Thursday, August 27, 2009

Gospel-Centered Discipleship

So as I was reading over some blogs today I found this quote on The Resurgence, in a post called 'Gospel-Centered Discipleship'.
The Gospel Is the Center For Everything

Alan Hirsch reminds us that "Discipleship, becoming like Jesus our Lord and Founder, lies at the epicenter of the church's task. It means that Christology must define all that we do and say… It will mean taking the Gospels seriously as the primary texts that define us." Therefore, the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves individuals is also the gospel that grows individuals through discipleship.

Understanding the Gospel

There is a need for a clear understanding and a rediscovery of the gospel in the 21st century. Jerry Bridges says, "The gospel is not the most important message in history; it is the only essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to live their entire lives without clearly understanding it and experiencing the joy of living their lives by it."

What is the gospel? The gospel is the declaration of the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died for our sins on the cross of Calvary. Simply put, there is no gospel without the sinless life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tim Keller beautifully describes the gospel this way: "In the person and work of Jesus Christ, God fully accomplishes salvation for us, rescuing us from judgment for sin into fellowship with him, and then restores the creation in which we can enjoy our new life together with him forever."
I love this. I think it's essential that we understand that discipleship demands a clear understanding of the gospel. That we recognize that the gospel is not merely for unbelievers, but it is for us, believers, every single day. What else could motivate us as powerfully to discipleship as the life-given truth of the gospel? And what could better define what we DO in discipleship than the pattern that we see in the life of Jesus? I love this sentence:
Therefore, the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves individuals is also the gospel that grows individuals through discipleship.
Amen. What does that look like, today, for you, with those you disciple?

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posted by sarah @ 3:21 PM 0 Comments

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

the busiest time of the year

Fall. Anyone with kids knows that this feels like the busiest time of the year: school is starting, sports are starting, band is starting, youth group is starting ... you name it, and it's probably starting.

In the face of all this busyness, it's easy for discipleship to get pushed aside. We feel overwhelmed all the programs & obligations that fill our schedule. There's not enough time for 'one more meeting'. We're exhausted anyway, so getting together with our students wouldn't even be beneficial to them. We'll just wait til things calm down.

If this is our plan, we're missing a huge opportunity.

I absolutely think this is the most crucial time to pursue discipleship. Students are just getting back into their peer groups, which, for most of them, is their mission field. This is the prime time for them to establish goals and then patterns of behavior to love and reach their unbelieving friends. It's also an important time for accountability: don't we want our students continuing to spend time in the Word and in prayer, even in the busiest times of their lives?

I know that time is tight. That some weeks it seems impossible to fit in one more meeting. Fair.

2 questions:
1. What are our priorities & do our schedules reflect those? Is there time that we could be using better currently?
2. What are creative ways to connect with students when there really is NO time to get together?

(I've been thinking a lot about that second one lately. More on that to come soon.)

Fall. The season of beginnings for so many things. Let's redeem those beginnings for the cause of Christ. Discipleship could be key in that process.

posted by sarah @ 3:58 PM 0 Comments

Monday, August 24, 2009

back in action

It's official.

Travel season, fall 2009 edition, has begun.
Stacie and I are back in the office as of TODAY.
We hit the road September 5.
Ohio, here we come.

Look for a real update tomorrow including:
discipleship chatter
summer recap
pictures

Yeah. I know you're excited.

posted by sarah @ 3:57 PM 0 Comments