[3] Lordship-Likeness-Life-on-Life

Lordship-Likeness-Life-on-Life (3Ls) illustrates the central concerns of relating to Jesus in the process of discipleship and Disciple-Making. It can illustrate the journey as three zones of emphasis using [3] The Trifold form of [3] The Trinity, the third system shape. It can also represent the core compontents of knowing Jesus through the entire process, illustrated by the [3] 3L Tensel, a Frame based on [3] The Trinity Tensel.

As A Process

The 3Ls can be thought of as a process where each “L” represents a zone of emphasis of one’s relationship to Jesus on the spiritual journey. People generally must decide whether Jesus should be their Lord and what that would mean before the commit to him and before they focus their life on developing their own Likeness to Christ. As they become more and more like Jesus, they will live more Life-on-Life with him in mission, which will take the more meaningfully life-on-life into the lives of others.

Lordship

What does it mean that “Jesus is Lord” and what is his Kingdom like?

Coincides with Seeker and Belong zones.

Likeness

How can I be more like Jesus and more truly like me in my work and way in the world?

Coincides with Servant and Become zones.

Life-on-Life

Where am I traveling with Jesus, my life on his life and our life on the lives of others?

Coincides with Heir and Believe zones.

As A Tensel

The 3Ls can also be thought of as a Tensel — a system of creative or generative tensions — at the center of every zone, step, and component of discipleship and the Disciple-Making process. Lordship is the Prime: the absolute center of the disciples life as a person dwelling in the Kingdom of God and empowered by Jesus authority to live the abundant, eternal life. Likeness to Jesus maps to the Alpha of the disciple’s highest aspiration — the objective we are pushing to reach. Life-on-Life connects to the Beta of situation — both our own and the situations we share with others — into which Jesus, the Incarnate One, enters to identify with our humanity and manifest his divinity in our condition.