Music by Ikson (https://www.youtube.com/ikson​​​​​​)

Discussion Questions:

-In what ways might you be trying to follow Jesus through your own strength rather than relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, and how can you recognize the difference?

-What areas of your life feel like a 'wilderness' right now, and could the Holy Spirit actually be leading you through this barren season for a purpose?

-In what ways have you tried to measure spiritual maturity through behavior modification rather than the fruit of the Spirit, and how might this approach be limiting God's work in your life?

-What 'noise' or distractions in your life are preventing you from hearing God's voice clearly, and what would it look like to create more space for the Holy Spirit to speak?

In this week's message Mike points to a truth many of us feel but rarely name: we stay plugged in, busy, and committed but often to the wrong things. At the center of Jesus' call is a rhythm most would avoid: dying to self. Not as an idea, but as a daily posture. What feels like loss becomes the soil where something eternal takes root. Devotion begins where self-preservation ends.

Discussion Questions:

-In what areas of your life have you tried to negotiate with Jesus rather than fully surrendering, and what might it look like to stop negotiating and start dying to those things?

-How might viewing difficult people in your life as accomplices to the cross rather than enemies change the way you respond to conflict and friction in relationships?

-If dying to self means dethroning your preferences and comforts, what is one preference or comfort God might be asking you to place on the altar right now?

-Peter said to Jesus, 'Where else can I go? You have the words of life.' What would it take for you to have that same conviction when Jesus asks you to do something uncomfortable or confusing?

That invitation is still open, but it reorders everything. Mike walks through a vision of discipleship rooted in devotion to a person, not a program. It’s about living close enough to Jesus to notice how he moves, how he loves, how he leads. When formation replaces information, and practice replaces theory, ordinary lives begin to multiply into something eternal.

Discussion Questions:

-When you think about the early disciples who wanted to be covered in the 'dust of their rabbi,' how closely are you following Jesus in your daily rhythms and decisions?

-What would 'messy obedience' look like for you this week as you step out in faith to practice one of the formational rhythms Jesus modeled?

-How does the concept of 'come follow me' versus 'come balance me' challenge your current approach to discipleship and devotion to Christ?

-Why do you think Western Christianity has emphasized information over formation, and how can you personally shift toward practicing what you learn rather than just hearing it?