Front doors, our assumptions and how to have a KNOCK mindset

Everyone puts up a front door, some are welcoming, some are scary, some are utilitarian. Connection primer helps leaders first learn the biblical mindset, observe a model conversation, practice one-on-one across perceived differences, and receive specific coaching. The desired outcome is not simply understanding welcome. It is demonstrating curiosity, dignity, mutuality, and continued connection.

Connection Primer: Tell, Show, Let, Coach

Session outcome

By the end of the session, each leader will be able to:

• Recognize assumptions created by appearances.
• Approach someone without pity, envy, favoritism, or superiority.
• Conduct a one-on-one conversation using the KNOCK mindset.
• Identify something to receive from the other person.
• Make a specific commitment to continue the relationship.

Ask:

“If these doors represented people, which would you approach first? Which would you avoid? What story have you already created about the person behind each door?”

Explain:

“The doors represent how people show up, not what they are worth. We naturally rank people by appearance, condition, influence, education, confidence, and usefulness. The gospel teaches us to cross the sidewalk without ranking the person behind the door.”

Biblical foundation

James 1:9–11: Status is reversed

• The person in humble circumstances has a high position in Christ.
• The wealthy person must remember their low position before God.
• Visible circumstances are real, but they do not determine eternal worth.
• Both people need an identity that circumstances cannot provide.

Romans 5:8: Love initiates

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Christ did not wait for us to become presentable before moving toward us.

Romans 15:7: Welcome reproduces grace

“Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.”

We extend the kind of welcome we have already received.

Define belonging before belief

“Belonging before belief means relational welcome before agreement. It does not mean agreement is unnecessary, truth is unimportant, or boundaries disappear. It means dignity, attention, and relationship are not rewards people must earn by becoming like us.”

Teach the KNOCK mindset

• K: Kill the ranking. Place neither person above the other.
• N: Notice assumptions. Separate what you know from what you inferred.
• O: Offer welcome. Communicate interest without requiring performance.
• C: Come ready to receive. Believe the other person carries something you need.
• K: Keep showing up. Move from a pleasant encounter to a continuing relationship.

Show Model conversation

Leader:
“Thanks for taking a few minutes with me. I realized that I know what you do, but I do not know much about what has shaped you. What has been significant in your life recently?”

Other person:
“Most people assume everything is going well. Work has gone well, but caring for my father has been difficult.”

Leader:
“I would not have known that. What has that season been teaching you?”

Other person:
“It has been teaching me that I cannot control everything. I have had to ask for help.”

Leader:
“That challenges an assumption I had. I thought you were probably the person everyone else depended on. What kind of support would be meaningful to you?”

Other person:
“Honestly, having someone check in without asking me to solve another problem would help.”

Leader:
“I can do that. I would also like to learn more about what you are discovering. Would it be all right if I checked in next week?”
Observation questions


Ask the group:

• Where did the leader avoid ranking?
• What assumption was corrected?
• Which question invited honesty?
• What did the leader receive?
• How did the conversation create a next step?

Behaviors to notice

Mindset ->Observable behavior

• Kill the ranking -> Speaks as an equal
• Notice assumptions -> Admits an incomplete perception
• Offer welcome -> Expresses sincere interest
• Come ready to receive -> Asks what the experience is teaching
• Keep showing up -> Establishes a specific follow-up

3. Let: Practice one-on-one

Time: 10 minutes
Purpose: Let leaders exercise the mindset together in a real conversation.

Pair leaders with someone they know less well. If possible, pair people who differ in age, personality, professional background, culture, life stage, or visible circumstances.

 

Step 1: Name the door

Before beginning, each person privately selects the door that best represents how they currently feel they are showing up. They may explain their choice, but they are not required to disclose anything they wish to keep private.

Step 2: Begin with curiosity

The initiating leader may use one of these questions:
“What is something people might assume about you that is incomplete?”
“What experience is shaping you right now?”
“Where have you experienced unexpected encouragement?”
“What is God teaching you through your present circumstances?”
“What do you wish people would ask instead of assuming?”
“What strength has God developed in you that others may not immediately see?”

Step 3: Listen for the gift

The initiator must identify something they can receive from the other person:
Wisdom
Perspective
Encouragement
Correction
Experience
Prayer
A different way of seeing the situation

This keeps the conversation reciprocal. The other person is not treated as a problem, project, or ministry assignment.

Step 4: Reflect what you heard

Use this pattern:


“What I hear you saying is…”
“Something I respect in your story is…”
“Something I can learn from you is…”

The other person may clarify or correct the reflection.

Step 5: Create a next step

Close with one question:

“What would meaningful connection after today look like?”

Possible next steps include:

• A follow-up conversation
• A prayer check-in
• Sharing a meal
• Attending something important to the person
• Introducing them to another leader
• Serving together
• Practice boundaries

Leaders should not:

• Give advice unless it is requested.
• Correct theology during the exercise.
• Compare the story to their own too quickly.
• Ask for traumatic details.
• Promise confidentiality they cannot maintain.
• Turn the conversation into recruitment or problem-solving.

4. Coach: Reflect and improve

Time: 3 minute
Purpose: Convert experience into repeatable leadership behavior.

