just another thought to add to the discipleship discussion...
i've found doug fields' "habits" to be helpful in holistic discipleship:
Hang-time with God
Accountability
Bible Memorization
Involving yourself in the Church
Tithing, Giving, Service for God
Studying Scripture
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
interview on discipleship
responded to a friend for an email interview on the topic of discipleship. thought these thoughts might be helpful.
1. what is a disciple?
easy answer is someone who is growing in their faith to become more like Jesus Christ. a disciple is a follower. i just heard dr. joe stowell, who used to be the president at moody, talking about the obsession in our culture to be developing leaders and there's all these workshops, books and conferences on leadership...but what we really need is to be developing followers of Christ...what he called, "followership". i like that! :)
2. what should a mature disciple look like?
i like what ephesians 4:12-14 talks about, that we are growing in unity and knowledge of the Son of God. a mature disciple has spent time with the One he is trying to emmulate so that he knows who He is, what He has done and what He is doing. and you spend time with Him in His Word!
also look at philippians 2:12 & 13. we are to "work out our salvation". that's the process of progressive sanctification. we are IN THE PROCESS OF GROWING TO BECOME LIKE JESUS! those 2 verses are cool because it says that we are to "work out" while God "works in" us. it's God's work of molding you to become like Christ. that's what romans 8:28 & 29 is all about. God is causing ALL things to work together for our good...and verse 29 says that our good is to "be comformed to the image of His Son".
i heard it said like this:
the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change the Man of God into the Image of God.
3. What process(es) do you have in place for building persons into mature disciples?
let me answer it by going back to the ephesians 4 passage. verses 11 and 12 say that it's the job of the pastors/shepherds to be equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and building up the body into maturity.
our church does that by programming wholistically. we want everyone in our body to be IN PROCESS.
the process for becoming a mature disciple is one who is Worshiping Christ, Walking with Christ and Working for Christ!
we want everyone to worship together on sunday mornings. then we want everyone involved in our flock ministry so that they can experience fellowship and discipleship (growing in the knowledge of the Word and accountability). then we want everyone plugged into some kind of ministry and always reaching out in evangelism. those are our 5 purposes of the church: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism.
now, just because they're coming to one or all of those programs does NOT mean that they truly are worshiping, serving, etc...but that's the programed process we have in place to help FACILITATE discipleship.
but discipleship really happens one on one. life on life.
and we believe we have structured the programs of our church to best facilitate life on life for as many people as we can!
does that make sense?
for me personally, i meet with many of the guys in high school and at wabash. we'll meet to talk about life. and we'll always go to the Word of God to find answers and accountability for how we're supposed to live. really, i'm just meeting them along the road that they're traveling on (to become more like Christ) and i'm helping them along by showing them the truth of the Word and how it applies to their lives specifically. i almost always show them the process that God has designed for learning to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called" (eph. 4:1)...and that process is clearly stated in eph. 4:22-24. you "put off" the old self...be renewed in your mind...and "put on" the new self created to be like God. that's what we call the "put off/put on" principle.
i also am busy teaching the Word in youth group and in student leaders. which is basically the same thing...it's just not one-on-one and specific.
hope that answers the question.
4. what are your joys in discipleship?
i love watching young men fall in love with the Word of God. it's a joy for me to see them develop a hunger for God's Word and a desire to live it out. and i love hearing of young men who desire to serve the Lord for the rest of their lives!
and i like hangin' out at coffee shops! :)
5. what are your frustrations in discipleship?
guys that keep falling and eventually just kind of give up on the process. they miss out on the truth that if they are children of God then they are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (romans 6:11). i hate seeing an initial desire to change...but not a desire to dig into the word and persevere in doing good.
6. what advice would you give me in the area of discipling others?
read galatians 6:1-2. stay accountable yourself (ecclesiastes 4:9-12) and help a sister carry her burdens.
ephesians 4:15 - speak the truth in love.
phil 2:13 - remember that it's God work!
7. what do you think is the best example Jesus gives us in being a disciple?
a couple examples He gave...
1. a child - matthew 18:3,4...child like faith...they simply trust
2. the wise builder - matthew 7:24-27...he listens and obeys
His own example...
