Jim Fredericks

Mark Jim Fredericks

Mark is the fourth in an eight-part series, "DiscipleMaking Companion." The foundational theme connected with Mark is "Carriers of Jesus' Authority." All eight "Companions" cross pollinate three great pathways of discipleship with three dynamic SmallGroup elements around various books of the Bible. As a companion, this series guides each person directly into Scripture, yet is more than a Bible study with its simplicity, flexibility and bias towards doing. This "Companion" series aligns with our design and how the early church trained world-changers. The Bible is God's invitation into fuller life and He provides all we need to understand so truth encounters our lives. The "Companion" series "flips" the usual learning process by focusing on doing Scripture first outside the group. Only doing God's Word reveals true knowledge (James 1:22). First prepare, then respond and reflect before we gather together in our learning community to actively share what God is doing through His authoritative Word. It's like bringing your specialty to a group potluck. Each of the eight-part series focuses on one book of the Bible for five or six weeks, and on one key theme as foundational building blocks for our spiritual life, like Word & Spirit, Identity & Authority, Life of Jesus, A Model for Living Life, etc.. This "DiscipleMaking Companion" series taps into cutting-edge learning and neurological studies that align with how God wired us so we learn easier. After forty+ years in Scripture, I find myself returning over and again to keep my inner spiritual compass properly calibrated. Yet those who have previously struggled to understand the Bible also experience new breakthrough. Each "Companion" provides a simple, adaptable structure with a measured pace and three levels of engagement as learning options. Order one and try it yourself. Then invite other spiritually hungry friends onboard. My desire is "to teach you to fish and not merely to give you a fish."