Disciple-Making in AD33
Feb 24, 2022
This Reformation Era has adopted a definition of discipleship that assumes infusing the full scriptures, Genesis to Revelation, into the minds of Christians. And as wonderful as that is, it is not what Jesus actually told us to do.
#JesusStories: During the ascension, Jesus left the Great Commission ringing in our ears (Mt 28:19-20), “Go and make disciples, teaching them to obey “What I taught you.” What did he just say? What was the content Jesus left for us to use? He left us with teachings embedded in a collection of stories: some he told and some he lived. Similarly, in the parable about the house built on sand verses the house built on rock found in Mt 7:24-27, Jesus elevated “his words” as the only foundational material that people can confidently build their life upon. He did not leave us with an Apostles Creed, a Romans Road outline, a series of discipleship classes around the Bible bases, or any other construct of spirituality drawn from the 66 books of the Bible. He left us with a collection of stories from his life, and told us to use them in the making of disciples.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have been blessed by the Apostles Creed and many other discipleship patterns based on scripture. And though the Canon we hold today was not compiled until 367 AD by the church father Athanasius, I still hold it as the Holy and Inspired Word of God. However, we must take note that Jesus told us to do something different than studying a thick book of scriptures and calling it disciple-making. Discipleship to Jesus meant teaching his words, his stories, his behaviors, and his life. This means that the Jesus Stories are the most important and powerful portions of the scriptures to be used in forming actual Christlike disciples. Here is an interesting leadership question: What if we took Jesus’ instructions at face value, and honestly made disciples with the material he told us to use? Scary Huh?
#DinnerChurchQuotes:
*Popular evangelical theology comes from the Epistles, but it needs to come from the Gospels. (David Olson)
*Reading the Gospels through the Epistles creates a disturbing distortion; the Gospels are not be taken as a serious prescriptive for life, mission, and discipleship. (Alan Hirsch)
#PracticalStuff: This year our pastors in Seattle have felt compelled to start adding weekly prayer-walks to our dinner church gatherings. This week, while on a prayer-walk through one of our neighborhoods with several leaders, I sensed The Spirit walking beside us on those sidewalks in a HUGE way. When we compared notes afterwards, we all knew that we were dispelling the uprising kingdom of darkness with every step, and in its place ushering the Inbreaking Kingdom of Jesus into that neighborhood. Our spirits could feel darkness backing up and light flooding in. At its core, that is the theology of the historic prayer-walk. How long has it been since you’ve taken your team for a prayer-walk throughout your neighborhood to change the atmosphere around your dinner church? Jesus hasn’t only given you a room full of people to influence, he has also given you the neighborhood where they live. Prayer walk anyone?
Blessings & Boldness,
Verlon
Dr. Verlon and Melodee Fosner have led a multi-site Assemblies of God Dinner Church in Seattle, Washington since 1999 (www.CommunityDinners.com). In this decade when more churches in the U.S. are declining than thriving, and when ninety-six churches a week are closing, Verlon and Melodee sensed that a different way of doing church was needed for their 97-year old Seattle congregation. It soon became obvious that they were not the only ones in need of a different path. They joined the FX team in 2016 and founded the Dinner Church Collective. And then in 2019 founded the Dinner Church School of Leadership. There is a lot to be gained when church leaders begin to see open doors in the American landscape that they had previously overlooked. Therein lies the journey for those who will forge a new future for the American Church.
Categories: Uncategorized
02.25.22
By: Anthony Johnson
I’m loving the simplicity and intentionality of focusing specifically on the Gospels. It helps us to keep the main thing the main thing as we’re ministering to others and focusing our own devotional lives. It’s also a huge benefit when teaching others to read the Scriptures for themselves: do what Jesus says and did.
02.25.22
By: Kristina Meece
Thank you for sharing this today. I know that you did not post this lightly. Full disclosure here. If I were to fully jump on board with this theology and take it back to those that I know right now, they would point me back to one scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16-17. This ideology would be a tough sell with those who I know.
Now, prayer walks, that is something I fully endorse and do frequently. I have spoken quite a bit about how when we go on a walk that we are not to go with the idea of where to start a dinner church but to start dispelling the dark forces that exist in the area. While doing that, the Spirit will move in us if it the right area or not.
02.25.22
By: Megan Monterrosa
The conversation about discipleship based on Jesus’ teachings and life alone is so eye-opening…it is a total mindset and understanding shift for me. A friend and I have been writing a book on discipleship together and are about to send it for publishing. The DCSL class this week and this blog has really challenged the whole manuscript for me! 🙂 I think if I were to re-write it on my own, I would feel the need to change it in almost every way. Wow!
