Inside Out: Strengthening the Core of Your Faith

Inside Out is a book written with one critical truth in mind concerning the Christian faith-spiritual growth isn't a matter of will power, it is a matter of our wills empowered by the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are called to walk out what God is working in us, from the inside out. This foundational principle is found in Philippians 2:12-13,

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed―not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence―continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

Spiritual growth is a matter of the believer tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit within us on a deeper level, surrender to His work within us, and then walking out this work in our lives in practical ways. This is is where Inside Out comes into play, because not only does the book empower believers to connect in a deeper way with the Holy Spirit, it provides a playbook for spiritual growth around four CORE disciplines of the Christian Faith.

1). Connecting with God
2). Offering Him Everything
3). Releasing Our Ministry
4). Engaging in Outreach and Missions.

These four fundamental aspects of our faith comprise our spiritual "CORE" and must be strengthened if we are going to build our lives on a firm foundation. Divided into six easy to follow sections, Inside Out provides both unique insight and practical instruction on each of the four CORE disciplines along with a "warm up" and "cool down" section. Each section covers three topics every believer must understand to move forward in their walk with God. Take a look at the transformational topics under each section:

Warm up
*Understanding the Spiritual C.O.R.E.
*Inside-Out Salvation (Understanding your salvation)
*Inside-Out Holy Spirit (Understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in our faith)

Connect with God
*Inside-Out Bible Reading (Connecting to God through His word)
*Inside-Out Prayer (Connecting to God through prayer)
*Inside-Out Church Attendance (Connecting to God through His church)

Offer God Your Everything
*Inside-Out Obedience (The greatest offering―ourselves!)
*Inside-Out Victory (Overcoming sin and temptation)
*Inside-Out Stewardship (Being faithful with your time, talent, and treasure)

Release Your Ministry
*Inside-Out Purpose (Discovering God's purposes for your life. Includes a personality profile)
*Inside-Out Giftedness (Understanding spiritual gifts. Includes spiritual gifts test)
*Inside-Out Release (Overcoming the 4 playgrounds of the enemy)

Engage in Outreach
*Inside-Out Evangelism (The simple gospel: He came. He died. He rose again)
*Inside-Out Searching (Conversational evangelism)
*Inside-Out Missions (God's call to win the world)

Cool Down
*Inside-Out Perseverance (The call to continue in the midst of the last days)
*Inside-Out Discipleship (It's your turn―How to disciple others)
*Inside-Out Life (Doing life with others)

You can see that this book is designed as a spiritual workout, that guides the believer to deepen their spiritual life from the inside out. Starting with connecting to God and concluding with engaging the world with the gospel, this book is a true journey to help believers grow in the vital aspects of our faith.

Inside Out can serve as a discipleship resource for the new believer and seasoned Christian alike and can be used as an individual, one on one, or small group journey. A perfect tool for raising up mature disciples, this book naturally equips believers to mentor others into a more mature faith.

Mike also invites readers to engage in a small group video series with him at www.ministryresourcehub.com/insideout. There are additional videos available for those who want to explore the content on an even deeper level.

Mike Holt is the lead pastor of Nations Church in Athens, Ga. Prior to becoming a lead pastor, Mike travelled extensively as an evangelist; speaking in camps, conventions, and conferences across the nation. He is the founder of www.reachthecity.com, a 40 Day personal growth and outreach campaign for the local church, and www.ministryresourcehub.com, a resourcing and coaching site for pastors and lay leaders. Mike is the author of A Life that Wins and feels called to empower believers through writing and resource development for the local church. Mike and his wife Carla have three teenagers; Jake, Josh, and Hannah Grace. You can learn more about his ministry at www.mikeholtonline.com