The Lost Art of Discipleship
True Disciples is what the Church needs, true disciples within and outside of the Church is what brings optimism to a bleak picture of the power and future of the Church. If discipleship serves as the ancient method of spiritual movement within God’s people then this poses a problem. Currently the American Church does anything but excel within discipleship. We, as the American Church struggle to raise up True Disciples, and in my opinion this seems to have become a lost art. Sure we love to see people cross the line of faith, but then what. What happens then, do we teach people how to hear the voice of God, how to commune deeply with the Father, how to engage scripture? Do we model this to them? And then do we teach our communities of faith the horizontal focus, of taking what we have received from God and paying it forward? Are we doing this ourselves? Is the western Church currently doing this? Well unfortunately the answer for the most part is no. According to Barna’s latest research, along with scholars such as John Stott we are below average at best in raising up true disciples.
“For many years, 25 or more, the church growth school has been dominant. I rejoice in the statistics, but we must say it is growth without depth”. According to Chuck Colson “the American Church is 3,000 miles wide and an inch deep”. Ouch! And of course we want to blame our pastors, wait that’s me, yeah don’t blame me instead of looking at ourselves and how our lives are hitting the center point on a daily basis, the center point of the cross. Discipleship takes work, this is the road that Jesus described not as the traveled one, but the road less traveled, the narrow road. And when we find ourselves, you and me in disciple defining moments for some reason we are surprised at how difficult this is, this journey of staying deeply connected to God and to others, to really sacrificing ourselves, to leaving all behind and following our Rabbi.
Why are we surprised? Why do we often bail and veer off the road less traveled? Because at the core of True Discipleship is everything counter to what our culture tells us, if we follow Jesus then we are citizens of the upside down Kingdom. Last week I met a friend who is currently the most influential singer/song writer and church planter in South Africa, who happens to be in his late 20’s. He and I spent a couple of days together and discussed the condition of the Church and the future of it as well, both here in North America and on the continent of Africa. It struck me that our conversation continually came back to the center point of the cross, the intersection of the vertical and horizontal beam of Grace and Freedom; discipleship.
My guess is that I don’t need to convince us as much that discipleship is a must in our life, that’s why its one of our 6 values, and the one value that drives the other 5. That being said I think my main concern is why we are not hearing more stories of success within discipleship. Perhaps as missionaries within Axis we’re too busy for this, or afraid, or fearful of building into another person, hesitant to joining an Life Transformation Group, ,or whatever. I am praying for us, the Axis community that God would use us as a catalyst of the resurgence of discipleship. Just spend some days this week reading 1 Thessalonians, and realize that Paul and his crew had around 3 months with the people in Thessalonica! What adjustments are you willing to make, or pray about in the area of discipleship in your life?
Let the conversation begin!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Legacy
A Legacy of Stewardship
Today as I was getting locked in with Jesus, and reading through the book of Mark, I got to chapter 14 and a question began to emerge from the text in my heart. That being; what legacy will I leave? Will we leave? Will you leave?
And secondly what might hinder or prevent me from leaving the ultimate destiny God has for me?
In Mark 14:3-9 we see a powerful dichotomy of what citizenship in the world promotes, and on the other hand what citizenship in the Kingdom of God promotes. As the text states its only a couple days before Passover and Jesus was in serious danger for his life. His reputation and power had reached a point to where the chief priests could no longer tolerate and something had to be done. Jesus, just outside of Jerusalem kicks it in Bethany in the home of, yep you guessed it, people who have literally been touched and changed by the ministry of Jesus. It picks up in verse 3 of chapter 14 stating that they were in the home of Simon the leper, a man healed by Jesus, and there at dinner was also the disciples, Mary and Martha. In that custom after the meal they would do what I’m quite gifted at, recline and take it easy. They would sit on what would look like couches to us today and talk, share thoughts, bless one another, and this was a special night. Those in the room knew that the days of Jesus’ death were approaching, well at least Mary did. Mary approaches Jesus and does something that only a true lover of God would do, worship, serve and love God at any cost. Just picture a bottle of Hugo Boss for example, however for some reason that bottle would retail at Nordstrom’s for right at 35,000 dollars. So she does the unthinkable, she cracks open the slender neck of the stone flask that held this ridiculously expensive perfume and anointed Jesus, her messiah, her King. This passage paralleled in John 12 gives us a more descriptive picture of how she applied this, she not only covers his head, but his feat as well, and then for a towel she uses her hair! This picture of servant hood is one that should have gripped the disciples who were watching this, however they responded quite differently. The text says that some were “indignantly” remarking to each other, that means they were deeply moved at why this was not a good use of something of that worth, for she could of sold that money and gave it to the poor, at least that was they’re excuse. At this moment we see the dichotomy between someone who lives as an active part of the Kingdom of God, and those who like the idea of the Kingdom but really live by the standards of this world. I mean seriously, most of our impressions of Jesus, as inaccurate as they are at times would think Jesus would have sided with the disciples and would have scolded her as well, however he responds quite differently. Jesus says in verse 6 that this was good! The Greek word there gives us more insight to how deeply Jesus felt, the word used is kalon which means a good, noble, beautiful work. Jesus not only responds by saying that was good, Jesus looks intently into Mary's heart and says that this work is something beautiful! This contrast has challenged me that I, like the disciples can be close to Jesus, the author and inaugurator of the Kingdom yet live and operate like the World.
