How Do We Live Discipleship?

Matthew 16:24-26

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

In talking about discipleship and defining it we are left with several major questions: How do we do discipleship? Can we do discipleship? Where do we go from here? How can we implement effective discipleship in our churches on a broad scale? We may have one or two examples of effective discipleship in our churches, but how can we make discipleship infiltrate all we do? How can we make discipleship omnipresent? What's the next step in making everyone disciples, who in turn disciple others? If discipleship is not a program, and I believe that it is not, then what is it and how do we do it the way Jesus intended it and how the scriptures depict it? It would be cliché of me to say that discipleship is a way of life, and I am tempted not to say this, but I will anyway, because I think that this is true. Discipleship is a way of life. There, I said it. So, “How do we live discipleship?” this is a better question.

If we are going to be disciples of Jesus who are making other disciples, as we have been commissioned by Jesus to do, then we must live out discipleship in all areas of our lives. One of the issues that surround us not having an understanding of discipleship, and not having a very good working definition of it, is the fact that we have a fragmented view of what discipleship is. Our definition of discipleship has steered away from the Biblical picture of discipleship. We have, in a sense, compartmentalized discipleship to programs and classes and have divorced discipleship from the practical everyday living out of our faith in our lives, in our relationships, in our vocations, and in the world. I am convinced that this is connected to our lack of Biblical knowledge and understanding of discipleship, and our lack of a consistent Biblical world view. For many, this has also spilled out into how we live out our faith every day. This compartmentalization of belief affects all of our life and faith, not just the expression of discipleship, as we chose to live out our beliefs, or not depending on the mood or circumstance.

If this is true, then the answer to the question, “How do we live discipleship?” is to become disciples who are making disciples. We must integrate our faith in all that we do. In doing this we must get back to a biblical understanding of discipleship and to an integrated Biblical world view. We can no longer compartmentalize or segregate our beliefs and faith in Christ from our everyday living. We have to move away from a fragmented faith toward an integrated and holistic living out of our relationship to Jesus. We must follow Jesus in all we do and invite others to follow as we live our lives for Him.

Jesus’ first petition to His “would be” followers was, “follow me.” Before He asked them to make disciples, Jesus asked them to become disciples, or learners of Him. Jesus spent time developing His followers before they were able to go out and teach and make disciples of others. We must be Disciples of Christ before we make disciples. This is what we will begin to explore next in the following sections.

Relationships are foundational to Biblical discipleship

In scripture, discipleship never occurs outside of relationships. Discipleship is life on life. We cannot do discipleship on our own. Discipleship is not a set of rules to follow or some sort of self help philosophy. Jesus never instructed anyone to try harder to do discipleship, He said, “Come and follow me.” Life on life, this is how discipleship happens, and it begins with our lives entering into Jesus’ life for us.

In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus went about the towns and the villages and “He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. ‘What a huge harvest!’ he said to his disciples. ‘How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”’

Jesus went where people were and met their needs. Jesus related to these people and prayed that more laborers would be sent out to be among the people to be with them and to meet their needs. Jesus was praying that people would meet people and would help them with their life concerns. Jesus did not merely teach people, he provided for concrete need in the context of relationships. These concerns were never dissected or divided from faith and everyday life; they were seen as a whole.

Jesus has compassion as He looks at people. Jesus sees people for who they are and He sees them in the context of their needs. Jesus addresses their hurting lives. Jesus recognizes that they we are wandering lost and desires that they be guided. His heart brakes for people. Jesus is engaged; He has compassion and empathy. Jesus asked His disciples, us, to have “harvest hands.” In other words, Jesus asked His disciples to get ready to “get their hands dirty,” His desire was that they get connected and get involved. He was showing them what to do. Jesus was showing his disciples how to live their faith. He was showing them how to live discipleship.

Earlier on in Chapter 9, verses 1-34, we see Jesus healing people He came into contact with. Jesus set up this lesson from the above scriptures by modeling the lesson for his disciples. Jesus healed a paralytic and forgave his sins. Jesus called Matthew the tax collector to be His disciple and then had dinner with him and a bunch of other sinners. Jesus raised from the dead a local official’s daughter. He went to the man’s home to do this. Jesus connected with and healed a woman who had an issue of bleeding for twelve years, when no one else would give her the time of day. Jesus also healed two blind men by touching their eyes, after He had invited them into the home where He was staying. Afterwards, Jesus healed a man who had lost his speech because of evil spirits. This was the context of Jesus telling His disciples to pray for “harvest hands.” This is the picture of discipleship we should have. Jesus met people where they were and addressed their concrete needs right where they were. Jesus taught them, but He also helped them and lived amongst them, and engaged them in their lives.

Discipleship is relational; are we developing relationships for biblical discipleship?

We must develop transformational and intentional relationships as Christ did

Mark 2:13-14

“Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.”

When Jesus set out teaching by the sea, there were multitudes that were crowding around to hear Him speak and teach. As He passes by, he saw Levi, a hated tax collector, sitting by the tax office. Jesus intentionally chose him to be one of His first twelve disciples and invited him to “follow.” Levi responded and followed Jesus. Levi the tax collector was an unexpected choice for a disciple. This man was known for collecting taxes and was not thought too highly of because of this. He was not the most popular and probably required a lot more work and time and investment than someone who “has it all together,” yet Jesus is intentional about choosing Levi. Jesus had a plan for his transformation and saw potential and need in him.

When was the last time we have invited someone to join us in an undertaking? Do we routinely sift through the crowds to intentionally choose someone to teach and to follow us in our lives and work? What kind of person are we looking for? Are we looking for an easy “project,” or are we looking to love, to relate, and to invest in a life for transformation? This is what Jesus did. Jesus was intentional about relationships. Out of these intentional relationships transformation occurs in the life of the follower.

Are we developing transformational and intentional relationships as Christ did?

Jesus’ model of discipleship engages people where they are

Mark 2:15-17

“Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riffraff?”

Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.”

When was the last time you hung out with the riffraff? What kind of example would it be to hang out and share meals with the riffraff, the outcasts, the poor, the slow to learn, or the sinners? Is this not what we are called to do? Are we being hospitable with what God has gifted us with?

