Mutual Discipleship…
Dougald at “Meditations on the Law” is writing a series of posts about a trip to Central Asia. The second post is called “Reflections from Central Asia: Part 2.1 – Mutual Discipleship“. Throughout these posts, Dougald has been stressing the fact that he and his friends did not go to Central Asia in order to present themselves as “The Great White Hope” for the people there. Instead, they went to learn from the believers in Central Asia as the believers in Central Asia also learned from them. Dougald calls this “mutual discipleship”. Here is one excerpt:
One of the cheif things that my friend Wes and I focused on before going on this trip was something that we called, “mutual discipleship.” We took this term (though modified) from Romans 1:11-12 which reads, “For I long to see you that I might impart some spiritual gift to you that you may be established, that is that I may be encouraged together with you, while among you, each of us by the others faith, both yours and mine.“
The whole idea that Paul seemed to be communicating was one of mutual discipleship. Though Paul was an apostle, his main role was to encourage the church. But, this wasn’t the only goal of his visit: he desired encouragement from them for his own growth in Christ. That was our concept of mutual discipleship: We were to encourage our brethren and to receive encouragement from them. Just like we do here in the States, so we were to do there. We wanted to struggle together with them in our walks. We wanted to see victory over sin in our walks together. Just as if we were sitting at home with a group from our church. We wanted deep fellowship across cultural lines. Most importantly we wanted this trip to be OUR trip—both the Central Asian believers and the American believers.
I think Dougald and his group are on to something with this idea of mutual discipleship. It takes humility to travel to the other side of the world in order to learn from believers who many would consider somehow “less”. But, as Dougald expresses in his post, this is exactly the kind of humility that all believers are to hold toward one another.
We recognize that anything good that we can impart to another person comes only through the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, not through our own knowledge or education. Thus, if the other person is indwelled by the Holy Spirit as well, then the potential for us to learn from that person is just as high as their potential to learn from us.
I think this is a great attitude (humility and desire to learn from the other person) for a missionary – that is, for someone who travels away from their home to share the good news and build up the church. I also think this is a great attitude for a believer who stays close to home. Most importantly, I think this is a mandatory attitude for anyone who considers themselves a leader.
Growing the church and the kingdom…
Do we attempt to grow the church or the kingdom? Which is most important? Is there a difference? Is that our responsibility at all?
There is an entire theological discipline related to “Church Growth”. In this discipline there are various methods given to increasing the size of congregations, adding to the kingdom, and making additional disciples.
However, is it our responsibility to grow either the church or the kingdom? I don’t think so. Instead, I think that as long as we focus on the “size” of either the church or the kingdom, we will miss out on our true responsibility as members of the church and citizens of the kingdom.
There are college and seminary courses, degree programs, departements, and entire institutes which have been set up for the purpose of teaching church growth methods. But, is this our purpose as believers? Are we to “grow the church” through various methods and programs?
In the Book of Acts, we see several instances where Luke records that either the church or the word of God spread or was increased. In Acts 2:47, Luke says, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (ESV) I have been taught that this means that the people were involved in evangelism, usually some type of personal or mass explaining about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But, Luke does not actually say anything about this in Acts 2. Instead, he says that the believers were continuing to live according to the teachings of the apostles, continuing to live in fellowship with one another, continuing to break bread with one another, and continuing to pray. They shared their resources and possessions with others who were in need. They met together in the temple and in their homes. They were grateful to God for what he was doing. They were united in mind and purpose. What was the result? God added to their number. They did not add to their number; God did.
In Acts 5:14, Luke records, “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women…” (ESV) What prompted the others to “join” this believing community? Was it an evangelism or church growth program? No, it was prompted by the sudden death of two believers who had lied to the Holy Spirit: Ananias and Sapphira. These death caused the church in Jerusalem and others who heard about them to fear God greatly. God continued to work miracles through the apostles. The church remained united. And God added more believers.
