Discipleship GUIDE
This is your homebase to help you as you pursue Discipleship Relationships!
Each box below walks you through the different facets of discipleship.
Should you need more help or guidance please EMAIL US!!!
START HERE!
You will often hear us say that we believe in the transformational power of Christ and community, because we really do! Community can look a lot of ways...small groups and serving teams are meaningful places of connection. Another aspect of community we recommend,...
What Is a Discipleship Relationship?
Let’s start off by asking the question, what is discipleship? At Live Oak, we believe discipleship is intentionally equipping believers with the Word of God through accountable relationships empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to replicate faithful followers of...
How Do I Start a Discipleship Relationship?
Jesus invites us to BE His disciple. He also tells us to “go and MAKE disciples”. A disciple is a learner of Jesus who is becoming more like Jesus. And disciples make disciples. How do we get started making disciples? Discipleship happens best life on life; one...
Using SOAPS in a Discipleship Relationship
WHAT IS SOAPS? At Live Oak we believe the reading of and reflection on God’s Word is catalytic to your faith. There are many approaches to reading and reflecting on scripture and at Live Oak we often teach on and encourage one way, called SOAPS. SOAPS is simply an...
HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH
We have some helps in place to aid you as you share your faith and/or teach someone else to share their faith.
Discipleship Toolbox…Practical helps as you structure your time
Below you will find multiple tools to utilize in a discipleship relationship. Our goal is to help you get started in your journey. We have provided explanations of how you might access and utilize each tool as well as few suggestions. We did not set out to provide an...
Conversation and Question Prompts
Below is a compilation of good questions you can ask during your discipleship time. These are designed to get the heart of things and to support one another as we pursue a transformational relationship with Jesus. Have you spent time in the Word and in prayer this...
HEAD TO LIVE OAK’S CURRENT BIBLE READING PLAN NOW
Church Wide Bible Reading Plan
Connect with Scripture
Reading and reflecting on Scripture is a powerful catalyst in your spritual journey, whether you are exploring a relationship with Jesus or have walked with Him for many years. As a church, we will provide you with support, encouragement, and tools to engage God’s word. Reading and reflecting on Scripture is a personal discipline. It will be up to you to read, reflect, and discuss.
How can I get started?
Scroll on for helpful scripture engagement tools and links!
Be sure to stop by Guest Central in the foyer to get a Scrupture Engagement journal.
SOAPS Method
One of the most practical tools we can provide is called the SOAPS study method, which is outlined below. Pick up your own SOAPS Journal in the foyer at Live Oak.
WHAT IS SOAPS?
The SOAPS acrostic is designed to help you read and reflect on a passage of Scripture. Journaling helps us hear from God and more importantly apply what you have read to your life and circumstances.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
-Read a passage of Scripture from a reading plan (you can find reading plans at Youversion.com and other online bibles, but Live Oak will almost always have a Church-wide reading plan in place that follows the current Sunday series.)
-Turn to a fresh page in your journal.
– Write today’s date and follow this model…
SCRIPTURE
Write down the main Scripture that stood out to you from a section of reading.
OBSERVATION
Write down what you have seen in the Scripture. What? When? Where? How? What is happening or what is being communicated? What is God trying to say to me through this part of His Word?
APPLICATION
Personalize what you have just read and write down how it applies to your life. Ask yourself, “How will my life be different because of what I just read?” “How does it apply to my life right now?”
PRAYER
Write out your prayer. This can be as simple as asking God to help you use the Scripture, or it may be a greater insight He is revealing to you. Make it honest and heartfelt!
SHARE
While journaling is a very personal time, you may want to share some of your daily journaling with your family, friends, or small group. By sharing with others, you may gain new insight or encourage others.
2 Timothy Tool
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
5 Application Questions As You Read Scripture:
Teaching: What is the basic truth God wants me to know?
Rebuking: What error in judgment, understanding or behavior might this passage be rebuking in my life?
Correction: How might this passage correct, balance or redirect me?
Training: What does this passage present to prepare me for living a God honoring life or for facing some future challenge?