He grew (luke 2:52)...and His joy was obeying the Father (john 4:34)...and He gave us the ultimate example of servanthood and obedience (phil 2:3-11)
8. The book we are reading on discipleship says that we as christians are too fast and too programmed. What do you think about that statement in regards to discipleship?
i would tend to agree.
often in our culture we want what i would call "microwave christianity". where i can just pop in the microwave for 30 seconds and have it ready to enjoy. i want to just read God's Word once, have it change me and be done with the process of sanctification.
but growing and working out your salvation is a life long process simply because when Christ saved us from our sins, He saved us from the penalty of sin...and we are free from the power of sin...but until He comes again to take us home to be with Him for eternity, we still live in the presence of sin.
the most common analogy in Scripture for the Christian life is...the walk. it's not a sprint. it's a marathon...and we're called over and over again to walk in love, walk worthy, walk in God, walk in light...etc.
so we need to persevere and just keep walking!
1. what is a disciple?
easy answer is someone who is growing in their faith to become more like Jesus Christ. a disciple is a follower. i just heard dr. joe stowell, who used to be the president at moody, talking about the obsession in our culture to be developing leaders and there's all these workshops, books and conferences on leadership...but what we really need is to be developing followers of Christ...what he called, "followership". i like that! :)
2. what should a mature disciple look like?
i like what ephesians 4:12-14 talks about, that we are growing in unity and knowledge of the Son of God. a mature disciple has spent time with the One he is trying to emmulate so that he knows who He is, what He has done and what He is doing. and you spend time with Him in His Word!
also look at philippians 2:12 & 13. we are to "work out our salvation". that's the process of progressive sanctification. we are IN THE PROCESS OF GROWING TO BECOME LIKE JESUS! those 2 verses are cool because it says that we are to "work out" while God "works in" us. it's God's work of molding you to become like Christ. that's what romans 8:28 & 29 is all about. God is causing ALL things to work together for our good...and verse 29 says that our good is to "be comformed to the image of His Son".
i heard it said like this:
the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change the Man of God into the Image of God.
3. What process(es) do you have in place for building persons into mature disciples?
let me answer it by going back to the ephesians 4 passage. verses 11 and 12 say that it's the job of the pastors/shepherds to be equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and building up the body into maturity.
our church does that by programming wholistically. we want everyone in our body to be IN PROCESS.
the process for becoming a mature disciple is one who is Worshiping Christ, Walking with Christ and Working for Christ!
we want everyone to worship together on sunday mornings. then we want everyone involved in our flock ministry so that they can experience fellowship and discipleship (growing in the knowledge of the Word and accountability). then we want everyone plugged into some kind of ministry and always reaching out in evangelism. those are our 5 purposes of the church: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism.
now, just because they're coming to one or all of those programs does NOT mean that they truly are worshiping, serving, etc...but that's the programed process we have in place to help FACILITATE discipleship.
but discipleship really happens one on one. life on life.
and we believe we have structured the programs of our church to best facilitate life on life for as many people as we can!
does that make sense?
for me personally, i meet with many of the guys in high school and at wabash. we'll meet to talk about life. and we'll always go to the Word of God to find answers and accountability for how we're supposed to live. really, i'm just meeting them along the road that they're traveling on (to become more like Christ) and i'm helping them along by showing them the truth of the Word and how it applies to their lives specifically. i almost always show them the process that God has designed for learning to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called" (eph. 4:1)...and that process is clearly stated in eph. 4:22-24. you "put off" the old self...be renewed in your mind...and "put on" the new self created to be like God. that's what we call the "put off/put on" principle.
i also am busy teaching the Word in youth group and in student leaders. which is basically the same thing...it's just not one-on-one and specific.
hope that answers the question.
4. what are your joys in discipleship?
i love watching young men fall in love with the Word of God. it's a joy for me to see them develop a hunger for God's Word and a desire to live it out. and i love hearing of young men who desire to serve the Lord for the rest of their lives!
and i like hangin' out at coffee shops! :)
5. what are your frustrations in discipleship?
guys that keep falling and eventually just kind of give up on the process. they miss out on the truth that if they are children of God then they are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (romans 6:11). i hate seeing an initial desire to change...but not a desire to dig into the word and persevere in doing good.
