Previous Next The All New Church-Wide Campaign From Pastor Rick Warren: What On Earth Am I Here For? The All New Church-Wide Campaign From Pastor Rick Warren: What On Earth Am I Here For?
DIVING DEEPER
Share Tweet

Welcome to the Diving Deeper area where you can learn more about Discipleship.

Discipleship is the process of becoming more like Christ. God doesn’t just want you to know about Jesus, he wants you to become like Jesus.

Refer back to this page for sermons and resources that can further develop your life long journey through Discipleship.

AUDIO SERMONS BY PASTOR RICK
  1. Created to become like Christ
    1. What would your life be like if you became like Jesus? Would it be better or worse? Join Pastor Rick as he examines what the Bible says about God’s plan for our lives.
  2. We are disciples
    1. How would your life change if you decided to really follow Jesus? Spiritual growth is a choice. Join Pastor Rick as he examines the six things to do to become a follower of Christ.
  3. How the Bible changes us
    1. Have you ever read a book you could truly say changed your life? The Bible is called the Word of God. Join Pastor Rick as he examines seven specific ways God wants to change your life with his Word.
  4. Seeing God's purpose in my problems
    1. Have you ever thought God was mad at you? That He was punishing you? What if God has a purpose for your problems? Join Pastor Rick as he examines Biblical truths about problems that come our way.
  5. The prayer of deliverance
    1. Do you ever wonder why you make the same mistakes over and over? Do you feel like a failure? Join Pastor Rick as he teaches us the steps to take to avoid temptation.
  6. Defeating persistent temptations
    1. Are you tired of making the same mistakes? Do you need help to get unstuck? Listen in as Pastor Rick details the steps to freedom from temptation.
  7. It's time to grow up
    1. Have you ever told anyone to “grow up”? What does that mean for a Christian? Join Pastor Rick as he examines the myth and reality of spiritual growth.
MINISTRY IDEAS & OPPORTUNITIES

At Saddleback Church

  1. Attend CLASS 201: Introduction to Spiritual Maturity
  2. Attend One of our Financial Freedom Worships at Saddleback Church
  3. Get connected or start a small group
  4. Take our Foundations study on the 11 core beliefs to build your life on either on campus or in your small group.

In Your Community

  1. Book Study: Choose a book of the Bible and commit to studying it in depth. Read through the entire book a few times. While doing this, get a basic understanding of how the book is structured, what the author’s message is, who he is speaking to, what the book’s purpose is, etc. Then start with a section of one chapter and read this through a few times asking the same questions as above. To help you in your study, you may want to pick up a commentary that helps explain things verse by verse.
  2. The ACTS Model: The ACTS model of prayer involves breaking our prayers up into different phases or focuses. The A stands for adoration. The first portion of our prayers should focus on adoring God for who he is and giving him honor and glory. The C stands for confession. A very basic part of prayer is self-examination and coming clean before God about our sin, confessing it, and then turning from it. The T stands for thanksgiving. Thanksgiving involves thanking God for who he is and what he has done. The S stands for supplication, which involves bringing our requests before God. This model helps us stay balanced in our prayers and attuned to the will of God.
  3. Fasting: The purpose of a traditional fast is to abstain from food in order to focus clearly on your relationship with God. You can also fast from television, entertainment, reading, or anything that distracts you from God. Those who are diabetic, pregnant, or who suffer from severe physical disorders when fasting from food should fast from other things that are not physically damaging. Remember, the goal is to develop a focus on God. In order to fast you may want to consider the following:
    • What is the purpose of this fast?
    • Begin with something small like one meal or one time slot.
    • During the fast, commit the time you would have spent eating to prayer, bible study, worship, etc. Use it as a time to focus on God.
  4. Journaling: Sometimes it is helpful to journal in order to see God’s work in our lives. You may want to start a journal that allows you to record some of the victories and struggles you are having. Record your thoughts and feelings as you go through a process of self-examination. Make it a point to review your journal annually to see how God has worked in your life over the past year.
  5. Money Management: Take some time to look over how you manage your money. If you don’t have a budget you may want to establish one. Spend some time praying over what God wants you to do with the money he has given you. This will then help you budget with God’s priorities in mind. If you need help with this it may be a good idea to see a Christian financial counselor.
SMALL GROUP CURRICULUM
Foundations: 11 Core Beliefs to Build Your Life On
Finding God in the Desert of the Soul
Wide Angle: Framing Your Worldview
1 Thessalonians 1: A Spiritual Road Map in a Mixed Up World
1 Thessalonians 2: A Spiritual Road Map in a Mixed Up World
James: Developing a Faith That Works
BOOK SUGGESTIONS
What on Earth am I Here For?
by Rick Warren
Twelve Dynamic Bible Study Methods
by Rick Warren
Knowing God
by J.I. Packer
Knowledge of the Holy
by A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
by A.W. Tozer
Daily Hope E-mails RSS

23 hours ago
Surrender to God’s Loving Control
23 hours ago
Posted by Rick Warren

“Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” (Romans 5:1 NLT)

If you want to have deep, personal, satisfying peace of mind in heart and soul, you’ve got to surrender control of your life totally to God. How do you know if you’ve done that?

Evidence of a surrendered life is always obedience. When God says, “Do it!” I do it. I don’t care if I don’t understand it, if anybody else is doing it, if it’s possible or not, if it’s hard or easy. I just do it.

When you listen to God’s Word and follow his direction, the result is always the same: peace.

Today, you may be in an uncontrollable circumstance. You may be married to an unchangeable person. You may be experiencing an unexplainable problem. The good news is you can have the peace of God in your life. But first, you have to make peace with God. You can’t have the peace of God until you first make peace with God. How do you do that? By surrendering your entire life in faith to Jesus Christ. “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1 NLT).

Aren’t you tired of being at war with God? Don’t you realize that is the single greatest source of stress in your life? What is the result of being in control of your life? Worry, guilt, bitterness, resentment, anxiety, fear, fatigue, depression, and despair. What is the result of putting Jesus Christ first in your life and being fully surrendered to whatever he wants? Peace, power, strength, wisdom, purpose, meaning, eternal life, significance, and joy.

Would you pray this prayer in your heart? 

“Dear Father, you know how I have resented the problems in my life, and you know how I have resisted the things that have caused me pain that I can’t change. You know that I’ve asked you many times for an explanation that has never come.

Today, I want to stop fighting you over things I don’t understand. Forgive me. I want to begin the path of personal peace. So I ask you for help. Help me to change the things that I can, and help me to accept the things that cannot be changed. Help me, Jesus, to trust in your loving care when things don’t make sense. Help me to trust that you are a good God and that you have my best interest at heart.

Today, I make an unconditional surrender of all my life to your loving care and control. Please give me your strength and wisdom and peace and purpose. I want to make peace with God by faith so that I can have the peace of God through you, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
12345678910>>


 
Read More

Purpose Driven © 2012