Partners first coach each other using the following questions.
Peer-coaching questions

• When did you feel most heard?
• Which question helped you open up?
• Did anything feel assumed, rushed, or overly directive?
• Did the conversation feel mutual?
• What should the leader repeat?
• What is one adjustment that would improve the next conversation?

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Shepherding through group dynamics, aiming for kingdom culture

It's been an incredible week of ministry preparation for September small groups. 

• Last Wednesday I received Rooted Leadership training. The big takeaway was to create an environment of belonging, hospitality and connection. Rooted is built on three things: the foundation of the faith, the formation of a man, and the essential truths of what we believe. It walks through who Jesus is, what it means to have Christ living in you, and the everyday habits that grow a man: the Word, prayer, purity, sharing your faith, and standing firm when life gets hard. I'm doing this online Saturday at 8:00 a.m. CDT. Just specify you want to be in Ben Lorence's group here: https://atgrace.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/3892/responses/new 
• On Monday my friend Becky at Grace Church aligned that Spanish translation of Rooted would take a few weeks to modify the materials and ensure a high quality product. We aligned on developing an online Community to host Rooted Bible study participants. The platform will account for the goals belonging, connection, prayer support and life change in the context of daily Bible study. This morning I saw my idea to fix/simplify Spanish lectures with youtube went into production at grace.church/spanish
• Thursday was the BSF Leadership Workshop for the Roman's study year. We focused on our hearts, identifying where we're working in step with the Lord vs getting away from our calling. 
• Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Alpha Leadership training at Substance church with my TC friends and family. I received prayer to call additional leaders into the Portland house Alpha opportunity as this will be my last year of serving as the primary leader. Prayer on Thursday will continue. 
• We've also been praying for our own family dynamics, health issues and living situations. 

I'm like the Kook-aid guy crashing into the room with unreasonable expectations for myself and others. 

Alpha leader is not responsible for controlling the conversation or producing the “right” spiritual outcome. The leader creates a hospitable environment where people can honestly explore, while trusting the Holy Spirit to work. "Evangelism is joining a conversation the Holy Spirit is already having with another person." - Darrell Johnson

Jesus life models the "Kingdom Culture" for us, he made disciples in the marketplace and at synagogue. He modeled a life on mission, helping people everywhere learn about forgiveness, prayer, healing, hope and eternal life. He was fully integrated moving with people from their felt needs into trusting God with their whole lives. We however tend to lean into one or two of the areas that turns into striving, selfishness or shallowness - we call this "missing the mark." We do all these trainings to remind ourselves that we are witnesses of God working in other peoples lives - not "doing witnessing" as an activity or manipulation. 

The most useful strategic distinction is that Incubate → Implement → Increase → Influence describes organizational adoption, while Curriculum → Program → Ministry → Culture describes organizational transformation. A church can therefore measure not just "How many Alphas are we running?" but "How much has the Alpha posture changed how we engage people?"

How do we engage people coming from various perspectives:

• Skeptic: questions Christianity or its claims.
• Seeker: spiritually interested and actively exploring.
• Starter / re-starter: beginning faith or returning after time away.
• Struggler: wrestling with faith, circumstances, doubts, or behavior.
• Sampler: curious and willing to experience Alpha without necessarily committing.
• Server: already inclined toward faith and contributing to others.

The important implication is that people are not all starting from the same place, so leaders should not expect them to respond the same way.

What difficult group dynamics should leaders anticipate?

• Dominant guest
• Eager Christian who overshares
• Quiet guest
• Quiet group
• Chaotic group
• Guest dealing with significant personal problems

These are better understood as situations to shepherd rather than people to fix.

The “6 Ways to be Mindful” provide the leadership response:

Principle	Leadership behavior	What it protects
1. Recognize your own bias	Notice the assumptions you bring into the conversation	The guest from being judged through the leader's experience
2. Respect various perspectives	Make room for disagreement and different experiences	Psychological and relational safety
3. Model curiosity	Ask rather than immediately explain or correct	Discovery and authentic conversation
4. Absorb hostility	Remain gracious when challenged	The group from becoming defensive or adversarial
5. Lead carefully and confidently	Intervene when needed without dominating	Healthy boundaries and participation
6. Trust the Holy Spirit to be the Guide	Resist trying to manufacture spiritual outcomes	God's agency and the guest's freedom

There is an important progression here:

Self-awareness → hospitality toward others → curiosity → resilience → leadership → dependence on God.

The strongest leadership principle may be #6 because it changes how the other five are practiced. If the leader believes conversion or agreement depends primarily upon the leader's persuasive ability, curiosity easily becomes interrogation, confidence becomes control, and disagreement becomes something that must be defeated.

useful leadership framework emerges from the slides:

Receive → Explore → Shepherd → Release

Receive: “You are welcome here as you are.”

Explore: “Tell me more. What makes you think that?”

Shepherd: “Let's make sure we hear from some other people too.”

Release: “I don't have to force the conclusion. The Holy Spirit is the Guide.”

That produces a simple diagnostic question for an Alpha leader:

“What does this person need from me right now: space, curiosity, encouragement, a boundary, or nothing?”

That is especially powerful because the same behavior should not be applied uniformly. The dominant guest probably needs a boundary. The quiet guest probably needs space and invitation. The skeptic often needs curiosity. The struggler may need empathy. The eager Christian may need coaching. The personal-problems guest may need care beyond the group meeting.