At the Tables this week we have wrestled through what it might look like to be a good Kingdom stewards and I’ve searched wikipedia and couldn’t find anything for us on what that looks like or even a definition☺, however we see a clear picture here in Mark 14 of what a life looks like when one values the King over anything else in their life.
So how does this sit with you? If you were in the room that night, what would your response have been? What prevents us from stewarding our resources like Mary??
Jesus goes on to say in verse 9
“I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" now that’s leaving a legacy worth leaving!
-Jon
Today as I was getting locked in with Jesus, and reading through the book of Mark, I got to chapter 14 and a question began to emerge from the text in my heart. That being; what legacy will I leave? Will we leave? Will you leave?
And secondly what might hinder or prevent me from leaving the ultimate destiny God has for me?
In Mark 14:3-9 we see a powerful dichotomy of what citizenship in the world promotes, and on the other hand what citizenship in the Kingdom of God promotes. As the text states its only a couple days before Passover and Jesus was in serious danger for his life. His reputation and power had reached a point to where the chief priests could no longer tolerate and something had to be done. Jesus, just outside of Jerusalem kicks it in Bethany in the home of, yep you guessed it, people who have literally been touched and changed by the ministry of Jesus. It picks up in verse 3 of chapter 14 stating that they were in the home of Simon the leper, a man healed by Jesus, and there at dinner was also the disciples, Mary and Martha. In that custom after the meal they would do what I’m quite gifted at, recline and take it easy. They would sit on what would look like couches to us today and talk, share thoughts, bless one another, and this was a special night. Those in the room knew that the days of Jesus’ death were approaching, well at least Mary did. Mary approaches Jesus and does something that only a true lover of God would do, worship, serve and love God at any cost. Just picture a bottle of Hugo Boss for example, however for some reason that bottle would retail at Nordstrom’s for right at 35,000 dollars. So she does the unthinkable, she cracks open the slender neck of the stone flask that held this ridiculously expensive perfume and anointed Jesus, her messiah, her King. This passage paralleled in John 12 gives us a more descriptive picture of how she applied this, she not only covers his head, but his feat as well, and then for a towel she uses her hair! This picture of servant hood is one that should have gripped the disciples who were watching this, however they responded quite differently. The text says that some were “indignantly” remarking to each other, that means they were deeply moved at why this was not a good use of something of that worth, for she could of sold that money and gave it to the poor, at least that was they’re excuse. At this moment we see the dichotomy between someone who lives as an active part of the Kingdom of God, and those who like the idea of the Kingdom but really live by the standards of this world. I mean seriously, most of our impressions of Jesus, as inaccurate as they are at times would think Jesus would have sided with the disciples and would have scolded her as well, however he responds quite differently. Jesus says in verse 6 that this was good! The Greek word there gives us more insight to how deeply Jesus felt, the word used is kalon which means a good, noble, beautiful work. Jesus not only responds by saying that was good, Jesus looks intently into Mary's heart and says that this work is something beautiful! This contrast has challenged me that I, like the disciples can be close to Jesus, the author and inaugurator of the Kingdom yet live and operate like the World.
At the Tables this week we have wrestled through what it might look like to be a good Kingdom stewards and I’ve searched wikipedia and couldn’t find anything for us on what that looks like or even a definition☺, however we see a clear picture here in Mark 14 of what a life looks like when one values the King over anything else in their life.
So how does this sit with you? If you were in the room that night, what would your response have been? What prevents us from stewarding our resources like Mary??
Jesus goes on to say in verse 9
“I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" now that’s leaving a legacy worth leaving!
-Jon
Friday, October 12, 2007
The Dangers of Yeast
Yeast according to Wikipedia is a growth form of eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, and while that does nothing for me and my guess is you either then why am I wasting your time blogging about yeast? Good question.
