Discipleship has really been on my mind lately. Not just because I read a book on it either. But I have been examining what I am doing. What is my role? What should be my priorities? I have always fought myself when it comes to the numbers game. Being in the town that I am in has really helped me in that regard. Even though discipleship is touted at youth pastor forums and other church settings it still seems to be a distant though in our minds, though we say it is not.
I think it is great that we talk all the time about how Jesus loves us, how he saved us and those sort of things, but when the people in our congregations don’t even believe in the fall, how could they ever believe they need to be saved from it? So Jesus becomes what the world says he is a crutch. He gives us that, “Stick, gooey, sweetness” Feeling, to quote the prayer from my Bible College’s Dean. When I look at the life of Jesus there seemed to be a process in discipleship. The twelve disciples didn’t accept Jesus as their “Lord and Saviour” then choose to follow him. NO. There was a curiosity which caused them to follow Jesus when He called. It was half way through the ministry of Jesus before Peter admitted that he was the Messiah and that was only because the Holy Spirit revealed it to him.
It was a long process that even led to the disciples believing Jesus was the messiah. Yet, we have this expectation that we can tell our friends and family one time about Jesus or bring them to church; they say a little prayer and BOOM! Their life is forever changed. That rarely happens. It certainly didn’t happen to those closest to Jesus. Think about for a moment those were the ones who heard all the teaching, say people healed and demons cast out of people.
Is it possible that the reason only 1 in 10 youth stay in the church after graduating because we were calling them Christians before they actually were? In Mark 4 Jesus repeatedly talks about farming and how it relates to the Kingdom of God. Jesus talks about how things must take root. Roots don’t suddenly appear after one prayer but it takes a little work. The great news is that Jesus talks about us continually spreading seed and suddenly we have a crop and we’re not sure how we got it. I think I knew how that happens... sneaky little Jesus!
In Tony Jones book, Postmodern Youth Ministry, he speaks of a tradition that occurred in Christian community, Anagni, in 290 A.D. There was a boy named Lucius who heard about Christ from his friend Marcus. After Lucius was convinced that Christ seemed to be the better option in life when it came to gods Marcus took him to church... had your there for a moment. Nah ah ah. Actually, after Lucius said that he would like to join this community Marcus connected him with Gaius, one of the elders from the Anagni community. FOR TWO YEARS they met twice a week and talk about all things theology. It wasn’t until after this period of time that he was allowed in church! Now that may seem crazy but we are just getting started. You see that wasn’t the end of the discipleship road. Near the end of every service they would basically ask poor Lucius to leave. This went on for many months. You see only the baptized were allowed in the room because they were taking communion/Lord’s supper/ sacrament, whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile Lucius was continuing to meet with Gaius. After Lucius third year of Catechism (oral instruction to put it simply) was baptized.
Seems like a long road? Understand I am not saying this is better because it is older. What I am trying to say is that salvation, baptism and the Lord’s Supper were things to be taken very very seriously. I believe we have lost some of that with our quick say the prayer salvation, lack of teaching, ready to go baptisms and ready to serve communion. There are serious ramifications for people who take of the Lord’s Table without understanding.
Personally, I believe that part of the problem with Sunday morning worship time is that we let too many people be involved. Now I am not saying we need to turn people away at the door. But maybe do the ol’ temple thing and have an observing area. If we helped the people in our churches to understand that this is a process of learning, repeated sanctification and a way of life we might find that Sunday mornings would be a dynamic time with God. Our youth would not be falling away like flies but would be rooted. Lord helps us to be like the farmer who continually spreads the seed.
I think it is great that we talk all the time about how Jesus loves us, how he saved us and those sort of things, but when the people in our congregations don’t even believe in the fall, how could they ever believe they need to be saved from it? So Jesus becomes what the world says he is a crutch. He gives us that, “Stick, gooey, sweetness” Feeling, to quote the prayer from my Bible College’s Dean. When I look at the life of Jesus there seemed to be a process in discipleship. The twelve disciples didn’t accept Jesus as their “Lord and Saviour” then choose to follow him. NO. There was a curiosity which caused them to follow Jesus when He called. It was half way through the ministry of Jesus before Peter admitted that he was the Messiah and that was only because the Holy Spirit revealed it to him.
It was a long process that even led to the disciples believing Jesus was the messiah. Yet, we have this expectation that we can tell our friends and family one time about Jesus or bring them to church; they say a little prayer and BOOM! Their life is forever changed. That rarely happens. It certainly didn’t happen to those closest to Jesus. Think about for a moment those were the ones who heard all the teaching, say people healed and demons cast out of people.
Is it possible that the reason only 1 in 10 youth stay in the church after graduating because we were calling them Christians before they actually were? In Mark 4 Jesus repeatedly talks about farming and how it relates to the Kingdom of God. Jesus talks about how things must take root. Roots don’t suddenly appear after one prayer but it takes a little work. The great news is that Jesus talks about us continually spreading seed and suddenly we have a crop and we’re not sure how we got it. I think I knew how that happens... sneaky little Jesus!
In Tony Jones book, Postmodern Youth Ministry, he speaks of a tradition that occurred in Christian community, Anagni, in 290 A.D. There was a boy named Lucius who heard about Christ from his friend Marcus. After Lucius was convinced that Christ seemed to be the better option in life when it came to gods Marcus took him to church... had your there for a moment. Nah ah ah. Actually, after Lucius said that he would like to join this community Marcus connected him with Gaius, one of the elders from the Anagni community. FOR TWO YEARS they met twice a week and talk about all things theology. It wasn’t until after this period of time that he was allowed in church! Now that may seem crazy but we are just getting started. You see that wasn’t the end of the discipleship road. Near the end of every service they would basically ask poor Lucius to leave. This went on for many months. You see only the baptized were allowed in the room because they were taking communion/Lord’s supper/ sacrament, whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile Lucius was continuing to meet with Gaius. After Lucius third year of Catechism (oral instruction to put it simply) was baptized.
Seems like a long road? Understand I am not saying this is better because it is older. What I am trying to say is that salvation, baptism and the Lord’s Supper were things to be taken very very seriously. I believe we have lost some of that with our quick say the prayer salvation, lack of teaching, ready to go baptisms and ready to serve communion. There are serious ramifications for people who take of the Lord’s Table without understanding.
Personally, I believe that part of the problem with Sunday morning worship time is that we let too many people be involved. Now I am not saying we need to turn people away at the door. But maybe do the ol’ temple thing and have an observing area. If we helped the people in our churches to understand that this is a process of learning, repeated sanctification and a way of life we might find that Sunday mornings would be a dynamic time with God. Our youth would not be falling away like flies but would be rooted. Lord helps us to be like the farmer who continually spreads the seed.
I think sometimes it seems like people are just expected to know certain things when it comes to church and our faith (and other things), sometimes the Pastor talks about it as if we already know what they are talking about and then it is not explained.. so that Sunday morning worship time is not a time of learning and understanding.. it is just confusing for some. Since they may not understand what the Pastor is talking about a lot of the time it probably makes it easier for them to fall away.
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