In the third episode of the miniseries, Habits of HOPE, explore the place the spiritual disciplines have in making disciples of Jesus Christ.
As Christian leaders, there are at least three things we can confuse we disciple-making. Listen in and reflect on how you think about disciple-making. Is disciple-making limited to knowledge about Jesus? Or are you focusing on transformational practices that help people become more like Jesus?
Where do you focus on practicing the faith?
Discipleship is focused on transformation. The end goal is to become more and more like Jesus. We live in a time where there is more information at our fingertips than most people can process in a lifetime.
Sure, there are basics of the faith we want people to know. You may have memorized the books of the Bible or been challenged to commit Bible verses to memory. But simply accumulating Bible knowledge is not the point of practicing the faith. Transformation is the focus of practicing the faith.
Remember the Rhythms
There is no award for being busy with church business 7 days a week. After all, the creation account includes a day of rest. Add to that the number of times we see Jesus stepping away to pray and be in solitude, there are good reasons NOT to be busy.
What might happen if the church modeled what it means to rest for others? Would practicing the faith look different than constant busyness? We think so.
Isolation and Connection
In addition to living in a time when information is abundant, so are ways we can connect. Even so, isolation is a real challenge not only in terms of relationships but in terms of how you approach the scripture. Everything in the Bible has a context. Every verse has a story around it. Taking verses out of context or pretending to be in a relationship when there is no real-life connection are mistakes to avoid.
Focus on all aspects of HOPE
Keep in mind, practicing the faith is just one aspect of disciple-making. Challenge yourself to consider how you’ll incorporate hospitality, offering Christ, and engagement as you dive into the spiritual disciplines.
About this series
In this series, we’re exploring four essential elements of disciple-making using the acronym, HOPE. This episode looks at different ways we offer Christ within and beyond the local congregation. As you seek to follow Jesus, offering Christ flows out of the love we receive from Jesus. As Christ-centered leaders, how are you offering Christ to the people in your community?
Listen to this episode and find other episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/276.
This series runs from episodes 275-279. Watch for another aspect of disciple-making next week as we explore what it means to practice the faith.
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