Tag: disciple

Last words from JDMC

You will only grow and progress if you do the work yourselves daily, weekly, and on into the extraordinary future that Father already has planned for you.

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This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book. It’s the very last section so is a bit different from the rest: there are no questions for readers to ponder, just a blessing at the end.

I suggest reading the blessing and making it your own. And why not see if any of your friends are interested too? Share the link with them, or meet over a coffee to chat about it. Alternatively you could return to the beginning of this series and get them started that way.

Not the end, just the beginning
JDMC cover

Please don’t think that because you have reached the end of the guide, you have also reached the end of the journey. I hope you’ll explore the more detailed books on ‘The Forgotten Ways’ as well.

The various parts of this JDMC guide are just that – a guide. You will only grow and progress if you do the work yourselves daily, weekly, and on into the extraordinary future that Father already has planned for you. He will show you and lead you but you must take the steps one by one. As you live and work and discover new things together you can expect to grow significantly and have an impact on those around you.

An intricate fabric

Remember that the six forgotten ways are woven together to form a rich and intricate fabric. Although I’ve presented them here individually and in a linear form, they are not like that in reality. Each depends on the others, all are needed in our lives together. They don’t begin with knowing Jesus and end with doing stretching things together, they are more like a grand party where the participants, the music, the lighting, the flowers, the food, and the decorations create an unparalleled overall experience.

Take one of them away and the party will be much the poorer.

However, each way does depend on the previous one and provoke the next in significant ways. People who put Jesus first will find themselves becoming disciples. If we truly follow him and love him, we’ll do what he says by going out and deep. Amongst groups of new believers who are open, the APEST gifts will find an opportunity. Where apostolic foundations take route, organic forms of church life will develop. And where church is active, stretching challenges are inevitable.

Just do it!

So make a start in your own lives and your own situation. Listen to what the Spirit says and do what he tells you. Keep Jesus at the centre. Make disciples and grow as disciples yourselves. Make sure to go out but also embed yourselves deep in the local culture. Explore your gifts and encourage one another in using them. Don’t over-organise but be ever more fully alive as parts of one living body. And face some stretching challenges together.

A blessing

I bless you in the name of Jesus, that you may you find yourselves at the heart of revolutionary and explosive growth. It might seem to begin ever so slowly, but stick with it and see what it will become! You’ll find your deepest peace, not by resting, but by being fully active children of the Father and walking daily with the Son.

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

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Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), page 49. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome!

Other Church leaders – 2

The priests were members of a single family, descended from Aaron and his sons. The men of this family were responsible for offering sacrifices

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This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book.

Deacons
JDMC cover

Sometimes, in the early years as communities of believers formed, individuals or small teams were given particular tasks, often when there was a specific need. The men and women who were given these tasks were called ‘deacons’ (Greek ‘diakonos’). The word at its root means ‘dust kickers’, people who would run errands. Over time it came to have a more general meaning in everyday Greek, servant’, ‘waiter’ or ‘administrator’. Deacons in the early church were about getting things done.

At their first mention (in Acts 6:1-6) they were responsible for giving out aid to Greek widows who had been previously overlooked, but the task could be anything else that needed regular and reliable attention. For more on deacons see 1 Timothy 3:8-13).

Think it through – Read some of the passages about deacons and consider the
people who were chosen to do the work. Can you identify people doing
some of these things in the church today? (They may or may not be called
‘deacons’.) Do deacons have command authority or knowledge and wisdom
authority?

Pastors

Pastor is an old fashioned English word for ‘shepherd’. Read about the The shepherding gift in the section on The APEST gifts, JDMC page 42. Bear in mind that there are many people today called ‘pastor’ who are administrators, teachers and managers. This is not the same thing as the gift of shepherding.

Priests

Where does this title come from and what does it mean? In the Old Testament we read about priests and, in particular the ‘High Priest’ or ‘Chief Priest’ (2 Chronicles 19:11). The priests were members of a single family, descended from Aaron and his sons (Exodus 29:44). The men of this family were responsible for offering sacrifices on the altar, first in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. An animal would be slaughtered and offered on behalf of the people when they had transgressed the law in some way. A sin offering was required for forgiveness (Leviticus 4:27-31). The priest acted as a go-between, taking the living animal and offering its life (the blood) in place of the sinner’s life, a substitutionary sacrifice.

