- One of the simplest and most effective ways to help someone grow in Christ is to use the Wheel Illustration with them (created by Dawson Troutman and the Navigators). It is a beautiful picture of a life abiding in Christ.
- You can work through one component of The Wheel each time you meet with someone. It gives you a great pathway to follow as you come alongside someone!
- Some components of the Wheel may take more than one session…just work through things patiently and consistently.
- Be sure to open the referenced scriptures and work through those together.
The Wheel represents a God-glorifying life.
- When you look at a wheel in motion you only see the hub (Jesus) and outer rim (the fruit of our life as an obedient, active Christian)
- And though you cannot see them when in motion, the spokes are what give support and stability.
- The Vertical Spokes represent how we relate to God through Scripture and Prayer
- The Horizontal Spokes represent how we relate to Others (in Community and through Missions)
THE CENTER HUB – CHRIST
A Christ Follower always keeps Jesus at the Center of their life
- Total surrender to Christ’s authority and lordship is not always a decision made right at conversion, but is a necessary act of will. For the believer, the “old life” has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17), and Christ has begun to dwell in us (Galatians 2:20). God creates within us the desire to do what He wants us to do in order to express His Lordship in our lives.
- A great picture of abiding in Christ is given to us by Jesus Himself in the book of John. Head to ABIDING IN CHRIST to learn about the True Vine.
- Learn about the believer’s identity in Christ by going HERE
- Did you know that you can have assurance of your faith no matter what? Learn more about your security in Christ HERE
- Keeping Jesus at the center of our life involves developing a daily practice of connecting with Him. Get some help with understanding what that looks like for you HERE
VERTICAL SPOKE – THE WORD
A Christ Follower makes engaging God’s Word a daily priority as a means to know and engage with God himself.
God uses His word to speak directly to us, revealing not only who He is, but how He calls us to live and interact with everyone around us (2 Timothy 3:16). This means an earnest personal intake of God’s Word is essential for our spiritual health and growth (Joshua 1:8). As God speaks to us through the Scriptures, we learn how to obey Him and apply the gospel to every part of our lives. We also come to know Jesus personally and find He is worthy of our steadfast allegiance.
- Learn more about engaging scripture HERE
- Look at the “Word Hand” about getting a grip on God’s Word HERE
- Find some Bible Reading Plans to work through HERE
- Check out this overview on how to use SOAPS in your scripture engagement
VERTICAL SPOKE – PRAYER
Prayer is the natural response to God as we hear Him speak through His Word.
It is sharing our heart with the One who longs for our companionship and who cares about our concerns. Prayer not only trains our hearts and minds to know the power and glory of God, but also turns His ear towards action in our lives (John 15:7, Philippians 4:6-7).
- Learn more about prayer HERE
- Check out The Prayer Hand Tool HERE
- Learn about developing your own Prayer Rhythm
HORIZONTAL SPOKE – COMMUNITY
A Christ Follower prioritizes relationships with other believers by meaningfully connecting to a local church. This includes corporate worship experiences, small groups and discipleship relationships.
God has directed Christians to build each other up through interdependence and loving relationships with each other (Hebrews 10:24-25). Gathering together as the Body of Christ draws God close around us as we praise Him and encourage one another (Matthew 18:20).
- Work through THIS SESSION about community
- Learn more about Group Life at Live Oak HERE
HORIZONTAL SPOKE – MISSION
A Christ Follower seeks to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others
God has given believers the joy and responsibility of telling the world about the good news of Christ’s work on Earth (Matthew 4:19). In fact, sharing about His amazing grace is the natural overflow of a rich, vibrant life in Christ (Romans 1:16)
- Learn how to share your faith using THE BRIDGE Illustration
- Share your faith using the Romans Road
- Share your faith using the 3 Circles
- Another great way to share your faith is to tell your own faith story. Get guidance for that HERE
THE OUTER RIM – THE FRUITFUL FOLLOWER OF JESUS
The spokes of a wheel in motion aren’t visible but the hub and rim are. The outer rim of a Christ Followers life is the fruit others see that is a result of one’s obedience and pursuit of Jesus.
Some acts of obedience to God are internal, such as attitudes, habits, motives, values and day-to-day thoughts. But even these eventually surface outwardly in our relationships with other people. Keeping His commands in obedience is our outward indication of inward health and love for Christ (John 14:21, Romans 12:1).