Kingdom Rhythms

The Gospel-Driven Church has a great post about the "rhythms" of discipleship and following Jesus. Some excerpts below, but you really should read the whole thing.

...I came up with a list of what I called "kingdom rhythms," things that should characterize our life of discipleship to Jesus, and looking at the kingdom of God as a countercultural way to live, these kingdom rhythms actively subvert the world's rhythms that too often hold sway over us. We begin by acknowledging that our day does not belong to us; it belongs to God. And that truth alone should transform the rhythms we move to.

Here are the 5 rhythms of the kingdom:

1. Intentional Prayer...
2. Devotional Scripture Reading...
3. Joyful Fasting...
4. Generosity and Service...
5. Christian Community...

None of the above rhythms can be sustained independently. The gospel supposed reconciliation between creatures. We need each other, and the Church is God's design for discipleship. The Christian life must be walked within the encouragement, edification, and accountability of Christian community. We need teachers to teach us how to do it, encouragers to inspire and sustain us, givers to remind us to give, helpers to help us embrace servitude, etc. To "put on Christ" necessitates embracing the Body of Christ as God's plan for the Christian life. Embracing kingdom rhythms becomes easier and more sustainable when it is done collectively.

Lord, help me to get some rhythm!