The life of one pursuing Christ is a communal adventure of Pursuit and Prevention.
Yes we pursue alone in the quiet spaces of our lives, but we're designed to pursue together. Just as the whole body can run a race more effectively than a single thumb can, disciples will pursue Christ and prevent entrapment together more effectively and joyfully as the Church than we ever will as lone rangers.
In his first letter to Timothy in 6:3-16 we're challenged with a framework of pursue and prevent for the ongoing rhythm of discerning truth from falsehood in our discipleship to Christ. Within the context of the IN rhythm of our lives we're gifted with the ability to discern what is best and we do so in order to glorify God in deeper and greater ways.
Pursue /
...pursue righteousness...and fight the good fight of faith.
Jesus called His disciples to Love God and to Love others. Loving God requires pursuing Him and Loving others requires sharing our pursuit of Him.
As disciples we demonstrate our faith in spirit and truth when we first pursue Christ. This pursuit of Christ is the foundation of prevention and reveals itself in the Triangle Rhythm of UP / IN / OUT in our daily lives. According to Paul we seek to adorn:
godliness: taking on the character of the Father as sons and daughters
faith: a palpable experiential belief in the Son of God
love: the core attribute of God from which every other flows
endurance: obedient perseverance in our salvation
gentleness: the grace and humility of God on display in our mindset
Clothing every ounce of our being in these Gospel attributes is a demonstration of our pursuit of the One. And it's this pursuit in taking hold of the eternal life that we've confessed as believers and disciples that fosters the very Armor of the Spirit that both protects us from the attacks of the evil one & prevents our chasing after his enticements.
Prevent /
We sin. It's true. But you man of God, flee from all this.
There is a difference in living a lifestyle of sin away from the gracious forgiveness of Christ AND the lifestyle of a disciple pursuing Christlikeness who yet sins.
A lifestyle where evil has ensnared your actions, your hearts desire, the thoughts and reflections of your mind is a life that has 'wandered from the faith' and is subsequently 'pierced with many griefs.'
This is the temptation trap every disciple is commanded and so encouraged to prevent and to help our brothers and sisters prevent. Paul's challenge to Timothy was recognize and then to snuff out these evil desires.
And the church today is in just that same position to Pursue Christ and so Prevent entrapment in false teachings, cultural pleasures and social and civil movements that burn against the heart of the Father for His people
Our culture is so eager to diverge from any expression of Biblical Truth that to allow these worldly values to shape the rhythm and movement of the Kingdom here and now is to press into the very corruption that pursuing God prevents.
The intimate space of 1x1 disciplemaking and the personal space of the huddle are key avenues for modeling, sharing and training believers in this Pursue / Prevent pattern. Spending time daily and weekly with those we're discipling and engaging in direct and honest Kairos Moment conversations in Scripture and life fosters a faith-ownership worthy of the very call and confession of Christ in ways that outpaces the alternative and more common rhythm of the Sunday-service-voyeur.
Living in the IN spaces of daily life: accountability, disciplemaking, huddle, missional community and central gatherings etc. it is absolutely vital that Pursuit of Christ in unity and humility is at the core so that Prevention of those bittersweet evil desires that entice remains divinely effective.
Read 1 Timothy 6 to grasp Paul's call to Pursue and Prevent in greater depth. Read Ephesians 6 for the Armor.
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
3/25/15
Disciplemaking in the Dark Age
What if it all went dark?
What if the internet went down tomorrow or the power went out. What if your favorite accredited or non-accredited online classes, Bible studies, devotions or study resources went the way of the buffalo and you had no ability to stream them?
No leadership podcasts. No MacArthur studies. No Beth Moore. No old Driscoll, Piper or Chan sermons. No blueletterbible. No Flannel videos or small group dvd's. No Logos software.
No Skyping. Facebooking. Tweeting. Blogging (yes, I see the irony). No pushing content snapshots outside of your 1x1 time with your disciple. Real you. Real them. Real time.
Would you be able to make disciples in a technological dark age?
Would you be able walk through the Gospel, that is, unpack Jesus in the breadth of the Scriptures for salvation and sanctification?
Would you be willing to put in the personal-biblical-prep-time to walk alongside another over a long period of time both modeling Christlikeness and inviting your disciples to follow you as you follow Christ?
