Lent Course 2016 - Living as Disciples Overview and Indicative Content Overall aim and rationale We hope that this course will: - Help participants grow in their understanding of discipleship - Increase their desire to live as disciples of Christ - Connect with their real lives - Influence their understanding, but also their practices, and their disposition (on which, see more below) - Be a positive experience of a church course, leaving participants keen for more In five sessions it is not possible to cover every aspect of discipleship. Within the course, five different angles on discipleship have been selected. The hope is that each of these proves illuminating, shedding fresh light on what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ in the 21 st century. The five sessions are entitled: 1 Disciples as learners 2 Disciples as followers 3 Disciples as friends 4 Disciples as those who serve 5 Gathering it together in the light of the resurrection What follows is not the final state of the course, but a decent draft. We hope it gives sufficient feel for the content and tone of the course, so that you can decide whether you can use it in your setting for 2016. We have done our best to design and pitch it in a way that will be accessible to most people. But local course leaders are very welcome to adjust and adapt it to suit their people and circumstances. What's more, it should still be available in 2017, so if you already have firm plans for 2016, you might want to pencil it in for the following year. The course pays attention to three areas: understanding, practices, and dispositions. It does so in a fairly implicit way, but course leaders are encouraged to help draw out all three dimensions, especially if attention tends to be biased in one direction more than others. It pays attention to understanding: helping to explain and explore some of the concepts and rationale of Christian living today. It pays attention to our practices: how our following of Christ influences what we do, and how what we do impacts on our discipleship. It pays attention to our disposition: following Christ is not solely about what we do, but also about the manner or the attitude with which we do it. How does our following of Christ influence our posture towards the world? The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 1
Components of the sessions Sessions will normally include: Introductory worship, in a similar style each week Focus on a particular passage of Scripture Input from the course leader (prompted by the notes) We may be able to produce some brief videos to help enable and give variety to the teaching input and are seeking feedback on whether this will be worth doing Plenty of opportunity to discuss, question, and make connections (The shape of the sessions has substantial overlap with the shape of the Pilgrim course sessions. This is partly because it seems a good design in and of itself, and partly so that moving on to the Pilgrim course after this Lent Course could be a straightforward transition.) What happens next some practicalities? The course will be completed over the next few weeks pruning some parts and filling out others as necessary. When it has reached its completed form, by mid-january, this will be publicised and made available. When you've had a chance to peruse this current draft material, it would be really helpful to know if you plan to use the course in 2016 and indeed some brief indication of your context, such as the likely number of people in your group, and whether engaging in a Christian study group is something they've done before. It may or may not be possible for us to produce a short video for each of the sessions, providing some of the input, and offering a change of voice. If this is something you would welcome, and have the facilities for, do please let us know. For both of the above, can you please email training@cofe-worcester.org.uk We are very aware that there are many angles of discipleship left untouched by the course as it stands. But our hope and prayer is that, through focusing on these angles in some depth, our encounter with God and our call to live as disciples of Christ may be reaffirmed and reignited. Jonathan Kimber on behalf of the Ministry and Discipleship Team December 4 2015 The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 2
Session 1 Disciples as learners Opening worship Discussion openers select from: In your life to date, what have you deliberately set out to learn? What have you learnt accidentally? What have you resisted learning? Thinking of life in general, can you think of a learning experience you really enjoyed? And one that you didn t enjoy? What were the reasons in each case? Come up with twenty things that you have learned so far in life. Make it as varied as possible. What strikes you about the range of ways in which the learning came about? Some input on learning being one important strand of discipleship: - The root meaning of the word probably linked to discere, Latin for to learn. - A disciple hasn t yet learned everything there is to know about God, themselves, and the universe - What s more, a disciple wants to keep learning they are thirsty to grow in their knowledge of God - Some thoughts on the shape of our learning. Much learning happens slowly, with the gradual accumulation of insight and habit until it s second nature learning as sedimentation. But some learning seems to arise from, or perhaps need, a disruptive experience shaking up our previous understanding or practice. In part this can be because the sedimentary learning we ve accumulated is rarely perfect. Once what we ve learned is essentially set in stone, it needs something powerful to reshape it. Luke 19 the story of Zacchaeus During the course of the story, what had been learned, and by whom? What different factors made that learning possible? Do you think that the crowd had learnt anything? What lesson(s) could they have done with learning? If they didn t learn it, what do you think stopped them? What can we learn from this episode from Jesus, from Zacchaeus, from the crowd? Learning as a disciple more generally - We can easily associate the word learning mainly with the learning of facts, like times tables. Is this the most important aspect of learning as a disciple? Is it important at all? What other types of learning might be called for if we are to grow as disciples? - What has been helpful in your own learning as a disciple? - What are some of the factors that can hinder our learning? Refer back to the different types of learning noted above. - Do you want to learn as a disciple? How important is it to you how strong is your desire? What in particular would you like to learn? The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 3
