This year I am teaching Disciple Bible Study.  Each class meets for 2 ½ hours each week.  Disciple has 6 years of studies:

1. Disciple 1 is a survey from Genesis to Revelation in 34 weeks.
2. Disciple 2 is a 32 week study – 8 weeks in Genesis, 8 weeks in Exodus, 8 weeks in Luke and 8 weeks in Acts.
3. Disciple 3 is a 32 week study – 16 weeks in the prophets and 16 weeks in the letters of Paul.
4. Disciple 4 is a 32 week study –Concentrates on the writings in the Old Testament – Ruth, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiates, Lamentations and Daniel.  New Testament Scriptures include the John, and John’s letters, James, Jude and Revelation.
5. Jesus in The Gospels is a 30 week class comparing and contrasting the 4 Gospels.
6. Christian Believer is a 32 week class that takes a look at how the basic doctrines of the Christian faith came to be.  Readings include Scripture as well as ancient Christians.  This list includes Iraeneus, Tertius, Martin Luther,  etc…  Authors from the first century following Christ’s death to the twenty-first century.

This is my thirteenth year teaching Disciple.  Some years I’ve taught 1, 2 and 3.  One year I taught 2 Disciple 1 classes.  My records indicated that I’ve gone through Disciple 1 with over 235 people.  I’ve taken and led Beth Moore studies, short-term Disciple Bible Studies, Priscilla Shirer studies, Kay Arthur studies, Max Lucado studies, John MacArthur studies, Precept studies, Angela Thomas studies, Mary Kassian studies, you name it.  Nothing has the power of Disciple 1 Bible Study.  Nothing.  Disciple 1 puts the Scripture together into a cohesive whole in a beautiful way.  The bond established in the group is a wondrous thing to behold.  I thank God for the privilege of being a part of another year of Disciple 1!

So, I thought you might like to go along with us.  We are 4 weeks into our study, but I thought that once a week I would post on the next topic and lesson.  Would you like to journey with us?  When we meet in a building, our class is structured as follows:

1. Each week revolves around a theme word, a title and a theme Scripture.  If you look at the theme words & titles, for the 34 weeks, you quickly discover that it gives the Biblical story in concise terms.
2. After we look at the theme word, we read the theme verse aloud together.  Then, we look at who we are in the flesh – this is called Our Human Condition. 
3. Once we’ve establish the foundation for the lesson, we watch a 15 minute video done by pre-eminent scholars.  These scholars come from varied backgrounds.  When we study covenant, the scholar is a rabbi who tells us about the Hebrew language and God’s covenants in Genesis.  Scholars include Professors of Seminary, pastors from multiple denominations and others renowned for their knowledge of Biblical languages, ancient history, antiquities, etc…  It is a vast array of knowledge.  We listen in the video for key questions that lay another foundation.
4. Then we meet to begin digging apart the week’s lesson.  There is tremendous reading in Disciple 1.  Each week requires approximately 30 minutes of reading each day.  The reading is significant, but totally manageable if you keep up.
5. We end each lesson by looking at our Marks of Discipleship.  This section is who we should be striving to be as Disciples of Christ.  This section is challenging and asks tough questions of us.  We often look at who we are called to be in this section, versus our opening “Human Condition.”  We discuss the conflict that rages within between our Human Condition and what God expects in our Marks of Discipleship.

So, with that said, are you game?  Wanna go along for a ride?  I’m hoping that my class will totally get on board and comment and share insights and God sightings as we go along. 

While you obviously won’t get the full Disciple experience, you will get a little feel for it.  I hope it will inspire you to think about God more deliberately and intentionally.  I also hope it will inspire you to get into God’s Word.  So, grab a chair, grab your Bible and let’s set out on a journey!

Hi Everyone!  My name is Sarah.  I am Robin’s niece, and she invited me to be a guest blogger for her.  If you don’t know my story, I was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in August 2009.  I am done with chemo treatments, but still have recovery left on my leg from the surgery I had.  If you want to read more about my story, check out my blog at http://journeywithsarah.wordpress.com/.

I wanted to let you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Having gone through childhood cancer myself, I am now trying to find ways to raise awareness and money for childhood cancer. 

Cancer is the leading cause of disease related death in children.  Every day, 46 kids will be diagnosed with childhood cancer.  That’s two classrooms full of children!  Although almost 80% of these will survive, a little more than 20% won’t.  Any child dying of cancer is one too many!!!  Many who survive will later have problems due to side effects of the harsh treatments.

Most of the federal funding for cancer research goes towards research of adult cancers.  Less than 2% of federal funding goes to research for childhood cancer.  Since the federal funding is not enough, people need to get involved and help raise money for finding a cure.  Our family is trying to raise $1,000 for an organization called CURE Childhood Cancer this month.  (http://www.curechildhoodcancer.org/)

Here are some ways you can get involved in the world of childhood cancer:

• Donate money to organizations like CURE Childhood Cancer.  (You can donate on a page they set up for me by going to http://www.firstgiving.com/2010curekidsarahbarr)
• Be a blood donor or a bone marrow donor.  Both of these are needed by kids with cancer.
• Spread the word about childhood cancer and its needs.
• Volunteer at the hospital, at AFLAC Cancer Centers, with CURE Childhood Cancer, or other childhood cancer organizations.
• Get your schools involved by having a “Caps for CURE” day or “Casual for CURE” day (more info on my blog).
• Have a donation box at your business to collect for childhood cancer.
• Think of your own fundraising ideas!!
• Pray for all these kids!

 Thank you taking the time to read my post!  Hope you will get involved!!!!  Sarah J

A few weeks ago I stood before a congregation as the Pastor announced the work that I would be doing with them over the next 10 months.  I was to be introduced that day at all three worship services.  I had prepared in writing what I was going to say.  The 8:00 service arrived bright and early and the introduction went well.  I sat back down in a pew and began to be a part of the service.