In the beloved book of Mark that we as a community journeyed through for 16 weeks last winter, an interesting passage in chapter 8 talks about Yeast and warns us on the dangers of our lives representing this eukaryotic microorganism.
"But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.” At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?” “Twelve,” they said. “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up? “Seven,” they said. “Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them."
As I studied this passage this morning, It was 1st hard for me to understand why the disciples didn’t believe, I mean how could they doubt after what they had recently witnessed right? How could they not be confident that one piece of bread was more then they would ever need, not because one piece is an impressive surplus but because the "bread of Life" himself was on the boat with them. How can this happen, how can they're hearts be so easily and consistently hardened as we see throughout the book of Mark?
I've found that the Human element is one that is powerful and is one that is also contrary to the Spirit element if you will. How often do we believe only as long as we can see? How often do we trust as long as we have plenty? Why do we continue to fail at times to make the same mistakes that we see throughout the meta-narrative? The human element that the 12 struggled with is the same that the nation of Israel struggled with in the wilderness, and is without a doubt the same we are in danger of struggling with today.
So what about the yeast? Good question once again. In verse 17 we see "At this they began to argue with each other" and as I was studying this I realized that maybe I was missing some of the point here. The Greek word used to describe this conversation going on in verse 17 is "meteorizomai" that describes to be of doubtful mind. This conversation they were having was not a profitable one, but one where they're unbelief spread, it was if the more they talked, the more they forgot the past, the more they didnt believe, the less present their faith was. Yeast is a powerful little microorganism and grows and spreads quickly, as does unbelief. Yeast was a common Jewish metaphor for an invisible, pervasive influence, this is why before the Passover every year they would clear their homes of this, as if the presence of yeast alone would hinder the movement of God.
So what clearing do you need to do in your life today? I realize its hard to spot, hence the "micro" within microorganism but we need to relentlessly rid our lives of unbelief because it doesn’t just effect our life but those around us as well.
What has worked for you? What steps, choices, disciplines have helped you in the past of believing God?
Lets chat!
-Jon
In the beloved book of Mark that we as a community journeyed through for 16 weeks last winter, an interesting passage in chapter 8 talks about Yeast and warns us on the dangers of our lives representing this eukaryotic microorganism.
"But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.” At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?” “Twelve,” they said. “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up? “Seven,” they said. “Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them."
As I studied this passage this morning, It was 1st hard for me to understand why the disciples didn’t believe, I mean how could they doubt after what they had recently witnessed right? How could they not be confident that one piece of bread was more then they would ever need, not because one piece is an impressive surplus but because the "bread of Life" himself was on the boat with them. How can this happen, how can they're hearts be so easily and consistently hardened as we see throughout the book of Mark?
I've found that the Human element is one that is powerful and is one that is also contrary to the Spirit element if you will. How often do we believe only as long as we can see? How often do we trust as long as we have plenty? Why do we continue to fail at times to make the same mistakes that we see throughout the meta-narrative? The human element that the 12 struggled with is the same that the nation of Israel struggled with in the wilderness, and is without a doubt the same we are in danger of struggling with today.
So what about the yeast? Good question once again. In verse 17 we see "At this they began to argue with each other" and as I was studying this I realized that maybe I was missing some of the point here. The Greek word used to describe this conversation going on in verse 17 is "meteorizomai" that describes to be of doubtful mind. This conversation they were having was not a profitable one, but one where they're unbelief spread, it was if the more they talked, the more they forgot the past, the more they didnt believe, the less present their faith was. Yeast is a powerful little microorganism and grows and spreads quickly, as does unbelief. Yeast was a common Jewish metaphor for an invisible, pervasive influence, this is why before the Passover every year they would clear their homes of this, as if the presence of yeast alone would hinder the movement of God.
So what clearing do you need to do in your life today? I realize its hard to spot, hence the "micro" within microorganism but we need to relentlessly rid our lives of unbelief because it doesn’t just effect our life but those around us as well.
What has worked for you? What steps, choices, disciplines have helped you in the past of believing God?
Lets chat!
-Jon
Monday, October 8, 2007
PTI
One of my favorite TV shows, which you can find weekdays on what happens to be my favorite TV channel, the one and only ESPN is PTI. Pardon the Interruption is hosted by Washington Post columnists and longtime buddies Tony Kornheiser and South Side of Chicago native and Northwester grad, the prolific Michael Wilbon. Throughout the show they consistently interrupt each other, but do provide a very accurate and well informed view into the ins and outs of what’s going on in the world of sports.
