Storyline

Deep Discipleship – Book Recommendation

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“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

Habakkuk 2:14

I could not recommend the book Deep Discipleship by JT English more highly, especially for those involved in church ministry. This book gives practical ministry advice that is based in scripture and applicable in all contexts of ministry. Plus, it is incredibly organized and clear, making this an easy, yet impactful read for anyone evaluating their own ministry or church.

This book recommendation is a little different than my others simply because I know JT personally and have heard his passion behind every word written in this book. JT cares deeply about the local church because he knows that this is the means by which God has given to us, as believers, to proclaim the coming Kingdom. I have seen JT not only teach on these things, but live them out. And by watching his life and ministry, I have grown in my own love for the Bride of Christ.

I feel blessed to have seen JT, Jen, and others at The Village Church work through these concepts on the ground and then put them into practice. My own story in ministry is a result of the majority of this book truly coming to life during my time at TVC. I was privileged to be in the first class of The Village Church Institute Training Program in 2015. (And yes, I still love my cohort 11 group so so much!) The Training Program was incredibly influential as we studied theology in depth as a community, were challenged to memorized entire chapters of the Bible, and tasked to write our own doctrinal statements on key Christian beliefs like trinitarianism, soteriology, and the resurrection. I had just finished college at a Baptist university and received a minor in Bible and yet, we were talking about concepts I had never truly gotten my hands on or studied for myself. Plus, we were reading some heavy things by authors like Herman Bavinck. This was the first time I remember seeing the Bible as one big narrative, with key promises (covenants) to guide the way. These conversations and this teaching truly changed how I saw the church, my love for God’s Word, and my desire to be in ministry teaching these very things to others.

From there, I was able to take these concepts and begin applying them into the middle school ministry. We took 8th grade girls through the Women’s Bible Class that Jen Wilkin was teaching on Tuesday nights. Each year we had 10-15 8th grade girls who were eager to study the Bible every Tuesday night for 2 hours… with women, not their peers or the cute boys in the youth group. And each year I was incredibly proud of them for showing up, doing their homework, sitting through the teaching time, and asking hard questions. (To be honest, most of the time they were the ones teaching me I think!)

We also wrote a curriculum series that outlined the story of the Bible following the important covenants of the Bible, and one that outlined basic Christian beliefs about God, people, and the church. Both of these series were birthed through The Training Program teachings, which my colleagues and I had received, in order to bring common language across all discipleship environments. Once we began to see the bigger picture of scripture, the ways beliefs are shaped from this, and how to practice these things in community, we desired to teach the students we ministered to these same concepts.

I say all these things not to point to the things I have accomplished in ministry, but rather to demonstrate that the things written about in this book can really happen… and they are happening in local churches! This book simply provides helpful questions to consider as you evaluate your own ministry or church, and a framework to begin teaching and training your people in a way that builds holistic disciples.

The framework that JT outlines of Bible, beliefs, and practices is a key framework that should be (and can be!!) implemented into any area of ministry. These things are not just for “big church” or the overall church structure. These things are also for our kids in preschool ministry, our teens in youth group, and our adults in home groups. Each area of discipleship, focusing on these key things, demonstrates a healthy local church, and provides a scope and sequence of continued growth for the disciple at every stage of life.

I could go on and tell you my favorite parts of every chapter and how I hope to continue to implement the ideas from this book into my ministry at Storyline Fellowship now, but I would rather let you dive into this book for yourself and be encouraged by these words.

Pastor, minister, deacon, teacher, volunteer… you are not alone. No ministry is perfect. And no church will get it right all the time. I love the encouragement JT gives multiple times, reminding the reader that these concepts will look different in different context. But friend, I pray that above all else, you love God more deeply and are eager to keep fighting the good fight as you keep the main thing the main thing.

“God is the goal of deep discipleship.”

Dr. JT English. Deep Discipleship, 21.

Deep Discipleship by JT English

Thankfulness for 2020

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This year, instead of sending a Christmas letter, I decided to jump on the early bird train and send a “Thanksgiving Letter,” because despite all the curveballs from 2020, there is a lot to be thankful for! This is the letter I sent out to several people but also wanted to have it digitally right here to share with those I was unable to send letters to this year. I want to tell you about 20 things I’m thankful for this year, and I pray this will encourage you to end your year with gratitude too!

1. New Washer: Our washer broke in January. One of our friends came to look at it, and was going to order the right pieces for us and fix it. Instead, his family bought us a brand new washer AND installed it for us! This may seem small, but I am thankful for this family and the way they loved me and my roommates!

2. Spin Weekend: We were able to have our annual spring student event, SPIN, in March a few weeks before the pandemic hit Texas. That was one of our last times seeing our students, and I am so grateful for that weekend together!

3. Roommates and Movie Marathons: Once the pandemic hit, my roommates (Shelby and Margie) and I watched over 40 movies! I am grateful for their friendship, willingness to eat popcorn every night, and for their grace during quarantine.

