Four complete classes, straight from the Discipleship University curriculum — each with an ice breaker, key teaching, scripture, application, and a full Biblical Foundations study. Take one class a week, or go at your own pace.
Big changes fail. Small, consistent changes transform.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."Romans 12:2
What is one habit you have tried to build and failed at? What do you think went wrong?
Most people try to overhaul their entire life at once — and quit within two weeks. But research and Scripture both point to the power of small. Zechariah 4:10 says 'do not despise the day of small things.' A 1% daily improvement compounds into extraordinary results over time. The goal is not intensity — it is consistency. Small done faithfully beats big done occasionally every time.
"Who dares despise the day of small things?"Zechariah 4:10
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."Romans 12:2
Identify ONE habit you want to build — just one. Make it so small it feels almost embarrassing: not 'read the Bible for an hour' but 'read one verse before coffee.' Not 'exercise for 45 minutes' but 'walk to the mailbox.' Write it down. This is your Lab experiment.
Do your one tiny habit for 7 days in a row — no matter what. If you miss a day, start over. The goal is the streak, not the size. Report back next week.
Go Deeper
A condensed Bible study on every scripture used in this class
"Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?"Zechariah 4:10
Zechariah prophesied during the rebuilding of Jerusalem after exile. Zerubbabel was leading a small remnant in rebuilding the temple — but the work seemed pitiful compared to the grandeur of Solomon's original temple. People were tempted to despise the smallness of what was being built.
Despise (Heb. buz) means to scorn, to look down on. Day of small things (Heb. yom qetanot) — beginnings that look insignificant. Rejoice (Heb. samach) means to be glad. God's seven eyes (perfect, comprehensive vision) are watching the small things — and they delight in them.
God values beginnings. He is not impressed by what looks impressive — He is delighted by faithful beginnings, however small. This destroys the lie that we must wait until we can do something big to do something at all.
Big changes fail. Small consistent changes transform. Do not despise the day of small things — God is watching, and He rejoices over your tiny faithful beginning more than over someone else's flashy sprint.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."Romans 12:2
Paul has just completed his great theological argument across Romans 1-11. Chapter 12 begins the practical application: now, in light of all this mercy, here is how you live. Verse 2 is the foundational principle of Christian transformation.
Conform (Gk. suschematizo) means to mold to a pattern, like clay pressed into a shape. Transformed (Gk. metamorphoo) is the source of metamorphosis — total inner change that affects outer form. Renewing (Gk. anakainosis) means to be made new, fresh. Mind (Gk. nous) is the seat of thought and decision.
Transformation in the Christian life happens through the renewal of the mind — repeated truth replacing repeated lies. This is a daily process, not a single event. Habits are the soil in which this renewal grows.
Your habits shape your mind. Your mind shapes your life. Small habits done daily are how minds get renewed. This is the science behind the spiritual practice — repetition rewires.
Attach new habits to things you already do and they will stick automatically.
Did anyone build a streak with their tiny habit? What helped — or what got in the way?
Every habit has a trigger (cue), a routine (behavior), and a reward. The most powerful way to build new habits is to 'stack' them onto existing ones. 'After I pour my morning coffee, I will read one scripture.' 'Before I check social media, I will say one prayer.' Daniel's habit of praying three times a day was likely triggered by the same cues each day — and it kept him grounded even in Babylon.
"Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."Daniel 6:10
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."Mark 1:35
Map your Trigger System: What do you already do every single day (coffee, shower, commute, lunch)? Choose 2–3 of those as 'anchors.' Attach one small spiritual or healthy habit to each. Write the full trigger statement: 'After ___, I will ___.'
Implement your trigger system this week. When you forget or break the chain, do not quit — just restart. The trigger system is more important than perfection. Progress beats perfect every time.
Go Deeper
A condensed Bible study on every scripture used in this class
"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."Daniel 6:10
Daniel is in his eighties, a high official in the Persian empire. A new decree has been signed making prayer to anyone other than the king illegal for 30 days. Daniel's response is striking — he does not even break his routine. He prays exactly as he has done before.
Three times a day (Aramaic zimnin telath) — set times, structured routine. Just as he had done before — emphasizing that this was an established habit, not a special-occasion act of defiance. Daniel's faithfulness in crisis was the fruit of years of consistent practice.
Habits formed in calm seasons hold us in stormy ones. Daniel did not pray three times a day starting when the decree was signed. He had been doing it for decades. The habit was already there when the test came.
The trigger system works. Daniel had anchored prayer to specific times of the day. This is why his faithfulness was automatic, not performative. Your spiritual habits should be so anchored that crisis cannot disturb them.
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."Mark 1:35
The day before, Jesus had healed crowds late into the night. The disciples were probably still sleeping. Mark records that Jesus, in the middle of explosive ministry demand, prioritized solitude and prayer. The verb tenses suggest this was His habitual practice, not an exception.
Very early (Gk. proi ennucha lian) — extreme early hours, before dawn. Got up (Gk. anastas) — deliberate action. Solitary place (Gk. eremon topon) — deserted, removed location. Prayed (Gk. proseucheto) is in a tense suggesting ongoing prayer.
Even Jesus needed structured habits of prayer and solitude. The Son of God did not lean only on His divine nature; He modeled the human practice of building habits of communion with the Father.
Triggers anchor habits. Jesus paired prayer with the early morning. What you anchor your prayer to determines whether it survives a busy life. Habits stack onto existing structures — choose your anchors well.
You do not break a bad habit — you replace it with a better one.
What is one habit you want to STOP — and what need does that habit meet for you? (Comfort? Escape? Reward?)
