Encouraging active discipleship in churches

Fringe to Core

1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

Fringe to Core

Stethoscope

A B C of church lifeAttendanceBuildingsCashDiscipleshipEvangelism

DiscipleshipThe challenge of Fresh Expressions.

The challenge from Fresh Expressions.

“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

“Go and make disciples of all nations……”

This is Discipleship

Discipleship

• Your reactions to the video clip?

Discipleship

• What are the key qualities of discipleship?

• What militates against discipleship in current culture?

• What programmes/strategies do we have to help us to become and ‘make disciples’?

Discipleship – key qualities

Bishop Moon Hing of Malaysia:FAT Christians

FAITHFULAVAILABLETEACHABLE

(“fat” in Chinese means “growth and multiplication and prosperity)

What, if anything, would you want to add?

Discipleship

Discipleship is a response to the love and grace of God

It is NOT “attending my preferred style of service”.

D = F x L

Jesus and the disciples

F x L

Jesus and the disciples

D =C Forgiveness

DiscipleshipIt is God’s call to a person and God’s work in a person, by the Holy Spirit:

- to convict of sin – John 16:8- born of the Spirit – John 3:5-8- Abba, Father – Romans 8:15,16- reminds of Jesus’ teaching – John 14:26- fruits and gifts – Galatians 5 / 1 Cor 12

It is the responsibility of that individual to respond to the call of God on their lives at every stage.

It is the responsibility of the church and more mature Christians to create an environment where discipleship can flourish and individuals can grow in Christ.

Discipleship24/7 Discipleship

168 hours-48 sleep = 120-10 church activities = 110 of work,

family and leisureThis Time TomorrowLICC (London Institute for Contemporary Christianity) “Imagine”:

http://www.licc.org.uk/

1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

Fringe to Core

The Changes we see

Sunday mornings

Spirituality

The Changes we see

Sunday mornings

The Changes we see

ShoppingSportVisiting family/friendsLie in HolidaysVisiting the other parent

The Changes we see

Spirituality

Belief in God or higher power

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Belief in God

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1947 1981 1990 2000

life force

personalGod

Builders (born 20s+30s) in 2005

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raised inchurch

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personalGod

Boomers (born 40s+50s) in 2005

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Gen-Xers (born 60s+70s) in 2005

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raised inchurch

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personalGod

Gen-Yers (born 80s+90s) in 2015?

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raised inchurch

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“I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet.”David Beckham.He was christened in 2005 with a traditional Christian ceremony in a private chapel constructed specially in their Hertfordshire mansion – with two Buddhist shrines at the entrance!

Teddy Bear challenge

Church of the Sacred Teddy BearWorship him for he is all hugging!

Chesterton: When people stop believing in God they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything!

The Media• Growth in TV shows on the supernatural, spiritual and

paranormal –– Fiction … supernatural, sea of souls, Buffy, demons, Hex,

charmed, Sabrina the teenage witch, apparitions, treu blood, the vampire diaries

– ‘fact’…..haunted homes, most haunted, healers, Britain's psychic challenge, documentaries on mediums, Pagans, teenage witches etc

• Move from ‘Scooby Do’ approach where the ghosts are found not to exist to an approach where the balance is to believe in them

• Replacement of the priest with the medium, investigator or demon hunter.

Experience of fortune telling, Tarot, astrology, psychics, palmists

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Starting point – Engel Scale

-12 No God framework-11 Experience of emptiness-10 God framework-9 Vague awareness and belief in God-8 Wondering if God can be known-7 Aware of Jesus-6 Interested in Jesus-5 Experience of Christian love-4 Aware of the basic facts of the gospel-

Engel Scale continued

3 Aware of personal need-2 Grasp the implications of the gospel-1 Challenged to respond personally0 Repentance and faith+1 Holy Spirit and baptism+2 Functioning member of local Church+3 Continuing growth in character, lifestyle and service+4 Part of Team Leadership

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The Challenge of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ today

Pick n MixConsumerismCommitment?

1. What is discipleship?2. The problems and challenges we face.3. Resources and strategies.

Fringe to Core

1. What has helped you to grow in your spiritual life?

2. If you were developing a “discipleship programme” what would you put in it?

Fringe to Core

Resources – we have more resources than we have ever had.

Fringe to CoreStrategies – there is no one method which will be effective for everyone.

Everybody Welcome

• Discover: making the church more visible• Experience: making the premises more

inviting• Experience: a welcoming God and his

welcoming people • Belonging: to the church community

Belonging to the church community

From ‘their’ church to ‘my’ church

• Personal Friendship• Community Life• Christian Nurture• Pastoral Care• Christian Service

W2WProcess

Personal Friendship

“I don’t want a friendly church. I want a church where I can make friends.”

Glue!

How easy is it to make friends in your church?

W2WBelongProcess

Community Life

What events in your church can new people be invited to?

W2WBelongProcess

Christian Nurture

We don’t want people to simply attend church. We want them to come to faith in Christ and grow in faith.

W2WBelongProcess

Pastoral Care

If I was trying out a new church, I’d be tempted to go for three or four weeks and then go missing and see if anyone noticed or did anything about it.

Christian Service

Give ‘em a job to do straight away, that will keep them!

Don’t give ‘em a job straight away, that’ll scare them off!

BelongW2W

Process

Resources – we have more resources than we have ever had.

Fringe to Core

Strategies – there is no one method which will be effective for everyone.