In Acts 6:7, Luke says, “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” (ESV) What prompted this increase? What prompted priests to become obedient to the faith? Was it an outreach program? No. There was a problem among believers. The Hellenistic widows were not receiving their share of the food that was being distributed. The apostles told the church to choose men to take of this. The believers chose seven men to take care of this problem that was causing dissent among the church. It is following this account that Luke says, “The number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem.”
In Acts 9:31, Luke recalls, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” (ESV) This seems to be a true account of church growth activity leading to an increase in the size of the church or the kingdom. Previously, Luke told us, “And he [Paul] spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.” (Acts 9:29 ESV) Surely, it was the conviction caused by Paul’s preaching that led to an increase in believers. However, Luke makes it clear that Paul had to leave Jerusalem in fear of his life. Notice again what Acts 9:31 (above) says. The church was being built up and was walking in the fear and comfort of the Spirit. Because of this, God multiplied the church.
In Acts 11:24, Luke recounts, “And a great many people were added to the Lord.” (ESV) What caused this increase in Antioch? Surely, this new church was engaged in a new and exciting evangelistic program to reach the people in their cultural context, right? No, instead we are told that this increase came about after Barnabas travelled from Jerusalem to Antioch in order to build up the church. This is what Luke says about Barnabas: “When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Apparently, as the church remained faithful to the Lord, the Lord added believers to the church.
In Acts 12:24, Luke says, “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.” (ESV) This account follows the death of James, the imprisonment of Peter, and the death of Herod. Throughout these times of trials and persecution, “the Lord” grew and multiplied the church. What did the believers do during this time? They remained faithful to the Lord in spite of the difficulties that they were facing.
In each of these passages, we see that God grew the church and increased his kingdom during times when the believers were obediently following him and in unity with one another. Primarily, these were times when the believers were take care of one another, sharing with one another, serving one another. This reminds me of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:23: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (ESV) How will the world know that God sent Jesus and that God loves them? Will they know because of our preaching and words and programs? No. The world will know that God sent Jesus and that God loves them when the church becomes one and lives in that unity in God through Jesus Christ.
These passages in Acts about the increase of the church and the growth of the kingdom and the spread of the word of God also remind me about Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 4:15-16: “[S]peaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (ESV) According to Paul, the body (the church) does not grow because of the way we reach out to other people, but instead the church grows when each part of the church serves others in the body with the abilities and power that God provides.
As the church serves, and builds up, and listens to, and learns from, and understands, and helps, and teaches, and works with, and shares with, and loves one another, God will take care of growing his kingdom and his body. Perhaps, at times, we are guilty of trying to do God’s work, while failing to carry out those responsibilities that God has given us. What are those responsibilities? Look around you. Do you see those brothers and sisters around you? They are your responsibilities and my responsibilities.
But, will you "STOP"?
John at “Jesus the Radical Pastor” shares a post called “The Meaning of ‘Stop’” which was originally written by Tim Perry from Durham University. He uses caricatures of modern hermeneutical methods to examine the meaning of the word “STOP” on a stop sign. Here are some of my favorites (although there are many hilarious examples):
5. A fundamentalist, taking the text very literally, stops at the stop sign and waits for it to tell him to go.
6. A seminary-educated evangelical preacher might look up “STOP” in his lexicons of English and discover that it can mean: 1) something which prevents motion, such as a plug for a drain, or a block of wood that prevents a door from closing; 2) location where a train or bus lets off passengers. The main point of his sermon the following Sunday on this text is: when you see a stop sign, it is a place where traffic is naturally clogged, so it is a good place to let off passengers from your car.
10. A NT scholar notices that there is no stop sign on Mark street but there is one on Matthew and Luke streets, and concludes that the ones on Luke and Matthew streets are both copied from a sign on a street no one has ever seen called “Q” Street. There is an excellent 300 page doctoral dissertation on the origin of these stop signs and the differences between stop signs on Matthew and Luke street in the scholar’s commentary on the passage. There is an unfortunate omission in the dissertation, however; it doesn’t explain the meaning of the text!
Yes, these are funny and very close to reality. But, I wonder: how many people who study the stop sign would actually stop?
