Discipleship in the Church

Transcription

1 Discipleship in the Church Intrductin What is the missin f the lcal church? Hw wuld we knw if we are successful in that missin? (multiplying effective hme grups) What is the fundamental cre f multiplying hme grups? (multiplying Christian wrkers thrugh the discipling ministry) Discipleship in the church The biblical case fr discipleship The case is established bth by precept and principle. We are using this term, "discipleship" in a way different than the bible uses it. The bible des nt talk abut wrkers having disciples, but rather peple being disciples f Christ. It desn t make it wrng fr us t use it referring t peple we are discipling, but we are n safer grund just demnstrating the wrk f discipleship. Jesus example: Mark 3:13-15 (Cleman). We see Christ being with them and sending them ut. Jesus cmmand: Matthew 28:19-20 we are teaching thers t be disciples f CHRIST, nt us. Teaching them t bserve what Christ teaches, nt us. The central imperative is "make disciples". Paul s example: Clssians 1:28,29; 1 Timthy. 1:2 & 2 Timthy 1:2; Titus 1:4 (30 ther disciples mentined) We culd prbably argue that this is mst imprtant ministry (nte the strng language in Cl. 1). Nte als the language he uses t describe Timthy "belved sn" des nt likely mean he led Timthy t Christ, but that he trained r mentred him. Likewise als with Titus. Paul s cmmand: 2 Timthy 2:2 Why is this s imprtant? There were tw great preachers in England in the 1800 s. Jhn Wesley and Gerge Whitefield. One was a greater speaker and had a greater ability t reach the multitudes - Whitefield. Hwever, Wesley had the greater lng-term impact. Why? Discipleship. He was cmmitted t discipling the peple he led t Christ s that they wuld be able t d the same. This led Whitefield t say tward the end f his career that he had wven a "rpe f sand". We see quality ver quantity, cre ver crwd, cell ver prgram. Yet it leads t far greater quantity. In ther wrds, we are cmparing additin versus multiplicatin grwth. One persn reaching 100 peple fr Christ every year but nt teaching them hw t d the same, versus ne persn reaching ne persn fr Christ every ther year, but als discipling them t d the same. In 50 years, the 1 st has reached 5,000 peple fr Christ. And, his utreach ministry ends when he dies. In the same 50 years, the 2 nd has effectively reached 16,777,216 peple. QUALIFICATION: We are NOT saying that this exact prgressin will r shuld be seen the evil ne wuld have a hay-day with that interpretatin and has in ur church. But the biblical principle is essential ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 1

2 t the church s health and grwth nnetheless and is explsive. The church must als be invlved in crss-cultural wrk that will nt be as easy, rendering the calculated mdel inaccurate. Why dn t peple/churches practice biblical discipleship? They d nt understand the principle Rulette wheel example (if yu knew it wuld turn up "17 black" at a particular time, hw much wuld yu wager n it everything yu had right?), we have t knw that Gd will deliver. His apprach is crrect. They are t carnal Wn t be glrifying enugh, behind the scenes, many times years f wrk; the desire t cntrl (build a persnal kingdm). Addicted t stimulatin/ wrldly values. This is where the heart f sacrifice f materialistic gals gets laid n the altar. Will I use Gd s time t invest in the lives f yunger Christians? I will need t sacrifice wrldly gals t be effective at this. Lack f patience Illustratin: t impatient t garden because we can t see plant grwing. It requires years f sacrificial wrk as we talked abut with fllw-up last week (time, mney, thught-life). We live in a quick-fix culture and this ministry flies in the face f that. Thrwing the baby ut with the bath water: "I tried it and it didn t wrk." The persn walks away s the wrker gives up n ding discipleship altgether (instead f learning what Gd might have taught yu thrugh this failure, yu just jettisn the methd); Or smene experienced abuse in a discipling relatinship and thrws it ut. Or, I did it with the wrng mindset legalistically, thinking that it was all up t me, nt directing them t the pwer f Gd. Discipleship in Xens Our first task, then, is t hammer ut a definitin f discipleship that we can all hld in cmmn. We need a definitin that is brad enugh t encmpass the variables invlved, but specific enugh t prvide sme fcus and directin fr us. A discipler is ne, wh like Paul in Cl. 1:28, 29 strives t present peple mature ("cmplete") in Christ in the tw key areas f Gd s will fr every believer: sanctificatin and ministry. Therefre, in Xens we define it: "A discipler is ne wh helps willing peple attain Servant Team status by bth ministering in a general way in the church, and by hlding specific meetings fr study, caching, cunseling, and prayer (in the cntext f a clse persnal relatinship)." Let's unpack this definitin phrase by phrase. "helps willing peple attain Servant Team status" - We culd have said "helps peple becme gdly Christian wrkers," but we have intentinally said this because in Xens, the Servant Team is ur cadre f relatively mature Christian wrkers, s this is the gal. We need t have a gal that is cncrete enugh that we knw when we have attained it. Althugh we will cntinue t help ur disciples beynd this pint, it will be mre as clleagues. ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 2