6. what advice would you give me in the area of discipling others?
read galatians 6:1-2. stay accountable yourself (ecclesiastes 4:9-12) and help a sister carry her burdens.
ephesians 4:15 - speak the truth in love.
phil 2:13 - remember that it's God work!
7. what do you think is the best example Jesus gives us in being a disciple?
a couple examples He gave...
1. a child - matthew 18:3,4...child like faith...they simply trust
2. the wise builder - matthew 7:24-27...he listens and obeys
His own example...
He grew (luke 2:52)...and His joy was obeying the Father (john 4:34)...and He gave us the ultimate example of servanthood and obedience (phil 2:3-11)
8. The book we are reading on discipleship says that we as christians are too fast and too programmed. What do you think about that statement in regards to discipleship?
i would tend to agree.
often in our culture we want what i would call "microwave christianity". where i can just pop in the microwave for 30 seconds and have it ready to enjoy. i want to just read God's Word once, have it change me and be done with the process of sanctification.
but growing and working out your salvation is a life long process simply because when Christ saved us from our sins, He saved us from the penalty of sin...and we are free from the power of sin...but until He comes again to take us home to be with Him for eternity, we still live in the presence of sin.
the most common analogy in Scripture for the Christian life is...the walk. it's not a sprint. it's a marathon...and we're called over and over again to walk in love, walk worthy, walk in God, walk in light...etc.
so we need to persevere and just keep walking!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
another reminder
post a new mile marker of God's amazing grace...we had 871 in attendance on Easter sunday and 9 indicated decisions for salvation!! praise Jesus! it was fun to look out into a sea of faces and see many that i didn't recognize at all!
it is good to recount the works of God.
it reminds us of His sovereignty and His goodness in our lives. remembering helps us to trust for the future. God has been good. God is good. God will always be good!
and He gets all the glory!!
it is good to recount the works of God.
it reminds us of His sovereignty and His goodness in our lives. remembering helps us to trust for the future. God has been good. God is good. God will always be good!
and He gets all the glory!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
conference left-overs
yet again i've been convicted of my lack of faithfulness to the blogging realm. pastor terry appealed to me last weekend about the importance of journaling your experiences and thoughts @ a conference we held at our church.
we put on a conference for our college men called 'direction09'. it was designed to equip students to Biblically discern God's will for their lives. pastor terry spoke in the last main session on "following direction", and he used the example of the journal that he has kept for the past 10+ years. every time he has the opportunity to go back and read the journal entries he sees and remembers the amazing things that God has done. and it gave me a greater appreciation for the vital role that journaling plays in understanding how God's plan is unfolding in my life!
so here i am again.
my own little journaling book is a great place for my personal prayers to the Lord, but throwing out thoughts and experiences into the great expanse of the blogosphere may prove to be encouraging, insightful, and hopefully challenging to someone in need of a reminder of God's faithfulness in all circumstances. that no matter what we face we know God will be faithful to complete the work He has started in us (phil 1:6).
but God's will can be so tough to understand, can't it?!
i was challenged through james petty's book, "step by step", which deals with the theology of God's will. God has A plan for me. He does not have a plan B or plan C and so forth...because the first theological meaning of "the will of God" is just that: His sovereign plan (example found in Eph. 1:5 & James 4:15). and i can't mess that up!! He's not surprised by sin. He knows we will make mistakes. He's not caught off guard, like "woah! didn't see that one coming...guess i'll have to go with plan b..." NO! He has a sovereign plan that no one can mess up! which of course means that we CANNOT comprehend God's plan. because, for example, it includes both free will and sovereignty. good luck trying to understand that!
but it's encouraging because it means that i don't HAVE to understand His sovereign plan.
the other theological meaning to "the will of God", however, is what He has commanded. His commands! the easiest place to look for that is in 1 Thess. 4:1-3. His will/command is = my sanctification! becoming like Jesus!! and 2 Peter 1:3 says that He has given me EVERYTHING I need in order to live my life in a way that pleases Him! those commands are all over Scripture!
