Over on the Facebook, I posted three different posts recently all around a different kind of Sunday morning experience. Crestview was wrapping up an 8 week series on the Upper Room Discourse and how that related to our practice. When John is recounting Jesus in the Upper Room, he’s providing readers some unique information compared to the other Gospel writers and helping them see what kind of life they would be characterized by. Themes like loving one another, abiding in Jesus and what He was teaching, the Spirit teaching them and bringing to mind what Jesus taught, as well as the glorifying of Jesus were some of the big themes that came out of this section.

My first post related toward applying God’s Word related to Cal Newport’s work, Deep Work. Michael Vos summarized a part of Newport’s research in this way:

Unfortunately, Deep Work is consistently elusive in the world we’re in…but there is hope (based on what Newport is finding), you can train your brain to focus (or set up blockers on your phone). The appeal I made at Crestview on that Sunday related to more “deep work” as we consider what God is saying in His Word, but there are applications galore for those of us seeking to give thought to serious things. I eneded asking, “How do you pursue deep work in the things you most deeply care about?” If we really believe that Jesus Himself is shaping us as His people, for me, this requires a commitment to engage my mind fully to not only achieve understanding of what He’s saying, but also to put implement that into life.

Post two related to Bloom’s taxonomy, which is consistently found in the fields of education.

On this particular Sunday morning, I pointed out that most of what we aim for a Sunday morning in typical church gatherings is the bottom two parts of this triange. We’d be shooting for the moon if someone actually applied what we said and used that information in their lives. And, what I’m dreaming of is that I would be so affected by the truth of God’s Wod that I would be able to move to those top rungs of Bloom’s taxonomy. The content is not recalled or understood, but I’m making connections between what else I’ve seen to what new moves need to be made for lasting life-change.

Finally, I connected to Scripture itself. As I mentioned that morning, Jesus encouraged us to follow Deuteronomy 6 and love the Lord our God with all our heart, MIND, soul, and strength (I’m emphasizing mind for these purposes). Romans 12:1-2 fleshes out the idea of lives distinct from the world that are given to worship, including people like us, who are “being transformed by the renewal of our mind, that by testing we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” And, on study leave, my friend Randy challenged me with 1 Peter 4:1, “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking…” We know the mind of Christ leads us to live differently. This word, translated as “same way of thinking,” captures a complex state of mind, intention, or purpose (see my screenshot of the word study below). And, like we saw with Deep Work or the Taxonomy, we are being invited to have our minds shaped to live in very distinct ways. So, how is your mind growing to live in light of the things you would give the highest value to?

I take all this to be pointing me to understand that our problem is doing what the Bible is teaching isn’t that we need more information or that we’re mentally incompetent. The issue seems to be around taking time to consider what this means in the deepest parts of our lives. There’s often a disconnect between who I am in church gatherings and who I am out there. And, for me at least, I want to lead by shortening that gap, with the life-changing truths of the Bible affecting everything that I am.

How do you think about Biblical application? What might it look like for you to more deeply consider God’s truth so that your life is changed?