4. Loving Neighbors: One blessing the pandemic provided was the opportunity for me, my roommates, and a few of our other friends to meet our neighbors, pray with them, and have spiritual conversations with them. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we were invited in for hours to talk with people who were really lonely, several who were sick, and many who were struggling during this season. We had frequent conversations with our closest neighbors, but knocked on almost every door in our apartment complex over the span of a few months. I am grateful for these friends to love neighbors with, the conversations we got to have, & the men and women who trusted Jesus!

5. Sabbath Rhythms: This quarantine season honestly gave me a great opportunity to truly practice sabbath. I know I haven’t “nailed it” yet, but I am thankful for the new mercies each week to practice sabbath rest and trust the Lord deeper.

6. Parents 30 Year Anniversary: On June 9, my parents celebrate 30 years of marriage! Although I didn’t get to be there in person to celebrate with them, I am incredibly grateful for the ways their marriage is an example of faithfulness, devotion, service, and humility. They love God, each other, and others with the deepest love, and I am proud to call them my parents! Congrats mom and dad!

7. TVC Residency Program: I began the Residency Program at The Village Church in the Fall of 2019 and completed it this spring! This program grew me in uncountable ways, including challenging me in how many books I could physically read in a year! We had in depth conversations about culture, postmodernism, theology, and the church. I am thankful for the challenge and the ways I was pushed to be a deeper disciple of Jesus.

8. Backpacking Trip: With all of our student summer events canceled, this gave me the opportunity to plan a backpacking trip with a few friends! None of us had backpacked before, which made for an interesting trip! You can read about this trip (and the many other hiking adventures I’ve had recently) on my blog under the “Adventures” tab. But, I am thankful for these adventure friends and the opportunity to be in the middle of nature with them!

9. Accepted Job at Storyline Fellowship: In August, I began a new job as the student minister at Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, Colorado. It was not an easy thing to apply for this job, simply because I loved my community, my friends, and my coworkers so much at The Village Church. This decision took weeks of fasting, prayer, and guidance from others. I am thankful for the ways the Lord showed me more of Himself during these stressful few weeks and the clarity He provided through it all. Although I deeply miss the students, my coworkers, my roommates, the families, and my close community in Texas, I know this is exactly where God wants me, & for that I am grateful. Also, I love my new job a whole lot!

10. Mom Healed from Cancer! My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer on the first week the pandemic hit. So yeah, it was a rough week. On the day I accepted the position at Storyline, my mom also went in for her last treatment and is doing great! I am thankful for the ways the Lord guided her, provided friends around her to love and support her when Austin and I could not be near, and brought her healing through incredible doctors. And I’m grateful that cancer has been defeated in her life, & prayerful it will not return!!

11. My Texas Family: There are several families that impacted me during my time in Texas & invited me in. But I have some favorite little people who I love deeply & miss daily (pictured below). I am grateful for my 5 years in Texas, all God taught me, & the people I call my family.

12. Moved in a Pandemic: My friends who were planning on driving the moving truck with me ended up getting Covid two days before we left. That led to a day of panic about how I was going to move to Colorado, followed with sadness that I wouldn’t get to see them before I left. Yet, the Lord provided two other friends who were willing to drive for 13 hours straight with a moving van across three states! I am thankful for these friends and their willingness to go on a spontaneous moving trip with me!

13. Hiked My 14th 14er: I was able to hike four 14ers (mountains over 14,000 ft) this summer, reaching number 14 on my list! My goal remains to hike all 58, & now that I’m back in Colorado, I hope this goal will come sooner than later! I’m thankful for the friends who hiked 14ers with me this summer, the majesty of God I get to see from that altitude, & for the physical ability to hike. I never want to take that for granted, so I’m thankful for a healthy body this year!

14. New Roommates and New Traditions: Upon moving to Colorado, that meant I needed new roommates and a place to live. Praise the Lord for two other single girls, who both moved from Texas and The Village, and who were looking for roommates! Caitie and Lindsay have quickly become great friends and I am so thankful for the community they have provided during this transition and continued pandemic. We also have started a tradition of getting up early on Saturday mornings (mostly to beat the crowd and be more efficient… can you tell we are all enneagram 1’s?!) and go on a nice long hike! So if you’re in town on a Saturday & want to get up early, you know where to find us!

15. Early Snow: We got hit with early snow in September and it made my heart happy! Again, this may seem like a little thing to mention, but it’s something I am grateful for! The snow seems to bring with it this sense of peace and the remove of urgency to be everywhere and do everything. Plus, it’s been really fun teaching my Texas roommates about all things Colorado, preparing for winter, and how to shovel a driveway!

16. Community: In Texas, I cherished living within walking distance of a lot of people I knew, spent time with, and loved. And yet, I remembered moving to Texas a little over five years ago and having no community at first. God answered that prayer over time as I lived there! Moving back to Colorado has led me to pray for the same thing! I am thankful for the community God provided in Texas, especially during a pandemic, & for the community he has provided here in families who moved from Texas at the same time!