You might be thinking, “I thought we were supposed to be making disciples? What’s up with hanging out with sinners?” Are the sinners, ourselves included, not the ones who need Jesus? Scripture tells us that “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23).” We are the sick who need the physician. Jesus met with sinners. He dined with them and showed them hospitality when the crowds were hostile. When was the last time we looked at hanging out with sinners as making disciples? Do we go where people are to meet them where they are? This is what Jesus did in making disciples. Jesus modeled this for us; discipleship is moving out to meet people on their turf and engaging them where they are.

“Jesus meets people where they are, but He does not leave them there.” goes the old saying. Jesus meets people where they are and they are changed having spent time in His presence and under His teaching. In Luke 19:1-10, Jesus spends time with another tax collector Zacchaeus, who was a despised criminal who stole money from the people he was collecting taxes from. Jesus chose to dine at his home and Zacchaeus was radically changed because Jesus spent time with him. When Jesus entered Zacchaeus’ home, salvation entered his home. Because of Jesus, Zacchaeus was transformed and he made right all his wrongs. Zacchaeus had encountered God. Jesus never asked Zacchaeus to change his ways, or give stolen money back to the poor, He just met him where he was. Because of this encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus changed his ways and was transformed. Jesus met Zacchaeus where he was, and because He did, Zacchaeus did not stay where he was. Zacchaeus’ life was transformed.

Bono, from the band U2, said, “If Jesus was on earth today, you would find Him in a gay bar in San Francisco. He would be with people suffering from Aids. These are the new lepers. If you want to find out where Jesus would be hanging out, it’ll always be with lepers.” Simply put, Jesus would go where people are; he would not just wait for them to come to Him.

Are we bringing Jesus to where people are?

If we are to make disciples, we must engage people where they are

Many times we think that people are supposed to come to us. There are many presuppositions with this philosophy, they are: that we have something to offer and people should come to us; that we are not required to do the work; and if we are the ones who will be doing the work teaching, and if we provide the service, then people are supposed to come and receive that service. This is not what Jesus did and it is not what Jesus calls us to do. What Jesus does call us to do is to “go.”

Howard Snyder, in The Problem of Wineskins, says that “The gospel says, “Go,” but our church buildings say, “Stay.” The gospel says, “Seek the lost,” but our churches say, “Let the lost seek the church.” This is a sad reality, if it is true of us, and I fear this is truer than not for many churches. We cannot expect the lost to come to us, at least not always. We are commissioned by Jesus to “go” out into the world and seek those who are lost and lead them to Jesus.

In the great commission, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Jesus’ command is to “Go!” We are to go where people are and to teach them everything that Jesus commanded. This is dynamic and requires movement on our part.

This dynamic movement is what Jesus modeled for us when He called His first disciples. Jesus went to His disciples. Jesus went to their places of work and businesses and connected with them in a way that they would understand what he was asking of them. Jesus used their language in asking them to follow.

Watch how Jesus’ calling of Simon, Andrew, James and John unfolds in Mark 1:16-20:

“Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.

A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.”

Jesus spoke in a language that His followers would understand. As fishermen, they would understand becoming “fishers of men.” Jesus went to these men and asked them to follow Him. God Himself goes where the people are and we are to do the same. God did not expect these men to drop everything and follow Him without an invitation. What makes us think that we will get people to follow us as we follow Jesus without an invitation?

Are we engaging people where they are? Are we engaging them in their language?

Discipleship leads people to where Jesus is

Mark 1:14-15

“Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”

The primary goal of discipleship is to lead people from where they are to where God is. We want to change our own course and believe the message, and we want those who we disciple to change their lives to believe the message. We are to assist in opening their eyes to where God is already at work in them and around them.

The Gospel is the simple good news of Jesus. The message is that God’s kingdom has come to us in Jesus and that there is life in Him. Transformation occurs when we believe in this good news, and when we trust in Jesus, the good news Himself. The change that we make is from living our lives on our terms to living our lives in faith in Jesus. This is the message that “the kingdom of God is indeed at hand.” Discipleship leads people into the kingdom of God and it leads them into living kingdom lives. Discipleship opens people’s eyes so that they can see to follow after Him.

Are the people we are discipling ending up where Jesus is?

People we are discipling will end up where Jesus is if our discipleship is successful

John 8:31-32

“Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”

John 14:6-7

“Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”

As believers, we are following Jesus as His disciples. If we are making disciples, if people are following us, then they will end up where we are headed, which is to be with Jesus. Discipleship’s end is to be where Jesus is. If we know Jesus and obey His word, we are his disciples and we know truth, and that truth sets us free. Jesus is that truth that sets us free. Jesus does what he sees His father doing and we do what we see Jesus doing. If we see Jesus, we see God, because to see Jesus, is to see God. Jesus is showing us Himself; He is showing us God. This is what we are doing. As we see Him and follow Him, the people we are teaching, or discipling, will hopefully see Jesus and follow Him as well, and the cycle repeats itself. Disciples are multiplied.

This is what Jesus prayed for in John 17:3-8:

^“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.”

John goes on to add this in John 17:20-26:

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

This is such a beautiful picture of discipleship that we see from Jesus’ prayer to God the Father. If we are disciples, we must end up where Jesus is; “to be where he is.” If we are making disciples, they must end up with us where Jesus is as well.

Are the people we are discipling ending up where Jesus is?

Discipleship is a way of life

In Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus says to His students, His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a person if they gain the whole world, and lose their own soul?” Our lives are not our own they are His. If we are to have any kind of grip on living, then we must discover our lives in Jesus and in His service. Discipleship is denying self, embracing suffering and following after Jesus.

When we lay our lives down to follow after Him, we discover our true lives and our purpose. When we lose our agenda, we discover Jesus’ agenda. When we let go of our assumptions that we know what is best and most adventurous for ourselves, we discover Jesus’ adventure. This adventure of being Jesus’ students, who teach others about Jesus, is the greatest adventure of a lifetime. This adventure will take us places that we have never been before. We will accomplish things that are not possible on our own, but become possible, because it is Christ that lives and moves within us to accomplish His purposes to make disciples.

Are we living discipleship out as our way of life?

Effective discipleship is integrated naturally in all facets of life

Colossians 3:16-17

“Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

This idea that discipleship is somehow something we tack onto our lives is absurd. We can no more tack onto our lives living for Christ than we can add on breathing or eating to our lives, as an option, or if we feel like it. Where have we gotten this division in living for Christ and just plain ordinary living? I do not know where this has come from. Scripture does not fragment life into categories, neither is discipleship fragmented from the everyday life of the believer. Living in Christ and discipleship should be incorporated into everything that we do. These things are not separate.

Paul addresses this in the scripture above from Colossians 3:16-17. We are to let God’s good news run rampant in our lives. Every action and teaching should be brought under the Lordship of Christ. There should be plenty of room, time, and space in our lives to make disciples. We are to instruct and to teach with good common sense, or practicality. There is no divide for believers in scripture between our lives and the life of Christ. It is all His life and we are called to bring all of life into submission to Jesus. Paul tells us that every detail of our lives should be dedicated to the glory of God; our words, our actions, and whatever we do; everything should be done in the name of Jesus. Our lives should be dedicated to being and making Disciples of Christ, to His honor and glory!

Paul says this again in Romans 12:1, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.”

Our lives are to be lived out as an offering to God. There should never be a time when we are not thinking of Him and worshiping God in our living. This is an integrated life we are talking about here. This is living out Christianity holistically. We are talking about being a disciple, or student of Jesus, in all areas of life. As Samuel Taylor Coleridge puts it, “Christianity is not a theory or speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a life and a living process.”

Is discipleship integrated naturally into all that we do in Jesus’ life for us?

Life change and transformation occurs in discipleship

Romans 12:2

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

We are called to be new creations in Christ Jesus. We are changed as a result of spending time with Jesus, and if we are changed, then the people who we share life with will be transformed as well. This is what we are called to as believers. We are called to lives of transformation, and this takes place in discipleship. Paul warns us in Romans 12:2 not to become well adjusted to our culture that we fit into it without recognizing what is happening. Paul invites us to be changed from the inside out by fixing our attention on Jesus, and eagerly recognizing what He wants from us. Our relationship with Christ will bring about transformation in our lives and will bring us into maturity. Our culture and our world seek to drag us down, but a life founded on God’s truth in scripture and focused on Jesus will bring about transformation in the lives of His disciples.

This transformation that we experience in Christ is to transform the very world in which we live in. Mohandas Gandhi, who was not a believer but an admirer of Jesus, said this about our faith in Christ as described in scripture, “You Christians look after a document, the Bible, containing enough dynamite to blow civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of good literature.” This is a serious indictment of our practice of the Christian faith as outlined in scripture. There is truth here. The scriptures contain the power of God unto salvation and transformation, if we are willing to receive it, trust it, and live it out in our lives by the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.

We cannot live out discipleship in our own power no more than we can be transformed by our own power. Transformation is a byproduct of our salvation in Jesus and the Spirit’s work in us as we are disciples of Jesus. God does the transforming. The first step for us is to seek Jesus; to be His disciples who are transformed in Him. Then we can be disciples who have God’s power to make other disciples. God does this work in us, and through us, and despite of us. Are we being transformed by being disciples of Jesus?

Are our lives and the lives of those we are discipling being transformed in discipleship?

Discipleship is a costly investment and will not always be easy

Luke 14:25-34

“Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple. “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’ “Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce? “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple. “Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing. “Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

True discipleship is not easy and it is not always safe. Our being able to be disciples cost Jesus His life and it will cost us to follow Him as well. We were created to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost. An anonymous quote describes this well, “A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are made for.” We were not made to play the Christian life safe; we were made to set sail into the world following Jesus. Following Christ will cost us time, talent, resources, relationships, and family, and it will include discomfort and suffering at times, but this is what we are called to. We are called to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus.

This following Jesus is not a burden; it is a joy and privilege. We get to be His disciples and we get to make Disciples of Christ. Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did not do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” And I will add, “Go, and be disciples who make disciples of our Lord Jesus.”

Are we willing to invest in discipleship when it is difficult, no matter what the cost?

Seeking to follow Jesus as His disciple, by His Grace, Mercy, and Power,

Robbie

Works Cited

Cole, Neil. Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens. San Francisco, CA. : Jossey-Bass Publishers. © 2005.

The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002.

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Jn 17:3-8

How Discipleship Gets Lost in Inferior Terms and Concepts

Matthew 28:18-20

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ^Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

There is a trend going around the human services field toward mentoring. The culture has also picked up on this concept of mentoring and the church has followed the trend. The moment we identify a group of “at risk” teenagers’ social workers make a plea for mentors. This use of mentoring is a reactive response toward a need to train and/or help a group of people who are at risk or in need. The basic definition of mentor, as described in the Encarta Dictionary, is “somebody, usually older and more experienced, who advises and guides a younger, less experienced person.” This definition is less reactive to a problem and is more proactive toward advising and guiding, before there is an issue. Once upon a time this concept of mentoring was used positively. Sometimes we still use mentoring positively, and when we do, it looks more like apprenticeship, which is also similar to mentoring. This term apprenticeship for many is interchangeable with mentoring. Apprenticeship is a more positive and specific term, however, and refers to “someone being trained by a skilled professional in an art, craft, or trade (Encarta Dictionary).” Apprenticeship seems to address practical and concrete skills, while mentoring seems to address general guidance and advice for the inexperienced.

Now, there is nothing wrong with mentoring or apprenticeship, however, as Christians we are not called or commanded to mentor or apprentice, we have been commissioned to make disciples. “What’s the difference?” might me your question, and it is a good one. The simplest answer is that discipleship encompasses mentoring and apprenticeship and takes it to the next level with whole life transformation and becoming more like Christ. If discipleship is done correctly, it will include mentoring and apprenticeship. True discipleship requires time commitment and deep transforming relationships with practical application and outcomes for all those involved. God’s power and presence dictate and facilitate these outcomes and everyone involved is transformed through Christ’s presence and power. “Jesus is with us, even unto the end of the age.”

