Example Build | Life-Minded: Belonging to God and Each Other Devotion Welcome to Life-Minded: Belonging to God and Each Other

Lesson 1, Activity 1

Welcome to Life-Minded: Belonging to God and Each Other

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As followers of Jesus, we are called to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). But our real-time interpersonal tangles leave us skeptical: Is unity even possible? In this course Pastor Brady Boyd explains how prioritizing eight practices that Jesus Himself modeled might just be the key to becoming the peacemakers and unifiers that we are called to be.

Learning Outcomes

By completing this course, you will be able to:

Practice eight spiritual disciplines for growing in discipleship.
Explain the New Testament foundations for the eight practices.
Develop spiritual habits that will cultivate unity within your relationships and faith community.

Course Introduction

This course has been adapted for individual or group study from Pastor Boyd’s Bible study based on his book Life-Minded: 8 Practices for Belonging to God and Each Other. If you would like to purchase one or both books, click here.

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003eWelcome to Life-Minded, The Bible Study! u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003eI’mu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003e thrilled u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003eyou’veu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003e decided to dig into such a critical topic for our age, that of unity, not only in the world at large but more specifically within the church. u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003eThat’su003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003e what we are here to do: to prioritize unity. To sharpen the practices that encourage unity to unfold in our midst. And to trust God to equip us day by day to be the unifiers u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003ewe’reu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW207821741 BCX0u0022u003e made to be.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003e

– Brady Boyd

Watch this introductory video in which Pastor Brady Boyd explains the purpose for this course.

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Lesson Overviews

Select the headings of each lesson to read about the specific learning outcomes that you will achieve by working through the content of each lesson.

Lesson One: Devotion

As human beings, we were created to live lives of devotion. We were crafted to be worshipers at heart. To what or whom will we devote ourselves? To understand God’s Word is to see that our devotion is to be reserved for God—and God alone.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to be devoted to God and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own priorities and what you devote yourself to.
Identify priorities for practicing devotion.

Lesson Two: Curiosity

In our fast-paced world, the virtue of curiosity is often overshadowed by the need for quick answers and immediate gratification. Embracing curiosity in conversation not only enriches our understanding of others and the world, but also deepens our spiritual growth by fostering a genuine quest for knowledge and truth.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to have a posture of curiosity and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own capacity for curiosity in conversation.
Identify areas in your own life and community to practice compassion and empathy.

Lesson Three: Discernment

“To answer before listening—that is folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13). After listening well to others, we can contribute to the dialogue with great discernment and contribute to the healing and reconciliation of a divided world.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to practice discernment in speech and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own listening and speaking habits.
Identify opportunities to practice speaking words of comfort, confirmation, and cooperation in your own life and community.

Lesson Four: Peace

Just as He calmed the storm that threatened His disciples’ lives, Jesus remains our source of peace today. In a world marked by division, following Jesus’ example of de-escalation is a powerful way to be a beacon of peace.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to practice peace and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own ability to make or keep peace within yourself and others.
Identify ways to practice peacemaking in your own life and community.

Lesson Five: Service

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). To align our lives with the example Jesus set during His earthly ministry is to couple works of service with our wonderful faith.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to be a servant and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own posture towards service.
Identify opportunities to practice serving with a spirit of humility in your own life and community.

Lesson Six: Forgiveness

Forgiveness isn’t always easy, but the Bible teaches us that the practice of forgiveness is meant to be a fundamental aspect of our faith journey. We may know no greater satisfaction than when we are released from the burden of bitterness to reflect the grace and love we have received from God.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to practice forgiveness and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own experiences with forgiveness.
Identify opportunities to practice forgiveness in your own life and community.

Lesson Seven: Awe

Awe is a universal human experience, but for the follower of Jesus, it is a deeply spiritual one as well. Moving experiences aren’t mere accidents, they’re glimpses of the Divine that ask us to acknowledge the Source of all that is beautiful and good.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to practice awe and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own sense of awe of God.
Identify ways to prioritize experiencing awe in your own life and community.