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Personal Resources:Web based:• Now a Christian• Word Live• Pray as you go.• Foundations 21

Paper based:• Bible reading notes• Community of St Chad• Books

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Now a ChristianSign up for a FREE email every day for five weeks that will help you to make your own decisions about the difference that having a Christian faith will make to your life. •EXPLORE how being a Christian will change your outlook on life.•THINK from the privacy of your own home about how being a Christian makes a difference.•SHARE your own thoughts about life and faith.•READ about the experiences of others who may share your views and questions, or may see things differently.•BEGIN a journey of exploration and take your first steps as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Word Live – Scripture Union

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Pray as you go – Jesuits.

Individuals

Small groups

One to one support

Christians serious

about their faith

Disconnected Christians

New Christians

Busy leaders

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Personal Resources:Web based:• Now a Christian• Word Live• Pray as you go.• Foundations 21

Paper based:• Bible reading notes• Community of St Chad• Books

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Group Resources:• Nurture courses• Beyond nurture• Small groups• Community of St Chad

Training Resources:• Following On• Diocesan Training Courses, Bishop’s Certificate

(Living Faith), Pathways to Ministry etc.

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Nurture Courses:AlphaBelieveChristianity ExplainedChristianity ExploredEmmausEssenceKnowing God BetterNow a ChristianSimply ChristianityStart!

Exploring faith coursesGlad you askedPuzzling QuestionsQuestTable TalkY Course

Locally-based courses:AdventureJust LookingLife Matters

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

Beyond Nurture:Alpha:Faith Track, Bible Track, Life Track.Challenging LifestyleGod at WorkA Life Worth LivingOthers:Discipleship ExploredLiving Faith (Tom Wright)EmmausKnowing God Better (x2)Life to the Full

Small Groups

Closing the Back Door: Discipleship and Spirituality

COMMUNITY OF ST CHAD: Rhythms of Grace“Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matthew 11:28: Eugene Peterson Rhythm One: By God’s grace, I will seek to be transformed by Him into the likeness of Christ. Rhythm Two: By God’s grace, I will be open to the presence, guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. Rhythm Three: By God’s grace, I will set aside time for worship, prayer and spiritual reading. Rhythm Four: By God’s grace, I will endeavour to be a gracious presence in the world, serving others and working for justice in human relationships and society. Rhythm Five: By God’s grace, I will sensitively share my faith with others.

Following OnOne2FourEverybody WelcomeClosing the Back Door+ 14 other courses to help you and your church be healthy and growing:Mission Shaped Introduction, Five Rhythms of Grace, Gifts Exercise, Lost for Words, Transforming your community, Working with older people, Learning in the Third Age, Key, Connecting with Schools, Journeys in Prayer, Healing Ministry, Caring for God’s World, World Mission.

Fringe to Core

Essential Ingredients:Individual example – role modelsChallenging teachingTestimoniesIntentional questionsInvitation to more

Milestones and stepping stones.baptism, communion, confirmation, crisis.

Families and Messy:Messy Xtra (Deeper Mess, Mini-Mess)Parenting CourseQuestions children ask (rather than Alpha)Dads and tots/Dads and LadsPrayer stations (Jesus Deck, Psalm Reading, tracts)

Resources for Families – porous faith - grace at meals, bedtime stories, take home sheets and activities, DVDs.

Kingdom activities – social action, CompassionMessy Team – growing by joining and doing

Discipleship

Luke 5The invitation “come” is to us all.

Matthew 28. Go and Lo.

It’s the “Lo” that makes the impossible mandate possible.

Fringe to Core – analysis of what already happens – example of a local church in West Bromwich

One-offs– Open Air– Memorials, Christmas and Easter– Website

Regular– Social afternoon and Lunch Club– Cake and Chat– Men Aloud– Socials– School – gate, assemblies, governors, services.– Kids Club– Messy Church

Fringe to Core – stepping stones and pathways

Considerations:

•What Stepping Stones are appropriate? What are they to – faith, or Sunday church?

•Do we bring them to church or bring church to them.

•The volunteer helpers in these activities can also be experiencing deepening, discipleship not just the participants.

Two broad paths:

•Deepen the discipleship of the event itself (not always appropriate or possible).

•Complement the event with other activities and groups.

Fringe to Core

Stephen Lindridge identifies in discipleship four steams of human nature: • community (belong), • understanding (believe), • kingdom action (behave) • spiritual experience (bless).

Fringe to CorePath One (deepen the discipleship of the event itself)

• Posters and messages about faith and church.• Individuals available to share faith in one to

ones.• Can this event become church? (Fresh

Expression)• Opportunities for exploration or response:

–Jesus Deck. Psalm Reading. Prayer requests (prayer board). Leaflets and tracts (good ones!)

It’s all about personal relationships and personal invitation.

Fringe to CorePath Two.• Posters and leaflets to other events.• Special Services.• Nurture Course – you may need an ongoing

programme. • Growth Groups.

Contacts to DisciplesBoth Paths:• Ways for individuals to follow up enquiry on their

own: Now a Christian. Foundations 21.• Resources for families – family prayer, bible

reading – see Messy Church web site.• Activities focussing on kingdom concerns – social

action on a kingdom issue, local or supporting an orphan overseas, or….

P.S. “WE” disciple others both inside the church and wherever we are. Paul: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ!” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

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discipleship

a journey, not a crisis event

session 5: leadership/discipleship

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discipleship

Jesus

Belong

Belief

Behave

Blessing

session 5: leadership/discipleship

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some ideas

• include an explicitly Christian dimension from an early stage

• include a more general spiritual dimension from an early stage

• create opportunities to form a separate discipleship group