3 Nte these qualificatins: It des nt mean yu have t be n the Servant Team befre yu disciple smene. It des nt mean yu have arrived because yu are n the Servant Team. It als des nt mean that they have t aspire t be n the Servant Team befre yu shuld disciple them. Sme f us will play a key rle tward this gal, but nt be the ne wh takes them all the way there (JR. HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL WORKERS). Ntice the wrd "willing." A disciple is a learner (mathetes)--ne wh is eager t be instructed. Nt everyne in the church is in this state (1 Thessalnians 5:14 - weak, faint-hearted, unruly). But many are ready and willing t learn. These are the nes t whm we shuld give mre intensive instructin. SEE HULL, TDMC, p. 41 & HULL, TDMP, pp "by bth ministering in a general way in the church" - Unlike discipleship mdels which emphasize nly ne-n-ne discipleship, we recgnize that discipleship als requires a crprate dimensin--imprtant input frm a variety f ther Christian wrkers and friends. Even Jesus discipled peple in the cntext f a cmmunity, and healthy hme grup and wider church invlvement frms the fundatinal healthy envirnment fr the develpment f yunger Christians. The shts I take with peple in hme church (t encurage, admnish, answer questins, etc.) are a real aspect f their develpment. The wrk I d teaching classes, hme church, etc. als cntributes t the discipleship task f many peple. "and by hlding specific meetings fr study, caching, cunseling, and prayer" - On the ther hand, discipling peple invlves intentinal and fcused investment. When a grup relies nly n the influence f general ministry t get the jb dne, willing peple dn't develp as quickly as they culd. "Everyne's jb is n ne's jb." S we need t initiate interactins that are specifically designed t help them develp. There are many variables that require us t be flexible in hw we spend this time. Sme f us make ur main cntributin in cell grups by what we teach and hw we interact with them befre and afterward. We need t resist the ntin that if the peple in ur cell grups are in Christian Principles, they are getting what they need. They need repetitin and depth in their biblical knwledge, and they need persnal mdels and input. Cell grups are a unique pprtunity fr this. Many f us will supplement this with a regular additinal time with ne r tw flks wh are particularly eager and prmising. We will spend this time fcusing n what they seem t need at the time--smetimes additinal study, smetimes helping them face and reslve sin-prblems in their wn lives, smetimes caching them in their develping ministries with thers. Over a perid f time, we will want t address all f these areas, and we will always (in my pinin) include prayer with them. I think we need t avid rigid unifrmity here, and we need t avid using the flexibility as an excuse t neglect intentinal investment ("I like the way I d it better than the way yu dn't d it."). "(in the cntext f a clse persnal relatinship)" - Even Jesus, thugh he was Lrd and Master in a way we never are, called his disciples his "friends" wh knew what he was ding (Jhn 15:15). And Paul called the peple he was discipling, "belved children." Having a regular meeting des nt guarantee that discipleship is ccurring. Much that must be passed n (character; reciprcal vulnerability; discernment; ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 3