Would you even be interested in making disciples likened to you, disciples who are trained and equipped by you, disciples who would then go and make their own disciples?
Just you, your Bible, a blank journal or two and a disciple.
What if the internet went down tomorrow or the power went out. What if your favorite accredited or non-accredited online classes, Bible studies, devotions or study resources went the way of the buffalo and you had no ability to stream them?
No leadership podcasts. No MacArthur studies. No Beth Moore. No old Driscoll, Piper or Chan sermons. No blueletterbible. No Flannel videos or small group dvd's. No Logos software.No Skyping. Facebooking. Tweeting. Blogging (yes, I see the irony). No pushing content snapshots outside of your 1x1 time with your disciple. Real you. Real them. Real time.
Would you be able to make disciples in a technological dark age?
Would you be able walk through the Gospel, that is, unpack Jesus in the breadth of the Scriptures for salvation and sanctification?
Would you be willing to put in the personal-biblical-prep-time to walk alongside another over a long period of time both modeling Christlikeness and inviting your disciples to follow you as you follow Christ?
Would you even be interested in making disciples likened to you, disciples who are trained and equipped by you, disciples who would then go and make their own disciples?
Just you, your Bible, a blank journal or two and a disciple.
11/8/13
Discipling a Kindergartner
Now, five years later, I've discovered, created and chosen a few key practices that my wife and I enjoy utilizing as we disciple our children. I make no effectual promises as to the long term fruit of these practices...I mean, he's only five at this point! Here are a few:
- Story/History: We read, tell and invent so many stories that sharing another Bible 'story' allowed for no 'set-apartness' in his little mind. Instead we began sharing the 'history' of Gods works, people and movements. We note our past, our ancient family lineage, the histories associated with the Creator through Christ.
- The Bible Says: I've nothing against this phrase in and of itself. The Word is living and active, it breathes Truth, fosters wisdom and develops healthy discernment. While my children will begin to understand the value and worth of Scripture over time, I much prefer to say 'Jesus said,' 'Paul said in his letter,' 'the Prophets taught,' - the Bible says a lot of things, but to my kids it's another book on the shelf. I'd much rather him envision God proclaiming these truths and not simply another book on his shelf.
- Modern Parables: As Jesus promised in Johns Gospel we know that the Spirit will offer remembrance and understanding as it comes to Him and His life and teachings. That said, as it pertains to Jesus' method I like to point out aspects of nature, social interaction, household work-projects etc. as elements for modern parables to teach Truth. Sure we're always reading and discussing Scripture - yet making it personal in the moment regularly provides immediate context for crazy questions and revelations.
What do you do that fosters a healthy discipling of your kids? How are you creating an environment that fosters a regular interest in the Gods work through time and space?
Of course my kids are young. They will rebel, stumble, turn away, grow, mature and hear and know the truth of Christ. That said, while I proclaim no magic pill in discipling my kids, success is not going to be in the distant outcome but is current through the intentionality of walking Deuteronomy 6:4-9'style with my chillin's.
Enjoy the road. Share your practices, techniques, tools and joys with one another, it's a long, tumultuous and ultimately joyful parenting journey.
8/25/12
Students of Students of Teacher
Always students.
'Go and make disciples.' Now this is imperative. This is no special call to a handful of believers but is a mandate of the Messiah to the entire Church.
There's a word most of us despise in our culture, an idea really, and that's obligation or indebtedness to another. That Christ would not simply say something is good, or great, or even the best choice for a Christian...but an obligation! is crazy talk.
Paul notes the obligation we have in living according to the Spirit those who are in Christ. He doesn't simply say that it would be best if we stop living according to our worldly desires, lusts and Americanized dreams...he says that only true heirs of God will cease this faulty mindset and lean into the fullest picture of life that exists, one of faith and hope and love and all from Christ.
In fact Paul goes on to say to believers, mind you, that death occurs if the professing Christian continues to live according to the flesh! What he's saying is simply that without a renewed mind that leads to a renewed lifestyle...the professing believer most likely isn't actually a follower of Christ! Christ = Life. Flesh = death.
Back to the discipling mandate. Go - Baptize - Teach. These three elements are rooted in the making of disciples.
