SHIFTm2M Resources
Knowing Him
Knowing Him is a 50 day chronological study in the life of Christ. The study guide is supplemented by a series of 41 videos shot on location in Israel featuring world class teaching about the life of Jesus and movement building principles. It is an excellent resource for ministry teams, small groups, or individuals.
Web App
Knowing Him is available as a free web app which includes all 50 studies along with the supplemental videos and podcasts. A free account is required to save your notes.
Study Guide
You can purchase the Knowing Him guide along with a USB drive containing all 41 videos and the Knowing Him supplemental podcasts on our web store. The video series can be viewed for free on Vimeo, and you can download the podcasts for free via our Resource Store. The content is also available on the free Knowing Him Web App.
FREE Supplemental Podcasts
The Knowing Him Supplemental Podcasts feature insights on each of the 50 days in the study guide from Dann Spader, Mark Edwards, Bill Hodgson, and others. This content is also available on the free Knowing Him Web App.
FREE Video Series
Movement Building Insights from the Life of Christ is a 42 part video series that explores the gospels from the land of Israel. This video series is supplemental material for Knowing Him, a 50-day chronological study through the life of Christ.
Our emphasis in these videos is on the methodology Jesus used to launch a movement that would take the gospel message around the world. While Jesus is fully God, He became fully man and this series explores how Jesus made leadership decisions in the culture, geography, and political context that existed in the gospels.
The content is also available on the free Knowing Him Web App.
FREE PDF Articles
These FREE PDF articles are available to download for personal and ministry use. They were written by our Global Youth Initiative and SHIFTm2M partners.
COVID-19: Scattered, Shattered, Dispersed, or Multiplied? A Matter of Perspective
By Bill Hodgson
Without minimizing the seriousness of the COVID-19 crisis and the important pastoral response to its very real anxieties and grief, Bill Hodgson explores how we can focus our peoples’ vision and faith on God’s unchanging character toward them, His purpose in them, and His mission through them. How can we reframe the narrative from scattered sheep to scattered seed and boldly embrace the promises that flow from that perspective?
Movements in 3D
By Bill Hodgson
Jesus’ mission involved the essential task of making disciples who would make disciples. That task required connecting with unengaged lost people and walking with them through the process of becoming “disciplemakers”. At the same time, Jesus knew that He would have a limited time of earthly ministry. Let’s face it, being known as the ‘Lamb of God’ has a clear built in end point! Jesus worked with that end in mind. Therefore, He focused on creating a balanced environment for disciplmaking so that a movement could be formed that would continue His mission throughout time until His return. This article explains the relationship between the “ramp” and “arrow” charts in SHIFTm2M.
The Movement Strategy of Jesus in the Early Church
By Peter Roennfeldt
Jesus cultivated a movement of disciplemaking which continued beyond His ascension to heaven. SHIFTm2M is a process by which Christian leaders walk through the span of Jesus’ life to learn from His movement building and to apply the principles to their lives – to intentionally shift from doing ministry to cultivating movements. The purpose of this overview of the book of Acts is to explore how the early apostolic church cultivated the movement building of Jesus.
Asking a Different Question
By Geoff Folland
In this paper prepared for SHIFTm2M participants, Geoff Folland reflects on applying a “movement hermeneutic” to John 4:1-42. Geoff writes, “When we read the Bible we are constantly asking, consciously or subconsciously, ‘What does it mean?’“
The Humanity of Jesus
By Dann Spader
In this paper presented after a Disciple Making conference, Dann Spader addresses the humanity of Jesus and it’s implication for each of us. Guaranteed to make you think, this article will stimulate discussion and force a deeper understanding of what it means to “walk as Jesus walked”. As Dann writes, “nothing has caused me to love Jesus more than to come to understand what He did for us when He took on humanity.” This paper is an attempt to explain that understanding, simply.
The Cost of Leading a Movement
By Dann Spader
This paper, also presented at a GYI Forum, looks hard at the role of suffering in leadership and how Jesus responded to it. I Peter 2:21 tells us that Jesus left us a pattern to follow in suffering, and Dr. Spader addresses that from his understanding of the Life of Christ. A special section addressing the role of Jesus suffering as being “progressive, complete, and weighty”, has proven to be very helpful for many in a fresh understanding of Jesus’ humanity. Again, this paper is written with discussion questions, making it a great staff development tool.
Resourcing a Growing Movement
By Dave Patty
Dave Patty, President of Josiah Venture in Eastern Europe, has written this masterful article about principles of financing a growing movement of multiplication. Josiah Venture in a little over 12 years has over 180 staff in 12 Eastern European countries… all devoted to reaching the next generation of young leaders. You will enjoy this insightful and stimulating article… written to allow discussion of each of the key principles.
Restructuring for Multiplication
By Dann Spader
Dann Spader has grown several ministries through the multiplication phase and multiplied Sonlife Classic to thousands of leaders on every continent. In this article he discusses 9 biblical principles and 8 practical realities in allowing multiplication to happen. Quoting from the business community as well as the Scriptures, this article is written to allow staff discussion and interaction.
Our Shared Ministry Philosophy
By Dann Spader
In this paper, presented at a recent Global Youth Initiative gathering, Dann Spader writes about 12 shared ministry values (common DNA) within Sonlife Classic and the 40 plus Global Youth Initiative ministries around the globe. But more than just these 12 values, Dr Spader addresses lessons he has learned about equipping leadership in a ministry philosophy. Written with discussion questions after each value, many organizations have used this paper as a staff development and staff discussion guide.
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