Like a fire

Discipleship Undeveloped

Disipleship is a word that is heard so often in churches. It has become such a loaded word through overuse that I sometimes wonder if it has any meaning at all anymore. To some people it means Bible reading, to some small groups, and still others will tell you it is about a relationship. While all of these answer aren’t exactly wrong, they just don’t really live up to my imagination of what it means to disciple someone the way I believe Jesus did a couple of millenia ago.

I recently read an article that I thought was going to be a support of some ideas I have been developing about process ministry and discipleship. What a let down. It didn’t really go into anything about what I was thinking and while it did describe some aspects of discipleship, it didn’t really move the idea ahead. Those who it did open eyes for I can only think that they are truly blind to what disicipleship is.

So what is developed discipleship, if all this is not? Well it certainly is a group, but doesn’t have to be. It certainly involves the truth of the Bible, but it doesn’t have to be Bible study. It certainly involves relationships, though it isn’t limited to them. How many relationships have no impact on the people involved in them? Too many, especially when not combined with the other aspects of discipleship. So here is my new list of good to better discipleship that I am developing.

6 Comments

1. 

   I liiiike it. ESPECIALLY strong empathy as opposed to strong accountability. I wonder, though, about "revolutionary leaps"...they may be revolutionary, but sometimes they're invisible. At least in our world they are. Sometimes they're in the wrong direction. (I'm thinking Peter denying Christ here) At that point, it didn't seem like Christ's discipleship of Peter "stuck". Yet, in God's eyes, for God's reasons, that was a necessary step in Peter's spiritual development. Other than that, I'd say you're on to something.

   Catbird / 10 Apr 2006 / 10:04 AM

2. 

   couple of other things to throw on your list...don't know the opposite for them. emphasis on BEING accountable aka vulnerable, as opposed to KEEPING someone accountable. it's not that 'process' is anti-accountability. It's just recognizing the truth that no-one can really keep anyone else accountable. it's about how many of the masks are you going to take off. belonging happens before believing and way before behaving.... disciplship is culture savvy, not culture avoiding.

   Grant / 10 Apr 2006 / 10:42 AM

3. 

   Good thoughts Grant. I'll make sure to process them and put them in the book. You get credit.

   Paul / 10 Apr 2006 / 7:49 PM

4. 

   I love the messy part. John Piper was talking about spiritual gifts and said to just go love people. Sometimes you will succeed and sometimes you will fail and things will get messy, but just go love people. I know discipleship is more than love - but, I think, not much more.

   PaulF / 11 Apr 2006 / 10:36 AM

5. 

   Back to the "fun" thing. I think the word is "enjoyable." Enjoyment isn't necessarily dependent on whether or not something is FUN; i.e. I ENJOY teaching Sunday School even when it's not fun. I ENJOY deep soul-searching conversations with friends, (some) family, and coworkers in ministry. But it's rarely FUN.

   Catbird / 14 Apr 2006 / 12:10 AM

6. [...] Paul’s been writing about similiar stuff this past week on his blog. If we “professionals” could infuse that kind of DNA in ‘our’ ministries (instead of the star mentality), it’d change everything, don’t you think? [...]

   the G sides » Leader or Manager? / 14 Apr 2006 / 11:50 AM