4 respnse t situatins; reslving cnflict; actually ministering tgether, etc.) requires time, interactin, and experiences utside meetings. Taking initiative "Everybdy s jb is nbdy s jb" (sund familiar frm last week s discussin n fllw-up?) Individuals need t take initiative. We shuld assume that we will be invlved in discipling the peple that we bring arund, and thus we shuld take sme initiative, while at the same time cmmunicating with the leaders. In a gd hme church there shuld be wrkers lking fr peple t disciple, hungry t serve in this manner. The leaders f a grup need t help crdinate and versee the discipleship prvisins within the grup. (Each persn wh is ready t be discipled has sme prvisin, if pssible.) The pint is: New Christians need t have smene initiate with them, and this shuld be crdinated at the hme church level. Withut this, hme churches get full but are unable t plant. Errrs t avid We've been cmmitted t persnal discipleship in Xens fr many years, and we've benefited greatly frm it. We've als made many mistakes in this area, and we need t be sure that we learn frm ur mistakes. Here are the nes that cme t my mind. "I've gt t get a disciple right nw." This smetimes happens in hme grups that strngly emphasize discipleship. Getting a persn becmes a hp t jump thrugh s we can say we are discipling smene. We grab a persn and try t frce-feed them, rather than prayerfully finding smene wh wants t learn what we're suited t teach them. "I am ttally respnsible fr the grwth f my disciples." This is anther frm f legalism, and it leads t excessive frce, manipulatin, verstepping ur bunds (DATING RESTRICTIONS; SIGNING IN & OUT OF MINISTRY HOUSES; etc.)--and ultimately t failure and discuragement. We had a lt f this in the early 1980's, and we're still living it dwn (DEN'S RECENT REPORTS). Let's stay away frm this, and give peple the freedm t make decisins! "Stay away frm my disciple." (TERRITORIALITY) There have been cases where disciplers have gtten very pssessive f disciples t the pint f fighting ver disciples - fighting ver wh gets t disciple a new cnvert, keeping ther disciplers away frm "my" disciple; peple trying t "take ver" anther persn s disciple, etc. Cleman s use f the example f Christ breaks dwn here because we are nt sufficient as he is, nr d we have his authrity. Ultimately, they are nt my disciples at all--they are Jesus'. I am nly assisting them by helping them learn hw t fllw and bey him. The gal is nt fr me t hard disciples, but t develp yunger Christians. That means I will nt nly be glad that they get quality input frm ther wrkers, but I will als deliberately expse them t ther quality wrkers. "I've gt t be able t raise up leaders as effectively as s-and-s." (COMPARISON) This is a very cmmn frm f legalism fr all areas f ministry, and it prvides a fertile sil fr accusatin. Learn the lessn f "NO LITTLE PEOPLE!" D yur wrk under grace, as unt the Lrd, trusting him fr results-- and be cntent that yu are pleasing him. ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 4

5 "I've gt t disciple thers in exactly the same way s-and-s des." OR "Peple I disciple need t turn ut t be just like me." (Illustratin: brick layer vs. stne masn) Prper unifrmity = "Every mature Christian shuld be invlved in discipleship and just abut every disciple culd eventually help lead a hme grup." "I can't be effective because I was never discipled ne-n-ne by a mature wrker." Being discipled by a prven discipler is an advantage. This is why yu shuld pursue being discipled if yu can. But yu can learn hw t disciple thers even if yu didn t receive textbk discipling. Hwever, dn t use this as an excuse t avid sacrificially investing in the life f yunger believers t help them grw. "Everyne in ur hme grup shuld have ne-n-ne discipleship time if they want it." This mnplizes wrkers' time and eventually burns them ut. It als takes them away frm ministering in their gifted areas, and gets them fcused equally n hungry and unhungry peple. "I'm nt a leader/gifted at/mature enugh t disciple, s I needn't be invlved in it." Sme f us are mre gifted at this than thers--especially in leadership duplicatin. But the definitin f discipleship we're using nw is brad enugh fr all f us t participate, and we agreed t d this when we signed the Servant Cvenant. "If ur peple are ging t classes and serving in ministry team rles, that's all they need." This is the prgram-based fallacy that leads t a superficial wrkfrce. They need repetitin and depth in biblical cntent beynd what the classes can give them. They need persnal mdels and input that classes and ministry team rles cannt give them. They need t develp fundatinal ministry skills that are best develped in a hme grup/discipleship cntext (utreach; bdy-life; develping spiritual gifts). I wrry that many peple in Xens these days view "ministry invlvement" primarily in terms f having a titled rle (EXAMPLES) rather than develping these areas. The pint is n that titled rles are bad; it is that these are mre imprtant. "N ne is interested in being discipled." This may be true in yur present situatin. If s, are yu praying fr smene wh is? But it may nt be true--yu may be t negative. Pray that Gd pen yur eyes t see the willing hearts! S here are ten dangers t avid are yu ging t use them as an excuse t nt get invlved in this fulfilling ministry, r t be grwn in yur usefulness t the Lrd in this central ministry? Practical Advice n Discipling Others Shepherding vs. Discipling This is an imprtant and helpful distinctin in wrking with yunger Christians. Shepherding and discipling differ in three key areas: Shepherding emphasizes the ther persn's wn spiritual grwth. "I m feeding them." Althugh their ministering t thers may well cme up, yur main purpse is in giving nurture, cunsel, admnitin, biblical instructin t help them get established in their walks with Gd. Discipleship, hwever, emphasizes their nw ministering t thers. "I m teaching them t feed thers als." Persnal grwth issues are addressed, but the main fcus is n hw t becme an effective Christian wrker. Shepherding is uncnditinal we d it freely and with n expectatins f a reciprcal respnse. Discipleship, hwever, is cnditinal. D they really want t be a wrker? We ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 5