I enjoy a good scholarly study of a biblical passage. But, if you want to teach, start by living out what you are teaching. You can study and outline and explain and exhort, but if your life does not match what you say, then you are not teaching (in the NT pattern of teaching). Consider this passage from Jesus:
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you- but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. (Matthew 23:2-3 ESV)
And this passage from Jesus:
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. (John 14:23-24 ESV)
And this passage from Paul:
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 ESV)
And this passage from James:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13 ESV)
So, study the stop sign. Examine the stop sign. Analyze the stop sign. Read what others say about the stop sign. Discuss the stop sign. But, most of all, STOP!
Theological Foundations
Today I attended my first seminars of this semester. I am attending two seminars, both of which meet on Tuesday mornings.
The first seminar is Linguistics with Dave Black. I’ve been looking forward to this seminar for almost a year. Last Spring, I started reading for this seminar, even while I was still taking other seminars. As you can tell, I am very interested in this seminar.
The other seminar is called Theological Foundations, which is taught by David Nelson. This is a seminar that I am required to take for my major (Biblical Theology). To be honest, I have not been looking forward to this seminar with the same enthusiasm as I have been looking forward to Linguistics. I don’t know why. I took two M.Div. theology courses with Dr. Nelson, and I enjoyed, learned from, and was challenged by both of them. Once again, as our seminar met and as we discussed several introductory issues, Dr. Nelson demonstrated that this would be a terrific seminar and that my hesitancy was misdirected.
We talked about labels, such as conservative, liberal, modern, postmodern, and how those labels can be both beneficial and detrimental in theological studies. We talked about how some people dismiss or discount the works of certain theologians because they wear the wrong label – “wrong” as we define wrong. We discussed how this kind of dismissal can be caused by pride, laziness, or apathy. This was a very refreshing discussion.
Similarly, we had to read a handful of short essays and chapters from various theologians (Bonhoeffer, Thielicke, Luther, and Oden). In each of these writings, the authors encouraged the reader to take Scripture seriously, but not himself or herself. The authors encouraged the readers to consider theology within the context of a community of believers. The authors encouraged the reader to walk in the tension between the “seriousness” of theological study and the “unseriousness” of the human predicament (humanity studying divinity).
In other words, each of these short writings called for students of theology and students of Scripture to practice humility. For example, Luther (in a famous passage in the preface to the Wittenberg edition of his German translation of the Bible) admonished his reader toward three “rules” that he found throughout Psalm 119: oratio (prayer), meditatio (meditation, reading), and tentatio (anxiety, trial, struggle). Through these methods, Luther says, the theologian will learn to think highly of God, but not think highly of himself or herself. Then, Luther ends with this famous passage:
If, however, you feel and are inclined to think you have made it, flattering yourself with your own little books, teaching, or writing, because you have done it beautifully and preached excellently; if you are highly pleased when someone praises you in the presence of others; if you perhaps look for praise, and would sulk or quit what you are doing if you did not get it – if you are of that stripe, dear friend, then take yourself by the ears, and if you do this in the right way you will find a beautiful pair of big, long, shaggy donkey ears. Then do not spare any expense! Decorate them with golden bells, so that people will be able to hear you wherever you go, point their fingers at you, and say, “See, See! There goes that clever beast, who can write such exquisite books and preach so remarkably well.”
I know that this is not my desire. I’m certain it is not your desire either. As we read and study and write, let’s do so for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ, not for the purpose of drawing a following or entertaining people or becoming academically well-known or even making a living. Instead, may we live and move and have our being only in Jesus Christ.