Priests today are church leaders who offer the bread and wine on our behalf, a role that the New Testament clearly states is not required. All who believe in and follow Jesus are priests! (1 Peter 2:9) We offer Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice to all who will accept him. We are the go-betweens, and need no-one to bring us into the Presence of the Father, something Jesus has already done once and for all (John 14:9).

Consider – Were the priests helpful towards Jesus or a hindrance? (eg
Matthew 16:21) How do you suppose the church made the mistake of
thinking we still need this role today? Think about the role of Jesus as our
Great High Priest and our role as a Royal Priesthood (Hebrews 4:14).

Bishops, elders, deacons, pastors and priests today

(Bishops and elders were considered in the previous post in this series.) Many denominations use these words in a different sense than the early church. Often they are used for organisational roles. But if we see church as a living organism rather than an organisation we will also need to understand these terms in living ways instead.

Consider – Do we need to identify certain people as bishops, elders and
deacons? Paul identified them, think about how he saw them and why he
regarded them as necessary and useful. Did he see them as functions of
control or of service? How do we see them? And is there a role for pastors
and priests?

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

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Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), pages 47 and 48. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome!

Other Church leaders – 1

Elders … are people we would naturally turn to when we are confused or anxious or when conflict arises.

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This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly three percent of the book.

Why do we need to consider other leaders?
JDMC cover

We have already seen in part Four – Gifts for building, that the original pattern of church leadership springs from the apostolic gift (JDMC, page 41). We also saw that four further gifts are released to operate where there is an apostolic foundation, and we looked at these in more detail in the previous part, The APEST gifts (page 41-44). But the New Testament also mentions bishops (or overseers), elders and deacons, and today we use the terms pastor and priest quite widely. We need to briefly examine these too and understand how they fit into the overall picture. Before we do this, let’s consider the New Testament principles around authority – particularly what Jesus himself said and modelled.

It’s easy to think of the Greek words and their English translations as positions in a hierarchical authority structure, each with defined powers and roles. But as we have seen in Five – A living organism, church is much more a life form than an organisation. The six forgotten ways are not the only things that have been mislaid during the two millennia since Jesus’ time. Our understanding of the functions of bishops, elders and deacons has changed, and very dramatically so. We need to understand them again as they were understood by those early believers, just as recorded in the New Testament.

Perhaps the first thing to say is that as with the APEST gifts, bishops, elders and deacons are not positions of authority in the sense of ruling over other believers. Jesus explicitly told his disciples that they were to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34-35). If he came to serve, so also should we. And he also told them that they were not to rule over one another as the gentiles do (Matthew 20:25-28). Paul writes that we should submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21). This much is very clear. So whatever else we may say about bishops, elders and deacons, we can be quite certain at the outset that they are not about enforcing rules, governing people’s behaviour or managing an organisation.

Bishops, elders and deacons don’t seem to chime with the idea of
the APEST gifts of service or with church as a living organism. Is this a
problem? If so, how can we resolve it? Consider this carefully before
moving on.

Bishops

The Greek word here is ‘episkopos’ and it means, literally, ‘overseer’, someone who keeps watch, someone who keeps an eye on things. Another word we could use is ‘lookout’. It need not be understood to mean an official who makes sure everyone follows orders, although it might seem to imply control because that is the sense of the English word ‘overseer’ in everyday usage.

We need to check the New Testament to understand how the word is used there. Here are some wise words from JP Louw and EA Nida writing in Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament, ‘Though in some contexts [episkopos] has been regarded traditionally as a position of authority, in reality the focus is upon the responsibility for caring for others’. This is a responsibility we all share, we must all look out for one another.

‘Episkopos’ is not always used in a positive way; just take a look at 1 Peter 4:15. Which word in this verse contains the Greek ‘episkopos’ do you think? There’s another Greek word ‘allotri’ which means ‘other people’s business’ and ‘meddler’ (NIV) is ‘allotriepiskopos’, an ‘episkopos’ who meddles in other people’s business.