so in fact, every time i open up God's Word i'm seeing His will...as His sovereign plan unfolds and as He gives me specific commands in order for me to obey and glorify him with my life!
some things to muse on. and probably some great conversation starters.
i needed this conference as much as our college guys!
we put on a conference for our college men called 'direction09'. it was designed to equip students to Biblically discern God's will for their lives. pastor terry spoke in the last main session on "following direction", and he used the example of the journal that he has kept for the past 10+ years. every time he has the opportunity to go back and read the journal entries he sees and remembers the amazing things that God has done. and it gave me a greater appreciation for the vital role that journaling plays in understanding how God's plan is unfolding in my life!
so here i am again.
my own little journaling book is a great place for my personal prayers to the Lord, but throwing out thoughts and experiences into the great expanse of the blogosphere may prove to be encouraging, insightful, and hopefully challenging to someone in need of a reminder of God's faithfulness in all circumstances. that no matter what we face we know God will be faithful to complete the work He has started in us (phil 1:6).
but God's will can be so tough to understand, can't it?!
i was challenged through james petty's book, "step by step", which deals with the theology of God's will. God has A plan for me. He does not have a plan B or plan C and so forth...because the first theological meaning of "the will of God" is just that: His sovereign plan (example found in Eph. 1:5 & James 4:15). and i can't mess that up!! He's not surprised by sin. He knows we will make mistakes. He's not caught off guard, like "woah! didn't see that one coming...guess i'll have to go with plan b..." NO! He has a sovereign plan that no one can mess up! which of course means that we CANNOT comprehend God's plan. because, for example, it includes both free will and sovereignty. good luck trying to understand that!
but it's encouraging because it means that i don't HAVE to understand His sovereign plan.
the other theological meaning to "the will of God", however, is what He has commanded. His commands! the easiest place to look for that is in 1 Thess. 4:1-3. His will/command is = my sanctification! becoming like Jesus!! and 2 Peter 1:3 says that He has given me EVERYTHING I need in order to live my life in a way that pleases Him! those commands are all over Scripture!
so in fact, every time i open up God's Word i'm seeing His will...as His sovereign plan unfolds and as He gives me specific commands in order for me to obey and glorify him with my life!
some things to muse on. and probably some great conversation starters.
i needed this conference as much as our college guys!
Monday, December 15, 2008
it happened to me
this is the time of year when anyone who writes anything reminds us of the real reason for Christmas, whether it's nostalgia, family, the Christmas spirit, etc.
for believers they always send you a reminder to pause during all the bustle of the holiday season to ponder the entrance of our Lord into our world.
i'm ashamed to admit that i've read so many of these articles and letters that it seemed almost cliche to me.
until it happened to me.
i missed it last year.
and it's possible i would have missed it this year. if it hadn't been for a cheesy looking window-sticker nativity scene...
i love Christmas! i love the lights and music and carols. the eggnog. the classic movies. the glow around the town. the presents. the fake santa at the mall. the plans to spend time with family. the Christmas eve service. the parties. everything!
i can't wait to decorate the house with all the Christmas scenery and sit and stare at the lighted tree with my wife. but this year...we were at wal-mart when Carissa decided we needed to buy this cheesy window-sticker nativity scene.
i didn't argue with her. i couldn't. i don't think she really liked it either, but it was something in the way she said it. we need to put this up. just the way she said that i needed to put the cheesy ornament with the nativity scene near the top of our tree where everyone could see.
my beautiful wife gets it.
she loves all the Christmas bustle too. but that manger scene means so much to her. and even though we have a nice willow tree set...she just can't resist putting more of those scenes all over the house. like we need to be reminded of it or something...
it happened to me.
i took the time to stop. and think. and i'm so thankful i did. i'm so thankful for that little baby who was born in a barn. who came down to save me from my sin. that "tiny heart whose blood will save us, unto us is born!"
i might have missed it if it hadn't been for that cheesy window-sticker nativity scene.
for believers they always send you a reminder to pause during all the bustle of the holiday season to ponder the entrance of our Lord into our world.
i'm ashamed to admit that i've read so many of these articles and letters that it seemed almost cliche to me.
until it happened to me.
i missed it last year.
and it's possible i would have missed it this year. if it hadn't been for a cheesy looking window-sticker nativity scene...
i love Christmas! i love the lights and music and carols. the eggnog. the classic movies. the glow around the town. the presents. the fake santa at the mall. the plans to spend time with family. the Christmas eve service. the parties. everything!
i can't wait to decorate the house with all the Christmas scenery and sit and stare at the lighted tree with my wife. but this year...we were at wal-mart when Carissa decided we needed to buy this cheesy window-sticker nativity scene.
i didn't argue with her. i couldn't. i don't think she really liked it either, but it was something in the way she said it. we need to put this up. just the way she said that i needed to put the cheesy ornament with the nativity scene near the top of our tree where everyone could see.
my beautiful wife gets it.
she loves all the Christmas bustle too. but that manger scene means so much to her. and even though we have a nice willow tree set...she just can't resist putting more of those scenes all over the house. like we need to be reminded of it or something...
it happened to me.
i took the time to stop. and think. and i'm so thankful i did. i'm so thankful for that little baby who was born in a barn. who came down to save me from my sin. that "tiny heart whose blood will save us, unto us is born!"
i might have missed it if it hadn't been for that cheesy window-sticker nativity scene.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
musings on a standard
i won't even bore you with all the time-sapping details that have crammed my daily schedule...so suffice it to say, my reading on "heaven" has been postponed. not indefinitely...it at least sits near the top of a growing pile of must-read material. but the immediacy of 2 other books somehow topped the priority rankings. it'll come...
but let me share with you a simple concept that's been impacting me. (you may have noticed that most impacting concepts that i've shared are really just simple truths pretty basic and elementary to following Jesus...i guess it just takes me a little while)
be holy.
be holy because I am holy.
i've thought about that statement God makes in 1 peter 1:16 in light of the standards that i usually place on myself. to be perfectly honest, i don't like that standard. the bar seems too high (obviously). it doesn't seem fair.
why not let the standard be set according to the playing field. i mean, this is kinda how it works in a lot of areas of life. the sports analogy comes to my mind first, seeing as this is the best season of the year (football...or fall as it is commonly known). when i wake up monday morning i look forward to checking in with my good buddies at ESPN for a fresh batch of college football rankings. well, usually i look forward to it. lately i've had to actually scroll down the page to find ohio state, which is a new experience for me. but what strikes me is that the standard for what makes the top 25 teams in the nation "the top 25" is the playing field. they measure everyone by the standard of everyone else. i noticed they don't measure college football teams by the same standard they use to rank NFL teams.
there's a concept for ya...
what if college, high school or even peewee football teams were suddenly judged and measured by the same standard and criteria that they judge the indianapolis colts or the cleveland browns? puts a difference perspective on a 12 year-old's undefeated season. that's not fair, is it?
that's about what i feel for God's standard of holiness.
couldn't You just analyze my performance based my playing field? isn't it enough to look around and see that i'm at least above average compared to the rest of the world around me. i mean, have You seen my friends? have You seen most people my age? wouldn't You say, God, that i've gone the extra mile? not only do i go to church, but i'm in Your Word daily, praying to You, using my gifts to serve YOU, loving other people, leading my family...
it's a pretty sorry mentality, i know. but don't we so often set our own measuring stick based on everyone else around us?
God commands us to be holy. to be different. His measuring stick is unattainable. and He knows that. He knows that we need Him...and we always will.
this realization should make us all the more thankful for the righteousness of Jesus. and for the truth that "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 peter 1:3). so the bar is set high. higher than i can reach on my own. i've got a ways to go, but i'm strengthened by a perfect Savior.
but let me share with you a simple concept that's been impacting me. (you may have noticed that most impacting concepts that i've shared are really just simple truths pretty basic and elementary to following Jesus...i guess it just takes me a little while)
be holy.
be holy because I am holy.