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Day6 live idea

An important part of BSF Leadership is passage discovery/homiletics. It's my favorite take-away from BSF that gives me freedom to explore scripture and learn more after doing the day-by-day lesson. Often times we don't get into Day 6 of the lesson before the discussion time is over and many non-leaders in BSF don't know what homiletics is. So I thought about creating a space to share Day6 as an above and beyond option for people who are really into it or new leaders who are just getting starting and my be feeling overwhelmed. So I got the day6.live domain as I was contemplating these things. 

 "Day 6" in the Bible points in two directions — the sixth day of creation in Genesis 1, and the broader symbolism the number six picks up elsewhere. Here's both.

The sixth day itself (Genesis 1:24–31)

• Land animals — livestock, creeping things, and wild beasts, each "according to its kind," sharing the day with humanity. Humans are grouped with the land creatures, then sharply distinguished from them.
• The image of God — "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." The deliberative plural, and the fact that God speaks about humanity rather than simply commanding it into being, sets this act apart from the previous five days.
• Male and female — both bear the image; the text gives no hierarchy in the bearing of it.
• Blessing and mandate — be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it (kabash), have dominion (radah). Often called the creation mandate or cultural mandate.
• Vegetarian provision — seed-bearing plants given as food to humans and animals alike, with no killing in view before Genesis 9.
• "Very good" — the only day that gets the intensified verdict (tov me'od) rather than plain "good." The sixth day completes and crowns the sequence.
• Genesis 2 then retells the same day up close: dust, the breath of life, the garden, the naming of animals, the woman drawn from the man's side.

Six as a symbolic number

• Labor before rest — six days of work, then Sabbath (Exodus 20:9–11); six years of service, freedom in the seventh (Exodus 21:2); six years of sowing, then the land's rest (Leviticus 25).
• Preparation day — the sixth day is when Israel gathers double manna for the coming Sabbath (Exodus 16:22–26). It's the day of getting ready.
• Falling short of seven — since seven signals completeness, six often carries a sense of the not-quite. Goliath stands six cubits with six pieces of armor; Nebuchadnezzar's image is sixty cubits by six; Revelation 13:18 gives 666 as "the number of a man."
• New-creation typology — many readers connect the crucifixion, which John places on the preparation day (the sixth), to the sixth day of creation: Pilate's "Behold the man," Jesus' "It is finished" echoing the finishing of Genesis 2:1, then rest in the tomb through the Sabbath. Paul's "last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45) and "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15) run along the same line.

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Jesus is the same, but people tend toward reinterpretation with existing religious frameworks

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13:8

I create a new compare feature for deity-and-sonship-of-christ from various religious perspectives. 

Here's why it matters.

Across these language-specific Comparative Theology sections, a clear set of recurring themes emerges. Each language identifies the dominant worldview that could cause readers to reinterpret the biblical doctrine of Christ's deity and divine Sonship through familiar religious categories rather than allowing Scripture to define the doctrine on its own. 

The common pattern is not outright rejection of Jesus. Rather, it is reinterpretation. Every language identifies a local theological framework that can make biblical language sound familiar while fundamentally changing its meaning. The translation challenge is therefore conceptual fidelity, not simply lexical accuracy.

Comparative Theology is not primarily comparing religions. It is identifying the specific conceptual "gravity wells" within each culture that could pull readers away from the biblical presentation of Christ. Those gravity wells differ by language, but the objective remains the same: preserve the Bible's claim that Jesus Christ is the unique, eternal Son of God, fully divine and fully human, whose incarnation, death, resurrection, and future return are singular events in God's plan of redemption.

Language	Dominant comparison	Primary misunderstanding risk
Arabic	Druze, Alawite	Jesus divided into categories or incarnation language redefined
Bengali	Vaishnava Hinduism	Jesus understood as another avatar of Vishnu
Czech	Hussite history	Little Christological conflict from local history
Hindi	Puranic Hinduism	Jesus absorbed into avatar theology
Somali	Islamic worldview (described elsewhere in the library)	Jesus honored as prophet but not divine Son

Several higher-level themes emerge.

1. Existing religious frameworks reinterpret new information

Every culture already has categories for understanding divine beings. Instead of learning a new biblical category, readers naturally map Jesus onto one they already know.

Examples include:

• Avatar (Hinduism)
• Prophet (Islam)
• Divine manifestation
• Inspired teacher
• Divine incarnation of another person

This is a universal cognitive pattern.

Translation implication

A translator cannot assume that "Son of God" or "God became flesh" will automatically communicate the biblical meaning.

2. Superficial similarities hide profound theological differences

Nearly every comparison notes that something appears similar.

For example:

Arabic

• incarnation language
• divine figure
• heavenly messenger

Hindu

• God entering the world
• divine appearance
• future deliverer

These similarities create false confidence.

The Comparative Theology repeatedly warns:

Similar vocabulary does not imply similar doctrine.

3. Uniqueness of Christ is consistently at risk

Nearly every collision reduces Jesus from unique to one among many.

Instead of

the eternal Son who became incarnate once for all

the competing framework suggests

• another avatar
• another prophet
• another manifestation
• another divine representative

The biblical claim of uniqueness is therefore weakened.

4. Christ's return is often reinterpreted

This is especially strong in Bengali and Hindi.