6 shuld ask them if they want t get tgether s that yu can help them grw, if shepherding is the gal. If they take mre interest in the things f Gd, and yu d like t help disciple them, yu shuld ask if they wuld like t get tgether mre frequently s that yu can help them learn hw t be used by Gd. The transitin frm shepherding t discipleship is gradual. But if yu mve int a discipleship relatinship, yu shuld make it clear there will be expectatins and accuntability, and spell them ut. Be willing t step back if they wn't d their part--but still lve them as befre. This is imprtant bth fr the wrk f discipleship and t avid "bait and switch" relatinships. Shepherding is nrmally spradic and nging. Yu help peple as they need it and are pen t it, and as yu are burdened and available. Discipleship, hwever, is nrmally cnsistent and fr a perid f time. Yu meet with the persn n a regular basis with the understanding that the day will cme when they will be ding this with thers. This desn t imply that yu spell this desire ut early in the relatinship, nr at the pint where they are nw investing in thers that yu stp getting tgether with them. Bth f these ministries are critical t help yung Christians mve frward in their relatinship with Christ. The leader must mdel the imprtance f shepherding. An excellent time fr this includes after hme grup meetings where we wuld be less likely t fellwship with peple we disciple, and mre likely with peple wh need shepherding. Why is shepherding s imprtant?: Selectin 1. It builds hme grup unity. 2. It enables yu t help ther wrkers and disciplers. Yu may gain discernment n the yung believers situatin that helps the persn wrking with them. 3. It s key t prper selectin f wh t disciple. If yu are nt t shepherding, then yu can t make gd selectin. 4. It gives yu the pprtunity t mdel ministry t yur disciples. Avid cmmitting t a discipleship relatinship with smene yu shuld just be shepherding. Dn't say "yes" just because smene asks yu t disciple them. Instead, shepherd them in lve and prayerfully watch their lives. Withut being perfectinistic, prayerfully cnsider the fllwing questins: D they evidence nging interest in the wrd? Jhn 8:31,32 Are they hnest abut what is really ging n in their life? Luke 8:15 D they ask spiritual questins and respnd t gd answers? This demnstrates genuine interest. Or d they nly seem want t spend time with yu withut expressing real interest in spiritual things? D they take initiative in ministering t thers? Demnstrates an ability t get utside f themselves. Or d they always have t be asked t serve? Are they interested in peple, frming relatinships with peple in the grup, etc.? ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 6

7 D they respnd prperly t Gd's discipline (thrugh thers and directly frm Gd)? Or d they always have t be crrected by peple, agree but dn't act, etc.? D they take challenging steps f faith? They are demnstrating that their relatinship with Gd, and his prmises, is real t them and impacts their lives. (EXAMPLES: financial giving; cnfessing sin; witnessing; cnfrnting)? Or d they usually stay in their cmfrt zne? D they have/make the time t cmmit t the grup? Or are they chrnically preccupied with ther matters (see 2 Timthy 2:4). If the answers t these questins are basically yes, then we need t be willing t get in there with them even if they have rugh edges. Sme peple will have qualities that are mre irritating t us that tend t disqualify them in ur minds (cmplainers, divisive, arguers, passive, self-centered). Beware f OUR wn tendencies t be verly critical r nn-discerning. Prayer is an essential precursr t effective discipling. Slicit the input f ther mature wrkers befre cmmitting t a discipling relatinship. If the answers t these are basically n, be wary f cmmitting t a discipling relatinship even if they are attractive in ther areas (gifting, persnal charisma, winner in the wrld, they like the same hbbies yu like, etc.) We will nt find smene is all gd r all bad, there will be a mix. Be skeptical, but nt verly negative n peple. Directin f mvement is mre imprtant than present state. Remember it is Gd wh is at wrk Phil. 2:13; 1 Crinthians 3:7. Discipleship Time In additin t cmmn meetings and scial time, yu shuld have a regular, weekly time set aside specifically fr discipleship. Very few peple can disciple thers effectively "n the fly." At least ne hur, preferably lnger, and weekly is needed. Here are sme things that make this time prductive: This shuld be weekly, ne-n-ne, fr at least an hur. Think carefully and prayerfully befrehand (Hebrews 10:24)! Otherwise, yu will be reacting, catching up, etc. D yu have visin fr them? What issues need t be addressed? At the same time, they shuld be bringing up questins abut their wn walk, ministry, scripture, etc. A disciple is a "learner." If they are just passively receiving and respnding, this is nt a gd sign. Discuss ministry issues. If yu are discipling smene t becme a Christian wrker, there are always ministry-related issues t discuss. EXAMPLES: advice abut peple they're witnessing t, fllwing up with new peple, discipling thers, talking abut the health f the hme grup, etc. ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 7