'Teaching' is really a way saying that those who teach will have students whom they are pouring into. To pour into someone is more than simply inputting knowledge, but is sharing the experiential wisdom of knowing Christ and being Christlike.
This is a personal process. It's organically centered around authentic relationships. It's slow and messy and fruitful and exciting. It's passing on the life of faith, through Scripture, one day at a time.
Now the 'go' part isn't a call to find your place in a foreign country, at least not always. For most it's finding your place in your current world structure. Your daily rhythm. Go into your context and make things new. If sent, go elsewhere too.
'Baptize' of course is that beautiful element the Church has been commissioned to display the renewal externally of life internally.
Making disciples is not a strategic method or form of church and community coming back around for another go of it. It's THE call. 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth,' and what does Christ do with that eternal authority and power...He tells us to make disciples. It's a slow. Messy. Gritty. Personal. Painful. Joy-filled. Community building. Gift releasing. Faith inducing and producing...call.
Now of course what discipleship looks like is more defined in how Jesus did it, how Paul relates to his own disciples and so on...which may not be mandated but should and does give us a good taste of what Jesus meant when He spoke of discipleship.
And by the way, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'
We are always students of Christ. For each us this tangibly looks like being a disciple of a more mature believer for a season. For all of us this looks like being a discipler at some point. Regardless we're always students of Word.
Read Matthew 28:18-20 - Romans 8 is a great call to the Spiritual life as well. The book of Acts will solidify the tension between obligation, call and renewed passion. And read Robert Colemans 'The Master Plan of Discipleship'
'Go and make disciples.' Now this is imperative. This is no special call to a handful of believers but is a mandate of the Messiah to the entire Church.
There's a word most of us despise in our culture, an idea really, and that's obligation or indebtedness to another. That Christ would not simply say something is good, or great, or even the best choice for a Christian...but an obligation! is crazy talk.Paul notes the obligation we have in living according to the Spirit those who are in Christ. He doesn't simply say that it would be best if we stop living according to our worldly desires, lusts and Americanized dreams...he says that only true heirs of God will cease this faulty mindset and lean into the fullest picture of life that exists, one of faith and hope and love and all from Christ.
In fact Paul goes on to say to believers, mind you, that death occurs if the professing Christian continues to live according to the flesh! What he's saying is simply that without a renewed mind that leads to a renewed lifestyle...the professing believer most likely isn't actually a follower of Christ! Christ = Life. Flesh = death.
Back to the discipling mandate. Go - Baptize - Teach. These three elements are rooted in the making of disciples.
'Teaching' is really a way saying that those who teach will have students whom they are pouring into. To pour into someone is more than simply inputting knowledge, but is sharing the experiential wisdom of knowing Christ and being Christlike.
This is a personal process. It's organically centered around authentic relationships. It's slow and messy and fruitful and exciting. It's passing on the life of faith, through Scripture, one day at a time.
Now the 'go' part isn't a call to find your place in a foreign country, at least not always. For most it's finding your place in your current world structure. Your daily rhythm. Go into your context and make things new. If sent, go elsewhere too.
'Baptize' of course is that beautiful element the Church has been commissioned to display the renewal externally of life internally.
Making disciples is not a strategic method or form of church and community coming back around for another go of it. It's THE call. 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth,' and what does Christ do with that eternal authority and power...He tells us to make disciples. It's a slow. Messy. Gritty. Personal. Painful. Joy-filled. Community building. Gift releasing. Faith inducing and producing...call.
Now of course what discipleship looks like is more defined in how Jesus did it, how Paul relates to his own disciples and so on...which may not be mandated but should and does give us a good taste of what Jesus meant when He spoke of discipleship.
And by the way, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'
We are always students of Christ. For each us this tangibly looks like being a disciple of a more mature believer for a season. For all of us this looks like being a discipler at some point. Regardless we're always students of Word.
Read Matthew 28:18-20 - Romans 8 is a great call to the Spiritual life as well. The book of Acts will solidify the tension between obligation, call and renewed passion. And read Robert Colemans 'The Master Plan of Discipleship'
6/10/12
Weirdly Normal...
Graffiti art at one time was simply vandalism. Then it became artistic vandalism. Then it turned into a form of artistic expression, only some of which was purely vandalism. Now it's a full blown artform where money is made and graffiti is commissioned worldwide...and in some cases still vandalism.