When Paul writes ‘episkopos’ it’s clear he is referring to particular people he regards as effective at keeping watch to detect – and respond to – error. But this doesn’t mean that the other believers were free to relax. If any of us sees error, or somebody promoting it, we must question it and, if necessary, alert others. Might it be that Paul is simply saying that we need people among us who will be alert and willing to respond? Perhaps he is just saying that some are better at this than others and it’s useful to identify them, recognise them, and pay attention to what they say. Indeed, the work of keeping watch is one of the things shepherds need to do , something they are gifted at. (See The shepherding gift, JDMC page 42)

Jesus himself can be regarded as an ‘episkopos’. In 1 Peter 2:25 we read that Jesus is ‘the shepherd and guardian of your souls’. Some versions translate this as guardian (NASB, TLB), some as overseer (ESV, NIV), and some as bishop (ASV, KJV). Once again, the sense is not of ruling but of taking care, keeping watch (part of what a shepherd does as noted above).

Look up ‘overseer’ in a concordance or search function and draw
your own conclusions about the work of an overseer or lookout. Try to get
a feeling for what these people were expected to do. Did they have
authority over other believers?

Elders

Paul made a habit of identifying elders in the churches he planted (Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5). It’s worth mentioning that the word translated ‘appointed’ might equally well mean ‘pointed out’ or ‘identified’. But in English, the idea that Paul ‘pointed out’ elders is very different from the idea that he ‘appointed’ them. In everyday life, people who are appointed to a position are given authority to make decisions and to act in a particular role. But let’s remember that the New Testament and the words of Jesus himself suggest love, humility and submitting to one another as the primary focus.

The word ‘elder’ is from the Greek ‘presbuteros’ and it does literally mean an older person. But it is also used to signify someone who is wise, and this is probably the sense in which Paul uses it. Eldership is not a role involving the giving of instructions or the making of decisions on behalf of others. Rather, elders are those people in the church who have more experience and wisdom. They are people we would naturally turn to when we are confused or anxious or when conflict arises. Pointing such people out in new and inexperienced gatherings of believers was a wise precaution taken by Paul and those he coached.

Bear in mind that the word ‘authority’ has two rather different meanings. The police have authority and you do what they tell you or face the consequences; this is command authority. Plumbers have a different kind of authority and you do what they tell you because you have a problem they know how to fix; this is knowledge and wisdom authority. Which kind of authority do you suppose elders should exercise?

Did Jesus exercise command authority or knowledge and wisdom
authority? (Trick question – you should be able to find examples of both.)
What kind of authority does he want us to exercise over demons? What kind
does he want us to exercise with one another?

PS – I liked this post by Christopher Dryden. It’s very much about the subject of elders, but written as a story from his own experience: Fun to read but gentle, kind and definitely not judgemental. He very clearly explains the difference between elders as often found in church life, and elders as Jesus intended them to be. He says what I wanted to say in the section on elders, but he says it more eloquently.

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

While you’re on his website, have a look around to see what else might grab your attention.

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Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), pages 45 to 47. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

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The work of the Spirit – 3

Now the church is not the same thing as the kingdom, but if church is not part of the kingdom we are in serious trouble!

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This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book.

Gifts for building
JDMC cover

It really should be self-evident that the Holy Spirit is involved in the fivefold gifts of service – apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers (APEST). These are gifts indeed, and Christ himself is the giver (Ephesians 4:11-12). Paul explains that we are most certainly one, but that these gifts of grace are handed out in individual measure to each of us (Ephesians 4:1-7). We are one, we all receive, yet we all receive individually as he chooses (1 Corinthians 12:27-30).

And if there’s any doubt in your mind about the role of the Holy Spirit in all this, read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Verse 11 is very clear! ‘All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.’

Jesus himself chooses how to distribute these gifts of service. What gifts can you identify in one another? Tell one another what you see, this is a good way of encouraging one another.

A living organism

We know that we need to see the church as a living entity and not as an organisation or institution built and managed by human ability. But what part does the Holy Spirit play in this?

I must begin by pointing out that only the Spirit of Christ can reveal this truth to us. Jesus often told parables to illustrate the nature of the kingdom of heaven, and some of them involve living things. The kingdom is like yeast or a mustard seed; it grows and develops and expands as only living things can.

Now the church is not the same thing as the kingdom, but if church is not part of the kingdom we are in serious trouble! The church, too, is described as part of a living thing; church is the body and Jesus is the head. It’s significant that a body only remains alive as long as the head is attached. Cut off an arm or a leg and a body may continue to live, but cut off the head and it dies immediately. And how is the church attached to Christ? It is the Holy Spirit who makes the connection; he is the Spirit of Christ, yet he has been implanted in you and me, the members of the church. And he works in us (Luke 12:12, Acts 1:5-8, Romans 8:26) and amongst us (Acts 9:31, 1 Corinthians 14:12, Ephesians 4:3-4) as we gather together. The Spirit of the Head is present within every individual part of the body.

Considering church as you have experienced it, talk about aspects that are like an organism and aspects that are like an organisation. Are there ways you can help things move more towards the organism end of the spectrum? What part might the Holy Spirit play in this?

More than community

We need to work together in a community where we will be significantly stretched by sharing in making tough decisions, facing difficulties, supporting one another, and pressing forward together. The challenges we face will be diverse, but whatever they are we are surely going to need the encouragement and wisdom and guidance and insight of the Holy Spirit. Romans 7:6, 1 Corinthians 2:15, Acts 12:1-19.

We all share in the presence and work of the Spirit in our lives. How does this feed into community life, and in particular how does the Holy Spirit draw the community into facing challenges and difficulties? Talk about your own experiences and those of other people you know.

Some practical help


Many believers and followers of Jesus are familiar with the activity of the Holy Spirit, individually and in meeting together. Others may have little or no personal experience of him. The key to listening is not hard, it’s basically a matter of paying attention. Our lives are often too busy and too rushed to do this, but there’s a simple exercise called Virkler that can help. If you don’t think you’re hearing the Holy Spirit fluently and frequently, why not try Virkler for yourself?

It’s a curious name – why ‘Virkler’? That’s simple! The person who first suggested this straightforward practice is called Mark Virkler.

There are four steps, sometimes called the four keys.

  1. Clear the clutter of everyday things from your mind.
  2. Imagine being in Jesus presence.
  3. Pay attention to the thoughts that pop into your mind.
  4. Write down what you are shown, as you receive it. Review and process the material afterwards.

There’s no space here to explain Virkler in detail, but in my experience it can be extremely helpful. If I feel there’s a need, I’ll write about it in more detail in another article here on JHM. If I do, I’ll place a link to it here.

See also:
  • Jargon and the Holy Spirit – JHM
More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

< Previous | Index | Next >

Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), pages 39 and 40. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome!

Why on earth would I follow Jesus?

I began to see that whether Jesus was right or wrong in some of his claims, his character came through clearly and I liked what I saw.

Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic, Baptist – whoever you are, whatever you think, wherever you live, I hope you’ll read along for at least a sentence or two while I consider this question.

Walking along to listen and learn

Is religion necessary? No, personally I think it’s a hindrance. If religion matters at all, it matters only because it always gets in the way of the truth. So attaching yourself to a religion, following religious teaching, calling yourself a Christian or a Muslim or a Buddhist does not, in itself, make you a better person; nor does a name make you acceptable in some way. It merely make you identifiable – part of an organisation.

I follow Jesus, or at least I do my best to follow him (some of the time). All too often I just follow my own inclinations moment by moment, and that sometimes leads to selfishness, hurting other people, and disappointment. If you follow Muhammad, or the Pope, or Buddha – well, good for you! Following a person is always better than following a religion or a philosophy. Do, though, be careful to follow somebody of good character, someone you can trust. The reason I follow Jesus is that he always deals with people wisely, gently, generously, truthfully, and lovingly. I’d like to become like that too. I have no wish to be foolish, harsh, mean, false or hateful – to anybody. I don’t claim to have succeeded in that goal, but it is a goal in my life.