Lesson Eight: Grace

Grace is God’s unmerited favor offered freely to humanity. As such, it is the single most powerful gift we can give to another person. It is only by grace—our receiving God’s grace and our passing along that grace to others—that the unity we seek can unfold.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Explain what it means to give grace and how Scripture supports this practice.
Reflect on your own experiences of receiving and giving grace.
Identify opportunities to prioritize giving grace in your own life and community.

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022u003eAll Scripture quotations in this course, unless otherwise u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022u003eindicatedu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022u003e, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun Underlined SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022noneu0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022 data-ccp-charstyle=u0022Hyperlinku0022u003e www.zondervan.comu003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022u003e. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022EOP SCXW168677375 BCX0u0022 data-ccp-props=u0022{}u0022u003e u003c/spanu003e

How to Maximize Your Learning from This Course

In order to maximize your learning through this online course, you are encouraged to make use of all the learning opportunities presented to you. To take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge presented in the course content, we recommend that you:

Watch, listen to, or read all the lectures.
Reflect on the content and questions in your journal or workbook.
Complete all learning activities.
Share your ideas with your fellow learners in the discussion.
Implement what you have learned in your Action Plan.
Enrich your learning by reading the bonus material.

Online learning is an excellent way to bring large numbers of participants together to learn and share about living at peace with God and one another. Although this course is asynchronous and therefore other participants may not complete the course at the same time as you, there are interactive opportunities to share your learning and to gain valuable, unique insights from individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences.

What online course engagement means

Full engagement in this course further means:

Working through the lessons in the suggested order—they’ve been arranged for a reason and each course has been designed with a logical sequence. Jumping ahead without completing the previous lesson may give you a disjointed learning experience.
Reading and listening across a variety of learning activities—some of which are text-based, some with video. (Transcripts are provided with audio-visual resources for those learners who require or prefer the written format.)
Sharing your learnings with other course participants in discussion opportunities.

When engaging in social learning activities, such as sharing ideas or commenting on other learners’ ideas in discussions, be mindful of how you express yourself in writing. In written communication, we do not have the advantages of interpersonal cues (e.g., facial expressions, voice tone, and gestures), so it can be difficult to express intended meaning. Remember that other course participants may have different perspectives, opinions, and life experiences than you. Therefore, when communicating online, it’s important to assume the best intentions of others and use polite and respectful language.

Technology requirements

Engaging with the materials in this course requires minimal technological skills or equipment:

An electronic device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone capable of running a web browser and playing video and audio.
Internet access capable of streaming videos, loading webpages, and downloading files.
A PDF reader (optional) for working with downloadable PDF files. Though most browsers allow PDFs to be viewed within the browser, we recommend downloading and saving them to your device so that you can save your work.

The ODBU app is available in Google Play and the App Store. In addition to providing full functionality of all course features, the app also allows you to download courses for offline study.

Have a question?

We have made every effort to make this course accessible for all learning styles and abilities. If you have a question or need assistance, please contact us.

What Activities to Expect

Each lesson will guide you through a series of activities. Select the headings below to read a brief description and instructions for completing each activity. Activities with a “lock” symbol 🔒 are available to premium subscribers only.

Overview and Objectives

This activity offers a brief description of the lesson and informs you of the lesson’s learning objectives. rn rnrnViewing this activity is required for course completion.

Opener 🔒

This activity identifies and explains the specific discipline that the lesson focuses on. It also includes warm-up questions to help you start thinking about your experience with the practice that will be discussed. These questions can be answered in your journal or in the downloadable course workbook. u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW264239148 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRestRefresh CommentHighlightRest SCXW264239148 BCX0u0022u003eYou will find the link to download the digital workbook in the Opener activity for Lesson One.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003ernrnViewing this activity is required for course completion.

Lecture

This activity provides the main teaching content for the lesson. You may choose to u003cstrongu003ewatchu003c/strongu003e the video, u003cstrongu003elistenu003c/strongu003e to the audio, or u003cstrongu003ereadu003c/strongu003e the transcript. Closed captioning is also provided for any video segments. In each case the content is the same.rnrnThis activity is required for course completion.

Check Your Understanding 🔒

This quiz activity checks your understanding of the concepts learned so far. It is not a timed activity, and the quiz can be attempted as many times as needed.rnrnEarning a quiz score of 70% or better is required for course completion.

