Transformation Must Go Through The Heart

In the Bible, a person’s heart often refers to the whole inner person: their thoughts, feelings, desires, and choices. Jesus discipled his men at the heart level. He asked powerful questions, he confronted their motivations, and engaged them in the deepest areas of their hearts. Jesus is not in the business of simple knowledge transfer or behavior modification (see Matthew 23:1-36). He does the work of heart-transformation.

It can be easy for us in the discipleship process to rely primarily on our structures, disciplines, and curriculum to bring about transformation. Those things are not bad, but in and of themselves, they do not bring the lasting change that we long to see in people’s lives. Lasting transformation must go through the heart.

That’s what the Life on Life track is about this year at the 2017 National Disciple Making Forum.

In our track we will:

Explore a biblical understanding of the heart,
Look at how the gospel transforms the heart,
Address tendencies towards legalism in a discipling movement, and
Offer practical tools to help you disciple the whole heart in order to bring about lasting change

Life on Life’s Core Message

Life on Life seeks to follow Jesus’ method, model, mandate, and mission for developing leaders and bringing about true spiritual formation and multiplication. Using primarily curriculum and content to transfer knowledge does not develop leaders. Pastors, church leaders, and members can consistently develop and multiply mature and equipped followers of Christ through life-on-life missional discipleship. By developing disciple makers in the context of a local church, we have seen sustainable, multiplying movements of discipleship ignite all over the world. The biblical principles of discipleship span generations and cultures, and when applied in a relevant way, can bring about transformation in any context.

More About Life on Life Ministries

Life on Life Ministries exists to ignite movements of discipleship in local churches around the world.

Life on Life is a ministry of Perimeter Church. Perimeter Church was founded in 1977, by Randy Pope. The church has always been shaped by his personal discipleship. As a culture of discipleship developed in Perimeter, the church has seen practical ways to consistently develop mature and equipped followers of Christ, through following the way that Jesus selected, equipped and sent out his men. In 2006, Perimeter launched Life on Life as a ministry to help other churches who are seeking to follow Jesus’ model of discipleship in the local church.

Written by Monte Starkes

Monte Starkes is the Director of Life on Life Ministries and the Director of Global Outreach at Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, Georgia.

Photo by Jian Xhin on Unsplash