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Full of Grace and Truth
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV)
On February 27, 2021, the Board of General Superintendents shared the new global discipleship initiative for the Church of the Nazarene to the General Board. This initiative defines Nazarene discipleship as "A Journey of Grace." The framework describes discipleship as a lifetime journey where every individual’s journey is determined by the response to the grace of God in his or her life. God’s gracious love awakens the lost (prevenient grace), makes repentance and salvation possible (saving grace), and makes believers holy (sanctifying grace). His grace guides our journey and draws us closer to His heart.
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It is important to understand, however, that we don't stumble into faith. We don't wake up one morning and all of a sudden find ourselves in a relationship with God. In fact, in a conscious moment of decision, the free will God has given humankind allows each person the choice to either accept or reject His grace.
God often uses believers to come alongside spiritually lost people, at just the right moment, to help them see what God is doing in their lives and to help them cross the line of faith. We call this disciple-making. Believers, yoked to Jesus, keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, introduce the lost to the One who can save them. Disciple-making involves the sharing of both grace and truth in a diverse and challenging culture. That is what Jesus did—the way Jesus lived.
We see a perfect blend of grace and truth in the story of the rich man who approached Jesus seeking eternal life (Mark 10). People had been bringing children to Jesus to have Him bless them. His disciples rebuked the people for doing this. Jesus was angered by His disciples' actions and told them that anyone who wishes to enter the kingdom of God must receive the kingdom of God like a child.
As Jesus began to leave the scene, a man ran up and fell on his knees before Him. Undoubtedly, this man had watched Jesus with the children and had overheard the conversation between Jesus and His disciples. The posture of the man before Jesus expressed his earnestness. He asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus, knowing the man’s heart, highlighted a few of the Ten Commandments. The man responded, "Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy" (Mark 10:20). You can feel the man's desperation in his answer to Jesus.
Mark records in verse 21, "Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Mark gave us a perfect picture of the grace and truth of Jesus in these verses. Flowing from the love of God (grace), Jesus said the hardest thing possible (truth): "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Oh God, please help your church be full of grace and truth as we make disciples in this world today. We can fail by sharing grace without truth or by sharing truth without grace. We are called to live as Jesus lived. Can we love others deeply like Jesus and with a willingness to address the hardest issues? This is what disciple-making looks like on the Journey of Grace!
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Scott Rainey,
SDMI Global Director
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|  | A Pentecost Perspective
Seven weeks after Easter, on May 23 this year, most Nazarenes will celebrate Pentecost Sunday. On that day, we will remember the early believers who, while gathered in an upper room, were being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).
Read more | |  | Searching for the Most Effective Discipleship Curricula
"What are the most effective discipleship curricula/models that you have seen around the globe?" A lot of thought has been given to this question since our mission includes discovering, developing, and delivering God-inspired discipleship resources globally. Daryll Stanton shares his answer to this question. Read more | |
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|  | Discipleship Digital Solutions
Are you struggling with face-to-face discipleship or do you need to disciple new believers at a distance? Basic Bible Studies Online is a digital edition of the bestselling program Basic Bible Studies for New and Growing Christians by Chic Shaver. Read more | |  | Children - Are They Really Listening?
I have been a public-school teacher and a Sunday school teacher. I have learned that a child's lack of attention does not always mean he or she is not listening.
Read more | |
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| | Children's World Quiz is Coming this June!
In a way we've never experienced before, students from the various Nazarene churches in the United States, regions, and countries will gather on June 26, 2021, for Children’s World Quiz! Read more
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| | Registration is open for the 2021 SDMI's Leadership Conference (LC2021) November 9-11, 2021!
LC2021 will be held in a beautiful mountain setting at the Ridgecrest Conference Center, just outside Ashville, North Carolina, on November 9-11, 2021.
You can expect inspirational speakers, informative workshops, transformative worship sessions, and refreshing fellowships. Don’t miss this crucial event for your discipleship ministry! To view a video invitation from the SDMI Global Director, click here. Registration for LC2021 has begun. The new program and schedule are available here, and additional details are available through your SDMI field and SDMI district representatives. Please be praying with us for this key leadership and discipleship-equipping conference.
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| | 2021 VBS – The Journey of Grace!
The Church of the Nazarene's Vacation Bible School, The Journey of Grace, invites children to follow in the footsteps of a girl named Grace who explores a world of new adventure. In this free, downloadable VBS, children will join Grace as she embarks on a journey that is open to all who are brave enough to travel with her. Each leg of the journey will help the traveler understand God's prevenient, saving, and sanctifying grace, which leads them to grow to their potential.
More information about The Journey of Grace Vacation Bible School is available at nazarene.org/vbs!
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| | SDMI Resources Brochure
The 2021 Sunday School and Discipleship Ministry brochure is in the mail and online.
This month, each church in the US and Canada will receive four printed copies. This brochure will highlight new and existing resources that support a Journey of Grace and contains special QR codes that will take the reader directly to the new SDMI website and the resources mentioned. Additional copies for distribution are available upon request. Send your request to SDMI@nazarene.org.
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| | Grace Webinars Now Available Online
Dr. Frank Moore, Dr. Scott Rainey, and Dr. Sam Barber facilitated a series of three webinars for Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries. Each webinar discussed an aspect of God's grace. In September, they talked about God's prevenient grace, in November, they discussed God's saving grace, and in January, they discussed God's sanctifying grace.
Participation in the webinars included 1,353 registrations and 617 attendees from 35 countries. You can find the playback of all three webinars here.
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| | Women's Discipleship Ministry App is ready for You!
Women who use the Naz Women's Ministry app find it a means of drawing them to God's Word daily, putting the Word on the forefront of their minds, and setting their hearts on things above throughout their day. The app can help or enhance the habit of separating time each day to read Scripture. Learn more
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| | Your Opinion Needed by N.E.W.
Nazarene Educators Worldwide (NEW) offers membership to educators in a variety of educational settings. We would love to sit down and talk with each educator about the needs of his/her educational situation. Since we cannot do that physically in the current pandemic context, we are asking for your help electronically. Learn more
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| | On a Journey of Grace in Children’s Ministry
Listen to Rev. Trey Brooks, co-founder of Equip to Engage with his wife, Candice, share how God’s call on his life has led them on a journey to resource local church children’s ministry leaders on the USA/Canada region. In this special video, Trey also shares what he has learned as he and his wife have followed God’s call and adjusted their ministry during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Click here to view this special interview.
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