When I ponder how spiritual formation has happened over the course in my life with Jesus, the only clear, consistent commonality is a seeking heart.  Scripture, books, sermons, programs, conferences, and mentors flow in and out of the picture, but the only thing I am sure always happens is a stirring from the Holy Spirit to seek Jesus further.  When the seeking is there, I always find myself growing in one way or another.  

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. - Luke 11.9-10

The answer to discipleship is not a model, plan, or program, it’s all about responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit with seeking; and eventually finding.  In this regard, I propose another approach to discipleship in which individuals take it upon themselves to listen attentively to God (via Scripture, mentors, Holy Spirit guided intuition, etc…) and then gather with others to discuss and support one another in the what, when, and how of responding to what was heard. 

This being said, I do not believe discipleship models and more detailed plans are the enemy.  A good discipleship model has the ability to keep us on track with “seeking & finding” in those all too common seasons of drifting.  I therefore invite you to revisit the other proposals I’ve put on the table, and contribute your thoughts on a working approach toward discipleship amongst those you serve.

• Discipleship Proposal #1: Roles & Goals
• Discipleship Proposal #2: Maturity Mile Markers
• Discipleship Proposal #3: Mission Pieces
• Discipleship - the full discussion

Some were concerned that the Roles & Goals model would be too nondescript.  Many were concerned that Maturity Mile Markers concept is too regimented, linear, possibly even bordering on legalism.  Between the two could be something like “Mission Pieces” - okay, so the creative titling needs a little work!

The idea is to:

1. Start with your church’s mission statement
2. Identify key clusters of Biblical direction for each segment of that mission
3. Create a resource page for each cluster of Biblical direction
4. Let people figure out for themselves (or with a group) when, how, and what they need to work on next with Jesus 

For example, my church’s mission statement is to “connect in life-changing relationship with Jesus, church family, and people who don’t know Jesus.”   Key clusters of Biblical direction under the first part of our mission (life-change with Jesus) would include prayer, confession, and worship, as well as a handful of others.  We would then create a resource page on prayer covering Biblical teaching (Lord’s Prayer, Hezekiah’s Prayer, Paul’s Prayers, etc…), exercises & activities (practicing thankfulness, experiencing solitude, etc…), links (International House of Prayer), self-assessments, and book recommendations (Brother Lawrence) that may help someone achieve a vibrant prayer life as part of their life-change with Jesus. 

People might choose work on the prayer piece for this season of life to develop “life-change with Jesus,” or they might choose confession, or maybe something else.  People might feel stuck and choose to utilize the resource page, or they might have a clear call from God and not need any additional input.  People might pursue maturity on their own, or they might find support in a group setting. 

The important part is that disciples of Jesus are always choosing to work on something, that what they choose to work on incorporates a comprehensive picture of Biblical direction (not avoiding the stuff they don’t want to change), and that they understand Biblical direction and personal growth in Jesus alongside their local church.  

Gateway Church has provided a foundational example of what I’m talking about in their Ways of Christ Resources.  After working through an 80-page individual guide to the ways of Christ, participants set quarterly goals with the help of a self-assessment tool, and turn to the resource website as needed.  For those wishing to do this with another individual or a group, Gateway lists some simple “Running Partner” ground rules and discussion questions to be used each time they meet (recommended no less than monthly).

For a review of the Root48 discipleship discussion in its entirety, click here.

http://root48.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/discipleship-proposal-2-maturity-mile-markers/

I've been working on a new discipleship model titled Maturity Mile Markers. The model takes advantage of the concrete and successive goals, flexibility on when/how you achieve the goals, and a usability that transcends cultural context found in AA's 12 step method.  It's still a work in progress, so input and comments would be greatly appreciated. 

For Jesus, discipleship meant inseparable proximity.  For three years he lived with his disciples - he ate with them, traveled with them, changed the world with them.  He really invested in twelve, really really invested in three, and really really really invested in one.  Sure Jesus ministered to the masses, but twelve heard sermons, watched miracles, and received challenges that no one else did; Peter, James, and John, experienced more than the rest; Peter got even more than James on John. 

Jesus gave the 12-3-1 progressive challenges.  Early on he gave them nothing but observation - just told them to come and follow; watch him in action.  Eventually he started explaining the spiritual depth behind his actions.  Then he sent them in pairs to practice his actions.  Piling on the teachings disclosed the ultimate plan for these actions, and then he commissioned them to carry the plan to completion.

Jesus’ discipleship plan in short:  invest incrementally in 12-3-1 same sex persons with a pattern of observeàexplainàpracticeàteachàcommission. 

Praises:  Inseparable proximity exposes every other discipleship model as watered down.  Only in inseparable proximity will the whole of one life be translated to the whole of another. 

The observeàexplainàpracticeàteachàcommission pattern is great in that education cannot be isolated as discipleship when it only comes after practical action.  According to Jesus’ model, discipleship is two parts education and three parts action.

Critique:  I do not know of anyone outside of the colleges or occasionally career age singles who are even remotely bordering on a carbon copying Jesus discipleship.  G-12 may have tried, by my understanding is that they are not either.  Our culture has to make a huge leap if our model of discipleship is to happen in communal living. 

As I finish my weekly checklist of Christian activities, I often wonder if any of it made me look more like Jesus.  I connect with a small group, serve with a ministry team, attend a Sunday service, and maintain personal devotion time - all of this helps me learn and grow, but I sense the need for a comprehensive plan whereby I, and others around me, become better disciples of Jesus.  It kind of feels like church structures are hoping that discipleship just happens on its own somewhere in the immersion of church activities.  

