How to Use Jesus XP in Your Church

By Preston Ulmer

So how do we get Jesus XP off the ground at the churches where we serve?

Jesus XP is something we're doing in community, and it’s about growing curiosity for Jesus. It's also something that churches can use for their groups, complimenting the various things that they may be already doing to equip people. So how did you get it started?

The beauty of JXP is, in part, that it doesn't say “here's the model for ministry.” It works in any paradigm. It is a framework for reading the Gospels together, getting into community and practicing—apprenticing—together. It’s about spiritual formation through discussing and “doing” the Gospels. The more you talk about the ways of Jesus, the more transformative they become. Whereas if you simply suggest reading the Gospels, I'm not sure the same formative experience happens without community and practicing.

So how can you implement Jesus XP in your context?

1. Use the structures or groups that you already run as a starting point for creating small groups. Jesus XP is how you will resource them to experience Jesus together. It is a framework for reading the Gospels, and it's also framework for reading the entire Bible.
2. Be prepared for the experience of unlearning. Some leaders may feel that they don’t know enough and that may make them a great Jesus XP leader. Jesus XP is a collective journey of mutual submission for the sake of spiritual formation.
3. Because of the Jesus XP framework, it can work at a multisite church, and it can be used with small groups at a small church. You can do it church-wide, or you can do it in discipleship groups.

It may change the way you see groups. It may feel a little messy. So is life. It’s not about being an expert. It’s about sharing the steering wheel. We're making room in our lives for one another. We're also making room for Jesus to do all kinds of beautiful and wonderful and surprising things in all our lives.

Here are some basic things that will help get Jesus XP off the ground when training your leaders:

• It's a lot of unlearning. It’s not about getting prepared, watching a video, taking notes, and leading in the traditional sense. Jesus XP doesn't have a talking head. You don't simply hit play like you would on a streaming service. With Jesus XP we are going to

1. 1. open the Bible.
   2. do the work of practice.
   3. be genuine.
   4. be a follower, even as a pastor.

• It wasn't Pastor Peter and Pastor Matthew and Pastor Luke. It was Rabbi Jesus and the followers. It’s about being a guide and a guest on each other’s journeys. It’s the posture of John the Baptist: “I'm going to decrease so Christ can increase.” And this can be very difficult for a leader in the church. However, it changes the story and the journey when we choose to go together.

In addition, you get to bear witness to a current cloud of witnesses—the people who embody that way, learn to be great listeners, and ask great questions. It is as much an experiment as it is an experience as we allow Jesus to rewire us.