25 Discipleship Resources and Counting...Discipleship #8

Over the past 3-4 years I have come across so many books and resources to help in the process of discipleship. I think it was said best by my friend Jay when asked what the best book on discipleship was and he simply replied by raising his bible. I completely affirm and believe this is true. There is really nothing better than searching scripture and looking at the ways God affirmed and demonstrated discipleship throughout all of time. The bible and especially the life of Jesus Christ really is the best way to learn what it is to be a disciple and how to disciple.

However, I am often helped along by those who have fresh eyes to see what is right in front of me, but for what ever reason I am unable to see. I'm thankful for these men and women who are able to see, teach, and write about it. This is how I feel with so many resources that have sprung up over the last few years in regard to discipleship. I read these resources and have "duh" moments all the time. The reality is, discipleship is simple, I just often fail to recognize it. For example, try reading through the gospel of Mark as a manual as to how Jesus was discipling the rag-tag group of followers he had. Reading the stories and parables as if Jesus is trying to instruct the disciples on what it looked like to walk as he did...will down right change your perspective on so many texts!

All that said, there are certainly some resources that have shaped my understanding over the last couple of years. Here are a few personally & another article that has 25 more.

1. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This book completely changed the way I did youth ministry nearly 15 years ago. The concept of cheap grace still pains my soul.
2. The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. His view of walking in the Spirit in the face of suffering is a thing of beauty.
3. How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer. The clash of culture and faith, is real, but must be walked through with grace.
4. Discipleshift by Jim Putman & Bobby Harrington. No this is not on the same level as the previous 3 classics mentioned, but it radically changed the way I saw how discipleship could change a church by growing individuals to look more like Christ.
5. Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden. This is a great 25 chapter study to walk with a small group through the process of discipleship. I am currently using this as the cornerstone of study for a men's discipleship group. It has brought great, deep, relevant discussions to light, and hopefully is fostering as much transformation in the other 5 guys as it is in me.

Here is also a link to another article with 25 discipleship resources, a couple of which I have mentioned, but with many more yet to be explored.

25 Discipleship Resources on Church Leaders

What are you currently doing that is showing successful transformation via a discipleship process?

Making Disciples: Discipleship #7

We are called to make disciples. Not Christians. Not converts. Disciples.

I have been under this conviction for years, and yet just in the last few others began to put it into words. I think it may have started when David Platt spoke up against this simple little "sinner's prayer" that we have all heard prayed. Where is that in scripture? Don't get me wrong...I understand why you might have someone pray that way...it is a start. But that is like going across the starting line in a race and then stopping and asking for a metal. Yeah, your a "runner" but you're still not a runner. There is more to it than the start. (BTW- I'm not trying to just pick on the sinners prayer here, we do the same thing with baptism in other circles. "They'll be ok if we can just get them dunked.")

I think that's why this next article I'm sharing is so spot on. I realized a couple of years that we don't tell the difficult side of being a Christian. It's hard, it takes work, there are struggles, there are battles, everyone comes out of it scarred, there will be suffering, you will want to go back to your former life...

But the good news is: you are not alone. The living God is with you. The people of God who have been through the same struggles are with you.

We have been called to lay down our lives. To take up our cross. To be transformed into His image. Sounds easy, like life will be rosy right?

"What happened to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea of, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die”?" 

Here is Tyler Edwards list of contrasts between Converts & Disciples from Relevant Magazine:

1.) Converts are believers who live like the world. Disciples are believers who live like Jesus.
2.) Converts are focused on their values, interests, worries, fears, priorities, and lifestyles. Disciples are focused on Jesus.
3.) Converts go to church. Disciples are the church.
4.) Converts are involved in the mission of Jesus. Disciples are committed to it.
5.) Converts cheer from the sidelines. Disciples are in the game.
6.) Converts hear the word of God. Disciples live it.
7.) Converts follow the rules. Disciples follow Jesus.
8.) Converts are all about believing. Disciples are all about being.
9.) Converts are comfortable. Disciples make sacrifices.
10.) Converts talk. Disciples make more disciples.

Read the full article here: We're Called to Make Disciples not Converts

I pray that you are encouraged not discouraged. I know that God is calling his people out. That we would look more like the bride of Christ, that we would look more like Christ.

Are you making disciples or are you only converting?

Mature Christians: Discipleship #6

What are the marks of a mature Christian? Is it showing up to church every week? Is it the ability to pray in such a way that everyone wishes they could pray like you? Is it the ability to teach and share knowledge? I'm afraid in the world of Christianity we often have things backwards compared to how Christ would have described maturity.

