the underground network » Media

Discovery Bible Studies in Practice

markw — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:19:22 +0000

In our last article, we wrote about a resource called Discovery Bible Studies designed to invite Christians AND seekers into experimenting with the teachings of Christ even as they are weighing whether or not they believe in Christ. In a sense, they are “acting their way into a new way of thinking.” This is a very different paradigm than we have been given in most American churches. In fact, it is a very old way of training – reaching all the way back into ancient biblical cultures.

Think for a moment about the disciples and other followers of Jesus Christ. Although they listened to his teaching and changed their life radically to follow him, they weren’t completely ready to believe in Christ or consider him ‘Lord’ until after his resurrection; after they had followed Christ for three years!

But whether you are a seeker or a faithful follower of Christ, this very simple method of exploring God’s Word can be meaningful. Recently, one of our brothers and co-workers in the Lord, Kerry Holton, wrote a fantastic series on how Discovery Bible Studies have blessed his relationship with God in incredible ways. Check out his 3-part reflections here: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

As we continue to plant churches and make disciples in Chicago, we see the core value of establishing each church with simple resources for a vibrant spiritual health. Anyone can incorporate the values and practices of Discovery Bible Studies into (1) your personal prayers and devotions, (2) into your relationship with their spouse or with a spiritual friend, (3) with your house church, (4) and with your seeking friends.

As we’ve done in our previous article, we are posting PDFs of David Watson and City Team Ministries’ material into this post as a resource for you and your faith community. Please tell us the stories of success (and failure) of incorporating this resource into your group!

Process:

Present the idea of a Discovery Bible Study with your house church.
Your house church chooses from one of the Bible Study documents below.
Each week, read one selection of Scripture listed in the study (starting on or around page 15)
Rotate who facilitates the discussion each week to promote shared leadership and learning.
Follow up the following week with the “I will” statements you committed to the Lord the previous week.

Choose a Bible Study below to begin!

Godgrown – Discovery Bible Study Process*

2008 Discovering God v2.0

2008 Obedience Based Discipleship v1.5

2008 Discovering Leadership v2.2

2008 Discovering Church Planting v4.2

2009 DBS Prayer Scripture List

*adapted from City Team Ministries

Podcast: From Eternity to Here

markw — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:54:53 +0000

Each month several of us in the underground church network meet up on a conference call to discuss a book one of (or all of) us have finished reading focused in on church planting and the Christ-life. This month it was Frank Viola’s From Eternity to Here. I may try to get previous discussions up for your enjoyment as well!

[podcast]http://ugnchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ugc_viola_feth_kbowman.mp3[/podcast]

Community Garden

markw — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:33:52 +0000

We are all created to be like God and God is creative! We are called to worship him with our whole selves. David and others worshiped with poetry. Paul and others worshiped in prose. Throughout the ages, people have worshiped in song and visual art. Some cultures worship in dance and others worship in ways we don’t even know about. The underground church network is developing a “Community Garden” where we can share in our creative worship together.

Any form of worship that can be uploaded is appropriate here as long as it is an expression of the creativity that God has instilled in you. Where there is genuine worship there is joy. This is meant to be an inspiring encouragement to one another as well as an alter to our creative Lord! Maybe you come to the Community Garden for personal inspiration, or fresh ideas for your faith community. Maybe you come to contribute you or your faith community has recently offered the Lord in the form of worship and you’re ready to pass it along!

Give us ideas (ways you worship the Lord), give us videos or audio files of worship in action, give us written or spoken word, even prophecy and preaching is welcome. Let this be a wild and diverse garden where the Body of Christ can grow and share the fruits of our imaginative Spirit.

This “Community Garden” is still being fertilized; cultivated. We’re working on the best plot of land to begin (this website? a nearby wiki space?) and we’ll send out the word when its ready to begin tilling!

In the meen time you can Post Comments to this page with links to things that you find inspirational or worshipful.

Tribes: The New Way to Change the World

markw — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:37:13 +0000

Ever wondered how to change the world with the thing you’re most passionate about? Watch this video to find out:

I read Godin’s book Tribes earlier this year, and found it enlightening. This video is a quick summary of the book by the author, plus his theory on a process for those interested in changing the world. He looks over countless organizations, and through history at movement leaders and then draws some conclusions. Why is it that Ghandi was successful in bringing about liberation and true change in India? How did Martin Luther King rally a battered and bitter people into a movement of civil rights?

It begins by telling a story. Frederick Buechner is quoted saying,

To truly tell the story of anything well is to tell the story of everything.

And while I’ll need your help in the comments section below to help me on the author of this quote, another tribal storyteller said,

If you want to change the world, tell an alternative story.

The story will enlighten some, and enrage others. Don’t spend all your time coddling those who you are upsetting – focus on those who are ready to dive headlong into the story you both believe in.

Next, you must connect your tribe. Most people are most interested in the connection anyway! Find fresh and exciting ways for those passionate about similar values to meet and engage one another to see spontaneous connections made.

Ask yourself: “Who am I already leading?” Focusing on leading is where change comes from. In fact, people are waiting on you to lead them. That is what it means to lead a movement for change – to ask questions, to build consensus, to peak curiosity, to develop a new tribal language…but its ultimately about your willingness to be committed to the cause. That is what separates the tribes that matter from those that don’t. Your willingness to lead a tribe through any circumstance is essentially the tribe’s best chance at meaningful change in the world.

Tribes are where change comes from. From the ballot box, to the grocery store (check out the new WikiChoice), to the church – committed tribes of regular people making extraordinary decisions and seeing dramatic change. So get out there and lead your tribe – we need you to.

Videos on the Jesus Revolution

markw — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:18:42 +0000

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7091B281E16248EA

About the Underground Network

Mark Willis — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:14:58 +0000

The Underground Network is a relationally-connected group of friends, organic churches, and missional communities in Chicago trying to follow Christ.

We dream of seeing a vibrant family of Jesus Christ within close reach of every person in Chicago both geographically and culturally.

We understand that each person sees truth a little differently and that God has the ability to reach us all, where we are. We are not denominationally affiliated and we are not interested in preaching at anyone. We are an extended family that believes that another world is possible. For more of who we are, check out our values tag-cloud.

We are a community based on the love and life of Christ. That means we are interested in helping people; whatever it takes.

We are an organic movement which means we are interested in using forms natural to our environment to achieve our goal. In this city, families and groups of friends meet in homes, restaurants, bars, clubs, parks, coffee shops, schools, and community centers; so that’s what we do. We share life together, learning to be the church we want to see in the world.

Our main projects are urban missions (organic church planting, social justice), city research (spiritual mapping), and missional and spiritual formation (apprenticeships, coaching). Check our mindmap for a visual!

We are not interested in your money. We encourage people to give back to God in ways they feel appropriate. Sometimes that means paying a struggling neighbors electric bill; sometimes it means buying a meal for a homeless person; sometimes it means sending support to a missionary; sometimes it means giving to our budget and sometimes it looks totally different. Those of us who are blessed to be supported in working with this effort full or part-time are supported by other individuals and organizations and do not gain direct financial support from donations given to the Underground Network.

When an organism is introduced into an environment for which it is well suited, it spreads like kudzu or a virus. We believe that the Good News of God is just as explosive. An idea that changes our world, our city, our families, and our very lives.