© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Session 4Fruits of the Journey

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Session 4Fruits of the Journey

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Journey of Faith

Tool: A Personal Discipleship Goal• Learn something about the sort of person I am• Develop a sense of where God is calling me next• Start to build a personal plan

Five sessions1. My journey

2. Your journey

3. God of the journey

4. Fruits of the journey

5. Where next?

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Keys

• Key Point

– If we follow Jesus, we will become like him

• Key Skill

– Attentive reading– Personal reflection

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Today

• What makes a Christian Distinctive?– Christian heroes– Biblical, Christian & secular passages– Christian traits– The example of Jesus

• How does this challenge me?

• Wrap-up

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Famously Christian

• Name some high profile or famous Christians living, dead or fictional, and say – why they are known as Christians– what makes them admired or otherwise

• Who are your personal Christian heroes who are not famous? – what makes them heroes too?

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

‘Fruits’ Passages

• How should a follower of Jesus be expected to:– behave differently?– hold different values?

• Which passage – gave the most appealing picture of Christianity and

why?– stretches your thinking the most?

• What happens when we can't live up to the ideal?

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Coffee Break

Share with each other

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

What is Christian Behaviour?

• What does it mean to be ‘good’? • What is ‘Christian’ living?• What single purpose makes Jesus’ gentleness

and harshness completely consistent?

Therefore, we can expect our journey to bear fruit: both in our personal morality

(making us kinder, more patient, less envious etc)

and in our public behaviour

(sticking up for the weak, fighting for justice)

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Why do I need to be 'good'?

• If I am justified by faith alone, do I need good ‘works’?

• Does it matter if I am good or not? And to whom?

• Are there eternal consequences? • Do we see the whole world as sacred; or is there

a separate secular world in God’s eyes?• What is distinctive about Christian discipleship

as opposed to the ethical lifestyles of those from other faiths or of no faith?

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Christian Traits

• Which Christian traits are most important to you?

• Which are most challenging to you?

• Which of these do we already see in our lives?

• Which need work?

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

What would we add?

service self-acceptance joy

sense of connection to God integrity despair

stewardship anger peace

love patience self-control assertiveness

strength empathy certainty assurance

gentleness assurance inclusiveness loyalty

selflessness self-denial loyalty modesty

service self-acceptance joy

sense of connection to God integrity despair

stewardship anger peace

love patience self-control assertiveness

strength empathy certainty assurance

gentleness assurance inclusiveness loyalty

selflessness self-denial loyalty modesty

© Diocese of Guildford 2011Fruits of the Journey

Wrap-Up

• Journal Suggestions

– What is the next step for me in forming my Christian character?

– How am I going to achieve it?

– What help or resources will I need?

• Feedback on this session