the good way

Introduction

Ask where the good way is, and walk in it

The Good Way Course is an opportunity for us to begin ordering our lives around the life and teaching of Jesus. As a community, we want to explore what it looks like for us to cultivate shared rhythms and practices, so that we can experience the presence of Jesus and express more fully who He is to the world.

An ancient way of doing this is through A Rule of Life. The language of ‘rule’ can be off-putting for some because it can seem rigid and legalistic, however, it is our belief that a Rule of Life brings together desire and discipline, God’s power and our participation, our self fulfillment and the healing of the world in a beautiful, free, balanced and grace-filled way.

What is a Rule of Life?

If you would like to learn more about the origins and history of a Rule of Life, watch the following video:

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6

Jesus invited his listeners to discover the truth of his way by living it. He simply said, “Come, follow me.” As people followed him, they began to experience the truth of His Kingdom and this created a desire in them for more of His presence and power. Following Jesus was more like an apprenticeship than a degree. The earliest Christians were known as followers of ‘The Way’ because they were known, first and foremost, for their practice. Their lives looked radically different from the majority culture.

Jesus also called himself the truth. Practice alone does not result in the life of Jesus. During his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly warned against practice without belief. And when we say belief we’re not just referring to having knowledge about God because the Pharisees had that too. This kind of knowing is experiential, it’s a knowing that is not just with our minds but with our hearts.

The Way + The Truth = The Life

Jesus promises ‘life to the full’ for those who will follow him as the way and the truth. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to a life of orthodoxy and orthopraxy.

  • Orthodoxy refers to what we believe.
  • Orthopraxy refers to how we express and practice what we believe.

We want to live in such a way that our beliefs and our practices are integrated and express a desire to love Jesus above all else.

Knowing ourselves is a very important part of our journey towards knowing God. How we enjoy and experience God will be determined by our unique personalities, our season of life, and our stage on the journey of faith. Right at the beginning of this journey together we will take time to examine our lives and to know ourselves better, so that we can experience God’s life more fully, according to how he has uniquely formed us to enjoy him.

“There is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace, and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find Him I will find myself and if I find my true self I will find Him.” — Thomas Merton

Session video

Personal Reflection

Take some time to reflect on the following questions:

  1. How has God uniquely created me?
  2. How would I describe my relationship with God today? Am I currently in a season of feeling close to God or am I feeling disconnected from him?
  3. What activities or practices make me feel most connected to God?
  4. What advantages or limitations are currently present in my season of life?
  5. What are the desires of my heart right now?
  6. How am I creating space to know God and myself better?

Session Resources

To go further with this session, take a look at some of the following activities, readings and other resources:

Activations

Devotionals

Teachings

Books