H.O.T. Community

Tim Ross practically addresses how to live a Honest, Open and Transparent life in a loving Community. He teaches the Biblical basis for how to be H.O.T. through the covenant relationship between Jonathan and David described in 1 Samuel 18. 

Tim discloses that choosing to live Honest, Open, and Transparent brings with it many challenges. And reveals the vision that the Lord showed him about “The Basement” and how the safest place is dwelling near the cornerstone, who is Jesus Christ. He coins the title, “Basement Dwellers” for those who are committed to live a H.O.T. together in community. He instruct you on how to live H.O.T. at every stage of your life as a Single person, Married couple and a Parent.

Tim Ross is a natural storyteller. He explains how sharing your story is key to becoming a H.O.T. person in community. He gives simple ways you can write you own narrative and discover where God was in each season. He encourages us to share and celebrate the good, bad & the ugly parts of your life story. Tim reveals about a rejection that he experienced that left a crater in his soul that he chose not to fill with bitterness, and instead over time has learned how to filled it with forgiveness and grace.  He instructs on how to build trust in community by starting as an act of faith.

Tim Ross shares how people around the world are gathering around his podcast “The Basement with Tim Ross.” Tim has named these groups, “Dwelling Places.” He teaches about the leadership characteristics that are needed for Dwelling Places and what format they should follow. Finally, Tim Ross expresses his love for the local church and encourages leaders in the  local church to practice the essentials of being a H.O.T. Church. 

Tim-Ross.jpg

International Speaker | Podcast Host

Are you tired of fake friends and surface church relationships? Tim Ross applies his life’s mantra of being a honest, open and transparent person to building a H.O.T. Community.  Loneliness and isolation are at pandemic level and people are more hungry for authentic relationships more than ever. 

Use code LAUNCH23 for 25% off your first year's subscription of Tome Exclusive or Tome All Access.

H.O.T. Story

H.O.T. Stories

Tim Ross - H.O.T. Community Workbook

H.O.T. Community Workbook

When it comes to us telling our stories in community, we want to make sure that we keep our stories H.O.T. Rev. 12:11 says that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Our testimony can help others understand how normal their challenges, their struggles, even their sins may be, but they can't know that if we edit our testimonies. 

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Tim teaches about three ways the Bible can be taught. First, some preach with the “Bible in Front.”  Second, with the “Bible Behind” them. Or finally, Tim likes to preach with the “Bible Beside” him. He says, “this is what Scripture says, and this is what Scripture has done for me. This is how it transformed my life, and I believe it can transform yours as well.”

H.O.T. Narrative

Tim offers some practical tools and tips on how you can develop your own storytelling narrative. He encourages you to use a tool that he learned from his process group therapy called “life walk” to chronicle the highs and lows of the story of your life.

H.O.T. Brokenness

When we share our stories we discover where God was in each moment of our life. Many erroneously think that during our lowest points God wasn’t there for us. We believe that bad things would not happen to us if God had been there. Tim exposes how the opposite of this is true for his own life.

H.O.T. Cherry NyQuil 

Tim shares about the humorous style of his preaching as “cherry flavored NyQuil.” Tim believes the gospel is medicine for the soul. He uses humor to open people up to give him enough space to slide the truth of Jesus into the message. Even where there is something about your story that's not gory. Find that. Celebrate and express it.

H.O.T.  Homework

This homework assignment will help you map out your life as a narrative and help you discover where God was in you during your highs and lows. Once you have completed your “life map” then schedule some time with a friend to share and celebrate your H.O.T. story.

H.O.T. Big C

The Essentials of a H.O.T. Church

Tim applies the essentials of H.O.T.ness to the Church. Tim absolutely loves the local church and is always doing whatever he can to encourage, lead pastors, to encourage parishioners, churchgoers. His passion is to see every church be as H.O.T. as Jesus was authentic and vulnerable.  Because if we can live our lives like this the Big C Church wins. 

H.O.T. Worship

Tim describes what a H.O.T. worship service that literally makes you forget about you and focus on Him. The H.O.T. teacher/preacher instructs you in the Bible, and offers life applications through sharing what it's done in and through them, and how it's changed them for the better. Finally, a H.O.T. Church leads its congregation in acts of service among its community.

Dwelling Places

Tim makes something abundantly clear and that the local church and Dwelling Places are not synonymous. Dwelling Places are supplemental to the local church. It's not either or, you need both. You need a church community, and you need a Dwelling Place. Every church needs a basement.

