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LEADERSHIP LETTER ARCHIVES
A
MONTHLY READING FOR ALL ARC LEADERS
DISCIPLESHIP
The gospel charges us to make disciples of all people, those who follow Jesus Christ in both thought and practice. Discipleship includes a growing, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ; welcoming Christ's lordship over our lives and our possessions; submitting to the doctrinal and ethical demands of his teaching in the Scripture; maturing in Christ character and godly disciplines; membering oneself in a local church body; and serving the Lord wholeheartedly in all that we do. The church is the primary vehicle which God has ordained for stimulating and forming discipleship.
This means that we can never be satisfied with a gospel that does not call and establish a life of obedience to God through Jesus Christ in all areas of life, whether personal, social or economic. It also means that discipleship flows from a heart warm toward God, so that obedience is not burdensome but is based on our response to the love of God in Jesus Christ. --ARC Common Concerns
As I read this particular COMMON CONCERN—discipleship--I find myself amazed that this topic covers our whole lives. I am also aware that we are talking about a way of life. With gratitude I think of the men and women who, through the years, have faithfully discipled me and many of you have benefitted from similar mentors. They have invested their lives into our lives, and as they did so, they had an expectation. They hoped that we would do the same – invest our lives into others so that God’s plan for the world would be fulfilled (Matthew 28:19).
How are we doing in bringing men and women to Jesus AND helping them to move successfully into this new life? It seems at times that we expect others or our systems to do the job for us. We don’t want to make the commitment of time and resources. We don’t want to close the proverbial “back door.” To close that door takes a commitment of time, whether we are talking about a person and his walk with Christ or families as they walk into the doors of our churches (another topic).
We need to take the time to really know the people whom God brings into our lives and to let them know us. This is more than a class on discipleship or a class for new believers. It is more than a Bible study. Understand that these are important in the process of discipleship, but they are not the whole picture. The whole picture includes the sharing of lives, and that takes time. We need to spend time with new believers if we are going to see their lives reflect Christ. They need to spend time with us if they are to become what God has called them to be. They need to see how mature Christians process life – how we relate to our families, our spouses, our leaders, our peers and the myriad of relationships and situations that fill our lives. This does not mean living together (though that works in some cases), but it does mean much more than a one hour lecture in a classroom
Picture this: Phil (Christian for many years) meets Jack (new Christian) at church. Jack and his family are new to the church and know few people. Phil suggests Jack take the new believers’ course which the church offers, and Jack agrees. I would suggest that Phil has just begun his relationship with Jack. Dinner invitations for the families to eat together, invitations to come to the kids’ games with Phil’s family, asking to attend the games of Jack’s kids, taking Jack to men’s meetings (Phil’s wife could take Jack’s wife to a women’s meeting), and any other activities that Phil’s family might do alone, but could invite Jack and his family to do with them, are a few examples of “including” Jack in his life. These are not all highly “spiritual” events, and yet they are an important part of Jack’s discipleship. In the process Phil would look for opportunities to talk of daily Christian issues and provide an open forum for Jack’s questions. Is Phil perfect? No. He is just willing to give Jack time and share what he (Phil) knows of the faith. He has a desire to see Jack and his family become mature Christians, disciples of Christ.
The Phils among us sometimes become a little complacent. We sense we have matured and are happy with how God is working. We need to remember that we too are disciples of Jesus Christ. We too need to have people in our lives who can help us move into our next level of relationship with the Master Discipler. It is this type of relationship that helps to keep us humble before God. We continue to live our lives openly and maintain a teachable spirit. We say to ourselves, our families and to those we disciple, that we have not yet arrived, that God is still teaching us, that we still need Jesus, and we still need to grow. It is in this relationship – our continued discipleship – that the church takes responsibility for discipleship.
It seems to me that discipleship needs to be seen as a time-line in our lives. We enter into a relationship with Jesus, and if things are working properly, we have someone assigned to us or find someone who will take time with us helping us study the Word for the first time. And pray. And worship. And share the good news. And balance our budget. And raise our kids. And love our spouses. And disciple a new believer. With the help of that person(s), we grow into more mature Christians who need an outlet for the grace God has bestowed on us. It is now time to work with another new Christian as we continue to be discipled ourselves.
Various terms are used today: pastoring, pastoral care, mentoring, shepherding, and discipling. A case can be made for each being unique and different. Relationships that cause us to grow and mature in the areas we’ve discussed fall under “discipleship.” Discipleship is a series of relationships in which we receive from someone more mature or experienced and give to one who is newer in the faith than we. These types of relationships, however, are to continue throughout our life. We are never beyond being discipled, and we should never tire of discipling others.
As we consider discipleship we need to be willing to receive and give – receive God’s love and care through the human instruments he places in our lives; give to others the love and care God has given to us. Will we examine our lives and not only teach discipleship but make it part of our lives? Who are you personally discipling? And who is discipling you?
Rick Widener
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