Scripture Meditation 🔒

This activity allows you to spend time in Scripture and connect it to the topic of each lesson. Spend some time carefully reading the Scripture passage provided in the activity, utilizing the simple three-step method of Receive, Reflect, and Respond.rnrnrnComplete these activities digitally in the downloadable course workbook or write them in your own journal. Find the link to download the digital workbook in Lesson One. rnrnrnu003colu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eReceiveu003c/strongu003e simply involves reading the text and asking, “What does the text say?”u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eReflectu003c/strongu003e challenges you to ask, “What does the text mean?”u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eRespondu003c/strongu003e invites you to apply the meaning of the text to your life.u003c/liu003ernu003c/olu003ernInstructions for reflectionrnu003colu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eGet and useu003c/strongu003e a hard copy journal or an e-note-taking tool such as Notion, OneNote, or Apple Notes. u003cspan class=u0022ql-bg-yellowu0022u003eYou can also complete these activities in the course workbook, which can be downloaded in Lesson One. u003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eSpend time reflectingu003c/strongu003e on the questions provided in the activity. Make it a time of prayer by sharing your thoughts and reflections with God.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eWrite downu003c/strongu003e your answers, thoughts, and other revelatory ideas in your journal that God reveals during your time of prayerful reflection.u003c/liu003ernu003c/olu003ernFor reflective journaling activities such as this one, find a quiet place in which you will not be disturbed by other people, noises, or other distractions. Silence e-devices and quiet your mind by reading Bible passages or praying before attempting the activity.

Share Your Thoughts 🔒

This discussion activity is designed to help you articulate what you have learned in each lesson. It may also help you collect ideas from other course participants about practicing the disciplines discussed in the course. Since this course is asynchronous (i.e., other learners complete the course at different times), you may not see many discussion submissions or receive replies to your posts. Therefore, consider your submissions to this discussion forum as a way to share your insights about what you have learned to inspire or challenge others in their learning journey, and to enable others to do the same for you.rnrnWhile other learners may not see or respond to your comments in the short term, encouraging others and engaging with others enhances your learning experience.rnrnThis activity is required for course completion.

Make a Plan 🔒

These application activities are designed to help you consider how to put your learning to use in your own context. When you finish this course, you will have an action plan that will help you deepen your relationship with God and promote unity within the Body of Christ.rnrnComplete these activities digitally in the downloadable course workbook or write them in your own journal. u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW264239148 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRestRefresh CommentHighlightRest SCXW264239148 BCX0u0022u003eYou will find the link to download the digital workbook in the Opener activity for Lesson One.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003e

Bonus Reading 🔒

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRestRefresh CommentHighlightRest SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022u003eThis section features passages from Pastor Boyd’s book u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cemu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022u003eLife-Mindedu003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/emu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW225635610 BCX0u0022u003e that relate to each lesson.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003ernrnThis activity is not required for course completion.

Further Study 🔒

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRestRefresh CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003eThis section inu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022FindHit CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003eclu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003eudes suggested readings from Pastor Boyd’s book and Bible study. These are not u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003erequiredu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003e for course completion but will enrich and deepen your understanding of each lesson. You can u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003epurchaseu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003e these books u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003ca class=u0022Hyperlink SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022 href=u0022https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/odbu-life-minded.htmlu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun Underlined SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022noneu0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022 data-ccp-charstyle=u0022Hyperlinku0022u003ehereu003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/au003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun CommentHighlightRest SCXW119790546 BCX0u0022u003e.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003e

Lesson Summary

This activity sums up the concepts learned in each lesson and looks ahead to what comes next.

Summative Activity 🔒

This activity appears in the course wrap-up section at the end of the course. It allows you to review what you have learned in the course and identify actions you will commit to in order to implement the course concepts.

Course Completion Requirements

To successfully earn a Completion Award for this course you will need to engage with all of the pages in every lesson, view all of the lectures, earn 70% or higher on each quiz activity, contribute towards the discussion boards, and complete the Course Evaluation. All other activities are recommended but not required for course completion.