Because I know them…
Inheritor of Heaven has a blog called “once dead, now alive“. In a recent post called “What Did I See Today At Worship?“, he describes the other followers of Christ that he meets with. He doesn’t using glowing terms to describe the people, because they are real people with real hurts and real needs… just like he is… just like I am… and just like you are. How does he know so much about these people? Well, this is what he says:
How do I know this? Because I know them, I have ongoing relationships with many of them. I have prayed with them and for them and their families. I have eaten with them and celebrated with them. I have fished and hunted with them. I have served alongside them. I have taught them or their children. I have studied with them and worshipped with them. They have prayed with me and with my family. They have brought us food and visited us at the hospital. In many ways they are my family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
I love this! He does not know and love these people because they are like him, but because they share a common bond in Christ – they are family. He goes on to explain how knowing these people has changed him. Isn’t it amazing how God can use people who are different from us – who have different opinions from us, who have different concerns from us – to work in our lives and change us and help us mature in Christ. We are a family in Christ so that we can help one another grow towards our Father.
Do you know the people who the Father has placed around you? If not, why not start getting to know them better today? Call them. Write them. Visit them. Invite them to your house. Talk to them. Listen to them. They are our family. Shouldn’t we treat them as family?
Wise and foolish builders…
Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ words as Matthew records at the end of the “Sermon on the Mount”:
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)
This week, as I was reading Matthew in The Message, I came across this passage. This is how Eugene Peterson translates and interprets the parable of the wise and foolish builders:
These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards. (Matthew 7:24-27 The Message)
When I read Peterson’s interpretation, Jesus’ words take on a specific application. In this version, it is not the person who once or occasionally hears Jesus’ words and yet refuses to obey, instead it is the person who studies Jesus’ words (Bible studies) and yet refuses to obey.
This reminds me of times when I have been involved in Bible studies – either personal or with a group. We have studied the context of book and the passage. We have examined the meanings of words and the grammatical structure. We have analyzed parallel passages. But, when we leave the Bible study, nothing has changed in our lives. This is an example of a group of foolish builders.
At other times, I have heard from followers of Christ who did not know Greek vocabulary or grammar – or much about English grammar for that matter. They could not quote Scripture, nor could they tell me the introduction material for any book of the Bible. But, these followers of Christ simply and consistently lived what had been revealed to them. This is an example of a group of wise builders.
There is nothing wrong with study, Greek or Hebrew vocabulary or grammar, introduction, or analysis. But, there is nothing specifically right about them either, unless they are accompanied by a submission to the Spirit of God and a desire to be transformed. But, then again, a lack of academic ability yet the presence of the Spirit of God can also lead to wisdom and transformation.
Do we study? Yes, but always with the awareness that knowledge and information alone are not our goal. We can engage in Bible study every day of the week. But, if this is not accompanied with a desire and a purpose of working the Scripture into our lives, then we remain foolish builders, and our lives remain built on the sand of our own intelligence.
Apprentice to a Follower of Jesus Christ
For two days last week, I attended an intensive seminar on the topic of teaching in higher education. This seminar covered many topics including preparing for academia, teaching and research, administration, teaching methods, and teaching philosophy and psychology.
One comment that the professor made was (paraphrasing), “Lecture is one of the least effective methods of teaching.” Even those who support and defend lecture usually include other teaching methods such as class participation, discussion, case studies, etc.
I think that an emphasis on lecture in preaching and teaching is one of the reasons that the church is filled with immature believers who have never grown beyond the “birth” stage in the life of Christ. I have found that people learn, understand, apply, and grow in maturity toward Christ much more when the “teaching” is more hands-on – living and learning together instead of lecturing someone.
In the introduction to Paul’s letter to the Philippians in The Message, Eugene Peterson says:
This is Paul’s happiest letter. And the happiness is infectious. Before we’ve read a dozen lines, we begin to feel the joy ourselves – the dance of words and the exclamations of delight have a way of getting inside us.
But happiness is not a word we can understand by looking it up in a dictionary. In fact, none of the qualities of the Christian life can be learned out of a book. Something more like apprenticeship is required, being around someone who out of years of devoted discipline shows us, by his or her entire behavior, what it is. Moments of verbal instruction will certainly occur, but mostly an apprentice acquires skill by daily and intimate association with a “master,” picking up subtle but absolutely essential things, such as timing and rhythm and “touch.”
I like the way that Peterson describes learning and discipleship in these two paragraphs. Following Christ does not come about through the sharing of information, but through the sharing of lives, much like a mentor shares his life with an apprentice. We cannot disciple through a series of lectures alone, whether those lectures last 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 4 hours.
