Tuesday, November 10, 2009

What happened to disciple making?

If anyone is wondering, as I have been, what ever happened to the spiritual formation task of making disciples of Jesus, I think I have the answer. Decades ago we turned from a process to a program and almost destroyed our opportunity to grow disciples. We developed a system that led people to become simply religion consumers rather than committed followers of Jesus. We moved from one study to the next study with no accountability for life development. We measured attendance instead of impact because that was easier. We structured ongoing classes and programs because that was easier to manage, promote, and control. We trained people for church service rather than for community service and now we wonder why the world ignores us.

One pastor has led his congregation to ask of everything they do, "Is this Jesus?" If its not, they stop doing it. My staff and I developed a diagram from the old Serendipity model of small groups, a triagle with each side representing the essential components of disciplemaking - koinonia(including accountability, encouragement, support, affirmation, etc.), mission (what we do out in the world for Christ using our giftedness and passion) and content (what we did in all those programs for decades). I really don't think you have disciplemaking without each of those three equally balanced. If you have a better idea, please let me know.

1 comment:

  1. That is very true. I think though (I hope at least) that churches are starting to pick up on this idea since they are seing a generation of slackers. Many churches seem to be turning back to the idea of developing and equiping believers so that they will truly follow Christ. In doing so they begin to disciple someone else along the way. It's a beautiful picture of the Church when you see it lived out. Hopefully many will begin to see the importance of dicipleship and being discipled. You can always find someone who knows more than you to learn from, and you can always find someone that you know more than to share your knowledge with.

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