- What is a disciple? ("A disciple is someone who ____, ____, ____, etc.")
- How do we, as a church, get this to happen? (How did it happen in your life - how did you become a disciple?)
- How do the programs and things our church does contribute to these things taking place?
- Changes we might need to consider?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Discipleship questions
I'm not sure if these were in the book, or if the book Simple Church just inspired me to ask them (I think 3 of them are in the book), but I just stumbled across a piece of paper with these four questions.
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I asked the same questions on the CGGC blog before I saw this! It is truly THE question.
Look at http://onmovements.com/?p=295. This is very concise and very good.
Well...you and Brian have wandered into the realm of my soap box. Congratulations.
I have a bit of a problem separating disciples from the rest of the body of Christ so I'll just make that clear up front. It was the disciples who were then called Christians, not Christians who became disciples (Acts 11). So...point 1...I think our language is part of the problem. We teach people that it's easy to become a Christian, but difficult to be a disciple when there really aren't two categories...there are just disciple Christians who are less/more mature.
Point 2 - Programs are fine...if they actually encourage people to do something. Most "discipleship" programs I've ever been in were more about acquiring knowledge than actually changing my life.
Point 3 - It's really all about mentoring and small groups, in my opinion. The experiences where I have found the most growth have always been one-on-one and, to a lesser extent, small group relationships.
I am really passionate about this subject and have a lot more thoughts, but I should be working...
I will suggest a couple books - The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ by Bill Hull and Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring Others Into Spiritual Maturity and Leadership by Dennis McCallum and Jessica Lowery
So...some thoughts from a 23 year old seminary recruiter. Take them for what their worth.
Grace and peace,
Jim
Jim is always right(inside joke but generally true).
I agree with him - especially point 3, even if it's really uncomfortable.
Jim W.,
Wow, well said. Good point about how we separate the two.
As far as programs, I agree with what you are saying. What I was referring to is actually more *programming* small groups and mentoring relationships. So it's not *program* in the true sense of the word, but more a "let's be intentional about these things." Because I do agree with you that - for me - small groups and relational things are absolutely necessary to making new disciples and/or helping disciples mature.
I actually have Hull's 'The Complete Book of Discipleship' sitting on my desk. Not familiar with the other one.
Thanks for the thoughts. They are worth quite a bit to me. Especially if you're always right. ;)
Thanks for the link, Brian. Good stuff.
From your reflection on the type of program you're thinking about I would encourage you to check out the other book which is all about what you're talking about. I've not finished the book yet, but I think it would be helpful in explaining this concept to people who don't understand what you mean. It really is a difficult concept to communicate to someone who hasn't experienced that kind of community.
And...just so we're aware...since Miss Carrie is also always right (I learned that by trial and error) I'm quite happy to know I'm right about this! :)
Grace and peace,
Jim
Us kids think we know everything.
I will have to check out that book.
And... at 22 and 23, you two (Jim & Carrie) are NOT kids (hate to break this news to you). Actually, it's people like you that need to be leading more discussions like this.
For instance (Carrie knows) we have a significant segment of people in the late teen/early twenties age group at our church - and none of them are involved in any type of small group or mentoring or anything (at our church anyway). What I want to know is: how can I get them involved? What can I do? What should I do?
And it's not just this church, but I think Christianity in general that needs direction with this age-group. So anything you have to offer is more than welcome.
Thanks!
[This is the other Jim - the Missouri Jim. :-)]
My response is at my blog, here.
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