Instead of

the visible return of the same historical resurrected Jesus

the expectation becomes

• another avatar
• Kalki
• another divine descent

The doctrine of the Second Coming changes even if similar words are used.

5. Personhood of Christ becomes distorted

Different traditions modify Christ's identity differently.

Arabic examples

• distinction between Jesus and "the Christ"
• incarnation transferred to another person

Hindu examples

• one incarnation among many

Islamic examples

• honored prophet but not divine Son

Each changes who Jesus actually is.

6. Historical context matters

Czech stands out.

Instead of identifying a major theological collision, it notes:

• Jan Hus
• Hussite reform

These movements challenged

• church authority
• sacramental practice
• ecclesiology

They did not reject Christ's deity.

This illustrates an important principle:

Comparative Theology should identify the actual risks for that culture rather than forcing identical concerns into every language.

Common translation principles

Across all languages, several principles emerge.

Avoid using familiar religious terminology if it imports another theology.

For example

• avatar
• manifestation
• emanation
• prophet
• divine messenger

unless Scripture itself requires the wording and explanatory notes remove ambiguity.

---

Preserve uniqueness.

Translation should consistently communicate that Jesus is

• the eternal Son
• uniquely incarnate
• fully God
• fully man
• crucified
• risen
• returning

not one example within a larger category.

---

Preserve historical identity.

The same Jesus who

• was born,
• lived,
• died,
• rose,

is the one who returns.

This prevents reinterpretation into cyclical or recurring divine appearances.

---

Translate concepts, not merely words.

Literal translation alone is insufficient if readers automatically interpret terms through local religious systems.

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Remember, trust, obey, and teach others (Psalm 78:1-72)

Listening to  There Is a Battle for Your Memories (Protecting Our Memories) - Bill Johnson Sermon | Bethel Church. Bill Johnson's sermon reinforces Psalm 78 while adding a practical application for the believer's inner life. Psalm 78 primarily focuses on corporate memory by teaching Israel to remember God's works and teach future generations. Johnson extends this to personal spiritual formation, arguing that our memory shapes our faith, expectations, and ability to recognize God's work today. Johnson's message surfaces what may be the central principle underlying Psalm 78:

Memory shapes faith, faith shapes perspective, perspective shapes obedience, and obedience shapes the next generation.

Psalm 78 warns that Israel's failures did not begin with outward rebellion. They began when the people forgot (Psalm 78:11, 42). Johnson applies that same principle to believers today by arguing that spiritual warfare often begins with our memory. If we fail to intentionally remember what God has done, our present circumstances become larger than our memory of God's faithfulness, leading to fear, unbelief, and ultimately disobedience. This makes intentional remembrance not merely an act of reflection but a discipline that protects faith and sustains hope. 

Hear and Pass On God's Truth

• Listen carefully to God's instruction. (Psalm 78:1-2)
• Learn hidden lessons from the past. (Psalm 78:2-3)
• Tell God's works to every generation. (Psalm 78:4,6)
• Never hide God's truth from children. (Psalm 78:4)
• Teach God's commands faithfully. (Psalm 78:5-6)
• Every generation must teach the next. (Psalm 78:6)
• tri-bible.ai/#who-its-for
  
• Discipleship includes preserving God's testimony. (Psalm 78:4-7; Deut. 6:4-9)

Remember God's Works

• Place your hope continually in God. (Psalm 78:7)
• Remember God's mighty miracles. (Psalm 78:7,11-16,42-55)
• Never forget God's mighty works. (Psalm 78:11,42)
• Remember God's power to save. (Psalm 78:42-55)
• Recall God's victories over enemies. (Psalm 78:43-55)
• Remembering God's works is a spiritual discipline. (Psalm 78:7,42; Ps. 103:2)
• God's past faithfulness should shape present expectations. (Psalm 78:7,11-16; Mark 8:17-21)
• Biblical meditation fills the mind with God's works. (Psalm 78:7,42; Josh. 1:8)

Trust God's Character

• Trust God's care, not your cravings. (22-29)
• Believe God's promises without doubting. (Psalm 78:22)
• God faithfully provides daily needs. (Psalm 78:15-16,23-29)
• God makes impossible paths possible. (Psalm 78:13,15-16)
• God faithfully guides His people. (Psalm 78:14,52-54)
• God fulfills His promises. (Psalm 78:54-55)
• Remember God's benefits: forgiveness, healing, redemption, renewal. (Ps. 103:2-5)
• God's unchanging character defines our identity. (Psalm 78:35,38-39; Heb. 13:8)

Obey God Wholeheartedly

• Obey God's commands wholeheartedly. (Psalm 78:7,10)
• Keep God's covenant faithfully. (Psalm 78:10,37)
• Give God wholehearted loyalty. (Psalm 78:37)
• Do not harden your heart. (Psalm 78:8)
• Do not become spiritually unreliable. (Psalm 78:57)

Guard Against Unbelief

• Do not test God's patience. (Psalm 78:18,40-41)
• Do not grieve God's heart. (Psalm 78:40-41)
• Reject every form of idolatry. (Psalm 78:56-58)
• Faithfulness matters more than strength. (Psalm 78:9-10)
• Miracles alone cannot produce faith. (Psalm 78:32)
• Craving more leads to judgment. (Psalm 78:30-33)
• Negative memories can become excuses for unbelief. (Psalm 78:11,22,32,42)
• Current circumstances should not redefine God's nature. (Psalm 78:22,32,42; Mark 8:17-21)

