then find out whether you have the corresponding gift. The discovery of spiritual gifts is a very important step toward determining your calling.”

—Christian A. Schwartz, The 3 Colors of Ministry, pg.44

  1. Go to the link listed here and answer the questions. The results will be emailed to you. Please share your results with your coach. www.giftstest.com/test
  2. Complete the Spiritual Pathway Assessment in the Appendix and email results to your course leader.
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Lesson 6.1 | Praying for One Another

Read:

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”

John 5:19–23, NIV

 

At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.”

Luke 4:40, NIV

 

The Bible clearly teaches us to pray with the understanding that God acts in response to prayer he has inspired. When Jesus urged his disciples to “pray in his name,” he was urging them to pray as his representatives, as those who have an understanding of his will. Certainly it would be the height of presumption to do or say anything “in his name” without a corresponding conviction that it is just what Jesus would want in the situation. Through prayer we become participants with God in his work in the world. In other words, prayer changes things. God doesn’t change, but we believe that God changes circumstances and changes us through our prayers. Prayer makes a difference because prayer is a means God has provided to bring the influence of his kingdom. This reflects the fact that we were created to be partners with God; we were meant to represent him and his interests, to seek to understand his purposes and cooperate with them. Of course, God remains God while we are only and forever his creatures.
In order to pray “in his name,” we have a responsibility to actively seek to understand his will. Too often, we pray halfheartedly because we lack any conviction regarding God’s will in a given situation. The phrase “if it by they will” doesn’t excuse us from the responsibility to seek him so we can pray according to his will. At worst, the practice of sprinkling our prayers with “if it be thy will” may simple be a cover for deeply felt unbelief regarding God’s probably activity in a given area such as healing, for example. 

—Rich Nathan, Empowered Evangelicals, pg.87

  1. Practice the Prayer Model outlined in the video by praying for someone this week. Out loud. With your eyes open. If you are nervous to do it alone, ask somebody who looks like they know what they are doing if you can pray with them for somebody. Journal about your experience.
  2. See the Appendix for an outline of the Prayer Model. This is not a magic formula; rather, we have found that it enables us to listen to the Holy Spirit and partner with God in what He is doing in a person’s life.
    Week 7
    Lesson 7.1 | Life on Mission

    Read:

    Read Luke 15:1-32 (verses 1-7 included below)


    Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

    Luke 15:1–7, NIV

     

    “Jesus shows us our relationship with the Father in the parable of the prodigal son. This story is told to religious leaders who are incensed because of the people Jesus hangs out with. He eats with tax gatherers and sinners. This is His sign of welcome. Rather than condemning these reprobates, He invites them to His table, saying, in effect, ‘We belong together.’ This drives religious people crazy. What kind of a God suspends His holy laws to welcome such trash into His presence? Jesus responds by telling the story of the prodigal. His parable is a confrontational narrative that shows religious people that God loves unconditionally.”

    —Don Williams, 12 Steps with Jesus,  p. 54

    Ask God to soften your heart for those who are nearest to you that don’t know Him.

    • Does anyone specific come to mind? Spend some time praying for them this week.

    • What is one tangible next step you can take with/for them?

    Lesson 8.1 | Life, Work, and Play

    Read:

    On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

    Luke 10:25–37, NIV

     

    Balancing our fears and discernment is another issue that we all must confront. When it comes to meeting your neighbors for the first time, you don’t want to abandon your discernment. And certainly caution is justified when you encounter strangers.
    Yet there is often a part of fear that isn’t justified, and you have to push past it. Be thoughtful about whom to approach and how. But also know, at the end of the day, following Jesus is not necessarily designed to be safe. Safety is a natural desire but it can keep us from being like Jesus in the midst of an unsafe world. Actually, much of our “fear” is better labeled “timidity.” It can happen when there is an awkward lapse in social interaction, when a pause lasts too long. Or perhaps someone tells a joke and no one laughs. Or maybe you don’t know what to say first. It can be hard to break the ice. Sure, it doesn’t feel natural to walk up to a stranger’s door and offer her a pie you’ve just baked. These are the times when you whisper to yourself things like: “This is strange. These people are going to think that this is really weird.” Or “I’m an introvert and there has to be someone on this block better suited for this.” Even “This isn’t the right time; maybe I’ll take the initiative and meet them next week” (or next month, or next year). This feeling of awkwardness isn’t fear –it’s just nervousness about possible rejection. The truth it, awkwardness won’t kill you. In 2 Timothy Paul writes: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (1:7). God enables all of us to be bold, to take the first step, to be the neighbor we were meant to be. We don’t need to be afraid. When we feel those emotions creeping in, we need to remind ourselves that enduring awkwardness is probably the worst of it. 

    —Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon, The Art of Neighboring, pg.67-68

    This week, practice the art of neighboring.

    • Go meet your neighbors and find out their names. If you’ve already done this, great! Ask God to give you an opportunity to engage in conversation with them. And when you do so, consider inviting them to share a meal or drinks with you so you can get to know them more.
    Lesson 9.1 | Speaking About Jesus

    Read:

    Read John 4:1-26 (verses 1-10 included below)


    Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

    John 4:1–10, NIV

     

    “The really neat thing about accepting Jesus as a person is that it makes our experience with Him real. Living with a real person forces us to live honestly. Like a friendship. Instead of living by some moral code, or conjuring up some spiritual state of mind, all we have to do is make our life about a relationship with a person. God has shortened the distance between us by coming here, and He has made the kingdom of heaven available in friendship form. By accepting God as a man, we are accepting the invitation of heaven as it is offered. It actually takes more trust in God to step back from our understanding of Him so that He may explain Himself. We have, for so many years in the West, used every logical tool in our box to define and explain God. To make Him palatable to our sense of reason. We have apologetics and creation science; we have arguments and doctrines, but all of these things exist to explain God to us. We have religion as a substitute, God by proxy. Jesus changes all of this. Jesus is our God. Jesus can be our folk hero. He can be our leader, and our friend. We must allow Him to be a man.”

