COURSE · GOSPEL CITY NETWORK

This Mini Course Will Help You:

  • Recognise the pattern of Jesus’ dying and rising (the J-Curve)
  • Make sense of suffering in light of God’s story
  • Develop a gospel lens to recognise resurrection in our daily life
  • Establish a posture of perseverance in suffering

Course Format:

Take this course at your own pace. This online course includes:

  • Recorded Video Sessions
  • Downloadable Handouts and Transcripts
  • Reflection/Discussion Questions

Content

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Introduction to the Course

COURSE TRAINER

Jon H.
For more than 25 years, Jon H. has been serving the local and global church. First, as a pastor and church planter and now, as the West Coast and East Asia Director for seeJesus, a global discipling mission. He thoroughly enjoys training pastors, missionaries, and churches in the US and Asia. Jon and Sonia, his wife of 24 years, currently reside in Southern California with their four children.

Session 1: Introduction to the J-Curve

Session 1 Slides
Session 1 Transcript

Session 1 Reflection Questions:

  1. In your own life, how do you usually respond to sufferings, challenges, and trials?

  2. Reflect on a time when you experienced a “mini death” or a significant challenge in your life. How did that experience shape your relationship with God and others? Did it lead to a deeper understanding of the power of Christ’s resurrection?

  3. How does the concept of the J-Curve challenge your understanding of success in ministry or life? Are there areas where you need to redefine your perspective on what it means to be successful?

  4. Consider the idea of reenacting the gospel in your daily life. How can you intentionally live out the pattern of the J-Curve, embracing both suffering and resurrection, in your interactions with others, your work, and your personal growth?

Session 2: Three Kinds of Death

Session 2 Slides
Session 2 Transcript

Session 2 Reflection Questions:

  1. Reflect on a time when you experienced trouble moving towards you and had to endure suffering. How did that experience shape your understanding of the gospel and your relationship with God?

  2. Consider a situation where you discovered trouble or sin inside of yourself and had to repent. How did that experience deepen your reliance on God’s grace and forgiveness?

  3. How does the concept of Christ’s suffering and the pouring out of comfort resonate with your own experiences of suffering and finding comfort in God? How can you practically apply this principle in your relationships and ministry?

Session 3: Dying in Repentance

Session 3 Slides
Session 3 Transcript

Session 3 Reflection Questions:

  1. How does understanding the various J-Curves (such as the gospel J-Curve, faith J-Curve, everyday J-Curve, and future J-Curve) help us to have a holistic perspective of our spiritual journey?

  2. Reflect on a personal experience of repentance and dying to sin in your own life. How did the process of putting sin to death resemble the J-Curve framework? What was the role of the Holy Spirit in convicting, transforming, and bringing renewal?

  3. Consider the story of Pastor Alisha and his journey of repentance and forgiveness. How does his experience illustrate the interconnectedness of love, suffering, repentance, and joy within the J-Curve framework? How can we apply these principles in our own relationships and experiences of conflict and hurt?

Session 4: Skip the Dip

Session 4 Slides
Session 4 Transcript

Session 4 Reflection Questions:

  1. Reflect on a time when you held on to something too tightly and it prevented you from receiving what God had in store for you.

  2. Can you identify any areas in your life where you may be tempted to skip the process of “dying” and move straight to “resurrection”? How might this affect your growth? What are some next steps you can take as you process through this issue?

  3. How can you root your identity, purpose, and contentment solely in Christ?

Session 5: Developing a Resurrection Lens

Session 5 Slides
Session 5 Transcript

Session 5 Reflection Questions:

  1. How does Paul’s perspective on his imprisonment (Philippians 1:12-18) challenge your own understanding of suffering, joy, and gratitude in difficult circumstances?

  2. Think about a difficult season you have experienced. How can looking to Jesus and His light help you see the resurrection and the work of the Spirit in your life during that time?

  3. How can you develop a “resurrection lens” in your own life? What practical steps can you take to intentionally recognise the power of resurrection?

Session 6: Rising in Christ

Session 6 Slides
Session 6 Transcript

Session 6 Reflection Questions:

  1. Can you think of a situation in your life where you have experienced mini resurrections amidst a larger J-Curve story? How did those small moments of resurrection impact your faith?

  2. In what ways can you look for signs of resurrection happening around you, even when you may be experiencing a season of death in your own life?

Session 7: The Emotional Life of the J-Curve

Session 7 Slides
Session 7 Transcript

Session 7 Reflection Questions:

  1. How does the passage challenge the notion that all anxiety is inherently wrong? How can anxiety be understood in the context of love?

  2. Reflect on a time when you experienced anxiety driven by genuine care and love for someone else. How did that experience impact your actions and emotions?

  3. Consider the concept of a “well-tuned heart” that loves and follows Jesus. How can you cultivate a heart that aligns emotions with love and reflects the J-curve pattern in your own life?

  4. How can recognising and empathising with the emotions of others strengthen relationships and create a sense of community?

Session 8: Pulling It All Together

Session 8 Slides
Session 8 Transcript

Session 8 Reflection Questions:

  1. Jon suggests three ways resurrection might be happening:

      • It may be happening in others.
      • It may be happening in a new community.
      • It may be happening in your own heart and circumstances.

How can this encouragement help you as you experience suffering and death?

2. Reflect on all that you’ve learned in this J-Curve course and list a few key takeaways.

Resources

Do we have the wrong map for the Christian life? Life’s inconveniences, disappointments, and trials can leave us confused, cynical, and eventually bitter. But the apostle Paul traces out the path of dying and rising with Jesus—what Paul Miller calls the “J-Curve”—as the normal Christian life. The J-Curve maps the ups and downs of daily life onto the story of Jesus.

Buy a copy

Finding Meaning in Suffering: The Power of the Five-Chapter Gospel

Despite our best efforts and intentions, our lives are often filled with distortion, brokenness, and unexpected suffering. We grapple with challenging relationships, whether in our marriages or with our children, and at times, even our bodies seem to betray us. How can we navigate these trials and what do we make of persistent suffering?

Read article

Other Resources from seeJesus Ministry

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A Praying Life
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