Jan-Dec 2020
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UnShackled
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Freedom to Go 'n Grow Together in Christ
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 (ESV)
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Navigators Resources
The Navigators provide a number of fantastic resources relating to discipleship. Here we highlight a few.
Discipleship Training - Navigators 2:7 Series
My wife and I took a three semestercourse in discipleship a few years ago. It is called the 2:7 Series, based on Colossians 2:7 - rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (ESV) We highly recommend this course!
As you can deduce from the images above, the course is broken into three parts (each about a semester in length). Go straight to the source for more information: Navigators 2:7 Series.
In theory, you can order the workbooks and do the course on your own. In practice, that won't work well. It is far, far better to take the course as part of a small group. And ideally, the participants will have something in common - singles, couples, retirees, whatever. Why? That will become clear as I describe the course content. But note that the group facilitator really needs no training. Just do all the required work like everyone is supposed to and to keep the sessions moving by pacing through the workbook for that session.
The course requires a significant commitment of time. We took the course in a group of four couples. We met weekly for two hours, with an occasional week off. This is the first commitment: to attend! All eight of us attended almost all of the sessions for all three semesters. So what did we do each week besides meet? We prepared for our next meeting. That begins with simply doing what the workbook requires for the upcoming session - and that is more than just filling out the workbook! It involves attempting to spend time daily in Scripture and keeping a journal. I say "attempting" because some of us were brand new at doing this and developing the habit takes time and effort. And we had one or two verses to memorize each week, with an occasional week off for review.
How much time did it take to prepare each week? For the first semester, a minimum of an hour for each session, sometimes more. By the third semester, it was double that.
What do you do when meeting? Primarily go through the work book and sharing what you wrote and any thoughts and insights you might have. Also to present a "highlight" from your journal. It is because of this sharing that it is good for participants to have something in common - it is so much easier to relate to what others are sharing if this is the case.
It is great if your church offers this course, but all that is necessary is to put together a small group of people who are willing to commit to the necessary time and who are able to meet regularly. 10 is a good maximum - everyone needs to participate - and fewer might be preferable. Assemble the group, pick a facilitator, order the workbooks, set up a schedule and go for it.
Verses to Memorize
One of the best things about the 2:7 Series is that it forced us to make a genuine commitment to memorizing Scripture. Each semester requires memorization.
What follows are the memory verses from each of the workbooks, as well as some additional ones relating to other Navigator illustrations (more below). These are great verses to memorize and we have created downloadable flash cards for each set.
Memory Verses from 1 - Growing Strong:
In the first part of the series (Growing Strong), we memorize six verses. These verses are a great set of verses to begin with because they cover a wide range of basic Christian beliefs and serve to give us or others strength and assurance when needed. If you haven't already begun memorizing, why not start with these?
Assurance of Salvation (1 John 5:11-12)
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (ESV)
Assurance of Answered Prayer (John 16:24)
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (ESV)
Assurance of Victory (1 Corinthians 10:13)
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)
Assurance of Forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)
Assurance of Guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)
Faith (John 5:24)
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (ESV)
Do you want a printable copy of these verses? If you have Microsoft Word and a printer that can print on both sides of the page (be sure to tell the printer to flip on long edge), you are in luck. While it is best to print these on card stock, they can be printed on regular paper as well. Of course, you may not have a printer that handles card stock in duplex, or doesn't print duplex at all. In that case, you can print one side at a time. Just be sure test first so that you orient the paper properly for printing the second side! You can then cut the sheet(s) up into individual Bible memory cards. (The preceding note apply to all "Memory Verse Card" documents on this page.)
Since ten different memory verses can fit on a page, and we only have six verses, we've added 4 bonus verses which you can use or discard as you see fit.
Just click on the appropriate link to download the verses.
Verses from 2 - Deepening Your Roots:
The second book in the Navigators 2:7 series is Deepening Your Roots. For this semester, we memorized 12 verses based on the "Wheel Illustration" which follows this. We memorized 2 verses for each of six categories.
Christ the Center:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV).
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV).
Obedience to Christ:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV).
"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (john 14:21 ESV).
The Word:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV).
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8 ESV).
Prayer:
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7 ESV).
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV).
Fellowship:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV).
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3 ESV).
Witnessing:
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19 ESV).
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16 ESV).
Memory Verse cards for Deepening Your Roots are currently only available for ESV. Just click on the following link to download them:
Note that there is some overlap between these 12 verses and the verses available below for the Wheel Illustration.
Verses from 3 - Bearing Fruit:
The third book in the Navigators 2:7 series is Bearing Fruit. For this semester, we memorize 12 verses based on presenting the basic gospel message: "Proclaiming Christ."
All Have Sinned:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 ESV).
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6 ESV).
Sin's Penalty:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV).
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 ESV).
Christ Paid the Penalty:
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 ESV).
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (1 Peter 3:18 ESV).
Salvation Not by Works:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV).
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5 ESV).
Must Receive Christ:
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (John 1:12 ESV).
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10 ESV).
Assurance of Salvation:
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13 ESV).
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV).
Memory Verse cards for Bearing Fruit are currently only available for ESV. Just click on the following link to download them:
TMS - Topical Memory System
If the above 30 verses are not enough, the Navigators have more to offer. For more information: Navigators - Topical Memory System.
The Wheel Illustration
The Wheel Illustration is a great representation of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. It has the virtue of including all the basic components in a meaningful format that is easy to remember - and to present to others. It is included as part of the 2:7 series (2 - Deepening Your Roots), but it stands alone quite comfortably. The 2:7 verses correspond to the six basic components of the Wheel Illustration.
1 - We have Christ at the center.
Vertically, we have our relationship with God, though
2 - God's Word, and
3 - Prayer.
Next, we have our relationship with one another, via
4- Fellowship, and
5 - Witnessing.
Putting this all together, we respond in
6 - by Action in Obedience.
The following link contains much more information about the Wheel Illustration, including a downloadable, single-page pdf document that covers all the bases:
Navigators - The Wheel Illustration
The following documents include memory verse cards for verses that go with the various components of The Wheel Illustration. While the memory verses from Deepening Your Roots cover the bases, there are many verses applicable for each of the components of the Wheel.
Wheel Verse Cards for ESV: Version 1 Version 2
Wheel Verse Cards for NKJV: Version 1 Version 2
The Hand Illustration
The Navigators are big fans of illustrations because they tend to be easy to remember. Do you want to get a real grip on God's Word? What better way than to follow the hand illustration? As we advance from pinkie to thumb, our grip becomes stronger and stronger. The following link from the Navigators includes much more information, along with a downloadable single-page pdf document containing all the basics.
Navigators - The Hand Illustration
Do we have Verse Cards for the Hand illustration? Of course we do! We've included verses from the Navigators along with some extras to make an even 10.
