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Fight Club, the booklet

July 8, 2009

After a two month delay, I was able to pick up the Fight Club: Gospel-centered Discipleship manuscript again. I have now finished the first draft. Several people are reviewing it. I will then edit it and we should be about two weeks away from going live with it. We will epublish it free first at The Resurgence, with a print on demand option. We are also working on a website that will expand upon the book through interaction, blogs, and articles. Then we’ll look to publish it hard copy. Here is a description of the chapters from the Introduction:

Chapter One lays out a biblical case for fighting the fight of faith, which I hope stirs you up to fight the fight of faith. Once the fighting begins, it is easy to slide into fighting people instead of sin. We start beating one another up with judgment, fighting the wrong things with the wrong motives. We fight against the church instead of with her.

Chapter Two explores where we go wrong in our fighting by uncovering legalistic and licentious patterns in discipleship.

In turn, Chapter Three calls us away from these extremes into a gospel-centered discipleship. With the gospel at the center of discipleship, we can live as Jesus intended—fighting the good fight of faith which leads to true change. However, if weren’t not careful we’ll start to fight on our own. Failure to grasp the community focus of the gospel can cut us off from the grace God gives through his people, the church.

Chapter Four reminds us that discipleship is a community project because the gospel is community focused. Jesus created and redeemed us as people in relationship, people who need one another in the fight of faith. Instead of fighting against the church, we can fight with her, to live a life that is motivated by all that God is for us in the Spirit and the Son.

In conclusion, Chapter Five offers a practical way to apply the gospel to everyday life. It is a call for Fight Clubs—small, simple, biblical, reproducible groups of people who meet together regularly help one another keep the gospel at the center of their discipleship. Fight Clubs have been crucial in my life and my church. I hope and pray that you’ll find them helpful too, that you’ll form a Fight Club and start fighting with the church, in the gospel, on mission, for the glory of God.

15 Comments leave one →
  1. jstimages permalink
    July 9, 2009 12:08 am

    Really looking forward to using this in connection with our newly forming discipleship group at my church.

  2. July 9, 2009 3:39 pm

    sometimes God has to fight against us before he can fight for us. We really see this in the life of Jacob (Genesis 32). I am looking forward to getting a copy. Where will I be able to get it?

  3. Sam permalink
    July 9, 2009 6:55 pm

    This is very very very exciting!

  4. July 10, 2009 12:07 pm

    Can’t wait to get a copy and spread the vision, bro!

  5. July 12, 2009 9:59 pm

    Very excited to fight through the Gospel, and be coached along that path. Thanks for the emphases and continually pointing us past yourself.

  6. July 24, 2009 2:21 pm

    What is the status on this booklet? Still haven’t seen anything on the resurrgence….

  7. July 25, 2009 5:03 am

    Looks like we are launching it August 1st, the day of a Fight Club conference that is unrelated but similar in theological and practical concern, by an Acts 29 church, Journey in Atlanta.

  8. July 25, 2009 7:06 pm

    Every excited about this, Jonathan – looking forward to reading the e-book.

  9. nick permalink
    March 20, 2010 3:51 pm

    looks interesting, i am wondering the differences between “cultivating a live with God” and LTG’s by Neil Cole.. any thoughts?

  10. March 20, 2010 4:16 pm

    There are similarities for sure. My journey was different from Neil’s but we both came up with some similar practices. What sets FC apart is its gospel-centeredness. CHp 3 focuses on motivations for discipleship–the Gospel motivations of repentance and faith, the SPirit, promises & warnings, and religious affections. Neil doesn’t really address motivations for discipleship much, but he writes some great stuff!

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