Respond with Genuine Faith

• Seek God with sincere hearts. (Psalm 78:34-37)
• Lip service never pleases God. (Psalm 78:36-37)
• Repentance includes remembering God's faithfulness. (Psalm 78:34-35)
• Hope is restored by recalling God's interventions. (Psalm 78:35,38-39)

Remember God's Character

• God is merciful and forgiving. (Psalm 78:38-39)
• God remembers our human weakness. (Psalm 78:39)
• God disciplines those He loves. (Psalm 78:21,31-33,59-64)
• Sin, Discipline, and the Race We Must Run
  
• God remains faithful despite human forgetfulness. (Psalm 78:38-39)

Lead with Integrity

• God chooses leaders after His heart. (Psalm 78:67-71)
• Shepherd others with integrity. (Psalm 78:70-72)
• Lead others with wisdom and skill. (Psalm 78:72)
• Leaders cultivate a culture of remembrance. (Psalm 78:70-72)

New overarching theme

This progression is exactly what Psalm 78 describes:

Remember God's works
        ↓
Trust God's character
        ↓
Obey His commands
        ↓
Experience His faithfulness
        ↓
Teach the next generation
        ↓
They remember God

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Belonging before belief, create a welcoming culture for new Bible Study members

Romans strongly emphasizes that people are welcomed by God while they are still sinners, outsiders, and enemies. That theme is often summarized today as "belonging before belief." The exact phrase does not appear in Scripture, and different churches mean different things by it. Romans clearly teaches that God's grace reaches people before they are transformed, while also insisting that faith, repentance, and a changed life follow. The challenge is holding both truths together. 

Romans 5:6-8

"While we were still weak... Christ died for the ungodly... while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Principle

• God initiates relationship.
• Christ acts before we deserve it.
• Grace comes before transformation.

---

Romans 5:10

"While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son."

Principle

• God moves toward enemies.
• Reconciliation begins with God's initiative.

---

Romans 2:4

"God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance."

Principle

• Kindness precedes repentance.
• Repentance is the intended outcome, not the prerequisite for receiving God's kindness.

---

Romans 3:22-24

"...there is no distinction: for all have sinned... and are justified by his grace as a gift."

Principle

• Everyone begins in the same condition.
• Justification is received by grace.

---

Romans 4:5

"...to the one who does not work but believes..."

Principle

• Acceptance is not earned through performance.

---

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Principle

• Those united to Christ are accepted, not continually condemned.

---

Romans 10:12-13

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Principle

• The invitation is open to everyone.

---

How Romans teaches us to treat people

Romans 12:9-10

"Love must be genuine... Outdo one another in showing honor."

Theme
Authentic love and mutual honor.

---

Romans 12:13

"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Theme
Hospitality is expected.

---

Romans 12:14

"Bless those who persecute you."

Theme
Respond to hostility with blessing.

---

Romans 12:15

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

Theme
Empathy.

---

Romans 12:16

"Live in harmony... Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly."

Theme
Humility and inclusion.

---

Romans 12:17-21

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil... If your enemy is hungry, feed him."

Theme
Love over retaliation.

---

Romans 13:8-10

"Love your neighbor as yourself... Love is the fulfillment of the law."

Theme
Love summarizes God's moral law.

---

Romans 14:1

"Welcome the one who is weak in faith, but not to quarrel over opinions."

Theme
Welcome before agreement on disputable matters.

This is one of the clearest "belonging" passages in Romans.

---

Romans 14:4

"Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?"

Theme
Leave ultimate judgment to God.

---

Romans 14:13

"Decide never to put a stumbling block... in the way of a brother or sister."

Theme
Consider how your actions affect others.

---

Romans 14:19

"Pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding."

Theme
Build others up.

---

Romans 15:1-2

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak."

Theme
Serve rather than demand.

---

Romans 15:5-7

"Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you."

This is arguably the clearest statement supporting a gospel-centered understanding of belonging.

Theme
Our welcome of others should reflect Christ's welcome of us.

---

Romans 15:14

"Filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another."

Theme
Love includes encouragement and correction.

---

Romans 16

Paul repeatedly commends:

• coworkers
• women and men serving together
• house churches
• diverse ethnic backgrounds
• people who sacrificed for the gospel

Theme
The church is a family formed by Christ, not by social status or ethnicity.

A balanced theology from Romans

Romans presents a progression that keeps grace and transformation together:

God's action	Human response	Community response
God loves sinners (5:8)	Believe the gospel (10:9-13)	Welcome one another (15:7)
God shows kindness (2:4)	Repent (2:4)	Bear with the weak (15:1)
God justifies by grace (3:24)	Walk in newness of life (6:4)	Build one another up (14:19)
God reconciles enemies (5:10)	Present yourselves to God (12:1-2)	Love sincerely (12:9)

Romans never separates acceptance from transformation. God's grace always comes first, but it is intended to produce faith, repentance, holiness, and a community marked by love, hospitality, humility, and mutual care. A concise summary of Romans could be:

God welcomes sinners through Christ before they are transformed, so the church should welcome people with grace while faithfully calling one another toward obedience and maturity in Christ.

