God is a gardener who scatters seeds of faith. His Holy Spirit cultivates the soil of our heart to receive it and helps us grow as disciples of Jesus. Disciples are those who study the life of Jesus and are led by the Spirit he’s given us to be like him in character and works. In John 15, Jesus tells us to remain connected to him in daily relationship like a branch of a vine so that everything we do flows from his life and love within us. Tilling Ministries is a discipleship resource for those who desire deep roots in the Word of God, to be watered daily by the Holy Spirit, and bear fruit as a branch of Jesus.
Colossians 2:6-7 says, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness” (NLT).
FREE Discipleship Book: Building Your Identity in Christ
To get rooted in your identity in Christ and mature as his disciple, click on the Discipleship Book page for chapters of my recent book, Building Your Identity in Christ: A Discipleship Journey Exploring Who Christ is To You, In You, and Through You. In John 15, Jesus tells us to:
- Remain in him. In this study we explore 12 relational identities of Christ from scripture and learn how the Holy Spirit conforms us to Christ in each identity. As we focus on him we become like him.
- Remain in his love. Jesus said the world would know we’re his disciples by our love. As we encounter God’s love for us through each relational identity, we learn how to love others the way Christ loves us.
- Remain in his word so that it remains in us. Each lesson ends with scriptures to meditate on and questions to help us get rooted in God’s word. You can stretch this into a daily devotional by doing the four Bible study questions after each lesson on subsequent days.
Each chapter is being released weekly from September through December 2026. Access this weekly devotional by either subscribing to this blog or checking the Discipleship Book page. Online-only features include links to scriptures online for easy Bible study, worship playlist and scriptures to memorize and pray from each identity in Christ.
COMING SOON: I’m in the process of getting the book printed with journal pages for those who prefer physical books or want to journal their thoughts to share in a small group study. Additional discipleship resources and a Leader Guide for small groups will also be available on the Discipleship Book page.
Cultivating Healthy Soil: Health and Wholeness Class
Jesus acknowledged in the parable of the seed and soil that there are challenges we face in growing into healthy trees who bear fruit. That’s why I have posted videos and resources from the Health and Wholeness in Your Body, Soul, and Spirit class that I taught at River House Church in Boise. This class focuses on how the Holy Spirit helps us to be healthy in our spirit, soul, and body which are all interconnected, so we can be a healthy tree. (While this is not a professional video, it is a FREE resource I give to you because I’m called to scatter seeds at the edge of God’s field where he invites all to glean for free.)
Advent Devotional with Picture Cards
The Advent Devotional link enables you to download devotions with scriptures that point to 25 names of Jesus from the Old Testament, how he fulfills each prophecy in the New Testament, and who we are in Christ in each identity. While it can be used any time of year, focusing on how Jesus fulfills scripture as we celebrate the coming of Christ adds more depth and meaning to the holidays. It also comes with printable picture cards and suggestions for how families can use them to make Advent and learning about Jesus fun!