When I first heard about Jesus I was a child. My parents talked about him, and when I went to school we learned more about him. Every school day began with prayers, a Bible reading, and singing a hymn. None of this seemed important at the time, it was just something that happened at school that you had to do – like learning to read and write, or learning multiplication tables and how to add and subtract numbers. It became a bit more formal as the years passed, but it didn’t mean very much as far as I could see. At 14 years old there were confirmation classes (part of learning to be a good Anglican), this too meant nothing to me, it was just something Mum and Dad expected so I sat through it, usually mystified or bored. And at university nothing like this was required any more.

Towards the end of my university course I began reading the Bible. I thought that people were making a mistake following this nonsense and I wanted to find out where they were going wrong. I was an atheist at this time in my life. But as I read I became quite interested by things that Jesus did and said. I began to see that whether Jesus was right or wrong in some of his claims, his character came through clearly and I liked what I saw. He was wise, gentle, generous, truthful and loving – all the things I wanted to be, but could often not manage. This is, of course, only a partial list, but you get the idea – there’s no need to draw up an exhaustive list of character attributes.

And as I read, I gradually realised that this Jesus was probably the best role model and example of living well that I’d ever come across. So I read more. And that is the answer to the question, ‘Why on earth would I follow Jesus?’ For me it’s simply about his character.

I don’t need to write more than that, though I will add that I had started on a journey that would take me a long, long way. But none of the things I’ve learned since have changed that original choice to follow. If anyone starts on that journey they will learn much more about Jesus along the way. When Jesus was walking along the shingle beach of Lake Galilee and spotted some fishermen casting nets into the water; he called to them, ‘Come and follow me and I’ll show you how to fish for people’. They were intrigued, dropped what they were doing, and walked along with him for a while. That is how it starts, the invitation is always there, follow along and he’ll teach you some surprising things about yourself, about who he is, about his character and purpose, and where he is going.

Maybe I’ll write some more later, in another article. But for now, if you do start this journey, are already on it, or don’t even care to begin, I’d just like to bless you and wish you well. Peace, joy, encouragement and hope in your life – in Jesus’ name. He wants those things for you too.

See also:
  • Take a look for yourself (many versions and languages, all free to read) – Bible Gateway
Why did I leave the Anglican Church?

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The work of the Spirit – 2

Not only are we together as a community of his people, we are also together in the community of the Almighty Creator.

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This article is an extract from my short book, Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC). The bite-sized piece below is roughly two percent of the book.

Jesus at the centre
JDMC cover

We have seen how important it is to keep Jesus right at the heart of everything we do. We have seen that we must follow Jesus alone and that there can be no room for following anyone or anything else.

Without the Holy Spirit we will find this impossible. We receive the Spirit from Jesus as a baptism (Matthew 3:11). In response to our love and obedience, Jesus sends us his Spirit (John 14:15-17). We are not free to defile our bodies because they are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:19) – and if this is true of our bodies, isn’t it also true of our hearts and minds? The essence of keeping Jesus at the centre is that we know Jesus is Lord of our lives and our thinking and our emotions, of all that we are and all that we do. Yet we can’t even say the words ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).

How has the Spirit helped keep you focused on Jesus? Try to find specific examples rather than generalisations.

Becoming disciples

This is a matter of following Jesus and becoming conformed to his image. Look at the fruit of the Spirit as set out by Paul in Galatians 5:22-26: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is how the Holy Spirit moulds us to become more Christlike. This is fruit, it grows in us day by day, year by year. And the degree to which we have become conformed is expressed in all we think and say and do.

Doesn’t this sound familiar? Isn’t this the very process of becoming disciples that we are looking for? If we are filled by the Spirit and respond to him we will bear the fruit of the Spirit in every way. We co-operate with the Holy Spirit when we develop a habit of joy or patience or gentleness. Right behaviour over and over again forms those habits of fruitfulness in us. There are two sides to this. We cannot do it in our own strength so we need and depend on the Spirit. But he will not coerce us, he expects to see our obedient willingness to allow him to change us.

Is there spiritual fruit in your life? How might you explain this to someone
who doesn’t yet know Jesus?

Outward and integrated

We need to reach those around us; Jesus commands it. He said, ‘I’ve been given all authority in heaven and on earth, so as you go, make disciples of all nations … and I’ll be with you.’ (Matthew 28:18-20) But as we go out into the world and seek to embed ourselves deep in the culture (as he did), we do not go alone.