I read an article recently that a friend of mine suggested that got me thinking about discipleship and mentoring and what the differences and similarities are. The name of this article is “How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship.” Reading and questioning this article alongside an older and wiser discipler or mentor, or as an apprentice, we discovered many similarities and differences between the two terms. We agreed and disagreed on several points, but came to a joint conclusion that many followers of Jesus have no idea what discipleship actually means, and if we do not know what discipleship means, then we cannot and will not effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ. We must define and understand discipleship. I came to several other unmistakable conclusions after interacting with my friend and this article, and thinking through discipleship; mentoring and discipleship are not the same, discipleship encompasses mentoring and apprenticeship, discipleship has gotten confused with church programming, true Biblical discipleship has been lost, and we must recapture the meaning and practice of true discipleship.

Defining and Understanding Discipleship

Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples” in Matthew 28:18-20. I love how Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message: “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: ‘God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.’” What sticks out in this translation is that in order to make disciples of Christ we must be commissioned by Jesus, we must go out, we must train everyone we meet, we must understand that discipleship is a way of life and train within that context, everyday life and living, we must baptize them, we must instruct them in practice, in other words, discipleship is hands on and applicable, there is skill involved, and finally, we must disciple in the power and presence of Jesus, as Jesus is with us enabling and empowering us.

Peterson interprets the word disciple as training. Simply put, a disciple is a learner. A disciple is someone who receives training “in this way of life.” According to The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, the word disciple is defined this way: “27.16 μαθητής^b, οῦ: (derivative of μανθάνω^a ‘to learn, to be instructed,’ 27.12) a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal—‘disciple, pupil.’ ‘No pupil is greater than his teacher; but every pupil, when he has completed his training, will be like his teacher.’ (Luke 6:40).”

The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament goes on to say that to be a disciple is “to be a follower or a disciple of someone, in the sense of adhering to the teachings or instructions of a leader and in promoting the cause of such a leader—‘to follow, to be a disciple of.’” This idea that we are to follow someone in discipleship has a deeper meaning as the followers of Jesus, His disciples, “at once left their nets and followed him (Mark 1:18).” The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament continues, “In many languages the appropriate equivalent of ‘to follow’ (in the sense of ‘to be a disciple’) is literally ‘to accompany’ or ‘to go along with’ or ‘to be in the group of.” This is a much more active and engaging view of what discipleship is. This requires a depth of relationship and commitment that transcends a Sunday service, a weekly discipleship teaching, or a program on discipleship, or a Bible study. True discipleship does indeed require the skills and aspects of mentorship and apprenticeship, as we cannot have true discipleship apart from depth of relationships and practical application.

We tend to have a fragmented view of discipleship. We have divorced the practical training and application, which includes a depth of committed and intentional relationship, from discipleship and we have been left with just instruction. Jesus did not do this with His disciples. Jesus continually modeled His life for His disciples. Jesus was present with His disciples, His life was the lesson. He taught them and allowed them to do His work as well. Jesus ate with His disciples and spent copious amounts of time with them. Jesus lived with His disciples and walked along side of them as they followed along with Him.

Mentoring and Discipleship Are Not the Same

The article, How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship, makes the point that mentoring is different that discipleship. I agree with this premise. However, the article goes on to describe mentoring as an advanced form of discipleship. This is a false premise and makes assumptions of discipleship that are simply not true. The presupposition is that somehow discipleship is a program that does not include mentoring and apprenticeship, we will talk more about this in the section on how discipleship has gotten confused with church programming. Mentoring is not advanced discipleship. Mentoring and apprenticeship are critical elements to discipleship and discipleship is not complete without these components.

The author of How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship is talking about discipleship when they speak of mentoring and they do not seem to know it. This seems to be a common mistake we make. We speak a lot about concepts such as mentoring and programs as a church, but what we are really grasping at is the need for discipleship. Mentoring and apprenticeship are the p-nut butter and Jelly to the same sandwich of discipleship. Somehow the author is making a divide and discipleship is being fragmented into something that it was never intended to be. We do this as well as a church. How are we getting here? My initial response to "What is happening here?" is that Biblical Ministries Worldwide, the people who put out this article, has a weakened view of discipleship, or they think that discipleship is no longer a term that is doing justice to the magnitude of what discipleship is. In other words, they do not think that discipleship is relevant, so they want to make it relevant and add mentoring to it, as if it were not already there. Instead of reinventing something we assume is incorrect, incomplete, or no longer relevant, in this case discipleship, we should seek to understand and practice the magnitude of what discipleship truly is.

Discipleship Encompasses Mentoring and Apprenticeship

How can someone disciple someone else without practical application in their training through mentoring and apprenticeship? They cannot! Discipleship in its truest and most Biblical form requires practical and hands on application. Discipleship requires life on life interaction and major time and resource commitment. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We have taught discipleship in the church as if it were a lesson. Being a disciple is a way of life. It is caught more than it is taught, as the cliché goes. Mentoring gives the picture of a life touching a life. Somehow discipleship has lost this same image and the church has allowed this to happen. However, discipleship requires life on life interaction and practical application that far exceeds that of mentoring. Discipleship includes mentoring and apprenticeship.

Jesus never fragmented discipleship, apprenticeship, and mentoring. True discipleship is holistic. There wasn’t a single part of someone’s life that Jesus was not interested in bringing under His Lordship. Jesus fed His people; He healed their diseases; He taught them; He connected with their families; He met them where they were and loved them enough not to leave them there. Jesus went to parties and turned water into wine. Jesus dines with sinners and saints alike. Jesus sent out His disciples and commanded them to make disciples. He gave away His life, and work, and ministry to His followers after having spent years with them equipping them, and teaching them, and modeling for them what He desired for them.

Discipleship Has Gotten Confused with Church Programming

Discipleship is not a program! Discipleship is life on life investment. We used to do this thing at the church that I grew up in called “Discipleship Training.” What this was, basically, was a Wednesday night Bible study. Someone would teach and you would come and listen. There was no participation at all. Rarely was there any practical application. Sometimes there was a discussion, but that was about it. I can’t ever remember even knowing what a disciple was back then, let alone a discipleship program. Was I being programmed to be a disciple? Is this what discipleship has come to? No wonder we are looking for something else to call it. We are confused about discipleship. Discipleship in many of our churches has been reduced to something similar to what I am describing, a program, or a class. This is not God’s intention for discipleship. Discipleship should be a life adventure, the greatest life adventure!