We need a plan.  We have to do more than hope discipleship happens.  No commission from Jesus was more clear than to make disciples.  Discipleship is the most fundamental unit of the Kingdom of Jesus - if we cannot reproduce a disciple, we cannot do anything else for the Kingdom.  With a plethora of activities and the absence of planning, I fear our lives will do little more than wander in the direction of Jesus, never reaching the destination he intends. 

Over the course of this week, I will post a daily blog on well known discipleship models.  I invite you to explore, evaluate, and recreate these models by posting your comments as we work together toward a discipleship plan for our churches.  I recommend subscribing to email updates to stay up on the latest posts. 

Here are a few overarching questions/observations for you to comment on and get us started.

1. Do we need a Model?  It sounds rather holy when people say that all we need is Jesus, all we need is love, or all we need is the Bible.  However, I believe that stewardship of the resources and goals Jesus has proscribed to us requires an intentional plan, and therefore in all probability, a structure/model to maintain that intentionality.
2. Can one Model work for Everyone?  In other words, should a church focus their efforts on one discipleship plan or an open a buffet line of options?  I’m personally leaning toward one focused plan within any given church, yet we also have to find a way to foster creativity and flexibility so as not to suck the life out of it.  We also have to question here whether a standard curriculum/workbook helps or hurts us.
3. Can Discipleship be Measured?  It is going to get really frustrating if we have no way to measure progress toward the end destination, but I’m still not sure how.  I’d like to think that we can focus life in Jesus toward three-five key directions, and then establish mile-markers of maturity in each of those directions.
4. Action Orientation. No questions here, just statement.  For too long we have assumed that learning more will translate to doing more. Any discipleship plan that educates more than activates is worthless.  Faith is something you act on more than think on.

http://root48.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/offensive-prayer/ 

Offensive prayer adds passion to expectancy.  If the prayer really means something to you, passion or agony will be present.  A deep ache that cannot rest until it is satisfied. 

Fasting begins to take place not because we disciplined ourselves to do so, but rather that our want for the prayer was so singular that we forgot our want for food. 

The prayer offense is more than conversation, more than request; the prayer offensive makes demands.  So assured that what we pray for needs to happen; we have to audacity to makes demands of God.  Convinced that our prayers have not a trace of self, but rather that we have come by the authority of Jesus to present to plan of Jesus.  It is his bidding we represent, thus we ask with force well beyond on our place as men.  In a state of prayer we have left behind all that is self.  We stand before the Father as Jesus.  At that moment in time we reside in the spirit world, driven by the Holy Spirit, actualizing that which Jesus put in motion and plans to secure. 

Redemption is kind of tough to package - too profound to philosophize, too emotional to outline, too costly to market.  We tend to rely on the arts to give to expression to that which fails our words, and that is what my art does with redemption.  

I recently posted my artwork on the root48 site, and invite you to view it here.

Just read an article by Warren Smith.  Although he seems to struggle with fundamentalist paranoia, he offered many great insights into how Oprah may be shaping the spirituality of the western world.  

For better or for worse, Oprah is a key figure in shaping western culture - what she is saying on spiritual things is bound to set in.  The church needs to be aware of these changes in the audience they too hope to reach.

Oprah's has recently offered A Course in Miracles via Oprah and Friends XM Radio. Those who finish the course of 365 daily soundbites will have a heavy dose of a spiritual worldviews in which there is no sin, no evil, no devil, and that God is "in" everyone and everything.  For example, Lesson #29 asks you to go through your day affirming that "God is in everything I see." Lesson #61 tells each person to repeat the affirmation "I am the light of the world." Lesson #70 teaches the student to say and believe "My salvation comes from me."

Advocates of A Course in Miracles say it is quickly becoming the New Age Bible.  The teachings have a blatantly universalism bent on Christianity.  The course originated with Helen Schucman, was reinvented by Marianne Williamson, and was elevated to a New York Times bestseller and beyond by Oprah.

Other teachings within their literature include:

• "There is no sin. . . "
•  A "slain Christ has no meaning."
• "The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey."
• "Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.'"
• "The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol... It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray."
• "God is in everything I see."
• "The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself."
• "The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power."
• "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation."

I believe evangelical conversations going forward will need to incorporate more New Age terminology.  Our message does not change, but we run the risk of being unintelligible if we don't use words that are in vogue amongst spiritual seekers.  Talk about their Creator, ask when they have experienced God inside of the them, how are they seeking to restore oness with God and the world?  Oprahtology is more widespread amongst those we seek to influence than our Christian subculture cares to recognize.

It seems that God takes us through a process of unlearning before new learning takes place. Moses for example had to unlearn violent leadership before learning how to shepherd Israel to the promised land. In the book of Acts, we find Peter and the rest of the first generation Jewish believers unlearning Gentile exclusion before they learned to spread the gospel across the Roman Empire. Paul constantly struggled to bring unlearning of legalism before learning of the freedom in Christ could take place.

I am no prophet, but it seems as though Jesus is stirring at least two major issues of unlearning in mass amongst his followers: 1) separation from and belittling toward the poor, and 2) dependence on Sunday morning.

At one point I defined faith by doctrine - believing the right thing.  At other times I have defined faith by spiritual formation - the extent to which my life was changed by Jesus.  I am coming around to defining faith by what I pass along to someone else. 

Does it really matter how much there is between Jesus and I if it does not make a difference for someone who does not know him?  Jesus was obsessed with the sinners, not the righteous.  He said he'd leave the 99 if it meant reclaiming one that was lost.  If we put an obsession for lost people on the forefront of our faith, I believe the doctrine and formation will be obtained as means to that end.