17. Family Visited: My brother (Austin) and sister-in-law (Jenna) came to visit for two whole weeks in October! That was a really sweet and unexpected gift since Hawaii has been in full lock down for most of the year. I’m grateful they were able to come and spend a few weeks here with us, & thankful for the ways they encourage me, along with all the fun we have together.

18. Student Came to Faith: During the second month of my job, I got to see the Lord save one of our students and totally transform her life! I’m grateful to be on the front row of seeing all God is doing in the lives of students in Arvada!

19. No Instagram: I took a year off from Instagram (except the one week in August to announce I was moving) and it has been wonderful! I am thankful for the ways this has led me to be more present with those around me & less concerned about getting the perfect picture and caption everywhere I go.

20. YOU! Last but not least, I am grateful for you! Thank you for reading this post and many other posts from this year! I pray that these have been an encouragement to you and a little glimpse into my life while I take a break from Instagram! And I hope this list encourages you to make your own list of things to be grateful for from this crazy year!

Stay around for more posts in the future and follow my blog using the links below so you won’t miss a post! Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 9:1 (ESV)

The Mountains Are Calling.

moremarsh6 Comments

I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and loved my childhood. It included building snow-forts, sledding down our neighborhood hill, playing baseball in our backyard, running cross country at my high school, and countless friends enjoying our basement, which was full of games and adventure!

I don’t think I really realized the joy of living in Colorado until I left for college. I went to school at Oklahoma Baptist University to run on their track and cross country team. I loved my team and have some great memories from that place. But the question I got every time I met someone new was, “Why did you leave Colorado?”

My mom always said the same thing. Both of my parents grew up in Texas and much of our family still lives there. We moved from Texas to Colorado when I was four, so I don’t really remember much of Texas.

I ended up back in Texas after college to work at The Village Church in the middle school ministry. It was a dream job! I have felt called to student ministry since my senior year of college. That’s when I began to look for internships at churches so I could learn more about life in ministry and gain some hands on experience. Joining the staff at The Village was an incredible opportunity to grow, learn, and get the experience I needed.

I intended to only be in Dallas for the one year internship and then move again. But God had different plans. He allowed me to stay, grow, and be planted there for five years, almost exactly to the day.

During those five years I grew in my understanding of God and in my experience as a Bible teacher, and I grew to deeply love the Church, Christ’s Bride. I also went through trials during these years, like anxiety and depression, loss of friendships, and difficult health issues. Yet, God also allowed me to get to know some incredible people I would call family for the rest of my life.

Towards the end of last year (around October) I started to feel the Lord calling me into something new but I wasn’t sure what it was. I thought it was a new season at TVC, but once Covid hit, I thought maybe it was simply a different pace in student ministry and a time to rest. I continued to feel like the Lord was asking me to transition, but I was unsure what door He would open.

As summer began (and all of our events were canceled for students) I had some time in Colorado planned. My first trip was a backpacking trip with some friends. During this trip, I was able to spend some time asking God what He was doing in my life and where He wanted me to walk. Was it something new at TVC? Was it something new with students? Was it in a new place? I returned from that trip with a lot of questions and very few answers.

“Go to the place I will send you.”

I began to pray and fast, seeking more specific answers from God. And slowly, the Lord opened up doors. I was still really confused on what to do specifically and what he was doing, mostly because there seemed to be two really great doors opened to me.

When you come to a crossroad in life, what do you do? Well, if you are like me, you are first grateful for the options but also terrified of choosing the wrong one. Because of this, I needed some time and space to process and pray. I didn’t want to stay or go or move at all unless the Lord was in it.

So I prayed.

And prayed.

And prayed.

I asked some close friends to pray with and for me.

And then I prayed some more.

Slowly, He began to remind me of my childhood, of a people I love, of the place I go every time I get a free weekend and friend willing to join an adventure. He began to open up doors for a move back to my home state, just one hour from home.

This is a sweet gift. One I did not accept lightly. It was the most difficult decision I have had to make to this day. And yet, God was in it all. He guided me through conversations with others and by His word. He led me beside quiet waters to restore me and remind me that I belong to Him. He led me as a good shepherd does, reminding me that no matter where I go, He is the same God.

It was hard to say goodbye to friends in Texas, and even harder to say goodbye to those friends I call family. But I know that we still worship the same God. I know that God is still with them even when I can’t be there with them physically. I trust that God will watch over them just as He is watching over me.

Overall, I am grateful even amidst the sad and hard goodbyes. I’m grateful because God led me back to a place my heart has desired to go, to minister to a people a long to see redeemed, and to a place I feel the closest to God. He has called me to this place and given me a confidence that this is where I am to be planted right now.

My prayer for Colorado (and Arvada) is that they would know the God who molded the mountains, formed the forests, and spoke the stars into being. My prayer is that the people of Colorado would not just enjoy His creation but would recognize that there is a Creator, who also made them.

Would you join me in praying for this people (my neighbors) to know, love, and worship the one true God?! He is more than able! I am confident that He has called me and others to this place to be ministers of the gospel here, and to bring hope to a dark and dying world. I am eager to see God work and excited to join all that He is doing!

‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV)