biggest loser... discipleship edition?
This is the first year that I've really followed the
Biggest Loser. Last week I got to see the 'where are they now?' episode. (If you don't follow it or missed the show, they followed up with a bunch of people that have been on the show over the past 7 season to see where they are now. Clever.)
At one point, 10 or 15 of them gathered for a dinner (and then a half marathon the next day... they are healthy now, after all). These are people from various seasons who have built relationships with each other over their common interests and experiences. At the end of the meal one of their trainers came out and told them how proud she was of them, and how glad she was they were in community with each other, holding each other accountable, pushing each other.
Then Bob (another trainer) drops in on Erik, a previous winner who lost over 200 pounds... and gained 195 back. Erik says he was worried about seeing and talking to Bob because he didn't want him to be disappointed or angry. And Bob tells Erik it's okay, and that they are going to come up with a plan of action to get the weight back off.
All I could think as I was watching was ... ohmygosh this is discipleship. These people have learned that the way that they can best achieve their goals, the way they can grow and learn and change the fastest, the way that they can stay on track is in community with other people. With their peers, and with their trainers.
Why do we think it is any different with our spiritual lives? The best way to achieve our goals, to grow, to learn, to change, to stay on track is in community. With our peers, and with our trainers... our disciplers.
Sometimes it amazes me when I see such biblical concepts played out in the world...
Labels: Biggest Loser, discipleship
missing Christ because of your cause
Read this today on
Heather Zempel's blog.
"The disciples didn't lay their lives down for a cause but for a person."
That's how Dave Buehring kicked off his talk on the Ways of God at our Kaboom Retreat (formerly zone leader/team leader retreat) this weekend.
For some reason, that one statement is really challenging me personally and challenging the way I lead my team. I fear that I have spent too much time motivating people to a cause- make disciples, advance the Kingdom, create culture, change a generation, etc. That's all good stuff, but it's not the ultimate goal, is it? Maybe I should focus a bit more on simply elevating the person of Jesus Christ.
Causes are good. Causes build fans and create evangelists. Christ is better. He builds communities of faith and creates martyrs. Not that we all want to rush out to the Colosseum to volunteer ourselves for lion dinner. But laying down our lives is one of the ways we follow Jesus Christ.
The disciples didn't lay their lives down for some great cause that had captivated their emotions and imaginations. They laid their lives down for a person who had already laid his own life down for them.
Why am I more cause focused than person focused? Perhaps it is more comfortable and easy for me to acquaint myself with and attach myself to a cause than to enter a messy and flesh-killing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Making me think. Thoughts soon to follow.Labels: discipleship, Heather Zempel
read this if you know a 2009 barnabas alumni...
Last weekend Stacie and I got to be a part of the 2009
Operation Barnabas reunion. We loaded up the bus Thursday night and headed to Columbus. Friday morning we, along with 21 students, headed off to Philadelphia (with one more stop in western PA to pick up 10 more). We got to
Urban Hope Friday evening to spend the weekend there reconnecting, loving & serving the community, and working with the Urban Hope staff. Altogether we had 44 students & 8 leaders together.
We got to do all kinds of sweet things:
- hang out at Friday night ROCK with a bunch of kids from the block
- 'scavenger hunt' on South Street -- lots of opportunities to talk with people and to share Jesus
- good time with the Lord, and in worship, and in prayer
- sharing from a few leaders
- manual labor
- Thanksgiving meal sign ups
- hanging with THE Ed Lewis
- time together as teams
- 1/2 of us at a local church and 1/2 at Urban Hope's Sunday service & Kingdom Kids
All of those things were great. Seriously. It's always good to be together again, to be involved in serving again, to reminisce about the summer.
The best part? Let's call it the
covenant community of faith.
These students share a bond that is unexplainable. They have been honest with each other about their struggles and sins. They have prayed for each other. They have shared their faith together. They have read Scripture together. They have loved and encouraged one another when they most needed it. They have loved and encouraged others together when they most needed it. These students, they are a part of the body of Christ. And they have learned together what that really means.