H.O.T. Homework

Tim’s final homework assignment is to evaluate your current participation in worship with a local church community. Secondly, evaluate your current participation in Bible teaching at a local church and finally, evaluate how you are participating in service to others with your local church.

H.O.T. Challenges

Being H.O.T. can make others feel uncomfortable. Your  “H.O.T.ness” may repel others. Some have said, “Hey Tim, too much information. You're keeping it too real. You are showing a side of you that I don't think you should be showing publicly. ”  Tim teaches how you cannot be a H.O.T person without having a healthy level of self differentiation at the expense of the other person.

H.O.T. and Triggered 

You can't force nobody to be H.O.T. You can't demand vulnerability from anybody. It's a gift that is given. It's not a demand. H.O.T. comes organically.  But it can also trigger some who have been hurt and your level of “H.O.T.ness” may trigger something in them that they haven't dealt with.

H.O.T. Online

Tim answers the question of “what should be my relationship with my online friends?” He cautions how H.O.T. you should be on social media platforms. He shares how he does not post on social media anything about his family. Social media will always take anything you post out of context. H.O.T. relationships are only developed in person.

H.O.T. Thick Skin

Vulnerability takes bravery. It requires you to develop a thick emotional skin that does not take things personally. The reality is that your vulnerability is going to be taken advantage of. It is going to be gaslit. Tim says “my skin is thicker, but my heart is softer.” His vulnerability has created a softer heart for those that don't want to live their lives in vulnerability. 

This homework is to apply the concepts H.O.T. to your relationships and to guard against the negative impacts of your relationships from social media

H.O.T. Leadership

People are asking Tim how to start their own “Basement” community that are known as Dwelling Places. Those who follow Tim’s podcast are affectionately known as “dwellers,” who committed to have safe places and safe spaces all around the world. Tim explains the criteria for those who lead these gatherings must be safe, submitted and spirit led. 

Spark a H.O.T. Conversation

Tim describes the Dwelling Places format. Dwelling Places will follow the model of Acts chapter 2. Review the teachings and topics discussed “The Basement podcast. Leaders should be at the membership level to access membership episodes. A leader's role is to spark conversation about a specific podcast, pray for each other, share a meal together and be H.O.T. with each.

H.O.T. Assessment

Tim challenges you to take some time to assess your growth as a H.O.T. Leader. After you rate your current growth write down where you need to continue to grow and why.  Finally, take a minute to explain who you are currently submitting your life to?

Honesty in the Bible

Biblical Basis for a H.O.T. Community

Tim instructs how the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Bible is an example of a H.O.T. community. (1 Samuel 18:1-4). Tim shares how he has applied these scriptures to the relationship he has with one of his best friends that he affectionately refers to as his “twin.” 

Openness in the Bible

In 1 Samuel 18 Jonathan strips himself of his royal robe in exchange to be in a covenant relationship with David. Tim teaches how Jonathan initiates this openness much like how Paul writes about Jesus Christ in Philippians gave up his divine privileges and humbled himself to be born as a human being. The incarnation of Christ, He went first. He didn't wait for us to be open.

H.O.T. Benefit

Tim has low inhibitions that allows him to go first with new relationships.  In the beginning of his relationship with Preston, he didn't know how he was gonna receive Tim’s openness. There is a benefit of going first and being that open. The benefit requires you to be brave enough to give something you don't hand a lot of people. Openness opens up opportunities for deep relational equity.

Full Frontal Transparency 

In Jonathan’s covenant he demonstrates his willingness to be H.O.T. by taking the different layers of clothing and giving them to David. This act Jonathan declares how he wants David to see him in every facet of my life. Jesus was also stripped, when the soldiers who crucified him and stripped him of his robe and divided his clothes leaving him completely open and exposed. (John 19:23). 

H.O.T. Armor

Tim describes the armor that Jonathan gave to David. How the first gift was the tunic is the undergarment that Jonathan gives in full transparency. He lays down his sword so that we don’t have to always be on the attack. When Jonathan gives up his bow is a statement that you will no longer keep people a distance. And then taking off the belt is the ultimate gift of intimacy.

The H.O.T. homework is to apply the concepts of laying down what is your “Tunic, sword, bow, belt,” and picking up a H.O.T. lifestyle. 

Trust in Community

Building Trust

The way you build trust through community is by first understanding that you don't start with trust. You actually start with faith. And so, when it comes to developing trust in community, you first have to start off with placing your faith in that community. Tim gives practical instructions on how to rebuild broken trust in community.

