Are Disciples Tended or Processed?
Reading farmer/pastor Jeff Hawkins's description of organic farming and discipleship will get you thinking. He notes "the strange similarity between modern farming and modern churching. Is it a coincidence that Old McDonald farms are being replaced by large Confined Animal Feeding Operations, while family-sized congregations are being replaced by megachurches? Is the modern church favoring behaviors attributable to a preference for production rather than health, a way of life fundamentally inconsistent with the church's organic nature?"
His main point is not to criticize large churches. It's asking whether people become disciples through a process or through relationships. You can guess which side he comes down on.
Here are a number of aids in nurturing people into disciples of Jesus.
Grace, strength, and joy,
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Creating an Environment for Disciples
Christ called his disciples to "feed my lambs" and "receive power" and "be my witnesses." In other words, he emphasized the heart of what it means to be disciples. Churches create environments where that can happen among those in their midst. These resources point the way.
| Building a Culture of Discipleship Some people think that 'discipleship' is a track for elite Christians. It's not. Discipleship is the calling of every believer, and it is accessible to every person who comes to your church. Help make your congregation a place that nurtures discipleship by using the assessments, studies, and how-to articles in this download.
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| Fostering Transformation As church leaders, transformation is at the heart of all that we do. The goal of Christian leadership is to help people experience and grow in the love of Christ as they know him, love him, and serve him better. But when church leaders are faced with so many organizational and administrative tasks, what does it actually look like to foster spiritual transformation among those you lead? This 23-page resource offers biblical reflection, wisdom from experienced pastors, and practical tips on how to move those you lead through the process of spiritual transformation.
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| Discipling Emerging Adults The crisis of 'leavers'--20-somethings who leave the church after high school and never return--has led to a renewed focus on outreach to the Millennial generation. But another critical component of the church's response has to be a plan for discipling and mentoring those who do return. Postmodernism and pop culture have shaped the emerging generation in ways that require a creative approach to the traditional discipleship structure.
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