In my last post I made it clear that I don’t really care whether our new church will be labeled “missional” or “attractional” as long as we’re making disciples. This begs the question: what does it mean to make disciples?
If we’re going to judge the success or failure of a church based upon the number and quality of the disciples it makes, we had better be clear about what a disciple of Christ looks like. Otherwise, how can we know if we’re effectively making disciples or not? My guess is that more churches talk about making disciples than can actually describe the kind of disciples they’re hoping to make.
So, what are the non-negotiable, necessary characteristics, traits, and habits of a Christ-follower in today’s culture?
Please include only the top five to seven characteristics in your answer.
This should be good.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
I really like the list that is used by Renovare and in Richard Foster’s “Streams of Living Water”
1. Contemplative (Prayer filled-life)
2. Holiness
3. Evangelical (Bible Study, Evangelism)
4. Social Justice
5. Charismatic (Spiritual gifts)
6. Incarnational (Sacraments)
If your church plant were to make disciples that had a life of prayer, lived holy lives, were dedicated to God’s Word, shared their faith when given an opportunity, cared for the needy and the planet, used their spiritual gifts to edify the body, and were dedicated to baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and to fellowship you would have created disciples like I have never seen.
In short, a disciple looks like Christ.
Tall order, huh? 🙂
Spirit-led timing, Wade. Thanks for making me sit down and write out what’s been bouncing around in my head for days. I’ll start with the question, but later we should really challenge the idea of success criteria for the Bride and Body of Christ…
Are we traditionally driven to doctrinally-immersive discipleship too soon, instead of starting with family-style, warts-and-all relational discipleship? I’m going to drop the cultural part of question (based on a big, big assumption about Jesus’ nature being eternally relevent), and go with “what are the non-negotiable, necessary characteristics, traits, and habits of a Christ-follower?”
1)Like Jesus, they love the Lord, their God, with everything they’ve got—every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year. Mark 12:29-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012:29-31;&version=31 (also– John 17:3!)
2)Like Jesus, they love their neighbor as themselves–the latter referring to their ability to see themselves as God sees them.. (see 1)
3)Like Jesus, they actively seek heart-focused relationship with others—other disciples, as well as “outsiders” that the Spirit brings into their path. (see the Gospels)
4)Like Jesus, they understand that relationship, not rules, is the foundation of the hope within them–and others see it, too.
5)Like Jesus (and Paul), they are prepared to share the reason for that hope within them, when others ask about it. 1 Peter 3: 15 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=67&chapter=3&verse=15&version=31&context=verse
6)Like Jesus, they are servant minded: freely serving in love. Galations 5:13
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=67&chapter=3&verse=15&version=31&context=verse
7)They understand doctrinal priorities–as Paul said it, “what’s most important!” 1 Cor. 15
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%2015;&version=31
8) See Number 1
OK, that’s 8. But 8 is the most important!
Thanks, Wade! (And thanks, Lord, for Wade and those who share through his work!)
Sorry, meant to include Romans 14 with number 7. Where there are questions beyond the 1 Cor. 15 essentials, they’re covered under Romans 14 😉
“So often I measure my spirituality or faithfulness based on how successfully I’m able to conquer a particular sin, how much prayer and bible study I do, how regularly I attend church, etc. Rarely, when we are assessing spirituality, do we honestly ask the question that Scripture places at the center of everything: Are we growing in our capacity to love all people? Do we have an increasing love for our sisters and brothers in Christ as well as for those for whom Christ died who are yet outside the church? Are we increasing in our capacity to ascribe unsurpassable worth to people who society judges to have no worth?”
From Repenting of Religion by Greg Boyd
I would agree with most everything mentioned so far. Freeman said; “In short, a disciple looks like Christ.”. Initially, it’s hard to add to the simplistic depth that a statement like this holds.
First, let me confess that I fall far short of discipleship, but desire to grow into it, as I feel all Christians are called to do. I also lack a formal education on the issue.
What I can offer though, is a layman’s view of discipleship as God has shown me to this point.
I would say that a disciple
* is less concerned with Church on Sunday, and more concerned with finding the Church in the environment in which he/she has been placed every minute of every day.
