Just what the world needs — another blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, socially networking self-promoter. And believe me, just reading that sentence would be enough to paralyze anyone with a degree of common sense.

So why am I here writing to you anyway?

One word: Discipleship.

And by definition, discipleship requires that none of us stay quiet, but to lay ourselves out there as God moves us, so that God can change all of us. Thus, it also requires that I approach this with enough humility that my words might actually have some value.

So let’s do this.

Here’s how I see the framework of this site and its entries working as of right now (Palm Sunday 2011):

Monday: D2D Today — D2D stands for “From Disciples to Disciplers.” There’s a small-group series with that subtitle you ought to check out. So, I’ll start each week with a general entry about the importance of not only being a disciple but of being a discipler. To be very blunt, this is where I feel the American church has failed miserably. It’s why my series, Growing Out: From Disciples to Disciplers, had to be written. And that brings us to….

Wednesday: Growing Out — This day’s entry is meant to serve as a challenge to you. It might be an experience or movie clip  you can try with your small group, or an opportunity to dig into your Bibles, or a challenge to stop learning and start doing. Where’s God trying to grow you out right now? It’s my hope to give you something significant to chew on — then do on.

Thursday: Other Voices — This day belongs to you, whoever “you” happen to be that week. I want to use this day for reviews, highlights of other blogs, etc. We’re all in this together, so let’s take advantage of that. Let’s become a Discipleship Nation instead of a Discipleship Archipelago. Enough said.

Friday: Lay It Down — These entries will feature pieces from the early drafts of a work in progress with the working title… you guessed it… Lay It Down. Jesus told us in John 15:13-14, “No one has greater love than this — that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends  if you do what I command you.” That’s really the heart of discipleship. But it often comes in pieces. How do we lay down our past — our old life, sins, compulsions, shame? How do we lay down our present — our burdens, weaknesses, strengths, possessions, reputation? And how do we lay down our future — our fears, goals, expectations, even the good things God’s already given us?

We’re going to have to learn a lot together, I think. So help me out:

• Send me your stories of transformation.
• Send me your books.
• Send me your feedback.
• Send me your questions.
• Send me your prayers.

I look forward to seeing where this journey takes all of us.

— Carl Simmons

P.S. In case you’re wondering, the photo that graces this page and header comes from a stained-glass piece by the late artist/sculptor Frederick Franck, at his private-but-still-open-to-the-public sculpture garden Pacem in Terris in Warwick, New York. It’s from his Stations of the Cross series, and depicts Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross for Jesus. Now that’s a discipleship image.