    —Carl Medearis, Speaking of Jesus, pg. 141

    This week, pray and ask God to give you an opportunity to speak about Jesus naturally in a conversation with someone outside the faith—preferably someone with whom you’ve been building relationship already. Consider sharing one of your favorite stories of Jesus or what you love about Jesus. How did they respond? How did you feel? Journal about your experience.

    Appendix Resources

    Lectio Divina

    READY (3 MINUTES)

    • Find a place where you can be quiet and undisturbed.

    • Choose a brief passage of scripture.

    • Quiet your heart, sit in silence, and ask God to meet you during this time of prayer.

    READ (5 MINUTES)

    • Read the passage slowly, letting your awareness rest on each word.

    • Read the passage again slowly, but this time read it out loud.

    • Make it personal. Make it your own. Insert your name into the text as you read.

    • Listen for the still small voice of God as you read.

    • Be aware of any word or phrase that catches your attention.

    REFLECT (10 MINUTES)

    • Meditate, reflect on the word or phrase that caught your attention.

    • As you reflect listen and allow God to speak to you.

    • Be aware of any emotion or memories the word or phrase may stir up.

    RESPOND (10 MINUTES)

    • Respond to the word or phrase.

    • Ask God why this word caught your attention. What is he trying to say to you?

    • Dialogue with God about what you are hearing or feeling.

    • Take time to sit and listen for God’s response.

    REST (5 MINUTES)

    • Rest in God’s presence. Wordless, quiet rest in the presence of God is called “contemplation.”

    RETURN

    • As you go through your day, keep returning to the passage and your reflection.

    • Keep returning with the intention of integrating the word into your life.

    (Adapted from, Prayer as a Place, by Charles Bello)

    Below is a helpful five-step prayer model to assist people in following God’s direction regarding how to pray for a person. This model is not a technique or a secret formula that makes healing happen. We must always keep in mind that God does the healing and that His sovereign will is determinative regarding whether someone gets healed. This model simply enables people to look for what the Holy Spirit is doing and participate with God.

     
    1. THE INTERVIEW

    Answers the question, “Where does it hurt?” Upon asking, “How can I pray for you?”, we listen on both the natural and supernatural levels so we might hear all of what might be going on in a person’s life.

    • Listening to the person – The Natural Level

      • Present and past experiences

      • What you see, know, and how you learned it

    • Listening to God – The Supernatural Level

      • Knowledge through the gifts of the Holy Spirit

    • This is not a medical interview

    • The interview is complete when:

      • You know what you are praying for

      • God has told you what to pray

     
    2. THE DIAGNOSTIC DECISION

    Answers the question, “Why does this person have this condition?”As we are interviewing the person, we are asking God for insight regarding the ultimate cause of the condition. We have heard from the individual about their need and are now asking God about the cause.

    • The Natural Level

      • Contracted a disease

      • Hurt themselves

    • The Supernatural Level

      • The effects of sin 

        • Sin they committed

        • Sin committed against them

      • Emotional issue

        • Anger or bitterness

        • Unforgiveness

      • Demonic oppression

        • Family spirits

        • Curses

        • Demonization

     
    3. THE PRAYER SELECTION

    Answers the question, “What kind of prayer will help this person?”The ultimate issue here is this: What is God doing at this particular time? We are asking God how we should intercede for this person.

    • Prayer toward God

      • Blessing: asking God to pour out his love and blessing on them

      • Petition: asking for the presence and healing of the Holy Spirit

      • Intercession: prayer in mind or spirit with a view toward sharing the burden

    • Prayer from God

      • Command of faith or Pronouncement of faith

      • Charge to the enemy

        • Rebuke: breaking the power

        • Bind: containing the power

        • Expels: eliminating the presence

     
    4. PRAYER ENGAGEMENT

    Answers the question, “How are we doing?”During this process we are evaluating how effective our prayers have been.

    • Pray for effect

      • Pray with eyes open

      • Watch for warmth, tingling, heat, muscle spasms, shaking, deep breathing, fluttering eyelids, taut fingers, etc.

    • Ask questions

      • This gives you further direction for how to pray

      • This does not disturb the prayer process

    • Stop praying when:

    • The person indicates it’s over

    • The Holy Spirit indicates it’s over

    • You run out of things to say

    • You have prayed for everything and nothing has happened

     
    5. POST-PRAYER DIRECTION

    Answers the question, “What do I do now?”While this is not a personal counseling session or an opportunity to say what’s worked for you, it is a helpful moment to given them general biblical counsel.

    • General counsel

      • Read your Bible

      • Pray

      • Become involved in Small Groups

      • Encourage them to continue to receive prayer.

    • Supernatural leading for special direction

      • A times you may share or clarify a prophetic word you sensed during your prayer time. Prophecy is for strengthening, encouragement and comfort, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3. 

      • In general, we recommend you refrain from predicting the future or sharing a negative prophetic word. Please share these with your local church pastor first to determine the appropriate step to take, if any.