Disciple-shift

Since the beginning of this year you had been hearing numerous presentations, reading blogs on discipleship.  Is there a noticeable shift towards discipleship as a culture taking place in your life and the life of our congregation?  We are all called to be followers and disciples of Jesus and to go make disciples.  Are you being disciple?  Are you in a growing relationship with other disciples?

Whenever branch grows over a boundary it gets trimmed closer to the root.  Asa movement we had been moving in all kinds of directions for 175 years, and we need to be reminded of our roots in Jesus, of our radical Biblical practices.  This past week pastors discussed the disciple-shift in our province, and it appears that more explanation is needed for the local leaders, many do not see the need to change how we did church for the past few decades.  Indeed, the theology must be in place before practice will change.  The church had introduced the new Doctrine on Discipleship – No.11, called “Growing in Christ” in 2005.  The last General Conference in San Antonio emphasized the need for discipleship by adding a line to the Church Board job description – to develop Discipleship Plan before Evangelism and members nurture. What does hold us from it?

Perhaps, instead of teaching we must model discipleship.  Discipleship is not what happens in Sabbath School, or at a Board meeting. It is sharing life together in Christ.  We are disciples of Jesus and Jesus told us to make others His disciples.  This is simple theology of discipleship.  Disciples making disciples!  There is no other alternative Christianity.  Anything that is not discipleship is fraud, human invention.  Disciple0making is one and only Method of Jesus.  Apostle Paul would paraphrase this in his “one another” formula – serve one another, love one another, care for one another.

One thing I must communicate – discipleship in our church is not a fad, it is not something we will try for a year or two.  Discipleship is shifting our culture back to the roots of Christian Way as Jesus introduced it.  Discipleship is here to stay in our church as our movement is maturing from pursuing recognition of the world as a legitimate church, to becoming a Remnant movement of Definitely Devoted Disciples of Jesus. And it starts with personal choice to have a spiritual mentor, spiritual father/mother.  Even if you are in age and not a child, there is someone who may come along and disciple you to grow.  And the next step is to practice discipleship in our families.  Our children are our first disciples.   Then our circle of friends – being together disciples of Jesus.  Welcome to the church of Disciples!