For years I was unsure what discipling was. I knew how to teach people information about Jesus. (I was trained for that.) I knew how to inspire people with the love and truth of Jesus. (I had good models for that.) But discipling people?
I struggled so much, in part, because most of the rest of the western church (at least those who were writing the books) kept pointing to the delivery of even MORE information through classes as the proper way to disciple people. So we extended our New Member Classes several more weeks. After a person joined the church, we set up additional courses that delivered even MORE information about how to live out the faith. Church 101, 201, 301...
The trouble? While the information we were teaching was certainly critical, it was not all.
People needed not only to be informed, they needed to be shown how.
Somehow, ever since the Reformation, there has been an increasing tendency to see the "problem" of undiscipled people being "solved" by time in a classroom. So our best disciplers are our highest educated leaders (with a Master of Divinity degree as a minimum). We send our children to Sunday School. We send our middle school students to Confirmation classes. We urge our adults to come to Bible classes. We read, we memorize, we discuss, we fill in the blanks.
And yet as we leave the classroom for yet another week, there is a silent yearning (especially among the newer followers) to be shown how to actually follow Jesus outside of the classroom. They have more questions. They have personal experiences they would like to sort out. They have tried some of what Jesus said to try and they would like to ask some questions about what they found out. Are they on the right track? Did they do it right? Is this what usually happens to other followers of Jesus in the real world?
Of course, the pastors are too busy with all the classes and preparations for the classes to have time for this.
So, where can these people go? Who can they sit with? Who can not only tell them what the Bible says but personally show them how to do it?
Ok. Now stop here. PUT A RED CIRCLE AROUND THOSE THREE QUESTIONS! Those questions are the beginning of what discipling actually is and the biggest reason not much discipling is happening in our churches.
So, now what?
Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down how discipling works in very practical ways so that much more of it can be happening in churches all across America.
Let's start with what the Gospels already show us. Jesus proclaimed to the crowds but He discipled the twelve. He often left the crowds in order to make time and space to disciple the twelve. He discipled the twelve by having them be with Him as He lived out the reality of the Kingdom having come on to the earth. He sent them out so that they could put the things they were seeing from Him into practice, and, when they returned, He unpacked with them what they found out. He discipled them as they were going from place to place and adventure to adventure. There were no classrooms. There was only life and people and the Kingdom. That was the context for being formed into a follower of Jesus.
And one more thing. Even Jesus could only disciple those who would actually follow Him. That is, He could not disciple those who would not go with Him. Even Jesus couldn't do much with the people who wouldn't follow.
So here is your first practical piece of advice as you formulate how you will begin to disciple people.
Start with the few and the willing.
Don't start with a crowd in a classroom. Don't try to convince the unconvinced. Start with the few who are ready to go with you.
Don't start in a classroom. Start in a coffeehouse or a tavern or around your kitchen table or your fire pit.
And finally, don't start with a curriculum or a booklet. Start with a question: "How has God been messing with you lately?"
The few, the willing, a cup of coffee and a good question. Go give that a run this week and see what happens.
Rev. Greg Finke, Executive Director, Dwelling 1:14
Rev. Greg Finke