I desire to live as an apprentice and a mentor. I desire to live with, learn from, and follow those who are more mature in Christ, just as I live with, teach, and lead those who are less mature in Christ. Of course, this works both ways. Mentors learn from apprentices. Certainly lecture can be part of this type of lifestyle, but it should not and cannot be the primary aspect of discipleship.
As we live with one another and learn from one another, our goal is not simply to make each other more knowledgeable about Scripture and about God. Instead, our goal is to see one another transformed through the work of the Spirit of God. If this is our goal, then our life and our methods should work toward that goal.
Anabaptist Accountability
Dave Black has posted the seventh article in his series on Abaptist belief and practices: “What I Have Learned from the Anabaptists (Part 7)“. This article deals with how the Anbaptists held one another accountable to know what they believe and to live according to those beliefs.
It is easy to get bogged down in discussions and disagreements about opinions that have little to do with faith in Christ and living according to that faith. These kinds of disagreements tend to distract and hinder the work of the Spirit through a believer and through a group of believers. Dave quoted John Wesley, who said:
I will not quarrel with you about my opinions; only see that your heart is right toward God, that you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ; that you love your neighbor, and walk as your Master walked, and I desire no more. I am sick of opinions; am weary to bear them; my soul loathes this frosty food. Give me solid and substantial religion; give me a humble, gentle lover of God and man; a man full of mercy and good faith, without partiality and without hypocrisy; a man laying himself out in the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labor of love. Let my soul be with these Christians wheresoever they are, and whatsoever opinion they are of.
Like Wesley, it is my desire to focus on living a life of faith, not quarrelling over opinions. This is not always easy. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to lose an argument if it means strengthening a brother’s or sister’s faith and maturing them toward Christ.
Missing a limb…
Did you see this news article:
A Japanese biker failed to notice his leg had been severed below the knee when he hit a safety barrier, and rode on for 2 km (1.2 miles), leaving a friend to pick up the missing limb.
The 54-year-old office worker was out on his motorcycle with a group of friends in the city of Hamamatsu, west of Tokyo, on Monday, when he was unable to negotiate a curve in the road and bumped into the central barrier, the Mainichi Shimbun said.
He felt excruciating pain, but did not notice that his right leg was missing until he stopped at the next junction, the paper quoted local police as saying.
The man and his leg were taken to hospital, but the limb had been crushed in the collision, the paper said.
So, can you relate this story to the church? How would you apply it? What Scriptures come to mind? Does this happen to the church? How does the church recognize it? What does the church do about a situation like this?
Unworthy servants…
I have always been challenged by Luke 17:5-10 –
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'” (Luke 17:5-10 ESV)
I don’t like to think of myself as an “unworthy servant” (or “unprofitable”).
The phrase “unworthy servant” reminds me that I am a servant. Regardless of my vocation, education, or affiliation, I am a servant. I never have the option of responding, “I am no man’s servant” (as Aussie John recently recounted in this comment). There is no place for pride nor for demanding my own desires. I am a servant.
The phrase “unworthy servant” also reminds me that I am unworthy in the sense that I am not worthy to be a servant. I deserve rejection, exclusion, and death, but I do not deserve to be a servant.
The phrase “unworthy servant” reminds me that I am unworthy in the sense that I do not add worth to my Master’s household. Nothing that I do increases his wealth or ability. Nothing that I say increases his honor. If I were removed from my Master’s household, his worth would not diminish.
The phrase “unworthy servant” reminds me most of all that I have a Master. My Master deserves my allegiance, my respect, and my obedience. My Master owes me nothing, yet offers me everything. My Master does not need me, but loves me completely. My Master can do everything, yet he chooses to work through me.
I am an “unworthy servant”. But, for some reason known only to my Master, he places his ring on my finger and his cloak on my shoulders. He calls me brother.
I am an “unworthy servant”. The more I recognize this and accept this, the more I will grow in faith… and the more I will understand grace.