Christian disciplines/practices general intro The word disciple is linked to the word discipline. Discipline, in this context, can be described as a holy habit (see forthcoming book by Andrew Roberts). One strand we will revisit regularly throughout the course is to explore the disciplines, or holy habits, that can help with each aspect of discipleship. What are some of the regular practices that can help shape our hearts and minds and lives to be in tune with God? Christian disciplines for learning - Which Christian practices can you think of that can help disciples to learn? - Main practice reading Scripture - Input/discussion on the relation between engaging with Scripture and Christian learning/formation. The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 4
Session 2 Disciples as followers Opening worship Discussion openers select from - If you met a new acquaintance, and they described themselves as a bit of a follower, what would you think of them? - In general terms, what does it mean to follow something or someone? Some examples might include following the football results, following Strictly Come Dancing, following a number of people or organisations on Twitter. What other examples of following can you think of? Does following necessarily imply commitment? - Is it possible to go through life without being a follower of anyone else? What would be the pros and cons? Some input on disciple as follower - Last week we thought of disciple as a learner, and talked about learning in general terms. - This week we move on to focus on the nature and source of that learning. You can t just be a disciple in general. You have to be a disciple of someone. A disciple is a pupil, and a pupil has to have a particular teacher. - Therefore, to be a disciple is not just to be committed to learning. It is to be committed to learning from one particular teacher. And to be a Christian disciple is to be committed to learning from Jesus Christ. - So what is it that would make us commit to Jesus as our teacher, our Rabbi? - And what sort of learning does Jesus want us to engage in? [As we saw last week, it includes the learning of facts and concepts, but it's broader than that. It's about shaping our hearts and minds, our deepest desires and motivations.] Biblical input The calling of Matthew: Matthew 9.9-13 Input setting the scene from the group leader to be provided What do you think it meant for Matthew to follow Jesus? Comparing what it meant for Matthew to follow Jesus, and what it means for us to follow Jesus, list the similarities, and list any differences? Why do you think Matthew chose to follow? What sort of people does Jesus want to have as his followers? Are there any people that he doesn't want to have as his followers? Thinking further about disciple as follower: - Let's imagine that Fred is really quite interested in Jesus, and has found out a lot about him. Jill doesn't know as much, but wants to live as his follower. What differences might there be in how they live? Are both equally valid options for Christians? For reflection In what part of your life is it hardest to follow Christ? Why is it hard? Is there anything that might help? - Might there be ways in which we can help each other to live as followers of Jesus? The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 5
- What motivated us in the first place to follow Christ? - What keeps us wanting to follow Christ? - And how strong is that commitment and desire? A Christian discipline for following: The Examen Introduction to it A discipline of prayerful reflection on each day, looking back to see where we did follow God's leading, and where we might have failed to do so. The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 6
Session 3 Disciples as Friends Opening Worship Discussion Openers Think of a few of the people who have been your most significant friends at different points in your life. What characteristics have you particularly appreciated? Can you think of any defining moments when the true nature of their friendship has come to the fore? Thinking of yourself as a friend, what is it that you try to offer in your friendship? Can anyone present remember a time of loneliness, where the befriending offered by someone else made a real difference? How important is friendship in life? Why? Some Input on Disciples As Friends It may seem strange to have the word 'friend' in such a prominent place in describing what it is to be a disciple. So why has it been chosen? A much more common word for Christians to use is 'love'. Clearly, love is of vital importance: it's a vital part of God's nature; it features in the two greatest Commandments; life without it is a life deprived. Sometimes talk of 'love' can leave it as a fairly abstract or distant concept. 