Soul Crater

Tim is H.O.T. when he shares how he had received a massive emotional wound when he transitioned from one community to another. It was so painful that it left a crater in his soul. When he prayed about this terrible rejection, he heard the Holy Spirit validating his pain, and challenged him: what was he going to choose to fill the carter with? That crater in your soul can be filled with bitterness, and if you fill it with bitterness, people will drown in it for the rest of your life. He said, or you can fill it with grace, and if you choose to fill it with grace, people will be refreshed in it for the rest of your life.

H.O.T. Reflections 

Tim encourages you to take some time and reflect and journal on the trust you have experienced in community.

H.O.T. Intro

H.O.T. Introduction

This course is for those who have lost hope in finding significant relationships because their “Friends” have disappointed them. Many attempts to be open and vulnerable has been has been abused. Tim Ross has created this course especially for people are more hungry an authentic relationships. Tim presents a H.O.T. Solution for your relational need found in a Honest, Open & Transparent Community.

H.O.T.  Mantra

Tim shares how he came up with his life mantra to be H.O.T. (honest, open and transparent) and why he believes it is a gift that we can all give to the world.

H.O.T. In Community

Tim has gives the practical steps to become a part of a H.O.T. Community. He breaksdown the challenges of being H.O.T. with yourself and others. Finally, Tim will teach you about the difference between being translucent verses transparent.  Most people live their lives translucent like that frosted glass that only allows you to see the silhouette. Transparent invites others to see through us.

H.O.T.  Boomers 

Tim has become an expert on the topic of authenticity. He gives tribute to his parents who he says are quintessential baby boomers, but they might as well be Gen Zers. Inspite of being raised in “the silent generation,” Tim explains how he was raised in most openly communicative household that modeled for him how to be honest, open and transparent.

H.O.T.  Outcomes

In this course you will receive the following: The Biblical basis for a H.O.T. Community Understand the challenges facing a H.O.T. Community Introduction to The Basement Community The Life Stages of Community: How do we do life together? Importance of Stories in Community How to build and rebuild Trust in Community How to Build My “Dwelling Place.”

To the Basement (And Beyond)

H.O.T. Discipleship 

In this section, Tim graphically recalls the vision that the Lord gave him many years ago. It is a picture of what many strive for in attaining access to the top and what sin, weight, and vice is picked up along the way up. Thankfully, Tim gets into the elevator and presses “B” for the basement. There is a welcome celebration near Jesus who is the chief cornerstone.

H.O.T.  Cornerstone

Why is the basement a safe place for vulnerability? A natural basement is meant to be a safe place when there's danger, particularly from a tornado, hurricane, a storm.  Tim gives an illustration of inviting people into a larger bunker as a storm approaches. He does not stop anyone from having access because they have differences. 

H.O.T. Glue

He teaches how the first Christians described in Acts 2:42, devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  This is literally the glue of a H.O.T. community. It is best seen in how believers live out their lives together. 

Devoted Dwellers

Tim wants you to know how that Christian discipleship is being modeled in “The Basement” community. He affectionately refer to them as “basement dwellers.” There are a group of devoted dwellers that have embraced this philosophy and, they're living their lives authentically, authentically, vulnerably, in community.

This homework assignment will help you to assess if you are on deceived in striving for the top floor or being discipled by being a basement dweller who devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  

H.O.T. Stages

Life Stages

Tim gives an overview of the differences in life stages of being a single, married or parent and how H.O.T. changes with each season. Whatever stage of life that you are at, according to Tim the most important action is to be open to forgive. Living in a H.O.T. community gets messy and you must learn how to admit when you are wrong. 

H.O.T. Singleness

Tim offers a “life hack” how to navigate H.O.T. as a single person. He also exposes how some churches have abused Single people’s availability as additional unpaid staff members. Tim encourages Singles to enjoy their availability in other ventures and not be stressed about having to get married. 

H.O.T. Marriage

Tim’s second “life hack” is for married couples. He reminds them that in Ephesians 5:32 marriage is described as a great mystery that is a living example of the love that Jesus has for the Church.  H.O.T married couples are to display authenticity with the community, the highs and lows of marriage. Establishing healthy communication is key to a H.O.T. marriage.

H.O.T. Parents

Final “Life Hack'' from Tim is how to be a H.O.T. Parent. Tim understands that he and his wife have not been parents long enough to give advice on parenting. But he encourages parents to be honest with your community by sharing both the joys of parenting and the woes of parenting.

H.O.T. Assessment 

Tim encourages you to assess the stage of life that you are in, and how are you living in a H.O.T. community. Rate 1-10 your honesty, openness and transparency.

Your guide, Tim Ross