Not only are we together as a community of his people, we are also together in the community of the Almighty Creator. The Son has made the way open and has sent the Spirit to fill us – Father, Son, Spirit, and us! It’s not going to heaven when we die; it’s far better than that. It’s living in their community right here, right now and forever. Jesus says he is with us right to the end (Matthew 28:20) and he says that if we have seen him we have seen the Father (John 14:9).

In our going out and going deep we remain in the Presence, for the Holy Spirit is in us and communicates with us and for us. We couldn’t be effective carriers of good news without him. There are some great examples in the New Testament; read Acts 8:26-39, Acts 10:9-21 and Acts 16:7-10.

As you go out and deep in the culture around you, how will you pay
attention to the presence of the Holy Spirit with you? Consider prayer,
listening, and the truth that the Spirit is alive within you and wanting to
communicate with you.

More sections of JDMC

Introduction – JDMC, what does it contain? – Using JDMC – how to approach it

Working together in six ways – Intro and Way 1 – Ways 2, 3 and 4 – Ways 5 and 6, six ways

Way One, Jesus at the centre – Jesus at centre 1 – Jesus at centre 2 – Jesus at centre 3

Way Two, Becoming disciples – Disciples 1 – Disciples 2 – Disciples 3

Way Three, Outward and integrated – OutAndInt1, OutAndInt2

Way Four, Gifts for building – GiftsForBuilding1, GiftsForBuilding2

Way Five, A living organism – LivingOrg1, LivingOrg2

More sections will appear here…

The work of the Spirit – Intro – Jesus, disciples, outward – Gifts, living, community, help

Other church leaders – Intro, bishops, elders – Deacons, pastors, priests

Last words – The end can also be the beginning

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Read the book

This was extracted from Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church (JDMC), pages 38 and 39. Download the whole thing or read it online – GetJDMC.scilla.org.uk

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Want to learn to follow Jesus?

The English word ‘disciple’ is rather old-fashioned these days, but it has more or less the same meaning as ‘apprentice’.

If you want to learn, here’s one way get started. Or if you are already a follower, it might be a way to go deeper – or even an aid for helping other people to do the same. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything, and I’m not trying to get you to do anything Jesus didn’t do or anything he wouldn’t want you to do.

JDMC

I’m going to show you part of a short book I wrote some years ago, with a link to the book itself as a free download. The extract follows below, and the entire thing can be read online, printed out, or downloaded as a PDF.

The extract (from page 17)

Becoming disciples

Becoming disciples is important because it’s the main way believers grow to be more like Jesus. It’s not a process with a beginning and an end; it’s ongoing throughout our lives. And we’re not automatically disciples simply because we have believed. Not all of the crowds who listened to Jesus or were healed by him were disciples. Only those who followed him and were greatly changed could claim to be disciples. (Matthew 4:19, Matthew 10:38)

The English word ‘disciple’ is rather old-fashioned these days, but it has more or less the same meaning as ‘apprentice’. In particular it’s all about learning to do the things that the expert is already doing, and Jesus is the expert here. Apprentices don’t just learn from books; this is a hands-on experience. At first, things will often go wrong, but apprentices get better and better by repeatedly doing something under supervision. Expect that to happen to you as Jesus’ apprentice.

Because this change is hard and takes time, Jesus put most of his effort into three years of living closely with a small band of men and women who were prepared to do much more than simply be amazed. They were utterly transformed in those three years. The fact that Jesus worked this way reveals how important making disciples was and is. He put everything he had into those few, and when he returned to the Father they were the ones he continued to work with to reach the nations and build his church. (John 17:6-23) Jesus needs men and women who will become conformed to his image. They are his disciples.

The challenges for us include rejecting false gods such as consumerism, becoming more and more like Jesus, and understanding that we most effectively change by doing, not merely by thinking. Imagine an apprentice plumber who had studied all the books on plumbing but had never bent a pipe or soldered a joint.