Every bad habit meets a real need — just in a destructive way. Scrolling meets the need for stimulation. Overeating meets the need for comfort. Anger meets the need for control. You will not stop the behavior by willpower alone — you must replace the reward. Romans 13:14 says 'make no provision for the flesh' — meaning cut off the supply line, not just the behavior.
"Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."Romans 13:14
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."Philippians 4:13
Map your bad habit loop: CUE (what triggers it) → ROUTINE (the behavior) → REWARD (what need it meets). Now design a replacement: same cue, same reward, different routine. Example: Stress → Prayer walk → Release. Same reward (relief), different method.
Practice the replacement habit at least once this week when the cue appears. You will not do it perfectly. That is not the goal. The goal is one successful replacement. Build on that.
Go Deeper
A condensed Bible study on every scripture used in this class
"Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."Romans 13:14
Paul writes this near the end of his ethical instruction in Romans. After listing the deeds of darkness believers must put off, he commands the positive: put on Christ. The key strategy he gives for breaking sin's hold is to cut off its supply line — do not even think about gratifying the flesh.
Clothe yourselves (Gk. endusasthe) means to put on a garment — a deliberate action of choosing identity. Do not think about (Gk. me poieite pronoian) literally means 'do not make provision' — do not plan for, do not lay up supplies for the flesh. Cut the supply chain.
Sin grows where it is fed. Paul's strategy is not just to resist sin in the moment but to dismantle the systems that supply it. The fight against bad habits is won upstream — by removing access, removing triggers, removing fuel.
Breaking the loop means cutting the supply line. You don't just stop the bad habit; you redesign the environment that feeds it. Don't think about gratifying the flesh — make NO provision. That is the Romans strategy.
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."Philippians 4:13
Paul writes this in the context of contentment in any circumstance — whether in plenty or in want. The verse is not about achieving any goal you set; it is about being able to live faithfully in any situation through Christ's strength.
I can do (Gk. ischuo) means to have power, to be strong. All this (Gk. panta) — refers to the contentment Paul has just described in vv. 11-12, in plenty or want. Through him (Gk. en to endunamounti me) — in the One who continually empowers me.
Christian strength is borrowed strength. Paul does not say he is strong — he says Christ strengthens him in every circumstance. This is the foundation of habit transformation: the power to change does not originate in willpower but in union with Christ.
Replacing destructive habits requires more than willpower. You need power that is not your own. Philippians 4:13 says it is available — through Christ. He empowers what He commands.
Setting one simple, non-negotiable habit that will change your life trajectory.
Which of the habits you have been working on has made the biggest impact — even a small one?
Research suggests it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit — but the first 30 are decisive. Lamentations 3:22-23 says God's mercies are new every morning — which means every single day is a fresh opportunity to choose differently. Your 30-Day Launch is not about perfection. It is about direction. One consistent step, one direction, for 30 days.
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning."Lamentations 3:22-23
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."1 Corinthians 10:31
Commit to your one non-negotiable habit for the next 30 days. Write it, sign it, and share it with the group. Create a simple tracking chart. Find an accountability partner in this room who will check in with you weekly.
Start today — not tomorrow, not Monday, not next month. Today. Your 30-Day Launch begins the moment class ends. The first day is the most important day.
Go Deeper
A condensed Bible study on every scripture used in this class
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."Lamentations 3:22-23
In the middle of Jeremiah's lament over Jerusalem's destruction, this passage breaks through like sunrise. Surrounded by ashes, Jeremiah anchors his soul in God's daily mercies. The famous hymn 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness' draws directly from this passage.
Great love (Heb. chesed) — covenant loyalty. Compassions (Heb. racham) — womb-like tender mercy. Never fail (Heb. lo tamnu) means do not come to an end. New every morning (Heb. chadashim labbeqarim) — fresh each dawn. Faithfulness (Heb. emunah) — steady reliability.
God's mercies do not run out, and they renew daily. This is the theological foundation of fresh starts — every morning is a new opportunity, not a continuation of yesterday's failure. Habit transformation is anchored in this daily renewal.
Yesterday's failure does not have to define today. God's mercies are new every morning. This is why every day of your 30-day launch is a new beginning, not a debt to be paid off.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."1 Corinthians 10:31
Paul concludes a discussion of Christian liberty in matters of conscience by returning to the bedrock principle: every action of the Christian — even the most ordinary — has Godward orientation. Eating and drinking are illustrative of the most everyday acts.
Whatever you do (Gk. panta) — every single thing. For the glory (Gk. eis doxan) — directed toward God's renown, His weight, His display. The phrase is comprehensive — there is no Christian act too small for divine purpose.
Habits are sacred. Every repeated act, no matter how small, is worship — either of God or of something else. The Christian is called to bring even ordinary repetitions under the lordship of Christ.
Your tiny habit — your one verse, your one walk, your one sentence of journaling — is not too small to glorify God. Done in faith, even the smallest repeated act is worship. Do it all for the glory of God.
SERIES 3
Leadership & Multiplication
From healed to helping. From mess to multiplication.
What was given to you was never meant to stay with you. These final five courses train you to lead others, build community, multiply your impact, and finish your race well — leaving a legacy that outlasts you.
COURSES IN THIS SERIES
Course 11. The Art of the Safe Space
Course 12. The Mentor's Manual
Course 13. The Community Bridge-Builder
Course 14. The Radically Messy Leader
Course 15. The Legacy Capstone
Next up: The Art of the Safe Space — Course 11 of 15.
Start Course 11 → All 15 Courses