So last weekend, on the bus, during team time, during manual labor, while walking the neighborhood, I watched these students function as part of the body of Christ, as part of the covenant community of faith. At one point I was moved to tears as I recognized genuine, Christlike love in these high school students.
I know my job is to spend time with these kids. So maybe you think I'm biased. But I think these students, these 2009 Barnabas alumni, are incredible. The Lord continues work in their hearts and work through their lives.
If you know a 2009 Barnabas alumni, ask them about what they're learning about the body of Christ. Watch them in action. Thank the Lord for what he's doing. Man. I'm overwhelmed. Seriously. God. Is. So. Good.
(wanna see some
pictures of the weekend?)
Labels: 2009 alumni, covenant community of faith, Operation Barnabas, Urban Hope
goals of discipleship :: ministry skills
ministry (n) : the spiritual work or service of any Christian or a group of Christians, especially evangelism
skills (n) : the ability to do something well, expertise (both from Oxford American Dictionary)
The last of our series (which I started oh so long ago... need a refresher? Check out the first 2 on
character and
biblical understanding).
The third goal of discipleship is to develop a student's ministry skills. This includes a whole range of things, from basic interpersonal interaction, to evangelism, to specific spiritual gifts... and the list goes on. Your disciple should be better equipped for ministry as a result of your time together.
If I'm being honest, I'd say this is the area of discipleship that is most lacking in our churches today. While there is room for improvement in the areas of developing character and biblical understanding, in many places we are at least attempting to address these two. But ministry skills are often completely overlooked. We get together for coffee and talk about how we're struggling, how we're succeeding, and what we're learning in Scripture, but it's not often that we get up, go out, and do a project together, get involved in ministry together.
When it comes to helping develop ministry skills, I think there are some simple, practical things ways to start:
- take a spiritual gifts inventory together: an inventory isn't foolproof, but it is a good starting place. Especially since many students (and adults, if we're honest) don't really know what their gifts are. The Resurgence has a great series available online about an extensive list of gifts, including descriptions and indicators of each gift.
- study different evangelism techniques: there are tons out there. From your own testimony, to tracks, to the Way of the Master, to basic verses that lay out the gospel. Why not take some time to learn new ways and talk about your favorite ways to share the gospel. And then go out and do it. Whether you go to an organized outreach, or the mall, or the fair, or a football game -- there are unsaved people everywhere you go. While it may be uncomfortable for your disciple (and for you!) the first time, there is no better way to learn about evangelism than to do it. And it is so beneficial for you to go together, as you can help to guide your disciple, and then debrief afterwards, and share the joy of evangelism (Philemon 6).
- develop projects based on needs/circumstances: this depends on your disciple and what the Lord is working in them. For example, Leah wants to become more disciplined in quietly waiting on the Lord in her prayer life. So we did an exercise where we each wrote a letter to ourselves from the Lord (based on the model in Revelation 2-3). This provided good quiet time, and gave each of us direction and insight into things the Lord wanted us to do. Katie loves people, but often is so busy at school that she was struggling to know how to love on them. We decided she'd pray for one person in each of her classes every day, and really focus on that one person. It has allowed given her purpose in each class and the Lord is using it to direct her love and passion for people.
- do things together: anytime you can be involved in any kind of ministry together, do it. You will gain invaluable insight into your disciple's gifts, passions, strengths, and weaknesses when you are working alongside them. Morgan is part of a mentoring program at college, where she works with a couple girls from underprivileged homes. Last month I got to meet those girls and hang out with them and Morgan and just see her in action. It was a blast. So fun to see her initiate with them, love on them, and direct them.
Jesus trained his disciples in ministry. Obviously. They followed him around as he prayed, taught, healed, loved, and died. Our disciples need the same training.
Character. Biblical understanding. Ministry skills.
How are you challenging your disciple in these areas?
Labels: discipleship, evangelism, Katie, Leah, ministry skills, Morgan, Organic Disciplemaking, spiritual gifts
What is Scripture?
The Resurgence is doing a series on their blog about
what Scripture is. I think it is worthwhile to check out, as we need to be continually deepening our understanding of Scripture and its value as we disciple others.
Thanks, Resurgence.
Labels: biblical understanding, the resurgence
