Conversion & Calling, Student Workbook, SW01

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C O N V E R S I O N A N D C A L L I N G

The Word that calls us to discipleship, community, and freedom also calls us to mission. As witnesses of Jesus Christ, we are called to fulfill the Great Commission, to do battle with our spiritual enemy the devil, and to demonstrate the life of the Kingdom through our love and good works.

Now is the time for you to discuss with your fellow students your questions about the calling of God through his Word on our lives. The different dimensions of discipleship, community, freedom, and mission demand constant reflection and definition, and it is critical to understand how these concepts relate to you and your life and ministry. Survey the material quickly, and determine what particular questions you now have concerning the issue of God’s call. Maybe some of the questions below might help you form your own, more specific and critical questions. * Is it possible to claim real salvation while at the same time deny Jesus as Lord in one’s life? Explain your answer. * If the call is to Christian community, what are we to do when we cannot find a church where Jesus Christ is worshiped and glorified in the way you believe he should? What about using tapes, curricula, books, and other teaching materials--can they substitute for preaching and fellowship in the Church? * What are the enemies to living free in Christ? Isn’t it dangerous to preach freedom in Jesus in our communities in the city, especially where people associate freedom with doing whatever they want to do? * What about all the teaching today regarding “health and wealth” as the sign of God’s blessing and presence? Are they all wrong? How does teaching on God’s call to discipleship relate to this kind of teaching? * Is it absolutely certain that living according to God’s calling will produce suffering and persecution? Why isn’t the victory that Jesus won for us automatic, that is, why didn’t what Jesus did on the cross end all further struggle for us down here now?

Student Application and Implications

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