The Discipleship Dilemma

thoffman@flbaptist.orgThe Discipleship Dilemma 1The Churchs Greatest ChallengeThe greatest problems for the church are not from secular ideologies or Atheist philosophies, or even other religions. The real problem for the church is where it has always been. It is in the midst or Gods people, not in the circumstances surrounding them. The real problem is when Gods people try to do His work in the power of the flesh rather than the power of His Spirit.What is a disciple?The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament. Christian is found 3 times and was first introduced to refer precisely to the disciplesin a situation where it was no longer possible to regard them as a sect of the Jews (Acts 11:26). The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ.

Dallas Willard; The Spirit of the Disciplines

V3What is a disciple?

4Matthew 4:18-20 (HCSB) 18 As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19 Follow Me, He told them, and I will make you fish for people! 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Follow Me A disciple knows and follows ChristI will make you A disciple is being transformed by ChristFish for people A disciple is committed to the mission of ChristJim Putman Real Life DiscipleshipThe Need for a Definition The starting place for being effective in making disciples is to develop a clearly articulated and effectively communicated definition of a disciple.5What is a disciple?To be a learner and a follower of Jesus Brad Waggoner, The Shape of Faith to Come, 2008

A process of becoming Christ-like as we follow Jesus Leadership & Life Development Florida Baptist Convention

Fully surrendered to Jesus and His agenda Hawkins & Parkinson, Move, 2011

6An honest unflinching look.Spiritual Formation Inventory In 2008, Brad J. Waggoner and his research team looked at the beliefs and practices of 2,500 active, church-going Protestants from across the country, basing their analysis upon seven domains of biblical spiritual formation: 1. Learning Truth, 2. Obeying God and Denying Self, 3. Serving God and Others, 4. Sharing Christ, 5. Exercising Faith, 6. Seeking God, 7. Building Relationships.7An honest unflinching look.

8An honest unflinching look. Many self-professed Christians and churchgoers hold to beliefs and perspectives that are clearly unbiblical. And that overall the sample of churchgoers did not grow or mature over the course of a year. Brad Waggoner (Based on research for SFI)V9Faith in Kindergarten

10Reveal Study Willow Creek2004 - Greg Hawkins, exec pastor at Willow Creek, surveyed Willow Creek members to determine the effectiveness of WCs programs small groups, worship, service groups, etc. with regard to Willows Mission Statement - To turn irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

The survey results produced whatBill Hybels calls the wake up call of my adult life

11Reveal Study Willow CreekREVEAL has been validated by compiling data from over 280,000 individuals in more than 1,200 churches.12Reveal Study Willow CreekParticipants were classified into 4 groups based on their responses.Exploring not yet Christians, but interested.Growing new Christians beginning to grow in faith.Close to Christ faith is taken personally and practiced consistentlyCentered in Christ life is characterized by Christ-like sacrifice 13Reveal Study Willow Creek

14Reveal Study Willow CreekThe Results of the Reveal study showed: that after a person entered Stages 1 & 2, church programs did not help them love God or love people more.Most people seemed to stall in stage 1 or 2.

Exploring not yet Christians, but interested.Growing new Christians beginning to grow in faith.

15Discipleship optional churchesAmong adults (18 or older) who claim to be Christians:Fewer than 1 in 5 (18%) claim to be totally committed to investing themselves in personal spiritual development.Just 1 in 7 (14%) say that their faith in and relationship with God is the highest priority in their lives.Only 1 in 5 (20%) contend that the single, most important decision they have ever made was to invite Jesus Christ to forgive them and become their Savior.Fewer than 1 in 5 (16%) believe that absolute moral truth exists and is defined by the Bible.Slightly more than 1 in 5 (22%) stated that they live in a way which makes them completely dependent one God.

16Discipleship optional churchesFor at least several decades the churches of the Western world have not made discipleship a condition of being a Christian. One is not required to be, or to intend to be, a disciple in order to become a Christian, and one may remain a Christian without any signs of progress toward or in discipleship. Contemporary American churches in particular do not require following Christ in his example, spirit, and teachings as a condition of membership either for entering into or continuing in fellowship of a denomination or a local church

So far as the visible Christian institutions of our day are concerned, discipleship is clearly optional.Dallas Willard The Spirit of the Disciplines17