One of my fondest memories from my time at this church was when the leadership let me lead and helped me know what to do. There was encouragement, and instruction, and then I was allowed to participate. This never happened at the “discipleship training,” but it happened as adults at that church came along side of me and taught me and helped me do leadership tasks. I was shown what they were teaching me. The formal discipleship program never made me a disciple. People pouring their life and relationship with Christ into me and modeling what it meant to be a Christ Follower; this is what made a disciple out of me.

True Biblical Discipleship Has Been Lost

“So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others (2 Timothy 2:1-2).”

There must be a correlation between the lack of understanding of discipleship and our lack of Biblical knowledge as a church and our lack of understanding scripture and our lack of understanding discipleship. It seems that we are becoming more and more Biblically illiterate and we therefore do not understand the dynamics of what discipleship is. Paul, writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-2, encouraged his “spiritual son” to throw himself into work for Christ and to pass on that which he had heard from Paul. Paul encouraged the church leaders to teach others. The prerequisite for the leaders to teach was that they be competent. What makes a leader competent? I have heard it said “You cannot teach what you do not know.” This is such a true statement. Teaching begins with knowledge. Discipleship also begins with knowledge. A disciple is a learner. A disciple is someone who follows and learns from Jesus and teaches and makes disciples of Jesus. This begins with us and our understanding what it means to be a disciple of Christ ourselves. We cannot accomplish discipleship without first sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from Him. We must understand the word of God before we can follow the Word of God.

Recapturing the Meaning and Practice of True Discipleship

My friend made the point that “We toss around discipleship as if we know what it means.” I tend to agree with him. If this is true, we must define our terms and commit to seek understanding and education as to what discipleship is. We must pursue understanding of what Jesus meant when He said, “Go make disciples.” If it was so important to God Himself that the last command He gave to us was to do this, then it must become equally important for us to study and do.

We must understand the Biblical definition of discipleship as the church, as Christians, and as leadership. We need to fight to recapture the meaning and depth of discipleship. The word disciple is used over 269 times in scripture, the word Christian is only used 2 times in scripture, and the term mentoring, well, mentoring is not used once in scripture. This is an interesting fact and has great significance. I think we like the term mentor because we understand it more in our cultural context, or we think we understand it. If we understood discipleship, however, we wouldn't want to worry ourselves with mentoring, because the term would be found lacking by itself and we would discover that in true discipleship, mentoring is encompassed.

I am not comfortable with the watering down of biblical terms, or in this case, replacing the Biblical term discipleship with one we think is better, mentoring. When we begin to replace discipleship with mentoring, we begin to water down the true biblical meaning of discipleship by assuming that mentoring is a superior term. This leads to inferior concepts. Mentoring leaves out, or has the potential to leave out, biblical truths. Jesus’ command to make disciples included “teaching them to observe everything that I command you.” Mentoring does not necessarily include this facet. However, I do like mentoring, if it is in the context discipleship and teaches the word of God and the life of Christ.

Mentoring on its own has the potential to leave out important components of discipleship like becoming more like Jesus, biblical knowledge, leadership, and preparation for ministry. Discipleship has something to do with mentoring and leadership and more, though some fans of mentoring believe that it does not. The term discipleship is a much richer term, and encompasses apprenticeship, leadership, teaching, mentoring, learning, modeling, instruction, Christ-likeness, knowledge of scripture, obedience to scripture, transformation, an understanding of gender roles, civic duty, and so forth, and I could go on. Mentoring is our societies grasping at a discipleship equivalent. We have a superior term and it is discipleship. We just have to reclaim our term by restoring its meaning back to it. We must be Disciples of Christ who are making Disciples of Christ.

I appreciate the way mentoring is described in general and the way it is described in the beginning of the article How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship. This description, however, is of discipleship. We as a church, corporate, have had the tendency to dumb down discipleship so that it is easier and it takes us off the hook and relinquishes us of our responsibility. If discipleship is simply a class, then I can teach it an hour a week and be done with it. If discipleship is a program, then I can put it on. Real discipleship; however, requires real work; it requires a relationship; it requires a real commitment of time and resources; real discipleship is a way of life; it requires an investment; real discipleship requires us to be real disciples. I think that many of us cower at this responsibility and commitment. I confess that many times I do.

Recapturing the Meaning and Practice of True Discipleship: A Meaningful Reconciliation

There are varying understandings of what discipleship and mentoring means. These terms are being thrown around these days in many circles. There is indeed a distinction between the terms discipling and mentoring. While these two are not the same, a discipleship relationship in it truest form will include mentoring and apprenticeship.

In How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship, there is a two columned chart included that assumes much about both discipleship and mentoring. The chart is under the title A Meaningful Difference. The chart begins with two major fragmented assumptions about discipleship and mentoring that I will address specifically. These two major assumptions are: Assumption one, that discipleship is broader and more basic, or simple, than mentoring. Discipleship is just focused on getting believers grounded in their faith, living a God-honoring life, and being equipped for general ministry. And assumption two, that mentoring is somehow advanced discipleship and that it is focused on preparing faithful, fervent and gifted emerging leaders for mature, capable and fruitful leadership, as if Jesus’ command to make disciples did not include these elements.

I have recreated this chart below adding a third column, which I might entitle A Meaningful Reconciliation: A Clearer Vision of True Discipleship. In this chart I reconcile the above assumptions that are made about discipleship and mentoring with hopefully a clearer and truer view of what discipleship is supposed to be as we find it in scripture and as it is modeled by Jesus.