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Long obedience in the same direction

Today the United States turns 250 years old. Our semiquincentennial is about more than declarations and fireworks. From the beginning, America has been shaped by people arriving from many nations, bringing with them German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Native American languages, and many others. For generations, the first question facing newcomers was simple: could they be understood? Churches and communities that welcomed people in their heart language helped strangers become neighbors. Those that did not often left them isolated. Language has always been one of the foundations of belonging.

That same pattern runs throughout Scripture. The Bible tells stories that unfold across centuries and others that turn in only a few months. Israel spent generations drifting during the period of the Judges, yet God also transformed entire nations in remarkably short seasons. Israel journeyed from Egypt to Mount Sinai in about two months. In Esther, the decree that threatened God's people was reversed in roughly the same amount of time. Scripture reminds us that God works through both long faithfulness and sudden change.

Over the past two months, I have experienced one of those unexpected seasons. After reaching out to friends connected with Bible Study Fellowship, conversations that began with a simple introduction eventually led to today's release of the first production-ready version of tri-bible.ai. Looking back, I can see God's timing. A vision that seemed delayed over a year ago found the right opportunity as BSF begins its study of Romans, a book that clearly presents the gospel and provides a strong foundation for translation requirements.

While BSF has not adopted tri-bible.ai, the project already has its first production use case. An Elijah study covering 1 and 2 Kings is now being translated into Spanish using the platform. Along the way, I have watched connections emerge that I could never have planned, where translation requirements developed for Romans naturally supported work in Kings. Moments like these remind me of Paul's words in Ephesians 3:20, that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

As America celebrates 250 years, I keep returning to one simple lesson. Welcome often begins with language. Two and a half centuries ago, it meant helping immigrants hear and participate in the life of their new communities. Today, it also means helping people encounter God's Word in the language that speaks most deeply to their hearts. I am grateful that God allowed these two milestones, America's anniversary and tri-bible.ai's first production release, to arrive in the same season as a reminder that faithful friendships, patient waiting, and clear communication can open doors we never could have imagined.

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To be a bugler, using a lifeless instrument, to strengthen the whole church (Romans 10:14-17, 1 Cor 14:6-12)

 A dream more than 10 years old is giving birth. From Money, the power of God's word and dreams, I was reminded that some dreams matter and know when they occur. 

Meditating on 1 Cor 12-14, Ephesians 4, I'm seeing how beginning with the end in mind is better than just doing something. There is a thread I'm seeing throughout the scriptures:

But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims, A sight to take your breath away! Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God! But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to. Romans 10:14-17 MSG (The Message)

Knowing if someone has not heard the Bible involves identifying a lack of familiarity with core biblical figures, stories, and teachings, often stemming from a lack of exposure to preaching or scripture. According to Romans 10:14, faith comes by hearing the gospel, meaning those who have not heard will not have believed or know the message of salvation, Romans 10:14-17

Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?

It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.

There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church. 

So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. - 1 Cor 14:6-13

Here are ways to identify if someone has not heard the Bible:

• Lack of Knowledge: They may be unfamiliar with key figures like Jesus Christ, Moses, or common bible stories.
• Absence of Faith/Preaching: The primary marker is that they have not had the message of the Gospel preached or explained to them
• Rhetorical Markers: As described in Romans 10:14-17, someone who has not heard is generally someone to whom no one has been sent to preach.
• Cultural Context: In some cases, people may have heard snippets of stories but do not understand their origin or significance. 

While natural revelation (nature/conscience) exists, it is distinct from hearing the specific message of Christ.

https://www.bsfinternational.org/supporting-the-church/

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Community Before Saul: Acts 1-8 as a Revival Pattern

Enjoying the BSF Nehemiah Study and thinking about the sequence of revival from Nehemiah 9 and the reality that Sometimes we're Saul, sometimes we're Ananias (Acts 9)

"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ." and  "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future." - 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:4

By the time Saul appears on the road to Damascus, the Jerusalem church had already lived through a compressed revival sequence.

Stage 1-2: Gathering and Humility (Acts 1:12-14). After the Ascension, the disciples returned and "all met together and were constantly united in prayer." Mary, the brothers of Jesus, all the women — a gathered, waiting, humbled community.

Stage 3: Hearing the Word (Acts 2:1-4, 14-36). At Pentecost, Peter stood and preached. The community did not manufacture the moment; the Word broke in. Peter's sermon is structured around Old Testament recital — exactly the "remember God's faithfulness" move from Nehemiah 9:7-39.

Stage 4: Confession (Acts 2:37). "The people were cut to the heart and said, 'Brothers, what should we do?'" This is group confession as response to proclaimed Word. The exact mechanism Nehemiah 9:2-3 follows.

Stage 5-6: Remembering Faithfulness and Acknowledging Righteousness (Acts 2:38-40). Peter grounds the call to repentance in what God has done and promised. The appeal is theological before it is emotional.

Stage 7: Crying Out for Mercy (Acts 4:23-31). After Peter and John are threatened, the church gathers and prays, "O Sovereign Lord, creator of heaven and earth..." They cry out. The place shakes. This is corporate intercession in extremity. (God defines victory by persistent faith and obedience)

Stage 8: Worship Through Witness (Acts 4:33, 5:12-16). The apostles testify with power. Signs and wonders follow. The community's life becomes its worship.