8 At the apprpriate time, ask, "Wh are yu discipling/investing in?" Mst d nt naturally gravitate tward this ministry; they need t be challenged. All they really need is the cmmitment t be cnsistent with smene and be a step ahead f them. If they are busy ding ministry they are effective in, ask them hw they are discipling thers in that ministry. Help them in their discipleship wrk. This cmmunicates hw imprtant this wrk is. Ask hw it is ging. Express genuine interest and excitement fr any prgress. Warn them and cunsel them abut the mst cmmn errrs t avid. Cunsel them against tendencies tward verly cntrlling versus passivity, naive ptimism versus negativity, etc. Pray tgether. Pray abut the things yu discussed, the peple yu are wrking with, persnal issues, gratitude fr yur relatinship, etc. This teaches the imprtance f prayer in ministry, hw t pray biblically, etc. This shuld be part f every time yu get tgether. Discuss persnal sanctificatin issues they arise. This shuldn't be wden r clinical. Rather, as issues arise naturally in marriage, ministry, etc., address them. If yu aren't willing t d this, yu wn't succeed. There shuld be mutual freedm t bring up these kinds f issues. Often this is a mre frequent tpic earlier in the relatinship and as they mature, and becme mre invlved in ministry, less s. But it shuld nt be a weekly tpic; we shuld be respnsive as issues emerge. Overall, yu d like them t understand where their besetting sins are and help them develp a strategy t lean against them. This is a prcess; dn t invert Gal. 5:16. Study develping a biblical mindset (2Tim.2:15) Have a study plan. Getting int biblical cntent tgether regularly is imprtant fr bth ministry equipping and mutual edificatin. The biblical cntent may vary accrding t the need and maturity f thse invlved e.g., reading and discussing a bk f the Bible, ding an inductive study, reading and discussing a quality Christian bk, ging ver class material, etc. While yur time tgether shuld nt be study nly (see abve), dn't let this key part get crwded ut. With yunger Christians, it is particularly imprtant t study with them regularly, and t help them prepare any teachings they are giving. Examples: Daily Bible reading plan Read and discuss yur way thrugh a biblical bk Overview whle biblical bks Read and discuss slid Christian bks Review class material, r take a class tgether and discuss it afterward Yu will need t decide which f these elements t emphasize accrding t a number f variables (urgent needs r pprtunities, maturity f the disciple, cnsidering if the circumstances are right yu might be ready t admnish and realize the time isn t right, what yu talked abut recently, beware f yur wn tendencies, understand their persnality and hw it shuld be apprached, etc.). We need t nt nly prepare, we need t be ready and able t respnd n the spt. 2 Timthy 4:2b be ready in seasn and ut f seasn; reprve, rebuke, exhrt, with great patience and instructin. As yu develp as a discipler, yu will have mre than ne persn at different stages f spiritual grwth sanctificatin and ministry develpment. Cnclusin: The benefits f ding discipleship ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 8

9 It is persnally fulfilling because it is s significant. 3 Jhn 1:4 I have n greater jy than this, t hear f my children walking in the truth. 1 Thessalnians 2:19,20. Ministry as a means f grwth is highlighted by a cmmitted discipling ministry. Our sanctificatin is dependent n ur investing in this manner. They are usually yur very clsest friends. We will win in hme grup ministry if we are discipling. We can wrk thrugh a lt f prblems in hme grup if we remain stable in ur discipling f thers. ARCHIVES Christian Servanthd, week 8 and 9 part 1 Fr current class inf, g t 9