As disciples of Jesus were given the responsibility and privilege to make disciples. But if we’re honest, this can feel confusing, intimidating and sometimes more like a burden than a joyful calling. One expression of disciple making is to walk with someone “ONE to ONE” through part of the Bible. But where do you begin? What is the goal? What if you don’t know all the answers to their questions?
Make plans to attend an upcoming Sunday PM Class called ONE to ONE Bible Reading on November 2nd from 5-6:30pm. These are just a few of the questions we’ll discuss. Daryn will be walking through a passage of scripture in real time, breaking down what it might look like to do the same with someone else.
Click HERE to register!
We had the privilege of hearing a Local Story from David Reid about how God can use ordinary people, doing ordinary things, to do the extraordinary. David and some friends have created discipleship opportunities out of something they were already doing.
David shared that he and his friends love ultimate frisbee and started playing every Sunday afternoon. “It became part of our Sabbath routine, all our kids collecting bugs, building forts, laughing together – while we played our favorite game in the sunshine, enjoying His creation.”
It dawned on them that Jesus could use this time for more. “We realized that through frisbee, the Lord had put people in our lives who would never set foot in a church, or in a Bible study – people who were lost and wanted something more than the world could offer.”
They started looking for opportunities to share the gospel, to listen to people’s stories, and to love those around them. They began meeting at 6am every week to walk the field and call out to God, asking him to draw people to himself and for opportunities to be used.
David shared several examples of what this can look like week to week: “making disciples doesn’t have a formula, it requires intentionality, and a moment-to-moment awareness of where the Spirit is working. Sometimes it looks like sharing my testimony with someone I’ll probably never see again. Sometimes it means subbing out even when I’m not tired, to get a little extra time on the sideline with a guy I’m connecting with. Sometimes it means listening to the story of a guy who had to drop out of college and feels lost, stuck, directionless. And sometimes it looks like pitching in to buy groceries for a girl whose car was stolen.”
David ended with a verse from 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” He asked us to consider what we are already doing to see where God may work: “what are the things you already love, that God wants to use to make himself famous, here and now? What are the ways he’s gifted you and what are some practical steps you can take to be intentional in the ordinary things of life?”
You can listen to David’s full story on our podcast HERE.
We’re all seekers. We all live for something and set our hearts and minds somewhere. When we do that, it reveals what we value most. Jesus teaches us to be excessively preoccupied with The Kingdom of Heaven and to value it more than anything else in this life; to be so captivated by it that it brings everything and everyone into its proper perspective.
In this series, we’ll explore The Kingdom of Heaven – what it is, why it’s so valuable and what happens when we pursue it the way Jesus taught.
Listen to the latest Talk in this series on Apple Podcast, Spotify and YouTube.
Explore resources that will help you learn how to follow Jesus, deepen your faith in him and equip you to make disciples.
Discipleship Groups Guide (resources, tips and FAQs)
Eight weeks through Mark’s Gospel (a “one to one Bible reading” resource)
Eight weeks through Colossians (a “one to one Bible reading” resource)
One to One Bible Reading (Sunday PM class notes)
Disciples Who Make Disciples (one page in-depth resource for disciple-making)
House Groups typically meet in homes two to three times a month across St. Pete, where we spend time together, often sharing food, discussing the Scriptures, praying, and looking for opportunities to serve one another and the city.
Click HERE to see a list of groups, when they meet, and where they are located.
Email [email protected] for further assistance.
On Sunday, January 18th, we’re celebrating Local Church St. Pete’s SEVENTH Anniversary across all three gatherings! Join us as we remember God’s faithfulness and the ways His love has been at work in and through our church body. We’re grateful for all God has done and expectant for what’s ahead.
Recently, TJ shared a reflection on personal disciplines. He started by reminding us of “the immense power in the reality of God entering his world as a human. That is the central truth the Christmas season celebrates. And if God lived a human life, he had daily habits”. We can find the habits of Jesus recorded in the four Gospels.
Jesus’ habits included praying (in solitude and with others), meditating on scripture, practicing hospitality, fasting, being generous with his time and all he had, practicing the Sabbath, and paying special attention to the poor and social outcasts.
TJ asked, “Have we really taken seriously that Jesus was God in human flesh? That he, like us, had daily habits? How are we, his students, doing at learning his daily habits?”.
The Christmas season is a great time to reflect on our daily rhythms and TJ gave a few suggested habits following the example of Jesus:
– Committing to spending daily time alone with God in prayer by blocking out time on your calendar.
– Committing to creating space for daily time in scripture where our hearts and minds can be nourished.
– Committing to paying special attention to the poor and social outcasts instead of retreating to our comfortable circles. We volunteer to care for the hungry and homeless in our city, reach out proactively to those in our own lives who we see suffering, and invite into our homes and lives people who we ordinarily wouldn’t.
“If this all sounds daunting or even convicting, hear me in saying that I’m right there with you. Following Jesus is a high calling that requires more of God’s grace to us than we can ever understand or deserve.
So may prayer form presence in us, may scripture form wisdom in us, and may hospitality form love in us”.
You can listen to TJ’s full LOCAL Story on our podcast.
It’s a request for intervention – for God to step into the mess with His presence and power. It’s the promise of a voice that will somehow cut through all the noise. It’s the announcement of good news for the broken-hearted and disenchanted. These ancient prophecies, spoken by Isaiah, reveal the longings of every human heart of every generation. In poetic fashion and with colorful imagery, Isaiah gives us promises of intervention to hold onto.
What do these ancient promises have to do with the longings of our own hearts today? How have those promises been fulfilled? That’s what we’ll explore starting December 3rd.
Join us on Wednesday, December 24th at 3p, 4:30p + 6p for a candlelight service as we sing our favorite songs and celebrate the wonder of Christmas. All are welcome. Whether you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or have been following Jesus for years – we’d love to celebrate with you!
Childcare provided for ages 3 and under. Invite your friends and family!
We recently enjoyed hearing a Foreign Mission update from Fidel and Charito Corrales, Directors of Casa de Esperanza in Caranavi, Bolivia. Casa de Esperanza is an orphanage that has been sharing the never-failing love of Jesus with abandoned children for more than 30 years.
Each child is discipled to find their true identity in Jesus and fulfill his good purposes for their lives. This work not only restores the life of the child, but also the next generation as they grow, go to college, and start families of their own. We are so thankful to partner with Casa de Esperanza as they faithfully continue this work and provide long-term investment and care that transforms children’s lives.
To learn more about Casa de Esperanza, visit our website under Community > Foreign Mission. If you missed it, check out the update on our podcast.