Stage 9: Renewed Obedience Under Cost (Acts 5:29, 8:1-4). "We must obey God rather than men." Then persecution scatters them and "the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went." Obedience costs everything and spreads further.

Saul watched Stephen die in the middle of this (Acts 7:58). The community's revival pattern was visible to him before he was confronted on the road.

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Acts 9: Saul's Personal Revival Sequence

Saul is the perfect case study in what happens when a person is rendered completely helpless by God's intervening grace. The nine stages compress into a three-day crisis.

Stage 1 — Gather before God (involuntary): "A light from heaven suddenly shone down around him" (9:3). God initiates. Saul does not come to God; God comes to Saul.

Stage 2 — Humble yourself (forced): "He fell to the ground" (9:4). The proud Pharisee is on his face in the dirt. For the helpless, humility is not achieved but imposed by grace.

Stage 3 — Hear the Word: "A voice said to him, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?'" (9:4). The first thing God does is speak. Even here, revival comes through Word.

Stage 4 — Confess honestly: In Acts 22:10, the fuller account includes: "What should I do, Lord?" That question is confession in disguise. It is the abandonment of the self-directed life.

Stage 5-6 — Three days of helplessness (9:9): Blind, fasting, no food or water. In the darkness, Saul has nothing but what he knows of God's character and the words he just heard. This is the "remember and acknowledge" stage, done alone and in the dark. (Three Days, recurring theme in the Bible for changing your heart)

Stage 7 — Cry out for mercy: The vision of Ananias (9:12) suggests Saul was already praying before Ananias arrived. The helpless man cried out, and God moved Ananias.

Stage 8 — Ananias as the Able One (9:10-17): Here your framing is theologically rich. Ananias models the "able" person's role in revival. He received clear instruction ("the Lord said to him"), obeyed despite fear, came with physical touch and brotherly address ("Brother Saul"), and served as the instrument of healing and filling. The able person enables the helpless person to complete the sequence they could not complete alone.

Stage 9 — Immediate renewed obedience (9:18-20): "Immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is indeed the Son of God!'" Repentance that does not produce obedience is not repentance.

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Other Biblical Patterns That Confirm This Sequence

Joel 2:12-17 is the most direct prophetic parallel. God calls: "Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Then: "Gather the people... Let the priests weep and plead..." The sequence moves from individual return to communal gathering to priestly intercession to the cry: "Spare your people, Lord."

2 Chronicles 7:14 is the compressed formula: humble, pray, seek, turn. Each verb implies the stages around it. Humility assumes gathering. Seeking implies hearing. Turning is renewed obedience.

Psalm 51 is David's personal revival moving through the exact sequence: honest confession (v.3-4), acknowledgment of God's righteousness (v.4), cry for mercy and cleansing (v.7-9), the request for a new heart (v.10-12), and the vow of worship and proclamation as obedience (v.13-15).

Jonah 3 shows a pagan city moving through it collectively: the word comes (stage 3), the king decrees humility and fasting (stage 2), "everyone must turn from their evil ways" (stage 4), "who knows? Perhaps God will change his mind" (stage 7, mercy). God relents. Revival happens outside Israel through the same structure.

Luke 15 (Prodigal Son) maps the individual arc: far country (exile), "he came to his senses" (Word breaks through internally), "I will go home and say... I am no longer worthy" (confession, humility), the father runs (God's faithful initiative), the embrace (mercy), the robe and ring (worship and restoration), the feast (renewed life together). (Gospel-centered holiness, Jesus elevates repentance (Luke 15:7)

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The Helpless/Able Theology Running Through All of This

The Saul-Ananias pairing is not unique. It is a repeated pattern in Acts and Scripture:

• Acts 3: The lame man at the gate cannot rise on his own. Peter and John, "able," speak and reach down. The helpless man leaps.
• Acts 10: Cornelius is devout but incomplete. He cannot reach the gospel alone. Peter, "able," is sent. But Peter also needs the vision — he is helpless in his prejudice until God corrects him.
• Acts 16: The Philippian jailer is undone by an earthquake. Paul and Silas, though chained, are spiritually "able." They speak. He is restored. (Money, the power of God's word and dreams)

The theological point beneath all of this is 2 Corinthians 12:9: "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." The helpless are not outside the revival pattern; they are often its clearest demonstration. Ananias doesn't replace Saul's revival sequence; he enables it to reach completion.

The able person's role is not to perform revival for the helpless but to be, as Ananias was, a clear-instructed, obedient instrument who comes, touches, speaks the Word, and steps back. The Lord does the rest.

This is the structure of the body in 1 Corinthians 12 those who can carry must carry those who cannot, not so the weaker are excluded from the process, but so the whole body arrives at the same destination together.

Paul is not primarily writing about spiritual gifts as individual achievements. He is writing about corporate interdependence as the design of God. The gifts exist not to distinguish members from one another but to bind them to one another in mutual necessity. The chapter's logic moves in three acts: one Spirit, many members (v.1-11), one body, many parts (v.12-26), and the specific assignment of roles in the body (v.27-31). Every movement tightens the argument toward the same conclusion — no member completes the body's mission alone, and no member is dispensable to it.

This is the theological ground on which the Saul-Ananias pattern stands.

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What Bible translation is best, the one you can understand.