Most things that seem weird to us at first are simply another persons normal. Normal doesn't make something right and quite honestly some peoples definition of normal is pretty stinkin' weird. Weird doesn't make something wrong though it does warrant healthy questioning.
Jesus was weird.
Even today, the average church leader if witnessing it first hand here and now, would disagree with his methodology (blanket statement not supported with factual evidence). We would wonder at his miraculous works, question his passion and doubt his teachings. Even as we hold his Word in our hands and hearts I doubt we would legitimize his ministry.
However, my desire isn't tear down the modern church, I'm a part of it and wouldn't consider abandoning his bride. My desire is to see the same ethos of Jesus' ministry play out in our own. The same mindset he had while on earth carry us through our days. The same philosophy of ministry shape our own. The same practical elements he displayed in building the church be lived out here and now.
His Personal Style:
He personally stayed close to at least 3 men whom he trained and shared life with, almost all of life for several years. Close enough that at least one was willing to speak up against the Lord...only to be put back in his place!
He built a solid team of 12 with whom he trained and sent. These he spent only a little less time than the 3 above.
He interacted regularly with at least 70-120 other followers he would call disciples. And he taught regularly to crowds in the hundreds and thousands.
He even spent massive amounts of time during his public ministry healing, eating with and talking with the masses between Caphernaum and Jerusalem.
To Jesus this was normal ministry. To others only some of this was normal for a Rabbi. For others yet this was blasphemous living.
His New Normal:
As the rock-star of his day - the miraculous healer, fantastic teacher, homegrown prophet and 'possible' messiah - Jesus did not pull away from the crowds outside of his teaching to create space. He spent more time with them.
Jesus didn't spend all his time alone with his 3 closest friends/disciples. He spent much time with them and balanced it with the masses.
Jesus managed to raise up leaders, lead a small group of men passionately willing to follow him anywhere, and regularly share his life with the world around him...all the while mapping out and equipping his disciples for the greatest missional movement ever set in motion in the history of mankind.
And he even managed to spend quality time with the Father amid his sacrificial mission.
His weirdness created a new normal.
He was obedient to his authority. He was humble in action. He was confident in theology and mission. He was gracious in confusion. He was direct in opposition. He was firm in condemnation. He was solid in clarification. He was passionate about reconciliation. He was committed to salvation.
Can we as leaders of the church: pastors, evangelists, teachers, prophets, preachers, apostles, administrators...disciples - both lay and vocational - can we really create a better system for unfolding the kingdom here and now? While Jesus never said, 'only do church the way I have done it' - out of all the models he could have implemented during his short time with his people he chose intimate, life-sharing discipleship with a few and large community teachings with the many...and intertwined the two beautifully under his watchful eye.
Let's disciple a few for a season of time. Then repeat.
Let's enter into smaller Christian communities and do life together.
Let's meet the masses, meet their needs and be and share the word.
Let's gather and worship with great teaching regularly.
I'm not sure the church is truly using Jesus' life and ministry as the model for how we do life and ministry today. We've got some things down. Others, maybe the more important things, not so much. Let's rethink the weird and the normal in life, ministry and Scripture...and keep transforming until our disciples look like Jesus'.
Most things that seem weird to us at first are simply another persons normal. Normal doesn't make something right and quite honestly some peoples definition of normal is pretty stinkin' weird. Weird doesn't make something wrong though it does warrant healthy questioning.Jesus was weird.
Even today, the average church leader if witnessing it first hand here and now, would disagree with his methodology (blanket statement not supported with factual evidence). We would wonder at his miraculous works, question his passion and doubt his teachings. Even as we hold his Word in our hands and hearts I doubt we would legitimize his ministry.
However, my desire isn't tear down the modern church, I'm a part of it and wouldn't consider abandoning his bride. My desire is to see the same ethos of Jesus' ministry play out in our own. The same mindset he had while on earth carry us through our days. The same philosophy of ministry shape our own. The same practical elements he displayed in building the church be lived out here and now.
His Personal Style:
He personally stayed close to at least 3 men whom he trained and shared life with, almost all of life for several years. Close enough that at least one was willing to speak up against the Lord...only to be put back in his place!