Equipped for Every Good Work: How might this passage equip me for serving God and people
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S TOOL
One tool to help you engage scripture and to really dig into the application of it into your life is the acronym S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S.
As you read and reflect, ask yourself, “Is there a…”
- Sin to confess?
- Promise to claim?
- Attitude to change?
- Command to obey?
- Example to follow?
- Prayer to pray?
- Error to avoid?
- Truth to believe?
- Something to praise God for?
S.P.E.C.K. TOOL
The SPECK TOOL for Bible engagement to help with looking for a truth to grab hold of and an application to live out…
Look for a S.P.E.C.K. of Godly truth.
S = Sin(s) to avoid.
P = Promise(s) to claim.
E =Example(s) to follow OR avoid.
C = Command(s) to obey.
K = Knowledge about who God is and knowledge of who I am in Christ.
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS GUIDE
The Bible was written in Hebrew (and some Aramaic) for the Old Testament, and Greek for the New Testament. Most translators seek to be faithful to the Scriptures but typically translate from two different approaches: a word-for word or a thought-for-thought perspective.
Here are a few of the most common translations:
New international Version (NIV) The NIV is highly accurate and smooth reading version in modern English. It is best characterized as balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought. “The NIV delivers the best balance of accuracy to the original languages and clarity of meaning in contemporary English.”(www.thenivbible.com)
English Standard Version (ESV) The ESV pays special attention to word-for-word translation. It is a revision of the Revised Standard Version (1971 edition). The translators essentially set out to provide a literal translation of the Scripture in contemporary English.
Amplified (AMP) The Amplified was written to create deeper understanding and meaning to the text. It leans heavily toward the word-for-word end of the spectrum. The goal of the amplified translators was increasing the clarity and relevance of the text. However, it can read a little clunky. “Its goal was to take both word meaning and context into account to accurately translate the original text from one language into another.” (www.biblegateway.com)
New Living Translation (NLT) This translation leans toward the thought-for-thought side of the spectrum. The translators sought to take the original Scriptures and bring them into more contemporary language and phrasing. This translation attempts to bring in entire thoughts rather than just words to our modern-day English.
The Message This translation is on the far end of thought-for-thought part of the spectrum. “This is a paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson, who used the original Greek and Hebrew texts and tried to bring their “feel”—their tone, rhythm, and idiom—directly into contemporary English.” – American Bible Society. Utilizing The Message in conjunction with a word-for-word translation can be very useful for deeper understanding.
Pray Before You Read (From The Bible Recap)
This come from Tara Lee Cobble and The Bible Recap. Learn more about it HERE
Before you read God’s Word today, ask for His help by praying these 5 prayers:
1. God, give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
2. Let any knowledge I gain help me love You and others more, and not puff me up.
3. Help me see something new about You that I’ve never seen before.
4. Correct any lies I believe about You or anything I misunderstand.
5. Direct my steps according to Your Word. Amen.
LINKS TO BOOKS AND SITES:
Check out these links to help you engage Scripture:
youversion.com
4 Small Words by Jarrett Stevens
BibleGateway.com
BibleStudyTools.com
BlueLetterBible.com
How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stewart
Live Oak always has a Scripture Engagement Plan going that can easily be found on our app or this webpage or within SUNDAY MORNING RESOURCES in Sign Up and Events. It typically tracks along with our current Sunday series. We know sometimes when approaching Scripture it can be hard to konw where to start. These plans help you figure that out.
Week of October 5
We are doing the Bible Recap New Testament Plan through the end of 2025:
10/6
John 2-4
10/8
John 5
10/9
Matthew 12
Mark 3
Luke 6
10/10
Matthew 5-7
Week of September 28
9/28
1 John 2:3-11
9/29
Psalm 1
9/30
Psalm 19
Today we begin the Bible Recap New Testament Plan!
10/3
Matthew 2
- Find the daily Bible Recap Podcast HERE
- Go to our Sunday Resources to find Bible Reading Helps and more!
- Other places to find this plan:
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