'Friendship' isn't as big a word as 'love', but it's been chosen to try and bring a fresh angle, to try and keep us earthed and real. So how would it seem to talk of God not just loving us, but also befriending us offering us friendship? Of course, it's not a friendship between equals. But might the idea of God befriending us help us appreciate his love in a fresh way? [See John 15.12-15] Again, Jesus commands us to love our neighbours. Might the idea of offering friendship to others begin to illuminate what that means in practice? For the German theologian Jürgen Moltmann, 'open friendship' describes the church s way of relating. Friendship is for him the right word to describe Jesus relationship with us, because it is so unpretentious. "Friend" is not a functional title, nor a designation of office, nor a role one is expected to play in society If friendship is not these things, what is it? It is a personal relation ' (Cited in Paul Bayes: "Making Friends" (page 18), from Developing Faithful Ministers, Edited by Tim Ling and Lesley Bentley) Biblical Input Luke 19 and Zacchaeus again Where is friendship offered in the story? What do you think it was that enabled friendship to be offered? And what was the motivation? Would friendship have been withdrawn had Zacchaeus not responded so promptly and decisively? Where in the narrative is friendship conspicuous by its absence? And what do you think were the reasons for that? Why was friendship not forthcoming? Thinking more broadly, were there any people to whom Jesus did not offer friendship? If not, why not? If so, why do we think that, and what might have been the reasons? The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 7
Connecting with last week's theme, what does Jesus' approach to friendship mean for those who want to follow him? And connecting with the first week's theme, how, practically, might we learn to grow in friendship? What might we need to overcome? What resources might we need to draw on? [You might like to consider here Jesus' unashamed dependence on his Father. Might it be that his knowledge and receiving of the Father's unbounded love was the reservoir from which he shared generous friendship?] To whom do you find it hard to offer friendship? Looking to the week ahead, how might you best receive God's friendship, and share it with others? A Christian discipline regarding friendship the communal life of the church To be developed The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 8
Session 4 Disciples as those who serve Opening Worship Discussion Openers Can you think of an instance in your life in which someone served you in an exemplary way? What was particularly special about this? How did it feel? List as many ways as you can think of in which different people serve your local community or your church. Biblical Input John 13 Jesus washing the disciples feet Some scene setting from the leader [notes to be provided] What would the disciples feet have been like to wash? What does this episode reveal about Jesus? How might what we are told in verse 3 relate to what happened next? Why might Simon Peter have been reluctant to have Jesus wash his feet? Which would you find harder, and why: doing the foot washing, or having your feet washed? What do you think Jesus meant by verse 14? How does this episode relate to the rest of Jesus' life and ministry? Can you think of any other ways in which he served those around him? Thinking Further about Disciples As Those Who Serve What factors can tend to stop us from serving as we might? If disciples are open to learning, how might we learn to serve? Are there any ways in which all Christians should be expected to serve? What about areas in which not all Christians should be expected to serve? How should we discern which service is for us, and how much is appropriate? Can you think of any ways in which serving can be made as enjoyable as possible? What characteristics of an ideal disciple can be seen in the way they serve? A Christian discipline of service generosity To be developed The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 9
Session 5 Gathering it together in the light of the resurrection Opening Worship Discussion Openers Over the last four weeks we have thought about learning, following, friendship and service. What has struck you most? Are there any aspects of the course you'd like to revisit and remind yourself of? Have you noticed any changes over the weeks in what you do, or in how you see things? If not, how does that seem? Introduction There are two main strands to this week. The first is a chance to revisit, at least in brief, the themes of the previous weeks, to help embed them in our lives. We will do this via a focus on the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, in Luke chapter 24. Even though this is (primarily conceived as) a Lent Course, this story occurs after the resurrection of Jesus, on the first Easter Sunday. The second strand this week is to touch on what it might mean to live in the light of the resurrection. Biblical Input Luke 24.13-35 The road to Emmaus Some scene setting from the leader [notes to be provided] Take some time to explore whether and how each of the four previous strands learning, following, friendship and service can be seen within this narrative. In each case, who is doing the learning/following/friendship/serving? Some will find it helpful for the main points to be summarised on a flipchart. Jesus had foretold his death and resurrection on a number of occasions. How is it that the two disciples, at the beginning of the narrative, were so downhearted and confused? How would you describe the way in which Jesus engages with them? [He takes time to learn of their current state of mind and heart; he starts by following them, in the direction they're walking; he offers friendship; in his gift of time, friendship and teaching, he serves them.] In verse 25, Jesus says "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!" How does it seem that the disciples responded to this? If this was said of us, how might we respond? [We might take it as an insult, and turn away. Alternatively, might it be liberating to have truth stated so bluntly!? What role does candour about our limitations play in the process of learning and growth?] The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 10
And something on the resurrection living from grace falling down and rising again as many times as necessary. A Christian discipline of the resurrection the Eucharist To be developed Concluding reflections for the course To be developed Perhaps to include writing down for yourself how you would like to be differently, and what you would like to do differently, following the course. And articulating a prayer along those lines. Closing worship The Diocese of Worcester Draft Lent Course 2016 Living as Disciples Page 11