For the final part of my blog and debrief of the theological forums at the National Youth Workers Convention I wanted to focus on Discipleship. These thoughts and reflections came from the forums on "The Interaction Between Human and Divine Action" and "Theological Issues Impacting the Christian Formation of Adolescents.
Thanks again for all you are reading. I would be happy to know your thoughts on what I have written in my reflections.
Discipleship
When talking about discipleship one most first confess that discipleship is a lot more than just following Jesus. The goal has to be seen as a holistic transformation of the person that concluded in the turn of Jesus. At the center of this, “The interaction between Human and Divine Action” and “Theological Issues impacting the Christian Formation of Adolescents.” It is important to note that Christian Formation is done through the help of God and is a part of our calling as God’s Children as we respond to God out of our redemption. It is calling people to die, as Bonhoeffer pointed out, this is the cost of discipleship, to carry your cross.
There are a few issues here that have to be brought forward. First, there is a reality that within Christian Tradition there has been what is referred to as spiritual disciplines. Through these practices the Spirit of God transforms individuals and communities into disciples. Some confessing communities even believe that there are some disciplines that administer grace to those participating in them. (Communion and etc.). The reality that has to dealt with is that everyone spiritual life is going to be different. What works to transform one, might not work to transform the next. This is very important to note when dealing with different generations. There are some spiritual disciplines that speak to one generation, but not to the next. That is why it is essential to be having a certain fluidity in the defining spiritual disciplines.
Secondly, the hope of spiritual disciplines is that they might announce to us what God has already done for humanity, and that in that humanity might respond and be transformed. “Faith” is an eschatological reality that breaks into the “not yet” of the world. Therefore, spiritual disciplines can transform us as we become aware of that reality, they cannot redeem us. At the heart of communicating the need for spiritual disciplines is a rhythm of grace and discipline, or as my Methodists friends might say, “call and response” motion from God to humanity.
Lastly, spiritual formation have to be about teaching a community to form habits around means of grace and disciplines. That means creating a new grammar for people, a new way of looking at life. As Adam English stated in one of the theological forums, “The greatest threat is turning the gospel into a systematic idea that fit into the life they already have.”
Questions to ask:
- What are some new ways God is communicating his transforming grace to different generations within church (elderly, parents, singles, students and children today)? Are we open to including those into our definition of transformation? What might we be missing?
- Do others understand what discipleship means?
- Do people understand how their baptism affects their identity and formation?
Call for a Transformation Appearance
There is a temptation to communicate that Christians have to have everything “together” to be or become disciples of Jesus. This could not be fuller from being correct. Christianity is messy because life and people are messy. Therefore, true discipleship is found when in the messiness of life Christians can forsake the appearance of having it all together and confess, “I hurt but Jesus is with me. “In this type of discipleship the Church and un-churched can discover Jesus in suffering through his people.
A helpful way of framing this that has been offered by Andrew Root has been the question, “are you serving life, or serving death?” This question moves us past moralistic formation to holistic formation. It states, “life can be a bitch,” but I serve my God because he has redeemed and is transforming me. It moves us into the reality where the love of God overcomes death in the resurrection. It help answers the question of many, what is stronger, “Life or death?” or “does this emptiness end?”
All suffer, and a part of discipleship needs to be both teaching people how Christ is with them in their suffering and helping people realize that Christains are called by God to walk through suffering with others by being honest with the crap of life.
Questions to ask:
- Have we modeled the correct appearance of discipleship to our church?
- Is suffering a part of our grammar?
- Are we teaching people that in Christianity everything needs appear okay?
- What are our practices serving, life or death?
- Are we really seeking our congregation’s questions about life?
- Are we ready to hear our congregation’s fears?
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