I recently discovered the New Life Version of the Bible written by missionaries who wanted to simplify what the bible says using only 850 words, check it out.  New Life Translation: Eph 4:17-24;Romans 12:2;John 17:17.

We are blessed with so many version of the Bible that help those who hear, understand. Their is nothing that can stop the Holy Spirit from showing a person who Jesus is and what his life, death, and resurrection means for us. 

Praise the Lord for the gift of tongues, that enable Hebrew and Greek Scholars to translate into our common words. Lord help us to learn to speak your truth clearly so that people can understand your will for our lives. 

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Using ChatGPT to embrace Christian faith and living according to its principles

I was watching a documentary called the Unbelievers that outlines the speaking careers of famous anti-religious atheist. The basic premise I got from them is that belief in God is a cop out because "it isn't true." That asking certain questions that point to God are non sensical like "What is the color of envy?" One thing I do agree with these atheists is the value in questioning your beliefs and even testing them. A great way to do this is through the Alpha Course in community with people, another tool that seems to be "unbiased" is ChatGPT.

See the whole thing here: https://chat.openai.com/share/72f340b0-1905-4fe0-827f-18ec8f036d81

Or do it yourself:

Non Biblical Reality of Jesus Impact on the World you live in:

• What are historical non-biblical sources about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
• Why is modern time (BCE and CE) associated with the birth of Jesus?
• What industries wouldn't work without a shared calendar?
• What industries were developed by Christians because of their Christian faith?
• Expand on Education and it's influence on political forms of government. (PS I'm getting ready for national Day of Prayer in a few days)

Biblical truths on Being a Christian:

• What does the Bible teach are the reasons for all the benefits you listed about being a Christian?
• Why is asking God for forgiveness, accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior and welcoming the Holy Spirit to come into my life necessary to be a Christian?
• According the Bible what makes asking God for forgiveness, accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior and welcoming the Holy Spirit to come into my life a permanent like birth, marriage or dying?

Biblical truths on living a new life with God:

• If I'm a Christian, what are external proofs of my faith that would testify to the world that I believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
• What are the reasons the Bible gives for people who are unbelievers? How can an unbeliever become a believer?
• Can you explain how the Father draws us, Jesus knocks on the door and Holy Spirit guides us?
• What does it mean that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved? Saved from what?

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Ways to meditate on the Bible passage your reading.

I'm excited to start BSF Online workshops in our area. BSF has had a tradition of seminars offered for in person groups and include topics like Bible Navigation, Personal Quiet Time, Homiletics, Sharing the Gospel, Leading Small Groups, and Serving in Church. BSF Online will take these materials and make them more into a workshop where participant interaction will take higher priority over presentation. We use the Tell, Show, Let, Coach method of training where 50% of the time is letting people practice the concepts. 

The big idea is to help people understand the Bible and apply it to regular life. In this process we magnify God and mature his people. Maturing as a Christians is the work of God in our lives (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). God gives us a wonderful and compelling spiritual hunger and thirst that Donald S. Whitney explains in his work Spiritual Disciplines:

"all who come to God trusting in the person and work of Jesus to make them right with God are given the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13-14). The presence of the Holy Spirit causes all those in whom He resides to have new holy hungers they didn’t have before. They hunger, for example, for the Holy Word of God—the Bible— that they used to find boring or irrelevant. They have new holy longings, such as the longing to live in a body without sin and to have a mind no longer tempted by sin. They yearn to live in a holy and perfect world with holy and perfect people, and to see at last the One the angels perpetually praise as “holy, holy, holy” (Revelation 4:8).

These are some of the holy heartbeats in all those in whom the Holy Spirit resides. Consequently, when the Holy Spirit indwells someone, that person begins to prize and pursue holiness. Thus, as we have seen in Hebrews 12:14, anyone who is not striving for holiness will not see the Lord. And the reason he or she will not see the Lord in eternity is because he or she does not know the Lord now, for those who know Him are given His Holy Spirit, and all those indwelled by the Holy Spirit are compelled to pursue holiness. And so, the urgent question every Christian should ask is, “How then shall I pursue holiness, the holiness without which I will not see the Lord? How can I become more like Jesus Christ?”

We find a clear answer in 1 Timothy 4:7: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (nasb). In other words, if your purpose is godliness—and godliness is your purpose if you are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, for He makes godliness your purpose—then how do you pursue that purpose? According to this verse, you “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”

Some of my favorite Bible study techniques are;

Personal Quiet Time:

• Lectio Divina: Prepare (Silencio), Read (Lectio), Mediate (Meditatio), Pray (Oratio), Contemplate (Contemplatio).
• Four Rs: Read, Reflect, Respond in Prayer, Rest in Silence.

Magnifying God and his will for me:

• Three Questions: 1) What does it say? 2) What does it mean? 3) How will I Respond?
• Homiletics: 1) Content, 2) Divisions, 3) Subject Sentence, 4) Aim, 5) Application
• Internalizing the passage
• One's own words
• Finding the big idea
• Evaluating with with key questions
• Spiritual benefits: Ps. 119:105, Eph. 6:17-18, 2 Tim. 2:15, Heb. 4:12, James 1:22-25 
• Four Squares: 1) Read a passage. 2) Create a foursquare grid with squares labeled: Attribute of God, Human Need, Gospel Connection, and Personal Reflections. 

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