This 16-part teaching series (12 lectures and 4 Q&A sessions) is a wonderful opportunity to go deeper into the issues raised by Dallas in The Divine Conspiracy.
The Divine Conspiracy is God's plan and process of overcoming evil with good in human history. Dallas discusses the reality of Christ and the Cross in human history as what brings us into the flow of the single greatest force in human life.
Some of the biggest battles of our time involve trying to understand what a human being is. In this session, Dallas explains the unavoidable truth of human nature, walks us through the dimensions of the person (spirit/heart, mind, body social context, soul), and explains our role in the cosmos as part of God's Divine Conspiracy to develop a community of people who have the character and power of Jesus Christ Himself.
Dallas shares his life-changing discovery that the more he tried to make things happen as a minister the less effect he had. The Parable of the growing seed (Mark 4:26-29) showed him, "That what I had to do was to learn to speak the word and live in the kingdom, and let the results take care of themselves. And that when I would do that, I would begin to see change in the people I was ministering to. But I had to get out of God's way and let the kingdom work and count on the life that is in the word of the kingdom."
Dallas uses the Sermon on the Mount to clarify what the Kingdom of God is and how it works, why and how we can "be anxious for nothing," and how to be a good person. You'll also learn how to make disciples by ravishing people with the reality of the Kingdom and gain a deeper understanding of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
The gospel we hear in church might not be exactly what we'll find in the Bible. Dallas explains this with an instructive reading of Titus 2:11-3:7 followed by a description of what discipleship should look like, how this fits into the Great Commission, and how to preach a gospel that produces disciples. The central issue is transformation into Christlikeness (discipleship). One primary aspect of discipleship is intention, a second is being immersed in God’s life and honoring Christ. Then, after these things, we can be taught how to do what Jesus said to do.
Dallas talks about the gospel of the kingdom of God. What is the gospel? The gospel is you can trust Jesus. You can trust Jesus, not just with what he said, or what he did, although those are in there. You can trust him for everything. Dallas goes deep into what it means to put your confidence in Jesus and become his student in Kingdom living.
Dallas lays the foundation for transformation in the Kingdom of God. He begins with a discussion of the Beatitudes, and moves into the difference between Pharisaical righteousness and the way of Jesus as inner transformation resulting in outward action. In the process, he works through two of the Four Great Questions: “Who is well off?” and “Who is a good person?”
Dallas sheds light on the intricate relationship between human effort, grace, and spiritual transformation. He explores how grace is not merely God's unmerited favor, but a dynamic force enabling what we cannot achieve on our own. This talk is a profound exploration of how effort and grace coexist in the Christian journey towards Christlikeness, challenging believers to engage actively in their spiritual growth while depending on the action of God.
Dallas outlines what the church could and should look like as a disciple-making body. He utilizes Eph. 4 and Mt. 28:18-20 to detail a discussion about the process of a church moving from a consumer-orientated church to a disciple-making church. He presents how churches typically function in American culture in comparison with the vision of a discipling church, working through the VIM principle in relation to church bodies.
Dallas gives a bird’s eye view of the Sermon on the Mount in relation to Kingdom living, beginning with making a case for why the Sermon on the Mount must be lived out in real, everyday life by working through Matthew 7:20-25. He then outlines Mt. 5:21-7:27 from a perspective of “The Heart that Jesus Gives.” Dallas returns to Mt. 5 to detail the sermon, with an emphasis on Jesus’ order found within the sermon. He focuses on Mt. 5:13-16 and the Christian’s ordinary life.
Dallas performs a deep study and philosophical analysis of anger, contempt, and cultivated lusting. He provides definitions, illustrations from daily life, positive illustrations of what it means to live without anger, contempt, and lust, and suggestions for transformative growth in Christ. "Stepping out of anger presupposes that you have surrendered your will to God. It means that you have already accepted the fact that you do not have to have your way."
Dallas explores the intricate relationship between our daily actions, the teachings of Jesus, and the practice of prayer. Prayer is not merely about making requests to God, but about engaging in a continuous, collaborative relationship with the divine, aligning our actions with God's kingdom. Dallas discusses how prayer can transform a community by fostering a culture of love and non-judgment, where a community of individuals support and uplift each other in the journey toward a deeper life in the kingdom.
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Related Resources
Highlights:
Major texts: Col 1:13-20, Phil 2:5-11, Matthew 13
Highlights:
Major texts: Romans 1; Psalm 2; Eph. 4:17-24; Gen. 1:26; Isa 63; Luke 16; Heb. 2; Rev. 22:1-5
Highlights:
Major texts: Mt 6:33; Ex 3:14; John 6; John 17:20-26; Eph. 3:1-10; Rev. 22:5; Mt 3, 4:17, 5, 21:43; John 3:5cf; Rom 14:17.
Highlights:
Major texts: Col 3:12-17; Mt. 6:25-34; Eph. 3:8; Mk 6:30-52; Mt. 5:19-20; Mt 18; Jn 8:51-52; Mt 28:18-20.
Highlights:
Major texts: Titus 2:11-3:7; Mt 28:18-20; Mt 11:28-30.
Highlights:
Major texts: Romans 8:1-14; John 3:16; Col 3:1-4; Acts 8:12; Phil. 3:4-10; Luke 6:20; Luke 14; Matthew 5:1-17; Daniel 2:44.
Highlights:
Major texts: Matthew 5:1-20; Matthew 23; Luke 14
Highlights:
Major texts: John 15; Eph. 3:8; 1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 9:8, 12:19-20, 15:30.
Highlights:
Major texts: Eph 4; Col 3; 2 Cor. 4:7; John 14; Mt 5:37
Highlights:
Major text: Matthew 5-7
Highlights:
Major text: Matthew 5:21-28, 38-48
Highlights:
Major texts: Matthew 6:1-7:11; Luke 22:1-4, 31-32
