I was reading through Mere Discipleship tonight after our Bridge meeting (the young adult meeting that we’re having at ACoG) and came upon this quote by Lee C. Camp:

When the word of God was made flesh, ‘all hell broke loose,’ and we should expect no less when the body of Christ continues its work of faithful discipleship. (p. 118)

Camp explores a bit how the Church serves as an extension of the ministry of Jesus.  Meaning that if we look at the ministry of Christ as found in the Gospel accounts, then we find the model of how the Church should operate.  The same Spirit who led and empowered Jesus also empowers the Church to be, as my good friend Jason Toole says, “Jesus with skin on.”  When Christ was here on earth it was as if there was a big bulls-eye on his life, set there by the devil and his imps.  And since the resurrection of Jesus and the empowerment of the Church, the bulls-eye has been transferred onto those who follow in the Way of the Lord.

As we have mentioned in the past few posts (as well as in the comments of our readers), discipleship is by no means an “easy” task.  It costs everything.  However, the return is that we have Him.  And in having Him, we have each other.  In pledging our lives to Jesus, by faith, we turn our back on the ways of the rebellious worldly system.  In doing so, we participate in the Kingdom of God – a Kingdom which is not here yet in its fullness but, nonetheless, is here.

What are some ways that you think discipleship should be re-centered into the local church?  How does your church go about training folks to follow in the way of Jesus?  If your church has “discipleship programs” in place, please describe the programs a bit and tell whether these are sufficient in your estimation?  Is the church building the place where the heart of discipleship occurs?  Why or why not?

Peace,

Shannon

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. - Phil. 2.5-7 ESV

“We have to give Him away so we can keep Him.” – Connie Davis

In one of the comments to our most recent post, a reader made the above statement regarding the loving witness of the local church.  Quite honestly, the statement stopped me in my tracks, so to say, and I stopped reading the comment for a moment, only to let Dee read it with me.  Such a statement is a powerful reminder of the called-for worshipful witness of the Church.

I spoke with Connie last night at church.  She made mention of her desire for a new ministry endeavor, one which targets ladies who are struggling with addiction.  What a tremendous ministry to those in our community.  Our prayers are with Connie, and we encourage her to walk on the water with Christ in launching this ministry.  Connie, we’ll be checking the discussion forum – A Sonny Gathering – for updates regarding your new ministry. 

Back to her previous comment: it goes hand in hand with something that my prof, Dr. Adewuya, taught us 2 weeks ago.  He was teaching on the kenosis of Christ, often referred to as the “self-emptying of Christ” found in Philippians 2.5-11.  Many times verse 7 is interpreted as Christ becoming “less God” in the incarnation (the view which insists that Christ emptied himself of something – equality with God, divine attributes, etc.).  Yet, it is more appropriately rendered “Christ made himself nothing” or “He poured himself out.”  This flows directly from v. 6, which tells us that Christ, though in God’s form, did not exploit such privilege and “made himself nothing” (v. 7).  The Savior was a slave.  Our King was crucified like a criminal.

Amazingly, the kenosis of Christ grants us insight into who God is.  God’s character, his holy essence, his nature of love is revealed in “Christ making himself nothing.”

It is his self-emptying and humiliation in which he reveals what God is like.  It is through his taking the form of a slave that we see the form of God. – Dr. Adewuya

As we have mentioned in previous posts (some of which have been lost to the last WordPress update), the church bears witness to the Triune God through our relational, other-affirming love.  We are, after all, intended to be the image-bearers of God to the world around us.  Such an image reflects (or should) the mutual indwelling, other-affirming, outward-oriented love that is ultimately depicted in the kenosis of Christ. 

So, when we look at the picture of God displayed in Christ making himself nothing, pouring out his life for the sake of humanity, we see a picture of the attitude and relational posture which should characterize the church.  If we are “in Christ,” pledging our lives to him by faith, then such love should manifest in how we love those around us.  A preacher once said, “I can tell how much you love God by how much you love those around you.” 

I think Connie’s statement is profoundly rich in theological substance because it captures the point that participation in the self-sacrificial, other-affirming, Calvary-like love of Jesus is what it means to be “led of the Spirit.”  And such Spirit-empowered love directly impacts every area of our lives – our homes, our schools, our jobs, and our local assemblies.  If we are led of the same Spirit who led our Lord and Savior, then we are led in the footsteps of his life(style).  It is a way of living which is what Michael Gorman calls “the cruciform life;” a life that looks like Jesus in both word and deed – a life in which our faith can be measured by our embrace of the other.

Peace,

Shannon

I first read The Shack by William Young earlier this year.  My husband, Shannon, had heard a preacher talking against the book and decided to check into it.  He read the first chapter online and decided to buy the book.  He and I read the book together and really enjoyed the story.  Since then, we have heard some people give rave reviews of The Shack while others contend that it could be harmful to Christianity.  Since it has become such a hot topic, I thought I would give my opinion of the book here and ask for yours. 

The Shack is the story of a man, Mac, who has lost much in his life.  Through his painful experiences, he has also begun to lose his faith in God.  I do not want to spoil the plot, so I will try carefully to keep from doing that while giving you some vital information about the book. 

The book opens in the good part of Mac’s life, and we are taken through a series of events that cause Mac’s world to crumble.  He becomes only a shell of the man he used to be, and his wife and children also struggle through life in the face of extreme loss.  One day, while Mac’s family is away, he receives a letter that changes his life.  He travels to a remote shack in the woods, where he proceeds to experience God in a dynamic and tangible way.

I think Young’s portrayal of the nature of God is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen.  He shows that God is not constrained by our misconceptions or limited imaginings of him.  God is more dynamic than we could ever imagine, and his utmost concern is that we have a thriving relationship with him.  This is easily seen in how God reveals himself to Mac in The Shack.  This has been an object of consternation to various people who criticize the book for not being theologically sound.  However, I think the portrayal of God in The Shack captures many beautiful facets of the love of God that we see in the Scriptures, even if it is quite untraditional.

While there are some theological nuances in the book with which I disagree from a Pentecostal perspective, I think this book is one of the best books I have read all year and would encourage anyone who wonders about the nature of God and where God is in the middle of a bewildering situation to read this book.

Please let me know your thoughts, especially if you have read the book.

Blessings,

Dee