He built a solid team of 12 with whom he trained and sent. These he spent only a little less time than the 3 above.
He interacted regularly with at least 70-120 other followers he would call disciples. And he taught regularly to crowds in the hundreds and thousands.
He even spent massive amounts of time during his public ministry healing, eating with and talking with the masses between Caphernaum and Jerusalem.
To Jesus this was normal ministry. To others only some of this was normal for a Rabbi. For others yet this was blasphemous living.
His New Normal:
As the rock-star of his day - the miraculous healer, fantastic teacher, homegrown prophet and 'possible' messiah - Jesus did not pull away from the crowds outside of his teaching to create space. He spent more time with them.
Jesus didn't spend all his time alone with his 3 closest friends/disciples. He spent much time with them and balanced it with the masses.
Jesus managed to raise up leaders, lead a small group of men passionately willing to follow him anywhere, and regularly share his life with the world around him...all the while mapping out and equipping his disciples for the greatest missional movement ever set in motion in the history of mankind.
And he even managed to spend quality time with the Father amid his sacrificial mission.
His weirdness created a new normal.
He was obedient to his authority. He was humble in action. He was confident in theology and mission. He was gracious in confusion. He was direct in opposition. He was firm in condemnation. He was solid in clarification. He was passionate about reconciliation. He was committed to salvation.
Can we as leaders of the church: pastors, evangelists, teachers, prophets, preachers, apostles, administrators...disciples - both lay and vocational - can we really create a better system for unfolding the kingdom here and now? While Jesus never said, 'only do church the way I have done it' - out of all the models he could have implemented during his short time with his people he chose intimate, life-sharing discipleship with a few and large community teachings with the many...and intertwined the two beautifully under his watchful eye.
Let's disciple a few for a season of time. Then repeat.
Let's enter into smaller Christian communities and do life together.
Let's meet the masses, meet their needs and be and share the word.
Let's gather and worship with great teaching regularly.
I'm not sure the church is truly using Jesus' life and ministry as the model for how we do life and ministry today. We've got some things down. Others, maybe the more important things, not so much. Let's rethink the weird and the normal in life, ministry and Scripture...and keep transforming until our disciples look like Jesus'.
2/25/12
To be or Not to be...a disciple
Typically a Rabbi would wait. He would wait for students to prove themselves in knowledge and passion for God. To rise above their fellow students and eventually seek out the Rabbi with a desire to follow.
To become talmid - a student - a disciple.
What if they were only sort-of like Him? What if they only gave up most of their desires and plans and dreams? What if they held onto their business plans, family comforts, familiar culture? What if they continued to worship God as they understood Him?
But none of those were options were they? 'If I want him to ______, what is that to you? You follow me,' said Jesus to Peter in one of the most personal interactions with Jesus in Scripture.
Follow Me. Don't worry about how others claim to 'follow' me. Don't hold onto your own limited dreams and plans. Don't attempt to worship the 'god' you knew before Me. Be like Me.
Are you and I actual disciples? It's easy to gauge isn't it - is your one goal in life to be like Jesus in your current context or not? Is your hearts desire to worship Him alone and be holy as He is holy, or not? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? If so then you're a disciple and that changes everything about your life.
If not...
To become talmid - a student - a disciple.
Their goal was not to be greater than the Rabbi but to be like him. Sound familiar.
Yet Jesus worked in reverse. As a Rabbi He didn't wait - He went. At the right time and in the right place He sought out His first talmidim. He found a handful of fishermen, those living in a tiny village, and called them to be like Him.
What if they were only sort-of like Him? What if they only gave up most of their desires and plans and dreams? What if they held onto their business plans, family comforts, familiar culture? What if they continued to worship God as they understood Him?
But none of those were options were they? 'If I want him to ______, what is that to you? You follow me,' said Jesus to Peter in one of the most personal interactions with Jesus in Scripture.
Follow Me. Don't worry about how others claim to 'follow' me. Don't hold onto your own limited dreams and plans. Don't attempt to worship the 'god' you knew before Me. Be like Me.
Are you and I actual disciples? It's easy to gauge isn't it - is your one goal in life to be like Jesus in your current context or not? Is your hearts desire to worship Him alone and be holy as He is holy, or not? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? If so then you're a disciple and that changes everything about your life.
If not...
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