If your like me, it seems that on a daily basis some one will say those three words to me, sometimes with a polite tone and sometimes not, those three words being “pardon the interruption but…….” most times resulting in one more thing I need to do or one more question I need to answer. Hence one of the reasons I love to travel abroad, because when I’m in a different country, 1) it’s obvious because of my camera and fanny pack (only kidding) and 2) people realize that I don’t know the answer. Therefore I’m not, yep you guessed it; interrupted.
I don’t realize where this entitlement to uninterrupted living began but it certainly is something that we wrestle with, particularly in our culture. Here in Chicagoland we Chicagoans are known for a lot of things, one of those being productivity. This city was built on hard work and over-paced lives. Today we still feel the side effects and continue to live out of that ethos. The demand only increases and our supply of time does the opposite. Our need to produce, or our desire to produce, to be effective, to put out the façade that we are too busy for anyone not only makes us unapproachable, but gives us a reason to be irritated with people when they utter those 3 words. Now if we, you and I were all called to be busy, productive, unapproachable people then perhaps this wouldn’t be a huge problem, however that is not our calling. Our calling is to be Children of Light, Kingdom Bringers, True Disciples ushering in the Already-Not Yet Kingdom of God, and that’s where the problem exists. If we are Christians then we have to examine the life that our name sake lived, for during the ministry of Christ he was perhaps the person in highest demand in his entire culture, yet maintained to be the most interruptible person that has walked the earth.
This morning during my time with God, I was meditating on the passage in Luke 7:11-17, “Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.”
As I read this through a few times, it occurred to me that this meeting was not in his PDA, this wasn’t in his Outlook, this was not a meeting that Jesus had planned for. I imagine as Jesus and his crew were entering the gates of the city, they had plans for the day. Yet they were met with something unexpected. Something they could either walk by or be open to consider that this interruption may be the will of the Father. The text tells us this was “the only son of his mother”, and this is significant for us to see. The woman who had already lost her husband, the chief provider for her needs, just lost her future provision as well and Jesus recognized this for he knew his culture very well.
Jesus knew that the only means of survival for that woman was lying there in that coffin, and his heart was moved to compassion, so moved that he welcomed the interruption and brought the son back to life.
So, pardon the interruption, but I have to ask, what are you praying for that will move your heart today? Or will you and I be too busy and miss the people God brings across our path that need a touch from him.
“Compassionate people often inspire others to be compassionate.”
-Joyce Rupp
If your like me, it seems that on a daily basis some one will say those three words to me, sometimes with a polite tone and sometimes not, those three words being “pardon the interruption but…….” most times resulting in one more thing I need to do or one more question I need to answer. Hence one of the reasons I love to travel abroad, because when I’m in a different country, 1) it’s obvious because of my camera and fanny pack (only kidding) and 2) people realize that I don’t know the answer. Therefore I’m not, yep you guessed it; interrupted.
I don’t realize where this entitlement to uninterrupted living began but it certainly is something that we wrestle with, particularly in our culture. Here in Chicagoland we Chicagoans are known for a lot of things, one of those being productivity. This city was built on hard work and over-paced lives. Today we still feel the side effects and continue to live out of that ethos. The demand only increases and our supply of time does the opposite. Our need to produce, or our desire to produce, to be effective, to put out the façade that we are too busy for anyone not only makes us unapproachable, but gives us a reason to be irritated with people when they utter those 3 words. Now if we, you and I were all called to be busy, productive, unapproachable people then perhaps this wouldn’t be a huge problem, however that is not our calling. Our calling is to be Children of Light, Kingdom Bringers, True Disciples ushering in the Already-Not Yet Kingdom of God, and that’s where the problem exists. If we are Christians then we have to examine the life that our name sake lived, for during the ministry of Christ he was perhaps the person in highest demand in his entire culture, yet maintained to be the most interruptible person that has walked the earth.
This morning during my time with God, I was meditating on the passage in Luke 7:11-17, “Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.”
As I read this through a few times, it occurred to me that this meeting was not in his PDA, this wasn’t in his Outlook, this was not a meeting that Jesus had planned for. I imagine as Jesus and his crew were entering the gates of the city, they had plans for the day. Yet they were met with something unexpected. Something they could either walk by or be open to consider that this interruption may be the will of the Father. The text tells us this was “the only son of his mother”, and this is significant for us to see. The woman who had already lost her husband, the chief provider for her needs, just lost her future provision as well and Jesus recognized this for he knew his culture very well.
Jesus knew that the only means of survival for that woman was lying there in that coffin, and his heart was moved to compassion, so moved that he welcomed the interruption and brought the son back to life.
So, pardon the interruption, but I have to ask, what are you praying for that will move your heart today? Or will you and I be too busy and miss the people God brings across our path that need a touch from him.
“Compassionate people often inspire others to be compassionate.”
-Joyce Rupp
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
