True^North

True^North: Disciple-making in the Word is written in first-person. Consider it as me (a disciple-maker) training you (a disciple-in-the-making) how to Read-Interpret-Apply the word to your life. Yet this material is not merely informative but truly transformative. My goal is two fold. First, that you will become comfortable to engage with the biblical text and through your obedience to Christ's calling, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. But second, I want to instill within you the confidence to train others, in small groups, in the same process. In short, I desire to "disciple disciple-makers" so you can pay it forward.

The Book is broken down into two main sections. The first quarter of the book you will find me expanding on the topic: The "WHY" of True^North? What is the practical theology which undergirds the importance of not just reading the Bible but actually studying it. The second part of the book is my description of the "HOW" of Disciple-maing in the Word. I carefully mentor you in the four aspects of True^North (1) Prayer, (2) Observation, (3) Interpretation, and (4) Application. In short, they can be described as follows:

1. Prayer. The Reader should consecrate oneself to the voice of Jesus found in the Word BEFORE you ever read. Agree in advance to obey what is revealed.

2. Observation. This is developing careful reading skills to answer the question "What does the text actually say?" We often rush through the text in a speed reading mode. I want us to slow down and linger in the text.

3. Interpretation. This is addressing the question, "What did the text actually mean to the original recipients?" This is where I will provide tools through which you will become a historian and lover of the ancient culture of the Bible. One simple statement will bring color to this idea, "Context is everything." Yes, the historic content in which the book was written. Also, what are the issues relating to the cultural content in which the books of the Bible were written. Third, the literary content in which our biblical texts are housed. For example, how does the whole book of Ephesians provide literary context to a deeper understanding of a passage we are studying. Finally, what about the linguistic content? Yes, we are focusing on the ancient Hebrew and Greek. (Do not be afraid of ancient language studies. Modern websites do all the heavy lifting for you. In many cases, word studies can be done with two clicks of a computer mouse.)

4. Application. For us, this is what we have all been seeking; "What does the text mean to us today!" Our problem is often that we read and then jump to application without going through the vital process of Interpretation. This is one of the key ideas in True^North. Let's slow down the Bible reading process. Begin with PRAYER. Move slowly through the OBSERVATION phase. Dig deep in the INTERPRETATION. Then and then alone are we ready for APPLICATION. And by the time we get here, we are already on our knees, thanking God for His powerful revelation.