I am very intrigued by the possibilities of what would happen if we actually took some steps with a group of people and instructed them using only Jesus Stories, and trusted that if they start modeling His life as much as possible then they would be transformed. I think it would be simpler than a lot of discipleship tracks and programs, and of course a lot more effective.
I have done some prayer in the neighborhood we’re in on my own, but recently reached out to all of our dinner church volunteers to gather those who are willing to do prayer walks, looking forward to what God is going to do!
02.25.22
By: Nathan Shipley
Ironically, Ive been invited to join a church and ministry that teaches verse by verse. I find it rather tedious and unnecessary. Theologically speaking I find all the parables and methodologies powerful. Honestly, Jesus took it to the street! He spoke in manner so folks could understand him.I love the closeness of dinner church.
02.25.22
By: David Dalton
When I first encountered this perspective of focusing primarily on the gospels, I found it difficult to swallow. Like others have said, I thought of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and it seems to contradict an emphasis on the gospels alone. The more I thought about it, however, the more I saw the wisdom of it. It is true that all scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, but not all scripture is created equal. The Old Testament sets the stage and points to Jesus. Acts and the epistles point back to Jesus and show us how the early church wrestles with living out the life of Christ in their social context. Everything in all of scripture focuses on Jesus (John 5:39). When we look at it in this way, yes all of scripture is inspired and profitable, but our focus should be on the life of Christ.
We all know people who have a head full of knowledge about the scriptures and about God, but don’t actually live it out. They have been informed, but not transformed. One of the things I love about discipleship being focused on the stories of Jesus is that it changes how we approach discipleship. Rather than trying to master the text, our focus is not following the pattern of Jesus; it is less about information and more about life change.
While it was challenging for me to consider this viewpoint, I have come to personally adopt it and I have seen it be very fruitful in our church and ministry.
02.26.22
By: David A. Brakke
I have heard it said that a common 1st century understanding of discipleship meant knowing what you’re Rabbi knows and doing what your Rabbi does. This seems to make perfect sense when you consider Jesus’ invitation to “follow him”(Mt. 4.19) and then later sending His disciples out to do what He has been doing (Mark 6.7). The very idea of Christian discipleship demand the centrality of Jesus life, teachings, and presence. If Jesus is not the center stage, then discipleship does not happen.
Regarding how we engage with the entirety of the canonized Scripture versus the idea of Gospels only in discipleship, I will only dare to venture as far as making two comments and two question. One, it is fascinating to consider the frequency to which Jesus quotes, illudes, and even understands His own messianic identity through the Old Testament. Secondly, it’s interesting to consider the frequency to which the Epistles quote or illude to the life of Jesus. Lastly, my two questions. Is all of scripture a unified book pointing to Jesus? What do we make of Luke 24.27 which says “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself”.
02.27.22
By: Julie
I really can’t agree more. Christianity can get too “complicated” at times. It is a simple message, live as Jesus did, love God, love others. Build disciples through your witness and telling of what He has done!
It’s how He saved me!
02.28.22
By: Brad Andres
I appreciate the perspective of obeying what Jesus taught as being secluded to the records of Jesus’ life and teaching contained in the gospels. It’s a challenging concept to the discipleship methods I inherited, yet, it also seems somewhat simple, refreshing, and powerful. However, I would add the epistle letters were written to being recalibration and correction to church communities, and often, this included content additional to the Jesus stories and Gospel records. Thus, something more, through the Holy Spirit, is needed in continual growth and discipleship. However, there’s no question that leading people to Jesus leads them to the Savior, into His presence, and His community, and His grace. May the Lord continue to give us wisdom.
02.28.22
By: Angel Porubsky
Knowing that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the light” sets us up to stand on His words, promises, and practices with full assurance that He is enough. When we study his life and what he spoke on, we can easily see the fullness of scripture being declared. As Anthony mentioned above, then we can keep “the main thing the main thing.”
02.28.22
By: Debbie Wilkerson
As some others posted above, all of scripture points to Jesus, and is useful and helpful in teaching others. The idea of just focusing on the Gospels simplifies it so much, though. I know so many people who feel inadequate to share their faith because they have not studied the Bible enough, and are afraid they don’t know enough of scripture to be bold about it. I say, if you know Jesus, you know enough!
04.30.22
By: daryl miller
prayer walks produce fruit and hidden gems in sore neighborhoods. recently a vacant, but well maintained church building caught our attention. I had to go through the county auditor’s office for contact information. turns out to be a umc facility. a big, beautiful building with a fully functional lower level and kitchen. two part-time tenants occupy the upper floors.
Turns out that when this church left for the suburbs decades ago. they hosted an AA group that I am a product, from the mid-1980’s.
We are interviewing with the district pastor in may, about how dinner church and their visions overlap.