A Meaningful Reconciliation: A Clearer Vision of True Discipleship

Click here to enlarge the chart below:

Seeking to follow Jesus as His disciple, and to make disciples of Him,

Robbie

Works Cited

http://www.biblicalministries.org/index.html

How Mentoring is Different than Discipleship, http://www.biblicalministries.org/resources/Materials/2003-10%20How%20Mentoring%20is%20Different%20than%20Discipleship.pdf, © 2009

Louw, Johannes P. ; Nida, Eugene Albert: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament : Based on Semantic Domains. electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. New York : United Bible societies, 1996, c1989, S. 1:327

Louw, Johannes P. ; Nida, Eugene Albert: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament : Based on Semantic Domains. electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. New York : United Bible societies, 1996, c1989, S. 1:469

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 28:18-20

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Mt 28:18-20

Petersen, Paul. Out of the Depths of a Thinking Man’s Brain. © 2009

Spotter

“God is my spotter!” is what the cool t-shirt read.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Corinthians 12:9

When I was in middle school, a bunch of friends and I decided we would get physically fit. We got together a sweet set of weights from various places and from one another’s homes and we brought them all over to my garage where we started lifting. There were really no health reasons behind why we wanted to do this, we just wanted to have bigger muscles to “impress the ladies.” When we would lift we would try to see who could lift the most weight, for the greatest amount of repetitions, for the greatest effect. We would really push ourselves to the limit. We desired quick results. Sometimes we would attempt to lift more than we were able. We would get stuck under the unbearable weight and yell, “Spotter, please!” and our spotter, the person standing behind the bench press, would grab the barbell and lift the weight to the bar holder on the bench, rescuing us. Without that spotter, there would be many times that I would have been crushed by the weight that I was unable to bear.

Our walk with Jesus in this world is like this. We need a spotter to help us carry the burdens that would otherwise crush us. We cannot function in our own strength. To the extent that we do function within our own ability, we will accomplish only that which we are able to do, which is not much, and is still by the sheer grace and gift of God.

The Apostle Paul had a weakness that he said was the only thing that gave him bragging rights. Paul had to carry a weight around that he was unable to bear. This weight was a weakness of some sort, a handicap, a sin, or an infirmity of some kind. No one knows what exactly it was that Paul was struggling with “bench pressing,” but whatever it was, he was stuck with it. Paul stated that God’s strength was made perfect in his weaknesses. God was his spotter. Paul was unable to bear this weight on his own, but with God, his weakness was turned to strength, God’s strength.

Paul spoke about his weakness, and God being his spotter, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.^ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Our desire, much like Paul’s, is to impress ourselves, and others, with our own strength and self sufficiency. Most of us desire and attempt self reliance. Many times we are the ones who are attempting to be strong in our own rights, by our own efforts, and for our own glory. We think if somehow we have it all together and are strong we will be somehow superior. The truth is we have nothing on our own, and the only thing we can brag about is our weaknesses, just as Paul boasted in his weaknesses. It is when we find ourselves outside of our own abilities that our spotter can lift our loads on our behalf. If it is God who is our spotter, then there is nothing we cannot lift. Our weaknesses are the places where God’s strengths can be realized. It is when we are at our wits end that we can realize that we are not God and that we need God. We do not lift the burdens of this life on our own, nor can we, or should we. God’s strength is indeed made perfect in our weaknesses.

“When I am weak, then I am strong!” Spotter, please!

Robbie

Works Cited

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. 2 Co 12:7-10

Don't Do it Yourself

Romans 8:12-14

“So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!”

I did some plumbing once for my Grandfather, who is a Baptist Minister. I had no idea what I was doing. I had a new plumbing book, a blowtorch, and some other random tools and set out to replace an outside faucet. I failed miserably. When Granddad heard me “cussing the pipe” under the house he started laughing at me. I didn't hear him, because of the cavernous echoes of my own obscenities from the lonely crawl space. When I emerged from the underworld of the soul killing doom, covered in mud, and with torched fingertips and a bad attitude, he simply smiled at me and said, "Robert, you can't be a plumber and a Christian at the same time!" So true, if Christianity is about not cussing, moral perfection, or following the law perfectly, then I can’t be a plumber and a Christian at the same time.

We also can't be religious, trying to earn God’s favor by our own works and effort, and be Christians at the same time either. The notion that we can save ourselves or "Do it ourselves," needs to die a quick death. There are some projects that I must call a plumber for, because that skill is beyond me. When it comes to our sin dead life, it is God Himself who we must lean on and call out to. It is God's Spirit that we trust will call us, and save us, and make us new. God will do it. We cannot.

There is nothing for us in a “do-it-yourself spirituality.” We are doomed to failure if we go that route. We must die to ourselves and awaken to God's Spirit beckoning life. God has a plan and a purpose for us. There are places He would have us go and missions that He will equip us to fulfill. We owe the flesh, ourselves, nothing at all.

Giving plumbing and religion a funeral and getting on with new life by God’s grace, power, and strength!

Robbie

Scripture Cited

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Ro 8:12-14

Worth

Matthew 10:29-31

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”


I have been thinking a lot about worth lately. How much are we worth? What is our value? Where do we get our value? Mark Yaconelli says that we are consumers who get our worth through what we have or consume; he says that we “are our appetites,” and that we are imprisoned within our material world (Yaconelli, p. 19). Marcus Borg, in The Heart of Christianity, says that we get our worth based on the “three A’s of our western culture: Appearance, achievement, and affluence (Borg, p. 116)." It seems as if both of these authors are attributing worth to an outside source or reference point. Worth is based on something else, someone else, or something other, as it is compared or contrasted.

There is an old saying that goes like this: “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” This statement says that worth or value, like beauty, “is in the eye of the beholder.” It seems as if we ascribe value to something based on something else and that this value can fluctuate from one situation or person to another. For example, when we total the monetary value of the elements in our bodies and the value of the average person's skin, we arrive at a net worth of about $4.50 (www.coolquiz.com). Now, no one would take $4.50 for their life or give up their lives for $4.50. Value here must be contingent on something else; something outside of ourselves and our lives must give us value and worth. So how much are we worth?

It must be true that we are worth a lot more than we are worth. There is a paradox occurring. I am worth $4.50 and I am priceless. . . Our worth has been determined by our creator. As believers and followers of Christ, God has ascribed to us our value by the price that He paid for our redemption. Redemption is from the Greek word, “ 629 ἀπολύτρωσις [apolutrosis /ap•ol•oo•tro•sis/] a releasing effected by payment of ransom. REDEMPTION: deliverance or a liberation procured by the payment of a ransom (Strong)” We were bough at a price. God paid our debts and literally laid His life down for us. The statement that is made by God here is clear and strong, “You are worth my own life.” God has bought us with Himself. He gave His life for ours while we were in our sins and actively rebelling against God (John 3:16-18, Romans 3:23-27, Romans 5:6-11).

