As we talk about helping acculturate new Christians into Kingdom life, we need to think some about the process of discipleship. How will that take place?
Here are some thoughts:
- Discipleship needs to happen at a personal level. It’s tempting to want to have a discipleship class with 20 people and think that we’re accomplishing our goal. I don’t think it works that way. The class can be a good idea, but it has to be accompanied by personal, one-on-one discussions.
- The focus should be on Jesus and becoming like Jesus. I’ve appreciated that from the feedback I’ve gotten. Everyone seems to be talking about how to present Jesus and His teachings to new disciples.
- Much of what we traditionally consider “doctrine” should take a back seat. When talking about how Christians can handle differences in the church, I suggest we look at our differences as falling in four categories:
- Preferences: Much of this has to do with worship style. Examples: What kind of songs will we sing, how expressive can we be with our gestures, what version of the Bible should we read from.
- Biblical interpretation: These are points where we are making judgment decisions about what the Bible teaches, concepts where there is much diversity within the body of Christ. Examples: The duration of the days in Genesis 1, the meaning of the millennium in Revelation 20, the explanation of “the perfect” in 1 Corinthians 13.
- Personal convictions: Here we’re talking about decisions Christians make regarding personal conduct based on what they see in the Bible. Examples: Drinking alcohol, participating in politics, tobacco use, tattoos and piercings.
- Principles of faith: These are core teachings which define our faith. Examples: The existence of God, the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection, the second coming.
- When teaching a new Christian, we should focus on principles of faith, while teaching the principle of freedom in Christ regarding the other areas. (I do believe that respect for church leaders needs to be taught early, as well as respect for the culture of a congregation. Early on, a new believer should give much weight to those two things.)
- We should concentrate on preparing a disciple to grow through personal disciplines. They need to learn to study the Bible, to pray, to minister in a local body. Rather than spoon-feeding them information, we need to help them learn how to have a relationship with God, how to grow spiritually, and how to serve (The upward-inward-outward dimensions of our faith).
OK, I’ll pause, take a breath, and get your feedback. Thanks for the comments, questions, suggestions, and pushback… all of it helps me shape my thoughts.
The new disciple is learning a whole new way of life, with new values. Too often, we assume the person will absorb those values by osmosis from sitting in the pews/chairs listening to sermons. Au contraire, mon frere…discipleship, as Tim said, is about acculturation. It’s important for the new disciple to learn how disciples should live by being with other disciples. That means sharing meals with them, going to movies with them, letting them get to know your families and, most importantly, learning their culture. Every new Christian has something fresh to add to the Body. Instead of making them conform on everything, we need to encourage them to express who they are within the context of following Jesus. And we need to be open to learning from them.
Above all, be patient. Remember how we treat babies: we don’t bust on them for not being grown ups. Instead, we bask in their wonder as they discover the world anew and guide them gently as they learn to navigate a new existence. I wonder if the same kind of joy can’t also be found in watching the babe in Christ discover for the first time all those things we’ve become too jaded even to notice.
I am convinced that we have ignored the plain teaching that was delivered to the 1st – 3rd century followers of Christ. Yes, there are messages written for our understanding but they have been modified by the leaders and organisations that were created after the 3rd century. The real message is still in them but are clouded by guidelines to the point very few will encounter the truth. I guess I need to back up a little here and review again, because of Jesus’s message recorded by John to the Seven Churches. This was only approximately 60 years after the establishment of the church. Notice how well the leaders and Elders had continued the teachings of Christ and his Apostles. Yet, who did Jesus hold responsible for their conditions? Was it those leaders and Elders? No! IT was all the members of those churches. Jesus does not save churches he saves individuals. No complete church (congregation or assembly) will be will be saved. If that were true the physical church or congregation would be the savior, in it you are saved out of it you would be lost. Even with that said, the spiritual body of Christ which God adds those being saved to will all be saved. There may be many attending churches in this world who believe that they are in that spiritual body but did not receive that blessing. Can you see a different concept being taught than what was received by those in the first through third century?
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Found it in the public domain