* understands the scandal of the Cross and enthusiastically pays the comparatively small cost of living it out in his/her daily life, & does so because of what it brings to the lives of others.
* They are evangelistic, in that, they realize how a focus on community is integral to experiencing the resurrected Christ as well as the resurrection offered to each of His children.
For the sake of brevity, I guess I’m saying; In observing a disciple we might see someone who, by the Grace of God, will joyfully speak, live and carry forth the presence of their living God.
I would say that a disciple of Christ believes that all ground is Holy ground, and we would know the belief is sincere by the joy in which they live their life in service to God & others.
One who lives like this has the ability to train a far greater # of disciples than any “program” could ever dream.
The seemingly average things done by this kind of Christlikeness demands us to behold what is at hand. It’s evidence of a God that lives.
(Ben-love the Boyd quote!)
Christ followers?
A young business man who is convinced that Jesus’ claims are true and is trying to follow, but is still lustful and addicted to porn.
A young unmarried mother of two with a history of a broken family, broken dreams, and bad choices who thinks she has met some people who really care, they act like they love her. She is silently asking “Why would God love me?” She has a glimer of hope that her life might actually change for the better. “Me, a Jesus freak?”
A homeless guy who lost hope many years ago when he lost his family, his business, and most all of his friends because of a crack addiction. He just can’t understand why every few days this older couple comes with a nice meal that they share with him, and warm NEW clothing, and they don’t want anything from me? “What makes them tick?”
A very successful retired couple from New Jersy who moved to Austin to escape the cold winters, high home prices, and high taxes. Two souls tired of boring church where Sunday and Wednesday are two check marks on the list of Chrisian stuff. They are inquiring because they heard about a small group of people who are loving the community in tangible ways. They are doing yard work for a Catholic widow, an athiest man who is grouchy and in ill health, and a Methodist preacher’s mom. And they don’t expect anything in return? “We have to check this out closer. These people seem to be real Christians”.
There are these in every city, some who are not yet convinced, waiting to be loved, to be told the good news by someone who is not just wanting to add to a number. Some will follow more closely and some at a distance for a long time. And, there are those who will disappoint over and over again.
Love never fails. Love NEVER fails.
Jesus died for the wicked, unrighteous, broken folks. They are wating by the thousands to experience that love.
God bless your new adventure.
Royce
1. Loving
2. Free from care or concern with regards to money, position in the world, and opinions of others.
3. Aware of what God is doing around him/her and always joining in.
4. Consistenly spending time with people and in places that would not be considered Christian.
5. Constantly learning from Jesus and more experienced apprentices what to focus on and what to do.
Wow, this is good stuff…you’re good to go with these.
For folks with no history or a bad experience, being the church trumps “doing church”.
1) worships with a capella music only
2) drinks communion juice out of tiny cups
3) still maintains a grumpy disposition
4) at baptism, entire body was under water at the same time.
These things are non-negotiable. Everything else is gravy!
I think that a follower of Christ regularly engages in:
worship
service
evangelism
prayer
study
community
That needs to be fleshed out, but all of what I would think a disciple looks like would be wrapped up in those.
Wade, I’ll offer my top five:
Agape
Compassion that stems from Agape
Conviction
Genuineness Faith in the Divine
Authentic God-originated Holiness
I believe some people are far too focused on “churchianity” rather than what is is to be a Christ-follower. Many people claim to be Christians, but choose not to do the things that make them a Christ follower.
I think in order to be a Christ-follower one must:
1. Be Authentic – live out of care for what Christ sees in you rather than what you want others to see
2. Be humble
3. Live out of faith, not out of fear
4. Be active in your faith, not passive. Sunday church attendance doesn’t matter if you don’t walk the walk Monday-Saturday.
5. Empathy – you have to be willing to be open with your feelings and experiences in order to help others grow in their walk.
6. Agape love
Great thought provoking question. I will definitely continue to think on this one…
1) In active ministry with the poor, homeless, imprisoned, mentally ill, homosexual, or transsexual. These groups are typically disenfranchised by the church today.
2) prayerful
3) humble
4) averse to the pursuit of money
5) committed to non-violence or pacifism
1. Focused on loving God
2. Fruitful in loving others
3. Faithful to practice the teachings of Jesus
4. Finding opportunities to point others to God