To think about

‘We most effectively change by doing, not merely by thinking.’ Is this true in your experience? List some examples. Think about the skills involved in sport, work, music, art. Are there any areas of life in which regular practice doesn’t help?

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Like a waterfall

A waterfall breaks the pattern of a river’s flow

Part 3 of a series – What are we doing?

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I’m sharing a vision and message I received recently because, although it was primarily for a small group I meet with weekly, I think it has a much wider application as well. Sometimes Father shows me things when I am not particularly trying to listen to him. But on this occasion I was prompted by something a friend had said and I’d set aside some time to deliberately look and listen to the Spirit. So without more ado, here is what I saw:

Father showed me a waterfall, there was quite a big drop and the water was crashing onto rocks at the bottom. It was not huge like Niagara, but high enough that you wouldn’t want to take a boat over it!

And I sensed the Spirit saying the following words which I wrote down at the time:

A waterfall breaks the pattern of a river’s flow. The water always responds to gravity, but rarely flows freely towards the source of attraction (the centre of the Earth), normally it’s constrained by the river bed and the banks on either side, and only makes very slow progress downwards. But just now and then it gets the chance to flow freely towards the centre of attraction. I am that centre for my people, I want you to flow freely towards me, unrestricted by the channels you normally occupy.

But those channels are comfortable and seem safe, when they are taken away you feel in danger and vulnerable. This is not just true for my people, it’s true for everyone. You can see how the normal and comfortable has been taken away during the current Covid-19 crisis. Jobs, family contacts, high street shopping, watching a film, education, visiting friends – all these things have changed. And the normal patterns of church have changed too. So what remains? Ask yourselves what remains. Ask yourselves what is important.

The water flows differently when there’s no channel and it has complete freedom. That’s true for living water too. The loss of a channel is not a disaster, it’s an opportunity – think about that too.

I called you to be part of my waterfall, not part of a constrained river.

Do you see church as a channel you flow along, something that contains you and controls your flow? Do you see the value of complete freedom to rush headlong towards Jesus like a waterfall, with no channel to contain and direct your flow?

He is our Master, our Teacher, our Shepherd, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. He gave us life by breathing his breath into us, and he has given us new, spiritual life in the same way. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, he is Living Water, he is the Light by which we see. He gives us gifts including the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher. He calls us to follow him, to say what we hear him say, and do what we see him do. Given all of that, how can we possibly allow ourselves to be channelled by anyone or anything else but him?

He said, ‘Ask yourselves what remains [when the normal channels of church have changed]. Ask yourselves what is important’. And he said, ‘The loss of a channel is not a disaster, it’s an opportunity – think about that too.’

Perhaps we should take him at his word. What remains of normal church life? What is important? What are the opportunities?

Should we go back to the old channels as soon as that becomes possible? Should we cling to church, or should we cling to Jesus? Should we follow habit and tradition, or should we follow Jesus? Will we turn to church to disciple us or will we turn to Jesus to do that? Is there a difference? I think there is an enormous difference. What do you think?

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Reading 5Q

If it’s wide and deep vision that you are looking for … then read this book

FaithOrKnowledge

I don’t often write about books here on JHM. But I just have to tell you about 5Q.

If it’s wide and deep vision that you are looking for, a penetrating gaze into the truth written with passion and humility, then read this book; you will not be disappointed. It’s a book for everyone who is serious in following Jesus. 5Q will challenge you, encourage you, and maybe shock you, but it will also illuminate your thinking and understanding.

5Q is a book by one of my favourite authors, Alan Hirsch. In it, he examines church as commonly understood in the West, and challenges his readers to look at it with fresh and inquisitive eyes. For many years now, Alan has been accumulating knowledge and experience about the way we tend to do church, and sharing his thoughts on what fundamental changes are needed. He has delved deep into both theology and practice, he’s written and taught extensively about the understandings he has developed. And it’s not merely theoretical stuff, much of it is good, practical guidance and advice.

5Q is based on frameworks Alan has described before, namely his ideas around the APEST gifts to the church described by Paul in Ephesians 4. These are the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. But he has gone much further in the grand synthesis that is 5Q; his excitement and passion shine out on every page.

Don’t miss out, read 5Q for yourself. It’s available both in print and as an e-book.