assignments for radical growth...

I never liked homework assignments in school.

Thankfully since I have grown up (ha, ha) I like homework.
As you may know, we have started a 52 week super-series at church, entitled:

"The Jesus Experiment"

We just finished our third week, and our pastor, Chris Eads is giving out homework each week. He is calling it

"Assignments for Radical Growth".

Here are our assignments for the last three weeks.

* Get a "red-lettered" edition of the Bible, where the words of Jesus are printed in red. begin a process of several times a week, reading ONLY the red letters., letting the black words (the context) fade into the background. This is not because we want to take the words of Jesus out of context; but rather allow His words to life off the pages and into your context. Ask God to apply these words to your present circumstances and see what He does!

*Give God one "blank check" day, where you commit 90 minutes to approach God in quietness and ask Him to speak to you on whatever topic HE chooses. Don't go in with an agenda. Don't ask God for something. but, ask Him to speak to you about whatever He wants and see what He says to you!

*Practical Examples of Pro-active Grace:
-Look for a person at school or work that is socially isolated. Intentionally plan a space to invite them into something relational...a meal, friends hanging, etc.
-Invite someone who is unsaved/unchurched over to dinner; invite them to lunch. just be normal and cool.
-Find a single mom down on her luck, and give her $100 or more anonymously.
-Call someone you have been personally alienated from and asked their forgiveness.
-Ask someone you know who is embroiled in great spiritual difficulty to sit down and talk; present them with the clear gospel message.

*And in our small group last night:
We got talking about grace (the topic of the sermon that morning)
We decided as a group (was completely unplanned) that we are going to each prepare a three minute testimony to share with the group.
We are planning to do a cardboard testimony element.
Then we were challenged to think about using that testimony to present to the congregation at large in a couple weeks in that context.

Are you willing to take on a homework assignment? Just pick even one for this week...