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in us, whom we have from God, and that we are not your own. We were bought at a price; and therefore should glorify God in our bodies and in our spirit, which are God’s. We are worth far more than we are worth. Our value rests on God who is worth far more than we can imagine or conceive.


The U.S. Bureau of Chemistry and Soils has invested a lot of money and many a hard-earned tax dollar in calculating the chemical and mineral composition of the human body, which breaks down as follows: 65% Oxygen, 18% Carbon, 10% Hydrogen, 3% Nitrogen, 1.5% Calcium, 1% Phosphorous, 0.35% Potassium, 0.25% Sulfur, 0.15% Sodium, 0.15% Chlorine, 0.05% Magnesium, 0.0004% Iron, and 0.00004% Iodine. Additionally, it was discovered that our bodies contain trace quantities of fluorine, silicon, manganese, zinc, copper, aluminum, and arsenic. Together, all of the above amounts to less than one dollar (www.coolquiz.com)!

Jesus said this about our worth in Matthew 10: 29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God tracks the hairs on my head! I don’t even do that! I have no idea how much hair is on my head, but God does. God counts them. God tracks the lives of little sparrows, and I am of more value than they are according to Jesus. I am of more valuable to Jesus than I am to myself. Wow!

We are also of more value than other parts of the creation. Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they (Matthew 6:26)?” Jesus also said, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep (Matthew 12:11-12)?” God values us more than animals and religious holy days. My $4.50, my junk, is God’s treasure.

Knowing that we are valuable to God, that it is God who has given us our worth, may we pray as Paul wrote in Colossians 1:12-17:

“Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

We exist because God wants us to exist. Our value is found in God. Our worth has been ascribed to us by our creator, in whom we have our value. When we are found in Him, we will be found priceless as He is and we will find our purpose and meaning in Him.

Finding my worth in Jesus,



Robbie


Works Cited

Borg, Marcus. The Heart of Christianity. Harper San Francisco, 2003, 116.

http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/worth.asp

Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Test of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G629

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 10:29-31

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. 1 Co 6:19-20

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 6:26

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 12:11-12

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Col 1:12-17

Yaconelli, Mark. Downtime: Helping Teenagers Pray. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI. 2008, p. 19.

Salt and Light – Hang Time

Salt and Light – Hang Time

© 2008, American Anglican Council Weekly Update, October 24, 2008, By: Rev. J. Philip Ashey

When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, they were, like sheep with no shepherd. Matthew 9: 36

In the pressured, stressed academic and extra curricular life of the teens of Herndon, Virginia there is one scheduled weekly event which the teens themselves consider mandatory. It happens at the Church of the Epiphany, Wednesdays, 3-5PM where about 20-30 kids come together from public schools, Christian schools, and home schools for “Hang-Time”. What happens there? Nothing, and everything –pizza (of course) and while Christian music plays softly in the background a survey of the room reveals someone asleep on the couch, a chess game, homework, conversations, video game challenges, even a spontaneous jam session on the stage complete with keyboard and sound system. There is a group lounging while they watch a Christian video. Mixing and mingling with the group are young college age leaders who came out of the “Hang-Time” themselves.

Robbie Pruitt, the Youth Leader at Epiphany who began the program bases it also on God’s call for Sabbath rest – rest from the demanding, overscheduled, weary lives these teens live. Robbie points out “Scripture commands us in many different places to rest and Jesus Himself modeled this rest when He withdrew to solitary places to pray away from the crowds (Luke 5:16). The lack of structure makes this a place of respite.

In the last 15 minutes or so, when they come together for scripture and prayer it is in the safety of a circle of trusted friends. Sometimes Robbie shows a short contemporary Christian DVD—“Nooma” from Mars Hill Church, and Revolution are among his favorites. These are short lessons with high impact. Prayers are requested for school work, conflicts with parents, sick friends, and those struggling with broken homes. “Here,” Robbie says,” we are learning to make our lives a living testimony that simply says, “It is not about me, it is about Jesus.” We are taking the control away from ourselves and putting it in God’s hands and because of this we can rest in His strength, and learn from His direction.”

Robbie Pruitt sees this time each week as a way of building long term relationships with the kids. He sees himself as a “visible shepherd”: one whom the “harassed and helpless” can come to for conversation, counsel and prayer. But, he says, the key is consistency: just being there every week, present and available in the name and the power of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs, Robbie sees the focus on establishing a consistent, prayerful presence with the few, not the many, making each teen feel singularly important. He estimates that about forty different teens come when they can. When they can’t they can always visit “Hang Time” on Facebook. The program has also expanded other youth ministries - the kids consider themselves a family and so when a youth retreat happens they often come together.

When asked about Hang-Time it was described by one teen participant as”less in your face - food, games, and videos, extremely spontaneous, extremely fun, and extremely chilled”.

You can find more information about Hang Time and Epiphany’s Youth Ministries at http://www.epiphany-herndon.org/Youth/

“Hang Time” is a wonderful example of how missional churches major on relationships. Why? Because that’s what Jesus did. Jesus spent his entire public ministry focused on a small group of twelve disciples—and much of it on the road “hanging out” with them. In our internet world, where relationships are decentralized and genuine community is diminished, Jesus is calling his church to be a place where we can offer real community, in Christ. Churches are mission outposts that offer genuine, caring, Christ-centered relationships.

As Robbie observed, some youth who cannot and will not attend church show up at Hang Time almost every week. They are on the way to becoming followers of Jesus Christ, because they have discovered genuine Christian community.

We call it the Church.

Have you and your church considered how you might become a missionary outpost that majors on relationships—just like Jesus? Who are the harassed and helpless in your community, your neighborhood, your workplace? May Christ give you his heart, the heart of the Good Shepherd, to hang out with a purpose!

