Just a quick note to let you know that if you participated in the Jesus Class during the past couple of months, we'd like your input on how we can improve the way we lead the class. We have gotten great feedback from people who were in class last weekend. If you happened to be in the Jesus Class and would like to give us your thoughts, hit on the link below, download the form and bring it to class filled out.

There are also some next step opportunities you can indicate interest in for after the class is over. Even if you missed a few weeks of class, we'd really like to hear from you. Here's the link:

Jesus Class Evaluation Form

Thanks so much!

Labels: Evaluation, The Jesus Class

Last week in Jesus Class we were served yet another Mark Sandwich... Yum! (see the Jan 28th blog-post on Sandwiches) In chapter 6, Jesus is first rejected at Nazareth. He then sends out the 12 Disciples on a mission. Mark next inserts the flashback of John the Baptist being executed for confronting Herod's illicit marriage to his brother's wife. Finally, Mark records the return of the 12 after their mission. Message? The mission of the kingdom is costly - it might bring even painful rejection!

It's a riveting chapter, but how do you apply its message to your own life? What difference would it make to the church today if we lived in fearless abandon to the mission of Jesus? What do things like "Shake off the dust" mean in a world where we have a hard time just being heard in the first place?

Here's what the class came up with for personal application points. Actually this is only a fraction of what people submitted. Usually the class teacher is the one putting the bold personal application questions up on the board, but this week we flipped the script and had the students brainstorm.

Here are the best out of a list of over 40 reflection questions. I think they did pretty good!


#28) Who in my life do I need to hold accountable for their actions? Am I willing to take the risks that confronting them might involve? Why not?

#38) Jesus couldn't perform the miracles he really wanted to in Nazareth because people lacked faith. How is your level of faith affecting Jesus’ ability to work in your life?

#33) Has the fear of acceptance ever held you back? How do you overcome it?

#45) Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs. How can I bring others into my ministry so I'm not alone in my efforts? What are the advantages of always having someone else in partnership with me?

#14) What would you do if you had the power Herod did? a) Use it for selfish gain, caving-in to evil influences? b) Stand up for what is right even if you had to retract something you previously said? c) Avoid the situation and just let things play out? Why?

#12) Is there a Herodias in my life? How can I be prepared to stand up to someone of such power and negative influence?

#11) What would I do if Jesus asked me to go out in mission like the 12 - with little resources or specific directions? Would I obey? What would I stand to learn through such an experience?

#9) What capabilities of mine are actually hindered by lack of faith in those around me? How can I handle myself in a situation where the people surrounding me don't operate from a base of trust?


Sometime this week, grab your bible, give Mark 6 a look and let the Jesus Class point you toward some penetrating reflection questions as you study.

Way to go Jesus Class!

Labels: inductive method, Jesus class, Mark 6, Mark's Gospel, Rejection

We have been having a very stimulating time taking on The Prince of Darkness Grim (as Luther calls him). Satan has been generating all kinds of interest in crowds and crowds of people. Each week our attendance at Gathering has hovered around 120 people as we've talked about Satan, demons, temptation and spiritual warfare.

Each week we wind up with more questions than we have time to answer from the stage, so I thought it would be a good idea to log those questions and bring them here to the Spiritual Discovery Blog. What follows is the whole list of our texted-in questions. In the posts that follow, I'll go to work on some of the ones we didn't have time for at Gathering.

If you haven't been out to Gathering yet, today's your last shot for the Lucifer series till we restart with a major change of pace topic: Questions For Heaven. If you want to catch the presentations we've done hope over to the Gathering Media Page and give them a listen!

Here's some of our Questions:

I have heard that there is a different demon for each sin. For example a demon of lies. What are your thoughts? Are there verses that support that?

Do demons try to intimidate Christians more than non-Christians?

One of my friends is having a psychic party with a palm reader. I want to be there to care for her, but I don’t want to mess with the spirit world. What should I do?

Can someone who orients with Satan (Satanists) cause demons to attack or possess another?

I don’t believe that Satan or demons are omniscient. When Christians are struggling we are called to confess our faults to one another so that we can be healed. Does our out loud confession give Satan fodder to use against us?

Can someone be led by the Lord to recognize demonic activity?

The Catholic Church still performs exorcisms today. Why doesn’t the Christian church?

Several years ago I went from a period of fire in my bones to suicide, depression, anorexia, etc. Everything I knew was against God’s will for me. Do you think God still tests people like he did Job or was it just lies I believed?

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. In the original context does this refer to the sacrament of baptism or just a cleansing of the soul?

Labels: Gathering, Lucifer, Satan, spiritual questions, spiritual warfare

Last week in Jesus Class we hit on one of most baffling aspects of Jesus' teaching. Jesus can be so profoundly simple in portraying kingdom truth, while at the same time outstrip humanity's ability to conceive just what it is we're supposed to do with what he's telling us!

The parable of the sower and the seeds for example. One of Jesus' most familiar stories, sadly falls on ears and eyes that just don't hear or see. People flocked from everywhere in Jesus' day to get to where he was at. And when they showed up, what did they get? A story about a stupid farmer who plants seeds on sidewalks!

If you think you've got the secret of the kingdom figured out try this. Give Mark chapter 4 a read, but shut your bible after verse 9 and see if you can decipher the secret of the kingdom. Go ahead! I dare you.

By the time Jesus is done with the Twelve in the verses that follow...there's a slim chance some of them understand the secret. But if you're in Jesus' audience and you can't get past a story about seeds and soil, how will you understand anything else Jesus has to say?

Once you get the secret figured out, see if you can figure out why Jesus teaches in parables based on Isaiah 6:9-10. Isaiah was told he was going to have people who didn't want to hear him out, but to keep preaching anyway! Otherwise...how's anybody who does want to hear and understand ever going to get it with so many dense people in the crowd!

Ouch. That hurts, Jesus! Are you sure you know what you're talking about?

(hint: the secret is hidden in the questions. if you don't ask, you'll never really know)

Labels: evangelism, parable of the sower, Secret of the Kingdom, seeds