Back to the Basics: Discipleship
Notes from a Bible Study led by Denny John

The dictionary defines paradigm as:

‘A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.’

In simpler words, it’s a context or an environment that gives meaning.

We’ll look into the whole concept of right and wrong; how we can choose what to believe and know what we believe is right. This involves three levels of interplay.

• To perceive
• Interpret what we perceive
• Our response to the interpretation

Influences on our Paradigm

Culture – It conditions us to tell normal apart from abnormal.

Family – All of us come from varying backgrounds.

Education – Our perspectives vary with our levels of education and exposure.

Personal experience – Siblings growing up in the same house, brought up by the same people are usually widely different in terms of character.

These factors are for us to be self-aware. From where do we derive most of our views and decisions? What defines what we believe and why we do what we do?

Reading the first eleven chapters of Romans, we are presented with the various doctrines that Paul has put before us. In chapter twelve he urges us to put these into practice. It is a call to commitment and a call to change.

Our challenge today is: What if our core beliefs are wrong? If so, where do we find the truth? For us believers we know we can find it in Jesus.

I am the way and the truth and the life. – Jesus

We experience Christ as a community and individually. Truth does not convince, but we choose to believe in it because we want to.

Hard Questions

• What is the predominant influence in my value system?
• Is there one thing I believe that could possibly be untrue?
• How would I respond to someone who thinks that my beliefs are false?