Author Archives: chadzaucha

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I have been reading the book Replicate: How to Create a Culture of Disciple-Making Right Where You Are. I have benefited so much from the content of this book. Many of the disconnected discipleship elements had been sloshing around in my brain are now being connected. One of the practices taught in the book is the practice of keeping a HEAR journal. I have always appreciated the importance of journaling as a spiritual discipline, but struggled to do it consistently. The HEAR strategy makes it doable for anyone. Here’s the approach in a nutshell:

1. Read a short passage of Scripture (ex. 1 chapter). This isn’t a race to read the Bible in a year. It is a slow soaking/simmering. Less is more.
2. H – Highlight a verse or verses that you sense God is using to speak to you.
3. E – Explain the original meaning of those verses. You may need to do a bit of study to identify author, audience, context.
4. A – Apply the verses to your life today.
5. R – Respond. What will you do about it?

Next thing you know, you’re journaling. This method is very similar to the SOAP approach (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer). I (cautiously) think I’m going to do some of this here on the blog. We’ll see how that goes. Nothing like sharing too much personal information on the world wide web. Anyway, if the example and the content are helpful to some, that would be a win.

A few weeks ago we were blessed to travel around Northern Michigan and enjoy its summer beauty. M22 is such an amazing drive.

Being ministered to by this song today:

I find space for what I treasure
I make time for what I want
I choose my priorities and
Jesus you’re my number one

My baby girl turned 20 on Sunday.  Was blessed to make a quick trip to Bourbonnais, IL to celebrate with her.  Super proud of her.

“However, I have to admit that I always find myself shocked that after 20 centuries of Christian faith and practice in Western contexts, that still the average Christian in the average church in the West is profoundly unformed and immature in Christ. This is the gospel of the resurrected King Jesus Christ we are talking about— world-transforming power! Twenty centuries of the Holy Spirit, of Christian thinking and acting, and this is what we have ended up with? There has been so much by way of church and theology and yet so little transformational impact. How do we account for this? How can we possibly justify this to ourselves, let alone to the God who has commissioned us and to whom we are ultimately accountable?”

Hirsch, Alan. 5Q: Reactivating the Original Intelligence and Capacity of the Body of Christ (Kindle Locations 504-509). 100 Movements (DH). Kindle Edition.

“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.”