Suggested J-Mentors Schedule

J-Mentors begins with a 3-day Launch Retreat. This important interaction sets the DNA for our journey through the life of Jesus.  

• Twice in Mark 10, Jesus asked different people exactly the same question: "What do you want me to do for you?" There is something powerful about expressing our longings to Jesus in our own words. J-Mentors begins by asking us to articulate the deepest yearnings of our heart in His presence.
• Next we construct our Personal Timelines (the Symphony of our Lives). 
• We then share our Timelines and pray for each other This helps bond the group together. We revisit this invaluable tool periodically throughout J-Mentors to contemplate the links between Jesus' Timeline and our own. 
• The 3-day Retreat ends as we reconstruct the first-century context of Jesus' familiar invitation: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me" (Mt 11:29). Jesus is alluding to the famous invitation of Sirach (180BC), forerunner of later Rabbis, to become disciples in his scribal training school. Jesus reorients Sirach's model into a relational discipleship focused on intimacy with Jesus Himself.
• We close by consecrating ourselves to take on the yoke in the school of Rabbi Jesus, mentored by Jesus, the greatest Rabbi and Mentor of all.

After the 3-day Launch Retreat, we spend the next 18 months together, meeting as a small-group, on a journey of discovery. contemplating Jesus in light of his first-century context.

Note: the time length can vary, depending on how quickly or slowly the group decides to progress. 

It may be wise for your small group to commit to one "Part" at a time then reevaluate your pace.

PART 1: What Would a First-Century Jew Know?

• M-01 The Grand Narrative of Scripture in Chiasm.
• M-02 The Creator-King and the Pagan Creation Myths.
• M-03 The Problem of Evil in Second Temple Judaism.
• M-04 Hope Promised: Israel and the Covenants.
• M-05 Second Temple History: The Fracturing of Judaism.
• M-06 Second Temple Hopes: Messianic Expectations Reemerge.

PART 2: Messiah Arrives: The Rescue Begins

• M-07  The Arrival of Hope: The Gospel Prologues in Context 
• M-08 Infancy Narratives: The Great Reversal vs the Powers.
• M-09 Baptism and Temptation: Reenactment, Trinity, Christology.
• M-10 The Water-into-Wine Paradigm: Jesus’ Early Ministry.

PART 3: Messiah Preaches the Kingdom in Galilee

• M-11 Kingdom Commission: The Messianic Mandate.
• M-12 Kingdom Message: The Future Invades the Present.
• M-13 Kingdom Values: The Upside-Down Kingdom.
• M-14 Kingdom Virtues: The Inside-Out Kingdom (Sermon on the Mount).
• M-15 Kingdom in Parable and Power: Insiders & Outsiders.
• M-16 Kingdom Strategy: Mentoring a Few to Reach the Many. Jesus and the Gentiles.

PART 4: Transition—Messiah Turns Toward the Cross

• M-17 Caesarea Philippi: Peter’s Confession and the Gates of Hell. 
• M-18 The Transfiguration and the Defeat of the Gods.

PART 5: Messiah Marches Toward the Cross

• M-19 The Sobering Departure from Capernaum.
• M-20 Luke’s Travel Narrative: Overview.
• M-21 Martha and Mary: Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus.
• M-22 Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles: Water, Light, Truth.
• M-23 On the Road with Jesus: The Way of True Discipleship.
• M-24 The Lost and Found Parables: Two Wayward Sons.
• M-25 Lazarus and the Sanhedrin: Resurrection Life threatens Religious Power.

PART 6: Messiah is Rejected, Prepares a New Temple

• M-26 Two Triumphal Entries: Two Kinds of Kingdom.
• M-27 Jesus Occupies the Temple: A New Sacred Space.
• M-28 The Temple Debates: A Contest of Honor and Shame.
• M-29 The Eschatological Discourse: Jerusalem & the End.
• M-30 The Farewell Discourses: Presence-in-Absence.

PART 7: Messiah Triumphs over Sin and Death

• M-31 Jesus on Trial: Before God (Gethsemane).
• M-32 Jesus on Trial: Before the Jews (The Sanhedrin).
• M-33 Jesus on Trial: Before Rome (Pilate and Herod).
• M-34 Crucifixion in Context: The Cross as God’s Throne.
• M-35 The Resurrection: Restoration and Transformation.
• M-36 The Ascension: Enthronement of the King.

We end our contemplation of Jesus with a second 3-Day Celebration Retreat. 

First we celebrate all God has done in our lives. Then we ask the question: What's Next? 

• We start by celebrating Jesus' Resurrection in context.
• We look at the Book of Acts and how Jesus poured out His Holy Spirit to give birth to the Church and launch a worldwide movement of Kingdom Communities. We welcome His Spirit to work in us as well.
• We first began our journey with Jesus' question to us, "What do you want me to do for you?" 
• Now we end by asking Jesus: "What do YOU want me to do for YOU?"
• This includes asking if He would have us launch similar Kingdom Communities (J-Mentors small groups) in our own contexts today. If so, we prayerfully brainstorm: with whom, when and where?
• We end by celebrating His work in our lives and prayerfully commissioning new J-Mentors groups for the future.

We pray that the Spirit of God might use J-Mentors to launch a multiplying mentoring movement around the world, all focused on Jesus Himself. 

Please pray with us to that end!