Friday, February 03, 2006
discipleship
"...,discharge all the duties of your ministry."(2tim4:5) Paul says to Timothy just before his death. I believe this is the nature of true discipleship. I also believe it should happen as soon as humanly possible. Pauls life illustrates this. He was a true planter. He seemed to only give instruction as needed. Why am I emphasizing this? The Holy Spirit needs some wiggle room. He needs to do his job of making the word and God's character clear. If we keep interupting with our own words and methods we grieve Him.
If we are too hands on in our approach I believe it reveals a lack of trust in God's ability to lead people and speak to them individually, leads to over dependance on leaders, and a welfare church where people are "always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth"(2tim3:7). People will never learn how to hear God's voice personally if we are their ears.
Why dont we just trust God and let Him guide in more practical ways? FEAR or lack of understanding at the least. We fear people will make grave mistakes and believe herasies. This is a real danger but are we saying by our actions that God is incapable of handeling the crisis? He does not need to stand on our shoulders. Sometimes we are being manipulative and controlling in our Christian communities out of pure fear. People see this demonstration of a lack of faith. No wonder people dont want to become part of our Christian community. As far as lack of understanding, we believe it is our duty to take care of people younger in the faith. How noble of us. But why do we believ this. There is little evidence that Jesus did it this way. In fact He allowed people to make mistakes and stood by and watched. Then He leaves the earth at the most vulnerable time in the Christian movement. At Christ's death the disciples didn't get it really. Jesus left so the Holy Spirit could come. He passed the baton. We should do the same.
If alot of leaders left their ministry today the whole thing would fall apart because the ministry is built around one or a few leaders. It doesn't look like a real "body" at all. The ligaments are not supporting and the muscles are atrophied. We have created a welfare community that enables people to to rely on spiritual leaders instead of God Himself.
How does this affect discipleship? We do and say what we were taught to do and say. We produce more of the same. We are in a rut. Someone once said. A rut is simply a grave with the ends knocked out.
If we are too hands on in our approach I believe it reveals a lack of trust in God's ability to lead people and speak to them individually, leads to over dependance on leaders, and a welfare church where people are "always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth"(2tim3:7). People will never learn how to hear God's voice personally if we are their ears.
Why dont we just trust God and let Him guide in more practical ways? FEAR or lack of understanding at the least. We fear people will make grave mistakes and believe herasies. This is a real danger but are we saying by our actions that God is incapable of handeling the crisis? He does not need to stand on our shoulders. Sometimes we are being manipulative and controlling in our Christian communities out of pure fear. People see this demonstration of a lack of faith. No wonder people dont want to become part of our Christian community. As far as lack of understanding, we believe it is our duty to take care of people younger in the faith. How noble of us. But why do we believ this. There is little evidence that Jesus did it this way. In fact He allowed people to make mistakes and stood by and watched. Then He leaves the earth at the most vulnerable time in the Christian movement. At Christ's death the disciples didn't get it really. Jesus left so the Holy Spirit could come. He passed the baton. We should do the same.
If alot of leaders left their ministry today the whole thing would fall apart because the ministry is built around one or a few leaders. It doesn't look like a real "body" at all. The ligaments are not supporting and the muscles are atrophied. We have created a welfare community that enables people to to rely on spiritual leaders instead of God Himself.
How does this affect discipleship? We do and say what we were taught to do and say. We produce more of the same. We are in a rut. Someone once said. A rut is simply a grave with the ends knocked out.
hd 11:48 AM