Yours in Christ,


Rev. J. Philip Ashey
Chief Operating Officer
American Anglican Council

Boxes, Bills, and Benevolence

Untitled Photo © 2009, by Jillian Lee

“Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.” The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go. Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” (Mark 10:21-23)

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20).”

“Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.” Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost (Luke 19:8-10).”

“Across the world, 1.3 billion people live on less than $1 a day; 3 billion people live on under $2 a day; 1.3 billion have no access to clean drinking water; 3 billion have no access to sanitation; 2 billion have no access to electrical power (Sweet, p. 104, 105).”

Last week I spent $15.76 at Staples on 10 file boxes to put my files and old school notebooks into. I drove in my car to get these boxes. When I returned to our townhome, I packed the boxes with the lights and the ceiling fan on while listening to Pandora radio on my desktop computer; it was streaming through my high speed cable internet connection. I then stored the boxes in a closet and threw all the trash and unwanted files and notebooks away, to be picked up later by the trash collection company on Tuesday.

One of 1.3 billion could have lived for 16 whole days on just what it cost me to buy those boxes.

My car is worth $8,228. The gas costs $46. a week. Insurance is $656. a year.

Every month our electric bill runs us about $108. and our cable, phone, and internet service costs about $190. We pay roughly $1100. a year in neighborhood association dues which includes our parking, lawn care, and snow and trash removal.

If you only add the numbers that I just mentioned above, someone could live for 10,343.76 days at a $1. a day. This equals to about how long my wife has been alive, around 28.3 years. This is equal to some people’s entire lifetime in the third world, poverty stricken, parts of the world.

I wonder how many people could live for how long on what we spend in a year if we were to calculate an entire year’s budget total. What if we lived more simply or with someone else and actually made some of this living happen?

I spend around $55. just on coffee, sugar, and creamer every month. This does not include any stops to Caribou Coffee or Starbuck’s. That is 55 days of life for someone, every month.

The Bible says nothing about not smoking cigarettes or drinking coffee. However, if you smoked a pack a day for a year for 30 years, it would cost you around $54,750., about an average American living in Northern Virginia’s yearly wage, just above our “poverty level.” That translates to around 150 years of life for people who live at a $1. a day. This is about two to three average lifetimes, maybe more if you are smoking a pack a day or if you live in a third world country.

This is yet another reason why I do not smoke cigarettes. Coffee is my drug of choice.

The Bible does say something to us about loving our neighbor as ourselves: Jesus said, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them (Matthew 22:37-40).”

Jesus also said, “It’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom (Mark 10:24-25).”

One of my favorite verses that I focus on when I worry or want to get all worked up about how I am living and how I can best serve, and follow God, and help those who are in need, is Matthew 6:33, which says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” I am left wondering, “Am I seeking God first? How well do I love God? Do I desire Jesus more than His blessings? Do I love others and myself enough to seek first His kingdom? How can I love my neighbor if I don’t love God or myself; if I love riches over God, or if I don’t love God above His blessings?”

If the poor are blessed and have the kingdom, and we are so “rich,” where might God be leading us?

Seeking His riches, His kingdom, and His blessings amongst the poverty of this world’s riches,



Robbie


Works Cited

Untitled Photo © 2009, by Jillian Lee

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Mk 10:21-23

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Lk 19:8-10

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Mt 22:37-40

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. Mk 10:24-25

Sweet, Leonard I. Summoned to Lead. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 2004.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Lk 6:20

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S. Mt 6:33

Hang Time

“Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, defines hang time as referring to a number of things: Hang time generally refers to how long something stays in the air: In basketball, the length of time a player stays in the air after jumping, either to make a slam dunk, lay-up or jump shot. In American football, hang time is the length of time a punted ball flies through the air.” In the newly popular summer sport of wake boarding hang time is flying through the air after hitting a sweet wave, or jump.

In Rock climbing hang time is referred to as the time that is spent hanging from a hold on a rock face or wall. It is also referred to as resting on ones equipment, the rope, the anchors, the harness and everything in-between to rest and to regain ones composure to finish the hard work of a difficult and challenging climb. It is also popular in the sport of rock climbing to “log some hang time.” This is something that can be purposefully done by initiating a fall in order to test the equipment and to become more comfortable with risking challenging moves in climbing, demonstrating confidence in your belay partner, and pushing your physical and mental limits. Hang time also naturally occurs in rock climbing when a rest is needed or a mistake is made during the climb and the climber accidentally falls. During hang time the belay person, a person holding the other end of the rope and taking up the climbers slack and anchoring the climber, assumes full responsibility for holding the climber in place safely for a rest or safely lowering the climber down for another shot at the climb.

On Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00pm the youth ministry at Church of the Epiphany does what we call Hang Time. At Hang Time, the youth of our church have the opportunity to “log some hang time.” What we mean by this follows more closely with the climbing definition of hang time. The youth of our church are actively being obedient to God in a moment of Sabbath rest and recreation. They are deliberately showing up to Hang Time to have fellowship with one another, to rest, play games, pray together, and to demonstrate trust in God with their week and their lives. By resting and having intentional confidence in God, our belay person, and in our equipment, the fellowship of believers, the reading of the scriptures and prayer, we are bringing honor to God. We are making our lives a living testimony that simply says, “It is not about me, it is about Jesus.” We are taking the control away from ourselves and putting it in His hands, and because of this, we can rest in His strength, learn from His direction, scope out our life’s proverbial climb in Him and with Him, and execute that climb of life beyond our own physical and mental abilities, because of His rest, and His abilities. Jesus never just leaves us hanging He gives us the rest we need; He walks us through, and climbs beside us showing us the way.

Scripture commands us in many different places to rest and Jesus Himself modeled this rest when He withdrew to solitary places to pray away from the crowds (Luke 5:16). Hebrews chapter four verses nine through twelve speaks about this hang time rest; it says, “The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey, or the climb, we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, and not drop out through some sort of disobedience. God means what he says. What he says goes (Hebrews 4:9-12).” So, come “log some hang time” with us at Hang Time on Wednesday’s from 3:00-5:00pm, or log your own Hang Time weekly, and get the well needed rest and direction you need in the middle of your week and follow the direction of our Lord Himself who is a God of hang time, Sabbath Rest.

In His Rest,


Robbie