“We felt that if we could nurture people in small groups they would then be able to move into mission. We found that never happened. Not that it seldom happened—it never happened. Temperamentally, most people are either given to the inward journey but don’t want to be bothered with the outward work and getting their hands dirty with the poor; or they want to get out there with the poor and they don’t have time for the inward life – they’re just going to get the world fixed. We said both.” Gordon Cosby
I for one fell into this trap. At first I assumed with 90% of Christendom that people were discipled by “going to church”. That they grew from regularly and consistently listening to an endless number of sermons. Once I saw that seemed to not make real disciples I began to agree with the other 10% of the church that disciples are made in small groups. But after planting many very healthy small groups I watching their effect over years they almost never produced radical disciples.
I think I’m finally beginning to believe that disciples must be made. Jesus said “go and MAKE disciples”. Training like this can only be the outcome of a clear intentional process. Jesus had a system for disciple making. If your goal is have discipleship as a byproduct of another activity you’ll get no disciples. Make discipleship the single goal and you’ll get everything else.
Great Post. “If your goal is have discipleship as a byproduct of another activity you’ll get no disciples. Make discipleship the single goal and you’ll get everything else.” I copied this down for my quote file. Blessings, Buddy
What if small groups do make disciples, (and sermons, etc.)just extrememly poorly. Sort of like making a path by just occasionally walking on it. It takes a couple of generations before you have a clear path. I do see your point, but I’m wondering if making disciples just needs to be very intentional in order to see much fruit, vs. the way “the church” is today that sees very little fruit.
You can put your toddler in one of those mop jumpsuits and have him/her collect dirt as he/she crawls, or you can mop your freaking floor. The former works, but it’s also patheticly slow.
I suppose I’m saying that I’m glad for much of the stuff I’ve learned in conventional churches, and now that I’m learning to intentionally make disciples, I can reconfigure much of what I’ve learned towards that end… profitably. I thank God for showing me a more effective way to make paths.