 I’d like to stop here and just say something that I’ve said a lot of times, and I’ll say again.  God is very bossy with me.  He speaks very clearly, not with an audible voice, but with a two by four.  I had been nervous during the early introduction and it felt like I fumbled my way through my part.  I sat down and God very clearly told me that when the preacher asked the reason for my passion, my part had stunk.

 Sitting in that pew that early morning, God reminded me of the reason for my passion.  Why do I do what I do?  The author of Hebrews says that God’s Word is living and active, shaper than any double edged sword.  In that moment, God brought to mind all the ways that has been true.   The reason for my passion and what I do?  Because God’s Word, The Bible, is powerful.  It has spoken to every failure I have ever had, every fall I’ve taken, every hope, every dream, and more.  His Word has spoken in the midst of every season of my life.  It has spoken to every circumstance of my life.  I am passionate about helping churches see the power behind God’s Word, because God is in the transformation business and He never fails.

 We live in a sick and dying world.  We live in a world where people are filled with despair and pain.  The answer is God.  He can be found in the pages of the Bible and when you dig in, your life is forever changed.  God says that His Word does not come back void.   My prayer for you is that you will begin to open God’s Word, that you will begin to read His Words of life, and that you will begin to be transformed.  If you are unsure of where to start, open to Psalm 139.  Read.  Begin to ask God to show Himself to you.  He made you and you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I’m praying!

As we approach Valentine’s Day, I’m thinking about Eddie.  Now, of course, that’s normal – but my thoughts are not quite what you are thinking (although, they are that too…).  But what is on my mind especially is how thankful I am for the kind of father he was/is to our daughter.  I believe that Amber will spend many years with a wonderful man because her Daddy loved her with all he had and showed her how she should expect to be loved.

From the moment they met, they had a connection that has been a “super glue bond”.  I joke that they have this little mutual admiration society going – each thinks that the other hung the moon.  Their relationship is special.  I asked Eddie, once, what he thought his main job in raising Amber was.  His reply?  To love her.  But the full sentence?  “To love her, and that was as easy as breathing.”  Eddie was there for everything.  They have games that are special just to them – Stink Dog, Galliators, World’s Greatest Stunt Baby, Ronco Bundle-O-Baby, Stinky Peeties, and boy could I go on!  Hours of playing and having fun, just the two of them.

I am so blessed.  Blessed by a daughter who is so special and blessed with a husband who loves his girls more than anything in the world.  It gives me great hope for Amber’s future.  When you’ve been loved with such a fierce, complete, protective love you won’t settle for someone that just thinks your pretty good, you want it all – because you’ve seen and felt what the full deal looks, sounds and feels like!  Amber has chosen a man who is a carbon copy of her Daddy.  She has many years ahead that promise a life well-loved.  Jayce, you’ve got some big shoes to fill, but I believe that you are the only man to do it.

I’ve spent this weekend as the speaker of a women’s retreat at Big Canoe in Jasper, Georgia.   We talked, laughed, cried and shared about joy last night and this morning.  At one point this morning, we all stood up as different circumstances were read that we had encountered – divorce, death of a loved one, miscarriage, burying a spouse, personal illness, death of children, financial hardship, loss of a job – and the roll continued.  Woman after woman stood.  It was a room full of the pain of life’s circumstances. 

By the world’s standards, these women had every reason to be downcast and to pooh-pooh JOY.  Yet, woman after woman had laughter through tears.  Women began to recount the faithfulness of God.  That’s the way it is when you trust God.  In the beginning it can be difficult.  But as God proves Himself faithful, the next time is a little easier, and the next time a little easier, etc…

So many people decide not to believe and trust in God because of their circumstances.  But, God never said it would be easier for believers.  As a matter of fact, the Bible is FULL of the difficult way for believers – Noah built an ark for 120 years; Abraham was called to leave his family and there was a famine in the land several years after he got there; David was hunted down by Saul; Isaiah was sawn in half; Ezekiel was carried off in Exile to Bablyon; Jesus was condemned, betrayed and crucified; all the disciples but one were killed violently.  Jesus said it rains on the just and the unjust.  Paul says to rejoice in our suffering.  James says consider it pure joy when we endure trials of many kinds.  Peter says that trials prove our faith genuine.

Would these women wish some of their circumstances away?  Absolutely.  Did it make them turn from God?  Never.  Paul says in Philippians 1 “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  Paul didn’t let circumstances steal his joy because he wasn’t living for circumstances.  Paul was living for Christ.  God wants us to do the same.

Many people feel that their circumstances were “done to them” by God.  God does not sit in heaven with a “zap” button.  Does He allow them?  Yes.  But, as my sister says, this side of heaven is messy and things are not what they were supposed to be.  So this world has death, disease and free will and people will choose poorly in many circumstances.  Is God mean and uncaring?  Nope.  He loved us so much that He wouldn’t leave us in that state or condition.  He sent His Son, Jesus – who lost a father, was rejected by His family, was rejected by the people, was despised by the religious people of His day, was subject to an illegal trial, was beaten, mocked and battered beyond recognition, was condemned to die and was crucified.  ALL because He decided to rescue you from all this.  Mean and uncaring?  Given the lengths He went to, it’s almost slanderous.

Thankfully, He knows we don’t see in full here.  He knows there is so much we don’t see and understand.  And, He is big enough to take our questions, our anger, our doubt, our fears and our worries.  Cast those things on Him, draw near to Him, and be silent to hear Him speak.

My prayer for you today is that you will seek God in the midst of your circumstances.  That you will feel His presence in the midst of your pain and turmoil and that you will praise Him regardless of your circusmtances.  He loves you.