I was reminded this week how in the upper room as He and the disciples celebrated the Passover meal together (yes meal, more than crackers and juice...but I'll save that discussion for another time), Jesus took a towel, knelt down and began to wash their feet. Here he was the King of Kings, doing the work of a servant. Jesus reminded us that the first would be last and the last would be first. Maybe we have this whole maturity thing backwards...

I came across an article that spoke to what a mature Christian looks like:
( 10 Marks of a Mature Christian)

Here are the 10 marks as the author Frank Powell sees it.

1) The highs and lows of life don’t impact your relationship with God. 

2) You find value in the “daily-ness” and trivial seasons of life.

3) You are at peace with situations beyond your control. 

4) You don’t allow disciplines to take a back seat.

5) You maintain a childlike sense of wonder and awe.

6) You do not compare yourself to others.

7) You listen to others who have a different viewpoint … with the goal of growing and not correcting.

8) Your heart breaks for the poor and marginalized.

9) You understand Christianity doesn’t have an on/off switch.

10) You have a sustainable rhythm to your life.

 

One of the biggest keys to the kind of life in Christ described in this article is consistency. Consistency is built by faith. When we believe God is in control, that He is our life, that He is our source, then we begin to walk in the love and peace that only comes from being his child. That is maturity in Christ.

What is a Disciple? : Discipleship #5

We hear the term tossed around, we read it, we see it, but what is it? What is a Disciple? What do they look like, what do they talk like, who do they act like, what do they do? These are all legitimate questions, with real concerns built in. But let me give you the answer most 3rd graders are taught in Sunday School. If you don't know the answer to a question just say "Jesus" and most of the time you'll be right. So what is the answer to the question: Jesus! OK, that may be a little over simplified, but if we don't go back to the God incarnate person of Jesus we will miss the mark on this ever time. 

I can across an article titled "What is a Disciple? here: Discipleship Tools

One of my favorite parts of the whole article is how simply he defines a disciple:  
"A Disciple is one who grows in Christ and in so doing models and teaches Christians the precepts of the Bible, prayer, doctrine, relationship, Christian living, service, and worship, to name the main ones." 

Those are some pretty core concepts, but really the first few words are what top it off, "one who grows in Christ and in so doing models and teaches..."

First one must be growing. We never arrive in our attempt to be like Christ. As long as we are on this earth we will rely upon the ongoing process of transformation into Christ-likeness. Secondly, we must be living and modeling this transformation in every aspect or our lives. No compartmentalization, no two faced living. In every facet, being Christ to those around us. Thirdly, we must be teaching others. Example is a necessary part of this, but expecting those around us to just pick it up via example is giving ourselves and them way too much credit. We don't look at life that way in most of Western culture. We like to learn on our own rather than from others. In the model Christ gave us however, disciples make disciples. Intentional teaching in the context of life together has to be key for discipleship to occur. 

What are your thoughts on these 3 keys of discipleship?

Followership: Discipleship #1

Yeah, I know, followership isn't a word...but I like it anyway. In our culture today we don't have very many working ideals of what discipleship/apprenticeship is, so I created a word: followership (Just for clarity, I'm not sure I created it, but I don't remember hearing it before). From the time we're small we play a games like follow the leader and Simon says. These teach us to listen closely, to watch closely, to follow what we're being told and shown. This is how many of us work best. Tell me what to do and I may be able to get it right. Show me what to do and I'm much more likely to do what you intended. We are wired that way.

So when it comes to following in an organization, I'm going to do what my examples are doing. This often happens unintentionally. If the leader shows up to meetings 5 minutes late to meetings, employees eventually show up 5 minutes late too. Culture is created by followership. What we see people do makes more of an impact that what they say.

It works the same way in faith. If all of my examples of what a "Christian" looks like is just showing up on Sunday mornings or being a "nice person" then that is what I will assume Christian faith looks like. But Jesus called us to be disciples and to make disciples. That is something entirely different. We must look like Christ. We must act like Christ. We must proclaim the good news like Christ. We must have others that we are bringing along on this journey with us. As we follow him, others follow us. That is followership. That is what we're called to as we daily take up our cross.

I'm going to start posting articles by others on this subject of following of discipleship. I'm still learning and it's always good to look at what others are learning on their journey too.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

10 Reasons

Every church leader has to spend time evaluating where you are as a church. For that matter every leader has to evaluate from time to time where their organization is and where it is not. I came across this article a couple of months ago. As usual it hit me pretty good then, but I didn't know what to do with it.

Now I have come back to it in order to evaluate where we are as a church body and how I am doing as a minister.  So here is an article that will challenge the status quo, and for better or worse we always must start by looking inward before we can look outward.

Is your church growing: 10 gut checks

Which one of these items hit you the hardest? Which one is your greatest challenge? How are you working through them as a leadership team? These are all "gut-checks" and questions we must regularly ask.

How are you growing?