Over the centuries we have perverted it and, in my lifetime, sabotaged it... when the 'Boston movement' came to prominence in the 70s, it scared 'mainstream' church-goers, so we mounted an organized campaign to marginalize it as extreme... and, in large part, successfully squashed it.
When it reappeared in the 80s as the 'Crossroads movement', we again attacked it because it was uncomfortable... and, again, we 'mainstreamers' (aided, conveniently, by our more conservative brothers and sisters) helped to stomp it out...
OK, it is fair to argue that those two examples may have, in certain pockets, gone to extremes in their respective approaches...
But the venom and vitriol with which we persecuted and prosecuted those involved was hateful and ugly and sinful.
Especially when we consider what the Bible has to say about discipling.. IT is literally full of commands and examples of discipling...
"...go therefore and make disciples..."
is one of our very favorite mantras
but we use it comfortably and usually interpret the command (and execute it) as: "go and make church-attenders"...
All this to ask the question: what is 'discipling?
Well, as we discussed (OK, this is a one way medium... As I wrote) several weeks ago, it is about helping others in their need, then assimilating them into your faith group, then teaching them to help others in need... etc etc etc...
Well, I've come to the conclusion that what God wants is for us to help create 'Christ Champions'... to help develop people into champions for His cause... folks from all different backgrounds and social strata and income level and job descriptions... people who, very simply, are sold out to Jesus Christ.
And, to the degree we are able (through study and prayer and the Spirit's guidance) to develop these Christ Champions, God will be glorified!
Blessings!
2 comments:
Hey Brother,
Good blog. "Discipling" is much like "mission work," or "benevolence, or "evangelism." It sounds great and makes us feel good to think and pray about.
The problem with discipling is when we actually get into it, it gets very personal - real fast, and it gets dirty. It requires change from the inside. However, discipling is what it is all about for christians. What we used to think of as salvation issues, for the most part, are really holiness issues. And becoming more holy requires giving ourselves over to being discipled by the Holy Spirit.
Creating a quiet center to our lives is the beginning. Listening to God... contemplation, meditation - all are at the start of holiness. Spending time letting God talk to us by closing our mouths and openning our hearts is the key.
Following that will be change in our personal walk. Things that used to seem okay to do suddenly take us away from God, so we must give them up. It's not a rule. It is God changing us.
Tim, your words about helping others be Christ Champions are wonderful. We must BECOME Christ Champions ourselves first. Yesterday here in Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Irving, Football Hall of Fame player of the Cowboys said that team members would not listen to "experts." They would listen to and respect someone that had been there...done that.
That's the way it is with discipling. We can't share what we don't have. We can't take someone some place where we have never even visited, much less live in daily. That's why we must take up our cross daily.
If we want to find the Christ Champion, we must look for the one who has humbled him/her self, taken up their cross, one who listens to God, gets trench dirt all over them, has scars to show for their efforts. We must go to that person and beg them to disciple us.
The problem is that we usually get afraid of what the changes will really require of us. So, we just remain content to keep "discipling" in the same box as "evangelism," "benevolence," and "mission work." It sounds great. We'll just think about it and pray for somebody else to do it.
God bless,
Doug Allison
Hey Brother,
Good blog. "Discipling" is much like "mission work," or "benevolence, or "evangelism." It sounds great and makes us feel good to think and pray about.
The problem with discipling is when we actually get into it, it gets very personal - real fast, and it gets dirty. It requires change from the inside. However, discipling is what it is all about for christians. What we used to think of as salvation issues, for the most part, are really holiness issues. And becoming more holy requires giving ourselves over to being discipled by the Holy Spirit.
Creating a quiet center to our lives is the beginning. Listening to God... contemplation, meditation - all are at the start of holiness. Spending time letting God talk to us by closing our mouths and openning our hearts is the key.
Following that will be change in our personal walk. Things that used to seem okay to do suddenly take us away from God, so we must give them up. It's not a rule. It is God changing us.
Tim, your words about helping others be Christ Champions are wonderful. We must BECOME Christ Champions ourselves first. Yesterday here in Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Irving, Football Hall of Fame player of the Cowboys said that team members would not listen to "experts." They would listen to and respect someone that had been there...done that.
That's the way it is with discipling. We can't share what we don't have. We can't take someone some place where we have never even visited, much less live in daily. That's why we must take up our cross daily.
If we want to find the Christ Champion, we must look for the one who has humbled him/her self, taken up their cross, one who listens to God, gets trench dirt all over them, has scars to show for their efforts. We must go to that person and beg them to disciple us.
The problem is that we usually get afraid of what the changes will really require of us. So, we just remain content to keep "discipling" in the same box as "evangelism," "benevolence," and "mission work." It sounds great. We'll just think about it and pray for somebody else to do it.
God bless,
Doug Allison
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