Project: The Jesus Experience  
Leader:
 Jason Bowman & Preston Ulmer  
Website: 
www.thejesusxp.com

Purpose

Learning to listen to the voice of Jesus through the Gospels so we can live like Him in community.

Project Categories

  • Innovative Approaches to Church Planting: Bivo/Covo and Business for Mission Models and Expressions

  • Innovative Approaches to Church Planting: Micro Models and Expressions

  • Innovative Approaches to Church Planting: Methods and Models for Mobilizing Everyday Missionaries
  • Innovative Approaches for the Next Generation: Evangelism/Reaching/Engaging

  • Innovative Approaches for the Next Generation: Discipling and Retaining

  • Innovative Approaches for the Next Generation: Mobilizing

Big Idea and Overview

We believe true spiritual formation occurs when we change the stories we believe, the habits we form and the community we partner with on Jesus’ mission. This was the model of Jesus, and this is the model of The Jesus Experience (JXP). The impact of reading the Gospels in a group with a simple missional framework creates tangible spiritual transformation in both the person and community. During the 2020 shutdowns we went back to the basics and started reading the gospel of Luke together and asking the simple question, “what, if anything, does Jesus say about discipleship in our time.” We then launched 3 cohorts of national leaders to do the same. We’ve trained over 25 churches, ministry leaders, and networks and the beta-frame work has been experienced by more than 10,000 participants. We’ve outlined 3 phases for growth and have already fulfilled the initial phase. It’s time to create scalable delivery systems to empower as many people as possible to hear the voice of Jesus through the Gospels as possible.

Customer / Mission Field Context

The early adopters of The Jesus Experience has been church planters and large church leaders. Each has taken the framework and immediately applied it in their context as a tool for discipleship: sunday school curriculum, leadership training, new believers material, small group study and church planter training required reading. We have recently provided JXP as a model for micro-church plants and trained planters in Southern California with new opportunities in the Mid-West. We believe it can continue to be a valuable resource for those in traditional ministry contexts. However, it will thrive off the grid and at the margins. It’s time to build the infrastructure to empower those at the edge.

Goals and Desired Outcomes

  1. Finalize Framework – We have dynamic working frameworks for Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and “Jesus & Culture.” We also have a deal to publish our framework alongside the NLT. We need to final editing before mass publication and larger distribution.
  2. Online Community – For those at the edge to connect to ongoing resource and conversation we can create an accessible online network for guides and participants to find resources and conversations about experiencing Jesus in the Gospels and community from anywhere.

  3. Guide Training – We have beta-guide training in place. It needs a stronger framework built and online automated training resources created. This training will serve micro-models, co-vo leaders, traditional models of ministry as well as empowering individuals at the fringe.

  4. Scalable Sustainable Model – The above goals 1-3 can create a sustainable business model with low entry and free intellectual property. A place where all we know is given away for free, and ongoing conversation and resourcing empowers a funded future.
  5.  

Results and
Impact

  1. Framework for Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and “Jesus & Culture”

  2. Trained 25 churches and 7 networks on the JXP framework
  3. Over 10,000 participants have already walked through JXP

  4. Adopted as a mandatory training for church planters in multiple Networks

Media Assets

Snapshots of Innovation
Exponential NEXT Podcast