Welcome
You are very welcome here
Welcome to the second stage of the Following Jesus pathway. Begin helped you take your first steps: the gospel, new life in Christ, and first steps in Scripture, prayer and church. Establish asks a deeper question: what do Christians believe, and how does that truth shape life?
Over ten lessons we look at the Bible, God, creation and sin, Jesus, salvation, the Holy Spirit, baptism and the Lord's Supper, prayer and worship, the church, and Christian hope. Some subjects return from Begin, but now we go further, and each lesson tells you where you first met them.
If you are starting with Establish, you are very welcome. If the Christian gospel is new or unclear to you, we recommend watching Begin, Lesson 1 first. It explains the good news of Jesus that everything in Establish builds on. If you are still exploring who Jesus is, you are welcome too.
Every practice is an invitation, not a test. No one will ask you to read aloud, pray aloud or share your personal story. You can take Establish on your own, with a friend or mentor, or with a church group; one lesson a week works well.
Inside each lesson
Five movements
- 1Read the ScriptureThe main passage, read aloud, with the first question: what does it say?
- 2Understand the original meaningOne or two Hebrew or Greek words, only where they really help.
- 3Explore the backgroundThe setting of the passage, and where it connects in the Bible's larger story.
- 4Understand the teachingA short answer and four memorable parts, with a fair note where Christians differ.
- 5Practise what you have learnedA short story, common mistakes, this week's assignment, and a prayer.
From Lesson 1 onwards
Four questions for reading the Bible
In Lesson 1 you will learn four simple questions. You will use them in every lesson and in the reading plans.
On each lesson page
Six simple parts
- 1Watch and listenA narrated lesson of about 15 to 17 minutes, with illustrations and captions.
- 2Transcript and ScriptureRead the full transcript or check the Bible references whenever you need to.
- 3This week's assignmentOne practical step to help you put the lesson into practice, sometimes with a few short reflection lines.
- 4Seven-day reading planOne short passage a day, with a question to guide you. If you miss a day, simply carry on.
- 5Talk about itThree questions for your group, a mentor or a friend.
- 6Go deeperOptional: notes where Christians differ, the full chapter from the book, and a worksheet.
When you have watched the teaching, tap “I have completed this lesson”. You can do the assignment and reading plan during the week.
My Foundations
Five foundations you will build
Each lesson belongs to one of five areas. At the end of the course, you will bring them together into your own private page: My Foundations in Following Jesus.
The ten lessons
What you will learn
- Lesson 1The Bible: Understanding and Applying God's WordNehemiah 8:1–8
about 17 minPeople quote the Bible to prove very different things. How can I understand what a passage really means? - Lesson 2The One God: Father, Son and Holy SpiritMatthew 3:13–17
about 17 minChristians say there is one God, but they also speak of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Do Christians worship three gods? - Lesson 3Creation, Human Dignity, Sin and the FallGenesis 1:26–31 and 3:1–15
about 17 minIf God made everything good, why is the world so broken? And why should I treat every person with respect? - Lesson 4Jesus: His Life, Cross, Resurrection and ReignPhilippians 2:5–11
about 16 minI know Jesus died and rose again. But who exactly is he, and why does all of his life matter, not only the cross? - Lesson 5Salvation: Grace, Adoption and a New Way of LifeRomans 5:1–11
about 16 minPeople say I am "saved." Saved from what, and saved for what? Is it only about going to heaven when I die? - Lesson 6The Holy Spirit: Presence, Power, Fruit and GiftsActs 2:1–21
about 17 minPeople talk about the Holy Spirit in very different ways: quietly in some churches, loudly in others. Who is he, and what should I expect from him? - Lesson 7Baptism and the Lord's SupperRomans 6:1–4 with 1 Corinthians 11:23–29
about 17 minDo I need to be baptised? I was baptised as a baby. And what is really happening when we take bread and the cup? - Lesson 8Prayer, Worship and FastingActs 4:23–31 with Matthew 6:16–18
about 17 minI have started praying on my own. But why do Christians pray together, sing together and sometimes fast? Do I have to do all of that? - Lesson 9The Church: Belonging, Leadership, Service and CareEphesians 4:11–16 with 1 Peter 5:1–4
about 16 minI belong to a church now. Who is in charge, what is expected of me, and what should happen when something goes wrong? - Lesson 10God's Kingdom and Our Christian HopeMatthew 6:9–10, with 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and Revelation 21:1–5
about 15 minThe world seems to be getting worse. Where is history going? What happens when we die, and when Jesus returns?
On your own or together
Two ways to take Establish
On your own
- Watch the teaching
- Read the transcript and Scripture references
- Do the week’s assignment
- Follow the seven-day reading plan
- Optional: Go deeper
In a church group
- Review last week’s teaching
- Discuss the main passage
- Answer the three discussion questions
- Share how the assignment went, only if you wish
- Pray together and prepare for the next lesson
Ready to begin?
Lesson 1 asks: People quote the Bible to prove very different things. How can I understand what a passage really means?
Take the course
Two ways to start
The Following Jesus courses are sold on their own, separately from the Faithful Path membership.
Following Jesus: Establish
US$29
One-time payment
- All 10 Establish lessons, with narration and captions
- The chapter from the book and a worksheet for each lesson
- The Leader's Guide, to download
Following Jesus: All Four Courses
US$89
One-time payment
- Begin and Establish, open straight away
- Grow and Multiply, each opening for you when it launches
- Each course's Leader's Guide