This document summarizes a workshop on developing resilient disciples for reaching millennials. It discusses living as Christians in "digital Babylon" and outlines five practices of resilient faith: experiencing intimacy with Jesus, developing cultural discernment, forging meaningful relationships, training for vocational discipleship, and engaging in a countercultural mission. The workshop provides exercises for participants to reflect on how their church is developing these practices.

1. Five Traits of Resiliency for
Reaching Millennials
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - November 16, 2020 @7PM
MDI - NCGA

2. Word of Prayer
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 2

3. Objectives
• Understand the concept of exile in
digital Babylon
• Understand the five traits of resilient
disciples
• Understand the six characteristics of
churches that produce resilient
disciples
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 3

4. The Goal of Discipleship
Today Is:
• To develop Jesus
followers who are
resiliently faithful in the
face of cultural coercion
and who live a vibrant life
in the Spirit.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 4

5. What’s the resource?
• Faith for Exiles by David Kinnaman
& Mark Matlock
iSelf Era
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
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6. Digital Babylon
• Babylon is a place of collective human
pursuits set in opposition to God.
• In digital Babylon, the Bible is one many
voices that interpret human experiences.
• Digital Babylon is not a physical place.
• Anybody who has Wi-Fi is part of digital
Babylon.
• Digital Babylon moves at the pace of fiber
optic. Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 6

7. Exile Statement
I want to find a way to follow Jesus
that connects with the world I live in.
God is more at work outside the
church than inside, and I want to be
a part of that. I want to be a
Christian without separating myself
from the world around me.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 7

8. Faith For Exiles
• “We can’t go back to
Jerusalem. Not yet, at least.
So we should plan to stay
and figure out how to grow
disciples here and now in
digital Babylon.”
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 8

9. 1 Peter 5:13-15
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
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10. What Do We Mean By
Discipleship?
• Recognizing
our identity,
aligning our
values, and
developing
skills in the
way of Jesus
Christ.
Exercise 1
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles
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11. Discipleship
• Identify what your
congregation
believes about the
next generation
and how you will
help them.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles
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12. Study Group: N = 1,514
18-29-year-old young adult children of
Baby Boomers and Generation X.
1991 - 2002
Source
picture:
Blog.avilar.com
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 12

13. Four Kinds of Exiles
• Prodigals (ex-Christians)
• Nomads (unchurched)
• Habitual Churchgoers
•Resilient Disciples
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 13

14. Exile Statement
I want to find a way to follow Jesus
that connects with the world I live in.
God is more at work outside the
church than inside, and I want to be
a part of that. I want to be a
Christian without separating myself
from the world around me.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 14

15. Four Kinds of Exiles
Source: Faith For Exiles,
David Kinnaman and
Mark Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 15

16. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 16

17. The Five Practices
1. Experiencing Jesus means cleaning religious clutter for
closeness with and joy in Christ.
2. Cultural Discernment means taking part in a robust learning
community under the authority of the Bible in order to wisely
navigate an accelerated, complex culture.
3. Meaningful Relationships means building meaningful
relationships means being devoted to fellow believers we want to be
around and become.
4. Vocational Discipleship means knowing and living God’s
calling, especially in the arena of work, and right-sizing our ambition
to God’s purposes.
5. Counter Cultural Mission means living as a faithful
presence by trusting God’s power and living differently from
cultural norms.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 17

18. Source: Faith For Exiles, David
Kinnaman and Mark Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 18

19. How Is Your Church Doing
Related to The 5 Practices?
10 exceptional
1 not at all
Exercise 2
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 19

20. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 20

21. Experiencing Intimacy
with Jesus
• Experiencing Jesus means
cleaning religious clutter for
closeness with and joy in
Christ.
–It is easy to say you are a
Christian—but less common to
Find JOY in Jesus.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 21

22. Experiencing Intimacy
with God
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 22

23. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 23

24. Develop Cultural
Discernment
• Experiencing Cultural
Discernment means taking part
in a robust learning community
under the authority of the Bible in
order to wisely navigate an
accelerated, complex culture.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 24

25. Cultural Discernment
• The ability to compare beliefs, values,
customs, and creations of the world we live
in (digital Babylon) to those of the world we
belong to (kingdom of God).
• And then anchor our lives to the theological,
moral and ethical norms of God’s kingdom.
• Making resilient disciples does not mean
protecting young Christians but preparing
them for life on mission.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 25

26. Exiles (10%)
• Use wisdom effectively in their
engagements with their times {social,
spiritual and political}
– Joseph
– Jeremiah
– Daniel
– Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego
– Ester
– Mordecai
– Peter
– John
The church needs to develop the
muscles of wisdom and discernment
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 26

27. Cultural Discernment
• Making resilient disciples does not
mean protecting young Christians
bur preparing them for life on
mission.
• Resilient disciples already embrace
this mind-set.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 27

28. Learning in Digital Babylon
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
28

29. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 29

30. Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Building meaningful
relationships means being
devoted to fellow believers
we want to be around and
become.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 30

31. What Builds Meaningful
Relationships?
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 31

32. The Church
• Should provide answers to
the deepest questions of
humanity in and through
Jesus.
• We must offer hospitality
instead of grumbling.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 32

33. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 33

34. Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Vocational discipleship means
knowing and living God’s
calling, especially in the arena
of work, and right-sizing our
ambition to God’s purposes.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 34

35. Vocational Discipleship Is
Crucial to Building a Robust Faith
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 35

36. Resilient Disciples - Four Outcomes
when Engaging with Their Church
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 36

37. Five Practices of
Resilient Faith
• Practice 1: Experience Intimacy with Jesus
• Practice 2: Develop Cultural Discernment
• Practice 3: Forge Meaningful
Relationships
• Practice 4: Train for Vocational
Discipleship
• Practice 5: Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 37

38. Engage in a Countercultural
Mission
• Engaging in countercultural
mission means living as a
faithful presence by trusting
God’s power and living
differently from cultural norms.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 38

39. How Churches Contribute
To Countercultural Mission
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 39

40. How Churches Contribute
To Countercultural Mission
Source:
Faith
For
Exiles,
David
Kinnaman
and
Mark
Matlock
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 40

41. Exercise 3
• Identify existing and
generate new ways your
church can live in the five
practices from Faith For
Exiles.
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 41

42. Exercise 4
Five Practice Canvas
42

43. Exercise 5 – Six Church
Cultural Characteristics
Looking at the six cultural
characteristics of the church,
where is your church living
now? If your church is at the
bull’s eye, you are doing
great. If your church is closer
to the edge, then there is
room to strengthen your
church’s culture.
What are some new ideas
your church can implement
to strengthen its culture?
43

44. Exercise 6 – Evaluation
Manifesto
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 44

45. Exercise 6 – Evaluation
Manifesto
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 45

46. The What and How
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles Pg.

47. Thank You
Pastor Ophelia Livingston
Cell: 919-208-8736
Email: pastoratpcog@gmail.com
Rev. Dr. Ophelia Livingston - MDI
Workshop Faith For Exiles 47