i've thought about that statement God makes in 1 peter 1:16 in light of the standards that i usually place on myself. to be perfectly honest, i don't like that standard. the bar seems too high (obviously). it doesn't seem fair.
why not let the standard be set according to the playing field. i mean, this is kinda how it works in a lot of areas of life. the sports analogy comes to my mind first, seeing as this is the best season of the year (football...or fall as it is commonly known). when i wake up monday morning i look forward to checking in with my good buddies at ESPN for a fresh batch of college football rankings. well, usually i look forward to it. lately i've had to actually scroll down the page to find ohio state, which is a new experience for me. but what strikes me is that the standard for what makes the top 25 teams in the nation "the top 25" is the playing field. they measure everyone by the standard of everyone else. i noticed they don't measure college football teams by the same standard they use to rank NFL teams.
there's a concept for ya...
what if college, high school or even peewee football teams were suddenly judged and measured by the same standard and criteria that they judge the indianapolis colts or the cleveland browns? puts a difference perspective on a 12 year-old's undefeated season. that's not fair, is it?
that's about what i feel for God's standard of holiness.
couldn't You just analyze my performance based my playing field? isn't it enough to look around and see that i'm at least above average compared to the rest of the world around me. i mean, have You seen my friends? have You seen most people my age? wouldn't You say, God, that i've gone the extra mile? not only do i go to church, but i'm in Your Word daily, praying to You, using my gifts to serve YOU, loving other people, leading my family...
it's a pretty sorry mentality, i know. but don't we so often set our own measuring stick based on everyone else around us?
God commands us to be holy. to be different. His measuring stick is unattainable. and He knows that. He knows that we need Him...and we always will.
this realization should make us all the more thankful for the righteousness of Jesus. and for the truth that "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 peter 1:3). so the bar is set high. higher than i can reach on my own. i've got a ways to go, but i'm strengthened by a perfect Savior.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
the beginnings of 'heaven'
another summer comes to its final days. nobody ever reacts with excitement with the death of the summer months. perhaps they're stay is too short here in the mid-west. the fall always seems to bring out mixed emotions.
but for me...fall is beautiful. perhaps my favorite of all the seasons. each has its own unique draw, but the colors, the crisp breeze, the smell of football in the air and memories of carving pumpkins and diving into piles of leaves makes the change of this season amazing!
maybe it's the mentality that comes with it. there's a sense of warmth i feel. i'm forced to reach deep into my drawers and pull out the old sweatshirts and bundle up again. i look forward to a cup of hot chocolate or warm tea at night. and i'm beginning to feel the hibernation of a long winter's nap approaching.
and have you ever noticed a renewed interest in curling up with a good book come fall?
when we plan curriculum around the church, we always know that book studies are better received at the beginning of a school year. there's a little excitement over the chance to study.
i love that.
this fall, i'm embarking on an adventure. randy alcorn's book, 'heaven' has been recommended to me a billion times, so i've decided to tackle it during my free time between work, diapers, watching my buckeyes and talking with my lovely bride.
it's already begun to awaken in me a suppressed interest in the eternal...and i've only read the first chapter!
i'll let you know what the season's adventure entails...
but for me...fall is beautiful. perhaps my favorite of all the seasons. each has its own unique draw, but the colors, the crisp breeze, the smell of football in the air and memories of carving pumpkins and diving into piles of leaves makes the change of this season amazing!
maybe it's the mentality that comes with it. there's a sense of warmth i feel. i'm forced to reach deep into my drawers and pull out the old sweatshirts and bundle up again. i look forward to a cup of hot chocolate or warm tea at night. and i'm beginning to feel the hibernation of a long winter's nap approaching.
and have you ever noticed a renewed interest in curling up with a good book come fall?
when we plan curriculum around the church, we always know that book studies are better received at the beginning of a school year. there's a little excitement over the chance to study.
i love that.
this fall, i'm embarking on an adventure. randy alcorn's book, 'heaven' has been recommended to me a billion times, so i've decided to tackle it during my free time between work, diapers, watching my buckeyes and talking with my lovely bride.
it's already begun to awaken in me a suppressed interest in the eternal...and i've only read the first chapter!
i'll let you know what the season's adventure entails...
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